June 2011
Congratulations to the Life in Balance Sweepstakes Winners!
We're pleased to announce the 13 lucky winners of the Glucerna® Life in Balance sweepstakes.
Each winner will receive his or her own personal support team for six months, including:
- A personal life coach
- A certified diabetes educator
- A fitness trainer
- A registered dietitian
- Plus, plenty of delicious Glucerna products — perfect to help give our winners a nutritious start!
Introducing.....
June 2011
Vital Vitamins
The human body needs more than just calories to survive. It also needs a complex mixture of vitamins and minerals called micronutrients. Micronutrients are essential and need to be consumed in the diet because the body cannot make them.
Nutrients work together in a delicate balance to keep the body working normally. It’s important to remember that more is not always better when it comes to nutrient supplements. For example, taking too much of one nutrient cannot substitute for missing the recommended amount of another. Also, taking more of a supplement than is recommended can interfere with how other nutrients work in the body...
June 2011
Healthy Summertime Grill Out
It's time to kick back, relax, and fire up the grill for a summer picnic. Summertime is the perfect time to take advantage of the bounty of seasonal foods and add flavor to your favorite dishes while eating healthfully. Try these scrumptious ideas at your next grill out.
Perk Up Your Protein
Herbs, spices, and light marinades are a tasty addition to grilling lean meats, poultry, and pork on the grill.
- Choose lean cuts of meat with the lowest percentage of fat, like top round, sirloin, tenderloin, and top loin.
- Prior to grilling, trim visible fat from meats and cut large portions of meat into smaller portion sizes. The size of a deck of cards is a good meat portion...
June 2011
Traveling With Diabetic Supplies
Check out these tips for traveling with your diabetes medications and insulin:
- Consult your health care team and pharmacist to determine how to carry insulin and other medications that require refrigeration.
- Use a small, insulated lunch bag with an ice pack to carry your supplies, especially for long trips.
- Look for a miniature needle or lancet disposal box that fits into the bag/pack in which you are carrying insulin, syringes, and lancets...
June 2011
Cardio Activities for People With Diabetes
When it comes to cardio activities, the options are limitless. Delve into one of the aerobic exercises in this list from SparkPeople®. Remember to consult your health care professional before beginning any fitness program.
Note: If you are having chest pains or discomfort while exercising, stop immediately and consult your physician.
June 2011
How to Eat Right With Diabetes
If you’ve recently been diagnosed with diabetes, you may wonder what food choices you should make. You’ll be happy to know that many foods can fit into a diabetes meal plan.
When planning your daily meals and snacks, it’s important to choose more healthful options, like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, non-fat dairy products, beans, and lean meats.
Divide Portions and "Rate Your Plate"
When planning your meals, it may be helpful to "Rate Your Plate" as the American Diabetes Association® states. A quick way to be sure you're consuming a variety of healthy foods is to draw an imaginary line through the center of your plate. Then draw a line to divide one of those sections into two...
June 2011
The Early Stages of Type 2 Diabetes
Understanding Insulin and Insulin Resistance
The human body is not meant to have high levels of circulating insulin. High insulin levels may keep blood sugar levels normal, or near normal; but in some people, the potential damage to health can be significant.
Some of the problems that occur when a person has high circulating levels of insulin and insulin resistance include:
- Triglyceride levels increase...
June 2011
Make Safe Exercise a Priority
For people with diabetes, checking blood sugar levels before exercise is the most essential step in an exercise routine. Lower blood sugar can occur as quickly as two days after beginning a new exercise plan, especially if you exercise vigorously. This is one of the benefits of exercise.
During the first three weeks of a new exercise routine, it’s recommended that you monitor blood sugar more frequently than normal. Keep a log of glucose levels and share the changes with your health care team. Changes to a diabetes care plan might be needed to accommodate the exercise, such as taking fewer pills or adjusting insulin dosage...
June 2011
When to Check Your Blood Sugar
While each person's blood sugar testing schedule is slightly different, many people test at common points during the day. Here are some examples of when people test and the conditions under which most people are advised to test:
- Fasting blood sugar testing: This test is done in the morning upon waking, before eating or drinking anything, before exercising, and before taking oral anti-hyperglycemic medications or insulin.
- Pre-meal testing: Some people test their glucose just before eating, especially if they use short-acting insulin or pre-meal pills to control glucose...
June 2011
What Causes Type 2 Diabetes?
If you or a loved one has type 2 diabetes, you might be wondering why the disease has seemingly occurred suddenly. You've probably heard all sorts of explanations about the causes of diabetes. Let's examine some of these risk factors.
Genetics
Everyone is born with a certain set of genes that defines many of their physical characteristics, from hair and eye color to their risk for certain diseases. Some people have a genetic predisposition, or family tendency, to developing type 2 diabetes.Race
People of certain races, including Hispanics, African Americans, and Native Americans, have a much higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes...
June 2011
Find Balance Any Time of Day on the New Glucerna.com
You’re always on the go — so you need a trusted partner that can keep up. Introducing the new Glucerna.com, where you’ll find expert resources and tips to keep diabetes and life in balance.
Take the Guesswork Out of Eating Right
- Not sure where to start? Discover Diabetes Nutrition Basics.
- Looking to lose weight? Learn the ins and outs of Diabetes and Weight Loss.
- Need some nutritious mealtime ideas? Find them in our Meal Plan Starter Kit...
June 2011
Glucerna® and SparkPeople® Team Up to Battle Weight Loss
Glucerna is proud to partner with SparkPeople to help people with diabetes reach their weight loss goals and live healthier lives.
SparkPeople is an online community that aims to help people transition from dieting to a permanent, healthy lifestyle. They provide support and a wide range of fitness and nutrition tools — 100% free of charge!
Here are a few of the great resources you can take advantage of at SparkPeople.com:
June 2011
Why Are People With Diabetes More at Risk for Heart Disease?
Did you know that a person with diabetes has the same risk for heart disease as someone who has already had a heart attack? People with diabetes are two to four times more likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke than people without the disease. Fortunately, you can decrease that risk by making certain lifestyle changes.
Diabetes alters your body functions and changes how hard your heart works by worsening the composition of fats in the blood, including bad cholesterol (LDL), good cholesterol (HDL), and triglycerides, and causing arteries to become thick and stiff. This hardening of the arteries can happen earlier in people with diabetes. The condition makes the heart work harder, affects blood pressure and circulation, and can lead to heart attack or stroke...
June 2011
10 Secrets to Exercising and Staying Motivated
If you have diabetes, daily physical activity can help manage your blood sugar levels and help you achieve weight loss. Being active also feels good and doesn’t have to be time-consuming or difficult. Be sure to consult with your health care professional before beginning an exercise program.
Check out our top 10 ways to add activity to your life:
- Start slowly. Fifteen minutes of physical activity daily is enough for a beginner. Gradually work up to more strenuous exercise for longer periods of time. Consult your health care professional for guidance.
- Take a class. Try something new. Your budding interest in the new activity is likely to motivate you...
June 2011
How Stress Affects Blood Sugar Levels
Two types of stress can change blood sugar levels:
- Physical stress
- Mental or emotional stress
Each type of stress affects blood sugar levels differently. Physical stress generally causes blood sugar levels to increase. Physical stress includes:
- Illness
- Surgery
- Injury
Mental or emotional stress has mixed effects, depending on the type of diabetes you have:
- Type 1 diabetes: Mental stress can increase or decrease blood sugar levels...
