9 Low Carb Baking Flours for Diabetics

 

When you have diabetes, you have to be careful about what you put into your body. This means you’ll need to do a ton of research and endure dietary restrictions to live a long and healthy life.

A good portion of the food you can buy in a restaurant or grab at the supermarket for a quick meal is not diabetes-friendly, especially those made from all-purpose flour. Does that mean you can never enjoy cookies, or bread, or wraps ever again? No.

It is true that all-purpose flour is high in carbs and not suitable for regular consumption for diabetics, but there are alternatives that have a lower Glycemic Index (GI) and are more nutritious than all-purpose flour.

Today, we’re going to take a look at 9 such flours for baking purposes:

1.    Almond Flour

Almond flour is a great choice for persons who are allergic to gluten or have chosen to go the vegan or grain-free route. Almonds  are low in carbs, and high in protein and Vitamin E whose antioxidant properties help to reduce your risk of cancer and heart disease. It is also rich in Magnesium, a key component in regulating both blood sugar,  and blood pressure.

As it relates to the Glycemic Index for Almond Flour, it stands at 0 since it’s made of nuts and can also increase insulin sensitivity  . Its carbohydrate content is primarily fiber that plays a huge role in regulating blood sugar and is also good for gut health, so win-win.

It’s easy to replace regular flour with Almond flour in most recipes. Be sure to consider the carb content of everything you add, especially in deserts.

The drawback to almond flour is in its high-fat content and lack of gluten which means you’ll have to use more eggs or baking powder in a recipe to achieve greater consistency. It also goes bad pretty fast so store in an airtight container or in the refrigerator.

Almond flour is easy to find in most supermarkets so getting your hands on some shouldn’t be difficult. Be careful to not get Almond Meal since it’s not the same thing, and is coarser and more suited to coating (substitute for bread crumbs)

2. Soy Flour

Soy flour is also vegan-friendly since it is a plant-based protein. It is high in protein and is a great source of dietary fiber, calcium and Vitamin B.

Soy has a Glycemic Index of 16 which is relatively low and has been linked to reducing blood cholesterol levels and reducing the risk of coronary heart disease.

Since it is gluten-free, you may have to add a rising agent like yeast or baking soda when making bread  and binding agents like xanthan gum to compensate for the lack of elasticity and to make it easier to work with.

When making baked goods, use about a third of the amount you would use when using regular flour. It bears a similar consistency to coconut flour, meaning it is dry and absorbs ingredients easily.

Aside from making baked goods, you may also use it to thicken broths and sauces to your liking.

3. Coconut Flour

Coconut flour is vegan-friendly, keto-friendly, gluten-free, kosher and yummy. It is made from what is left over after producing coconut milk and oil and has a soft texture perfect for baking.

Coconut flour is rich in fiber but relatively low in carbs and calories. It has a low Glycemic Index which makes it suitable for diabetics, and also contains healthy fats which help to boost metabolism, lower bad cholesterol boosts heart health. Coconut flour is also great since it decrease blood glucose and cholesterol

Coconut flour is mild in taste so it works well with pretty much any recipe. When using this flour, bear in mind that it absorbs liquid easily, so you may need to add more liquid to keep it moist. It is advised that you use a third of what you would with ordinary flour, as it can make baked goods crumbly and dry.

 

4. Walnut Flour

 

Walnut flour is another nut flour with a Glycemic Index of 0 , is vegan-friendly, gluten-free, grain-free and compatible with all low-carb diets.

Walnuts are believed to be the healthiest of nuts and are rich in healthy fats that support heart and muscle health. It is rich in fiber that helps to prevent constipation and regulates blood sugar, along with necessary proteins that help to suppress appetite for diabetics on weight loss regimens and boosts metabolism. You can also look to walnuts  for its antioxidant content as it is anti-inflammatory, supports brain function and reduces oxidative stress.

Walnut flour works well as a substitute for all-purpose flour in most baked recipes such as pancakes, cakes, and pastry. It can have a coarse texture, similar to cornmeal, which makes it a great choice for bread and crummy pastry.

5. Ground Flaxseed Flour

Flaxseeds are a superfood. They’re rich in nutrients such as copper, magnesium, manganese, and thiamine which keep blood cholesterol low, promote smooth skin, keeps hair and nails healthy. They also play a role in making red blood cells, regulating blood pressure, metabolizing carbohydrates and regulating blood sugar.

Ground Flaxseed flour has a low Glycemic Index since it contains no carbohydrates that will raise your blood sugar. Its fiber content is not only good for digestive health, but it also helps to reduce blood sugar concentration.

When ground into flour, it has a high concentration of oils and can be used to reduce the number of eggs and fats needed in baked goods. You can mix it with other flours or make it into vegan cookies, cakes, muffins, and other baked goods.

6. Spelt flour

 

Spelt is a whole grain that humans have used for years. It is similar to wheat but is more nutritious and packed with fiber and protein. It is also high in gluten so if you’re on a gluten-free diet, just skip to the next one.

This flour has a moderate Glycemic Index of about  and should be used along with low carb ingredients. Spelt flour is naturally sweet so you should also bear that in mind when making your baked goods.

The beauty about spelt flour is that because it is so close to wheat, it makes bread the way you may have been used to it. However, it is much easier to digest since it is more water-soluble. Transition to other types of bread may be hard when you are newly diagnosed so this is a great stepping stone. You may also use spelt flour to make cookies, pancakes, cakes, and biscuits.

7. Chickpea Flour

Next on our list is another bean that you may be familiar with, chickpeas  . You may use in your curries, salads, and soups, but did you know that it’s a great alternative to flour?

Chickpea flour is gluten-free and rich in protein that supports weight loss, boosts metabolism and improves immunity. This flour is also rich in fiber which helps you to maintain an optimal weight, lowers cholesterol and reduces blood sugar. It has a Glycemic Index of 10 .

Chickpea flour is a great alternative for making crusts such as pie crust and pizza crust and is also great for bread, waffles, and muffins. It also makes for a good batter when frying and is good for thickening soups and sauces. Bear in mind that this flour is naturally dense so it may be harder to work into certain recipes.

8. Oat Flour

 

If you already have oats at home, you can make your own flour with a food processor or blender, but if you don’t want to, that’s fine since you can get it in a supermarket.

Oat flour is a grain flour and is naturally gluten-free. It has a Glycemic Index of 44 which makes it a good choice for diabetes and a good source of protein for vegans.

This flour has all the same nutritional benefits of oatmeal and is a popular ingredient for diabetics since it helps to regulate blood sugar. Oat flour is a great way to make authentic oatmeal cookies and muffins and works well in, bread, waffles, biscuits, pancakes and anything else you can bake.

9. Rye Flour

 

Rye Flour is extremely popular in Europe and has been used as an alternative to wheat flour for generations. It has a distinct taste that takes a bit of getting used to but it is more popularly used in breads and biscuits.

If you’re on a grain-free diet, then this flour isn’t for you since it is a whole-grain product. It’s not gluten-free either, however, it has less gluten than say barely flour or wheat flour. Depending on how you use it, rye flour has a low to moderate Glycemic Index  so use it sparingly and consciously.

When you use this flour, look out for health benefits like boosted metabolism and blood sugar control , hunger suppression and weight loss, along with nutrients such as phosphorus, zinc, magnesium, and iron.

When You Don’t Want To Use Flour At All

Too much of any one thing isn’t good for you, even if it’s nutritious. Here are some alternatives:

  • Using lettuce to replace burger buns and wraps
  • Use spiraled vegetables and sprouts instead of pasta
  • Having sweet potatoes instead of dumplings
  • Substituting bread for eggs
  • Making coconut meat cookies instead of using flour
  • Trying eggplant disks instead of burger buns and sandwich bread
  • Making pizza with Cauliflower crust
  • Mushroom burger buns

Final Word

There’s no reason you should miss out on your favorite baked goods. Once you have the right ingredients, swap the flour in your pantry for alternatives like:

And, when you’re tired of flour, swap those out for veggies like lettuce and cauliflower, some eggs, mushrooms, sweet potatoes or coconut meat.

Will Losing Weight Reverse diabetes? 5 Things You Can Do

While certain lifestyle practices can put you at risk of diabetes, no one sets out to be diabetic. It is a manageable condition and most people live long, happy lives, but there’s a dark side to it all. From medical expenses to dietary restrictions and having to stick yourself with insulin daily, diabetes can impact your overall quality of life.

There has been talk about weight loss reversing diabetes so we wanted to have a quick discussion on the issue so that you can understand the benefits of weight loss and if you can truly cure your diabetes. Have a look at these 7 quick diabetes facts so we can get down to business.

7 Quick Diabetes Facts

1. Diabetes is a condition in which the body does not produce enough insulin or is unable to use the insulin that is produced effectively.

2. Diabetes is sometimes called “sugar” because it causes sugar from the food you eat to accumulate in the blood.

3. Diabetes can either be Type 1 or Type 2. Type 1 diabetes, sometimes referred to as insulin-dependent diabetes typically begins during childhood. It is an autoimmune condition where antibodies attack the pancreas leaving it unable to produce necessary insulin. Type 2 diabetes, otherwise called non-insulin-dependent diabetes, happens later in life. 90% of persons who have diabetes have Type 2 diabetes as their pancreas doesn’t make enough insulin or the body doesn’t use it effectively (insulin resistance).

4. According to the CDC , over 100 million Americans are either diabetic or prediabetic. Of this total, 30.2 million or 9.4% of Americans are diabetic and more than a third, or 84 million, have prediabetes which can lead to diabetes if it goes untreated.

5. African Americans are nearly twice as likely to develop diabetes than White Americans and Hispanic Americans.

6. Diabetes can cause complications such as amputation, blindness, kidney disease, heart disease, and stroke.

7. Diabetes ranks number 7 as a leading cause of death in the United States. The death rate for African Americans living with diabetes is 27% higher than whites.

The link between diabetes and obesity

For starters, not everyone who doesn’t have the body of a Victoria’s Secret model is obese. There are certain requirements to be met before someone can be ruled as obese.

Obesity is defined as a medical condition in which a person has excess fat in their body. This puts the person at an increased risk of certain health conditions. To determine if someone is obese, a quick calculation called a body mass index (BMI) is carried out, by measuring their fat composition relative to that of someone of the same or similar sex, age, and height.

If the results are below 18.5, that person is underweight. If the results are between 18.5 and 24.9, that person has a healthy weight for someone of their sex, age, and height. Where the BMI is between 25.0 and 29.9, the person will be considered overweight. A value between 30.9 and 39.9 belongs to a moderately obese person. If the value exceeds 40, that person is severely or morbidly obese.

Obesity can be caused by different factors and is widely thought to be the result of overeating. However, genetics can play a role, along with certain medical conditions and a sedentary lifestyle.

