Kids and Diabetes

The U.S. National Library of Medicine estimates that at least one in five children and teens in the U.S. are overweight.  These kids have shown an alarming increase in the incidence of type 2 diabetes, also known as adult-onset diabetes.

Set a good example for your kids by eating a variety of healthy foods.  Involve children in food shopping and preparation.  Children are often more willing to try foods that they help prepare.  Keep introducing healthy foods, even if children don’t like some of them at first.

Even younger kids can help wash and tear lettuce and add cherry tomatoes to a salad.  Then show them how to dip chicken pieces in a bowl with beaten egg and a bit of skim milk.  Shake the chicken pieces in a plastic bag along with panko bread crumbs and seasoning for yummy (and healthy) baked chicken.

Being physically active is another way to help kids.  If you are having trouble motivating your kids to exercise, try making small changes, such as walking for 30 minutes a day.  Go to the local park and let them play.  Take a 15-minute break from the TV and go for a walk.  Small changes can make a difference and therefore motivate you to exercise more.

Healthy Eating for Diabetics

To help manage your diabetes, it’s important to eat a variety of nutritious foods in moderate amounts and to keep regular mealtimes, according to The Mayo Clinic.  It’s important to create a healthy-eating plan that’s naturally rich in nutrients and low in fat and calories, with an emphasis on fruits, vegetables and whole grains.  Make your calories count with these nutritious foods:

Healthy Carbs:

During digestion, sugars (simple carbohydrates) and starches (complex carbohydrates) break down into blood glucose.  Focus on the healthiest carbohydrates, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans and low-fat dairy products.

High-fiber foods:

Fiber can decrease your risk of heart disease and help control blood-sugar levels.  Enjoy vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans, whole-wheat flour and wheat bran.

Fish:

Eat heart-healthy fish at least twice a week.  Fish can be a good alternative to high-fat meats.

“Good” fats:

Foods containing monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats-such as avocados, almonds, pecans, walnuts, olives, and canola, olive and peanut oils-can help lower your cholesterol levels.  Eat them sparingly, however, as all fats are high in calories.

It’s helpful to create an individual eating plan with your pharmacist, doctor or a registered dietitian to help you best manage your diabetes.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

What are Omega-3 fatty acids?

Fish oil originates from omega-3 fatty acids called DHA (docahexaenoic) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic).  There are three omega-3s fatty acids; alpha –linolenic acid, EPA and DHA.  EPA and DHA are the only omega-3s that have proven to have medical benefits.  Both DHA and EPA promote and maintain the normal, restorative response throughout the entire body.

It is important for the body to have both EPA and DHA.  EPA is the starting material in your body for hormone-like materials called prostaglandins that are potent anti-inflammatory agents.  DHA is a fundamental building block of our nervous system.  Our brain, all our nerves and eyes are made of 20-30% DHA.

Omega-3 fatty acids must be incorporated into the diet because they are not readily produced in the body.  These are the “good fats” essential for optimal health in the body.  Most American’s are omega-3 deficient.  We are receiving omega-6 in excess from diets high in vegetable cooking oil and industrial milling but not enough omega-3’s.

How much Omega-3 should I take?

You can take from 1,000 mg/day up to 6,000 mg, depending on what your doctor is trying to treat.

Can taking large amounts of “fish oil” hurt me?

Yes.  Most fish oil capsules usually contain only 300 mg of omega-3, about 70% of the capsule has no positive effect and is made up of fat and fillers.  You have to take a minimum of three or four capsules to consume 1,000 mg of omega-3 Vectomega Omega-3 products have higher omega-3 content and contain no toxins or enteric coatings.

Who should not take omega-3 fatty acids?

People who bruise easily or have a bleeding disorder are cautioned to see a doctor before taking any supplement, including omega-3, which is known to thin blood.

Are there any side effects?

There is no fish breath or after taste.

