What are the odds? If you have diabetes or prediabetes, what follows may be fairly judged as preaching to the choir. If you don’t, be aware that living the typical American lifestyle significantly increases your probability of having diabetes. If you haven’t been diagnosed with diabetes, you may wonder if you’re home free. Well, if you live in America the odds aren’t encouraging unless you are on the right lifestyle track or were blessed with the right genetics. In America today, diabetes affects about 30 million with another 90 million or so having pre-diabetes. With the percentages diagnosed still increasing, diabetes and its associated complications is a valid concern if you live the typical American life. Fortunately, there is good news. In many cases, with early attention to diet and exercise, diabetes is curable. Avoiding basic needs of our body is the major cause of diabetes. We need physical activity that increases energy use. Almost any kind of activity helps. Physical activity improves blood glucose control in type 2 diabetes, reduces cardiovascular risk factors, contributes to weight loss, and improves well-being. Regular exercise can often prevent or delay type 2 diabetes development. Regular exercise also has considerable health benefits for people with type 1 diabetes (e.g., improved cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength, insulin sensitivity, etc.) The take-home message is that if you have diabetes or pre- diabetes you need a minimum of 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity exercise. In general, your health status shouldn’t be a barrier to starting an exercise program at some level. Find an activity you enjoy and make it a habit. Granted, the challenges related to blood glucose management vary with diabetes type, activity type, and presence of diabetes-related complications. While the appropriate physical activity recommendation may vary depending on your specific circumstances, the need to get active applies to all of us. If you haven’t been diagnosed with diabetes or prediabetes, it’ s still important to take preventative measures. Adjusting your lifestyle is the best medicine. It’s an action that will add more quality years of life than almost anything you can do aside from avoiding offers to play Russian Roulette. Ready to improve the odds? Here’s a bet you can’t lose. Join me for a morning walk and I’ll bet you feel better and have fun. Nancy Neighbors, MD Want To Prevent The Flu? Eat Your Veggies When you're exposed to a virus like the flu your pre-existing immunity and general state of health determine whether you will get sick and how long it will take to recover. Having previously had the flu provides some protection if you later encounter the same strain of virus. Unfortunately, the flu virus has a habit of evolving into strains our immune system doesn’t recognize soon enough to respond. To enhance our natural immunity we use vaccines. With a lot of research and a bit of luck the annual flu vaccines attempt to anticipate and protect us against the most likely new varieties. Obviously, staying away from people who are sick will minimize your chances of getting their virus. Washing your hands also helps. The next line of defense is our general state of health. This is where exercise and eating healthy can boost your immunity and minimize your down time in the event your body responds too slowly in fighting off the virus. Despite the wave of advertisements promoting mega doses of supplements and exotic juices, your best ally is still a well balanced diet and exercise. One exception is vitamin D, unless you’re outdoors getting plenty of sunshine. Bottom line for best protection? Get vaccinated, exercise, and eat your veggies. Better yet, learn more at “Want To Prevent The Flu? Skip The Supplements, Eat Your Veggies.” |