Archive for June, 2009

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Vitamin B12 Deficiency and Anemia

Comments: 0June 23rd, 2009 by admin



When you don’t have enough levels of vitamin B12, you develop a vitamin B12 deficiency. This leads to many sign and symptoms, but the most noticeable is anemia, since this vitamin is responsible of producing red blood cells that carry oxygen through the body.

As you can see, it is easy to understand why you develop anemia. And one of the biggest causes that you don’t get enough levels of B12 through food. We must have a diet that brings us all the necessary components to stay healthy. Vegan people are at more risk of having vitamin b12 deficiency and anemia since they don’t get b12 from animal sources.

This anemia can also be caused because of malabsorption by the body. This happens if:
You have perniciuous anemia. A type of condition that destroys the cells in the stomach that are able to absorb B12. You have problems with food digestion (Crohn’s disease, sprue, bacteria in the small intestine, parasites) You have had surgery to remove one part of the stomach. This type of surgery is practiced among other cases, to help obese people lose weight. You have been taking heartburn and ulcer medicine for a long period.
Symptoms of the B12 Deficiency Anemia
Weakness, tiredness, lightheadedness. Pale skin. Bleeding gums, red tongue, sore throat. Stomach sickness and weight loss. Diarrhea and constipation.

A doctor will help you determine if you are developing anemia form a B12 deficiency. This is done thanks to a set of questions about your lifestyle and through blood tests that check the amount of red blood cells.

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Posted in anemia

Symptoms of Angiosarcoma

Comments: 0June 23rd, 2009 by admin



Angiosarcoma is a rare and malignant neoplasm. The tumors typically arise from endothelial cells that are lining the walls of blood vessels. The disease normally takes many years to develop and affects several organs of the body (breast, spleen, liver, heart, and bone). The most common form is cutaneous angiosarcoma. The form with the worst prognosis is liver angiosarcoma.

Symptoms of Angiosarcoma differ according to tumor site. Typically, frequent pain on particular tumor site and significant amount of blood, lymph, other fluids are present. Few symptoms are obvious until the disease is already well-advanced. However, there are signs that identify directly to the part where tumor developed.

Skin. Angiosarcoma of the skin are characterized by an enlarged bruise (a blue-black nodule) and unhealed ulceration. There is pain and fluid discharges. Bone. Angiosarcoma of the bone causes the bones to weaken and more susceptible to breaking easily. The tumor may develop in multiple sites in bones. Signs may include swelling and pain or tenderness on the affected areas. Liver. Angiosarcoma of the liver is not shown in the early stage. At the later stage, signs of the disease will start showing: upper quadrant pain, weight loss, jaundice, and loss of appetite. Soft Tissues. Angiosarcoma of the abdomen can grow into a large size without detection. Enlargement of adjacent lymph nodes can go unnoticed, too. However, there are signs like anemia, hemorrhage, and gastrointestinal bleeding. Easier to diagnose are the angiosarcomas of the skin, bone, and soft tissues. Patients may show the following symptoms:

lump or swelling under the skin lesions on the skin pains on the bone dull or stabbing aches fatigue anemia (reduced red blood cells) Internal angiosarcomas are hard to diagnose but tumors develop rapidly. Treatments are ineffective because disease is well-advanced and at the final stage.

Learning the history of patients is important to get accurate diagnosis. Risk factors include: exposure to radiation, vinyl chloride, and arsenic.

Hemangiosarcoma is one type of angiosarcoma, where a tumor has blood vessels growing directly from it. Symptoms of angiosarcoma and other blood disorders will appear due to uncontrolled division of blood cells. Platelets depletion leads to excessive bleeding; low counts of red blood cells cause anemia.

Incoming search terms for the article:

cutaneous angiosarcoma

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Posted in anemia

Recurring Common Cold Symptoms Could Be Allergies

Comments: 0June 23rd, 2009 by admin



Some people are troubled with recurring common cold symptoms or a large number of colds per year. During cold and flu season, typically from September to April, the grocery store aisles that contain the over the counter and some of the herbal remedies for common cold symptoms are crowded with people. You can become infected with a cold virus any time of the year, but it appears that most of the viruses that cause cold symptoms survive better when the humidity is lower. In most of the United States, those are the winter months.