Benefits of Diet and Exercise

Do You Have 22 Minutes a Day for Heart Health?

Researchers found that people who spent 2.5 hours a week in moderate activity, like brisk walking or golfing, reduced their risk for heart disease by 14 percent.  The results were from 33 previous studies of exercise and heart health.  That’s just 22 minutes of activity per day!

People who did vigorous exercise-running, jogging, swimming laps or fast cycling-saw the same perks in just 75 minutes per week, or 10 minutes per day.  Either one fulfills the U.S. government recommendations for health benefits.

Those who exercised more reaped even more rewards.  About 42 minutes of moderate or 22 minutes of vigorous activity per day reduced the risk for heart disease by 20 percent.  The results were published in the journal Circulation.  And they’re big news, since heart disease kills more than 600,000 Americans per year.

And what about your diet?  Are you looking for a healthier heart?  Go fish!

Eating seafood can help your heart and lower your chance of dying from heart disease.  A number of studies found that a key nutrient in fish can not only help prevent heart disease, it can also help treat it.  Omega-3 fatty acids seem to aid heart attack recovery and improve other heart conditions including heart rhythm irregularity, heart failure and plaque build-up on the arteries.

Omega-3 fatty acids are a form of fat our bodies need.  They help to reduce inflammation in the arteries and blood clotting, improve cholesterol and triglyceride blood fat levels and lower blood pressure.

Fatty or oily fish are very high in omega-3s.  Trout, salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies, sardines and tuna are all good sources.  Aim for at least two servings a week of these types of fish to get about 500 mg a day of omega-3s.

Not sure you are getting enough?  Talk with your doctor or pharmacist to find out if fish oil supplements are right for you.

February-American Heart Month

Would you recognize a heart attack?

Crushing chest pain-that’s how many people think a heart attack would feel like.  While it’s true that chest pain is the most common warning sign of a heart attack, the pain itself may be mild.  And not everyone has chest pain.  In fact, as many as one-third of heart attacks don’t cause any chest pain at all.  According to the Centers for Disease Control every 25 seconds someone experiences a coronary event in the United States.

Who gets these heart attacks that don’t cause chest pain? Anyone can be a victim, but certain people are more likely to have them.  These include:

*women

*older adults

*African-Americans

*people with diabetes

*heart failure sufferers

Researchers aren’t certain why these people are more likely to have heart attacks without chest pain, but more research is underway.

So what does a non-traditional heart attack feel like?  Possible symptoms include:

*pain in the back, neck, jaw, stomach, or arm

*fullness or pressure in the chest that lasts longer than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back

*trouble breathing

*nausea

*fatigue

*cold sweats

*dizziness

*severe headache-especially in older adults

The fact that these heart attacks don’t cause chest pain doesn’t mean they are less serious-just the opposite, in fact.  Often, heart attacks without chest pain can be the most deadly.

Supplement of the Week….Super Milk Thistle!

Super Milk Thistle Improves Liver Function and Can Decrease Blood Sugar Levels in Type II Diabetics.

If you are like most people this is not a supplement you may have heard a lot about but it is incredibly important. The liver is the internal filter of your body and having a healthy liver is important. This herbal supplement boosts your livers enzymes function which helps to detoxify the body.

Where do we get milk thistle? It comes from the genus Silybum Adans, a flowering plant of the daisy family. Milk thistle extract is made from the seeds which contain 4-6% silymarin. This is an anti-inflammatory and an antioxidant. Boosting the liver according to Dr. Oz will help your body’s overall internal detoxification and definitely something anyone with a family history of liver problems should consider.

Another group that should consider taking this supplement on a regular basis is people who have a family history of diabetes or who have type II diabetes because it has shown to lower blood sugar levels and improve cholesterol levels.

The recommended dosage is 200 mg of milk thistle daily. If you would like more information on supplements and how effective they are check out these sites: Dr. Oz and Good Neighbor Pharmacy’s health and nutrition page.