Tuesday, December 4, 2012

5 New Ways to Prevent Diabetes



Diabetes is called the lifestyle disease for a good reason.  Your risk of getting the blood sugar disorder is reduced dramatically if you follow a healthy diet, exercise and control your blood pressure, weight and cholesterol.  What else can you do? The latest research may surprise you.


Eat Breakfast Every Day
Eating something within two or three hours of rising every day reduces your risk of getting the disease.  The consistency of eating a daily breakfast helps control appetite and caloric intake for the rest of the day which helps prevent weight gain.  Do opt for healthy good choices when possible.   Among your best options: peaches, plums and nectarines.  These stone fruits have bioactive compounds that can help prevent obesity-related diabetes and heart disease. 

Increase Your Zzz’s
Sleeping less than six hours a night is associated with a 60 percent higher rate of diabetes.  Why?  One theory is that when you’re sleep-deprived, appetite-regulating hormones go a bit haywire.  Lack of sleep causes spikes in the hormone cortisol which raises insulin levels an causes blood sugar imbalances.  If you’re already diabetic, getting treated for your sleep apnea could help control your blood glucose levels.  After meals, people with severe sleep apnea had blood glucose levels almost twice as high as did those without the condition.

Swap Out Bologna for Broccoli
Those who eat the most fruit and veggies each week have a lower risk of developing diabetes than those who eat the least.  A diet that regularly includes processed meats has been linked to a higher diabetes risk.  The reason is eating lots of cured meats (hotdogs, breakfast sausages and luncheon meats) is linked to greater weight gain and a higher obesity rate.  A better option would be a Mediterranean-style diet with lots of fruits, veggies and legumes.  

Throw Away Your Cigarettes
Not worth discussing – smoking cigarettes has no redeeming qualities.  Just quit already!!!

Get Moving
Regular aerobic exercise helps prevent diabetes in multiple ways:  it keeps you trim, helps control your cholesterol and blood pressure and regulates insulin production.  Walking is the easiest way to get started.  In addition, weight training is associated with significantly reducing the risk of diabetes.

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