Diabetes & Your Lifestyle

What You Can Do to Control - or Prevent - this Increasingly Common Disorder

Diabetes occurs when the body is unable to control blood sugar, which is needed by the body's cells for fuel. Today, approximately 24 million Americans are living with the disease. Unfortunately, type 1 diabetes, which stems from the body's inability to produce insulin and often affects those under the age of 20, can't be prevented. Type 2 diabetes, which is much more prevalent than type 1, is often preventable by managing your weight through proper diet and exercise. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body is unable to properly use the insulin it produces because the cells have become resistant to it, or the amount of insulin produced is insufficient.

Whether you're one of the millions of Americans who have been diagnosed with diabetes, or one of the many who are trying to prevent it, there are important healthy lifestyle guidelines that you should know about. According to Sherry Torkos, well-known pharmacist, fitness instructor and author of The GI Made Simple and Winning at Weight Loss, "While there's no single, magic bullet to combat weight gain and associated ailments like diabetes, you can adopt a multifaceted approach that includes diet, exercise and appropriate supplementation."

Here's some common-sense advice from Torkos:

• Limit Sugar & Starch Intake - It's no surprise that eating too much sugar is a problem for people trying to lose weight, and those dealing with diabetes. What may be surprising to many of us is that starchy foods can be a culprit as well. Both starches and sugars are classified as carbohydrates, and both will raise a person's blood glucose levels. "When it comes to sugars, beware of the extra calories found in sugar-sweetened beverages like soft drinks, fruit drinks, iced teas, and energy drinks," recommends Torkos. "If you want to limit your carb intake, it's a good idea to replace these sweet drinks with healthy alternatives like water. In the area of starches, limit your intake of refined starches like white bread/baked goods and white rice, since these foods cause blood glucose to rise rapidly. Instead, go for the whole grain breads and pastas, brown rice, vegetables, beans and fruit.
• Don't Forget to Exercise - Regular physical activity is absolutely critical for health and wellness. Numerous studies show that exercise can help assist with weight loss and promote a leaner body. Exercise can also cut your risk of practically every chronic disease, including diabetes. In particular, exercise improves insulin sensitivity and blood sugar control. The National Academy of Sciences has recommended that everyone strive for a total of an hour per day of physical activity. This may sound like a lot, but the hour can be made up of several shorter bursts of activity. For example, if you can squeeze in three 20-minute activities, the benefits are cumulative. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends a combination of aerobic exercise (walking, swimming, biking, jogging) for cardiovascular conditioning; strength training (lifting weights or working out with tubing or using your own body weight) for muscle toning, and stretching to improve your flexibility and range of motion. Aim for 20 minutes of each of these types of exercise each day. If it's been some time since you've exercised regularly, then you'll want to start off slowly.
• Supplements Can Help - According to Torkos, "A dietary supplement called Phase 3 Sugar Controller™ can help manage your blood glucose levels. Studies show the supplement can reduce after-meal blood glucose levels and help adjust your insulin because it helps reduce the body's ability to absorb and use sugar." Its ingredients include a unique form of L-arabinose, which prevents the sugar from being broken down and stored as fat, and chromium, a naturally occurring element found in food that regulates insulin so blood sugar is used more for energy rather than stored in fat cells. According Dr. Gilbert R. Katts, lead researcher in some of these studies, "The overall conclusion from these studies is that supplementation with Phase 3 Sugar Controller can lead to a significant reduction of blood glucose and insulin responses to simple sugar without adverse side effects."

If you've been diagnosed with diabetes, you may soon discover that you have more control over your health than you originally thought. Work with healthcare professionals to develop a dietary plan that, in conjunction with recommended medication and physical activity, will keep your blood sugar levels as near to normal as possible.

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