According to information published by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), you can get relief from cold symptoms by resting in bed, drinking plenty of fluids, gargling with warm salt water, using throat sprays or lozenges for a scratchy or sore throat, using petroleum jelly for a raw nose and taking aspirin or acetaminophen for headache or fever. (Note: Aspirin and aspirin containing products should not be given to children, because of the link to Reye’s syndrome, a rare illness that can be life threatening.) Additionally, the NIAID advises that frequently recurring common cold symptoms that last for much longer than two weeks may be an allergy, rather than an infection with a common cold virus.

Opinions vary on the effectiveness of over the counter and herbal remedies for common cold symptoms. Research often comes to contradictory conclusions. Antihistamines, cough suppressants and nasal decongestants are believed to be safe when used as directed, but can cause unwanted side effects, such as nervousness, dizziness, insomnia or drowsiness. Additionally, these products are not believed to shorten the duration of symptoms.

Some research has shown that zinc nasal gels or sprays can shorten the duration of common cold symptoms when taken during the early stages of a cold, but other research concluded that they were ineffective and may have caused the permanent loss of the sense of smell in some people. Zinc lozenges, tablets or dietary supplements are sometimes recommended to shorten the duration of symptoms and have no unwanted side effects when taken in appropriate dosages.

Vitamin C is not really one of the herbal remedies for common cold symptoms, but because it is a natural product, it is sometimes grouped with them. Many studies have been done concerning the effectiveness of vitamin C for recurring common cold symptoms, both as a preventative and a treatment. The conclusions of these studies have sometimes been contradictory, but it is known that available amounts of vitamin C circulating in the blood stream are quickly depleted during an infection. When taken in appropriate amounts, it can shorten the duration and severity of symptoms and has no unwanted side effects. Mega doses of vitamin C can cause diarrhea, so it is important to follow the supplement manufacturer’s directions and reduce the dosage if diarrhea occurs.

Echinacea is one of the popular herbal remedies for common cold symptoms, but again research results do not always support its effectiveness or safety. Indian echinacea or andrographis paniculata is included in some herbal remedies for common cold prevention and has been shown to have very low toxicity in animals, even when used in large amounts. Curcumin or turmeric has been shown in studies to be a mild expectorant, while causing no unwanted side effects. Piperine, from black pepper, has been shown to enhance the beneficial effects of Curcumin.

Many vitamins, minerals, plant components and herbs work best when accompanied by others. This may be the reason that some research supports their use and others are inconclusive. Some of the best health supplement manufacturers take these facts into account when creating proprietary blends to be used for specific purposes, such as reducing recurring common cold infections. To learn more about these products, please visit the Immune System Booster Guide.

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Posted in Allergy And Sinus

Insights About Drug Addiction

Comments: 0June 23rd, 2009 by admin



Drugs are used for medication of different ailments. It is sometimes prescribed alone for home treatment or it is advice with equipment like Elisa kits. The problem with home meds is that, they can make the patient take the medicines in high dosage or even if it is not necessary. Unlike in the hospitals, the attending nurse or physician supervises medicine intakes. With this kind of situation, patients tend to drink medicines even after the treatment. They became addicts to the medicines.

Drug addiction is not only about the use of prohibited drugs like marijuana, cocaine, heroin and such. As long as there is an excessive use of drugs, there is always an abuse.

Why people engage in this kind of situations? Most of us may think it is because of society or maybe it is because of the influence by others. As an observation, here is the most common factor why teenagers and adults result in drug addiction.

o Peer pressure- this depends on the society we live in. Now for some, the people around them is the main factor why they become drug addicts. At first, it will be just for fun, a one-time event. Then after, it will become a hobby.

o Influence – in our modern times, everything is accessible- web, televisions and other stuff. Some young men and women adopt the things they watch. For example, they are watching this TV series, and one of the characters uses drugs. He or she also will use drugs TVs claim it is okay.

o Problems- now, it can be family problems or any kind of problem. When you are in the influence of drugs, somehow, you are able to neither relax and think nor feel anything. For some, it is an outlet of their emotions.

o For fun – during parties, teenagers use different kinds of drug for a different kind of pleasure. They are not contented with the intoxication of alcohol; rather, they use drugs for fun.

