In addition to cancer and heart disease (discussed in Part 1 of this topic), two other major illnesses pose a huge threat to our healthy aging. They are diabetes and obesity.
DIABETES – More than 29 million Americans have diabetes. Plus one in four people are living with type 2 diabetes and don’t know they have it. Note: the classic symptoms of the disease are excessive urination, excessive thirst, and excessive eating. In AARP’S October/November 2015 publication, author Robin Westen highlights 10 recent researched discoveries to help avoid and manage this debilitating disease.
1) Sprinkle with cinnamon. According to research, a drop in blood sugar may occur by simply eating only 1 gram (a pinch or light sprinkle) of this spice daily. Try this on your morning cereal or yogurt or in your coffee.
2) Exercise. Inactivity can increase your chances of developing type 2 diabetes by 14 percent. Fit exercise into your daily schedule, even if only lifting weights while watching TV or walking from a distant parking spot.
3) Drink coffee. Numerous studies show that drinking more than 2 cups (up to 4 cups) daily lowers your chance of developing type 2 diabetes by 25%.
4) Eat Greek. Along with eating a Mediterranean diet loaded with veggies, fruits, whole grains, fish, and red wine, with the addition of extra-virgin olive oil, you can lower your type 2 diabetes risk by 30%.
5) Know your meds. Not only must you take diabetes meds according to prescription, but it is important to have knowledge of how other medications might interfere with blood sugar levels.
6) Stress less. Insulin resistance develops from chronic worry. It also becomes harder for the pancreas to move glucose out of the bloodstream under stressful conditions. Try exercise, biofeedback and meditation/deep breathing.
7) Flex your muscles. A 2012 study in the Archives of Internal Medicine involved men who lifted weights weekly for at least two and a half hours. The participants lowered their risk of diabetes by 34%.
8) Eating other correct foods: (a) One cup of protein-rich beans, peas, and lentils can lower your sugar count greatly. (b) Dark chocolate contains flavonoids, which lower your cravings for sugar/salt and drop your insulin levels at the same time. (c) The magnesium found in oatmeal helps your body secrete insulin correctly.
9) Limit red meat. A diet study involving 150,000 people eating an extra half serving of red meat daily, found a 50% increase in development of type 2 diabetes.
10) Eating/drinking citrus. Glucose uptake appears to be slowed by the eating/drinking of oranges, lemons, grapefruit, and other citrus fruits in their natural forms. The Preventive Medicine Journal study deducts this will keep your blood sugar levels under better control.
OBESITY – Research found in the Journal of the American Medical Association did find that slightly overweight people might reduce their premature death risk slightly. However, we are using the term “obese” to mean an individual with a BMI (body mass index) of 30 or more. This BMI increases a person’s risk of dying by 18%. Here are 10 ways to fight fat and win.
1) *** Consider a crash diet (not this author’s opinion). A recent Australian study showed that attendees who severely restricted calories over a brief period of time were more successful at keeping the weight off than those with a more healthy diet approach over time. *** Doctor’s approval would definitely be needed for this approach since a variety of health problems can arise from very low calorie diets.
2) Be naturally sweet. Research finds that artificially sweetened foods and drinks tend to create an increased craving for empty-calorie carbs and stimulate fat storage. Honey and maple syrup are healthy sweeteners.
3) Trick your appetite. Eating off a 10-inch plate, as opposed to a 12-inch plate, can cut your calorie consumption by 22%. Also a study shown in the Journal of Consumer Research stated that eating off a less-appetizing blue-colored plate can reduce your food consumption.
4) Make skinny or healthy-weight friends. The old adage “Tell me who you go with and I’ll tell you what you are,” seems to apply here. If your friends tend to overeat, you might have a stronger desire to do the same, and, thus also, pack on some pounds. This will work wonderfully in reverse!
5) Keep it uncomfortable. By keeping your home’s thermostat set cooler in the winter (68 degrees) and warmer in the summer (75 degrees), you are forcing your body’s internal temperature to work harder to adjust itself. This increasing of your metabolism rate will tend to burn more body calories according to an article in the International Journal of Obesity.
6) Watch your cravings. Research shows that decreased levels of serotonin found in the depressed can cause the desire to overeat, especially carbohydrates (simple and complex). This is possibly a desire to restore their hormones to normal levels. If depressed, get medical treatment.
7) Pick protein. Recent research shows that choosing a protein over carbs for breakfast resulted in a 65 % more weight loss and a 34% waist measurement reduction.
8) Don’t use an excessive amount of antibiotics. These meds can produce an adverse effect on microbes (found in the digestive tract) that help influence your metabolism rate.
9) Check your neck and your thyroid gland. If you are gaining an unreasonable amount of weight, have your doctor check your gland. Your thyroid might be underactive and not controlling your metabolism correctly.
10). Cut back on food calories along with an increase in your exercise. A growing body of scientific research performed between 2001 and 2009 on millions of adults shows that the combination of daily exercise ONLY WITH a daily calorie-controlled healthy diet will keep your weight under control.
