Martha Jefferson Hospital
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Health Tips
Prevent Diabetes
Last Tuesday was National Diabetes Alert Day, sponsored by the American Diabetes Association. It is a “one-day wake-up” call to assess your risk for developing type 2 diabetes. With 26 million Americans who have diabetes, and another 79 million with pre-diabetes (or, one-third of all adults!), it is really important to take this disease seriously and work to prevent it.
Risk Factors for Type 2 Diabetes:
- overweight and sedentary
- over age 45
- having a family history of type 2 diabetes
- certain ethnic populations: African-Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans and Asian Americans
Protect Yourself From Type 2 Diabetes:
- have your glucose levels tested
- enjoy a daily 30-minute walk
- eat healthy most of the time
- lose weight or stay lean
All of this is especially important if you’re over 65: Because 1 in 4 Americans over the age of 65 has type 2 diabetes.
You can take a diabetes risk test and gather some great information at www.diabetes.org or at www.stopdiabetes.com. And think about coming to my FREE Supermarket Smarts class for folks with pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes. The calendar is available at www.marthajefferson.org or you can call MJH Health Connection at (434) 654-7009.
Cook at Home for Leaner Kids
Parents who eat out at fast food restaurants and buffets often weigh more and are more likely to develop insulin resistance (type 2 diabetes)… Not good for you, but did you know these behaviors can also be harmful for your kids? A recent study has connected many common health problems in adolescents with eating out or having meals prepared outside of the home.
When adolescents eat meals NOT prepared at home (i.e. fast food, sit-down, take out, delivery), they are much more likely to be overweight and develop insulin resistance (a precursor to type 2 diabetes). In this study, the leanest kids had more meals cooked at home with very little risk for type 2 diabetes.
Why are meals not prepared at home resulting in obesity? There are several potential culprits:
- the portion sizes are much larger
- food preparation is often less healthy (fried!)
- more unhealthy food options to choose from
Based on this study of almost 400 adolescents, meals shouldn’t just be eaten at home – they should be PREPARED at home too. Even home delivery or take-out foods were linked to excess weight and increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
Three cheers for home-cooked meals!!! More delicious and good for you, too! Here are the simple ingredients for oven-roasted fries: olive oil and Mrs. Dash no-salt seasoning. Who needs to go out for fries?
Oven-Roasted Fries
SUPER Super Bowl Munchies
Okay, is is Super Bowl weekend! And here are some interesting food stats….Super Bowl Sunday is the second biggest food consumption day of the year behind Thanksgiving Day! There will be 1.25 billion chicken wings and 30 million pounds of snacks and goodies eaten, and well, safe to say, thousands of calories consumed. Here are some lightened-up food ideas for Super Bowl Sunday.
For guacamole & other creamy dips - use light mayonnaise, sour cream and Greek yogurt to replace the higher fat sour cream or cream cheese. Add in calorie-free and sodium-free flavor with thinly diced green onions, garlic, herbs and spices.
Other dipping ideas - hummus, salsa, bean dip, bean & corn salsa. Now, these are best made at home from scratch because the sodium and fat content can be controlled by using healthy ingredients. And for great dippers: bell peppers and other raw veggies, whole wheat pita chunks, and baked chips.
Other munchie ideas -
- turkey breast burger sliders
- chili made with ground turkey breast and beans
- spiced, steamed shrimp
- buffalo chicken salad made with rotisserie chicken, blue cheese crumbles, and avocado slices or homemade
- Stromboli made with homemade pizza dough and stuffed with turkey sausage, onions, bell peppers and mozzarella cheese
Yum, yum, yum!
Here is an assembly of healthy ingredients to make your own Party Mix. Assorted high-fiber cereals, no-salt-added pretzels, plain nuts like almond slivers; toss with herbs combined with a little canola oil. Bake on baking sheet in 325-degree oven for about 30 minutes, turning with spatula. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
Super Bowl Party Mix done healthy!
Ditch the Meat to be Leaner
A big tip for a leaner body: Lose the meat, especially beef, veal and lamb. Yup, that’s what a 7-year study of 1,700 middle-aged men showed.
