Your Best Defense Against Diabetes

(CARLSBAD, CA) -- By now the general public is well versed on the hazards of diabetes. Type 2 diabetes increases a person’s risk of stroke, heart disease, kidney failure, blindness, nerve damage throughout the body (which can lead to loss of limbs), and premature death.

Despite the critical health risks, the rate of Type 2 diabetes continues to escalate. There are approximately 18.2 million diabetic Americans, according to a report released last by the American Diabetes Association, and nearly one-third remain unaware of their condition. About 40 million Americans over age 40 have pre-diabetes, or abnormally high blood sugar levels, which are a precursor to diabetes.

But diabetes doesn’t have to sneak up on you. You can take action to prevent the disease and preserve your good health by:

— Knowing your personal risk factors. If you have a family history of diabetes; are African-American, Hispanic, Native American or Pacific Islander; have given birth to a baby who weighs nine pounds or more or had gestational diabetes; or are overweight, you have an increased risk of developing diabetes.

— Watching your waistline. The size of your waist appears to have a direct correlation with your risk of diabetes. In a study of 27,000 U.S. men, the risk of diabetes was 70 percent greater in those whose waists measured more than 34 inches than those with smaller waists. The risk doubled at 36 inches, tripled at 38 inches and more than quadrupled above 40 inches. Other research indicates a similar trend for women, with the risk of diabetes increasing five times for women with a 36-inch waist as compared to women with a 26-inch waist.

— Eating appropriately. First the obvious, for optimal health fill your diet with fruits, vegetables and whole grain foods. Avoid processed foods high in refined sugars and flours, which break down quickly and raise blood sugar levels. Second, restrict your consumption of red meat. A team of Harvard Medical School-Brigham Women’s Hospital epidemiologists found that eating red and processed meats can raise a woman’s risk of diabetes by 30 percent. Finally, watch your portion sizes.

— Getting the right amount of sleep. Researchers at the Boston University School of Medicine looked at the sleep patterns of 722 men and 764 women between the ages of 53 and 93 and concluded that sleeping less than six or more than nine hours per night is associated with an increased prevalence of diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance. Their suggestion: get at least seven hours of sleep per night.

— Monitoring your blood glucose levels. Experts recommend getting your blood glucose checked every 3 years once you reach the age of 45, earlier if you have several risk factors. Your blood sugar levels should be under 100 milligrams per deciliter. If they fall between 100 and 125 mg/dL you are at risk and levels greater than 126 indicated full-blown diabetes.

— Exercising regularly. A single workout can drop sugar levels significantly. Regular exercise can help people with type 2 diabetes live longer, according to a study by the National Public Health Institute in Finland. Don’t know where to begin?  Just put on some music and dance around your living room! 

Try the following jump rope move to get started.  Don’t worry if you aren’t good at jumping rope – you don’t really need a jump rope to do the exercise.

Stand tall with your feet hip width apart, and your knees and toes pointing forward.  Bend your knees and take hold of your jump rope.  Jump over to the right, shifting most of your weight onto your right leg. Immediately jump over to the left. Continue jumping right and left until you feel like changing to another move.  For more intensity, jump higher and farther to the side.  For a lighter workout make your jumps smaller, or just shift your weight from foot to foot, bouncing instead of jumping.

Jazzercise, created by Judi Sheppard Missett, is the world's leading dance-fitness program with more than 6,800 instructors teaching 30,000 classes weekly in the U.S. and around the globe. Since 1969, millions of people of all ages and fitness levels have reaped the benefits of this comprehensive program, designed to enhance cardiovascular endurance, strength, and flexibility. For more information on Jazzercise go to jazzercise.com or call (800)FIT-IS-IT or (760)476-1750.

Courtesy of Jazzercise, Inc. - jazzercise.com