If you are of a similar age to me, you entered your adult years with advertising and slogans shouting out at us to lower the fat intake in our diets. We became accustomed to thinking that if we grabbed everything with the right label, namely “low-fat”, we would either lose weight – or not gain any weight – and be totally healthy.  The truth is, a shortage of the right fats can make us significantly unhealthy.  New thinking  has shown us that fats like Omega 3s (along with Omega 6s - also called Essential Fatty Acids or EFAs) are “essential to our survival”.  Research has shown that Omega 3 Fatty Acids can help in the prevention of a long list of illnesses, including: diabetes, heart disease, arthritis and high blood pressure, while also protecting our musculoskeletal, intestinal and immune systems.   Adding to this – we have learned that proper intake of EFA’s – particularly Omega 3s – can actually help in weight control and weight management.

Counterbalance the “Bad Fats”, Increase Metabolism and Burn Body Fat

The best Omega 3 sources (according to the American Heart Association) are from seafood like salmon, anchovies, mackerel, and herring – what I think of as the “cold-water” or “darker fish”.  Omega 3s are also found in flax, pumpkin & hemp seeds, walnuts, eggs, and canola oil.  We think of these as the “good fats”, while the Omega 6s (from corn, soybean oils, etc.)  are sometimes called the “bad fats”.  There was a time, many years ago, when the ratio of the intake of Omega 3s to Omega 6s in our diets was about 1:1.  Studies now indicate that the average American diet currently has a ratio of closer to 1 (Omega 3s) : 20 (Omega 6s) !   Most (but not all of us) tend to favor fast, packaged, fried foods high in hydrogenated oils and animal fats.  It is this imbalance of oils in our systems that can set the stage for some very bad health issues, not least of which is fat storage – and ultimately weight gain.  Among a long list of symptoms, an imbalance of EFAs can also contribute to a greater risk of blood clotting, increasing the risk of heart attacks and strokes.  Additional new studies discuss the idea that proper Omega 3 amounts can actually “counterbalance” the disturbing ratio of Omega 6s, while also helping us to burn more body fat.   By “repelling” the stickiness of the Omega 6s, Omega 3s fight harmful fat deposits in our body fat.  A great study led by Dr. Peter Howe in Australia found that along with exercise, Omega 3 fatty acids can switch on enzymes specifically involved in the oxidizing or burning of fat.  With exercise as the “driver” it can increase the metabolic rate in order to lower body fat.  This team also found that Omega 3s can protect blood vessel walls by increasing their elasticity and improving dilation – enabling a better flow of nutrients to the muscles – which can increase the body’s ability to burn more fat. Fish Oils help to increase the oxidation of fat within the fat cells. Another interesting study by Takaya Mori, found in the 2007 Journal of Nutrition, looked at the impact of Omega 3s on weight control and found that mice given fish oils experienced significant increases in fat metabolism.  Omega 3s are “anti-lipogenic”, meaning they help us to burn fat faster by blocking fat storage in our bodies and increasing our metabolic rate, thus benefiting weight control.  And there’s more….

Reduce Chronic Inflammation

Additional evidence has revealed that low blood levels of Omega 3s have been found to be associated with chronic inflammation in our systems. By increasing Omega 3s we can encourage the production of chemicals to reverse and control inflammation. Our bodies need these essential fats in order to produce hormones and prostaglandins (which are chemical messengers within our bodies), they also help us to rebuild and produce new cells.  Chronic Inflammation, as we know, can lead to many serious health problems and, for me, it has often been the precursor to weight control issues I’ve struggled with over the years.

Regulate Insulin Levels

Supplementing your diet with Omega 3s can beneficially impact your insulin levels throughout the day.  High insulin levels creates an environment that is hard for your body to use fat for fuel, thus contributing to stored body fat.  We also know that keeping insulin levels balanced through healthy diets helps to avoid adult onset diabetes.

Maintain Healthy Cortisol Levels, Raise Serotonin and Help your Liver

We have also learned that Omega 3 fatty acids can help with weight management by helping control the fat-storage stress hormone “cortisol” in our bodies. Studies have shown that conditions that increase cortisol levels can increase fat accretion.  Additionally, adding Omega 3 to your diet can raise levels of serotonin, a chemical that helps to make us feel happy, satisfied and decreases the appetite.  Who wouldn’t agree… when we feel better, we tend to take better care of ourselves!  And lastly, Omega 3s have been shown to improve liver function – that vital part of our bodies we know of as our “fat management organ”.   Leaning toward a more “Mediterranean” diet, rich in colorful, whole foods can help in raising the Omega 3s in our diets, helping weight management – but in our busy lives, this is not always possible on a daily basis.  Supplementation of Omega 3s is a great way to ensure that you are getting that added amount to make you feel better and live a healthier life.  Because our bodies cannot produce EFA’s, we must add them to our diets.  Nutrition expert Julia Ross writes that we would need to eat fish 5 times a week in order to get enough of the Omega 3 we need.

Remember, before beginning any new supplement program, it is always advisable to check with your healthcare professional.  Just as we discussed the importance of a balanced ratio of the Omega 3s to Omega 6s, we must all work on balance throughout every aspect of our lives.  Balance & harmony in our bodies and our minds will ultimately be the “magic pill” that will make us feel better, control our weight, and live longer, healthier lives.

Recently, we had the pleasure of sitting down with Mitzi Dulan, Registered Dietician and nationally recognized nutrition and wellness expert who has inspired millions to lose weight and get fit.   Mitzi is currently the team nutritionist for the Kansas City Royals Baseball Team and co-author of The All-Pro Diet: Lose Fat, Build Muscle, and Live Like a Champion with NFL future Hall-of-Famer Tony Gonzalez, helping people learn how to eat clean to get lean.