Having a drug addict in the family, does not only affect the person, but the entire family. Of course, parents usually blame themselves for not raising their children well. In fact, it is the fault of their child.

Parents help their child by taking them to a physician to run some drug test using Elisa kits. After which, if the child is positive to certain drugs, it is the discretion of the parents to take their child to a rehabilitation center or not. Most important is that drug addicts need the support, attention and love of their family. Remember that they are in a state where they cannot even help themselves, so give them the support they need.

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Posted in Alcohol

The Importance of Minerals

Comments: 0June 21st, 2009 by admin



Just like vitamins, minerals are essential to life. They function as coenzymes (they help carry out some chemical reactions in your body such as the processing of carbohydrates to produce energy). They are also essential for the proper utilization of vitamins. Some even help maintain stable blood sugar levels and aid in the formation of bone and blood cells.

Minerals can be classified into two groups, bulk and trace. Bulk minerals are needed in a greater quantity than trace minerals. Examples of bulk include calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium.
Examples of trace include boron, chromium, copper, iodine and manganese.

Many of both groups can be found in various vegetables. It might surprise you that good sources of calcium actually include broccoli, cabbage, kale and mustard greens. Foods rich in copper include legumes nuts, seafood, egg yolks, avocados, whole grains and cauliflower. Of course, if you don’t like that type of food, you can always choose a good supplement. The tough part is keeping your intake in balance. For example, too much calcium can interfere with the absorption of zinc and excess zinc can interfere with calcium absorption.

You would be well advised to consult your health care professional before deciding on dosage amounts.

Here is a complete list of all of the minerals you need.

Calcium
Chromium
Copper
Germanium
Iodine
Iron
Magnesium
Manganese
Molybdenum
Phosphorous
Potassium
Selenium
Silicon
Sodium
Sulfur
Vanadium
Zinc

Your age, activity level, size, diet, lifestyle factors and health issues could affect how much of any nutrient you may need. For example, magnesium is depleted from the body with alcohol use and antacids can deplete your iron levels.

Here are some examples of disorders that minerals can effect:
A potassium deficiency has been associated with acne.
Zinc helps with all types of skin disorders including age spots and is a powerful immune system stimulant.
Boron improves brain and memory function.
Magnesium helps relieve anxiety, nervousness, muscular spasms and tics. It is best to take magnesium in combination with calcium.
Magnesium and calcium are also necessary for normal brain and nervous system function.
Germanium is a powerful immune system stimulant which helps deter cancer growth.
Anemia can be related to copper deficiency, not just an iron deficiency.
A manganese deficiency has been linked to ear disorders.
Copper and manganese help retard the growth of cataracts.
Boron is important for bone health and has been shown in studies that it can increase calcium absorption by as much as 30 percent.
Silicon is needed for skin and tissue repair even when healing gangrene.
Potassium plays a role in the transmission of nerve impulses (such as in hearing).
Selenium deficiency leads to a reduced sperm count in men and infertility in women.

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Posted in anemia

Ovary Pain is One of the Symptoms of Ovarian Cysts – Could it Save Your Life? Find Out Now!

Comments: 0June 21st, 2009 by admin



Ovary pain is certainly not something that you will hear woman will say they look forward to…by any means! However, it is one of the symptoms of ovarian cyst, and…believe it, or not…it could actually help keep a woman from getting the most serious consequence of a cyst…cancer of the ovaries.

Symptoms of a cystic ovary can be very vague, and without pain from a cyst, a patient could easily be misdiagnosed. The majority of the symptoms could resemble many common illnesses, so women need to pay attention to changes in their bodies.

Ovarian cysts are very common in women of childbearing age. They are usually ‘just watched’ for one to three months to see if they disappear. Or, a doctor might prescribe oral contraceptives in an attempt to shrink the cyst.

Post menopausal ovarian cysts however, could be cause for alarm. A surgeon will likely schedule a procedure to remove a part of the cyst, and have it biopsied to make sure that it is not malignant. If it is cancer, ovary removal is necessary.

