As a busy college student who was diagnosed with Type I Diabetes at a young age, an easy to use blood glucose monitor is an important part of my everyday life. The Accu-Chek Compact Plus Meter is a bit bulky compared to other meters on the market, but it has many excellent features.

I love that the lancing device attaches to the meter and that it holds seventeen test strips which eject with the quick press of a button. I no longer have to worry about dropping my test strips when I’m on the bus or in a lecture, which is a huge plus for me.

In addition, I love that the meter recalls previous readings for up to 30 days and that if you purchase a USB cord separately, you can download the latest 500 readings. I plan on purchasing the USB cord so that I can start keeping better track of my readings over time.

I received my meter for free, but it very easy to find for under $25, which is quite a bargain for a glucose monitor.

Despite all of the benefits of the Accu-Chek Compact Plus Meter, I do have one additional complaint aside from the meters bulkiness. It makes a beeping sound when you remove the test strip. While this isn’t a problem in most situations, it can be distracting in a quiet lecture hall or church.

Overall, I highly recommend the Accu-Check Compact Plus Diabetes Monitoring Kit if you are looking for an easy way to test your blood sugar on the go.

One Touch Ultra2 blood glucose monitoring system is a device for measuring blood sugar levels in type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The Ultra2 has several features that users found helpful. Many liked the backlit feature and larger screen, since diabetes can often make seeing small numbers difficult.

The compact design and portability was also another plus. Probably the most useful feature of the Ultra2 is the ability to make notes on pre and post meal readings, to account for exercise, stress, illness or what type of food was eaten and how it affected the reading. These results can then be downloaded and charted via the manufacturer’s (Lifescan) software to enable better diabetes control.

Comments on the negatives of the device include no control solution for calibrating and ensuring the accuracy of the meter; some felt the amount of blood needed for each test strip was larger than other meters; having to enter a code for each new set of test strips; and painful lancing device.

Overall, users liked the One Touch Ultra2 and it seems to be good value at around $25. The notes and backlight are good features at that price range, blood sample size is its downfall.

The Freestyle Lite blood glucose monitoring no coding required is a product that is convenient for diabetics to use to check their blood sugar. It does no require coding, can be used on the go, and it also allows a person to test at multiple sites.

Overall, customers are satisfied with this product; it holds a four out of five rating on Walgreens.com. Eight customers have reviewed this product and out of those eight, six had very positive things to say about it. Customers who gave this product a positive review stated that some of the pros of the Freestyle Lite are that it is accurate, reliable, painless, easy to use, and compact. One customer even stated that it was so simple to use that a child could do it.

The two customers who gave this product a negative review stated that it was inaccurate and unreliable. It is very important to note that there is always going to be a few people who are dissatisfied with a product.
If one is considering buying this product, it will be well worth the money invested in it. The majority are satisfied with it, so chances are it is a very reliable and efficient product.

The Contour blood glucose meter features a easily viewable color display and connects to your computer via USB cable, and will work with Windows Vista for 32 bit and 64 bit systems. Although there are reported problems with it not working for Mac users.

The strips used with the Contour require less blood than most other meters. The Contour also has a lighted, easy to see test strip port.

The Contour comes with a USB cable with an extension for those that may have an older PC with the USB connectors in the back. It also comes with a wall charger in case you do not have a computer to hook up the Contour to.

The only real issue one might have with this meter is the included software, as it will not auto load. Instead you have to explore the software disc and install it manually by locating the .bat file to install if using Vista or Windows 7. If you’re running a version of XP, then you’ll have no worries there.

So, all-in-all, the Contour is a great buy, and worth the money, as long as you are a bit computer savvy, or know someone that is.

I found this device to be the very best out there for the price. I have used many products out there and a lot are way more expensive. It is hard to find a tester for my diabetes that is pain free.

This Accu-Chek Meter comes pretty close. It was also very fast response time and light to pick up. You have many meters out there that are heavier and more expensive. The only real thing that I have against this product is that the instructors are not written clearly.

I am pretty experienced with these types of products and I had a couple problems with this one. I went to look for answers in the instructions and still couldn’t figure it out. Luckily, the customer service center for the product is open 24 hours a day.

That just makes this product that much better to have a great customer service behind it. This product also did not take up that much space which is good for anyone with limited area. Overall, I would rate this product 8.5 out of 10 based on the effectiveness, customer service, and painless readings. I would recommend this product to anyone that asked me.