Surely you’ve heard that overweight and obese persons are more likely to develop diabetes. This is true. This happens because of an increase in fatty acids and inflammation which causes insulin resistance.

Excess abdominal fat causes a release of inflammatory proteinsand chemicals such as nonesterified fatty acids, cytokines, glycerol, proinflammatory makers and other substances. Thesereduce the body’s sensitivity to insulin by blocking insulin receptors which causes what we call insulin resistance. Obesity may also change the way the body metabolizes fat and can cause fat molecules to be released into the blood which can also affect insulin-responsive cells.

This does not mean that all obese persons have diabetes, but there is a strong link. Roughly 90% of all persons with Type 2 diabetes are obese. This should be enough to convince you to take weight loss more seriously, but can losing weight reverse diabetes?

Can losing weight reverse diabetes?

 

To date, there is no cure for diabetes and persons who have it have to consistently manage it to avoid serious health complications. There have been claims that you can reverse diabetes through weight loss, and there is some truth to that.

Remember what we said earlier about excess fat causing insulin resistance? Well, if there are less fat cells to cause insulin resistance, the insulin your body produces will be more effective and can potentially put your diabetes into remission, i.e, cause the symptoms and side effects of diabetes to decrease or stop completely for some time. Some of these symptoms include extreme thirst and hunger, frequent urination, fatigue, slow healing wounds, blurry visions, frequent UTIs and vaginal infections . Being in remission does not mean you are cured since the symptoms can return.

In one study that was conducted on this matter of nearly 300 persons with Type 2 diabetes, participants were either asked to stop taking their prescribed medication and subscribe to a new diet or to continue taking their medicine. This diet aimed to help persons lose 33 pounds or more on 825-853 calories a day for three to five months. This was followed by two to eight weeksof a regular diet combined with education and behavioral therapy to help them learn more about what they put into their bodies and to curb certain habits.

After a year of tracking, the results were that 86% persons on this diet lost over 33 pounds , while those who had stuck to medication lost an average of 2 pounds. 46% of the diet group went into remission while 4% of the medication group experienced remission.

This study can be supported by other research that has found that weight loss and other lifestyle changes can, in fact, bring about remission and “reversal”. It is important to note that this strategy is more effective in persons newly diagnosed with diabetes as long-term poorly managed diabetes will result in the death of insulin-producing cells which cannot be reactivated. This may not be the only issue since untreated diabetes can cause other underlying conditions that even weight loss cannot fix.

With this being said, let’s move into the 5 ways we promised that would help you to lose weight.

5 things you can do to shed pounds

 

Saying you want to lose weight and actually losing weight are two completely different things. You can have the desire, but you have to put in the effort and be dedicated to achieve it.

Weight loss will not only help you to manage and possibly reverse your diabetes but will also help to boost your confidence, increase your life expectancy and help with your fitness level.  To be successful, you need to make sure you choose a plan that you stick to long term.

 

1. Exercise

Exercise is crucial to any weight loss regimen since it helps to shed pounds faster and transform you to the size you desire.

If you aren’t faced with restrictions such as stress incontinence  or prolapse , be sure to include a wide range of workouts to target the entire body. This should include :

• Strength/resistance training to build muscle, preserve bone mass and increase strength• Endurance to improve breathing and lung capacity, promote good heart health and boost mood• Balance to prevent falls and fractures, improve posture and steadiness.• Flexibility and stretch the muscles and keep them limber, give you more freedom of movement and prevent bone disease.

If you have a condition that prevents you from overexerting yourself, there are still plenty of exercises for you such as cardio, resistance training activities and balance exercises .

Finding the right workout regimen might take some time and if you are a newbie you’ll probably be better off enlisting the help to a trainer that will teach you proper technique and keep you motivated.

2. Diet

Diet is one of the major components of weight loss since what you eat determines how much fat you’ll have in your body. Eating a well-balanced diet is key to maintaining a healthy weight and getting all the necessary nutrients your body needs.

When it comes to a weight loss diet, you may want to reduce caloric intake and stray from the recommended amount for someone of your age and sex This diet should, of course, be nutritious, and it doesn’t mean you should feed on flavorlesscrackers and green tea.

The diet should include all you need to keep your body going and should in no way compromise yourself. If you are on a diet that leaves you feeling weak or hungry all the time, that is a bad diet.

There’s no shortage of diets to try so you’ll need to do some research before you subscribe to any particular diet. Here are a few to consider:

• Keto diet• Paleo diet• Vegan diet• Blood type diet• South beach diet• Mediterranean diet• Raw food diet

3. Lifestyle changes

 

Certain lifestyle practices play a part in how much you weigh. Some of these include:

• Sedentary lifestyle- If you have a desk job or are a couch potato, it’s easy for you to gain weight since you aren’t active. Try walking to lunch instead of driving or taking a cab, or taking a job around the block daily if you work from home. If you don’t want to leave home, try a home workout video.

• Eating out – A fast-paced life means you probably don’t have the time to make homecooked meals, and if you do, they’re prepackaged or highly processed. Fast food has beenscientifically proven to lead to weight gain and obesity especially since they are made with a lot of fats and sugars that make them appetizing. Skip out on fast food and meal prep if you don’t have the time to make lunch every morning. If you must eat out, choose restaurants that use all-natural ingredients and are health-oriented.

• Drinking alcohol- Beer guts are a real thing and if you drink enough alcohol to cause weight gain, perhaps the gut will be the least of your problems. Weight gain from alcohol occurs because it is high in calories, hinders the body from burning fat, causes hunger and leads to poor food choices. If you’re using alright as a means to cope with mental health issues, you are better off seeing a psychiatrist who will be able to help you shake this habit and perhaps prescribe you something to help with your problem.

• Comfort eating- If you eat to feel better about yourself or a situation, try to find another coping mechanism since this unhealthy habit can fuel your weight gain and diabetes. Try to learn a skill to help pass time when depressed, or take up a hobby that you can use to release stress.

4. Medication

 

When we say medication, we don’t mean something a sketchy woman on Facebook promises will help you drop a dress size in a week. Weight loss medication should only come from a doctor. In the case of supplements , do your research and ensure they are approved by the FDA for your own safety.

Weight loss medication can:

• Suppress hunger • Imitate feelings of fullness• Make it harder for your body to absorb fat from food• Increase the amount of fat your body burns

Your doctor will be able to advise you on how they work, and more importantly the side effects and how they may interact with your other medication.

5. Surgery

 

Surgery should be a last resort where all the above have failed. A sort of golden rule is to not get surgery unless it is absolutely necessary.

Weight loss surgery typically takes the form of decreasing stomach capacity or by bypassing the small intestines to reduce the number of calories the body can absorb. This approach has downtime so be prepared for bed rest, pain and strict diets.

Summary

• Diabetes can affect anyone of any sex, race or age, but it is especially prevalent in African Americans.

• Obesity puts you at an increased risk of developing diabetes and the majority of persons who are diabetic are obese.

• Weight loss can reverse diabetes by helping to put the condition in remission. It is however not a cure and medication may still be necessary to manage symptoms.

• To lose weight, you will need to exercise, diet and make lifestyle changes. You may also require medication and in severe cases surgery.

Top 10 Upper Arm BP Monitors For Individuals With Poor Eyesight

You should never let eye problems stop you (or anyone) from keeping track of your health.

Poor eyesight is a big problem for many people, especially seniors and the elderly. Individuals within that age group are more likely to have issues with their eyesight compared to the youths, but they still need to have their blood pressed checked regularly.

And as you would expect, it is extremely difficult for individuals with eye problems to keep track of their BP levels at home–right?

WRONG!

Failing eyesight shouldn’t keep you from taking accurate measurements of your BP levels at home. If either you or a loved one is going blind but still wants to keep tabs on your heart’s health, we can tell you for sure that there’s absolutely no need for you to worry about it.

WHY?

Because even with failing eyesight, you can still monitor your heart’s health at home using blood pressure monitors!

And we bet you want to know what to do and how to do it, isn’t it?

If so, please read on because we’ve got just the right answer for you here in this article.

Learn how to pick effective blood pressure monitors that have all the right features. The best units to consider buying for home use are the upper arm cuffs.

Features To Consider When Choosing Upper Arm BP Monitors For Individuals With Poor Eyesight

To identify upper arm BP kits that will provide the best service to individuals with failing eyesight, look out for the following features:

The BP Monitor Should Have Voice Broadcast

Let’s be honest. With failing eyesight, you’ll definitely need help reading the results of your blood pressure. That is why you need upper arm cuffs that have a voice broadcast feature. Why is this important? Well, for you to easily understand the status of your heart’s health, the kit should be able to read out your results for you. Voice Broadcast is a critical feature that you shouldn’t ignore when choosing upper arm BP monitors to buy for those with failing eyesight.

The BP Monitor Should Have One-Button Operation

You shouldn’t struggle measuring your BP with the device, not when your eyesight is failing. You can avoid that bad experience by using a kit that has the one-button operation. What makes this feature attractive to those with poor sight is the fact that once you wrap the cuffs around your upper arm, you’ll only need to press the START button to get the process started. Such a feature on a blood pressure unit takes convenience to a whole new level!

The BP Monitor Should Have Big Buttons

Ease of operation counts a lot and that is why we recommend you buy units that have big buttons. With such models, it will be easy for you to operate the unit. You will not have to fidget with the buttons to find the right set up because big buttons are easily accessible, hence friendly to folks with poor eyesight.

The BP Monitor Should Have Auto-Pressurization

It all comes down to ease of use. You will only have a nice experience if the gadget is easy to use, especially for the elderly and the poor sighted. With auto-pressurization, it means the cuffs will inflate automatically once you put them on. Manual pressurization will require you to manually pump the upper arm cuffs, which is a lot of work especially for someone whose eyesight is failing. Therefore, make sure you limit your options to automatic BP monitors for the best experience.

