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Health Tips
New Diabetes A1C Guidelines
The American Diabetes Association is releasing new guidelines for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. The bottom line is that the patient needs to work with their doctor to figure out the best treatment plan. One size does not fit all.
The A1C Guidelines have changed:
- 5.5 or less if you do not have diabetes
- 6.0-6.5 if you have diabetes but no heart disease and few episodes of low blood glucose
- less than 7.0 if you have diabetes and other health issues
Bottom line- your A1C goal needs to be decided with you and your doctor.
Lifestyle treatment for type 2 diabetes is still suggested first:
- enjoy a healthy diet with moderate carbohydrate intake
- lose 5-10% of body weight if overweight
- exercise for 2½ hours/week
Treatment may also include medications. Metformin is a first-line medication. Other meds can be added of needed. Again, this is a decision to make with your doctor.
The new guidelines for treatment of type 2 diabetes focus on YOU the patient, other health conditions you have, your lifestyle, level of motivation and ability to make changes. Each person is different in what they can or cannot do. The bottom line is to have good control of your type 2 diabetes to reduce your risk of complications such as early heart disease or kidney failure.
Healthy Happy Father’s Day!!
Father’s Day is this weekend, and we have the opportunity to celebrate our dads, who are so important in our lives. And perhaps we need a few health reminders for the guys since 22% are smokers, 34% are obese, and 32% have high blood pressure. Leading causes of death: #1 Heart disease and #2 cancer.
Guys, a few health reminders:
- Get regular check-ups with your doctor.
- Check your cholesterol (Goal: <200).
- Check your blood pressure (Goal: 120/80).
- Check your blood glucose (Goal: 70-99 fasting).
Guys, stay healthy to reduce chronic disease risk:
- Be active: 2½ hours/week
- Wear helmets
- Use sunscreen
- Wear seatbelt
- Avoid smoking
Guys, be a healthy role model for your kids:
- Eat breakfast with them.
- Enjoy a wide variety of foods so that they can do the same.
- Drink lots of water.
- Have a healthy relationship with your family
- Manage daily stressors
- Find a balance between work, home and play. Happy Father’s Day to you!!
Chronic Diseases are now Worldwide
Chronic diseases are not just found here in the United States. Data from The World Health Organization (WHO) shows high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease are now in poor nations because of dietary and lifestyle changes.
The Worldwide Stats (and they aren’t pretty):
- 1 in 3 adults has high blood pressure
- Half of African adults have high blood pressure
- 1 in 10 adults has diabetes
The Scope of Obesity Worldwide:
- Obesity has doubled between 1980-2008
- ½ Billion people or 12% of the world population are obese!
In poorer nations with less access to health care, chronic diseases are not diagnosed and treated. This equates to unnecessary disability and deaths.
Where do we go from here? Promote and encourage inexpensive personal lifestyle strategies to reduce chronic disease….
- A plant-based diet
- Daily activity and movement
- Avoidance of smoking
- Limited alcohol
Reduce Stroke Risk – Out with Sodium!
Yes, May is Stroke Awareness Month, and not smoking, maintaining a lean weight, leading an active life and choosing a more plant-based diet will reduce your risk for strokes. But a study reported in the professional journal Stroke reminds us of the importance of keeping sodium intake down.
The Northern Manhattan Project examined the diets of >2600 participants for more than 10 years. And ta-da…
the higher the sodium intake, the greater the risk for having a stroke.
More study results:
- 88% consumed more than the American Heart Association guideline for less than <1,500 milligrams of sodium per day.
- There was a 17% increased stroke risk with every 500 mg increase in sodium above the recommendation.
- Taking in >4,000 mg/day of sodium = BIG stroke risk!
Those study participants who had the highest sodium intake …
- were heavier in weight,
- drank more alcohol
- took in more calories, total fat and saturated fat
Bottom line: Cut your sodium intake to keep your blood pressure in good control and reduce your risk for having a stroke!
Kitchen tips to reduce sodium:
- Bring home foods that say: No Salt Added or Sodium Free or Reduced Sodium
- Make more recipes from scratch to control the ingredients.
- Omit the salt called for in recipes.
- Use seasonings that do not have a salt base. For example, onion powder rather than onion salt.
- Herbs and spices can replace salt in many recipes.
- Rinse canned vegetables, canned legumes and canned tuna in a strainer to discard more of the added salt.
Keeping Food Safe in the Summer
This weekend is the unofficial start of summer with Memorial Day activities, including picnics and barbecue fun. Food safety is important! Each year 48 million get sick from foodborne illnesses. It’s especially dangerous for wee ones, the elderly and those with a compromised immune system.
Food Safety TIPS:
- Don’t Contaminate! Keep raw meats, seafood and eggs separate from everything else. Use a clean serving plate after cooking. Planning to use the meat marinade as a sauce with the cooked meat? You’ll need to boil it first.
- Have safe cooking temperatures (that means have a meat thermometer close at hand).
Cook seafood – >145degrees (internal temp)
Cook beef, lamb, pork, veal – >145 degrees
Cook ground beef- >160 degrees
Cook poultry- >165 degrees
- Keep cold foods cold. If food belongs in the fridge, it needs to be packed up in a cooler. Use large coolers for good air circulation * Have small food containers * Have lots of ice or frozen gel packs *
- Keep hot foods hot (>140 degrees).