The One Touch UltraMini glucose meter is one of the most cost-efficient and easy ways to help keep a person’s blood sugar under control. According to many who have reviewed these machines, this meter is light as a feather, uses less expensive test strips than most other testing machines at between 15-25 dollars per box of 25 strips, and takes smaller and less painful samples than most other meters out there. The One Touch UltraMini meter is available through most insurance companies with little to no out-of-pocket cost to the buyer.

With the One Touch UltraMini meter, many users say that this meter hurts less, is cheaper to maintain, and has an excellent customer service department in case of any problems or hangups that may occur with the test strips or the machine itself. There are few if any at all bad reviews of this machine’s longevity and ability to function.

The only complaint that anyone seems to have about this particular testing system is that the colors are not always readily available on demand from the suppliers. Overall, the One Touch UltraMini meter gains high reviews and has been recommended by several sites for its durability and cost efficiency.

photo credit: scaredy_kat

From being the traditional breakfast buddy, omelet had already come a long way today. Especially if it is a very special Spanish Omelet that you are preparing, it definitely answers why a lot of people in the world are getting a munch of it over brunch, lunch, dinner, and any other meal of the day.

With this healthy yet satisfying dish, almost every kitchen in the world knows how to make one. However, just in case you want something special, try this Spanish Omelet that will surely be included among the favorites of those who have a taste of it.

The things needed for this omelet includes: five small cooked potatoes (sliced), half medium onion (minced), one small zucchini (sliced), one and a half cup of green or red peppers (thinly sliced), three eggs (beaten), five egg whites (beaten) five medium mushrooms, three ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese (shredded), one tablespoon low-fat parmesan cheese, and vegetable cooking spray. You can also add pepper, garlic salt, and other herbs to taste.

To start with the preparation, warm a non-stick pan with a vegetable spray at medium heat. Then sauté onion until its color is brown. Now, add the vegetables and sauté them until they are tender.

In another mixing bowl, beat the eggs, egg whites, pepper, garlic salt, and mozzarella cheese. Then stir this mixture into the vegetables that was sautéed earlier. Next, this mixed vegetable, eggs, and cheese can be transferred to a 10-inch pie pan with vegetable spray. Sprinkle on top some parmesan cheese and bake it in a 375 degree-Fahrenheit preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes.

You can slice it into five pieces and ready to be served. Now this Spanish Omelet dish is ready to be your all-day healthy meal buddy.

photo credit: mela sogono

Chicken is tasty. Vegetables are healthy. If you combine them both in one dish, there is no more question of its perfection. So be delighted with the Spanish-style Rice with Chicken. You can never think of any dish as tempting and as healthy as this.

So if you are ready to give it a try, then just follow these simple steps for this dish. Start by heating two tablespoons of olive oil over a medium heat. Then add two medium-sized chopped onions, six cloves minced garlic, two stalks diced celery, two medium-sized stripped red or green peppers, and one cup of mushrooms. Cook these ingredients for three minutes, stirring them often.

Once this is done, add two cups wholegrain rice and then sauté for two to three minutes. Make sure to stir them constantly so as the ingredients will be mixed well together. Now it is time to add three pounds of bite-sized pieces of boneless chicken breast, two and a half cups of low-fat chicken broth, three medium-sized chopped tomatoes, salt, water, and Saffron for color. Bring the water to a complete boil.

This time, you can already reduce the heat from medium to medium-low, cover the casserole and let it simmer for around 20 minutes. This is until the rice is already tender. Then mix one cup each of frozen peas, corn, and beans for around eight to 10 minutes.

Now, your Spanish-style dish is ready to be served. Take note that this dish is perfectly served while it is hot. For additional embellishments and taste, you can garnish some olives and capers on top.

photo credit: specialkrb

Since diabetics have a problem with their blood sugar, they have to follow a strict diet. If you have recently been diagnosed with diabetes, it’s only appropriate that you learn what food you should eat and what food you should avoid as well.

For instance, chromium is important in lowering blood sugar. Since this mineral regulates the blood sugar, the need for insulin in the body is lowered and so medication is reduced as well. If your diabetes is only mild, then getting a good dose of chromium through your food would prevent your disease from developing into full blown diabetes. If your glucose tolerance is abnormal chromium will help control it. Aside from that, chromium even normalizes low blood sugar as well.