There are many other features you need to consider, such as the cost of the unit, memory capacity, battery power, as well as, size of the cuffs. If you keep these features in mind, you will make the best purchasing decision.Top 10 Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitors for Individuals with Poor Eyesight

PRODUCT BRAND BEST FEATURE CUFF SIZE Memory VALIDATED PRICE
WARMLIFE Accurate BP Monitor WARMLIFE Voice Broadcast 12” – 16.6” 180 FDA-registered Check Price
Etekcity Rechargeable BP Monitor

 

 Etekcity Rechargeable Battery 8.6” –16.5” 180 FDA-compliant Check Price
Renpho Blood Pressure Monitor Renpho Talking Function 8.75”- 15.75” 240

 

 FDA compliant Check Price

 
Greater Goods Full set Blood Pressure Monitor Greater Goods Bluetooth 8.75”- 16.75” 120 FDA Compliant Check Price
iHealth Feel Wireless Bluetooth Blood pressure Monitor iHealth Cordless 8.6”- 16.5” 200 ESH 2010 Standard Approved Check price
Accurate Digital Blood Pressure Monitor Asobilor Automatic 8.66”- 17.5” 180 FDA Approved Check Price
Tovendor Blood Pressure Cuff Monitor Tovendor Irregular heartbeat detection 8.66”- 16.53” 180 FDA Approved Check price
Annsky Blood Pressure Monitor for Home Use Annsky Large LCD Display 8.66”- 12.6” 198 FDA Approved Check Price
Pyle Portable Automatic Blood Pressure Tracker Pyle Bluetooth Blood Pressure Monitor 6”- 18” 396 FDA Compliant Check Price
Choice Smart Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor Choice Wireless 8.6”- 16.5” 240 FDA Compliant Check price

#1 Best BP Cuffs with Voice Broadcast: WARMLIFE Accurate BP Monitor

One of the most important features to look out for in blood pressure kits for individuals with failing eyesight is the voice broadcast. The most effective kit should be able to speak out the data and inform you whether the BP level is okay or not. In as far as the voice broadcast feature is concerned, we recommend WARMLIFE Accurate BP Monitor as the best option that is suitable for individuals with failing eyesight. This unit will read out clearly the high/low BP and your pulse rate.

What makes this unit attractive is the fact that it has virtually all the important assets of an effective BP monitor. For instance, it is FDA approved, which means its results are clinically accurate. Its adjustable cuffs can comfortably accommodate upper arms of size within 12” – 16.6”, and they inflate automatically without manual operation. It will not only measure your BP but also check for an irregular heartbeat. Furthermore, it has a 180-memory capacity allowing the user an efficient way of tracking their BP. In addition, its 2-user mode allows it to store data for a maximum of two profiles, each with a 90-readings space (180 in total, as was mentioned earlier).

If your parents, grandparents, or any loved one with failing eyesight is interested in keeping track of their blood pressure, this unit would be a great gift. The voice broadcast feature tops the list of its many attractive features, plus the fact that it is also great at conserving power; the unit will auto-off in just three minutes of idle time. WARMLIFE Accurate BP Monitor is an ideal unit for individuals with poor eyesight.

#2 Best BP Cuffs with Rechargeable Battery: Etekcity Rechargeable BP Monitor

Imagine having to rummage through your drawers searching for extra batteries to put in your BP unit just so you can check the status of your heart’s health…it can be pretty tiring, especially when you have poor eyesight. However, with a blood pressure monitor that comes with rechargeable batteries, you won’t have to go through all that trouble. That is why we recommend Etekcity Rechargeable BP Monitor as a good option to buy.

 

What makes this unit a good option is that it saves you the trouble of replacing batteries when they run out of power. Its Li-ion battery can be recharged with a USB Type-C cable.

Furthermore, the unit is FDA compliant, meaning it will give you clinically accurate results every time. Its adjustable cuffs can comfortably fit arms of size 8.6” to 16.5”, which is the right fit for medium and large body size. It also comes with a voice transfer feature that reads out the readings to you, so you can easily understand the results.

If you want assurance that your BP monitor will be reliable and will always power on when you need it, then this Etekcity Rechargeable BP Monitor is one device you’ll need to check out. With this model, you sure wouldn’t have to scour the house for batteries when it’s time to check your BP!

#3 Best BP Cuffs with Accurate Automatic BP Machine: Renpho Blood Pressure with Speaker

Renpho Blood Pressure Monitor is an accurate BP machine with a speaker and some relaxing music to keep you entertained while conducting your BP check. With its loud speaker, it is an ideal BP machine for individuals with poor eyesight since it reads the results loudly via the speaker. The machine is FDA approved and also doctor tested to give out accurate information of your blood pressure.

The unit has two power sources. It can work with AAA Batteries and also can be operated using a plugged in micro USB cable which usually comes with it. The unit also has the below best features:

Talks and Plays Music: The BP unit plays some soft music to make you relax while taking your measurements, and reads out your BP results when done. The audio can be put off when not required.

FDA Approved: the BP unit is FDA Approved to take accurate measurements. The machine is doctor tested to give the most accurate measurements of your blood pressure and pulse through the oscillometric method. It gives these results within 45 seconds and also displays the healthy range via the AHA indicator. It also fits any adult arm between 8.75” to 15.75”which translates to 22 – 40cms in circumference.

Furthermore, Renpho Blood Pressure Monitor is equipped with a very large display to enable individuals with poor eyesight to read their measurements easily. The Renpho machine can easily accommodate 2 users who can record of up to 120 measurements each. It is easy to switch between user A and User B, each with a date and a time stamp.

The unit is a good buy for individual with poor eyesight to use at home for checking their blood pressure. It can be a great gift to your octogenarian friends, seniors, parents, grandparents, and older people whose eyesight is failing.

#4 Best BP Cuffs with Bluetooth: Greater Goods Blood Pressure Monitor

With its Bluetooth connectivity, Greater Goods BP Monitor makes it the best tracker for an individual with poor eyesight blood pressure since it syncs the data with device of choice. The unit also offers a free app for a mobile phone device where it can sync your data and be recording your measurements from time to time.

This device is good for people with poor eyesight since the data is synced to a mobile device, which in turn helps the doctors follow up easily on the patients records available on the device. You can easily, privately, and securely share the status of your heart’s health with your doctor.

Other best features of this device: Wireless connectivity; uses Bluetooth to transmit information to a mobile device, two power sources; battery and power cable and the free app for both android and iOS which enable one to monitor progress via a mobile device.

The Greater Goods BP Monitor is a great buy, especially if you have a parent with poor eyesight. If you are wondering what gift to buy for your elderly parents, this unit would be a great choice. Not only will it enable them to easily check their blood pressure at home, it also makes the whole process easy.

#5 Best BP Cuffs Cordless: iHealth Feel Wireless Bluetooth Blood Pressure Monitor

Due to its wireless design, the iHealth Feel Wireless Bluetooth BP monitor device is ideal for individuals with poor eyesight since it limits wireless connection; thus, there’s no need of connections and assembling of the device when being used.

The wireless data transmission enables the elderly to transmit data easily to the healthcare providers. The healthcare providers can access the patient’s data remotely and advise their patients accordingly on the next steps without them visiting the hospitals and vice versa.

Other noteworthy features of the iHealth Feel Wireless Bluetooth Blood pressure Monitor device include: Irregular heartbeat indicator which alerts the patient on time to take precautionary measures, and memory function which keeps record of up to 200 readings with date and time stamp.

The device also gives fast reading – one minute response, inbuilt rechargeable battery which can give up to 80 readings on a single charge and has a pressure accuracy of ±3 mm Hg – The device is an FDA compliant and is approved to give accurate BP readings.

It is a great option to buy as it will give a great service to anyone with failing eyesight.

#6 Best BP Cuffs Automatic: Accurate Digital Blood Pressure Monitor

This device is an arm device designed for the elderly and the people with poor eyesight to monitor their blood pressure.

Accurate Digital Blood Pressure Monitor is a fully automated Blood pressure monitor suitable for individuals with poor eyesight and the elderly since it does not require much operational activities. It makes it easier to monitor health status of the elderly and adults due to its easy operations and its large yellow LCD display. The device has two user modes with a memory of 90 readings on each user.

Other features of this device include: Clinically accurate and fast reading – Gives measurements which include: systolic pressure, diastolic pressure and pulse rate within a given date and time. It is an FDA approved device.

The device also has large adjustable cuffs – fits standard and large arms comfortable, three powered – Uses 4*AAA batteries, USB to DC charger cord and also AC adaptor. This means the device can be used in remote areas where direct power might be an issue and has a warranty – the device offers a 100% money back guarantee on manufacturing defects.

#7 Best BP cuffs with Irregular heartbeat detection: Tovendor Blood pressure cuff monitor

Tovendor Blood Pressure Cuff Monitor has an automatic pulse rate systolic diastolic BP Tracker and an irregular heartbeat and hypertension detector. It also has 3.5” backlit screen display which makes it an ideal BP monitor for the elderly and individuals with poor eyesight.

The device is easy to use. You just have to press the MEM button and it will give your past three readings with ease.

The device has an irregular heartbeat reminder in case your heartbeat is irregular to guide you in monitoring the beats.

The device has other additional benefits and features which include: Large Memory – Which stores 90 readings per user (Has two users memory), Irregular Heartbeat detection – Enables the old and the elderly to easily monitor their heartbeats, Powered by battery and AC Power supply – Can be used in places with power fluctuations. One touch use – Simply a one button touch makes it operational.

Any person whose eyesight is failing will have an easy time taking BP measurements with this Tovendor Blood Pressure Cuff Monitor. It is a great choice to buy and gift your parents, grandparents, or senior friends.

#8 Best BP Cuffs with large LCD Display: Annsky Blood Pressure Monitor for Home Use

With its large LCD Display, Annsky Blood Pressure Monitor for Home Use is the best suited blood pressure monitor for individuals with poor eyesight.

This device measures both the blood pressure and the heart rate pulse with one touch of a button, making it easier for persons who aren’t conversant with so much operation.

It also enables users track their health, blood pressure and health rate according to specific date and time. Other than the large LCD display, this device has also the below best features:

Clinically accurate: has advanced measurement techniques to give accurate data. It is easy to use with poor sighted individuals as it is fully automated and has a large screen display. Dual User groups – Can be used by two users, each one with own independent records. Adjustable cuff – has a comfortable adjustable cuff which fits a wide range of arm size and has a professional design which is easy to use and operate especially for individuals with poor visibility.

It is a great option to buy when looking for blood pressure monitors to buy for home use.

#9 Best BP cuffs with Bluetooth Blood Monitor: Pyle Portable Automatic Blood Pressure Tracker

With its Bluetooth connectivity, Pyle Portable Automatic Blood Pressure Tracker is an ideal tool for individuals with poor eyesight to measure and monitor their blood pressure. The connectivity allows the device to send data to any device of choice whereby it can be stored or communicated. There is a mobile app for this function.

This Blood pressure measuring machine also works with Pyle health app. It syncs and stores the user data on the app on a mobile device through Bluetooth for future use and also for comparison.

It also has the standard cuff size which fits any arm comfortably.

Other main features of this device include:  easy to read display thus suitable for individuals with poor eyesight and a large memory which saves up to 99 readings per user. The device can accommodate four users and allows them to view their average data in daily, weekly or monthly.

Device can detect irregular heartbeats, has one touch operation which makes it easier of persons with poor eyesight and Bluetooth capable – Users can download Pyle application which they can use to sync their data via Bluetooth. The Pyle Portable Automatic Blood Pressure Tracker is a great choice to buy for upper arm blood pressure monitor for individuals with failing eyesight.

