Search Results for: blog is diabetes risk in your genes

Asthma Can Complicate Diabetes in Children

A study finds that kids who have asthma and diabetes have an especially difficult time maintaining their blood sugar level. The combination of the two conditions results in complications with both of them. There are some questions about the accuracy of this study, but, it is still something for parents of kids with these special needs to keep in mind. A study was done by researchers at Kaiser Permanente Southern California, and was led by Mary Helen Black. They found that 11% of kids who have diabetes also have asthma. The researchers had a theory that the inflammation that can … Continue reading →

Foods to Help Prevent Diabetes

Since diabetes runs in my family, I am trying to do everything I can to avoid getting it. Diabetes statistics in the U.S. are staggering. Almost 26 million adults and children have diabetes. And, even more frightening, 79 million are pre-diabetic like myself. I’ve preached about how exercise and diet are great ways to starve off diabetes as long as possible, but there are also some foods that can help fight it. Bean Beans are a great way to raise your blood sugar levels very slowly because they are considered high-quality carbohydrates. And think of how many you have to … Continue reading →

Is Diabetes Risk In Your Genes?

Some health problems that are connected to heredity follow fairly straightforward patterns of heritability. Other health conditions, while still connected to heredity; do not follow a predictable pattern. This can make things difficult for people who are charting their family medical history because when you find out that one or more relatives have a certain condition, you will not likely know right away whether it is a condition that follows a pattern or one that does not until you have a chance to ask a doctor or do a little research. Diabetes is one health condition that does not follow … Continue reading →

Do You Have BOTH Juvenile Diabetes and Autism in Your Family?

A few days ago, I received an email from a mother in Florida who was responding to my blog entitled, Autism, Juvenile Diabetes, and Autoimmune Factors. She explained that like me, she has both of these diagnoses in her family. She has one child on the autism spectrum and another with juvenile diabetes. She also has a child who is considered “high risk” for contracting juvenile diabetes, but so far is free of the disease. She told me that she is aware of four other families living in her general vicinity who have children with autism and diabetes. However in … Continue reading →

The Glycemic Index Diet

The Glycemic Index Diet is based on the Glycemic Index. It is a way of looking at how the carbohydrates in foods affect blood glucose (or blood sugar) levels. Before starting a new diet, it is a good idea to speak with your doctor about it. What is the Glycemic Index Diet? The Glycemic Index Diet has also been called Sugar Busters, the Zone Diet, and Nutrisystem. The original version was called the “G.I. Diet”. Despite what people have been taught by the authors of those books, the Glycemic Index Diet was not intended to be a weight loss diet. … Continue reading →

The Effects of Pesticides

We all know pesticides are bad, but we still eat food that is treated with them. We don’t want pests eating the food, but pesticides themselves can be very pesky to our health. The thing is the chemicals used to treat produce can remain not only on the outside, but may seep into the food we eat. Now some say that well, a tiny amount of pesticides in our system doesn’t really hurt us. But, is that really true or is it just something we tell ourselves to feel better about what we eat? Some scientists think that the level … Continue reading →

23andMe Lists Their Top Ten Genetic Findings of 2011

23andMe is a company that sells genetic testing kits to people who wish to know more about the information that is revealed in their genes. Every year, 23andMe releases a list of their top ten genetic findings. Many of these findings are of interest to genealogists. 23andMe has a blog that it calls “The Spittoon”. It is a rather amusing, and appropriate name. This company sells DNA testing kits to consumers. Those who purchase a kit provide a saliva sample to 23andMe. To do this, a person basically has to spit into the sample collection device. Therefore, “spittoon” is an … Continue reading →

Family History and Heart Disease

Heart disease is a very scary thing. It is important for people to know whether they are at a higher risk for developing heart disease than other people so that they can take steps to decrease that risk as much as possible. Fortunately, you can find out about your personal heart disease risk by doing some family history research and sharing your findings with your doctor. In order to get an idea of whether heart disease runs in your family, ask your parents. If at all possible, find out whether your parents, aunts and uncles, grandparents, and great grandparents had … Continue reading →

Nine Ways To Fight Aging

Good genes play a role in good health, but there are a lot of changes you can make to ensure that you live a long and healthy life. As much as seventy percent of the influences on life expectancy are more luck and choice than inherited traits. So what can you do to stay younger longer? Don’t smoke. If you do smoke, it’s time to quit. This is the single most important thing you can do for your life expectancy. Aim for a BMI (body mass index) of 23.5 — fat cells can raise your risk of type 2 diabetes, … Continue reading →

Nine Tips for Brain Health

Your brain is one of the most important organs in your body! If you want to keep your brain healthy and sharp, try these tips for brain health. Stay mentally active. Take a class at the local college, learn a new skill or language, or play Scrabble. Crossword puzzles and Sudoku are great games to keep your thinker nice and sharp. Your brain needs challenges to keep functioning at its peak. Get enough sleep. If you aren’t sleeping enough, you’ll feel less alert. If you aren’t sleeping well over a long period of time, your brain function can be impaired. … Continue reading →