Although Type 2 diabetes, also known as adult-onset diabetes and non-insulin dependent diabetes, is the most common form of the disease; there are still estimated to be millions of Americans who have it and are not aware. But this isn’t a case of not being informed. It’s a matter of people not understanding how the screening process works.
There are several ways that someone can be screened for Type 2 diabetes.
One is the fasting plasma glucose test (FBG). In this test, the individual is restricted from consuming food or drink for a period of up to 12 hours, but at least 8 hours prior to the test. The best time to do it is first thing in the morning after fasting all night.
Blood is drawn and any blood sugar reading above 126 mg/dL (7 mmol/L) is considered to be a provisional diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes. Then, another blood drawing on a return trip will be used to confirm the diagnosis.
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An oral glucose tolerance test is similar (OGTT). No food for up to 12 hours prior to the first drawing of blood; 75 grams of oral glucose is then given by mouth, and then the blood test repeated approximately 2 hours later.
For this test, a blood sugar reading of 200 mg/dL (11.1 mmol/L) gives a positive sign of Type 2 diabetes. This test also has to be repeated on a different day to confirm the reading.
The random plasma glucose test is different from the other two in that no prior fasting is required. It does not require any previous scheduling and can be drawn at any time.
This test requires a blood sugar reading of 200 mg/dL (11.1 mmol/L) or more. But the reading also has to be accompanied by other diabetic symptoms as well. The individual will have to return for a separate blood drawing in order to confirm diagnosis.
If you are not accustomed to skipping meals, then a fasting episode may make you fell pretty lousy. In this case, it would be a good idea for you to have someone with you at the lab; someone who can drive you home afterwards. It is also a good idea to have the test performed on your day off as the effects could stay with you for several hours.
If having someone take you home isn’t an option, or even taking the rest of the day off, you may want to try a trial test to see how you will react so that you will have a better idea of whether or not you will be okay by yourself. To do this, try skipping a meal to see how your body reacts. Do this for several days in a row to acclimate your body to missing out on food for such a long period.
It is important for patients who are diagnosed with diabetes to understand that this disorder is a lifelong problem that potentially can cause serious complications. Diabetes is a characterized by high blood sugar levels that occur because the body cannot produce and use insulin properly. When high sugars are left uncontrolled, serious complications can results. These complications include kidney disease, blindness and foot problems.
Sadly there is no diabetes cure but through proper management it is possible to normalize blood sugar levels and given the appearance that the diabetes has been reversed. This is so important because diabetes is the leading cause of blindness and kidney failure. In addition, it contributes to the development of heart disease and raises the risk of stroke. These complications are very serious and it is for this reason that patients with diabetes visit their physician routinely and stick to the prescribed treatment plan. Many patients are overwhelmed by the information and their physician’s expectations. Follow these simple steps to improve your diabetes and you will find that improving your blood sugar is easier than it may seem!
Start with these 10 ways to improve your blood sugar levels!
1. Invest in a quality glucometer and use it to track your blood sugars every day.
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2. Stick to the prescribed diet plan.
3. Exercise. Even a small amount of exercise can make a big difference.
4. Have an annual eye exam to screen for eye disease.
5. See your doctor as scheduled and complete the screening bloodwork!
6. Stop smoking! Smoking helps nothing! It increases your risk of heart disease and stroke!
7. Take good care of your feet. Diabetic foot problems can lead to amputation. Have your feet checked at every visit.
8. Stay up to date on vaccinations! Having the flu and pneumonia vaccinations can prevent complications from these illnesses. Diabetics are at higher risk for these types of complications.
9. Check your cholesterol!
10. Don’t skip your medications!
Successful treatment depends on how involved the patient is in his own care. Success is largely dependent on the patient’s commitment to making lifelong changes. Diabetes is a complicated disease the requires a team approach. The patient and physician need to work together to find a diet, exercise and medication regimen that works well for the patient. Patients need to remember that medications alone will not fix this problem. Try incorporating these tips a little at a time to gradually improve your blood sugar readings.
For some people, a visit to see the doctor can be overwhelming. But with the rise in the cost of healthcare, it is very important to be prepared ahead of time. This is even more important if you have diabetes. In this article I share seven important tips that will help you reap more benefits out of a visit to your healthcare provider.