It’s the MEAT! This study found that eating more animal protein was correlated with a higher body weight. So, for a trimmer waistline, try adding some vegetarian meals to your menu.
Those men who ate the most animal protein also had higher total dietary fat … and .more saturated fat! Not good for the arteries…
On the other hand, men who eat more vegetable proteins are typically the leanest. Ideas for vegetable-based protein: dried beans & legumes, soy foods (edamame, tofu, veggie burgers), nuts, seeds and nut butters.
Easy vegetable protein meal ideas….veggie burger on multi-grain bun, bean or minestrone soup, peanut butter sandwich, vegetable-barley soup, garden vegetable pizza, lentil spinach soup, hummus stuffed in pita pocket, baked potato stuffed with broccoli and reduced-fat cheese……
This easy-to-make lentil-spinach soup uses meatless ingredients, is hearty and tasty and if you make extra, the leftovers are delicious!
Brain Foods
Want to stay mentally sharp throughout life? A recent study suggests that there might be a dietary secret to preventing the brain shrinkage that is associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
Reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s with these brain nutrients and foods:
- omega 3 fatty acids found in walnuts, flaxseed oil & ground flaxseed meal and oily fish (sardines, tuna, salmon and trout).
- vitamin B riboflavin in dairy products – milk, yogurt and cheese
- B-vitamins in green leafy vegetables, green peas and legumes
- vitamin C in OJ, kiwi, strawberries and citrus fruits, bell peppers, broccoli and Brussels sprouts, baked potato
- vitamin D in salmon, shrimp and fortified reduced-fat milk
- vitamin E in sunflower seeds, mayonnaise, wheat germ, and canola oil
Warning: Unhealthy trans fats seem to be associated with MORE brain shrinkage…. Partially hydrogenated oils found in shortening and stick margarine, pre-packaged fried and frozen foods, as well as commercially baked goods. Check the Nutrition Facts label to bring home foods that have 0 grams trans fats.
A Brain Food bean salad loaded in B-vitamins (legumes) and vitamin C (salsa and bell peppers):
Three Healthy Eating Options
Happy New Year!! Are you looking forward to a year of good health? Maybe you plan to lose weight to be able to accomplish those health goals. My philosophy is to overall eat well day in and day out. But there are three balanced eating approaches that can help!
The DASH Diet: for a lean weight and blood pressure reduction. The focus: LOTS of fruits and vegetables, reduced-fat dairy, with very little animal foods. More information at www.nhlbi.nih.gov.
The Mediterranean Diet: for a lean weight and healthy vascular system. The focus: whole-grains, fruits and veggies, fatty fish such as salmon and sardines, healthy oils (olive, canola), and nuts. More information at www.mayoclinic.com.
The TLC Diet: for a lean weight, cholesterol reduction and healthy heart. The focus: high fiber intake with more fruits, vegetables and whole-grains, lean fish and poultry, and more meatless meals. More information at www.nhlbi.nih.gov.
There is no perfect way to eat. As you move toward healthier eating in 2012, consider your food preferences, family food traditions, and your own particular health concerns. What is interesting about the three dietary approaches that I mentioned this week, is that they are mostly plant-based. You can’t miss when you rely on Mother Nature’s bounty!
This simple salad is great to serve at dinner with lean protein and a whole-grain starch.
Colorful salad with homemade dressing
Metabolic Syndrome in Teens
Have you heard of Metabolic Syndrome? It’s a combo of risk factors that increase cardiovascular disease risk. A recent study of more than 2,800 kids found that those who had more fiber had a lower risk for Metabolic Syndrome.
Metabolic Syndrome consists of several risk factors:
- abdominal obesity
- high blood pressure
- high blood glucose
- high triglycerides
- low HDL-cholesterol (the good stuff)
Adolescents with higher fiber intake have the lowest risk for developing Metabolic Syndrome. A higher fiber diet is connected to lower body weight, a smaller body mass index and a lower waist circumference.