#10 Best BP cuffs Wireless: Choice Smart Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor

Choice Smart Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor is a wireless, medically accurate upper arm cuff device suitable for individuals with poor eyesight due to its limited operations. The device offers a one button operation with expanded smartphone functions that offers unlimited storage of measurement history.

The device has the below additional features and benefits: easy, one button operation making it suitable to be used by individuals with poor eyesight. No connections needed.

Has unlimited storage of measurement history since it can be connected to a supported smartphone memory. Its software is IOS and android compatible

The cuff fits most arms making it comfortable to be used using different arms.

Wireless connectivity – By use of Bluetooth connection, you can connect your device to a Choice Smart mobile app where you can be able to view graphs, share readings and also find useful tips to manage your blood pressure.

The unit also works with Apple Health on Apple Devices.

Conclusion

There are so many upper arm Blood Pressure monitors for individuals with poor eyesight available in the market. The above are just but a few for home use. There are severally available with different qualities, prices and features which through this list, one can make the right choice according to his need.

However, you need to visit your doctor or a specialist to help you know which one is better to monitor your blood pressure depending on the level of your eyesight.

We highly recommend the Renpho Blood pressure monitor because of its high ratings done by the people who have used it. It is also FDA compliant, talks and plays music thus making you relaxed while taking your blood pressure extra-large cuffs, easy to read display and can be used by two people simultaneously.

10 Foods Not to Eat If You Are Diabetic

sugar drink

10 foods you shouldn’t be eating if you’re diabetic (and what you can swap them with)

 

Diabetes affects millions of people around the world, both the young and the young at heart. Having uncontrolled diabetes, or high blood sugar puts you at risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, nerve damage, certain skin disorders, and other unpleasant conditions.

Living with diabetes can be difficult since you’ll have to be mindful of what you eat and make certain lifestyle changes to ensure you live a long and healthy life. If you’ve just been diagnosed with diabetes or have a relative or friend who is diabetic, it is important to know what foods are a no-no for someone with diabetes, and what you can substitute them for.

Here’s a list of 10 foods you shouldn’t be eating if you’re diabetic:

1. French Fries

 

Who doesn’t love French fries? This golden, salty goodness is an ideal side, but it’s great on its own with some ketchup or melted cheese.

Hopefully, you enjoyed them while you could, because French fries are the diabetic’s worst enemy. As you already know, French fries are made from white potatoes. These are rich in carbs that break down into starch and sugar in the body. Not only that, but when they are peeled, sliced and fried in oil to become French fries, they are loaded with [toxic, inflammatory compounds] which can lead to obesity, heart disease, and cancer.

If you thought that wasn’t so bad, wait till you hear what the salt does. Salt , or sodium, causes blood pressure to increase and can cause weight gain. This compromises your immune system and increases your risk of heart disease , stroke and kidney failure.

It’s bad, we know, but that doesn’t mean you have to give up potatoes completely. Sweet potatoes are lower on the glycemic index scale than white/Irish potatoes and release sugar slowly, so it doesn’t raise blood sugar rapidly. Sweet potatoes are also rich in Vitamins A and C, and fiber. You can boil them, bake them, roast them or mash them to enjoy as a side or incorporate them into salads and other meals.

2.    Sugary Beverages

 

When you have diabetes, you’ll have to say goodbye to fizzy sodas and juices made from syrup or concentrate. They may be just what you need to cool off or enjoy with a slice of pizza, but sugary beverages are one of the worst things a diabetic can ingest.

For starters, sugary beverages are high in bad carbs, i.e sugars. When these are broken down in the body, they become glucose. High blood glucose, otherwise known as hyperglycemia , causes frequent urination, extreme thirst, blurred vision, and headaches. When this goes unchecked it can lead to skin disorders, nerve damage, slow healing wounds and ketoacidosis which can lead to a coma.

100% fruit juices aren’t much better honestly since they are high in sugars as well and can contribute to insulin resistance. Try switching sweet juices for water, or flavored water by dropping a few citrus fruits, herbs or berries into your pitcher. This is not only diabetes-friendly but can expose you to antioxidants and vitamins. You can also try low-fat or no-fat milk or tomato juice.

3 . Honey and Syrup

 

Some people prefer to sweeten their teas with honey instead of sugar because it’s natural, has more nutrients and vitamins, and you can use less to achieve the desired sweetening effect.

It turns out that honey is rich in carbs and sugar and can have a similar effect when used excessively. This goes for the syrups you use on your pancakes as well. Instead, use fresh fruit as a topper, avocado or Greek yogurt.

5 . Certain Breakfast Cereals

 

Cereal is a quick and easy way to get your day started. All you need is the milk and the cereal and you’re through the door in no time. What’s your favorite cereal though? Is it Lucky Charms? How about Frosted Flakes? Granola is so delicious!

If you have diabetes, then you’ll want to avoid starting your day like that. These cereals tout health claims but fail to mention that they are highly processed and have more carbs than is beneficial to you. These cereals also have added sugars, something you should be in the opposite direction of.

Swap them for oatmeal,

bran cereal or ditch cereal altogether if you can’t find one low in carbs and added sugars.

6.  Fruity Yogurt

 

“What’s so bad about yogurt?” is what you’re probably asking, well the answer to that is in the ingredients you see listed on the container.

Now you may see “low fat” written in bold, and that may be true, but they are generally high in carbs and sugars. This is how they achieve the fruity taste that makes them delicious.

And if you’re thinking, “Well, it’s still better than ice cream“, think again because they have just as much sugar, and sometimes even more that more than icecream .

What you can do is choose plain yogurt, the “boring kind” since it is a better snack option for diabetics. It is also filling and can help you shed pounds.

7.    White Bread

 

White bread is a part of many meals and is used to make sandwiches or served as a side. This high-carb, low-fiber processed form of flour and yeast can cause a spike in blood sugar and has been known to impact brain function for those with preexisting mental ailments.

Because white bread lacks fiber, it is not filling and will cause you to feel hungry faster. This will lead to more snacking which can lead to weight gain if you’re not careful.

Substitute white bread with whole-grain bread which is a good source of vitamins and dietary fiber. Whole grain bread may also reduce blood cholesterol levels and lessen the risk of high blood pressure, indigestion, and cancer. Genuine sourdough bread and dense rye bread are also great options.

8.   White Rice and Pasta

 

White rice goes with everything really, whether it is fried chicken, curried chickpeas, roasted beef or pork. Pasta is the same and can be the star of your meal. Though both are cheap, convenient and easy to make, they’re bad for diabetics

The reason for this is how they are made. Processed foods generally lose the bulk of their nutritional value in the manufacturing process and typically have a high glycemic index. They are also high in carbs which help to pack on pounds and low in fiber which is key to slowing down the absorption of sugar in the blood.

The good news is that you don’t have to ditch rice altogether. Swap white rice for whole-grain rice. Some alternatives you may want to try are brown rice, black rice, quinoa, pearled barley, and bulgur. Trade in your pasta for spiralized vegetables, sprouts and noodles and pasta made from vegetables.

9.    Dried Fruit

 

Dried fruit is a great snack for when you’re on the go, and makes a great topper to breakfast cereals, pastry, and pancakes. They’re also full of vitamins and nutrients, so that’s a plus.

But do you know what else they’re full of? That’s right, sugar. When fruits are dried, they lose all their water content and what ends up happening is that the sugar becomes super concentrated. For instance, a cup of grapes has about 16 grams of carbs while a cup of raisins has about 115 g of carbs per cup.

Being diabetic doesn’t mean you can’t have fruit, but you will have to be pickier when it comes on to consuming fruits. Include more citrus in your fruit menu since these have antioxidant properties which help to regulate blood sugar levels or fresh berries that contain lots of fiber and antioxidants.
Or, ditch the fruits altogether and swap them for green, leafy veggies.

10.   Packaged Snacks

 

If you’re a parent, or live a fast-paced life, you don’t have time to make meals from scratch three times a day. So, you stock up on the healthiest package snacks you can find which promise to be better for health than the other brands.

The truth about it is they are generally high in sugar and other carbs and low in nutrients. Many of these ingredients are also hidden carbs that you’ve probably never thought about researching, that’s if it’s even in English!

Skip the granola bar and have a handful of walnuts or veggie sticks. A fruit plate or vegetable salad is also a great option that can hold you over until your next meal.

11.  Corn

 

Corn in its natural state is carb-rich so just imagine when it’s processed and turned into things like cornmeal, popcorn, sweet corn and corn dogs. In comparison to other vegetables, corn has an above glycemic index of 52 meaning it contains a lot of sugar which gets absorbed quickly into the bloodstream. Such a spike in someone with diabetes can cause fatigue, frequent bathroom breaks and extreme thirst. If these high levels are maintained over time, it can have several negative side effects. Swap the corn in your soups and other dishes for beans and lentils.

Final Thoughts

 

Many people believe that once you’re diabetic, your life ends and that you have to stick to some strict, bland diet to stay healthy. That is far from the truth since there are many great meal options that will help to keep your blood sugar levels stable without making meal times boring.

How to Check Blood Sugar the Right Way

how tocheck blood sugar the right way

 

If you have diabetes, your primary goal of treatment should be to keep your blood sugar levels in the target range. Hence, you need to regularly check your blood sugar.  With the proper tools and training you can do this at home.    There are two common ways of checking blood sugar:

1. using a glucose meter via fingerstick,

2. with a continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) device. This article will provide a step-by-step guide on how to check blood sugar the right way using a glucose meter even in the comfort of your home.

 

Blood Sugar Test: What & How to Prepare

 

A blood sugar test, technically called a “blood glucose test,” measures the amount of glucose in your blood at a given time. Glucose is a type of simple sugar which is your body’s primary source of energy. Your body converts the carbohydrates you consume into glucose.

 

Blood glucose or blood sugar testing is primarily done to help diagnose diabetes. Diabetes is a chronic condition that causes blood glucose levels to rise. Your healthcare provider may also be looking to see if you have prediabetes, the condition where your blood glucose levels are higher than the normal range. People who already have type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, or gestational diabetes also perform home tests to monitor their blood sugar and know how to better manage their condition.

 

Blood glucose tests are typically done either 1) with fasting or 2) as random blood sugar tests. For the fasting type, you will be instructed by your healthcare professional not to eat or drink anything (except water) for several hours (e.g., eight hours) before you test your blood sugar.