Mitzi is also an internationally sought after media source for trusted nutrition and wellness information.  She has regularly appeared on FOX News Channel and on The Dr Oz Show, CNN and Discovery’s Science Channel. She has conducted over 300 television interviews and has appeared on the Emmy Award-Winning television show “Starting Over” as the nutrition expert for the houseguests. She has also frequently been seen on the nationally syndicated “Dr. Dean Edell” segments and throughout the country on CBS, NBC, ABC, and FOX affiliates in major media market cities.  Mitzi is also a blogger for US News and World Report’s ”Eat+Run” blog.

Some More Facts About Mitzi

• Mitzi loves social media: she has over 3 million Pinterest followers, and in 2012, Mitzi was named one of the “Top 35 Diet and Nutrition Experts to Follow on Twitter” by The Huffington Post
  
• She was also named the #5 online influencer to help Americans Eat Better by ShareCare.com behind Dr Weil and Jamie Oliver
• In addition to being a Registered Dietician (RD), Mitzi is also a Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD), and a Certified Health Fitness Specialist (HFS) through the American College of Sports Medicine
• Mitzi has won awards for 2001 Outstanding Young Dietitian of the Year in California by American Dietetic Association and 2005 Entrepreneur of the Year by Kansas State University

Here Are Some Highlights from Our Talk

The Number One Stumbling Block for those Trying to Lose Weight

• Approaching weight loss with a black or white/all or nothing mentality
• Often, one day of bad eating turns into a week, a month, a season of bad eating
• The key is not falling into ruts after you make mistakes and over-indulge

Eating Healthy Isn’t Easy, But it is Simple

• It takes some additional work and planning, but it is doable
• You can still eat amazing, delicious foods that are healthy and help you lose weight

Inflammation is a Big Buzzword these Days…And for Good Reason

• Inflammation is not always a bad thing – it’s simply the body’s basic response to injury.  Chronic inflammation, however, is a big problem
• It can lead to diseases like diabetes, heart disease, some cancers, and rheumatoid arthritis
• A healthy diet, healthy exercise, and stress reduction can reduce our levels of inflammation and improve our health

How To Balance Work, Health, and Kids

• Using High Intensity Interval Training to get the most exercise into the smallest amount of time
• All you need to exercise is your own body weight
• When you are with your kids, avoid the temptations of smart phones and other distractions and be present

Plus, The Tools Mitzi Used to Lose Weight Herself

• And more!

Tweetable Insights

• You are never too old to get fit! (Tweet)
• You CAN eat healthy at affordable prices (Tweet)
• Eating healthy is not easy, but it is simple (Tweet)
• You can lose weight and still eat amazing, delicious foods (Tweet)

Make sure to Follow Mitzi on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest!

And now…the Interview:

Does quality of life trump quantity?  Many of us are focused on living each day to the fullest, while others want to squeeze out as many years as they can. But what if we didn’t have to choose? Healthy people do one thing well–they create and maintain a healthy lifestyle and healthy habits.  To many of us, these two phrases are hard to imagine, much less realize.  Read on to learn what exactly healthy people do so differently, adding years to their lives and life to their years.

1.  They Get off Their Tushes - Healthy people exercise at least 20 minutes per day, giving them better heart health, increased blood flow for good health all around, and fewer muscle knots under their shoulder blades.  Exercise releases worry and tension, and it lifts your mood.  A recent study showed that fit people –those that exercised regularly–earned and added at least two to six more years to their lives. Exercise also helps brain health.  It increases cognitive flexibility, helps nerve cells communicate better, and helps minimize the decline in brain function that begins to occur in our late 20′s. One study shows that it can even help make kids smarter.  Better yet, we all know that exercise burns calories, which helps with weight control.

2.  They Down the Vitamin D - Vitamin D has recently taken front and center in terms of its health heroic qualities.  Healthy people, consciously or not, get enough Vitamin D through diet, through sun exposure, through supplementation, or all of the above.  Vitamin D has been found to help:

• encourage dental health
• reduce stress fractures
• reduce depression
• prevent cancer
• improve brain health
• help with weight control
• fight colds and the flu

3.  They Consume Caffeine – in Moderation - We’ve often been scolded for filling up on caffeine, but recent studies show that coffee holds many potential health benefits, such as:

• protecting against type 2 diabetes
• reducing the risk of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease
• lowering your risk of prostate and kidney cancers
• lowering  your risk of liver disease
• lowering women’s risk of colon cancerand stroke
• making you less likely to have heart rhythm problems
• improving lung function
• increasing healthy bacteria in your gut
• increasing your metabolism, which can aid in weight management

For optimal health results, stick with fair trade, organic coffee.

4.  They Say No to High Fructose Corn Syrup - As ubiquitous as high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is, healthy people know to avoid it.  This can be hard, as most of the foods we find in the grocery store contain it. Research suggests that HFCS increases girth, weight, triglycerides, and raises the risk of having type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.  It may also reduce mental performance. Healthy people develop and sustain healthy eating habits first and foremost by reading product labels and avoiding ingredients that sabotage their health.

Try buying whole, unprocessed foods, best found by shopping the perimeter of the store.

5.  They Maintain a Healthy Weight -A healthy weight promotes overall well being, and healthy people know it.  Studies reveal that being overweight increases your risk of: heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, gallstones, breathing problems, and certain cancers. Our weights are determined by a number of factors, including genetics, diet, and lifestyle.