TIP NUMBER ONE- TAKE ALONG RECORD OF YOUR SUGARS
It is very easy to keep a record of your sugars. You do not need fancy computer software. All you need is a small memo notebook. You can get this at any office supply or drug store. What you need to do is to divide the page into at least two columns. The first column is for the date and time that you check your blood sugars. The second column is to a record of your blood sugar levels. In my e-book, I show a way to check your sugars once a day. Over the period of a week you be able to trend of how your blood sugars are running.
TIP NUMBER TWO- TAKE ALONG YOUR GLUCOMETER
I like to look at the blood sugar readings on my patients’ glucometers. A number of the new generation glucometers provide a lot of valuable information. For instance some machines average the sugars over say a 14-30 day period. Others may average the blood sugars before and after meals. This is a great teaching tool for diabetic patients. It allows them to see how their blood sugars affects their overall health and wellbeing.
TIP NUMBER THREE- PREPARE TO TAKE OFF YOUR SHOES AND SOCKS
Foot care is very important. It helps to prevent foot infections, which could lead to other complications. I insist on looking at the feet of all my diabetic patients at least every 2-3 months. Why? It is important to make sure that you have sensation on the bottom of your feet. Your physician can perform a very simple test called a fine filament test on your feet. If you do not feel the filament being pressed on the bottom of your feet, you may be developing a complication called diabetic neuropathy. This is when the nerves are damaged and you can no longer feel your feet. The danger is that you could step on a nail for instance and not know because you could not feel it. Diabetic neuropathy is one of the leading reasons why diabetics suffer amputations. So make sure that your doctor performs this test on your feet every three months.
TIP NUMBER FOUR- ALWAYS CARRY A SNACK
Has this ever happened to you? You are at the doctor’s office and the wait time is longer than you planned. But you had taken your medications earlier on in the day. Next you begin to experience the ‘bottoming out’ sensation as your sugars take a nose-dive. Next thing you know it you’re being carted into a waiting ambulance to the emergency room! I advise my patients to carry around a piece of ‘hard candy’. I also like glucerna meal replacement bars. So always be sure to take a snack along with you wherever you go.
TIP NUMBER FIVE- IF YOUR APPOINTMENT IS FIRST THING IN THE MORNING THEN DO NOT EAT BREAKFAST.
Take advantage of an early morning appointment with your doctor and arrive ‘fasting’. Nowadays, a lot of healthcare providers may perform blood tests in their offices. Your doctor may check your blood sugar, A1C and lipid profile.
TIP NUMBER SIX- TAKE ALONG A JOURNAL
Living powerfully with diabetes requires that you do things a little differently than the crowd. Keeping a journal or a diary is one of those things. A lot of times, a journal is for your personal use. However at times it may help your physician to detect why your sugars may be running high or low. For example, you keep a record of what you eat write what you eat, and you notice some foods that make your blood sugars go up. This gives you a good idea of knowing what foods to reduce or take out of your diet completely. You may find out that stress affects your blood sugars. Some people may prefer to journal and record their blood sugars in the same book. Decide what works for you and just do it.
TIP NUMBER SEVEN- BE PREPARED FOR CHANGE
Treating type 2 diabetes can be challenging. So be prepared for change. Diabetes is a disease that can get worse over time. As time goes on it may get harder to control your blood sugars. The pancreas is the organ that produces insulin in the body. Over time, it gets worn out and is no longer able to produce enough insulin. For example you’ve been on a medication for a long time. Until your blood sugars are well controlled. All of a sudden your blood sugars start running high. Your doctor may decide to add another medication or even insulin. Always realize that your doctor has your best interest at heart. I know that there are a lot of skeptics out there about the pharmaceutical industry. Research is being conducted to develop new drugs, which may help preserve the function of the pancreas. There are a few diabetics out there who are able to control their blood sugars with diet and exercise.
So to reduce the potential complications of type 2 diabetes it is important to follow your doctor’s advice. In order to follow their advice, you will need to be able to make the best use of time when you have a scheduled visit.
I have been struggling with diabetes type 2 for over 20 years and it was by accident that I read something about diabetes appearing in a group of people who had changed their eating habits which started me thinking. Could it be that diabetes type 2 was an eating disorder?
