Whether you have diabetes or not, understanding this disease and how it can be controlled can significantly improve your overall health.
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(StatePoint) When it comes to Type II diabetes, many only consider weight when examining their risk. Diabetes is complicated however, and risk factors are numerous.

Some of the confusion is potentially reflected in statistics. From 1980 through 2011, the number of Americans with diagnosed diabetes more than tripled, from 5.6 million to 20.9 million, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and millions more have prediabetes or are undiagnosed.

On the bright side, cutting-edge research has uncovered strategies for avoiding, controlling and even reversing diabetes.

“It’s tempting to think that there’s not much you can do except take medication and hope for the best,” says George L. King, M.D., Chief Scientific Officer at Joslin Diabetes Center, Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and author of the new book, “The Diabetes Reset.” “However, anyone can improve their body’s response to insulin and its ability to metabolize glucose in the blood.”

Each individual’s glucose control problems are unique, which is why King offers a range of evidence-based, diabetes-fighting strategies in his book. Here he shares a few:

Diet

A recent study by Dr. King and his Joslin colleagues has shown that insulin sensitivity, glucose metabolism and type 2 diabetes risk can all be significantly improved by switching to a low-fat, high-fiber diet consisting of 70 percent carbohydrates, 15 percent fat and 15 percent protein, including 15 grams of dietary fiber for every 1,000 calories consumed.

This dietary approach, known as the Rural Asian Diet, is easy to maintain, as it doesn’t call for restricting calories or totally avoiding any particular food group. While many diabetes experts promote restricting carbohydrates, this diet distinguishes between refined carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates, which are high in fiber, and will be converted into blood glucose much more slowly.

Weight Loss

If your BMI is above 25 and you’re able to reduce your body weight by 5 to 7 percent, you can reduce your insulin resistance and improve your glucose metabolism. Be advised, many doctors feel that BMI is of limited value in determining a diabetes risk because it doesn’t distinguish between fat and lean tissue or between different types of body fat. Abdominal fat is the most dangerous type of fat in terms of diabetes risk, so many doctors use waist circumference as an additional measurement.

Exercise

Your muscles can lose insulin sensitivity due to inactivity. This can be largely reversed through a combination of 150 minutes of aerobic activity per week plus weekly strength training sessions. Together, these activities can increase your muscles’ ability to oxidize fats, glucose and other fuels, while also helping you lose weight.

Sleep

There is mounting evidence that lack of sleep can contribute to insulin resistance and possibly causes damage to the pancreas, putting you at heightened risk for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. Attempt to get seven to eight hours of high-quality sleep every night to improve insulin sensitivity.

More diabetes-strategies can be found at www.workman.com.

Studies show there may be a link between brain health, cardiovascular health and eating foods, such as brisling sardines, that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

(NAPS)—A new and large-scale study says that enjoying a diet that includes fish and other foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids can be a bright idea. That’s because re-search indicates these fatty acids can help to protect the brain against the effects of aging.

Dr. Zaldy Tan, a re-searcher at UCLA and the lead author of a study on the effects of omega-3s on cognitive functions, said that even after controlling for participants’ age, gender, education, body mass index and smoking, “The relationship was still there.”

Tan and others believe fish oil provides the greatest concentration of dietary omega-3 fatty acids. The types of fish that provide the highest concentration of the fatty acids are mackerel, lake trout, herring and sardines, such as the type sold under the King Oscar brand.

Dr. Brian Appleby of the Cleveland Clinic thinks the findings provide an important link be-tween brain health and cardiovascular health.

To learn more, visit www.kingoscar.com.

(ARA) – We all do it—it’s the middle of the day and you just need a flavorful pick-me-up to get you to that 5:00 hour. You drag yourself to the vending machine, scan the options to make sure you’re making a sensible selection, pop in a few quarters and out rolls a diet soda to give you that boost of energy you need.

Soda may have the fizz and the caffeine you’ve been seeking, but are you really making the most tasteful selection?

Now that summer is here and the temperature is heating up, it’s the perfect time to break up with your soda. Try these simple tips to help you ditch your soda and experience the new you.

• Whether you’re planning to be outdoors or jumping in the car for a road trip, bring along a reusable water bottle. Facilities often have water fountains where you can easily refill your bottle.

• Caffeine and soda may go hand in hand, but sipping water throughout the day is the easiest way to stay hydrated and keep your energy up in the heat.

• If you get bored with plain water, add flavor. Add one of the water mix-ins found in your local grocery store. With an assortment of flavors and most at five calories or less per serving, you can drink all the water you want without having to compromise.

• Grab a friend. An accountability partner can keep you on track and motivated. What’s even better, now you can share the experience with a friend so you’ll both feel better.

Now that you’re prepared to kick the soda routine, fill up your water bottle, grab your friend and toast to drinking more water all summer long. This small change can help you have a vibrant, flavorful summer.

Need even more motivation? Crystal Light is sponsoring the Flavor Over Fizz Challenge to reward consumers who choose flavor over fizz this summer. Join the movement on Facebook to declare yourself soda free for a chance to win fun prizes this summer.
To take the Challenge and declare yourself soda free, connect with Crystal Light on Facebook (www.Facebook.com/CrystalLight). No purchase necessary. Visit the Facebook page for complete details and official rules (http://bit.ly/l5LIA8)

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Crystal Light