For proper weight management, develop healthy habits like exercising regularly, limiting the amount of time spent inactive, and developing eating habits with a diet high in fiber and moderate in portions, fat, sugar and processed foods.

6.  They Eat Superfoods - Healthy people love the food that loves them back.  Superfoods pack a powerful punch when it comes to the density and diversity of nutrients.  They also house few toxins.

Examples of superfoods include: quinoa, walnuts, tart cherries, avocados, wild blueberries, oats, raisins, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, red beans, Greek yogurt, olive oil, dark chocolate, green tea, lentils, pumpkin seeds, soybeans, spinach, sweet potatoes.

7.  They Opt for Slow Foods - In 1970, Americans spent $6 billion on fast food.  In 2006? $142 billion!  Fast foods are full of sugar and white flour, and most of the menu items are processed and healthy people know to keep their distance.  Did you know that even the McDonald’s french fries contain sugar? Did you know that if you ate a Big Mac, large fries and a soda, that it would take six hours of walking at a moderate pace to burn off the meal? Fast food also contains a lot of sodium which can hamper heart health. Statistics also support that poor eating habits (i.e. eating fast food) are linked with obesity. And obesity increases your chances of having sleep apnea, diabetes, impotence, high blood pressure, some cancers, headache, acid reflux, infertility, heart disease, gallstones, arthritis, depression, stroke, insulin resistance, asthma, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and lower back pain.

So, stick with the slow stuff!

8.  They Take a Daily Vitamin - When it comes to getting vitamins, food is always your best bet.  The problem is that, despite great efforts, most people’s eating habits don’t provide them with the amounts they need of each vitamin every day.  Even extremely discerning and vigilant eaters struggle to get adequate nutrient intake from diet alone.  That’s why the smart ones seek out the help of a quality vitamin supplement, helping them get the nutrients they need for optimum health. Not only will taking a daily vitamin boost your overall health status, recent research of 15,000 men studied over a decade noted that men who took a daily vitamin, regardless of their eating habits,  had 8% fewer cancers than those who did not.

9.  They Pass on Red Meat - Red meat is not really the enemy, but quantity counts.  Research supports that eating just one serving of red meat each day bumped up the risk of mortality by 13%, and eating one daily serving of red processed meat (hot dogs or bacon, for instance) increased the mortality risk by 20% . The biggest health risks with red meat? Colon and other cancers and heart disease from chemicals produced when the meat is cooked and processed, and nitrates and saturated fats. In this case, healthy eating habits include paring down the number of meals that contain red meat.

Try limiting your red meat intake to a couple of times per week at most.

10.  They Pull the Plug - We tend to believe that the more we accomplish, the better we’ll feel, but productivity does not exactly equate with health.  Doing well  does not necessarily equal feeling well, or even getting better.  Most of us don’t count “Doing Nothing” among our healthy habits, but we might very well be missing something when we do.  Conversely, while planning and goal setting helps you to produce, multitasking actually gets in our way of living a peaceful life. Generally speaking, multitasking makes you feel good, but it hurts cognitive performance.   Research also supports that the over-use of technology makes stress levels soar.

Your best bet?  Limit your screen time each day outside of work time to one hour, and give yourself one tech-free day per week.  Call it a Digital Sabbath.

11.  One Way or Another, They Get Enough Omega 3s - The Omega 3 fatty acids in fish oil make it a prime food for building and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.  Fish oil helps to reduce swelling and helps ward off all kinds of chronic disease like diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, cancers, arthritis and many other illnesses. Healthy eating habits, such as including 2 servings of fatty fish each week (like salmon, mackerel or albacore tuna) will go a long way towards attaining a healthy lifestyle.

But there are other sources of Omega 3s if fish don’t float your boat.  Green leafy vegetables like spinach, broccoli, and kale contain decent amounts of Omega 3s, as do legumes, walnuts, flax seeds, avocados, and algae – though if it’s the fish smell you are trying to avoid, you aren’t really dodging a bullet with algae.  Don’t say we didn’t warn you!

12.  They Keep it Simple - Healthy people keep their lives simple, avoiding multitasking and hoarding.  Studies show that multitasking creates a more variable heart rate (indicating stress), while clutter has also been shown to create stress.

Tips for simplicity include reducing clutter, crowding out screen time and clearing the calendar to make time for things that you love.

13.  They Manage Stress - Dovetailing #12, our bodies respond to real or imagined stress in the same way–fight, flight or deer-in-the-headlights.  All of these reactions have one thing in common–they tax our bodies.  When our bodies perceive stress, the brain messages our bodies to release chemicals which tell our muscles to tense up and our heart to prepare for action.  Many stress-related illnesses–high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, for example–can come as a result of perceived or real stress.  Stress can also affect your eating habits.  Healthy people realize that releasing stress isn’t a luxury or an indulgence or simply an act of self care -  it’s health care.

Most of us know that special activity that takes the stress away for us, but we don’t give ourselves permission to do it.  If you’ve run out of ideas, try adding regular exercise, mindful meditation, deep breathing, guided imagery, or listening to music to your list of healthy habits.

14.  They Know their Risk Factors - You don’t want to fix what’s not broken, but  awareness is the first step to fix or head off any potential problem. Knowing your risk factors–family history, other health conditions that make it more likely for you to become ill, and lifestyle choices (smoking, inactivity, and so forth), make you more likely to modify that which will enhance your health.

15.  They Are Veggie Nerds - Healthy eating habits encourage vitamin-rich intake, and discourage filling up on processed or toxin-laden foods.  Eating the recommended 5-9 servings of veggies (and fruits) each day gives your body the fiber and the variety of vitamins it needs, and it leaves you with little room for processed foods and desserts with refined sugar.

