Managing Diabetes At Work And Driving

No matter what happens, we all have to earn our daily bread. Even if you are diagnosed with some or the other disease, you need to keep on working. So, it's better to know the techniques of managing the disease when you are working. Many people continue to work after being diagnosed with diabetes. Support from employers in being flexible about working hours and the access to work scheme in providing equipment helped several people to continue working.

Sometimes the type of work people did make it hard for them to keep working, especially if their job is physically demanding. People who are affected by neuropathy (nerve damage) in their feet found it difficult to continue doing jobs which required walking long distances or standing for long periods of time. One man, who was a paramedic, said he took early retirement when he started taking insulin because he didn't want to be driving at high speed. A hairdresser found it hard to find time to eat properly and after developing neuropathy could no longer stand on her feet all day. Eating at the right time takes extra care and planning when working in a physically demanding job. However, desk-based jobs can also cause problems for people with diabetes. Some people whose eyes were affected said that they found reading difficult, particularly reading from a computer screen. One man said he had become more sensitive to fluorescent lights at work and he felt it created tensions amongst his colleagues that he needed to have the lights turned off. Some people felt there were times when they were less productive at work, either because of a rise in blood glucose levels or general fatigue.

A few people were concerned that they might have difficulty getting another job if they needed to. Although many people with diabetes would not consider themselves disabled, diabetes is listed in the DDA (Disability Discrimination Act) which protects people with disabilities from being treated differently to other employees.

Driving and diabetes type 2

You may need to tell DVLA(Driver Vehicle Licensing Agency) about your diabetes, depending on how it's treated and the licence you have. If you drive a car or motorbike and your diabetes is treated by diet or tablets, you don't have to do anything. If you have a bus, coach or lorry licence you must fill in form 'DIAB1V' and send it to DVLA. If your diabetes is treated with insulin, all drivers by law must inform the DVLA.

Here are some tips that you can follow to manage your diabetes while you are at work.

Monitor your blood sugar at work. Try monitoring your blood sugar levels while you are working. You can test your blood sugar in private and in this way you can keep a track of your blood sugar level.

Make time for breakfast. When you work hard, it can be tempting to just have a cup of tea or coffee, and then get busy and not eat lunch. Instead eat a good breakfast and you won't be tempted to eat too much later. It's much healthier to have heavy meals earlier in the day and then eat light later on.

Get moving. Assuming you spend most of the day sitting at desk, make it a point to get up and move around every hour or so. This will help not only to burn calories, but your body will be more sensitive to insulin. Wearing a pedometer will help you keep track of how many steps you take and may even inspire you to take more steps!

Bring your lunch rather than buy it. In this way you will have more control over what you eat. You can prepare a large salad with protein but no white starches, along with some fruits.

Keep snacks that can treat an episode of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) at your desk. It's good to have healthy snacks on hand that won't spoil, such as protein bars, for when you get hungry.

If you take insulin, consider having two sets of supplies – one at home and one in the office. This way, you won't be rushing around having to pack everything at the last second in the morning, or worse, forget to bring anything.

Carrying a diabetes kit with you at all times  (especially at work) is essential to your health. So, remember to carry one with you always.

Alert a trusted colleague. Let someone in your office know that you have diabetes and explain to him or her how to manage it.

Diabetes is a kind of disease that can affect anyone and everyone. The main point is how efficiently you tackle it. For those who are working, try to follow these simple tips and you don't need to worry about handling the disease anymore. In this way you can stay as much fit as any other normal person.

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Ayurvedic Herbs – Know The Benefits And How To Use Them For Natural Healing

Ayurveda is an ancient Hindu system of holistic healing. It deals with herbs, metals and minerals which are known to have therapeutic benefits. This is a fascinating area of complementary medicine. The more you know the further enriched you will be. Moreover, they not only have benefits but it can also be used for natural healing.

