Health Blog
Are You at Risk for Type 2 Diabetes?
This Living Well With Diabetes Blog is dedicated to several of my friends and family - May God Bless you all with this important message!
Visit the Recipe Page for Constance's delicious gumbo recipe.
By
Constance Brown-Riggs, MSEd, RD, CDE, CDN
Spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association
Author of
The African American Guide To Living Well With Diabetes, New Page Books, July 2010
Turn on the TV and flip channels for a while. Eventually, you’re going to come across late breaking news or a commercial about diabetes. In America, almost 26 million people are quietly living with diabetes and of that number 4 million are African American. Compounding the problem, approximately 7 million people don’t know they have diabetes, putting them at risk for heart disease, blindness, amputation, kidney disease and death. The good news is that with early diagnosis these complications can be prevented – that’s why it’s important to know the risk factors for diabetes.
Diabetes most often occurs in people who:
• Are older than age 40
• Are overweight or physically inactive
• Have a family history of diabetes
• Have a history of diabetes during pregnancy
• Have given birth to a baby who weight more than 9 pounds
• Are African-American, Latino American, or American Indian
• Have impaired glucose tolerance
• Have high blood pressure or high blood fats
If you are African American and have one of the risk factors above, that makes you a prime candidate for diabetes – and you have some of the symptoms that follow, you should definitely see your healthcare provider to have your blood sugar checked.
Symptoms of diabetes include:
• Increased thirst
• Extreme hunger
• Frequent urination
• Feeling tired
• Itchy or dry skin
• Slow-healing cuts or sores
• More infections than usual
• Tingling or numbness in hands or feet
• Unexplained weight loss
• Sudden vision changes
You can also read more on Constance Brown Riggs at eatingsoulfully.com.
Stay tuned for my podcast with Constance.
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DENNIS GROUNDS' STRESS FREE TIPS
Beat the Stress: Pressure and stress are feelings that are manufactured. Notice when these feelings are present and simply stop where you are. Take a breath and ask yourself what would serve you best in this instance. Then do it. You choose to allow stress. So, you can choose when to not allow it.
Family: Your family has known you for a long time. Just because you’ve achieved X, Y and Z, it doesn’t mean your family has forgotten your failures in the past. Or perhaps you have not accomplished what you said you would. This can lead to spoken or unspoken judgment and it’s easy to resort to protective and defensive habits around your family. Instead, do what works for you. If it works to stay around them, great. If not, who says you have to spend ten hours with your family when you only have tolerance for two?
Travel: Travel can be grim. Just look around at peoples’ faces when traveling. Everyone is pressing forward to a place they would rather be (or not be). Take the time to travel slowly and enjoy the people around you. Stop for a moment and enjoy the view. Pack and eat healthy along the way. Take care not to miss the value of our ability to enjoy travel in a variety of ways: ships, airplanes, cars, etc.
Shopping: Shopping under stress be deadly to your mood and your bank account. Be conscious of what you’re shopping for and avoid the seductive nature of “shiny” things. Don’t buy gifts because you should or have to. Remember that it’s the thought that counts. For more advice from Dennis log on to: www.traininggroundsforlife.com
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UPPER BODY OFFICE EXERCISES
By YMCA Certified Fitness Instructor & Personal Trainer - Janet Shields Scott
Pushups are a great way to strengthen your arms, upper back and chest.
Start with your body and arms positioned close to the wall as pictured.
Next, push your body away from the wall, using your the weight of your body.
Work up to 50 reps a day, you'll feel stronger and be proud of the results. Of course you must also watch what you eat. Check with your doctor before starting any workout routine.
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OFFICE STRESS RELIEVING STRETCHES
Model: Adam Myers, Honor Student at Purdue University
Has leaning over your desk working on your computer all day caused you upper back tension? Then, these exercises are for you. One simple thing you can do daily to relieve back tension is to sit up with your back in an upright position. Try the following stretches for additional relief.
