FitSugar

Type 2 Diabetes: How to Lower Your Risk

FitSugar — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 07:30:00 -0800

November is Diabetes Awareness Month and I think we are probably all aware that the incidence of type 2 diabetes is on the rise. Type 2 diabetes, known as adult onset diabetes until recently, is the most common form of diabetes where either the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells just ignore the insulin. Insulin is necessary for the body to convert sugar into energy to fuel our every activity. Aside from the cells being starved for energy, this form of diabetes can over time harm your eyes, kidneys, nerves or heart.

Now there are things you can do to considerably lower your chances of developing type 2 diabetes. One is take this risk assessment test at the American Diabetes Association. Plus, you can reduce your risk with some simple lifestyle changes. I found this great list of tips at The Diet Dish and here are some highlights.

Maintain a healthy weight: It is no coincidence that the incidence of diabetes has increased as the incidence of obesity has increased. If your "ideal" weight is unrealistic for you, at least work on losing 10-20 pounds. Even modest weight loss can have profound impact on your health.
Eat light and often: Keeping your glucose consistent throughout the day is one of the best nutritional habits to prevent diabetes. Do not skip meals. Do not overeat at meals. Have three small meals and three snacks daily to spread out your calories and therefore blood glucose throughout the day.

To see more ways to reduce your risk just read more

Limit the amount of sweets you eat: It is a myth that eating sugar causes diabetes. Your body does not have a certain threshold for sugar that all of a sudden you will get diabetes eating your 1,000th cookie. However, limiting simple sugars is a good nutritional practice and can help to keep your blood sugar under good daily control.
Choose foods with low glycemic index: Even foods we think are healthy like pretzels can have a strong impact on blood sugar when eaten by themselves. Choose whole grains instead of refined grains and look for fiber and protein in snack foods.
Get regular exercise: Exercise is like natural insulin--the more you move the more you use excess glucose in your bloodstream. Look for every opportunity in your day to get more daily activity in addition to daily exercise.

Dutch Nail Biting Cure: The "Preventer"

FitSugar — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 03:30:00 -0700

One of the most common symptoms of stress, pathological nail biting troubles some people 6 million people worldwide. Or so estimates Alain-Raymond van Abbe the Dutch inventor of the "Preventer."

Although his background is in marketing and not medicine, van Abbe describes himself as a "problem solver." His solution for nail biting, The Preventer, is essentially a molded mouth guard, worn on either the upper or lower teeth. The Preventer is barely visible and it prevents biting, hence your fingernails cannot be bitten. It can, however, be removed for actual eating. It takes about 4 weeks of wearing the Preventer to control the nail biting impulses. Van Abbe has created an entire clinic for chronic nail biters and he is doing a brisk business. Treatment costs about $640.

Pathological nail biting is now classified as a category of obsessive-compulsive disorders called Body-Focused Repetitive, along with hair pulling and biting the inside of the cheek, and these habits are gaining more scientific attention. Some American psychologists believe Van Abbe might be onto something, since his treatment deals with both cognitive and behavioral aspects. However there is skepticism that an entire clinic dedicated to nail biters can remain afloat.

And you, are you a nail biter? If so would you try this treatment? Let me know in the comments below.

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Head Lice: Do You Know the Facts?

FitSugar — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 07:00:00 -0700

I'm sure we all have a horror story about lice, whether we've been through it ourselves, or saw someone else go through it.

Having lice is no fun, and knowing the facts about it can help prevent a horrendous outbreak. It is back-to-school season so let's test your knowledgeo of lice.

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Another Reason to Exercise (and Drink Coffee)

FitSugar — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 14:30:00 -0700

Here's good news for all us high strung coffee drinking exercising fanatics...

A new study has found that your habits could mean that your chances of getting skin cancer are lower than those who skip the java and the gym. We've already learned that caffeine and exercise alone could kill off damaged skin cells, so it makes perfect sense that they work even better when used together. How or why this happens? They're still not sure. So don't ditch your sunscreen anytime soon, since one thing they are sure of is that protecting yourself from the sun is currently the only proven way to prevent skin cancer.

Stretch It: 2 Wrist Stretches

FitSugar — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 02:30:00 -0700

I'm sorry to say, but our wrists are pretty weak. That's no insult - it's the truth! They're skinny and delicate, and they have tiny muscles. Plus people don't spend too much time doing wrist strengthening or flexibility exercises.

If you type a lot, play a musical instrument, or spend a lot of time balancing on your hands, you can end up with sore, overworked, or injured wrists. Here are some great stretches you can do to increase flexibility in your hands and wrists.

Sit on your heels and place your hands on your mat with your fingertips facing your knees. If this stretch feels too intense, lift your hips off your heels a little. Stay here for 5 deep breaths, or as long as you want.
Place your hands on the mat, palms facing up with your fingertips facing you. Now step your feet onto your palms, pressing your toes into your wrist creases. Don't worry about keeping your legs straight - this is a wrist stretch, not a hamstring stretch. Stay here for 5 deep breaths, or as long as you want.

I love how good these two stretches feel - my wrists feel so much more open after I do them. If my wrists get sore after blogging all day, or practicing Crow for too long, I always feel better after stretching them out.

