We hope everyone had a safe and happy Halloween!! As we gear up to prepare for two of the most favorite eating holidays of the year: Thanksgiving and Christmas, we at Wellness Express would like to take a moment to recognize November as National Diabetes Month and remind people to stay active through the holiday season. Because while there’s nothing wrong with a second helping of grandma’s famous Honey glazed turkey and cornbread stuffing if you’re exercising regularly, the holidays are the number one time of year when people get off track from their diet and exercise regiments.
Prevention
The easiest way to prevent type two diabetes is to maintain a healthy weight through diet and exercise. Being even a little overweight can increase your chances for getting type 2 diabetes. If you think you may be at risk, the American Diabetes Association has a quick Risk test you can take that measures factors like family history, lifestyle, weight, and height, among other things. It takes about two minutes and rates you on a scale from 1 to 10. But keep in mind that only your doctor can truly assess your actual risk.
Foe those of you who have already been diagnosed, or who are looking to lower your risk, the American Diabetes Association has a link on their website to MyFoodAdvisor, which supplies healthy recipes in a free newsletter. All you have to do is sign up. The first recipe, a Cilantro Lime Roasted Chicken has 130 calories per serving, with 18 grams of protein and only 4.5 grams of fat. The entire meal costs 9.89, and the recipe can be found here http://www.diabetes.org/mfa-recipes/log-in/recipes-for-healthy-living.html?loc=rr-eng_rfhl_nov2014.
So as you look to enjoy your holiday season, eat smart and continue to exercise in order to reduce the risk of type two diabetes for yourself or your family.
For further information, check out the American Diabetes Association Website: http://www.diabetes.org/in-my-community/american-diabetes-month.html