 

When you are able to check blood sugar the right way, the instant results will let you know the following:

  • whether your nutrition or exercise program needs to change
  • the effectiveness of your diabetes medications or treatment
  • how high or low your blood sugar level is
  • if your overall treatment goals for your condition is manageable

 

To check your blood sugar levels properly at home, you will need to prepare the following:

  • blood glucose meter also called a “glucometer”
  • finger-pricking device with lancets
  • testing strips
  • Alcholol swabs
  • Puncture proof container

 

There is a wide variety of devices and materials which you can purchase from your state, pharmacies, diabetes centers, or local medical suppliers. Your healthcare provider can help you select what suits your needs.

You can also ask your healthcare provider help on the following:

  • how to check blood sugar using your own device
  • where to prick or draw blood
  • how to use and dispose of the lancing device that punctures your skin
  • how to clean your equipment properly
  • how to check if your device is accurate
  • how to calibrate your device (if needed)

Risks and Side Effects of Blood Sugar Tests

 

Taking a blood sugar test has low to zero risks or side effects. You may feel pain or soreness, swelling, and bruising at the puncture site, especially if you have gone to a clinic or laboratory to have your blood drawn from a vein. Typically, this should go away within a day. However, if you experience any extreme or prolonged untoward effects (e.g., bleeding, pain, or swelling), report this to your doctor at once.

Get Organized: How to Check Your Blood Sugar with a Glucose Meter

 

  • It is best to check the manual/instructions of your glucose meter or talk with your healthcare provider to be clarified with standard guidelines specific to your device and condition. Important: Never share monitoring equipment or fingerstick devices to avoid possible infection.
  • Gather the supplies you need to test your blood sugar. Check your equipment before you do a test (e.g., expiry date, code numbers for the meters, if needed)
  • At regular periods, properly care for your supplies and device. You can make a reminder to clean your home blood sugar testing kit.

  [embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZCf621bRHs[/embedyt]

Performing the Blood Sugar Test

Although instructions may vary between devices used, the following are the general steps to check blood sugar accurately:

 

  1. Wash your hands adequately with warm water and soap, then dry with a clean towel.
  • Prepare a clean pricker or lancing device by inserting a fresh lancet. The lancing device is typically a pen-sized holder for the lancet or needle. It holds the lancet in place and controls how deeply the lancet punctures your skin.

 

 

If you plan to reuse your lancet, you should know that once used, it will not be as sharp as it was, and can cause more pain/injury to your skin.

  1. Prepare your glucose meter and test strips as per the manufacturer’s instructions of your device.
  2. Get a test strip from your sealed container, and be sure to put the lid back on the container immediately to prevent any moisture from damaging the other strips.
  3. Use the lancet or pricker to obtain a small droplet of blood from the side of your fingertip. Some devices allow blood sugar testing on alternate sites such as your palm, forearm, upper arm, abdomen, calf, and thigh. Be sure to check where your device can be used.

 

Alternate sites are often less painful. However, when your blood sugar is rising or falling rapidly (e.g., immediately after a meal or in response to exercise or insulin), it is advised to use the fingertips for accuracy. Alternate sites may give significantly different readings in these situations.

  1. With the test strip attached to the glucose meter, apply the blood droplet on the correct spot of the test strip.
  2. Using a clean cotton ball, put pressure on the part of the skin that you punctured to stop the bleeding.
  3. Wait for the results. This should be on the display of the meter after a few seconds.
  4. After checking your blood sugar, dispose of the used lancing device in a container for sharps (not in the household trash to prevent incidences of pricking).

 

Choosing the Glucose Meter to Check Blood Sugar

 

There is no single device that is superior over all other brands when it comes to a glucose meter device. You can consult with your healthcare provider or pharmacist to help you select a device with consideration of essential factors including:

  • your condition
  • cost or budget
  • ease of use
  • accuracy

 

Most importantly, your device should be approved by either the US Food and Drug Administration or the International Organization for Standardization for reliable results.

The Accuracy of your Test for Blood Sugar

  • There can be variability between devices, but checking your blood sugar at home with a reliable blood glucose meter should be reasonably accurate.
  • Do check your blood sugar with common sense and caution at all times. If you get a reading that doesn’t fit with how you feel (for example, the result reads a very low blood sugar level, but you don’t feel any untoward symptoms), it should be your practice to take a second reading. You can also use an alternate means of checking your blood sugar (such as using a different glucose meter).
  • The precision of your test for blood sugar can be affected by factors, including the type of glucose meter device and test strips you use.
  • It is a good idea to check the accuracy of your device occasionally by bringing it when you have an appointment to get blood sugar testing. You can use your device to check your blood sugar level at the same time that blood is extracted, and compare the results. If the reading differs by more than 15%, your meter and other equipment may have a problem. You can talk with your healthcare provider to identify the problem and work on possible solutions.

 

When Your Reading Doesn’t Seem Right: Other Factors To Consider

 

If a blood sugar reading does not seem right to you, you may want to check the following:

  • Did you wash your hands and properly dry them before you did the test?
  • Was the test strip used in good condition, and not beyond the expiry date?
  • Are your test strips compatible or appropriate for your glucose meter?
  • Did you use enough blood on the test strip?
  • Did you put the test strip into the glucose meter correctly?
  • Was your test strip affected by heat, light, or exposed to varying climates?
  • Is your glucose meter clean?
  • Is the device too hot or cold?
  • Is the battery of your device low or near-empty?

 

Other Glucose Monitoring Devices

 

Alternatively, you can wear a device for continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The blood sugar sensor is inserted under your skin and can read the sugar in your body tissue continuously. This device alerts you whenever your blood sugar is too high or too low.

 

Even with a CGM, it is advised for you to still check your blood sugar with a glucose meter at least twice daily to check the calibration of your CGM. In fact, for the most accurate readings, your glucose meter is considered superior over a CGM. This is especially so in the presence of acute conditions that will try to identify low blood sugar levels.

 

There is another new generation device called a flash glucose meter (FGM). This type of glucose meter uses sensor scans for monitoring your blood sugar, and no longer requires finger pricks.

 

 

Interpreting Blood Sugar Results

 

Typically, your healthcare provider will recommend a blood sugar range that is suitable for you. Your age, relevant health conditions, the length of time you have been living with diabetes, and the medications you take will be considered for your target range and treatment. Hence, the results you get from checking blood sugar regularly tells you how well your diabetes treatment plan is working. However, keep in mind that the readings can be affected by a range of other factors, including:

  • your food intake
  • level of physical activity
  • stress levels
  • medications you take (e.g., oral diabetes medicines, insulin)

 

Keeping Track of Blood Sugar Results

 

It is good practice to record your results and bring this with you on each visit to your doctor or diabetes healthcare professional. It is advised to include the following essential data when recording your blood sugar results:

  • Date and time you checked your blood sugar
  • All your blood sugar readings, including those taken in a clinic or laboratory
  • A list of the medications (e.g., insulin) with correct dosages that is being given to you

 

You may also include additional notes about whether you exercised, what you ate, stresses, and other difficulties with the illness. During your appointments, you should discuss these information with your healthcare provider to understand what your readings mean and whether changes to manage your blood sugar are needed.

 

Final Thoughts

 

Knowing how to check your blood sugar and regular monitoring can help you see the effects of nutrition, exercise, medication, and illnesses (especially diabetes) on your blood sugar levels. Accurate results can help you and your healthcare provider identify any changes or patterns in your blood sugar. This will ultimately better your diabetes treatment plan for long-term. And always remember to stay healthy and feel your best by focusing on healthy eating, getting regular exercise, and monitoring your blood sugar the right way.

 

Lose Weight Hula Hoping at Home: 5 Ways To Use A Hula Hoop

 

 

 

Here is a fun and low impact workout you can do at home. All you need is a hula hoop.

If you’ve set yourself a fitness regime, like jogging around the block or working out at the gym twice a week, chances are you skip the commitment sometimes. It can be hard to keep to an exercise routine when you’re tired or busy, or when it’s raining outside or when you are quarantined.  But in fact, you don’t need to go anywhere to sustain basic, all-round fitness. You can exercise effectively in your own home, and in your own time, especially with a fun accessory to spur you on. Here are five ways to keep fit with a simple, inexpensive hoop.

 

1. Spinning on the hips

 

Standing tall and straight, spin the hoop on your waist or hips. If you find this tricky, rock your body slightly from side to side, tilting alternate hips as you do so. The hoop will respond by settling into a steady, rhythmic spin. You’ll find plenty of demonstration videos online to guide you further. Once you’ve got the hoop flying, raise your arms above your head, stretching your whole body as you rock. As you develop the technique, you’ll be able to control the speed and position of the hoop more precisely, adding to the fun. Meanwhile, the more you spin, the more your body will benefit.

 

2. Rolling the hoop

 

Take your hoop for a walk around your home. You’ll need to steer it around the furniture and maintain pace so it doesn’t wobble and fall. Control it with one hand, then the other, to exercise the muscles up and down each side of your body as you go. If you’re able to extend your walk outside or up and down a flight of stairs, all the better; but if not, repeat your obstacle course as many times as you can. The more steps you take, the more exercise you’ll be giving your heart. You’ll also strengthen your back, arms and legs as you maneuver your wheel. Time yourself, and see if you can increase your speed to stretch yourself further.

 

3. Crawling through

 

Secure your hoop, in a vertical position, between two chairs or other strong, fixed items. The base of the hoop should be on the floor. Now lie down and slide through. When your toes have crossed, turn around and crawl back the other way. Now roll over onto your back and pull yourself through, each way, in that position.Over on your stomach again, raise your arms and walk on your hands through the hoop, letting your feet drag on the floor. Finally, crouch on your haunches, like a rabbit, and jump through the circle in a squatting position. This last approach may make your legs ache, but they’ll feel stronger for the exertion by the next day. In fact, your whole body will feel pleasingly stretched and toned.

 

4. Raising and balancing the prop

 

Starting in a squatting position, raise yourself up, lifting the hoop with both hands. Straighten up to a standing position, but keep raising the hoop, till it’s high above your head. Hold it there for as long as you can, then gradually bring it back down again, bending your knees, rather than your back.  This exercise will strengthen key muscles and joints through your body, also developing your balancing skills. For extra exertion, swing or throw the hoop from side to side, over your head.

 

5. Jumping through the ring

 

For this exercise, you’ll need a thick, protective mat to fall on. Position your hoop about a foot off the ground, between two chairs, and attach it loosely to each.  Now step through, to get a feel of the hoop’s inside area. Do a few practice falls and rolls on the mat, too. With this warm-up, you’ll be ready to jump. Stand close to the hoop, then crouch, head tucked in, and throw yourself through. As you travel, curl your legs up under you, ready to roll on landing. Once you’ve mastered this skill, raise the hoop by increments for progressively higher jumps. Jumping challenges the whole body, including your heart, while also being good fun.

