1. Move More
Make it a daily challenge to find ways to move your body. Climb stairs if given a choice between that and escalators or elevators. Walk your dog; chase your kids; toss balls with friends, mow the lawn. Anything that moves your limbs is not only a fitness tool, it's a stress buster. Think 'move' in small increments of time. It doesn't have to be an hour in the gym or a 45-minute aerobic dance class or tai chi or kickboxing. But that's great when you're up to it. Meanwhile, move more. Thought for the day: Cha, Cha, Cha…. Then do it!
2. Cut Fat
Avoid the obvious such as fried foods, burgers and other fatty meats (i.e. pork, bacon, ham, salami, ribs and sausage). Dairy products such as cheese, cottage cheese, milk and cream should be eaten in low fat versions. Nuts and sandwich meats, mayonnaise, margarine, butter and sauces should be eaten in limited amounts. Most are available in lower fat versions such as substitute butter, fat free cheeses and mayonnaise. Thought for the day: Lean, mean, fat-burning machine…. Then be one!
3. Quit Smoking
The jury is definitely in on this verdict. Ever since 1960 when the Surgeon General announced that smoking was harmful to your health, Americans have been reducing their use of tobacco products that kill. Just recently, we've seen a surge in smoking in adolescents and teens. Could it be the Hollywood influence? It seems the stars in every movie of late smoke cigarettes. Beware. Warn your children of the false romance or 'tough guy' stance of Hollywood smokers. Thought for the day: Give up just one cigarette…. the next one.
4. Reduce Stress
Easier said than done, stress busters come in many forms. Some techniques recommended by experts are to think positive thoughts. Spend 30 minutes a day doing something you like. (i.e.,Soak in a hot tub; walk on the beach or in a park; read a good book; visit a friend; play with your dog; listen to soothing music; watch a funny movie. Get a massage, a facial or a haircut. Meditate. Count to ten before losing your temper or getting aggravated. Avoid difficult people when possible. Thought for the day: When seeing red, think pink clouds….then float on them.
5. Protect Yourself from Pollution
If you can't live in a smog-free environment, at least avoid smoke-filled rooms, high traffic areas, breathing in highway fumes and exercising near busy thoroughfares. Exercise outside when the smog rating is low. Exercise indoors in air conditioning when air quality is good. Plant lots of shrubbery in your yard. It's a good pollution and dirt from the street deterrent. Thought for the day: 'Smoke gets in your eyes'…and your mouth, and your nose and your lungs as do pollutants….hum the tune daily.
6. Wear Your Seat Belt
Statistics show that seat belts add to longevity and help alleviate potential injuries in car crashes. Thought for the day: Buckle down and buckle up.
7. Floss Your Teeth
Recent studies make a direct connection between longevity and teeth flossing. Nobody knows exactly why. Perhaps it's because people who floss tend to be more health conscious than people who don't? Thought for the day: Floss and be your body's boss.
8. Avoid Excessive Drinking
While recent studies show a glass of wine or one drink a day (two for men) can help protect against heart disease, more than that can cause other health problems such as liver and kidney disease and cancer. Thought for the day: A jug of wine should last a long time.
9. Keep a Positive Mental Outlook
There's a definitive connection between living well and healthfully and having a cheerful outlook on life. Thought for the day: You can't be unhappy when you're smiling or singing.
10. Choose Your Parents Well
The link between genetics and health is a powerful one. But just because one or both of your parents died young in ill health doesn't mean you cannot counteract the genetic pool handed you. Thought for the day: Follow these basic tips for healthy living and you can better control your own destiny.
credit:health-fitness-tips
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Diabetic retinopathy - protect yourself
There are of course numerous complications resulting from diabetes. Diabetic retinopathy is one that directly effects your vision. It happens because the eye's retina is damaged because of the diabetes. So let's take a closer look, starting with an explanation of what the retina is.
We don't need a detailed explanation here. You just need to understand that the retina is simply a group of nerves that sits in the back of your eyeball. Think of them like a digital camera. They give your brain a picture of what you see. It's a simple process that people without vision problems can take for granted. But retinopathy interferes with this process.
Blood vessels in the retina are sensitive, and can split. If this happens, fluid from those vessels drip into the eye's compound. And that's when the problems begin.
Frequently the first noticeable change will be what look like and obstruction in your sight. Scar tissue starts to form in your eyeball and all around it. As it progresses, the retina becomes detached, and no longer sits in the position it should.
So how does this relate to diabetes? Well high levels of sugar in the blood can cause the damage we just talked about to occur. But the bigger problem is that all too often the noticeable symptoms happen only after the problem damage has become extremely severe. The result is that frequently you may not even realize the problem exists until it is too late to correct. This means that regular eye checkups from a doctor are essential. In the case of diabetics, you'll need to visit your eye doctor a minimum of every year. Discovering a problem in the early stages makes it much easier to correct.
