Avoiding Diabetes - part II

How to avoid Diabetes

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/prevent-diabetes

I started looking at this article yesterday - with 13 suggestions for avoiding diabetes, avoiding obesity!!

Some of these ideas can be combined, so we will move faster today.

-5 Don’t smoke!!!

The article says, “Smoking is strongly linked to the risk of diabetes, especially in heavy smokers. Quitting has been shown to reduce this risk over time.

Where diabetes and obesity are bad enough, smoking makes everything worse.  STOP SMOKING and don’t take it up.

Aside:  The only time I smoked was about a three month period where I thought smoking a pipe would make me look so “professorial”.  Didn’t Sherlock Holmes smoke his pipe?  I pictured professors in their tweed coats and a pipe.  I didn’t really like it!!  (Hurray!!!!)

-6 Follow a low carb diet.

Yes - but item #1 yesterday said “Cut Sugar and Refined Carbs From Your Diet” - so a bit redundant

-7 Watch portion size.

Item #4 (yesterday) said lose weight.  Portion size can be part of losing weight.  

And, do you know a good way of watching your portion size?  Having smaller plates!!!

-8. Avoid sedentary behaviors

OUCH!!!  This one hits me.  I spend way-too-much-time sitting!!!  

This comes from the article “A large analysis of 47 studies found that people who spent the highest amount of time per day engaged in sedentary behavior had a 91% increased risk of developing diabetes “

And, this “Changing sedentary behavior can be as simple as standing up from your desk and walking around for a few minutes every hour.”

I don’t have TV, but I do need to get up frequently!!

Suggestion - item #3 says ‘drink a lot of water’.  Do you know what happens when you drink a LOT of water? You need the restroom - which means getting up and walking to the restroom!!!

-9.A little different - Eat a high fiber diet

Recently I have found lentils.  I didn’t really know what lentils were - but my package of lentils says one serving of lentils (about ¼ cup) is about 62% of my daily requirement of fiber!!!  I have been throwing lentils, pinto beans, and barley into my crockpot with my boneless chicken breasts (and some spices).  Delicious - and lots of fiber!!!

I also eat my oatmeal (every other day)

-10 Get vitamin D

The article says “One study found that people with the highest blood levels of vitamin D were 43% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those with the lowest blood levels”

“Consuming foods high in vitamin D or taking supplements can help optimize vitamin D blood levels, which can reduce your risk of diabetes.

-11 Minimize your intake of processed foods

-12 Drink Water or Tea

From the article, “Although water should be your primary beverage, research suggests that including coffee or tea in your diet may help you avoid diabetes.

Studies have reported that drinking coffee on a daily basis reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes by 8–54%, with the greatest effect generally seen in people with the highest consumption.

-13 The last one -consider taking some natural herbs

The article says ”The herbs curcumin and berberine increase insulin sensitivity, reduce blood sugar levels and may help prevent diabetes.”

I don’t know what these are, but maybe I need to look for them!!!

*****

Bottom line -you are what you eat and what you do.  Eat right, exercise, don’t smoke - and enjoy a stronger, better life - with much (much) lower risk of diabetes - and consequently dementia and even COVID!!!!

Hugs!!!

Karen