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Accountability May Be Key to Diabetic Weight Loss

What if it were possible to lose weight and enjoy fewer symptoms of diabetes simply by participating in a program designed to encourage you to improve your overall lifestyle choices?

What if it were possible to lose weight and enjoy fewer symptoms of diabetes simply by participating in a program designed to encourage you to improve your overall lifestyle choices? A recent study suggests it may be a bigger help than anyone previously thought.

According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), “A community-based lifestyle intervention program, modeled after one used in a landmark government funded diabetes-prevention study, can help participants in a group setting achieve weight loss and blood glucose reductions comparable to those achieved with individual counseling from health professionals.”

In the other words if a program administered by lay personnel could be just as effective at helping those with diabetes attain a better balance in weight as working with a paid professional for the same services.

The ADA said, “In the Healthy Living Partnerships to Prevent Diabetes (HELP PD) study, participants were divided into two groups: a lifestyle weight loss group, which received six months of weekly behavioral weight loss sessions in a group setting, followed by monthly follow-up meetings, at which they were encouraged to change eating behaviors and exercise up to 180 minutes per week; and a usual care group, which received two visits with a dietitian and a quarterly newsletter with tips for lifestyle changes. The group weight loss sessions were delivered by lay community health workers trained and supervised by dietitians.”

So, how significant were the overall results? The ADA advises, “The study found that those in the lifestyle intervention group achieved and maintained significantly greater weight loss (an average of 7.3 percent of body weight) than those in the regular care group (who achieved an average loss of just 1.3 percent of body weight) after 12 months. The lifestyle intervention group also reduced blood glucose levels by an average of over 4 mg/dl, from 105.8 mg/dl to 101.2 mg/dl, after 12 months, compared to an average drop of less than 2 mg/dl (to 104 mg/dl) for the regular care group. The results for the lifestyle group mirrored those achieved over three years by participants in the landmark National Institutes of Health-sponsored Diabetes Prevention Program, in which individuals with glucose levels in the pre-diabetic range were able to reverse the course of their disease by losing 5-7 percent of body weight and exercising 150 minutes per week, in addition to receiving individual counseling sessions with trained behaviorists. In the Diabetes Prevention Program, the weight loss program led to a 58 percent reduction in the development of diabetes, from about 11 percent a year to about 5 percent a year.”

“Study participants will be followed for an additional five years to see whether individuals can maintain weight loss and blood glucose reductions independently, or if they need continued group counseling to do so. The study is being funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases,” said the ADA report.

Since diabetes and depression often go hand in hand it may be helpful both physically and emotionally to embrace a support group designed to encourage many diabetics to make positive changes today that will have an impact in the future.

Medicare and the Diabetic: Part D

In past articles we have covered the first three parts of Medicare coverage. This represents the final part in this government-based program.

Medicare prescription drug coverage (Part D) is available to everyone with Medicare. To get Medicare drug coverage, you must join a Medicare drug plan. Plans vary in cost and drugs covered.

Two plans offer Medicare prescription drug coverage:

Medicare Prescription Drug Plans. These plans (sometimes called “PDPs”) add drug coverage to Original Medicare, some Medicare Cost Plans, some Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) Plans, and Medicare Medical Savings Account (MSA) Plans.
Medicare Advantage Plans (like an HMO or PPO) or other Medicare health plans that offer Medicare prescription drug coverage. You get all of your Part A and Part B coverage, and prescription drug coverage (Part D), through these plans. Medicare Advantage Plans with prescription drug coverage are sometimes called “MA-PDs.”

Who Can Get Medicare Drug Coverage?

To join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan, you must have Medicare Part A and/or Part B. To get prescription drug coverage through a Medicare Advantage Plan, you must have Part A and Part B.

How to Join a Medicare drug plan

Once you choose a Medicare drug plan, you may be able to join by completing a paper application, calling the plan, enrolling on the plan’s Web site, or through the MPDPF LINK. You can also enroll by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048.