Benefits and usages of ayurvedic herbs for natural healing

Some of the popular ayurvedic herbs and their benefits and usages are listed below. Let's take a look at them:

Ajwain or Carom: This has the scientific name Apium graveolens. It is also known as wild lettuce. This is an important ayurvedic herb and is also used as a spice. Moreover, you should also remember that it is a great cure for gas, bloating as well as other digestion problems.

Amalaki or Indian Goose berry: Also known as Amla, its scientific name is Emblica officinalis. It can be easily found in the market. You can cut the amalaki into pieces, dry them in the sun and then have them. This is a great cure for cough and cold. Amalaki is rich in Vitamin-C. Moreover, amalaki extracts are even good for your hair.

Brahmi or Indian pennywort: The scientific name for this herb is Bacopa monnieri. It contains bacopasides 20, 40%, saponins 20%.  This herb plays a great role in enhancing brain function. This herb is often used for memory enhancement. Young students can consume this in the form of juice to enhance memory and concentration power.

Ashwagandha: This is an ayurvedic herb which goes with the scientific name Withania somnifera. This ayurvedic herb is considered to be a sex enhancer and can also help in brain boosting. This is usually standardized for alkaloids 0.5, 1, 2 % and Withanolides 1, 2.5, 4.5%. Apart from this, it has also helped in reducing anxiety symptom.

Babul or Babool: This is also known as acacia nilotica. The bark, fruit as well as gum resin of the Babul tree is used to formulate different Ayurvedic herbal preparations. It is used in dental and oral hygiene products. Apart from this, it is good to reduce burn injuries as well as other skin diseases.

Neem or Indian Lilac: This is an extremely beneficial ayurvedic herb. This herb is good for your skin. Application of this herb will help you get rid of skin problems like rashes and allergies. Moreover, consuming this leaf will help you in getting immunity from various summer-time diseases.

Tulsi or Basil: The scientific name of this herb is Ocimum sanctum. It is also known as Basil and contains tannins of 10%. The leaves of this plant is an excellent cure for cough and cold. Moreover, it is good for your skin.

Chirata or Swertia: It is a whole plant and a quite popular ayurvedic herb. This herb, if used properly, is known to cure skin diseases, burning sensation, fever, etc. Thus, you can keep this herb handy at your home.

Guggul or Commiphora wightii: Another common ayurvedic herb is Guggul. This should also be kept handy at home as it helps to cure rheumatoid arthritis, paralysis and can also be used as a laxative.

Kalmegh or Andrographis paniculata: This ayurvedic herb is also known as Bhui neem. It is a great cure for fever, weakness, release of gas, etc. It also helps to cure various stomach related problems.

Now that you know the benefits and usages of different ayurvedic herbs, you should keep them handy at home!

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Smokeless Tobacco – Know How It Is Harmful For You

Of late, tobacco smoking has grown quite popular. People, now, opt for different types of tobacco smoking. Smokeless tobacco has also gained immense popularity amongst the masses. However, it should be noted here that smoking tobacco in any form can be harmful to you. Not only this, tobacco smoking can be harmful to other people who are in and around you. So, you should stop smoking tobacco not only for the sake of yourself but also for the sake of your near and dear ones.

Harmful effects of smokeless tobacco

You must have heard that smokeless tobacco is harmful for you and your family. Here are some of the things which will help you understand how smokeless tobacco can be harmful:

Cancer-causing agents: You will be surprised to note that smokeless tobacco contains 28 cancer causing agents. These agents are also known as carcinogens. As a result, you should avoid smokeless tobacco.

Leads to Cancer: Not only is it a cancer causing agent, but it can also go ahead to cause two major forms of Cancer – Oral Cancer and Pancreatic Cancer. So, it is better to avoid this kind of smokeless tobacco.

Leukoplakia: It is very important for you to note that smokeless tobacco is also greatly associated with leukoplakia. This is a pre-cancerous lesion of the soft tissue inside the mouth which consists of a white patch or plaque that cannot be scraped off.

Dental and other associated problems: Smokeless tobacco is known to be associated with various dental and other associated problems. This include tooth decay,  recession of the gums, gum disease, etc. Thus, you need to be very careful about these things.