Even though ovary pain is a big indicator that a potential health problem exists, some times a doctor will dismiss it…and that could be life threatening to a woman.

Some of the additional symptoms of ovarian cyst may be…

- abnormal bleeding
- nausea or vomiting
- breast tenderness
- dull ache in lower back
- weight gain
- pain during sex
- more painful than usual periods

If ovary pain is experienced along with one or more symptom for longer than four or five weeks… a second opinion should be sought.

When women know how to recognize changes within their own bodies, they will become aware of the symptoms of ovarian cyst should they appear, and…that just may save their life!

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Posted in cancer

Alcohol Abuse – What Do You Do With a Drunken Sailor?

Comments: 0June 21st, 2009 by admin



1. What’ll we do with a drunken sailor (x3)
Earl-aye in the morning?
Chorus:
Way hay and up she rises (x3)
Earl-aye in the morning
2. Put him in the long boat till he’s sober (x3)
Earl-aye in the morning? (Chorus)
3. Keep him there and make ‘im bale ‘er (x3)
Earl-aye in the morning? (Chorus)
4. Shave his belly with a rusty razor (x3)
Earl-aye in the morning? (Chorus)
5. That’s what we do with a drunken sailor (x3)
Earl-aye in the morning? (Chorus)

During the Vietnam War this could have been my theme song. The ship would sail for three months at a time up-and-down the coast of Vietnam, then go to a port for rest and relaxation, which meant pulling the plug and letting the crew loose.

Now, 40 years later, it’s all a haze and I’m just happy to have lived through it. I hear the old English sea shanty and the words resonate with me. There are so many other verses in this traditional sea going song, some more colorful than others.

Alcohol at sea is nothing new, as U.S. warships in the 1700′s and 1800′s routinely carried large quantities of rum. That is no longer the case, but alcohol abuse remains a concern.

Focusing our attention on the U.S. Army for a moment, a while back I was ready a story by Gregg Zoroya in USA Today about the Army and how the rate of soldiers enrolling in alcohol treatment programs has doubled since 2003. Of course there is a correlation between the rise in alcohol abuse and the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts.

According to the article, the reports from counselors diagnosing alcoholism or alcohol abuse, such as binge drinking, has risen from 6.1 per 1000 soldiers in 2003, to about 11.4 per 1000 soldiers in early 2009. The article also stated that there was an increase of 12% in Marines who tested positive between 2005-2008 for drug and alcohol abuse.

That is an alarming statistic, and U.S. military leaders are not unaware of the situation. Admiral Michael Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told USA Today, “I’m sure there are many factors for the rising numbers…but I can’t believe the stress our people are under after eight years of combat isn’t taking a toll.”

Alcohol abuse is a major method of dealing with stress for millions of people, who are just trying to deal with everyday life. Add to that the pressure of combat, being away from family for long deployments, the riggers of military life in a war zone and it’s understandable that the military has a serious issue to deal with. They know that alcohol is easily abused and can be the solution for many men and women. Moreover, the military also understands that they must reduce the strain, by reducing the number of deployed troops.

The article stated that the military issued a directive to commanders “urging” them to have soldiers who test positive placed into treatment programs. The directive also said that, if necessary, some soldiers might need to be punished under Army regulations. The problem is, soldiers who failed the test may slip through the cracks and receive to treatment. If their disease has progressed, they may just be discharged and given no opportunity to be a part of a therapeutic community and move into recovery. That is an unfortunate reality. Even with the increased awareness of the military leadership over alcohol-related issues, enrollment in treatment programs between 2003 and the present have only risen by half a percent.

The article also pointed out that personnel may not be allowed to go into treatment because of the need to keep the numbers up for combat deployments. Meanwhile, the numbers of related health issues, most notably suicides, has reached record numbers. Call it an inconvenient truth, but the U.S. military has work to do in taking care of its own. Just like the civilian world, it is much easier to ignore the problem, or punish those with the disease, than it is to really make an effort to bring people into treatment and help them regain their lives.

Give the military credit for being aware of the growing problem and give them encouragement to follow up on plans to treat personnel for the disease, with the goal of retaining them as members of the armed forces. But if the whole plan is an empty promise, then about the only thing you can do with a drunken sailor is to “put ‘im in the long boat til he’s sober.”