Try eating 1-2 fruits with breakfast (think berries in your oatmeal); a salad with protein and fruit (salad greens with chicken, dried cranberries or berries and gorgonzola or bleu cheese) for lunch; a fruit or veggie plus protein for a snack; and lean protein, whole grain, double veggie serving for dinner, and you’ve got it made!

16.  They Fill Up on Fiber -  Fiber holds many health benefits, like reducing the risk of diabetes, cancer, high cholesterol.  It also helps with weight management efforts. Again, eating more fiber in the form of whole grains and fruits and vegetables will leave little room for other, less healthy foods.  Fiber also boosts your immune system and increases friendly gut bacteria. Contrary to popular belief, animal products don’t contain any fiber.

For a fiber-rich diet, try adding the following to your daily intake:

• oatmeal
• whole grain cereal
• fresh fruit
• raw veggies
• brown rice
• beans
• popcorn
• peas
• nuts
• chunky peanut butter
• whole grain breads and pastas
• chia seeds

17.  They Read Product Labels - Label reading – including reading Supplement and Nutritional Facts – is a discipline.  And like any discipline, the more you do it, the better you get.  With marketing gurus input, many food labels can be deceiving, leading you to believe you are eating something healthy when you’re not. Experienced label readers can see through the hogwash and can quickly determine what they are really being sold.  Terms like “good source”, “free”, “reduced” and “lite” may trick us into thinking we’re getting better nutritional deals than we actually are.  The FDA watches food labeling claims, and will force food manufacturers to modify their claims if they are untrue or misleading.  But many companies manage to find a way around the FDA’s rules, hiding poor ingredients behind tempting claims.  People that thoroughly read food labels and Nutritional Facts tend to have more healthy eating habits.

What to look for?  As a general rule, if you can’t pronounce the ingredient, don’t eat it.

18.  They Focus on Lifestyle Rather than Fad Diets - Again, healthy people have mastered the art of creating a healthy lifestyle rather than going after a quick fix.  Fad diets tend to focus on short-term gains, which become very hard to sustain over time.  Lifestyle changes – formed by the adoption of healthy habits – remain easier to sustain, and they have longer-lasting results.

Ask yourself: Am I committing to a 30 day plan that will fix my problem without correcting my fundamental approach to health, or am I committing to change the way I live?

19.  They Don’t Drink Calories - Sugar +  Caffeine +  Calories + Artificial dyes and colors= Health Disaster!  Can you think of a worse combination for health? Regular soda includes no nutritional value and only contains empty calories, and regular use can lead to untoward weight gain. But diet soda may not be any better. Not only have research studies supported that artificial sweeteners like aspartame actually cause people to gain (not lose) weight, it has also been linked to conditions such as insulin resistance, diabetes, MS, Parkinson’s  lymphoma, brain tumors, seizures and fibromyalgia.

Avoid sugary – and fake-sugary – drinks.

20.  They Avoid Toxin Exposure -  Refined sugar aside, fake dyes, flavors and by-products of packages can impede good health.  Most foods contain something artificial, either to enhance the look or flavor, or to preserve the “shelf-life” of the foods so that they won’t parish.  Healthy people insist on higher quality foods.

As mentioned earlier, a good rule of thumb is to shop the periphery of the store rather than the “guts” of it, where the chemical evils lurk.  Also, turn over packages and view the ingredients.  If the word is 4 syllables or more, you’re likely looking at additives.  So, skip it.

21. They Set Short Term and Long Term Goals - You may have heard the quote: “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”  Setting goals is great, but being smart about your goals is even better.  Setting S.M.A.R.T (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-sensitive) health goals helps you to achieve them. For best results, set longer-term goals, and then back them up into monthly, weekly and daily goals.  Make certain that the goals are things you are actually willing to do.  They should be somewhat challenging, but not so overwhelming that they will paralyze you.  Also, be certain to be flexible with your goals, without tricking yourself into thinking that you’re being flexible when you’re actually sabotaging your efforts.

22.  They Get By With a Little Help From their Friends - Unquestionably, social support helps to reduce stress.  Support from others provides encouragement and keeps us accountable, which in turns helps us to reach our health goals. One study found that having more friends led to increased levels of happiness.  The magic number?  Five.  Those who had 5 or more friends at age 45 were happier at age 50.

So, forge ahead–text, email, snail mail, call, meet for coffee.  The more friends and connects, the better!

23.  They Go Au Naturel - Organic, that is.  Most organic foods meet stringent guidelines, carry fewer health risks, and often taste better.  Yes, organic foods do cost more.  If you’re on a budget, however, you can still achieve good health: choose to buy organic only those that appear on the ‘dirty dozen’ list–those that contain high pesticide content. The list?  Apples. Celery.  Berries (strawberries and blueberries). Peaches & nectarines. Grapes.  Bell peppers.  Potatoes. Greens (spinach, lettuce, kale, collard greens, spinach).  Fatty meats.  Milk.  Coffee. Wine.  Chocolate.  (OK, maybe a ‘baker’s dozen’ .  Safer options to buy non-organic?

• Onions
•  Sweet Corn
• Pineapple
• Avocado
• Asparagus
• Sweet peas
• Mango
• Eggplant
• Cantaloupe (domestic)
• Kiwi
• Cabbage
• Watermelon
• Sweet Potatoes
• Grapefruit
• Mushrooms

24.  They Get Their Yoga On - Yoga is the sixth most common complementary health practice.  In 2007, more than 13 million adults had practiced yoga, and the trend is growing.  What sets the healthy ones apart from those 13 million is that they stick with it. Research of those with chronic back pain supports that yoga reduced pain, disability and depression.  Research also suggests that it reduces stress and improves sleep.