And if the outdoor temperatures are over 90 degrees, chilled food from the cooler can only stay out of the cooler for 1 hour.
Keeping the Gut Calm
IBS. Do you know what that stands for? Irritable Bowel Syndrome. And about 20% of folks in the U.S. experience this uncomfortable condition. Most have a number of symptoms in the gastrointestinal tract from the spasms and cramping that can occur in the colon.
The Risk Factors for IBS:
- Maybe genetics????
- Lots of stress.
- It occurs in more women than men.
Common IBS Triggers:
- Caffeine
- Alcohol
- Fatty and greasy foods
- Carbonated drinks
- Gum (air gets in the gut)
- Large meals or overeating
IBS Treatment:
- Anti-spasmodic meds
- Avoidance “trigger” foods
- Moderate fiber (not high fiber)
- Plenty of fluids, especially water
- Small meals and small healthy snacks
- Daily stress relievers: daily walk, deep breathing exercises, a good chat with a friend
Pump up the Plant Foods
Every health organization in this country recommends that we eat our fruits and vegetables every day – just like our mothers used to suggest when we were growing up. In a study of over 8,000 adults, very few were eating the recommended number of servings of fruits and vegetables – and therefore, missing protective substances called phytonutrients.
Carotenoids are a large group of phytonutrients including
- beta-carotene (lower risk for heart disease),
- lutein (protects the eyes from macular degeneration) and
- lycopene (prevent prostate cancer).
The carotenoids are found in colorful produce such as carrots, pumpkin, yams; tomatoes and watermelon; and spinach.
Flavonoids are phytonutrients that may provide anti-inflammatory protection, thus reducing our risk for developing heart disease and cancer. They’re found in grapes, bananas, blueberries, strawberries, orange juice, oranges, lemons, limes, apples, tea and onions.
Phenols are phytonutrients that may protect cell integrity, reducing risk for cancer. Phenols are prevalent in strawberries, raspberries, apples, walnuts, and pecans.
From this study, the folks who ate more fruits and vegetables had more physical activity in their day – so overall, they seem to be more concerned about their heath. And older adults, as well as women, were more likely to get in the suggested amounts of produce.
Get in Enough Protein!
There are three major nutrients that our body needs, protein, fats and carbohydrates. Protein is so important for the maintenance of muscles, healthy cells, and a strong immune system.
Amino acids make up protein, and there are 9 that are essential. Essential means we do not store amino acids, so they need to be consumed every day through our diet.
- Complete Proteins have all 9 essential amino acids: milk, yogurt, cheese, eggs, fish, poultry and red meats. An exception is quinoa – although it is a grain it contains all essential amino acids.
- Incomplete Proteins are lacking one or more essential amino acids. But, when combined with another food, they form a complete protein – so cool. Examples are legumes, grains, vegetables and nuts: peanut butter on oatmeal bread, cashew-brown rice stir fry or bean soup with cornbread.
How much protein do we need each day? Count on 8 grams protein per 20 pounds of body weight. You’ll need more during pregnancy and nursing, after an injury or surgery, and during an illness. Also, if you are an athletic, your body will want more protein to build new muscles.
By age 40, we lose about half a percent of muscle mass every year. And as we continue to age, this can really impact our mobility, or lack of resistant to disease and infections. So be sure to eat lean healthy protein sources throughout your life!
Heart Healthy Snacks
At the recent annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology, the best heart-healthy snacks were recommended to keep the vascular system in tip-top shape.
No. 1 Heart Healthy Snack (Top of the list): Raisins! They are high in antioxidants (to protect your arteries!), potassium (300 mg in a small box), and a good fiber source.
No. 2 Heart Healthy Snack: Soy foods. This includes soy milk (use in a fruit smoothie), soy cheese (a topper for whole-grain crackers), soy nuts, and oven-roasted edamame. Soy provides isoflavones for heart health.
No. 3 Heart Healthy Snack: Walnuts. These nuts are packed with potassium to lower blood pressure, as well as healthy monounsaturated oils. Also considered a great brain food!
No. 4 Heart Healthy Snacks: Avocados. This fruit has monounsaturated fats to lower cholesterol, and more potassium than a banana (700 mg for 1 cup of sliced avocado).
No. 5 Heart Healthy Snacks: High-fiber foods in general. This includes whole-grains such as oats (oat snack bars), multi-grain crackers and pretzels, popcorn, fruits and vegetables. Fiber can bind cholesterol in the intestinal tract, and may help with weight control.
Kids and Asthma
Researchers from Sweden tracked 2,000 children for 8 years, and here’s interesting discovery: kids who were either overweight or obese were at a greater risk of developing asthma than normal-weight kids. Normal-weight toddlers who gained weight later and had a high BMI by age 7 were more likely to have asthma. (Asthma is inflammation of airways. Leading to difficulty breathing, wheezing and coughing.)
The good news: Kids who were heavier but then leaned-out reduced their asthma risk to the low risk of the normal-weight kids! Cool.
Tips for raising healthy weight kids:
- Provide breakfast
- Serve skim and 1% milk (2-3 servings/day)
- Lots of water between meals (rather than calorie-containing sodas, sweet drinks and juices)
- Meals and snacks based on fruits, veggies, and whole-grains
- Serve family meals daily
- Fun outdoor time with your children