 

You can enhance these activities by setting some punchy music playing. Exercise is twice as enjoyable when you’re moving to a catchy tune.

 

With a simple hoop, you can get all the exercise you need for basic fitness. It might not be the best day for a trip to the gym or a run through the streets, but you can pick up your hoop at any time.

 


Where To Check Blood Sugar: 6 Best Places to Check Your Blood Sugar

 

 

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Monitoring blood sugar levels to prevent complications from diabetes is recommended by the American Diabetes Association. If you have diabetes, a chronic condition that can usually be controlled by lifestyle changes, self-care measures, and medication, it is crucial for you to monitor your blood sugar levels.

If you happen to have the condition and want to give your fingers a break from frequent monitoring (especially if you are using your fingers for work), this article presents the six alternative best places to check blood sugar according to studies. Don’t forget to discuss with your healthcare provider to know which options suit you best. 

Is your fingertip the best place to check blood sugar?

 

• The Fingertips. These remain as the traditional and recommended best locations to check blood sugar at home because of its many capillaries. However, your fingertips are filled with nerve endings that using them to obtain a blood sample generally hurts more than using other locations with a lesser number of these pain transmitters.
• Additionally, the “aftermath” of taking blood sugarfrequently from the same site, including 1) unwanted scarring, 2) calluses, 3) reduction of the blood droplet size (due to hardened fingertips), and at times, 4) bleeding, has pushed many diabetics to explore other best places to check blood sugar. 

Alternate Site-Testing (AST): Other Reliable Locations to Check Blood Sugar

Alternate testing sites are other probable locations in your body where you can opt to check your blood sugar and obtain reliable results. These alternative locations have been explored due to the following reasons: 

• patients claim to experience less pain at these alternative sites
• lessened difficulty in collecting the right amount of blood
• general improvement in compliance or self-monitoring
• lessening of the aftermath (i.e., hardened fingers, scarring, calluses)
• avoidance of multiple pricks

Here are the 6 Alternative Best Places To Check Blood Sugar:

1. The Forearm


If you wish to kiss away the pain from your digits, try using your forearm. According to a Diabetics Technology and Therapeutics journal article, 71% of patients claim that there is significantly less or no pain at all when checking via this body part. In fact, nearly a third of those who participated in the study prefer the use of their forearm as the best place to check blood sugar levels. It has been advised to rub your forearm until warm before lancing to minimize the difference in results in comparison with a fingertip test.

2. The Upper Arm

If you have diabetes but have relatively stable blood sugar levels, you can choose to have your glucose levels checked using your upper arm. Like the other AST locations, this area of your body should experience less of the ouchies, especially in comparison with your pain-sensitive digits. Keep in mind that if your result does not match with how you feel, it is advised to verify using your fingertips.

3. The Palm

According to studies, using the palm, particularly the base of the thumb, gave similar results to the blood collected from the fingertip. This location was also less painful when compared with the use of fingertips. Moreover, this alternate place to check blood sugar should be acceptable when the individual being tested is fasting, or it has been two hours or more after a meal. 

4. The Abdomen

In a German study, participants claimed that taking blood sugar via skin in the abdomen was virtually painless. At the same time, results turned to be just as precise in comparison with actual laboratory results as well as readings taken through finger prick. Also, the practical aspects, including the number of punctures, incidences of bleeding after the procedure, and consumption of test strips, were essentially the same for samples taken via the abdomen and fingers. However, many individuals used this site only temporarily because of embarrassment or awkwardness that goes with using this location in public. 

6. The Calf


The calf is generally advised to be used if your blood sugar level is stable at the time of testing. Also, in cold places or climate, people do not prefer to be tested at this site because of the inconvenience of taking off clothes in cold weather. Director Uelmen of the Diabetes Education Program of the University of Michigan, advises that “if you’re just curious about your body’s response to a meal–you could use this alternate site. But if you have apprehension that your sugar is low, or in a state where your blood sugar is unpredictably changing, then it is recommended to take samples from your hands.” 

The Thigh.

A study in California published in the Diabetes Care Journal shows that taking blood sugar via the thigh appears to be useful for routine monitoring of blood sugar before meals. However, it was recognized that the results may be different in comparison with fingertip readings when blood sugar levels are changing swiftly. Specifically, the study showed that the thigh blood samples tended to produce lower readings in comparison with fingertip results at times when the blood glucose was increasing rapidly (i.e., 60-90 minutes after taking a meal).  

The Accuracy of AST: How accurate are these alternate places to check blood sugar? When can AST be used?

Results may have variations partly due to the changes in blood circulation for the different locations. According to Diabetes.co.uk, several studies in recent years have proven that for routine blood sugar testing, results for alternate sites yield the same accuracy as fingertip testing.
• These alternate sites, according to studies, should work for people with controlled diabetes or have relatively stable blood sugar levels.
• The fingertips are still considered the best option to check blood sugar for individuals with results that are unpredictable or values that are rapidly changing.
• The AST best locations to check blood sugar is advised for routine testing before meals or when the individual is fasting, or when checking before bedtime
• AST should be done more than two hours after a meal, more than two hours after taking insulin, and more than two hours after having exercise.
• Not all blood glucose meters support AST. Check the manual to be sure that the device you use is compatible with your desired alternate test site. 

The Contraindication for AST: When should these alternateplaces not be used? When should you not do AST?

• When blood sugar results are unpredictable or fluctuatingrapidly.
• When you think your blood sugar is low.
• When you want to verify high blood sugar levels.
• When the reading does not match how you feel. Trust your instinct, and check again, this time using a blood sample from your fingertip.
• When it is within two hours of you eating, exercising, or taking an insulin shot
• You have no symptoms when your blood sugar is low, also called “Hypoglycemic unawareness.”
• When you are feeling sick.
• When you are pregnant.

Here are tips in performing a blood sugar test using the 6best places to check blood sugar:

• Always check the expiry date of the test strips and that it has not been tampered prior to use. Never use wet, damaged, or expired test strips.
• Immediately use the test strips after removing from the bottle. Keep your materials and equipment away from heat and direct sunlight.
• Store the test strip bottle in a cool, dry place. It is important to record the “date opened” on the bottle label, and to discard any remaining test strips after three (3) months from the date of opening.
• Be careful when inserting the test strip into the test strip port. You should see a flashing blood-drop icon when the test strip has been properly inserted into the port.
• You may gently massage your chosen body location. However, be careful not to squeeze around the puncture site. 
• If you will use your fingertips, lance or puncture the side of your fingertip to avoid soreness. And to prevent calluses, choose a different lancing site each time.
• Rubbing your forearm or upper arm until it is warm before lancing has been shown to minimize the difference in results; hence, doing this will make the readings more precise. 
• The palm (at the base of your thumb) does not need to be rubbed before doing a test.
• It is crucial that if results from the AST does not agree with how you feel, use fingertip testing to verify.
• If you see “HI” or “LO” displayed on your glucose meter device, your blood sugar level may be extremely high or low (above 600 mg/dL or below 20 mg/dL). Recheck your blood sugar using fingertip testing at once. If you get the same readings, call your healthcare provider immediately.
• Be sure to properly dispose of your used test strips as advised by your healthcare provider.

Takeaway

Whether you’re using your fingertips or the other six best places to check blood sugar, compliance to monitoring your blood sugar levels is a must. This will allow you to make smart treatment choices daily. Also, monitoring informs you of the red flag of low blood sugar, the times when you need to modify your treatments (e.g., nutrition, exercise, and medication), and overall, to improve your mindfulness of your body’s condition. The six best places to check blood sugar should be used with careful consideration of essential guidelines, including those recommended by your healthcare provider.

 

Achieve Your Fitness Goal With Functional Training Exercises

What’s the Deal with Functional Training?

 

Whether you’ve heard it referred to as functional training or functional fitness  you might not be familiar with exactly what it is.  Maybe you’re new to the idea of working out, or maybe your workouts up to this point have been based primarily around steady-state cardio (think elliptical or treadmill) or weight-lifting.  If that’s the case, and you’re looking for a way to break up your monotonous workout or give your gym time more bang for its buck, look no further than functional training. 

Functional training is a fitness regimen that focuses around whole-body exercises that are designed to mimic everyday movements.  These are movements that you do to carry out every day activities.

For instance, you may lift up you child from the floor to your chest, you may stoop down to get the clothes in an out of the drier or you may stop suddenly as your dog or cat runs across your movement path. These movements are functional and this is the focus of the work outs.

Purpose Driven Workouts

 

It’s intended to make you more active and able to keep up with the rigors of an active lifestyle, but even if you aren’t out there playing football or doing construction work, it can still help you build the body you want and make you able to play with your kids or go for a strenuous hike.  It’s a workout with a purpose, and that purpose can be as simple as to make you able to to lead a more active life. 

There’s a reason that functional training buffs are generally fit-looking people.  Functional training often utilizes a concept called higintensity interval training (HIIT).  This training concept involves periods of high-intensity exercise that sharply elevates your heart rate, followed by short periods of active rest that decrease the heart rate. 

This has been shown to burn fat faster, lead to better cardiovascular health, and have longer-lasting daily effects on your metabolism than steady state cardio alone, and it has the added benefit of having these effects in a vastly shorter amount of time.  While functional training may not be designed primarily around HIIT, the exercises involved often have some crossover.  Take the kettle-bell swing, for instance.  This exercise strengthens your lower body and core, but do it for a minute and see how elevated your heart rate gets.  Deadlifts, power cleans, or sled-drags have the same effect. 

However, functional training isn’t only about elevating your heart rate.  It generally involves strength-based exercises that engage multiple joints, instead of single-joint isolation exercises like bicep curls.  Isolation exercises are good (and indeed, necessary) if you’re trying to build strength in specific muscle groups or you’re preparing for some sort of competition, but multi-joint exercises are much better for increasing your overall strength and burning more calories.  Functional training also often involves lower-body and core-specific exercises, since these muscle groups are involved in almost everything you do.  These exercises might include mountain climbers, lateral squats, lunges, or goblet squats.

How To Get Started

 

Now that you have a basic idea of what functional training can do for you, how do you go about incorporating it into your daily workout routine?  If you’re someone who generally goes to the gym, rides a bike for an hour, and then leaves, incorporating functional fitness may seem daunting at first.  However, it’s important to remember that everyone started somewhere, even the folks at the gym who are doing complex movements with high weights. 

At first, you want to start slow, because it’s critical that you get the exercise movements down before you start to add weight.  Although a body-weight squat may not be challenging, you can always increase the rep count and adding weight can lead to injuries if done improperly.  Don’t let this discourage you; if you’re just starting out, building good habits is much more important than putting up a lot of weight.  It’s important that you enjoy your workout and that you can keep it up over months or years. 