25.  They Drink - Water, that is.  Water composes 60% of our bodies, and it helps to carry vitamins to organs, and to carry toxins out of the body.  For this reason, dehydration causes fatigue and reduces energy. How much water do you need?  Many experts suggest 8 cups per day.  While that can’t hurt, the answer really depends on the other aspects of your diet.  The more foods you eat that contain water (for instance, fruits and vegetables), the less you may need to down in pure form.

The best advice is to keep an eye on your urine.  If it’s dark and concentrated, you need more.  If pale and dilute, you’re hydrated.

26.  They Get Back On The Horse - Perhaps the thing that keeps healthy people on track more than any other is their attitude and their ability to be flexible, adjust, and reset when they falter.  Progress in life is not linear.  With gains come plateaus and set backs. Work on the premise of ‘progress, not perfection.’  Failure is part of the whole thing.

Remember – if it doesn’t challenge you, then it won’t change you.

Recently, we had the pleasure of sitting down with Howard Schiffer, President and Founder of Vitamin Angels.  Vitamin Angels is a non-profit, non-governmental organization focused on bringing essential nutrition to children around the world through vitamin supplementation.  The micronutrients Vitamin Angels provides allows children’s young immune systems to fight infectious diseases, helping them attain good health and giving them the opportunity to lead meaningful and productive lives.

Having been part of the natural products industry for many years, Howard Schiffer got a call asking if he would be able to get vitamins to the victims of the 1994 Northridge earthquake suffering from the after-effects of the earthquake.  Howard quickly understood the ability of vitamin supplements to provide vital nutrition, and soon after, Vitamin Angels was born.  Since then, Vitamin Angels has grown and evolved, now addressing chronic malnutrition on a global level.

Some facts about Vitamin Angels:

• In 2012, Vitamin Angels reached nearly 26.5 million children in 49 different countries
• Through their program titled “Operation 20/20″, Vitamin Angels aims to reduce childhood mortality and blindness through providing Vitamin A to at-risk children
• Through their program Thrive to Five, Vitamin Angels distributes daily multivitamins to pregnant women, new mothers and children under five who live in settings where undernutrition and malnutrition are known to be prevalent.
• Vitamin Angels distributed 125 million doses of daily multivitamins in 2012 alone.

Here are some highlights from our talk:

How Vitamin Angels Solved What No One Else Could

• Getting to the hard to reach areas was the hard part

The Biggest Problem Vitamin Angels Still Faces

• Visibility and Awareness: most people simply don’t know that chronic malnutrition is the single biggest killer of children, behind 1/3 of all child deaths every year

We Have the Solution – We Just Need the Funding

• The private sector has the power to save millions of lives

The Most Important Micronutrients for Intervention

• Iodine, Iron, Zinc, Protein, and…

Vitamin A: The Number 1 Vitamin Deficiency Linked To Childhood Blindness and Childhood Mortality

• How this one Vitamin can reduce all childhood mortality by 24% for 25 cents/year

Vitamin Angels Goals Moving Forward

• Reaching 30 million people children in 2013 in at least 40 countries
• Reaching children earlier in their lives
• Increasing visibility
• Reaching 50 or even 100 million in the coming years

Tweetable Insights Include:

• Chronic Malnutrition is responsible for 1/3 of all child deaths every year (Tweet)
• Vitamin A deficiency causes blindness in half a million children a year. (Tweet)
• Companies like SmartyPants are supporting Vitamin Angels in the US & around the world (Tweet)
• We can change the course of a child’s entire life by getting them proper nutrition (Tweet)
• Vitamins are small, but the impact is large (Tweet)

Resources Mentioned:

• 10 Lessons in Public Health: Inspiration for Tomorrow’s Leaders by Alfred Sommer
• The Copenhagen Consensus
• VitaminAngels.org

And now…the Interview!

While the word “fiber” conjures images of foggy sludge drinks and tasteless, twiggy cereal, we’ve come to know just how crucial getting enough fiber is to our health.  Getting enough, through foods or fiber supplements holds benefits beyond simple “regularity”.  Read on to learn what a health champion fiber is, and why it’s made a comeback in today’s wellness market.

1. Fiber comes in Many Forms - Basically, there are two types of fiber:  soluble and insoluble.  Soluble fiber (think oatmeal) swells when water is added.  It’s important to keep cholesterol levels down and blood sugar levels stable.  Insoluble fiber does not dissolve when water is added (think fruit).  This type of fiber stays in the GI track and remains unchanged during its journey. It works to prevent constipation.  Both types of fiber remain important to health, and luckily, both types of fiber exist in most foods that contain fiber, although labels most often don’t list them separately.

2. It May Lower Your Risk of Some Types of Cancer -Fiber, especially insoluble fiber, may decrease your risk of cancer because it binds with bile acids, which have been linked with cancer.  Insoluble fiber also speeds up the rate at which undigested food passes through the GI track, allowing less time for cancer-causing agents to be exposed to the lining of the GI track, thus allowing fewer to be absorbed. By-products of cholesterol, bacteria and cooked meats promote these cancer-causing substances.

3. It Helps Decrease the Problems of Diabetes -  Soluble fiber coats the stomach and the GI track, keeping sugars and starches from being broken down.  They are then absorbed into the blood stream more gradually, allowing for more stable blood sugar levels.

4. It Keeps Cholesterol in Check – Soluble fiber binds with bile acids, which are then eliminated rather than absorbed into the body through the GI track. Bile acids are thought to attach to fat molecules, which, when bound to fiber, absorb more slowly, some exiting the GI system.  Lower fat levels in the body mean lower cholesterol levels too.

