Tag: fatigue

Feb

19

Electrolytes And How They Help With High Blood Sugars

What Are Electrolytes? Electrolytes And DiabetesEver wonder why when we are severely dehydrated as diabetics or when we are dealing with an extreme high blood sugar our medical team tells us to make sure we replenish our electrolytes? I mean, what is an electrolyte anyway, what are the symptoms of low electrolytes and how can they help us as diabetics or if your just out mowing the lawn? Diabetic or not, they are extremely important when it comes to our overall health so lets take a closer look!

When dissolved in fluid, salts tend to break apart into their component ions, creating an electrically-conductive solution. For example, table salt (NaCl) dissolved in water dissociates into its component positive ion of sodium (Na+) and negative ion of chloride (Cl-). Any fluid that conducts electricity, such as this new saltwater solution, is known as an electrolyte solution: the salt ions of which it’s composed are then commonly referred to as electrolytes. So that leads us to the next question…

What Are Electrolytes?

There are several common electrolytes found in the body, each serving a specific and important role, but most are in some part responsible for maintaining the balance of fluids between the intracellular (inside the cell) and extracellular (outside the cell) environments. This balance is critically important for things like hydration, nerve impulses, muscle function, and pH levels.

With the correct body water balance, the electrolytes separate into positive and negative ions. When the body loses water or becomes dehydrated an electrolyte imbalance starts to occur. During heavy exercise, sodium and potassium electrolytes in particular are lost through sweating.  To ensure constant electrolyte concentrations in the body, fluids must be regularly consumed.

To avoid an electrolyte imbalance which can cause lethargy and muscle twitching, athletes consume electrolyte solution drinks to make sure the electrolyte balance is maintained during and after exercise – this contributes to achieving optimum performance

You should drink frequently during strenuous physical activity. Thirst usually does not kick in until well after you have reached a state of dehydration, so consume plenty of fluid whether you feel like it or not. About 6 to 8 ounces every 15 minutes is sufficient. Help replace electrolytes by consuming a beverage that contains 0.7 milligrams of salt per quart of fluid. Consuming fruit slices, such as bananas, strawberries and oranges can help restore lost potassium, but obviously we still need to be careful here and a small bolus may be needed after exercise due to the sugar content in fruit. 

7 Major Electrolytes & Their Function:

Let’s take a look:

  1. Sodium (Na+)
  2. Chloride (Cl-)
  3. Potassium (K+)
  4. Magnesium (Mg++)
  5. Calcium (Ca++)
  6. Phosphate (HPO4–)
  7. Bicarbonate (HCO3-)

So what do each of these to?

Sodium (NA+) is the major positive ion in fluid outside of cells (extracellular) and when combined with chloride the resulting substance is table salt. Some functions of sodium include the regulation of the total amount of water in the body and the transmission of sodium into and out of individual’s cells, which plays a role in critical body functions. Many processes in the body, especially in the brain, nervous system, and muscles require electrical signals for communication. The movement of sodium is critical in generation of these electrical signals. Too much or too little sodium can cause cells to malfunction and extremes in the blood sodium levels.

Potassium (K+) is the major positive ion found inside of cells. Some of the functions of K+ are the regulation of heartbeat and muscle function. The proper level of potassium is essential for normal cell function. Any seriously abnormal increase or decrease in K+ can profoundly affect the nervous system and increase change of irregular heartbeats.

Calcium (Ca++) is needed to build and maintain bones. It also plays a role in nerve impulse transmission and muscle contraction.

Magnesium (Mg++) is an essential mineral that is involved in more than 300 enzyme reactions in the body. Mg supports heart and nerve function. Mg is essential in the formation of bones and teeth and in converting blood sugar into energy.

Chloride (Cl-) is the major anion (negatively charged ion). CI- is found in the fluid outside of the cells and in the blood. The balance of chloride ion (CI-) is closely regulated by the body. Seawater has almost the same concentration of chloride ion as human body fluids. CI- plays a role in helping the body maintain a normal balance of fluids.

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Sep

29

What Is BVO?

What Is BVOLets just say that I’ve never been much of a soda drinker or over the counter sports drinks such as Gatorade and after finding out about BVO (aka Brominated Vegetable Oil) I am very happy about that! Brominated Vegetable oil is a vegetable oil that has the element Bromine(35 on the periodic table, second column from the right 3 rows down)  added to it to increase the density of the oil. The food manufacturer most likely uses this over regular vegetable oil to prevent the oil from floating to the top of the product.

 

Why Is BVO Used In Soda?

Brominated vegetable oil is vegetable oil, derived from corn or soy, bonded with the element bromine. It’s added as an emulsifier, to prevent the flavoring from separating and floating to the surface. The FDA limits the amount of BVO allowed in fruit-flavored beverages to 15 parts per million.

Bromines are common endocrine disruptors, and are part of the halide family, a group of elements that includes fluorine, chlorine and iodine. What makes it so dangerous is that it competes for the same receptors that are used to capture iodine.  If you are exposed to a lot of bromine, your body will not hold on to the iodine that it needs. And iodine affects every tissue in your body, not just your thyroid.

Side Effects Of BVO!

As we know, the element bromine is a halogen and thus, it is known to displace iodine. So, consuming products which have this vegetable oil as one of its ingredients may hamper the function and health of the thyroid glands. It may also cause the development of depression, memory disorders, mental disorder symptoms such as hallucinations, seizures, tremors, confusion, slurred speech, photo-phobia, fatigue and lethargy, just to name a few.
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Sep

17

Top Ways To Fight Fatigue For People With Diabetes

Top Ways To Fight Fatigue For People With DiabetesWith our hectic lifestyles its no surprise that we are running around like zombies. For me personally as a stay at home dad of 4 little ones, I’m not afraid to admit, come 2pm…I’m complete junk. What do I do? Sadly, most times I reach for the coffee. YES, there are certainly certainly healthier options out there to give you that mid afternoon boost so lets take a look at a couple of the ways we can fight fatigue!

Do you struggle to stay awake in the afternoon? Ever feel worn out just thinking about all the things you need to get done in a day? Even after a good night’s sleep do you not feel fully energized? Fatigue can be linked to a medical condition (high blood sugar anyone?), but for many people mild fatigue is just a byproduct of a busy lifestyle.

If you’re like most people in America you probably feel fatigued at times. So what are some easy ways to fight fatigue? Everyone seems to have a “top 10 ways to beat fatigue” list these days. Lets take a look at some of the most effective tactics to fight fatigue.

Fatigue And Your Workload:

Most people blame their fatigue on having too much to do, and it certainly plays a major role. In order to fight fatigue, assess what is truly important on your to-do list, and start saying “no” to demands on your time that don’t enhance your life in some tangible way. At the office, either delegate or work with your supervisor to determine which tasks are truly urgent and which ones are not worth sweating over.
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