Aside from popping pills, I had not done much to change my eating habits after being diagnosed with the condition and this meant that my diabetes didn’t go away. But after reading about the Pima Indian tribe, I started avoiding industrially processed foods. I started buying whole foods instead.
The change was dramatic and immediate! I started losing weight and feeling a whole lot better in a matter of a couple of weeks. So the first big lesson I learned here was: stay away from industrially processed foods and favor whole foods instead.
As a specific practical example: eat whole bread instead of refined white bread. The whole bread will not create a blood sugar spike while the refined white bread will definitely put you at a high risk of provoking the blood sugar spike!
Once I realized that the foods I ate could help me control my diabetes I started looking for more ways to combine foods that could help me avoid having to take pills. Staying away from industrially processed foods was the first big step, eating whole foods was the second.
Naturally, I cut back on sugars and fats and I also took the habit of going for a short walk after each meal as this helps the digestion process. These days, I go out for that walk even if it freezes outside or even if it rains cats and dogs. It will not prevent me from taking a quick nap if I feel tired afterward.
The point is that the walk helps set in motion a natural process of digestion which is beneficial to the body and that this improves the way the body absorbs the food. And the exercise burns energy, some of which might be excessive glucose in the blood! By experience I can confirm that it works for me and I can only recommend you try it for yourself.
Another big helper was that I started including lots of fresh leafy vegetables into my daily food intake. They add volume and fibers to the foods and are a tremendous help in the digestive process as they help eliminate toxins while they bring excellent nutrients.
Liberty Medical is a distinguished name, renowned for providing consistent service for people with diabetes; they are a leader in the field of diabetic medical supplies. With fast, quick and free deliveries of diabetic supplies around the country, Liberty Medical Supply offers nothing but convenience in managing your diabetes.
LMS provides the following supplies for diabetics: glucose meters, test strips, insulin pumps, glucose monitoring systems, and A1Ckits. Not every diabetic is prone to using all of these supplies. Glucose meters and test strips are, however, used by most customers with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. These devices that read blood sampling help patients monitor blood sugar levels. This is a tool that has been in very common use with diabetics in their daily lives. Blood sugar levels that are tested over a long period of time can help physicians gain a better understanding of their diabetic condition.
Other equipment from LMS, such as insulin pumps, is for those who experience difficulty in controlling the amount of insulin their pancreas secretes. Monitoring insulin levels is an essential task for diabetic sufferers, ensuring correct monitoring can protect muscles and the liver. Insulin is regulated with the help of an insulin pump, this is very important to some diabetics.
Monitoring insulin isn’t the only thing important to diabetics; intense glucose monitoring can be just as necessary. Continuous glucose monitoring systems are provided by Liberty Medical Supply, as well as glucose meters and test strips. In order to read blood sugar levels every few minutes, CGMs are used. This consists of a disposable glucose sensor which is placed under the patient’s skin which then transmits the readings to a receiver. There, it logs in trends and patterns over a period of time to bring comprehensive results for diabetic patients with extra sensitive blood sugar levels.
Finally, A1c kits are also offered by LMS to help diabetics view their glycosylated hemoglobin levels, which is simply another means of monitoring glucose levels. Some diabetics may choose to use combination two or three tools to ensure that their blood sugar levels are as accurate as possible.
Diabetes has been with us for centuries. And in America, it’s become one of our most lethal diseases. But, much like AIDs, it’s often not the disease that kills the person, it’s the health complications caused by damage to other parts of the body. For instance, diabetes, untreated, slowly destroys the cardiovascular system of a person which can lead to heart attacks and strokes.
But what is the cause of diabetes and is it preventable?
There are mainly two types of diabetes, and the causes are different. In type 1 diabetes, the cause is usually a viral attack on the pancreas by antibodies in the bloodstream. In other words, it is your own body that is attacking the pancreas. The pancreas is one of the major organs of the body. It secretes insulin which the body uses to help it to convert blood sugar to energy. Unable to convert the blood sugar to energy, the sugar simply builds up in the bloodstream eventually reaching high enough levels that it begins to destroy the body from the inside. In those with type 1 diabetes, the usual treatment is to have them take insulin.