5. Getting Enough May Stop the Munchies - Soluble Fiber absorbs water, which together, help you stay fuller longer.  Fiber promotes a sense of satiety, or fullness.  This cuts down on time spent munching and crunching those unhealthy high-fat, high-sugar snacks to fill your belly.

6. Dietary Fiber Lowers the Risk of Diverticulitis – Diverticuli are small out-pouchings of the large intestine that develop at weak spots, most often as a result of low-fiber diets, and due to a weakened colon wall.  Diverticulitis is the presence of inflamed or infected diverticuli.  This disease is serious and often requires hospitalization, and often surgery.  Fever and internal bleeding remain risks of diverticulitis.  Diets high in fiber help to prevent this by reducing the pressure in the colon wall, thus preventing diverticuli from developing.

7. It Gets You Going - Well, this is probably not hot-off-the-press news to you, but it’s important to include insoluble fiber as a means to keep your bowels regular.  Of course, swift movement in the bowels promotes good bowel health.

8. Dietary Fiber Increases Friendly Gut Bacteria - Fiber is considered a pre-biotic. Pre-biotics increase the number of pro-biotics, which are healthy bacteria that live in your GI track. These babies boost digestive health, and they may even boost your immune system.

9. Dietary Fiber Boosts Your Immune System - Going hand-in-hand with #8, insoluble fiber and soluble fiber may enhance immunity via promoting healthy bacteria in the gut.  This may serve to reduce allergies.

10. Americans Don’t Get Enough of It - While experts suggest that we should get about 40 grams of fiber each day, we only actually get about 1/3 of what we need (about 10-15 grams per day). Many people are unaware of good sources of fiber, which include:

• oatmeal
• whole grain cereal
• fresh fruit
• raw veggies
• brown rice
• beans
• popcorn
• peas
• nuts
• chunky peanut butter
• whole grain breads and pastas
• chia seeds

11. Animal Products Have None - That’s right.  Despite many thinking that “thick” and “chunky” foods all contain fiber, only plant products do.  Animal products contain no fiber, even if they are big and bulky (think big, thick steak).  Plant products, like fresh fruits and raw veggies, often tend to contain both insoluble fiber and soluble fiber.  Studies show that most of us don’t know sources of good fiber. If in doubt, think “plant” and you’ll likely boost your fiber intake!

12. Beans Rule - Beans pack a whooping 16 grams of fiber in each one-cup serving.  Canned or dried and cooked beans can be added to eggs for breakfast (think tex mex scramble or burrito), to salads for lunch, or to casseroles like chili for dinner.  To reduce the amount of sodium in canned beans, rinse them first, or simply cook dried beans for beans sans salt!  Some people have trouble with the gas that eating beans causes.  Try these tips to help:

• start with small amounts and slowly increase
• start with smaller beans, like lentils or black beans, and grow into larger ones like kidney beans
• add some baking soda to the soaking water of dried beans, drain, and cook in fresh water
• cook them well

13. Dietary Fiber Keeps Blood Sugar Levels Stable - Closely related to #3, soluble fiber coats the stomach and GI track, keeping refined sugars and starches from being broken down, thus slowing their absorption into the GI track.  This keeps blood sugar levels stable, reducing insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.

14. Dietary Fiber Promotes Heart Health - Diets high in fiber:

• Lower bad cholesterol levels
• Lower blood sugar levels in those with diabetes
• Lower blood pressure in people with high blood pressure
• Lower the risk of heart disease
• Lower the risk of diabetes
• Promote healthier weights and less obesity

“Studies have shown that foods that have a lot of fiber are clearly associated with lower risk of heart disease,” says Alice H. Lichtenstein, DSc, American Heart Association spokeswoman and director of the cardiovascular nutrition research program.  Although experts are unsure as to how fiber helps heart health, some believe that its ability to prevent cholesterol from being absorbed in the GI track helps to reduce its absorption. Some believe that if we’re eating more fiber, we’re eating less sugary, fatty and starchy foods that hinder heart health, like pastries and baked goodies.

15. It May Be the New Diet Craze -Will a fiber-filled diet replace the “4-hour-body” diet?  Time will tell, but many studies support a link between high fiber diets and lower weight.  For instance, of nearly 6,000 French men and women, those who ate 20-27 grams of fiber daily had the healthiest weights. Some believe this is due to feelings of fullness when eating a fiber-rich diet.  Others say that diets high in fiber naturally contain healthier, lower-fat and low-sugar foods.  Whatever the case, bring on the fiber!

16. Fiber Prevents Fat Absorption - Although the jury’s still out on this one, some experts believe that insoluble fiber binds fat in the gut, moving it through and allowing less time for absorption.  This helps to lower cholesterol levels in the blood stream.

17. We’re Still in the Dark - When it comes to knowing the facts about fiber, that is. Only ten percent of Americans get enough fiber.  And it’s no wonder, given most don’t know good sources of fiber. According to a 2005 survey conducted by the National Fiber Council (NFC), most Americans aren’t familiar with foods that are high in fiber.  Read on:

• 53 percent consider steak to be a good fiber source
• One in four believe whole grain breads are not a good fiber source
• 42 percent believe potato chips contain a good amount of fiber

Additionally:

• In one survey, on 53 percent noted that fiber could lower cholesterol, prevent heart disease and manage weight
• 60 percent never talk with their health care provider about fiber
• One in five has no idea how much fiber they take in on a daily basis
• Only 22 percent know how much fiber they should have each day

18. Low-Carb Diets Don’t Cut It - Low-carb diets consist mostly of proteins and fats, which are liquids and animal products. Remember, only plants contain fiber, so low-carb diets just don’t cut it when it comes to getting enough fiber! According to the Annals of Internal Medicine, the average low-carb diet contains only 7 to 8 grams of fiber per day, about 1/5 of what we need.