And between visits, always be on the lookout for symptoms or any changes in your vision. Things like black or white spots, called floaters, that appear without reason. Weak and blurry vision can also be a sign of diabetic retinopathy. Double vision too can be a sign. Even if these problems seem mild, they need to be taken seriously. And that means getting in touch with your eye doctor immediately.
Catch it early enough and there are several good treatments available. Options include prescription medications, laser surgery or a more invasive surgery. Discuss each of these options with your doctor to determine the best choice for you.
But again, don't wait until you have symptoms. Have your eyes checked regularly. Then your doctor can begin any treatment for your diabetic retinopathy before the problem becomes too severe. credit:articlesnatch
We don't need a detailed explanation here. You just need to understand that the retina is simply a group of nerves that sits in the back of your eyeball. Think of them like a digital camera. They give your brain a picture of what you see. It's a simple process that people without vision problems can take for granted. But retinopathy interferes with this process.
Blood vessels in the retina are sensitive, and can split. If this happens, fluid from those vessels drip into the eye's compound. And that's when the problems begin.
Frequently the first noticeable change will be what look like and obstruction in your sight. Scar tissue starts to form in your eyeball and all around it. As it progresses, the retina becomes detached, and no longer sits in the position it should.
So how does this relate to diabetes? Well high levels of sugar in the blood can cause the damage we just talked about to occur. But the bigger problem is that all too often the noticeable symptoms happen only after the problem damage has become extremely severe. The result is that frequently you may not even realize the problem exists until it is too late to correct. This means that regular eye checkups from a doctor are essential. In the case of diabetics, you'll need to visit your eye doctor a minimum of every year. Discovering a problem in the early stages makes it much easier to correct.
And between visits, always be on the lookout for symptoms or any changes in your vision. Things like black or white spots, called floaters, that appear without reason. Weak and blurry vision can also be a sign of diabetic retinopathy. Double vision too can be a sign. Even if these problems seem mild, they need to be taken seriously. And that means getting in touch with your eye doctor immediately.
Catch it early enough and there are several good treatments available. Options include prescription medications, laser surgery or a more invasive surgery. Discuss each of these options with your doctor to determine the best choice for you.
But again, don't wait until you have symptoms. Have your eyes checked regularly. Then your doctor can begin any treatment for your diabetic retinopathy before the problem becomes too severe. credit:articlesnatch
Diabetes - Foods for Diabetic People
While Type I Diabetes is usually diagnosed in children, now we know that it does not affect only them. Type I diabetes, unlike Type II diabetes, is an autoimmune disease. When the beta cells, which produce insulin, in the pancreas, are damaged, the individual suffers from Type I diabetes. When the body becomes resistant to insulin, the patient suffers from Type II diabetes. Both can be combated through proper eating, which includes a varied diet consisting of foods like fat-free, sugar-free and fibrous food items.
Diabetes is, unfortunately, hereditary. However, if you watch what you eat and exercise properly, you can stave off diabetes, even if there are people in your family who have it. Once you do have diabetes, though, you will have to regularly take medicine that regulates the insulin level of your body. One other way to control diabetes that doctors frequently recommend is that you should be careful to eat foods that are highly nutritious and watch your diet.
Just making sure that you eat foods diabetic people can eat is not enough, though - you have to stay active, and do some sort of exercise, whether it is jogging or dancing or walking or swimming, for minimum half an hour every day. The diet is important, though - it should be full of non-fat and unsweetened foods and completely without with sweets, alcohol and high-fat foods, including whole milk products.
There are plenty of foods for the diabetic person and these must be included in their daily diet. The nutritional requirements of the body must be met - proteins, minerals, vitamins, fibrous carbohydrates and lots of water are essential. The fibrous carbs can come from excellent sources like wholemeal bread, whole grains and oats. Lean meat, legumes, seeds, nuts and fish are great sources of protein, and minerals and vitamins are both taken care of by fresh fruits and green, leafy vegetables. Plenty of water, at least eight glasses a day, is also necessary.
Most recipes for diabetic diet plans are prepared without creams and sauces, because these are often heavily loaded with sugar and fat. Sweet and sour, teriyaki and barbecue sauces are to be avoided at all costs.
There are other favorites that you will have to steer clear of now - eggs, mayonnaise, red meat, butter, cheese, carbonated drinks - and foods that you must accept as staple, such as those with unsaturated fat and are unsweetened. Since it is your responsibility to stay healthy, to understand more about foods diabetic people can eat, you must talk to your nutritionist or your doctor, and come up with a diet plan you will be comfortable with for the rest of your life. credit:articlesnatch
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