Type 2 diabetes is usually caused by a combination of poor food choices, poor food portion control, and lack of exercise. This is highlighted by the fact that teenage onset diabetes has dramatically jumped in the last 20 years. Now, our bodies have not changed that much in twenty years. What has changed, however is the amount of fast foods that we eat.
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Fast foods are almost always high in calories. And, you can almost plot a straight line showing that as the weight of our teens have increased, so have the number of incidences of diabetes in their group.
In addition, we as a nation are exercising less. Mandatory, gym classes have virtually been eliminated from many of our schools and many of the popular entertainments today – video games, computer activities, and so on – involve some sort of sedentary activity where the body doesn’t have to move much.
Doctors mainly use two types of tests for diabetes – urine tests and blood tests. A urine test will test your urine for protein. One of the earliest organs that diabetes can damage is the kidney. If the kidney is damaged, excess protein will show up in the urine because the kidney is having trouble filtering impurities. A blood test will test for excess glucose in the bloodstream. A test showing that you have above levels of glucose usually indicates that your body is not producing enough insulin to process the sugar in your blood.
Is diabetes preventable? Some types are, such as many of the type 2 onset diabetes cases which are triggered by lifestyle choices. Type 1 diabetes cases are not preventable, at least not yet. But promising signs on the gene research front indicate that within the next 10 to 15 years we might very well see a diabetes vaccine that can protect a person from type 1 diabetes.
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Heredity, is the elephant in the room when it comes to diabetes. Research studies have proven that it plays a part, but to what extent is yet unknown. The bright point, however, is that even if your heredity predisposes you towards diabetes, by making lifestyle changes you can do many things to ensure that you never get it.
Diabetes, a disease that affects millions of people in the United States is analogous to a fire starting in a house. The fire fighter shows up. He is expecting from his report, to find a fire in one room. The fire that has started in one room of the house quickly spreads to the hallway, then the back room, then to a bed room. If the fire isn’t contained quickly, there is a real possibility of losing the entire house.
Diabetes Is the Fire and the House Is Your Body
For those suffering from diabetes, like the fire, you must be on constant guard by attending to your blood sugar level. Diabetes is an insidious disease that left unchecked, will attack and destroy your body organs, cause coronary heart disease, and may even cause blindness through retinopathy.
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Diabetic Retinopathy
Excessive blood glucose levels over time contribute to swelling and pressure to the blood vessels in the retina. As these vessels expand, much like a balloon with too much air in it, they start to bleed. This causes damage over time and can eventually lead to a damaged retina. This is not like getting chest pains; you don’t get lots of warning, and the situation if not identified, can lead to permanent damage to the retina and ultimately blindness.
Is There a Way to Detect This Problem?
Every diabetic whether a type one or type two, should have an eye examination at least once a year. The damage caused to the retina starts the day you become diabetic. Because you may not see any change or feel any symptoms means nothing. The clock is ticking and you need to check with an ophthalmologist each year to monitor the change. Most specialists will tell you that if you are in tight control with blood sugars, with an A1C level of seven or below, you won’t see any signs of damage till about year fifteen.
What Are the Treatment Options?
The best thing you can do is keep your blood sugars in tight control and don’t gain a lot of weight. Every strain you put on your system, whether it’s from out of control blood sugars, to excess weight, to high blood pressure, increases pressure on your entire system including the blood vessels in your eyes. Short of tight blood sugar control, laser surgery is also an option. Once the bleeding starts from blood vessels even this surgery is only a temporary solution.
Good News About Treatment With Omega 3 Fish Oil
New medical research from the Children’s Hospital of Boston has found that a diet rich in Omega 3 fish oil has shown less abnormal blood vessel growth to the retina. This finding is in line with other medical studies promoting the anti-inflammatory effects of Omega 3 fish oil. The fatty acids found in fish oil have a direct impact on fighting inflammation in every part of the body including the eyes. The effect of rich Omega 3 fish oil is essentially like letting some of the air out of a balloon that is expanding to the point of bursting. It only stands to reason that this research corroborates earlier findings of the positive effects of fish oil on the arteries of the cardio vascular system. The same theory applies to blood vessels in the eye.