Tips for Stretch Mark Prevention

FitSugar — Mon, 14 May 2007 08:45:00 -0700

Stretch marks. Say it with me now, "UGH!" No one likes stretch marks but everyone seems to get them at some point or another.

Women get them especially during pregnancy, as teens going through puberty (where the skin stretches as breasts and hips grow in), or during excessive weight gain or weight loss. Stretch marks in men, apart from rapid weight gain or weight loss, can occur as a result of disease, the over use of steroid hormones and sometimes when suffering from diabetes. These tips below for stretch mark prevention in pregnant women from Medical News Today can also be applied to anyone feeling like you've got stretch marks coming on:

Limit your weight gain to no more than 25 to 35 pounds and this gain should be made gradually. A controlled weight gain without any sudden upward swings will let your skin stretch at a steady rate.
Use a brush or washcloth to massage the areas where you have noticed stretch marks or want to prevent stretch marks from occurring. This will increase circulation to that area.
Try to eat lots of those foods rich in zinc such as nuts and fish, rich in vitamins A, C & D such as carrots, citrus fruits and milk and those foods rich in protein.

There are more tips, so read more

Try to drink lots of water as this can help prevent stretch marks. Take your vitamins. Those vitamins A. C & D together with zinc are very important in preventing stretch marks. Good nutritional health is critical to the well-being of you, your baby and your skin.
Keep moisturizing your skin from the first trimester until well after you have given birth and returned to your pre-pregnancy weight. Use one of the oils or creams marketed especially for stretch mark prevention where the formulas are designed to encourage increased collagen production and support the dermis, thereby helping keep the skin intact despite all the stretching.
Once your baby is born, keep up the good habits you have developed during pregnancy for taking care of yourself. With a new baby to care for and the demands of motherhood, you need more than ever to keep your body strong.

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Fountain of Youth, Right There in Your Gym

FitSugar — Wed, 09 May 2007 13:30:00 -0700

I don't know about you, but I am dying for them to find a fountain of youth. Turns out that there is something you can do in the gym to help ward off aging: Weight lifting.

Weight lifting is not only great for keeping you looking good, but it is also great for keeping you youthful too! A new study on Prevention.com has found that women who strength-train 3 times a week have more of a type of growth hormone that counteracts age-related muscle loss and protects bone density. Producing growth hormone gets harder with age, and pumping iron is the best way to slow the decline.

So get to it and pump some iron -- You can thank me down the road. Here's a great starter arms workout video so you can begin today!!!

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Part Eight: 8 Secrets of the Naturally Thin

FitSugar — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 03:00:00 -0700

We all want to know what those naturally thin people are doing to stay so um, naturally thin. Prevention has discovered that healthy thin people just don't think about food the same way as everyone else. In this 8 part series, I'll reveal Prevention's 8 secrets of naturally thin people one by one.

They Sleep--Well: They snooze 2 more hours per week, compared with overweight people, says a study from Eastern Virginia Medical School. Researchers theorize that a lack of shut-eye is linked to lower levels of appetite-suppressing hormones like leptin and higher levels of the appetite-boosting hormone ghrelin.

Emulate Them: Break it down: Two extra hours of sleep a week is only 17 more minutes a day--a lot more manageable, even for the most packed of schedules. Start there and slowly work toward 8 hours of snooze time a night--the right amount for most adults.

More secrets revealed this week. Did you miss any? You can see all the secrets here.

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Part Seven: 8 Secrets of the Naturally Thin

FitSugar — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 02:00:00 -0700

They're Movers And Shakers: On average, slim people are on their feet an extra 2 1/2 hours per day--which can help burn off 33 pounds a year, according to a study from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.

Emulate Them: Try a reality check. Studies have shown that people often overestimate how active they really are, says Gallagher. Most people actually spend 16 to 20 hours a day just sitting. Wear a pedometer on an average day, and see how close you get to the recommended 10,000 steps. Your day should combine 30 minutes of structured exercise with a variety of healthy habits, such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator or mopping the floor with extra vigor. To see how many calories your activities burn, see the exercise calculator at www.caloriecontrol.org.

More secrets revealed this week. Did you miss any? You can see all the secrets here.

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Part Six: 8 Secrets of the Naturally Thin

FitSugar — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 13:30:00 -0700

They Have A Self-Control Gene: Researchers at Tufts University found that the biggest predictor of weight gain among women in their 50s and 60s was their level of disinhibition, or unrestrained behavior. Women with low disinhibition (in other words, a finely tuned sense of restraint) had the lowest body mass index. High disinhibition (i.e., low restraint) was linked to an adult weight gain of as much as 33 pounds.

Emulate Them: Prepare for moments when your disinhibition is likely to be higher--such as when you're in a festive atmosphere with a large group of friends. If you're at a party, tell yourself you'll take one of every fourth passed hors d'oeuvre. If you're out at dinner, order an appetizer portion and share dessert. Or if you're stressed--another low-restraint moment--make sure you have a source of crunchy snacks (like fruit or carrot sticks) at the ready.

More secrets revealed this week. Did you miss any? You can see all the secrets here.

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