1. First, sit up straight. Relax your right arm as you lift it directly across your chest as pictured. Next, take your left hand and press your palm against the elbow of your right arm pushing into your chest until you feel a stretch in your upper back. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds while taking slow deep breaths thru your nose and blow out slowly thru your mouth. Repeat on the other side.
Relax, and enjoy your day!
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TONY DUNGY; FIRST BLACK SUPER-BOWL COACH & FAMILY FITNESS
With this Health Blog I wanted to combine fitness with Black History Month, so take a look... I was excited about getting the opportunity to speak with former Indianapolis Colts Head Coach Tony Dungy. After all, he is the first African American head coach to win a Super Bowl Game. In a stunning upset beating the Chicago Bears, February 2007, Coach Dungy and the Colts clinched the Super Bowl title. Previously, in Dec. 2005, Coach Dungy displayed a remarkable 'Quiet Strength' while moving forward with his life as the world watched the personal tragedy of him morning the loss of his teenage son, James Dungy to a fatal suicide. Coach Dungy pens his life’s lessons in his best selling book Quiet Strength: The Principles, Practices, Priorities Of A Winning Life. Coach Dungy explained that prayer and working out helps him to stay focused while he contemplates the heavy challenges in life. “ When I need to think about things I go walking alone,” said the devoted husband and father of six kids. He went on to say, “My wife Lauren and I do a lot of activities with the kids. In the summer, we go bike riding with the kids for about five or six miles almost everyday. When Lauren and I go together we’ll bike for eight to ten miles.” Perhaps, we can all learn something from Coach Tony Dungy's experience. Whatever the case, good health, nutrition, prayer and meditation can make all the difference in how we lead our lives. If you find it hard to adapt a healthy lifestyle, enlist someone with the same fitness and nutrition goals to help you stay focused.
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INCREASE YOUR STAMINA & STRENGTHEN YOUR UPPER BODY!
As I started writing this blog I was trying to figure out how I would contribute to helping my readers in the New Year - This is what I came up with, please give me your feed back... Increase your stamina and revitalize your inner spirit with an energizing workout. Before you start your transformation with a exercise and diet program inform your doctor. Listed are a few easy steps to get you started.
1. Park your car far away from your destination and walk, if you don’t have time for a workout.
2. Do 10 pushups on the stairs or wall to build upper body strength.
3. Walk up and down the stairs 10 times consecutively to firm your lower body and to challenge your heart muscle.
4. Squeeze your stomach and butt muscles 20 times each standing in line at the bank or while sitting at your desk.
5. Take a 15 minute office break to burn a few calories toning and tightening your upper body with the portable Spin Gym.
The small half pound workout device packs conveniently in your brief case or travel bag for a satisfying workout on the go. A 5 to 7 minute workout with the Spin Gym will slightly rev-up your mind and body senses.
The Spin Gym comes with a carrying case and a complete instructional DVD. Go to myspingym.com to get the real 'skinny'.
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CEO & Swim Pro Agnes Davis' Water Survival Tips
Watch Agnes Davis Interview Live on JanetFitBeautyNewsTV/Youtube: https://youtu.be/x4RmXchwGg8
Pro swim instructor Agnes Davis comes highly recommended. Her specialty is teaching special needs children how to swim. Davis says that there are an alarming number of adults that don't know how to swim. Listed below are a few safety survival tips. Click the link above to watch our informative interview.
1)Don’t panic. Floating on one’s back and treading water are great survival techniques; this allows the swimmer to conserve energy and be in a position to signal for help
2) Don’t dive into water. It’s dangerous since you can’t see the bottom of the water, and accidents can happen including serious spinal injury
3) Trust the help. Lifeguards are an important part of water safety. Only swim where lifeguards are present
4) Get a buddy. Swimming is more fun when you have a partner, please don’t swim alone
5) Invest in lessons. Swimming lessons, as noted by the Center of Disease Control, is the best prevention against drowning and staying safe
For additional information about swim swim swim I SAY (www.swimswimswimisay.com), and to book Agnes Davis as a speaker or schedule an interview, contact Karen Taylor Bass, kt@taylormademediapr.com, 917-509-3061.