Conclusion
Now that we know that Omega 3 fish oil offers a defense against the potential damage to the retina due to diabetes, it’s time to be proactive and protect your eye sight before trouble comes knocking.
In the United States, approximately 5% of the population with diabetes has Type 1. Here, your pancreas no longer produces insulin so you must inject it. The rest of the diabetes population, about 95%, has Type 2. Type 2 may require insulin but it also is frequently controlled with diet and exercise and/or pills. If insulin is necessary, insulin pumps are available as well as insulin pens and syringes. You must use insulin needles for any of the above devices. There are different types of needles that meet the needs of certain body types.
The recommendation for those people taking doses over 100 units, or less, at a time is 1 cc. People taking 50 units or less would use the ½ cc and those needing only 30 units or less would use the 3/10 cc syringe. It is important to inject into your fat not your muscle! Injecting into the muscle will hurt! And it may affect the absorption rate of the insulin. The stomach is the most neutral site to inject into. If you inject into an area that you are working – your thigh or arm – the medication will absorb more rapidly and may influence your blood glucose levels.
The length of the needle can vary as well. The standard size for a needle is ½, “5/16 is for thinner people and is a shorter needle and 3/16″ is for pediatrics – the shortest needle.
Whether you are taking insulin or not, it is important to test your blood glucose so you are aware of the effect food, exercise, medication and stress have on your body. Diabetic testing supplies are readily available to you at your local pharmacy, online or by mail order.
Some of these supplies include blood glucose monitors, testing strips, control solutions and lancets. Safety lancets are available as a one-time use needle. They come in various sizes to meet the needs of different body types. The lower gauge (25 or 28) would be a thicker needle for those who have a tougher skin and the 31 or 33 gauges would be a finer needle for those with more sensitive skin.
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Your education needs to go far beyond simply knowing how to inject insulin or test your glucose. You want the insulin to work its best, absorb well and hurt the least. You need to know what numbers you are striving for. Diabetes educators can assist you with all of those questions.
Gestational diabetes is the term used for the occurrence of increased blood sugar levels during pregnancy. According to Medline Plus, three to eight out of 100 pregnant women develop gestational diabetes (GDM) between weeks twenty-four and twenty-eight of their pregnancy. Technically, gestational diabetes means “high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) first recognized during pregnancy.”
If you happen to have been diagnosed with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes before pregnancy, this means you have what is known as pregestational diabetes.
Although babies born to mothers with diabetes are at three times the risk for birth defects compared to babies born to mothers without diabetes, good medical treatment built around a healthy diet and exercise routine for the mother help produce normal healthy babies.
What are the risks of having diabetes in pregnancy?
1. Delivering a large baby: One of the main problems of diabetes during pregnancy is having a large baby leading to a difficult labor and delivery, and possibly a cesarean section, or C-section. Delivering a large baby through normal spontaneous vaginal delivery may put the baby at risk for shoulder dystocia, the impaction and difficult delivery of the fetal shoulders… for this reason, most macrosomic or large babies are delivered by C-section.
2. Congenital anomalies: No matter what type of diabetes you have, a healthy pregnancy depends on how well you manage your blood sugar. If you can keep your blood sugar levels as close to normal as possible throughout your pregnancy, then your chances of a healthy baby are as good as non-diabetics. Losing control of your blood sugar levels in the first eight weeks of pregnancy may interfere with the formation of your baby’s organs, and lead to heart defects or spina bifida. But with proper monitoring and control of your blood sugar these problems can be prevented.
3. Other complications after delivery: As additional glucose has entered the baby’s bloodstream prior to birth, the baby’s pancreas has made extra insulin in order to cope. Following birth, until the baby’s body has adjusted to normal sugar levels, this can cause the baby to suffer from hypoglycemia or low blood sugar levels. Although jaundice is common for all newborns, it tends to happen more often in babies born to mother with diabetes.
What are the risks for the development of gestational diabetes?
What are the screening procedures for the diagnosis of gestational diabetes?
If you have even one of the above mentioned risks, it would be best to have yourself screened for this problem. Your doctor may suggest you take the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), a test that is usually done between the sixteenth to eighteenth week of pregnancy. The OGTT is carried out after a period of fasting, your baseline blood sugar will be measured after which you will be instructed to drink a sweet drink. A repeat blood sugar measurement will then be taken after two hours.