Contact the specific plan you’re interested in to find out how to join. Medicare drug plans aren’t allowed to call you to enroll you in a plan. Call 1-800-MEDICARE to report a plan that does this. (Source: Medicare.gov)

The first year for Medicare Part D was 2006. That year 11 million people were expected to sign up to use this program. The actual number was 24 million.

According to government reports, “As of the end of year 2008, the average annual per beneficiary cost spending for Part D, reported by the Department of Health and Human Services, was $1,517, making the total expenditures of the program for 2008 $49.3 (billions). Projected net expenditures from 2009 through 2018 are estimated to be $727.3 billion.”

Interestingly statistics seem to suggest that since the implementation of Part D Medicare users have improved their willingness to follow their physician’s directions in taking medication. The usefulness of Medicare Part D has statistically proven that if an individual can afford to take the medication they will in fact take it.

According to Wikipedia, “As of 2008 there were 1,824 stand-alone Part D plans available. The number of available plans varied by region. The lowest was 27 (Alaska) and the highest was 63 (Pennsylvania & West Virginia). This allows participants to choose a plan that best meets their individual needs. Plans can choose to cover different drugs, or classes of drugs, at various co-pays, or choose not to cover some drugs at all. Medicare has made available an interactive online tool called the Prescription Drug Plan Finder that allows for comparison of drug availability and costs for all plans in a geographic area. The Prescription Drug Plan Finder can be used to perform a personalized or general search for plans; in either case, the tool allows one to enter a list of medications along with pharmacy preferences. The Plan Finder output includes the beneficiary’s total annual costs for each plan, along with a detailed breakdown of the plans’ monthly premiums, deductibles, and prices for each drug during each phase of the benefit design (initial coverage period, coverage gap, and catastrophic-coverage period).”

Kwon’s Quest: A Personal Diabetes Marathon

How much effort would you put into spreading the message about diabetes and its impact on you and those who love you?

How much effort would you put into spreading the message about diabetes and its impact on you and those who love you? For one New Jersey resident the answer is running more than 3,000 miles in about 3 months. Learn more about Yijoo Kwon.

Kwon immigrated to the United States from South Korea. In fact, the New York Times indicated Kwon was a soldier for South Korea during the Vietnam War.

Diagnosed in 1996 as a Type 2 diabetic, Kwon was overweight and under challenged. He was a successful business owner, but diabetes presented it’s own difficulties. One diagnosis proved Kwon to be a fighter to be admired.

Kwon took up running and dropped his weight by about 60 pounds. Running became something of an obsession for Kwon who has participated in more than 100 marathons. However, no race to date held more personal interest than a recent trip from Los Angeles to New York.

The purpose of this trip was to raise awareness to the disease that is Type 2 diabetes. Kwon ran through rain, cold and heat averaging around 30 miles per day. For Kwon there were no days off.

Kwon made stops in large and small towns from Riverside, California to Meade, Kansas. Kwon discovered areas both largely urban and ultra rural. Resting each night in an RV. His wife provided the leg massages he needed to endure another long day on the road.

Often Kwon’s days started by 4 AM and he stopped running by 2 PM. This helped him avoid the hottest portion of any particular day. By the time the personal race was finished he held a news conference at the United Nations to talk about his trek and the need to be vigilant about diabetes.

Christopher McDougall is a fellow marathon enthusiast who followed Kwon’s journey with interest and even planned on joining him for a portion of the run. McDougall posted on his blog June 2nd, 2010, “Catch him while you can. Just check out his numbers: May 26, 34.01 miles; May 27, 34.01 miles; May 28, 34.04 miles…

Unreal.

“Yijoo Kwon, the 64-year-old diabetic who began beating his disease the day he began running, is still blazing across the U.S. on his solo transcontinental run. He expected to be back home in Queens by July 9, but he’s moving so fast, he’ll almost certainly be early. He’s in Ohio right now, but at an average pace of 34 miles a day, he won’t be for long.”

