If You Do Only One Thing…Move!
Exercise at Work
Share the Health
Lose Weight With a Buddy
Fitness and Diabetes
Portioning Facts
The Power of a Pedometer
Healthy Snacking
Vitamin D and Your Bones
Trans-Fat Primer
Pace Your Eating
Food Goals in Simple Terms
Chicken vs Beef

If You Do Only One Thing…Move!

Exercise in any form can be pretty powerful. That's what Australian researchers found when they reviewed data from 14 studies involving 377 participants with type 2 diabetes. No matter how long, how often, or how hard participants worked out, their blood sugar control improved. Overall, any amount of exercise improved A1C levels an average of 30%. It also burned fat and reduced levels of heart-damaging triglycerides. Check out 30 Ways to Reach 30 Minutes of Exercise.

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Exercise at Work

Exercise has lots of benefits for your body, such as controlling your weight and helping your heart. Now researchers say you can add better work performance and relationships with coworkers to the list. Researchers at Leeds Metropolitan University in England asked 210 workers to rate their quality of work, mental performance, and time management on days when they exercised and on days when they did not. Sixty-five percent reported higher ratings in all 3 areas on exercise days. For a boost, try devoting part of your lunch break to walking.

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Share the Health

Each time you take a small step toward healthier habits, invite your mate along for the walk. A study found that spouses of people with type 2 diabetes have a significantly increased risk of developing the disease themselves. The likely reason? Husbands and wives often share similar styles of eating and activity. So whenever you can, make healthy meals and active choices a whole-family affair.

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Lose Weight With a Buddy

Lost weight and looking to keep it off? According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, you'll be more successful if you meet regularly with other people who are trying to maintain their weight loss. The study followed 314 adults (divided into 3 groups) who had lost at least 10% of their body weight over the past 2 years. One group met face-to-face every month, one held online meetings, and one held no meetings. After 18 months, those who met in person had an average weight gain of only 5.5 pounds, compared with 10 pounds in the Internet group and 11 pounds in the group who did not meet at all. Check with your local hospital to see what support groups they offer.

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Fitness and Diabetes

Not convinced that fitness can play a role in your diabetes control? In a Duke University research study, 14 measures of health—including insulin levels—got significantly worse after 6 months of a sedentary lifestyle in otherwise healthy adults. Yet people who walked about 30 minutes a day (adding up to roughly 12 miles a week) were able to halt and in some cases reverse this downward health spiral.

A separate study found that just 25 minutes a day of moderate exercise, such as brisk walking, was enough to significantly improve insulin sensitivity. Not to mention the benefits for your waistline. Learn about some easy ways to fit in 30 minutes of activity a day.

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Portioning Facts

The portion sizes that we tend to choose are not only much larger than government-recommended portion sizes but are also much larger than the portion sizes that people chose 20 years ago, according to a recent study. It's smart to check nutritional facts on labels and menus. But if you need to guess, here are some visual cues to help:

• 3 oz meat or poultry = a deck of cards
• 3 oz fish = a checkbook
• 1 oz cheese = 4 dice
• 1 cup pasta or veggies = a tennis ball
• 1/4 cup dried fruit = a golf ball
• 1 tsp butter or margarine = tip of your thumb
• 2 Tbsp mayonnaise, oil, or dip = ping-pong ball

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The Power of a Pedometer

You've seen them in sports stores and even in McDonald's: pedometers—matchbook-sized devices that measure the number of steps you take. And research shows that it's worth getting one. One study found that people with type 2 diabetes who walked 10,000 steps a day 5 or more days a week for 6 weeks increased their levels of HDL (good) cholesterol and their overall metabolism rates. Participants using the pedometer upped their physical activity level by 69% compared with the participants who had no increase in activity level.

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Healthy Snacking

Think a late-night snack won't hurt? A study published in Diabetes Care found that people with diabetes (types 1 and 2) who got more than 25% of their calories at night were significantly more likely to be depressed and to eat in response to emotional triggers—such as anger, sadness, loneliness, and worry—than people who weren't night eaters. They were also more likely to be obese, to have high A1C levels, and to have diabetes-related complications. If your snack cabinet or refrigerator beckons after dinner, talk with your doctor. You may benefit from stress reduction techniques or dietary counseling. When you need to nosh at night, aim to keep portions under control. Here are some smart snacks to have on hand:

• Low-sugar or plain yogurt
• High-fiber cereal with low-fat milk
• Whole grain crackers
• Mini boxes of raisins
• Single-serving containers of low-sugar puddings and gelatin

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Vitamin D and Your Bones

Vitamin D is vital for strong bones. But a study published in Diabetes Care found that about 60% of patients with type 2 diabetes may be vitamin D deficient. The recommended intake?

• Ages 19 to 50: 200 IU
• Ages 51 to 70: 400 IU
• After age 70: 600 IU

How to get more vitamin D: Check labels—some multivitamins and calcium supplements contain vitamin D. You can also find it in foods that are natural sources of the vitamin or that are fortified with the vitamin, including:

• Cod-liver oil (1 Tbsp): 1,360 IU
• Salmon (3½ oz, cooked): 360 IU
• Low-fat milk (1 cup): 98 IU

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Trans-Fat Primer

Last December, New York became the first US city to ban most trans fats (artificially produced fats) from its restaurants. Diabetes researchers couldn't agree more with the move: The ban is a step in the right direction for people with diabetes as well as for those without. In a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that followed 84,000 middle-aged women over a period of 14 years, the researchers found that removing most trans fats from the diet reduced the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. And in a report from the Harvard School of Public Health, it was estimated that eliminating trans fats from the national diet would prevent at least 30,000 heart disease–related deaths a year.

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Pace Your Eating

Researchers have suspected for decades that taking the slow lane when it comes to eating could help us feel full with less food. Now a study supports the theory. Thirty women were asked to eat meals on 2 different occasions. The first time they were asked to eat a pasta dish without pausing between bites; they averaged 646 calories in 9 minutes. The second time they were served the same meal but asked to put their forks down between bites; they averaged 579 calories in 29 minutes. Plus, the second group reported a high level of satiety (or feeling full) right after the meal and even an hour later. Experts say eating at a slower pace allows our appetite control adequate time to recognize the food we've just consumed—a process that can take 20 minutes.

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Food Goals in Simple Terms

Updated guidelines from the American Diabetes Association can help you make smart food choices. The recommendations include the following:

• Get carbs from fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and low-fat milk.
• Choose foods high in fiber.
• Limit saturated fat to less than 7% of your total daily calories.
• Limit dietary cholesterol to less than 200 mg per day.
• Get 2 or more servings of fish (not fried) per week.

For more information, visit diabetes.org or call 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383).

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Chicken vs Beef

Replacing red meat with chicken could reduce your risk of developing kidney disease, which affects about 40 percent of people with diabetes.

A small study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that this simple switch significantly reduced urinary levels of a protein linked to kidney disease in 17 patients with type 2 diabetes who were already at high risk of kidney disease. Although the research is preliminary, it isn't a bad idea to reduce your intake of red meat. Check with your doctor for dietary recommendations, and make sure that you choose chicken that is broiled or baked, not fried.

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