Diabetes, Weight Loss, Sleep Apnea and Lifestyle Changes
Low-Calorie Diets May Be Unhealthy
If you’re trying to lose weight, you may have thought about lowering your calorie intake and increasing your physical activity level. However, a recent study presented at the European Congress on Obesity has shown that eating too few calories can cause you to lose muscle mass. While the people in the study who ate less than 500 calories each day did lose weight, this turned out to be mostly water and muscle – not fat. Since muscle is very important for keeping your metabolism and blood glucose levels healthy, a very low-calorie diet is probably not a good idea.
Many Heart Attack Patients Unknowingly Have Diabetes
One major Diabetes complication is heart disease, which puts you at risk for having a heart attack. This is why it is so important to lose weight if you need to, maintain healthy blood glucose levels, and get plenty of physical activity. A recent study presented by the American Heart Association has found that many people hospitalized for heart attacks did not know they had Diabetes. This means they had unhealthy blood glucose and AIC levels, which can make it harder to recover from a heart attack. For this reason, it is important to see your healthcare provider regularly if you have a family member with Diabetes, is overweight, or has any other risk factor for Diabetes.
Lifestyle Changes Help Diabetics Reduce Depression And Live Better
People with Diabetes usually have two treatment options: medicine and lifestyle changes. Often, they will need both to control their weight and blood glucose levels, and to lower their risk for Diabetes complications. A recent study from the University of Pennsylvania has found that intensive lifestyle changes, including help from Diabetes educators, helped almost 5,000 diabetics reduce symptoms of depression and improve their physical health. This study should help people with Diabetes stay positive about getting enough exercise and eating well. There are many benefits to a healthy lifestyle, even if you don’t notice them immediately.
The Best Way To Get Kids To Eat More Vegetables
Eating plenty of healthy foods is just as important for kids as it is for adults. Vegetables, which provide plenty of fiber, vitamins and minerals, can help children avoid getting Type-2 Diabetes later in life. But parents often say that it’s too hard to get their children to eat vegetables. A new study from the University of Leeds in England may have the answer. The researchers found that giving a child the same vegetable 5 to 10 times before they are 2 years old can make a big difference. This way, they are much more likely to enjoy a wide variety of produce as they grow up.
Trying To Lose Weight? Skipping Breakfast May Not Matter
Health and nutrition experts used to tell people struggling with obesity to make sure they ate breakfast every day. It was a common belief that skipping breakfast can cause people to gain weight, or to have trouble losing weight. But the results of a small study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition show that whether or not you eat breakfast makes no difference in how much weight you lose. Bigger studies are needed to see if these results hold up, but for now, the researchers stress that what you eat is more important than when you eat.
Sleeping At The Wrong Time Can Raise Inflammation And Lower Insulin Sensitivity
You probably know that getting enough sleep is important for your health. Sleep gives you energy, boosts your immune system and can even help you control your mood. But did you know that sleeping at the wrong time can put you at risk for Type-2 Diabetes – or make your Diabetes symptoms worse – even if you get enough sleep? A recent study found that men who slept during the day instead of at night had double the risk of increasing their inflammation levels and reducing their sensitivity to insulin. This means they had a higher risk of heart disease, depression, and poor blood glucose control, among many other problems. This study shows how important it is to sleep at night as often as you can.
Weight-Loss Surgery May Be Best For Diabetes And Obesity
Two small studies funded by the National Institutes of Health have found that weight loss surgeries, including gastric bypass and gastric banding, were most effective at helping people lose weight and control their diabetes. Unlike with diet, exercise and medicines alone, almost 20% of people who had weight-loss surgery saw their Type-2 Diabetes disappear. People in the surgery group also improved their cholesterol and blood pressure levels quicker than those who only made lifestyle changes. More studies are needed, but researchers now suggest that weight-loss surgery may be the best choice for people who are very obese and have Diabetes.
Sleep Apnea Could Be A Risk Factor For Type-2 Diabetes
Health experts have known for many years that Sleep Apnea, a condition in which a person stops breathing during sleep, has ties to Type 2 Diabetes. A recent study from the University of Toronto in Canada looked at over 8,000 people with mild to severe Sleep Apnea and found that the condition is connected to developing Diabetes later in life. This means that if you have Sleep Apnea, or think you might, it is very important to see your healthcare provider and get treatment to lower your risk for Diabetes.
Friendly Bacteria Might Help People With Liver Disease
Researchers have been studying the possible health benefits of Probiotics – friendly bacteria that help you digest food and fight off infections, among many other tasks. Now, a new study published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology has shown that taking Probiotic supplements can help people with serious liver disease live longer and healthier lives. More studies are needed to confirm these results, but in the meantime, there does not seem to be any bad side-effects to eating more Probiotic foods. These foods include Yogurt and pickled vegetables.