Kwon’s own website bears witness to the transformation that led to such an endurance runner, “At the age of 51, Mr. Kwon was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and was given an effective death sentence by doctors. The disease was an inevitable consequence from his unhealthy diet and sedentary lifestyle, and his future looked bleak. Mr. Kwon did not give up, however. He began walking, and little by little worked up to jogging and finally running. With sheer determination in the face of a potentially terminal illness, Mr. Kwon was able to fight his diabetes and claim back his life through running. These days, he runs several marathons a year and fully controls his diabetes through exercise and a healthy diet, without medication.”

While forgoing medication is not advocated in most instances Kwon was resolute in his determination to wage a lifelong war with the disease.

Kwon has indicated an interest in writing a book about his cross-country journey and how his own diabetes provided the motivation for the trek.

Breathe Your Way to Better Diabetic Health

In the same way asthmatics use rescue inhalers to reduce bronchial issues a new product may allow similar assistance for the symptoms of diabetes.

According to WebMD, Inhaled insulin proved to be as effective at lowering blood sugar levels as standard insulin injection treatment, and with minimal side effects, among patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes.

“Reporting in this week’s American Diabetes Association meeting and in The Lancet, researchers compared two approaches to managing type 2 diabetes among patients ages 18 to 80 from 10 different countries. The patients were nonsmokers and had poor control of blood sugar despite insulin therapy.”

There were just over 200 participants in this experimental distribution method while a slightly higher number of patients in the control group received standard diabetic treatment. At the end of the one-year study there were several findings that may be of interest to those living with diabetes.

Blood sugar levels were similar in the two groups; 22% of patients in the inhaled insulin/insulin glargine group reached a goal A1c level of 7% or less while 27% of those solely on insulin injections reached the goal.
Patients using the inhaler gained less weight — a major concern among diabetes patients. The inhaler group gained only an average of about 2 pounds, whereas the control group gained an average of about 5.5 pounds.
Patients using the inhaler had fewer episodes of hypoglycemia — a sudden drop in blood sugar — than those in the comparison group, occurring in 31% of patients on inhaled insulin/insulin glargine group vs. 49% of those in the insulin injection group.
Patients using the inhaler reported more side effects with coughing and upper respiratory infections. Most of the coughing occurred within the first 10 minutes of inhalation and primarily during the first week of treatment and declined as treatment continued.
Prior use of metformin, an oral drug commonly taken to manage blood sugar, did not affect results among the two groups of patients. (Source: WebMD)

Of particular interest is the fact that blood sugar was controlled more tightly when the inhaled insulin was used. Weight gain was less problematic with the inhaled insulin and hypoglycemia incidence was reduced.

On the other hand there were the side effects that caused some patients initial problems although it was noted those symptoms subsided following regular use.

WebMD quotes researcher Julio Rosenstock, MD as saying “Our findings show that inhaled insulin plus insulin glargine, alone or in combination with an oral antidiabetes drug such as metformin, is an effective alternative to conventional insulin therapy (biaspart insulin) in uncontrolled type 2 diabetes.”

In an effort to provide full disclosure WebMD further reported, “This research was funded by MannKind Corp., a California-based bio-pharmaceutical company that manufactures Technosphere, the inhaler device used to deliver the insulin in this study. MannKind is using Technosphere to administer an inhaled insulin drug called Afreszza, which has not yet been approved by the FDA.”

The primary voice of caution in this case has to do with the side effects of respiratory discomfort. Some in the field of medical science are concerned about the effects of this new distribution method on miniature air sacs in the lungs known as alveoli.

It’s a safe bet that more tests will follow to help determine if the findings can be replicated and to learn more about the potential side effects and how they may ultimately influence those who may choose to use this product should it become available.

The Facts on Prediabetes

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) suggests that a better understanding of what prediabetes is could help prevent the expansion of diabetes.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) suggests that a better understanding of what prediabetes is could help prevent the expansion of diabetes. Knowing what leads to diabetes can be a powerful tool of disease avoidance.