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Posted in Alcohol

The Alkaline Foods Diet

Comments: 0June 21st, 2009 by admin



The alkaline food diet is a diet that basis all or your eating on maintaining a healthy Ph. Everything on earth has a Ph which stands for potential of hydrogen. The ph scale determines how acidic or alkaline something is. On the ph scale seven represents a neutral ph. Anything above seven, is considered alkaline. Anything below, is considered acidic.

The alkaline food diet focuses on eating food that promote an alkaline environment within the body. The alkaline food diet has been gaining popularity for a number of different reasons. People are seeing remarkable health benefits from the alkaline food diet. The reason for this is because achieving alkalinity allows the body to perform at an optimum level. The more acid that your body has to deal with the less time it can spend healing and fighting disease and creating superior energy.

Many people are finding a phenomenal increase in energy after a mere thirty days on the alkaline food diet. This is because the alkaline food diet has a direct effect on the blood. Picture for a minute every red blood cell in your body. Imagine that they are all as fit and healthy as Lance Armstrong. They are performing like never before speedily picking up loads of nutrients and delivering them to every part of your body. Meanwhile, they are scouring the body for toxins that need to be removed. Energy, life, and healing is felt like never before. Acid in the body causes your blood cells to lose their negative charge. This makes them clump together and fail to absorb nutrients. They also don’t remove toxins as efficiently. A study on drinking alkaline water showed that one glass of alkaline water increased oxygen levels within the blood by 40%. Imagine if you were eating/drinking alkaline food/water every day for 30 days!!!

The alkaline food diet is truly the path to superior health no matter what your health goals . Some of the benefits of the alkaline diet include but are not limited to: weight loss, improved energy, improved mental clarity, improved vision, improved skin, improved teeth, improved bones, healthier blood, healthier organs, healthier immune system, a healthier you.

One of the most amazing things that I noticed after starting the alkaline diet. My teeth were actually whiter and looked healthier. How is this possible? Your body has a defense mechanism to combat acid and maintain a healthy ph. It uses nutrients from your bones and teeth to neutralize the acid in your body. This is the cause for many bone problems such as arthritis and osteoporosis. Sugar is one of the most acid forming substances on earth. What happens to your teeth when you eat too much sugar, you begin to form cavities and tooth decay starts. Just imagine what is happening when this stuff get inside your body?

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Posted in anemia

The Drug Addiction Problem Among Medical Professionals

Comments: 0June 19th, 2009 by admin



Medical professionals are supposed to help people. They are not supposed to be the people who need help. Both doctors are nurses are susceptible to drug addiction and they may even be more vulnerable than the general population.

Surveys say that as many as 15% of medical professionals will abuse drugs or alcohol sometime in their careers. For example, more than half of the 71 doctors disciplined by the Missouri medical board were charged with violations related to drugs or alcohol.

Medical professionals seem to be particularly susceptible to prescription drug abuse. This is likely because they have access to prescription products that the general population does not.

Also, medical professionals have knowledge of the drug’s effects and may feel as if they are not going become addicted because they fully understand the drug.

Pain killers and sleeping pills seem to be the most common type of drug abused by medical professionals. Sometimes the addictions begin with a legitimate prescription after an injury. The relaxing effect becomes addictive to someone in a high-stress atmosphere such as the medical profession. Then, physical dependency begins.

Nurses learn to beat the system by charting that a patient got two pills and then only giving them one. They pocket the extra pill. Or sometimes, they pocket the dose while the patient is sleeping. They have access to drug cabinets and other steal prescription pads and forge their own prescriptions. There are even doctors who are willing to write unnecessary prescriptions.

Nurses are subject to losing their jobs if they are caught abusing drugs. Many times, the medical professionals are put on probation by medical boards for violations involving illegal prescriptions or abusing drugs on the job.

The conditions of their probation may be drug rehabilitation, along with random drug testing and monitoring for a specified length of time – frequently a period of time not less than five years.