If you’re just starting out, try adding a day of functional training to your existing work out, or if you’re just starting to work out, add a couple of days per week.  These days should be spread out to give your body to recover, and they can be the same workout or a different set of exercises per day.  You can look anywhere online to find sample workouts to try.  You can also incorporate a day or two of cardio (whether it’s HIIT specific or steady-state) to improve your cardiovascular health, as well as a day or two of strength specific training to help build muscle and torch fat.  Varying your workout also keeps it from getting boring; a sure-fire way to stop looking forward to the gym. 

Make It Fun


If you’re looking for a fun way to workout that doesn’t take too long and can help you have a more active lifestyle, look no further than functional training.  It can help you burn fat, build strength and achieve your fitness goals, all while being fun and varied on a daily basis.  Try incorporating functional training into your exercise plan and watch the results!

Why You Should Drink More Water

Drinking waterHere is Why You Should Drink More Water

 

“Thousands have lived without love. Not one without water,” W. H. Auden. Water is the most valuable resource in the world. It is a vital ingredient for the survival of all living organisms. The planet earth is made up of 71 percent water, so if our planet needs it to survive, you better bet that we do as well.

Water is found in lakes, oceans, glaciers, in the ground as soil, and in the air, we breathe. You can even have a great time playing in the water on a hot day. It would seem that there is nothing that water cannot do. Without water, that cup of coffee that you drink to get up in the morning would not exist.

Even if we didn’t need water for hydration, there are various ways that water contributes to society indirectly. Water contributes to the process of making paper out of wood. It is used for electricity and agriculture, which determines the food that is available to us. The world would not run as efficiently as it does without water.

You can live weeks without food but only days without water.

Besides liquid water, you can find water in fruits, vegetables, even dry foods such as bread and cereal. However, to meet your hydration needs, you still need to drink water.

But what about other fluids, do they offer the same benefits? No. And this is because some fluids such as coffee and alcohol can cause dehydration while others are filled with sugar, that when consumed in large quantities on a regular basis can cause other problems.


The Benefits of Drinking Water

 

While Instagram and Netflix are life essentials to some, water is much more crucial, if you want to live, that is. About 60 percent of the human adult body consists of water. According to H. H. Mitchell, Journal of Biological Chemistry, the heart and brain are made of 73 percent water, the lungs are approximately 83 percent water, the skin is 64 percent water, kidneys and muscles are about 70 percent water, and the bones are 31 percent water. If this much of our body consists of water, then you can see how a shortage could cause some unwanted problems.

Drinking an adequate amount of water provides several benefits. The most obvious one is that it quenches your thirst. But there are other important benefits. Without it, you will likely suffer a variety of health problems that will hinder the quality of your day-to-day life. A few benefits of drinking water are:

 

•    Weight loss – Water before a meal can help you resist the temptation of overeating by giving you a feeling of fullness. Additionally, you will lose weight if you drink it instead of juices and sodas.

•    Prevention of kidney damage – The kidney regulates fluids throughout the body. If you do not consume enough water, you run the risk of developing kidney stones. It’s worth noting that kidney stones are excruciating.

•    Helps to control blood pressure – High blood pressure contributed to nearly half a million deaths in the United States in 2017. Water helps to maintain blood pressure at a healthy level. Water deficiency causes the blood to become thicker, which increases blood pressure.

•    Promotes skin health – Dehydration can lead to the skin becoming more prone to disease as well as premature wrinkling.

•    It lubricates the joints – Dehydration weakens the joints and damages its shock-absorbing capabilities. This will likely lead to severe joint pain.

.   It keeps you cool- Through the process evaporation, the body uses water to cool you down. This is evident by the sweat your body produces when you get hot.

 

Can you Drink too Much Water

 

Water is necessary for your body to perform essential bodily functions. However, it is possible to drink too much water and become overhydrated. Overhydration is not a common occurrence, but it is dangerous. Overhydration may lead to water intoxication, which can be lethal. It happens when there is an imbalance of electrolytes like salt in your body. This will likely result in Hyponatremia.

Salt is a necessity for your body, and if it is overly diluted, your life could be endangered. However, overhydration is typically something that happens to endurance athletes, so the average water drinking person need not be overly concerned with it. Just keep it in mind when running your next ultramarathon. Otherwise, you should consider hydration to be your bridge over troubled water.

 

How Much Water is Enough?

 

To determine how much water you should drink in a day, you must first consider factors such as your age, weight, height, gender, as well as how active you are. Your body loses water every day from breathing, perspiration, bowel movements, and urination. You need to drink water to replenish your body’s supply. According to the Food and Nutrition Board at the federal Institute of Medicine, an adult male should consume about 3.7 liters of water a day. That’s about 15 8-ounce glasses. The adult woman is a bit less at 2.7 liters a day, which is about 11, 8-ounce glasses.

Another way to calculate how much water you drink is to drink half you body weight in ounces. However if you sweat a lot due to your job or working out, then you should drink an extra cup.


Here is an example.

Lets say you weigh 200lbs, well half of 200lb in ounces is 100 ounces. This equal 12.5 cups of water.

Here is how to calculate the measurements:

1 cup = 8 ounces = 240ml.


Most people typically get about 20 percent of their water intake from food, but the rest must be consumed through liquids. Water being the most hydrating. An excellent way to tell if you are becoming dehydrated is by the color of your urine. The darker your urine, the more dehydrated you are. Drink until your urine is close to the color of water.

10 Tips for Drinking More Water

 

1.    Use a Straw

Using a straw when drinking water will make it feel like less of a burden. You will drink a lot more with much less effort. You will likely not even realize how much water you drank until afterward. This can be done in standard glasses throughout the day, or you can get a water bottle with a straw, so you can drink on the go. Try to find one with a handle as well, to make it easier to travel with.

2.    Alarms

If you have trouble remembering to drink water, then setting an alert will be perfect for you. All cellphones have an alarm and a timer on them. Set your timer for an hour at a time. When it goes off, you know that it is time to drink another glass of water.

3.    Get a Good-Looking Water Bottle

Aesthetics are important, especially when you are walking around with something. Getting an aesthetically pleasing water bottle will motivate you to carry it around, possibly to show off to your friends and collogues. It will also catch your attention when sitting on your desk. Whenever you notice it, go ahead and get your drink on. The ounces will add up quickly.

4.    Add Fresh Fruit to Your Water

If you are tired of the taste of plain water, then adding fresh fruit to your water can be an excellent way to keep things fresh. It will add a fruity flavor to your water, and you can even eat the fruit afterward. Fruit provides small amounts of water as well, so they will help you to stay hydrated. Don’t overdo it, or you are just eating a fruit bowl, but a few strawberries in your water can be very beneficial.

5.    Jug Water Bottles

A jug water bottle can be the perfect way to keep you motivated. There are various sizes available, depending on how much water you wish to consume a day. There are even jug water bottles that have time markers on them, to let you know how much water you should have drunk by each time of the day. If you get the correct size, then after you finish the jug, you are finished for the day. This way, you don’t need to worry about how many glasses you have drunk.

6.    Water Tracking App

Smartphones can be used for things other than social media. There are several water tracking apps available that will help you to stay accountable for the water you have consumed that day. If you don’t want to use an app, you can always write it down on paper, but apps are more fun. A similar method you can use is to habit stack. Choose something that you frequently do during the day, such as checking your phone. Every time you do this activity, drink a glass of water.

7.    Zero Calorie Drink Mixes

This tip is similar to adding fresh fruit to your water. Purchase some zero-calorie drink mixes such as propel and mix it into your water bottle. This will give your water some flavor, without distorting its health benefits. However, you must pay close attention to the nutrition facts. Some drink mixes will add sugar and calories to your water.

8.    Sparkling Water

Sparkling  water is a good way to ease into drinking more water. You can alternate between drinking plain water and sparkling water. They also come different flavors and some have minerals.

9.    Drink a Cup of Water as Soon as You Wake Up

Waking up with a glass of water is a great way to get your day started right. It is said that this also helps to wake you up in the morning. When you sleep, you are going several hours without hydrating yourself, so replenishing your body first thing in the morning is vital.

10.   Drink a cup of Water Before and During Meals

As stated before, if you drink a cup of water before a meal, it will reduce the urge to overeat. Additionally, you should try to refrain from consuming any other liquids while you eat. Drink only water during every meal and save the other beverages for in between. This is a good way to get your cup count up. You should also consider trying to drink a glass of water every time you urinate. This is another way to habit stack. Think of it as replenishing your body of water after expelling


Who Shouldn’t Drink More Water

If you have heart or kidney failure or any medical condition that limits your water intake then don’t follow these hacks and ask your health care provider how much water you can drink.

Water or Fluid Loss in The Body

While you are being mindful about increasing your water intake, you should also pay attention to water losses as well. The  fluids you ingest should also come out. In order to maintain adequate fluid levels in your body, you have to replace the losses, especially when it’s a lot.

The three main routes you will lose fluid is by perspiration, defecation or urination. However, if you are sick can lose fluid through vomiting and also through blood loss.

Therefore, if you sweat a lot or have diarrhea then plan on drinking extra water. If you urinate a lot due to alcohol or caffeine or certain medications then you should drink extra water.


 

2020 Best Weighted Vest For Weight Loss


It doesn’t matter what sort of workout you enjoy the most, there comes a time when you get used to the routine and the exercise gets monotonous. During that period you might get complacent with your standard exercise schedule. To avoid such a situation, try making your routine a bit challenging – to push it past your comfort zone every once in a while.

One very convenient way to level up your game is… drumroll … by using a weighted training vest.

Now, you are probably imagining yourself in an intimidating military gear wearing a 50+ pound weighted vest in a brutal military boot camp style workout, thinking, “It’s definitely not for me.”

You are misguided. Using a weighted vest has many benefits. With its help, you can quickly turn any fitness workout into a full-blown resistance exercise. These vests are frequently used by physical therapy professionals to aid in muscle recovery and rehabilitation. It offers an expedient way to add an x-factor to your exercise without drastically altering the routine by working with higher weights. With its help, you can not only challenge your stamina but also increase resistance, maximize muscle growth, and burn some extra calories. It’s a win-win situation, right?

Since the last few years, weighed vests have gone through drastic changes. The latest models give users a wide range of weight options and styles. Because there are tons of options available in the market today, choosing the right product for you can sometimes be a daunting experience.

But don’t worry; we will help you find the most suitable option.

Strap on, and take a look at our list of top 10 weighed vests that we strongly recommend. These vests have some smart features which make them stand out. Let’s get to it.