The following information was provided by the CDC to help identify issues related to prediabetes.

Prediabetes: Impaired glucose tolerance and impaired fasting glucose

Prediabetes is a condition in which individuals have blood glucose levels higher than normal but not high enough to be classified as diabetes. People with prediabetes have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

People with prediabetes have impaired fasting glucose (IFG) or impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). Some people have both IFG and IGT.
IFG is a condition in which the fasting blood sugar level is 100 to 125 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) after an overnight fast. This level is higher than normal but not high enough to be classified as diabetes.
IGT is a condition in which the blood sugar level is 140 to 199 mg/dL after a 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test. This level is higher than normal but not high enough to be classified as diabetes.
In 1988–1994, among U.S. adults aged 40–74 years, 33.8% had IFG, 15.4% had IGT, and 40.1% had prediabetes (IGT or IFG or both). More recent data for IFG, but not IGT, are available and are presented below.

Prevalence of impaired fasting glucose in people younger than 20 years of age, United States

• In 1999–2000, 7.0% of U.S. adolescents aged 12–19 years had IFG.

Prevalence of impaired fasting glucose in people aged 20 years or older, United States, 2007

In 2003–2006, 25.9% of U.S. adults aged 20 years or older had IFG (35.4% of adults aged 60 years or older). Applying this percentage to the entire U.S. population in 2007 yields an estimated 57 million American adults aged 20 years or older with IFG, suggesting that at least 57 million American adults had prediabetes in 2007.
After adjusting for population age and sex differences, IFG prevalence among U.S. adults aged 20 years or older in 2003–2006 was 21.1% for non-Hispanic blacks, 25.1% for non-Hispanic whites, and 26.1% for Mexican Americans.

Prevention or delay of diabetes

Progression to diabetes among those with prediabetes is not inevitable. Studies have shown that people with prediabetes who lose weight and increase their physical activity can prevent or delay diabetes and return their blood glucose levels to normal.
The Diabetes Prevention Program, a large prevention study of people at high risk for diabetes, showed that lifestyle intervention reduced developing diabetes by 58% during a 3-year period. The reduction was even greater, 71%, among adults aged 60 years or older.
Interventions to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes in individuals with prediabetes can be feasible and cost-effective. Research has found that lifestyle interventions are more cost-effective than medications.

The best news in this prediabetic information is that type 2 diabetes can be prevented through certain lifestyle adjustments. These adjustments can lead to a longer life and a significantly better quality of life.

This information is important as the number of undiagnosed diabetes continues to rise. Because a diabetic can have the disease the not know it until the disease is well entrenched it is important to know what signs to look for as an indicator of what you may need to do to avoid the disease.

A Natural Way To Control Diabetes

Many diabetics are now seeking to control their ailment through holistic methods. Natural herbal and vitamin remedies are replacing traditional therapy, and have consistently produced amazing effects. For centuries, herbal concoctions have had the ability to restore an otherwise lost balance to the body, rendering it possible to rely on its own healing capacity. Diabetics who partake in a regular regimen of herbs and vitamins have reported an improvement in their overall well-being. However, in combination with these natural remedies, patients need to carefully monitor blood sugar levels to assure that their disease is stabilized.

Herbal Remedies Can Play a Huge Role in Diabetes Management
There is a wide variety of herbal supplements that can be used in addition to healthy diabetic diet and lifestyle. Ongoing research and clinical trials have shown the positive effects that herbs and vitamins have on a typical diabetes patient, in addition to, a significant decrease in risks and complications. Although blood sugar levels are best regulated by a combination of both herbs and vitamins, taking each substance singularly has shown great improvement in diabetics as well.

The following herbs and vitamins have proven to be beneficial in the fight against diabetes:
Used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat diabetes, Asian Ginseng or Ginseng has been proven to produce a blood sugar lowering effect by heightening the release of insulin from the pancreas. Ginseng can also strengthen the immune system, as well as, lower blood pressure. This herb can be added to food or taken as a supplement.

