Physical Activity

This week I received the following question from http://foodpicker.org :

I have been diagnosed as pre-diabetic.  The doctor has not put me on any medication, but would like me to lose weight and watch my diet.  I’m not sure how much or how often I should be exercising.  Could you give me some tips?

Wonderful! You are taking a huge, important step in improving your health, and in avoiding the many complications diabetes can cause when dealing with excess weight and a poor diet. Now is definitely the time to take action!

First, you should check with your doctor before starting any intensive exercise. He can evaluate your current health, including your cardiovascular status, to determine what is safe for you.

If you are given the OK by your doctor, you can get started! The important thing to remember is not to over-do in the very beginning. If you start too hard, you put yourself at risk of injury, excessive fatigue, and discouragement, making it very hard to want to continue your new habit.

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, adults 65 and younger should do moderately intense activity for 30 minutes a day, 5 times a week, or vigorously intense cardio for 20 minutes 3 times a week to maintain weight and to reduce your risk of disease. If you want to lose weight, the time spent increases to 60-90 minutes of moderately intense activity.  They also recommend 8 to 10 strength training exercises with 8-12 repetitions of each twice a week.

I know this can seem overwhelming to many at first, leaving people thinking, “when am I going to make time for all this?” or “I don’t have that kind of energy!”  It is OK.  Just remember that your exercise goals cannot be reached overnight, and just as with anything else, it takes practice and time. Start out slow, and work your way up. Even if you feel you are not progressing to these goals, any exercise you can work into your day is better than none, and you will be surprised how much better you will start to feel. For more information on ways to exercise, check out:
http://www.acsm.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home_Page&TEMPLATE=CM/HTMLDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=7764

When exercising with diabetes, be sure to follow these steps:

Just keep in mind that with eating a healthy diet and physical activity go hand-in hand. It is extremely difficult to succeed at weight loss without the other.  You can do it!!

Candy…

That title got your attention right? This week I received the following question regarding candy from http://foodpicker.org.

I have type 2 diabetes.  I’m kind of addicted to Jawbreaker candy (especially fireballs).  How harmful is it to eat these candies and what alternatives should I try… Is fruit a good alternative?

Yes, you nailed it on the head. Fruit is a great alternative to candy. Now while I think its okay to treat yourself now and then, it is important to consider that Jawbreakers (and other similar candies) have about 15 grams carbohydrate and 15 grams of sugar per 1 serving, which is about 6 small Jawbreakers.

Now that’s not the worst of the candies out there nutritionally, however you should note that it provides very little, nutritionally. If you have fruit instead for a dessert, maybe with some low-fat yogurt or light whipped topping, you add vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber to your daily diet, all which are very important, especially in diabetes.

So when you crave sweet, try the fruit first. If you want a jaw breaker once in a while, it’s okay, just be aware of its carbohydrate and sugar content and take it into account with your daily carb budget.  Just don’t really break a jaw on them…in my experience puree diets can get old.

                                   Which do you think your body would appreciate more
 long-term?  :)

Until next time!!

Breakfast!

This week I received the following question from http://foodpicker.org :

I have type 2 diabetes and am having trouble with breakfast.  It seems so many breakfast foods are high in carbs.  Could you give me some breakfast ideas that are diabetic friendly?

Pancakes, waffles, toast, bagels, biscuits, cereal, milk, orange juice, muffins, grits, hashbrowns, oh my! Yes, you do have a point, it can be tough to find low-carb breakfast options. It doesn’t mean you can’t have these things, but there are smart choices you can make to keep those carbohydrates in moderation. There are many ways you can cut back and still enjoy a delicious, energizing, meal. What better way to make you feel great than starting the most important meal of the day on the right track. 

One of the ways you can cut back on your carbohydrates and still feel satisfied is concentrating on adding protein and healthy fats to your meal. This can include eggs, or even better, egg whites or egg beaters to reduce cholesterol and saturated fat. You can have a piece of meat such as bacon or sausage. These items should be kept in moderation because of the saturated fat, so you might try turkey bacon, canadian bacon, or a lean slice of ham.  An example of a healthy fat is adding nuts to your breads, waffles, or pancakes.

If you drink juice, try a piece of fruit instead. It has more fiber, is more filling, and won’t raise your blood sugar as high. Also, who says you can’t have vegetables at breakfast?? Non-starchy vegetables found in salsas for example, are considered a free food, and are so tasty on eggs or an omelette.  You can stuff omelettes with onions, peppers, mushrooms, to name just a few, all free foods.  Just watch out for your portion of starchy vegetables such as potatoes or corn.

As for your breads (pancakes, tortillas, toast, waffles, muffins, etc.), aim for whole grain, and incorporate it into your carbohydrate meal budget. (2-3 servings for women, 3-4 for men). For example, a cup of milk, a  tennis-ball sized piece of fruit, and a slice of whole wheat toast is a total of 3 carbohydrates. Then add your non-carbohydrates: an egg and a lean meat. Voila! A complete and quite satisfying breakfast that won’t send your blood sugar through the roof.

End the days of running on a doughnut with a cup of coffee, or eating that mountain of pancakes, and make your breakfast work better for you. Take a little extra time for yourself in the mornings before blasting off to work or school.  You may be surprised how much more energy you have in your daily routine!

Are you drooling yet?? I am…

Juice?

This week I received the following question from http://foodpicker.org:

I am worried because I was just diagnosed with diabetes.  I drink freshly squeezed orange juice three times a week.  Does orange juice contain too much sugar and is it advisable for a diabetic to drink juice?

Juice, especially orange juice, can raise your blood sugar.  It contains about 21 grams of sugar and 26 grams of carbohydrate per 8 oz., or 1 cup.  Because of orange juice’s carbohydrate content, it is often recommended to drink during hypoglycemic episodes, to bring your blood sugar back up to normal ranges.

Does this mean you can’t have any ever? Not necessarily. A serving size of orange juice is 4 oz, or 1/2 a cup. This equals 15 grams, and can be budgeted in your daily carbohydrate allowance.  In my opinion, however, this isn’t very much to drink. I often recommend having a serving of the fruit instead. You can have an entire medium orange instead for the same amount of carbohydrates, half the calories, and almost half the sugar. It is also tends to be more satisfying and has about 3 grams of fiber, which you do not get from the juice.

So if you love fresh squeezed orange juice and don’t want to give it up, you don’t have to. Just be conscious of the serving size, and count it as a carbohydrate with the rest of your breakfast.  Try to alternate it with fresh fruit to get in that fiber, very important for diabetes and for preventing heart disease.

 

    4 oz. cup vs. 1 medium orange!