Doctors and nurses often get more seriously ill than their patients because they take higher quality drugs than people on the streets. Some anesthetics, like the painkiller fentanyl, are more potent than morphine or heroin.

Returning to work can be especially challenging. Many times medical professionals change their specialties after rehab to remove the source of temptation.

Some states allow the doctors to continuing working while they are in rehab. Some states allow doctors to retain their licenses as long as they refrain from using drugs or alcohol. This policy has come under fire in many locations because of the danger to the public.

Most state boards are insisting that medical professionals seek rehabilitation rather than using criminal prosecution as a deterrent. They feel this would create circumstances under which medical professionals hide their addictions instead of seeking treatment.

Once a healthcare professional enters a treatment program, their chances for a complete recovery is very high. The Farley Center and Williamsburg Place provides affordable, individualized care in a relaxing residential atmosphere. Respected nationally by the healthcare community, twenty five percent of patients are referred by noted physicians. Unlike most centers, The Farley Center and Williamsburg Places offers full time, on-site physicians whose patient roster is small, allowing for effective, one-on-one care and commitment to healing body and spirit. For more than 15 years they have assisted thousands of good people who simply wish to get well.

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Posted in Alcohol

Alternative Health – Will the Addition of Spices to Your Eating Plan Help Lower Blood Sugar Levels?

Comments: 0June 18th, 2009 by admin



Certain spices might be helpful for controlling type 2 diabetes… so who says healthful diets for diabetes have to be dull? Think again! And some spices could help you to have lower blood sugar levels.

Let’s look at some helpful spices for type 2 diabetes:

Cinnamon: Although study results are mixed, some recent research shows that the this popular spice contains certain water-soluble polyphenolic compounds called procyanidins (type A) which mimic the actions of insulin, chromium and polyphenols. A 2008 report in Proceedings of the Nutrition Society written by USDA researchers, looked at glucose control and cinnamon.

Cinnamon supplementation reportedly was shown to improve the metabolic syndrome. People with type 2 diabetes showed improvements in:

Blood glucose levels Insulin sensitivity Cholesterol levels Blood thinning and Their HbA1c level… which is a measure of blood glucose control over a three month period.

Cinnamon reportedly reduced fasting blood sugar 18 to 29%, total cholesterol 12 to 26%, and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol 7 to 27%. It is not time to throw away your medications and substitute them with cinnamon sticks but cinnamon might be a tasty way to help gain control of type 2 diabetes.

The history of cinnamon shows it to be one of the oldest used treatments in Chinese medicine. A therapeutic dose of cinnamon is between 1 and 6 grams a day… and the minimum time frame to show results is often about 40 days.

Ground cloves: These also contain anti-inflammatory polyphenols, so it might be an idea to include these on your grocery list also.

Oregano: Another herb found to be high in polyphenols.

Different spices have different kinds of polyphenols, so way not add a wide variety of spices to your eating plan? Having a healthy diet and lifestyle are the most important factors in preventing or reversing type 2 diabetes. However, there are several herbs and spices that have been shown to help people with diabetes.

Add Spices To:

Vegan eating plans, probably the best kind for diabetics, are best with liberal doses of spices, so try some new spices with your veggies, brown rice, and whole wheat pastas. Oregano has long been an important spice in Italian foods. Try some on your whole wheat spaghetti or linguine. When you cook brown rice, try to see which new and interesting combinations of spices you can come up with each time.

Curry powders are made up of different combinations of spices, so try various kinds of curry until you find some that you like.

Another way to use spices is in salad dressings. Mix your favorite herbs and spices with some olive oil and vinegar and see what you can come up with. Or simply buy the ready-made Italian or vinaigrette dressings after reading the labels to find the ones with the best quantity and variety of spices. Fresh herbs such as cilantro are great when added to a salad of lettuce, spinach, mushrooms, chopped carrots, chopped onions, and chopped walnuts.

There are may cookbooks available which cover a wide variety of ethnic cooking including Indian vegan recipes or even a taste of Thai vegan foods. There are many recipes from around the world which show you how to combine spices with your diabetic eating plan.

Combining a healthy eating plan with the right spices will give you a good chance of reversing type 2 diabetes and having lower blood sugar levels.

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Posted in Diabetes

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