19. Certain Fiber Supplements May Help Build Bone Health - Fiber itself does not build bone strength.  But many fiber supplements, like Fibercon and Metamucil contain calcium.  The additional calcium in these fiber-enhancing agents do help to create healthy, strong bones.

20. Eating Foods High in Fiber May Boost Your Vitamin B Levels and Some Minerals – Along the same lines, many high-fiber foods, like whole grain breads and cereals, contain an abundance of B vitamins, and other minerals, like selenium, zinc and phosphorus.  Eating whole grains is a great way to boost both vitamin intake and fiber!

21. Whole Wheat Grains Contain Twice as Much as All-White Grains - Yep.  That’s right. A slice of 100% whole wheat bread contains about 3 grams of fiber, while a slice of white gives only about 1 gram.  Whole grain bread also offers a sea of minerals and vitamins that white bread doesn’t (see #20, above).

22. Getting Enough Fiber Improves Lung Function- Scientists looked at info on diet and the results of lung function tests from U.S. men and women, between 44 and 66 years old from 1987 and 1989. Nearly 15 percent of the study subjects had chronic obstructive lung disease. They found that those in the highest fifth of fiber intake (26.7 grams) had better lung function than those in the lowest fifth (9.5 grams). Hard to believe that a bit of fiber may help you take your next breath with more ease.

23. A Cup of Joe Will Get You Going - Coffee beans are, well…beans.  So it’s no surprise that they’re filled with fiber. Now, research shows that brewed coffee also contains fiber. ”It is logical to think that a significant part of the fiber passes from the powder into the beverage,” Saura-Calixto, research scientist from the National Research Council in Madrid says. “It is hard to believe that the scientific community, especially scientists working in dietary fiber, [assumed] that coffee and other beverages do not contain fiber.” Scientists tested the dietary fiber content in three common coffee types: espresso, drip and freeze-dried. Freeze-dried coffee pulled the highest numbers, likely due to the high temps used when processing the beans. Just how much fiber will you get in your morning cup of joe? A measly 1-3 grams, but a little extra never hurts .

24. Most Fiber Supplements Can Backfire - You may take fiber supplements because you don’t get enough of it in your diet.  Problem is, that if you don’t drink enough fluid with these fiber supplements, it’ll weigh you down like a ball of cement in your stomach and gut.  To be effective, these fiber supplements must be taken with a full 8 ounces of liquid.  Thankfully, there are other fiber supplements that require no intake of water.

25. Focusing on Fiber Can Improve Your Overall Nutrition - Focusing on fiber helps you to get your daily 5-9 fruits and veggies in.  As you eat more

fruits and veggies to get fiber, you’ll also hydrate yourself. Fiber clearly holds many benefits beyond “keeping you regular.”  Gut health. Heart health.  Lung

health.  Weight management. Improved immunity. Diabetes manager. So, the next time someone says you’re “full of it”, maybe you can take that as a compliment…

Brought to you by SmartyPants Gummy Vitamins.  If you’d like to try our All-inOne Fiber Gummies for Weight Management, which combinesFiber and many other key nutrients into one delicious All-in-One gummy vitamin with No Added Sugar, click here to purchase a bottle from the SmartyPants store.  Enter code WEIGHT25 at checkout to receive a 25% discount off your purchase!

Traveling can be hard – not just on the wallet, but also on the diet.  Every new locale has its unique temptations, from friend recommended bars and Zagat rated food stands, to 7 course meals and Dim Sum tours through China Town.  Others of us, travelling for work, are simply too consumed with business to care. But whether your habit – and ambition – is to eat your way through a town, or to just get to that next meeting, one of the first things likely to get left at home is your daily dose of vitamins.  As of right now, that need not be true.

SmartyPants Gummy Vitamins is proud to announce that our delicious On-the-Go! Packs can now be found in the minibars of Standard Hotels!  Now, when winding down from that hectic day (or preparing for it!) you don’t need to grab for a Snicker’s Bar, or a Toblerone, or a greasy bag of potato chips.  You can instead grab a different delicious treat and get your daily dose of all the key nutrients needed for optimum health.  Each On-the-Go pack of our All-in-One Gummy Vitamins for Adults –  with full Multivitiman + Omega 3s DHA & EPA + 225% RDI of Vitamin D3 – contains a full day’s dose of the vitamins you need to stay healthy.

Next time you are on the road, look for SmartyPants Gummy Vitamins’ On-the-Go Packs in the minibars of all Standard Hotels from coast to coast – from New York City to Los Angeles, and back again to Miami Beach.  Also look for us in the oh-so-chique Mercer Hotel in New York and the Chateau Marmont in LA!

And a very special thank you to Overnight New York for spreading the word!  Check out their amazing write-up of SmartyPants in Standard Hotels here!

Unlike eating sweets in centuries past, diabetes dos not discriminate. Sweet treats like honey, sweet meats and nougat used to to be reserved for very special times, and come easy only to the rich who could afford them.  But today, with Godiva cheese cakes, french silk pie blizzards, and  deep fried Pepsi (uh-huh!), it seems that the sweeter and fattier foods are, the more available they are to the masses.  Add our less active lifestyles and you’ve got a recipe for one of the biggest health crises in the United States.

