Diabetes and weight loss

Did you know that you can be 'just a little bit diabetic'? The condition is technically called 'pre-diabetes', and it is characterized by persistent high blood sugar levels. Pre-diabetes is a serious condition, though its symptoms may be so subtle that you don't notice them affecting your life. More importantly, it's an indicator that there is something seriously wrong with your body. Left untreated, over 50% of those diagnosed with pre-diabetes will develop Type 2 diabetes within ten years. If your doctor has told you that you are one of the more than 16 million Americans who has pre-diabetes, the American Diabetes Association has some very good news for you. In March 2005, the ADA released the results of the multi-year Diabetes Prevention Project. In a study that followed thousands of patients across the nation who had been diagnosed with pre-diabetes, the Diabetes Prevention Project found that patients who lost a 'moderate' amount of weight reduced their risk of developing full-blown diabetes by over 58%. Even more encouraging, many of those patients had managed to reverse their condition, and their blood sugar levels were well within normal ranges. This was a result that the researchers had not expected. Diabetes (and pre-diabetes) is the result of changes to cells in the pancreas that reduce the amount of insulin that they can produce. Doctors have always believed that those changes are irreversible. Now however, the research seems to suggest that losing weight with a healthy balance of exercise and diet can actually heal those early damages caused by diabetes. Here's the even better news. Those results were achieved by people who lost 'moderate' amounts of weight - from 5-7% of their total body mass. In other words, if you weigh 200 pounds and have been diagnosed as pre-diabetic, losing just 10-15 pounds can more than halve the risk of developing full-blown diabetes, and may reverse your condition entirely. Here are some healthy weight loss tips from the American Diabetes Association: 1. Keep your diet balanced. Eat a variety of foods in all food groups, with an emphasis on grains, starches and fresh vegetables and fruit. 2. Learn to eyeball portions. Portion control is far more important than restricting what foods you eat. A 'portion' of raw vegetables may be considerably larger than a portion of the same vegetables cooked. There are some handy reference guides on their web site at diabetes. org 3. Add one half hour daily of moderate exercise to your daily routine five days a week. This one single lifestyle change seemed to be the key to both weight loss and the beneficial effects derived from it. It was the single significant difference between the two groups in the study. The results of the Diabetes Prevention Project only confirm what has been the best advice in dieting circles for years - losing weight with a balanced diet and exercise is the healthiest way there is. For more information on the diet recommended by the American Diabetes Association, visit their web site at diabetes. org

