Share your tips for reducing sugar intake @
facebook.com/deliciouslivingmag
DIABETES LIFESTYLE EDUCATOR
Jennifer Pells, PhD, Wellspring at Structure House, Durham, North Carolina
Get moving. If you are overweight, have high cholesterol, or have a family history of diabetes, you’re at risk. You can lower that risk by up to 58 percent by losing 7 percent of your body weight, which means exercise is essential. Start with 30 minutes of brisk walking five to six times per week; then try low-impact workouts like biking or swimming.
Eat better. Reduce sugar intake to less than 6 teaspoons (24 grams) daily for women and less than 9 teaspoons (36 grams) per day for men. People at risk for prediabetes should follow a reduced-calorie and reduced-fat diet. Avoid trans fats and regulate high-caloric healthy fats from olive oil, nuts, and avocados.
Make measurable changes. Wear a pedometer to calculate daily movement, start a food journal, and download online applications that track your weight loss successes with graphs.
INTEGRATIVE PHYSICIAN Isaac Eliaz, PhD, Amitabha Medical Clinic, Sebastopol, California
Reduce stress. Chronic stress taxes the pancreas (the insulin-producing organ) and increases prediabetes risk. Honokiol, a magnolia bark extract, reduces stress and supports the pancreas by taming inflammation and oxidative stress. Take 250 mg twice per day with meals, for long-term use.
Choose the right fiber. Fiber slows sugar’s release into the bloodstream, allowing your body to use less insulin. Modified citrus pectin is a high-fiber, easily absorbed carbohydrate. Studies show it blocks the inflammatory compound galectin-3, which people predisposed to diabetes release when they eat sugar. Take 5 grams modified citrus pectin once daily.
Support immunity with mushrooms. People at risk for prediabetes have low immune function; plus, diabetes risk can increase with certain infections and diseases like pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas). Medicinal mushrooms safely support immunity; look for a supplement blend of maitake, cordyceps, and reishi. Take 2,000 to 3,000 mg daily for two months, and then reduce your intake to 1,000 mg per day for the long term.
WELLNESS COACH Jackie Keller, founding director, NutriFit, Los Angeles
Protect vegetables’ nutrients. Overcooking vegetables can deplete their essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber—which help slow sugar’s release into the bloodstream. Preserve nutrients by cooking them rapidly. Cut vegetables into small pieces, boil a pot of water, and blanch for three to five minutes, until slightly tender. Drain; then submerge in ice water to stop cooking. Or use a high-powered electric wok with 1 tablespoon safflower oil; the high heat sears the vegetables in minutes.
Use sugar alternatives. When baking, reduce sugar by half and replace the other half with natural, rich-texture alternatives like frozen fruit concentrates, date paste, or fruit purées. Tese contain fructose, which doesn’t stimulate insulin production the way glucose does. Avoid artificial sweeteners like sucralose (Splenda).
Arrange your plate. Fill half your plate at every meal with low-sugar, high-fiber fruit like berries or with nutrient-dense vegetables such as kale, carrots, and broccoli. Divide the other half between a complex carbohydrate like brown rice and lean protein such as chicken, tofu, or fish. Include one fruit or vegetable with every snack. If you fill up on healthful foods, you won’t be as likely to snack on carbohydrates and sweets.
july 2012 | deliciousliving 23
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48