Download - High Blood Pressure? Dial It Down
Brush up on blood sugar
Mary Friesz, PhD, RD, CDE
August 24, 2016
What is Diabetes?
• A group of conditions characterized by high levels of blood glucose, which results from problems with insulin production, cell sensitivity to insulin, or both.
• If there is not enough insulin or the insulin does not work as well, glucose stays in the blood resulting in high blood glucose levels
Types of Diabetes
•Type 1 Diabetes•Auto-immune disorder
•No insulin produced
•Juvenile or IDDM
•5 to 10% of those with DM
•Type 2 Diabetes•Inadequate insulin production &/or it doesn’t work well
•Adult-onset or NIDDM
•90 to 95% of those with DM
• Gestational DiabetesOnly during pregnancy but indicates higher risk for Type 2 DM
What’s blood glucose?
• Glucose isn’t a bad thing – it’s the body’s main energy source – it becomes “bad” when there’s too much in the blood
• Insulin is required in order for cells to get glucose from the blood
• If there is not enough insulin or the insulin does not work as well, glucose stays in the blood resulting in higher than normal blood glucose levels, which can lead to a host of medical problems
What can you do?
Adopt a Healthy Lifestyle!
Ok – but what does that mean??
What can you do?
Adopt a Healthy Lifestyle!
• Achieve & maintain a healthy weight
What can you do?
Adopt a Healthy Lifestyle!
• Achieve & maintain a healthy weight
• Balance the nutrients in your meals
What can you do?
Adopt a Healthy Lifestyle!
• Achieve & maintain a healthy weight
• Balance the nutrients in your meals
• Be aware of portions
What can you do?
Adopt a Healthy Lifestyle!
• Achieve & maintain a healthy weight
• Balance the nutrients in your meals
• Be aware of portions
• Eat slowly & savor your meals
What can you do?
Adopt a Healthy Lifestyle!
• Achieve & maintain a healthy weight
• Balance the nutrients in your meals
• Be aware of portions
• Eat slowly & savor your meals
• Be active on a regular basis
What can you do?
Adopt a Healthy Lifestyle!
• Achieve & maintain a healthy weight
• Balance the nutrients in your meals
• Be aware of portions
• Eat slowly & savor your meals
• Be active on a regular basis
• Manage your stress
What can you do?
Adopt a Healthy Lifestyle!• Achieve & maintain a healthy weight
• Balance the nutrients in your meals
• Be aware of portions
• Eat slowly & savor your meals
• Be active on a regular basis
• Manage your stress
• Keep motivated
Unfortunately, there’s no magic pill or potion
Helpful pills & potions??
• Cinnamon
• Turmeric
• Berberine
• Fish oil
• Chromium picolinate
• Garcinia cambogia
• Magic Mushroom??
Be very cautious with advertising…
There’s no magic formula for good health
Achieve a Healthy Weight
• Why does weight matter?
If one is overweight, losing just 5 to 7% of body
weight can help manage Type 2 Diabetes
*5 to 7% is just 10 to 14 lbs. for someone who weighs 200 lbs.
Balance your meals
Use the Plate:
• Fill half of your plate with
vegetables/salad
• ¼ Lean Protein
(use your palm)
• ¼ Starch or Grains
(a fist full)
• NO second helpings
*The more you eat at one meal, the higher your glucose will be*
Why the plate?
• Nutrients are
absorbed at different
rates so balance is
key…..
Use the plate!
Choose your foods wisely
Build meals around more vegetables, whole
grains, legumes, fish, lean meats & skim dairy
products
Limit added fats (ie: butter, margarine, mayo,
cooking oils); instead, choose healthy fats in
moderation (nuts, olives, avocado)
Limit simple sugars (ie: juice, soda, sweet
drinks)
Limit processed foods; choose foods closer to
their natural states
Be aware of portions
• 1 cup = size of a baseball or a small fist
(potato, rice, pasta, cooked veggies)
• 2 to 3 cups = size of your open hands
(salad, raw veggies)
• 1 T = size of a small thumb (salad dressings, spreads)
• 2 Tb = size of a golf ball (dips, whipped topping)
• 3 ounces = size of a deck of cards (meat, chicken, fish)
Some extra tips
• Don’t wait until you’re starving to eat
• Pay attention to your food - & not other things
- when you eat
• Eat slowly & savor the flavors
• Chew each mouthful 10 times
• Stop eating before you feel full
Be Active
• Start slowly.
Begin with 5 to 10 mins a day, 3-5 days a week (add 5 to 10 mins
every other week until at goal)
• Choose enjoyable activities.
• Build physical activity into your day.
– Take a brisk walk during lunchtime.
– Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
– Park farther away from the stores or your office.
• Keep motivated.
– The longer you keep at it, the better you’ll feel.
– Celebrate small successes.
Why Exercise?
• Burn more calories (& glucose) = Control blood sugar
• Increase lean body mass = Increase metabolism
• Decrease body fat = look & feel better
• Increase energy & reduce stress (endorphins)
• Help reduce & manage stress
• Increase enjoyment of life !!
Stay Motivated
• Remind yourself of the benefits
• Think “I want to”, not “ I have to”
• Have a variety of choices in food & activity
• Enlist a partner, if necessary
• Set realistic goals, with rewards
Make it a lifestyle
In Summary
Adopt a Healthy Lifestyle by:• Achieving/maintaining a healthy weight
• Balancing the nutrients in your meals
• Being aware of portions
• Eating slowly & savoring your meals
• Being active on a regular basis
• Managing your stress
• Being wary of advertising…. &
• Staying motivated
Questions?