We’ve likely all been instructed by some member of our medical team to use, at very least, a multivitamin. Do you comply? Do you think it’s worthless and a waste of money? If you do use vitamin/mineral supplements do you know what your body is getting out of them, how much is actually needed and why?
We have all heard it before- “Eat less, move more”. This is what it all comes down to when trying to lose weight. However, how are we supposed to eat less when portion sizes are about 4x as large in restaurants as they were in the 1950’s? The traditional “Joy of Cooking” recipes that used to serve 4 now only serve 2 and the average food supply per capita is 500 calories more per person than it was in the 1970’s.
Eat your veggies! Great advice from mom. Hands down, vegetables are powerhouses filled with fiber, vitamins, minerals, numerous phytochemicals, and naturally low calorie. Did you know vegetables also contain protein? And carbs. Like many aspects of meal planning with diabetes, different messages are present, depending on whom you spoke with or when you last spoke to a dietitian. I had a reminder of mixed messages earlier this week when I led an insulin pump support group. About 50% of the attendants were counting carbs in vegetables, where the others were not. Let’s start with clearing that message up!
We all get busy and with spring leading into summer it’s likely that our schedules are filling up with places to go, things to do and people to visit.
See these tips to help you while you pack to run out the door for an adventure.
Heart disease is a major health problem in the United States. It is actually the leading cause of death for both men and women in the US. Also, diabetes puts us at a higher risk for developing heart disease.
You are what you eat—and if you eat poorly, your body will show it. “Clean Eating” is not yet another fad diet, but a lifestyle. When it boils down, it is an approach to healthy eating.
What exactly constitutes eating clean? Simply stated, it is the avoidance of processed foods, or foods that humans have altered in any way. A clean diet is composed of vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans, meat (whole, straight from butcher), and whole grains that are purchased at their natural state.
Recently, U.S. News & World Report evaluated 25 different diet plans and provided their own ratings.
The DASH Diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), a plan to prevent high blood pressure, took the top spot in the Best Diets Overall category.
Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC), a diet that's high in fiber and low in fat, developed by the National Institutes of Health, took second place.
Mayo Clinic Diet, the Mediterranean, and Weight Watchers all tied for third place overall.
These plans were also rated six other ways, such as best diabetes diet, best commercial plan, and easiest diets to follow. A founding director of the Yale University Prevention Research Center, David Katz, MD, MPH, noted that, "The diets near the top of the lists are sensible." "Those on the bottom we wouldn't recommend you choose."
I am sure you are like the rest of the US. Everyday you are bombarded with billboards and commercials- eat this, don’t eat that, this is the BEST food for you; this is the WORST food for you….
So how do you know what to take to heart and what is just the next big advertising gimmick??
I thought this month, we would take a few moments to pick out the top 5 food items you should avoid. My philosophy has always been “everything in moderation”, but there are a few things that you should try to keep out of your diet as much as possible. Everything else, which you may have considered ‘bad’ or ‘off-limits’ in the past, may be able to be incorporated into your diet, just as long as it is in MODERATION!
What do you plan to do differently in 2012? Is it bold to say that I think most of us realize where we can improve our health? Am I naive to think that most of the savvy Diabetes Sisters reading this know certain areas they can work at and improve upon? Or do we need someone else to steer us in the right direction?
This time of the year most of us are penny pinching in a lot of different ways. Most often the reason for saving money where it’s possible is to be able to spend on gifts that need to be given for whatever holiday it is you celebrate with family and friends.
When is comes to healthy eating to manage diabetes, food can seem to be expensive, but by using some of the following money saving tips you can save your pennies and eat well too.