Pre-eclampsia: Many women go for smokeless tobacco during pregnancy. But that is not a good step. Opting for smokeless tobacco can lead to pre-eclampsia. This is a condition which includes fluid retention, high blood pressure, swelling, premature birth as well as low birth weight. So, a pregnant lady needs to be very careful.

Affects sperm cells and sperm count: In men, smokeless tobacco smoking can lead to abnormal sperm cells. It can also lead to reduced sperm count. So, before you go for this option of tobacco smoking, know the repercussions!

Nicotine addiction: Smokeless tobacco contains nicotine. As a result, it can lead to nicotine addiction as well as nicotine dependence. Thus, a person might get addicted to nicotine as well through this kind of smoking.

Become cigarette smokers: There are many adolescents who are into smokeless tobacco. In the long run, they are more likely to become cigarette smokers. So, if you find an adolescent smoking smokeless tobacco, take steps to rehabilitate that person.

Now that you know about so many harmful effects of smokeless tobacco, you will definitely be able to understand the importance of avoiding tobacco smoking in any form. You should take special steps in encouraging youngsters and adolescents to stop tobacco smoking or it can negatively affect their health.   Moreover, men and women should also forbid smoking tobacco in order to avoid Cancer as well as other health issues. Eat healthy food, exercise regularly, go to doctor for regular health check up and stay healthy and happy!

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Raw Foods: Why You Should Eat Way More Of Them

When it comes to health issues, raw foods stand first in the queue. It gives you lot of vitamins and minerals and it nourishes your body. But thanks to the modern lifestyle, we are more inclined to packaged food that we can stuff in our mouth right away than buying fresh vegetables and fruits. When you eat raw food you give your body much more vitamins and minerals than it can take from any junk food. Raw food is even healthier than cooked food that you prepare in your home. Heat changes the structure of the food. Lots of vitamins are destroyed by extreme heat. This means that your body doesn't receive them, even if they were present in the raw form of food.

Vitamin C is a unique example that gets destroyed when exposed to heat. Usually vitamin C is found in all fruits and vegetables you can eat, but when you cook them using heat you destroy most of the vitamin C resources of the raw food. This is a pity considering that vitamin C is a super antioxidant and has many health benefits.

When it comes to meat, you have to cook it, but there is nothing stopping you from buying fresh meat. The fresher the meat is, the better and healthier it is.

Also, before you buy any foods, you should check how many chemicals they contain. These days even apples are filled with chemicals. Buy only those foods that contain the least amount of chemicals.

Adding more raw foods into your diet is a great way to boost your health. You should therefore focus on fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and sprouts. These foods should be made the foundation of your diet which will give you more energy, help you lose weight and make you feel great. A good rule to follow is to allays make sure that 60% of all foods you eat are raw fresh foods. Even the foods you feel the need to cook that are vegetable based can be undercooked to preserve more of their health benefits. It's not that, you have to become a 100% raw foodie or adhere to strict guidelines. Simply incorporate more fresh foods into your diet. Even if half of your meals each day consist of raw foods, you are on the right track. Here are some ways to add more raw to your diet.

• Have at least a serving or more of fresh fruit everyday. This can include an apple, pear, orange, berries or a fresh fruit smoothie.
• Have multiple servings of fresh vegetables everyday. Cut up carrots, celery, peppers, make a large dark green leafy salad or a fresh-pressed green juice.
• Enjoy a handful (or two) of raw organic nuts and seeds. Put them into a trail mix with raisins, goji berries, apricots – and you can even add some pure raw dark chocolate (cacao) into the mix.
• Grab a bag of fresh sunflower or pea sprouts from your local health food store or farmers' market. These make a great addition to salads, sandwiches, soups, stir-fries and smoothies.
• Get creative and try to prepare a few new raw recipes each week.

Now that you know the benefits of having raw food, try to have as much as possible. In this way you can stay healthy for a much longer time and stay away from falling sick.

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