Bilberry can lessen the risks of diabetic complications, primarily eye problems such as retinopathy and cataracts.

A traditional method used to treat diabetes, Stevia can have favorable effects on glucose tolerance. Referred to as “sweet leaf” or “sugar leaf,” Stevia is renowned for its sweet taste. In Japan, this herb is widely marketed as a sweetener and an alternative to sugar.

Cassia or Cinnamon has been proven to significantly lower blood glucose levels. Commonly used in cooking, Cinnamon can often be found in Chinese food.

Proven in clinical tests to stimulate insulin from the pancreas, Fenugreek has also been noted to lower blood sugar levels. Fenugreek seeds can be used as a spice, while the leaves are usually used as a herb. Fenugreek can also be consumed as a supplement.

Gymnema Sylvestre is an Ayuvedic herbal remedy that can assist Type II diabetics with insulin production. Gymnema has also been known to lower blood sugar in Type I and II diabetes.

The blood sugar lowering effect of Bitter Melon has been widely accepted as a herbal remedy for diabetes. The freshly squeezed juice or pulp of this unripe fruit has shown positive effects in Type I and II. Beware of over consumption, however. Too much of this juice can lead to stomach pain and diarrhea.

Aloe Vera, also known as “the healing herb,” is a traditional method used to treat diabetes. The sap and gel extracted from a dried aloe vera can assist in lowering fasting blood glucose levels.

There are also a number of vitamins that are used in the control and management of Type I and II diabetes. Vitamins C and E keep the kidneys healthy, and prevent further damage. Taken with Folic Acid, Vitamin B-6 assists in the prevention of nerve damage, and loss of limbs due to disease complications. Both Magnesium and Zinc relieve neuropathic discomfort, as well as, assist in the effectiveness of insulin. The frequency of consumption of both herbs and vitamins should be listed on the packaging and bottle. It is common practice for most herbal remedies to be taken at least two times per day. To truly determine how many times daily a herb can be used, it is advised to consult with your physician.

Together, you can devise a plan to effectively combat symptoms and complications of your particular case.

A Reversal of Vision Loss in Some Diabetics

One of the more common eye issue linked with diabetes is macular edema. This condition has typically been treated with laser eye surgery that can result in improved vision. However new research recently issued reveals that when surgery is combined with a specific drug therapy the results are significantly better causing some to suggest that the standard for diabetic eye care should be changed.

Retinal damage is a common problem with macular edema and can impact the future vision of the diabetic. While laser surgery has been a key player in vision restoration, the drug Lucentis has been shown to improve the ultimate result when administered during laser surgery.

Dr. Neil M. Bressler oversaw the study and told CTV.ca, “For the first time in 25 years, we have definitive proof that a new treatment can lead to better results for the eye health of people with diabetes. We expect the results of this study to have a major impact on how ophthalmologists treat macular edema in people with diabetes.”

According to MedicineNet.com macular edema is the, “Swelling of the retina in diabetes mellitus due to leaking of fluid from blood vessels within the macula. The macula is the central portion of the retina, a small area rich in cones, the specialized nerve endings that detect color and upon which daytime vision depends.

“As macular edema develops, blurring occurs in the middle or just to the side of the central visual field. Visual loss from diabetic macular edema can progress over a period of months and make it impossible to focus clearly.

“Macular edema in common in diabetes. The lifetime risk for diabetics to develop macular edema is about 10%. The condition is closely associated with the degree of diabetic retinopathy (retinal disease). Hypertension (high blood pressure) and fluid retention also increase the hydrostatic pressure within capillaries, which drives fluid from within the vessels into the retina.”

CTV.ca offers these findings; “Nearly 50 per cent of patients given eye injections of Lucentis along with laser treatments showed improvement in vision after a year of treatment, compared to just over a quarter of patients treated with laser alone.”