Am i lazy

Is the reason that there has been an increase in obesity due to the fact that adults in today’s society are lazy? Are we all just a bunch of lethargic couch potatoes that don’t do anything but sit around and eat all the time? I say no. Instead we are a product of our revolutionary, technological society. I am not saying we can blame technology, rather I am saying that as with our youth, the adults are also a reflection of the society that surrounds them. It isn’t an excuse, but it is a thought I pondered based on my typical day. I get up in the morning, not to the sound of an aggravating buzz, beep, or the blaring of the radio. These alarms would get my blood racing right from the start, but I would hit snooze to stop the insanity. Then it would happen again, and again, the snooze bar. After a few times of this I am would now be late for work, rush to the shower if I even had time, rush to the car, and speed off to work. Not in today’s world. Instead, I wake to the soothing sound of the ocean on my Homedics radio and slowly wake peacefully. No blood pumping, no increased heart rate. I just have a nice and slow, easy awakening. Next I head to the shower where I put turn on my shower CD player and listen to something that I enjoy while I take my time letting the water almost run cold. During my toweling off and getting dressed period of the morning, I can hear my coffee being made on the coffee maker that is set to make me a cup every morning with me not having to do a thing. While I sit and drink my coffee pondering the day ahead of me, I notice that it is almost gone, so I gently push a button on my key ring that starts my car and gets it nice and warm for me before I even get to it. I can then take my leisurely stroll to my car, get in, and have a nice peaceful drive to work (barring any unforeseen road rage). Nothing like before when I had to run to my car because I was late most of the time due to the annoyance of my alarm or run because it was cold and then get in and shake and shiver for 10 minutes until it warmed up. Once at work I find myself taking out my PDA and seeing what is on my agenda for the day. Nope, no more flipping through pages of my pocket calendar or scheduler. My work day is simple and uneventful, but instead of having to run back and forth through the office to get messages to everyone, I can now simply send an interoffice email with the push of a button. When it is time to leave, I again start my car from my office and drive home. Arriving at home, I put in a microwave dinner that doesn’t have to be chopped up, cut up, stirred, blended, kneaded, poked, or even prodded. Push a few buttons and five minutes later I am sitting in front of the TV watching the shows I recorded on my cable’s digital recorder and eating my five minute, nuked meal. Would I have done this in the past? The answer is no, because I would have had to physically make something to eat, and there wouldn’t be anything on TV worth watching, so I would eat and go do something like yard work, clean the house, play with the kids, whatever, just something else to occupy the time. Oops, while I was eating, I got some crumbs on the floor and then dropped some more on the way back to the kitchen. Oh well, I will just push the button on my robot vacuum cleaner and let it clean the whole floor as it is preprogrammed to do. Finally, my day is coming to an end and instead of doing something really constructive before I go to bed, I can’t resist the opportunity to surf the Internet for a little while, maybe chat to some friends or relatives, and check my email. Besides, I have to plug in my PDA to the computer anyway. Now my lazy or technologically dysfunctional day is complete. This whole story brings me back to my question that started the whole thing. Am I lazy or am I just a product of my environment. It is this author’s opinion that I am both. Years ago, even the simple things like making the dinner would be exercise, but now it is too easy because it is done for you in a box. Everything today is easy and most adults are on the heavy side, because things are easier and don’t take as much energy. That doesn’t mean we in society are lazy, it means we don’t have to exert ourselves as much to accomplish the every day routines that are needed to complete the day. However, I could stop by the gym on my way home, or go for a walk after dinner, so I am also lazy too. The Internet just pulls me in night after night and I can’t seem to make myself do anything else after dinner. Shame on you technology for holding that gun to my head! Brad G. Morris

High protein energy bars

Nowadays, everywhere you go you see different variety’s of these bars being sold. Protein bars have become a popular meal replacement for active people and serve as a healthier snack for people looking to add a few extra calories. Generally, there are two types of these bars out there and they are those that contain a balance of protein, carbohydrates and fat, and those that contain mostly protein and fat, with very little carbohydrate. The bars that are balanced with protein, fat and carbs are more of an energy type bar and are popular with active people. The bars that are mostly protein and fat are popular with people looking to lose weight and who are following a low carb diet. But, what are the benefits or the drawbacks of these bars and how can they fit into your diet as part of a healthy eating plan? ADVANTAGES Energy bars have one main advantage, they are very convenient. They fit into your briefcase, purse or pocket making them easy to take with you anywhere and to eat anytime. A lot of them do have a good amount of protein without the high cholesterol and saturated fat contained in other protein sources. They are usually fortified with vitamins and minerals as well making them a healthier choice than a fast food option or a convenient store meal. DISADVANTAGES Despite popular beliefs, energy bars do not take the place of a well balanced, nutritious meal. While a lot of these bars are fortified with vitamins and minerals commonly found in fruits and vegetables, they don’t contain the phytochemicals, bioflavonoids and fiber fruits and vegetables have so their benefits are not quite the same. A lot of these bars also contain hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated palm oil, meaning that the saturated fat content of these bars can be as much as 50% of the fat content. SOME POINTS TO KEEP IN MIND You are better off with one of these bars verses a trip to the nearest fast food place, but they still don’t have the same health benefits as fresh fruits and vegetables and other whole foods. If you do like to use these bars, you can make them part of a healthier meal by adding a piece of fruit or a raw vegetable, as opposed to making the bar itself the meal. They are alright by themselves as a pre or post workout snack but always try to keep in mind that they should be considered a snack rather than a meal . Look at the labels and choose bars that are low in saturated fat and have no palm oil or any hydrogenated fats or at least have very little of these fats. Look for bars that contain vitamins and minerals if you are using them for meal replacements from time to time to keep some of the nutrients sacrificed from the meal you are replacing in tact. Protein bars are indeed a good thing if you choose the right ones and you always keep them in mind as a healthy snack more than an actual meal. When you use them as a snack, remember that a lot of them do pack a good amount of calories so be careful if you are trying to lose weight.