How can you and your children get more fiber in your diet? Eat more fruits and veggies, legumes and
grains (rice, wheat, oats, rye, barley, quinoa).
Parents: Provide your children with healthy foods that naturally come packed with fiber.
- Cheerios or Wheaties for cereal.
- Sandwiches using whole wheat or multi-grain bread/tortilla/pita pocket.
- Multi-grain pasta and brown rice at dinner.
- And of course, don’t forget, lots fruits and veggies to boot!
Lower LDL (Bad) Cholesterol
High cholesterol? A recent study shows that certain foods can reduce artery-clogging LDL-cholesterol by flushing out fat and cholesterol.
Knock down your LDL-cholesterol with
- a handful of nuts every day – any kind of nuts will do
- soy foods – try tofu, soy nuts, veggie burgers, edamame and soy milk
- “sticky” fibers such as oats and barley… For oats: oatmeal, homemade granola, oatmeal muffins, oats in meatballs and meatloaf… For barley: cooked barley cereal, barley soup, cold barley salad with celery, onions and spinach, and hot barley (instead of rice) as a side dish.
- natural plant sterols - they’re found in nuts, veggies and fruits, and legumes. Hmm, sounds like a vegetarian diet to me…
The most commonly prescribed medications in this country are the statin drugs, such as Lipitor. In fact, millions of prescriptions have been written in 2011. Holy cow! For many folks, however, medications can be eliminated or reduced by simply making healthier food choices to lower cholesterol.
These high-fiber muffins have cooked two ingredients that can lower cholesterol – barley and chopped cashews:
Pre-Diabetes Prevention Tips
Continuing our discussion about diabetes from the previous blog. The number of Americans with diabetes is staggering: 26 million (that’s 8% of the population!) – and another 79 million have pre-diabetes. Those with pre-diabetes WILL develop type 2 diabetes if they don’t spring into action soon.
There are three ways to diagnose pre-diabetes:
- a fasting glucose of 100-125 mg/dl
- a glucose tolerance test at 2 hours of 140-200 mg/dl
- a Hemoglobin A1C reading of 5.7%-6.4%
Risk Factors for Pre-Diabetes:
- family history of diabetes
- personal history of gestational diabetes
- delivering a large baby
- being overweight
How To Prevent Pre-Diabetes and Type 2 Diabetes:
- lose weight (at least 5-10% of your current weight)
- increase physical activity to 150 minutes/week
- eat well with a variety of healthy foods and a moderate amount of carbohydrates
$174 billion… That is the annual cost of diabetes in the U.S. Not to mention, people with diabetes are more likely to suffer a heart attack, stroke, loss of sight, neuropathy and amputations… It makes perfect sense to make some lifestyle changes as soon as you can!!
Diabetes Support Group
Did you know that November is Diabetes Awareness Month? If you have diabetes, you already know that it can be hard work to keep your diabetes under control – and sometimes, a little support can be just what you need.
For those living with diabetes, a support group might be just what the doctor ordered! It’s a chance to meet with others who are facing similar challenges – and a great opportunity to share ideas on living your BEST life…. The Martha Jefferson Hospital Diabetes Support Group meets the second Wednesday of each month, at 400 Martha Jefferson Drive. There are two sessions to pick from: 12:00-1:00pm or 5:30-6:30pm. Call MJH Health Connections at (434) 654-7009 with any questions.
What will you find at the FREE diabetes support group. Our certified diabetes educators will be on hand to provide tips for staying healthy, answer questions and facilitate open discussion about matters that are important to YOU.
When you have a chronic disease like diabetes, you can feel all alone – even if you live with family or have lots of friends. Even though loved ones are near, they don’t always know exactly what you’re going through. However, a support group can connect you with other people with diabetes (or other chronic diseases, like sleep apnea or heart disease), as well as provide a friendly, informative environment that will help you manage your health.
While there are a number of online support groups, nothing beats face-to-face conversation. Martha Jefferson Hospital has support groups for a variety of chronic conditions, including diabetes, sleep apnea, bariatric surgery and more. Call MJH Health Connections for more information at (434) 654-7009.