A derivative of the cancer drug Avastin, Lucentis has already shown promise in the more common optical disease, macular degeneration.

According to CTV.ca, “Researchers tested 691 patients with diabetic macular edema. They randomly received either laser treatment alone, laser plus Lucentis or laser plus another drug, a corticosteroid called Trivaris (triamcinolone). (Some had both eyes tested for a total of 850 eyes treated). The patients receiving Lucentis injections had eight or nine injections over the course of a year.

“The researchers found that those in the Lucentis treatment group showed greatly improved results, with no serious side-effects.”

The most noticeable results were discovered following two months of Lucentis therapy.

Perhaps the biggest hurdle in these findings is the current cost of Lucentis shots. Patients can expect to pay as much as $2,000 for each dose of the drug and multiple doses may be required over the course of a year. Lobbyists are already looking into ways to ask the government to make this procedure possible under Medicare laws then extend that benefit to those who already have health insurance policies.

For the purpose of this study Genentech, the maker of Lucentis, provided all medication necessary to complete the study.

Salt: An Unsuspecting Diabetic Culprit?

Table salt has been linked to hypertension (high blood pressure), but there may be another side to salt that can make it more ominous for those who either are or may become diabetic.

The reason this is a concern is based on the link of diabetes and obesity. Salt apparently plays a role in both hypertension and weight gain.

In a recent interview with HealthCastle.com Registered Dietitian and author Tammy Lakatos Shames provides some interesting connections with salt, “We used to always blame carbs or sugar or often whatever else it may be. And sure, these are partially responsible, but now we know that salt is playing a key role as well. First of all, salt makes us both hungrier and thirstier. But an interesting thing that most people don’t know that research shows that it actually makes your fat cells fatter.”

Salt is often used as a taste enhancer that can be used in self proclaimed moderation, but Shames indicates, “Most people don’t think they have a salt problem and the truth of the matter is, a large percentage of us are actually getting two to three times the salt that we actually should. So the bottom line is most of us do have a salt problem.”

Consumers may attempt to do the right thing by purchasing low sodium products and resisting the urge to put too much salt on our foods, but Shames says there may really only be one way to ensure a low salt diet, “Stick to really wholesome foods like fruits and vegetables, whole grains and beans. You have to keep in mind that even foods like bread contain a lot of salt.”

If you’re curious as to the most probable food offenders when it comes to salt Shames says, “Most of us know about the pickled foods but really it’s also those bacon, sausages, the processed meats are really high. Canned foods, processed foods too. Unfortunately, anytime you go to a restaurant or fast food restaurant, usually there is a lot of salt in there as well.”

Shames suggests that humans aren’t born with a taste for salt. This is acquired through diet, “Cut back the salt for about three weeks (21 days), your taste buds like other cells in your body turn over. So that salt that you used to really like, you no longer will like so much. In fact, we have seen this with clients of time and time again where they have salty foods and then they cut back on the salty foods. Then go back to adding salt back in their diet, and suddenly they can’t stand the salt and think that everything tastes too salty.”

Not surprisingly Shames points to processed foods as a primary culprit for excess dietary salt. When cooking fresh meat try adding spices instead of salt and work through small steps to eliminate one source of processed food each day, “Read the label. If you see a snack food that has 400 mg of sodium per serving, you know that it’s going to be too much when you should only be getting a maximum of 2300 mg of sodium a day,” said Shames.

Shames is the author of “The Secret to Skinny” in which she deals extensively with salt in our diets and effective ways to reduce its instance at both mealtimes and snacks.

Spaghetti Squash Parmesan

A low carb recipe for spaghetti squash parmesan.