To get your dose of chromium, you should include brewer’s yeast in your diet. Brewer’s yeast would even help your pancreas increase insulin production as well. Another great source of chromium is broccoli.

Taking Insulin Naturally

If you want to get a dose of insulin naturally, drinking bitter gourd juice would be a good idea. Simply juice 3 to 4 bitter gourds and drink it first thing in the morning while your stomach is still empty. You can also boil chopped bitter gourd in water. If you can’t take drinking bitter gourd juice, you can also powder its seeds and add it in your meal so you will not feel its taste as you are taking it.

The effects would still be the same and you will get additional dose of insulin. In addition to that, you will also get essential nutrients like iron and vitamins A, C, B1 and B2. It would also be effective in preventing any further complications brought about by diabetes like defective metabolism of carbohydrates, neuritis, eye problems and hypertension.

Healthy Foods from India

Consuming generous amounts of Bengal gram is also recommended. Since water extracts of Bengal gram increases the usage of glucose in the body, this generally reduces the insulin requirements in diabetics.

Another recommended food for diabetics is black gram. Germinated black gram is actually taken with Bengal gram juice to treat mild cases of diabetes. A half cup of Bengal gram is taken with germinated black gram for 3 to 4 months but with restricted carbohydrate diet.

Alternatively, you can also grind sprouted black gram too. Both concoctions would be as effective in preventing malnutrition due to diabetes.

More Foods for Diabetics

You do not have to go farther than your kitchen. Garlic is good source of potassium which diabetics need very much. A lot of potassium is lost in urination so by consuming garlic you are replacing this important mineral in your body. It also has zinc and insulin which diabetics need as well.

Curd also promotes insulin production. It does so by introducing certain friendly bacteria into the digestive system. This in turn washes and cleans the pancreas from all the acids and wastes. So again eating curd is good for diabetics.

photo credit: Smabs Sputzer

It is a known fact that the heart disease is one of the major killer diseases today. That is why one must always be careful about his cholesterol intake. In simple terms, one just has to be careful what he eats.

What Is Cholesterol?

Despite its bad connotation, cholesterol per se is not entirely bad. In fact, human and animal tissues naturally have cholesterol. The liver produces enough cholesterol in the body so it can produce vitamin D, a healthy cell membrane structure and other hormones.

On the other hand, food especially from animal also has cholesterol. The amount contained in each varies though. To eat zero cholesterol food, you can opt to eat plant derived instead.

LDL versus HDL Cholesterol

LDL cholesterol refers to low density lipoprotein cholesterol while HDL cholesterol stands for high density lipoprotein cholesterol. Between the two, LDL cholesterol is considered the bad cholesterol and HDL cholesterol is the good cholesterol.

Lipoproteins are produced in the liver and circulated through the blood. It generally contains proteins, triglycerides and cholesterol. But what really distinguishes LDL from HDL cholesterol is the way they function.

LDL cholesterol generally functions to circulate cholesterol through the blood and to drop it off wherever cell building is taking place. The bad thing about it though is that unused cholesterol is stuck on the walls of the arteries. Too much of this would result to clogging of the arteries and problems in the heart.

HDL cholesterol, on the other hand, functions to clean up the arteries from residue cholesterol. Then it brings them to the liver so they can be reprocessed or excreted.

Fats and Cholesterol

Not all fatty foods are bad. You just need to be choosy. If you ever wonder why olive oil and canola oil are preferred, that’s because such oils contain monounsaturated fats. It’s a great alternative to saturated fats. It lowers LDL cholesterol without changing the HDL cholesterol levels. This would help you avoid any clogging in the arteries and it would help you avoid heart diseases as well.

The extreme opposite of this is saturated fats. It’s quite saturated that it even turns solid at room temperature. That is why you should avoid chicken skin, fats in meat, lards, butter, cheese, milk fat and other dairy products. The more you consume these products the higher is your risk to coronary heart disease.

Hydrogenated fats, on the other hand, are liquid but they also turn sold after processing. They also add to high cholesterol levels.

Corn, cottonseed, soy bean and sunflower are less evil. They are all polyunsaturated fats. They lower LDL cholesterol. But the only problem is polyunsaturated fats also lower HDL cholesterol. Since it functions to clean up the arteries, you don’t need to lower it in any manner.

But then again, you should not consume excess fats either. Always keep everything in moderation and choose the healthy fats when you need to.