 

1. Aduro Sport Weighted Vest

Let’s start our list with Amazon’s bestseller weighted vest. The Aduro Sport Weighted Vest is available in 5 different weights, ranging from 4lbs to 25lbs. Perfect for a cardio workout; you can increase the efficiency and intensity of the exercise as per your needs. The meshed pocket on the back allows you to add even more weight if your current workout regimen is getting too monotonous. The soft neoprene material is comfortable enough to keep you going for a long time. With the help of an adjustable front belt, you can fit it for almost all shapes and sizes. If it’s not adjusted correctly, then it will bounce while you workout.

Pros

  • Solid build
  • non-abrasive comfortable material
  • Amazing weight distribution
  • Highly customizable fit

Cons

  • No adjustable weights, so make sure you buy the right option. If you are a beginner or an elder, start with 4lbs vest.
  • Hand wash only

Whether you want to add strength to your cardio workout, just increase your agility regardless of the activity or balance your posture and walk more erect, this best weighted vest is one cardio kicker you shouldn’t ignore. Its only limitation is that the manufacturer recommends a hand wash only.

2 – RUNmax Pro Weighted Vest

The RUNmax Pro comes in five different weight options ranging from 12lbs to 60lbs to give you a gradual endurance boost. The removable weights provide convenience to work with any load you are most comfortable with. Besides, the package includes extra sandbag weights for people who want to give it all. It features a phone pocket and a water bottle holder. There are four pockets on the front and four on the backside, allowing you to slip in 2.5 lbs weight in each pocket for a balanced weight.

 

Pros

  • Fits all genders and sizes
  • Reasonable price
  • Elegant design
  • Highly durable
  • Full length
  • The Velcro straps are quite versatile

Cons

  • Not comfortable without pads
  • Arm straps are not adjustable

If you are looking for a full-length vest that’s one size fit all, has easy weight adjustments, and is quite durable in a reasonable budget, then this beastly weighted vest may just be the best option available on Amazon.

3 – Empower Weighted Vest for Women


Add some hands-free resistance to your physical activities with this weighted vest specially designed to empower women. Available in 4 lb and 8lb sizes, It is made of polyester for extended durability and more comfortable – hand or machine – wash. Sand is sewn directly into the vest, which distributes all the weight evenly. It is a soft and stretchy spandex vest and comes with adjustable side straps to fit all waist sizes within a 24 to 48-inch waistline range. The convenient pocket allows holding small items like smartphones securely while you work out. Additionally, the front and back of the vest are adorned with reflective accents, which make exercising at night super secure.

Pros

  • Super cheap
  • Easy on easy off
  • Buckles clip on nicely

Cons:

  • Since the sand is sewn directly in it, there is no option to increase or decrease the weight
  • The pocket is rather small to hold any modern smartphones
  • The straps are thin and not durable enough
  • It is not a full upper body vest

Overall, this product is geared toward women or people with smaller frames. It is sturdy, comfortable, and easy to use. What’s more, the product comes at a dirt-cheap price. I don’t think you will get a better bargain than this.

4 – RUNFast/Max 12lbs-140lbs Adjustable Weighted Vest


Get an oomph out of any exercise with this black colored premium quality vest. This heavy-duty vest comes in eight different sizes (can you believe that?), ranging from 20 lbs to 120 lbs so that you can slowly build up your endurance. If needed, you can even add some more weights as the pockets can be emptied without any hassle. It has a very versatile fit due to the presence of two-band wrap around the waist system that can be altered to fit almost any body shape. The strap Velcro is of premium quality. There are two options when you buy this vest. First, you can buy it with shoulder pads and second, without pads. I would strongly recommend buying it with shoulder pads so that it is still comfortable during high-intensity workouts.

Pros

  • Great looking design
  • Pocket for smartphone and a holder for water bottle
  • Good fit with the strap around design

Cons

  • Quite expensive
  • The shoulder pads are slightly thin and feel generic

While most vests are hard to balance and cumbersome to assemble, this weighted vest gets everything right. From enough variation in size to super balanced design, this vest passes all the tests with flying colors where others fail.

5 – ZFOsports Weighted Vest

Specially designed for female users (other genders can use it too), the ZFOsports weighted vest comes in four different sizes ranging from 30lbs to 80lbs. With that much weight range, anyone can use it for long training sessions. It features a fantastic design, sturdy build, adjustable waist belts, a pocket for holding music/smartphone devices, and a water bottle strap to take care of your hydration during the workout session. The sandbag weights are located at the front(10 compartments) and back(10 chambers) of the vest for balanced weight distribution. Each bag carries an estimated weight of 3.8 lbs. Besides, the extra belt attached to the vest helps set it up quickly.

 

One thing that I really loved about this vest is that you don’t need shoulder padding even when it is fully loaded with weights. It is super comfortable in any case.

Pros

  • Easy to assemble
  • Excels in upper bodyweight training
  • Sandbags won’t break easily
  • Requires minimal care: Use it in the rain and throw it on the garage floor afterward – until you need it again

Cons

  • The weights are hard to pull out once they are in.
  • Stitching could have been improved

All in all, if you don’t bother much about changing the weights quite often, this best weighted vest may be a perfect investment for you. It shows some wicked results without drastically altering your workout routine.

6 – ZELUS Weighted Vest

Give your workout an extra push with the ZELUS. This weighted vest is available in two different sizes 20 lbs and a smaller 12 lb version. Made of premium quality chloroprene rubber, it stays breathable, rigid, elastic, and soft even under the harshest of the conditions and extreme exercises. It is stuffed with Iron sandbags that are entirely chemical-free and safe. The elastic edges provide superior flexibility during the workouts while accommodating users of every size and shape. It also has reflective stripes on its surface safeguarding against any injury at night. What’s more, the integrated pockets located in the back and front allow you to store any belongings like car keys, smartphone, earbuds, etc. To get the most out of this vest, don’t wash it with a machine, the manufacturer recommends hand wash.

Pros:

  • Thick and broad shoulders distribute all weight evenly avoiding any injury during the workout
  • comfortable
  • Very versatile – fits everyone
  • Low price

Cons

  • The material is hard on the skin. Therefore, use a top underneath it to avoid any scrapes.
  • Not very durable, the stitching on straps could have been better

Pro tip: Wear this vest upside down for a super fit snug. That way, it won’t flip around and hold nicely on your body.

7 -CAP Barbell (HHWV-CB020C) Adjustable Weighted Vest

Kick your fat burn regimen into the fourth gear with Cap barbell’s adjustable weighted vest. This adjustable conditioning vest weighs 20 lbs approximately. Each steel shot packet weighs 0.75 lbs. It is made with a breathable mesh that has adjustable clips to achieve a tighter fit for your body type. Another exciting design feature is the addition of reflective safety strips to keep the wearer out of harm’s way after dark. The vest comes with an additional pocket in the front for smartphones or headphones. The sandbags hold well in the pockets. However, initially, the weights take some effort to put in. After that, the bags help the vest stick well enough to the body so that it won’t bounce during some extensive exercises.

Pros:

  • Fits both men and women
  • Easy to assemble
  • Neoprene padding for comfort

Cons

  • The vest style is rather bland when compared with other vests in this list
  • The front velcro strap is rather small for anyone with above 36 inches waistline.
  • The Sandbags take some effort to fit into the pouches

From aerobics to general sports, this best weighted vest will definitely be a great addition to your workout inventory.

8 – CROSS101 Weighted Vest

This camouflage themed heavy-duty training vest comes in four different sizes, ranging from 20 lb up to 80lb. With such a weight range, It is definitely geared towards hardcore workout enthusiasts. It wraps around your waist nicely for a tighter snug fit. Once fit, it won’t bounce as you do some running exercise. The vest is rather heavy and very durable. It comes with 10 sandbags – weighing 4 lbs each – so you can easily adjust the weight to change the workload. Also, it’s very comfortable and easy to put on or off.

 

Pros:

  • Great for a cardio workout
  • Removable weights
  • No sharp corners
  • Fits well for all body shapes and sizes
  • Extra pouch for phones, a water bottle holder, and headphones

Cons:

  • A little extra padding on the shoulders would have been nicer

This vest is a must buy for those who want to bring some strength training into their schedule. I wouldn’t recommend it for running because the vest is rather heavy. However, athletes and marathon runners should have no issues running with it. All in all, it is an excellent value for the money.

9 – miR Air Flow Weighted Vest

The miR Air Flow vest uses a hybrid material and airflow fabric design to keep your body fresh during extensive workouts. It is available in five different sizes ranging from 20 lbs to 60lbs. So you can start with 20lbs and gradually increase the weights to improve your stamina and overall endurance. You can move the weights around to suit your body type. You also have the option to load it up with as much or as little weight as you want in the 2.5 lb increment s. Moreover, the weights are solid iron that is definitely meant to last a lifetime.

Pros

  • Even the full-length vest fits nicely for people with a petite figure.
  • Machine washable, easy to clean
  • Airy, breathable design allows ventilation, so you don’t feel exhausted for a more extended period.
  • Comfortable material
  • Weight pockets are located outside and have closure flaps
  • Lifetime warranty

Cons

  • A little expensive
  • No shoulder pads
  • The straps secure on its sides, so you may need some help putting it on and off initially. However, once you figure this out, you won’t have any issues putting it on afterward. Just put the straps through both front loops and fasten it on the sides.

All in all, this well made, machine-washable, sturdy and balanced training aid is an excellent option for those who want to work up their endurance gradually.

10 – Henkelion Running Weight Vest

This premium quality vest is comfortable, stylish, and light (just 12 lb). Still, it is heavy enough to provide a challenge for your body. Its ergonomic design distributes weight equally throughout the body so that each muscle gets its fair share of pressure. The adjustable straps located at the waist help prevent sliding and slipping during the heavy workout session. Filled with premium iron rocks and pellets instead of river sand weights, the vest provides enough weight to challenge your muscles.

 

Moreover, the light reflectors on the vest are a great feature for night time usage without having to worry about any accidents.

Pros

  • Fits well even for small size people
  • Low cost
  • Suitable for everyone (men, women, children and special needs people)
  • High-quality material
  • Best for core strength

Cons

  • May be too tight for large people
  • If proper care isn’t taken while strapping it on and off, the plastic straps give out rather quickly

Whether you are a professional athlete, a novice, or just a home workout enthusiast, this best weighted vest can help you with stepping up your exercise routine.

All said and done, this list of a best weighted vest is by no means exhaustive. There are tons of options available in the market today. We chose the top 10 based on user reviews, useful features, value for money, prices, and durability. Before settling on any one option, always consider what you will use it for. For example, if you want to train harder, opt for a heavier vest. However, a light vest is best for long walks, running, polymeric drills, and light bodyweight exercises. These vests are a great way to add some extra resistance to your exercise routine. Doing so will result in faster calorie burn, increased energy consumption, intense workouts, build up your muscles, and even help with bone density and strength. So what are you waiting for? Go get one.