The key to the management of gestational diabetes is tight blood sugar control.
Diabetic patients should be cautious about their glucose levels on a daily basis. This will help safeguard against the disastrous effects that could develop if left unmonitored. Recently, the procedures have become pain-free. They also can be completed quickly before and after meals. When choosing the process that is right for you, you should consider when and where you will be testing. Also, you should consider all of the different types of devices that are offered.
It’s critical to plan ahead of time how you will want to conduct the testing. Appropriate testing times should be before and after each meal, while exercising and right before you go to bed. Consider using a bathroom or kitchen in order to ensure proper hygiene and privacy. Find a surface that provides stability for the device. The diabetic test strips and the lancet used should be properly disposed of immediately after each use.
Type 1 diabetic patients are advised to test themselves no less than three times per day. Type 2 diabetics, whom do not use insulin, do not need to test as often. However, testing should be done at least once per day. Type 2 diabetics use oral medication and diet to control their sugar levels. Also, both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetics should conduct the A1C test regularly in order to manage their glucose levels on a long-term basis. It is not advisable to depend on a urine test for glucose results. However, urine tests can detect ketones, which can be a sign of a serious complication of Type 1 diabetes.
There are many types of diabetic glucose meters that are available to meet the many different needs of diabetic patients. Some have large screens to make reading them much easier. Some are audible for those who have vision difficulties. All of these standard machines will require a small blood sample to measure the glucose level. For children, young adolescents and patients with more serious cases, it is advisable to use a machine that can download data directly onto your computer. This ensures a continuous record of your results. It also protects against tampering with the results. There is a new device that has been FDA approved that uses a small electrical current to draw fluid through the skin rather than drawing blood with a needle. Regardless of the device you choose, you should have it checked regularly to make sure it is operating efficiently and correctly. This can be done at the clinic during your visits.
Testing for blood glucose levels on a regular basis can be quite costly for many patients. Many research and development projects are being conducted to try to ensure easier and more affordable means for diabetics. The new methods are becoming less painful which will encourage patients to conduct their own tests regularly. Remember to maintain your diet, exercise regularly and check your blood glucose level at least once every three months even if you are not diabetic. For those with diabetes, you should always follow your doctor’s advice.
The oils found in garlic (Allium sativum) have been found to confer many benefits to people with Type 2 diabetes. As well as enhancing the immune response, garlic has been shown to aid in lowering cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and helping to normalize blood pressure… important concerns for anyone with insulin resistance. As well, garlic has a positive effect on blood sugar levels.
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Garlic is an herbal remedy people tend either to love or hate. It’s helpful in reversing insulin resistance so that cells all over your body can absorb more sugar from the bloodstream while your pancreas does less work. It’s also helpful if you are in the early stages of Type 2 diabetes when your pancreas is actually producing too much insulin. It contains compounds that “unzip” the storage form of insulin to make the active form of the hormone your body needs to manage glucose.
The downside to using garlic as a remedy for Type 2 diabetes is that you can’t get these benefits by taking a pill. You have to chomp into cloves, clumps, or at least little tiny bits of whole, raw garlic. The action of chewing the pungent herb and combining it with saliva is what releases the chemical that stimulates insulin production.
On the other hand, the chemical that helps your body deal with insulin resistance does not survive passage through the acid of the stomach unless it is taken in the form of an enteric-coated capsule. Essentially, to get both of these bases covered, you have to eat this veggie raw plus take a supplement. Between the two, bad breath is going to be a problem. But there are things you can do to make bad breath much less of a problem.
Here are three:
1. Be sure to drink water with your meal. The bits of garlic get washed out of your mouth, and once they hit the digestive juices of your stomach, they stop smelling as bad. (If you emit garlicky gases, then you probably have some kind of condition that causes low stomach acid. The easiest solution for this is to eat something bitter, such as kale, raddichio, or Angostura bitters at the beginning of your meal).
2. Brush as soon as possible after you eat.
3. Eat spinach or apple, cooked or raw, with your meal. Both of these plant foods contain compounds that break down the odor-causing molecules even while you are still eating. Basil and parsley also help, and drinking milk with your meal will coat your mouth and greatly reduce garlic breath.