Ingredients

1 Spaghetti Squash, Quartered
1 cup Water
1 1/2 cup Shredded Zucchini
1/2 cup Diced Tomato
1/3 cup Sliced Green Onions
4 tbsp. grated Parmesan Cheese
1 tbsp. Lemon Juice
1 tsp. Basil
1/4 tsp. Dill
1/4 tsp. Ground Black Pepper

Instructions

Place the squash, cut side up, in a Dutch oven. Add the water. Cover and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer for 13 to 17 minutes, or until squash fibers pull apart easily with a fork.
Remove the squash from the pan and drain well.
Scoop out and discard the seeds. Using 2 forks, fluff the flesh into strands.
In a steamer basket over simmering water, steam the zucchini, covered, for 3 minutes; remove from the heat.
Discard the cooking liquid from the Dutch oven and dry the pan well.
Add the squash, zucchini, tomatoes, and green onions to the pan. Stir in the Parmesan, lemon juice, basil, fill, and pepper. Toss well to coat with sauce. Cook 1 minute over medium-high heat.

5 Ways to Help Develop Diabetes

Are there habits you can embrace that place you more at risk for type 2 diabetes? According to one author the answer is a definitive, “Yes!”

Are there habits you can embrace that place you more at risk for diabetes? According to one author the answer is a definitive, “Yes!”

We all tend to understand there are habits that we can develop that can be helpful to long-term health, but according to Dr. Timothy Church, M.D there are things that we do as part of a ritual or habit that can place us in line with diabetes development.

Church spoke with abc15.com, a television station in Arizona. What follows is the list Church provided.

#5 BREAKFAST SKIPPER
A Harvard Medical School study found that people who eat breakfast were one-third less likely to be obese or have blood sugar problems, which increase the risk of developing diabetes, compared to those who skipped the meal.

#4 STRESSED OUT
Stressful situations can release hormones that will raise your blood sugar levels directly. For people with Type 2 diabetes, mental stress often raises blood glucose levels.

#3 NIGHT OWL
Suppression of slow-wave sleep, or “deep sleep,” in healthy young adults significantly decreases their ability to regulate blood-sugar levels and increases the risk of Type 2 diabetes according to researchers at the University of Chicago Medical Center.

#2 BEER BELLY
Weight is distributed differently on everyone. However, contrary to what most people think, it’s not what you weigh, it’s where you weigh that can increase your risk for diabetes. The amount of fat in the belly area can be a key indicator. A waist measurement larger that 35 inches for women and 40 inches for men constitute a high risk for diabetes.

#1 COUCH POTATO
Research has shown that physical activity can lower your blood sugar level and plays an important part in preventing Type 2 diabetes. A major government study, the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), showed that modest weight loss of 5 to 7 percent—for example, 10 to 15 pounds for a 200-pound person—can delay and possibly prevent Type 2 diabetes.

Church is the author of “Move Yourself” and he has a passion for eliminating reasons to develop diabetes. He suggests there are things you can do to help yourself. Again, from abc15.com we see a secondary list of helpful tips.

1. Move Yourself More
Whether you lose weight or not, any type of physical movement, or activity, lowers blood sugar and boosts your sensitivity to insulin — which helps keep your blood sugar within a normal range.

Church says if you just schedule 30 minutes of walking into your daily routine you’ll drastically reduce your risk to major diseases including diabetes.

2. Mulberry Before Big Meals
Chruch says blood sugar levels are at the highest and have the potential to cause substantial damages during the first 30 to 45 minutes after big meals.

You can counteract that with a traditional natural remedy: mulberry leaf extract.

Used by many cultures around the world for centuries, mulberry leaf extract is taken to reduce the rise in blood sugar that occurs after meals.

Evidence from multiple clinical studies show mulberry leaf extract can help with blood sugar maintenance.

3. Maintain a Healthy Weight
Weight is distributed differently on everyone. However, according to Dr. Church contrary to what most people think, it’s not what you weigh, it’s where you weigh that can increase your risk for diabetes.

The amount of fat in the belly area can be a key indicator.

A waist measurement larger that 35 inches for women and 40 inches for men constitute a high risk for diabetes.

Taking 10 minutes a day to log what you eat and manage your calorie intake can be critical. As little as a 5 percent weight reduction can make a difference in avoiding diabetes.