According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), 25.8 million children and adults in the United States–nearly 10 %–have diabetes. Worse yet, the ADA believes that nearly 79 million people have pre-diabetes, many of whom will develop the disease itself. It hampers the health of African and Asian Americans, Hispanics and Caucasians alike. The ADA reports that in 2007, diabetes took a part in nearly a quarter of a million deaths. Diabetes encourages other issues, too, like heart and kidney disease, sight and nerve problems, and poor healing. Headlines shout warnings. But what is diabetes, really, and where does it come from?

Healthy Digestion

Before we work to understand diabetes, we must understand the normal digestive process. As food reaches our stomachs, digestive enzymes and stomach acids break down starches into simple sugar molecules (glucose is one of them), and proteins into their smaller building blocks, amino acids.  These glucose molecules absorb quickly into the blood stream, raising blood sugar levels.  This triggers beta cells in the pancreas to produce the hormone insulin, which quickly releases into the bloodstream and peaks within 20 minutes.  In the bloodstream, insulin moves glucose molecules into our body’s liver, fat and muscle cells for later use. The liver stops making glucose when blood insulin levels are high.  As blood glucose levels peak, the pancreas stops producing insulin.

Types of Diabetes

Several types of diabetes exist.  Although their cause may differ, the result is the same:  your blood has too much sugar in it, which leads to many problems. Type I diabetes comes as a result of your pancreas not secreting enough insulin, leaving blood sugar levels soaring.  Type 2 diabetes comes as a result of your fat, liver and muscle cells not responding to the high levels of sugar in your blood, and thus keeping the sugar from entering your cells as it should.  Gestational diabetes occurs when a pregnant woman’s hormones keep insulin levels lower than they need to be, and blood sugar rises. Pre-diabetes is a condition whereby blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough for you to have type 2 diabetes.  Prompt measures here can prevent those with pre-diabetes from getting the full-blown syndrome.

Type 1 Diabetes

Type I diabetes used to be called “juvenile diabetes” because it is most often diagnosed in children, teens and young adults.  Type 1 diabetes comes as a result of the body not making enough insulin, leaving blood sugar levels high. Again, insulin is a hormone that is produced by the pancreas, which moves sugars and starches into the body’s cells so it can be used for energy. Without enough insulin, blood sugar levels remain high.

Causes of Type 1 Diabetes

• Autoimmune Response – Structures called the Islets of Langerhans house beta cells in the pancreas.  Again, beta cells produce insulin that’s then used to move glucose into cells, resulting in reduced blood sugar levels. Although it remains unclear which factors lead to beta cell demise in type 1 diabetes, many experts believe that both environmental factors like viruses, and genetics work together to destroy beta cells.  Without enough of these beta cells, insulin is not longer produced, or the amount is greatly reduced.
• Genetics – Experts have found 18 genetic markers that affect whether you get this type of diabetes.  While genetic factors indeed do play a role, most people with this type of diabetes do not inherit it.  Only a ten percent chance exists of getting this type of diabetes if your father has it, and the chance of an identical twin having this type of diabetes is only 33%.  Type I diabetes has tripled in the U.S. over the past 40 years, and it has also increased throughout parts of Europe, leading experts to believe that other factors exist.
• Viruses – Experts believe that some viruses, especially enteric viruses–those that affect the gut–make people at risk for diabetes more apt to get it.  The mumps and some types of Rubella have also been linked with type I diabetes.
• Other Illnesses or Conditions – Anything that may damage the pancreas, such as swelling, surgery or certain potent chemicals, will affect its ability to produce insulin.  Medicines such as some heart meds and steroids may also affect the function of the pancreas. Rare genetic disorders and hormonal changes may also affect the pancreas and increase the chance of getting type I diabetes.
• Weather - The onset of diabetes occurs more during cold winter months.

Risk Factors for Type I Diabetes

• Age – Type I diabetes can occur at any age, but affects children and teens more so than adults.
• Race – Type I diabetes can affect any race, but it strikes Caucasians more.
• Conditions of Parents – Those at higher risk of type I diabetes have a parent with the disease.  Having an older mother at birth puts you at risk, as does having a mom that had a condition called pre-eclampsia while pregnant.
• Conditions During Infancy and Presence of Auto-immune Disorders – Being ill in infancy or having other auto-immune disorders (Grave’s Disease, Hoshimoto’s Thyroiditis, MS, Addison’s Disease, for instance) put you at risk for having type I diabetes. Psoriasis too.

Symptoms of Type I Diabetes

Although beta cells destruct over time, the effects of type I diabetes typically appear suddenly and progress quickly.  Warning signs of type I diabetes include:

• Frequent urination; or in children, bet-wetting
• Unusual thirst
• Extreme hunger, especially for sweets
• Sudden weight loss
• Weakness, extreme fatigue
• Blurred vision
• Irritability
• Nausea and vomiting

Treatments for Type I Diabetes

Since insulin is the missing piece that leads to rising blood sugar levels, insulin must be restored in order to help your body transport glucose out of the bloodstream and into the cells.  Because stomach juices will break down insulin before it’s absorbed, insulin must be injected under the skin.  Many types of insulin exist, and they are given to keep blood sugar levels steady.  Another medication called Pramlintide (Symlin) helps to keep blood sugar levels down after a meal.  As with any type of diabetes, lifestyle changes like eating whole foods and getting enough exercise, remain crucial.

Type 2 Diabetes

If type I diabetes is the exception, type 2 is the rule. type 2 diabetes remains much more common than type I diabetes, it develops slowly over time, and it reduces your cells’ response to increased blood sugar levels.  Type 2 diabetes is considered at times a “lifestyle” disease, because it can be altered by many lifestyle choices, including nutrition and exercise.  Because it used to develop and be found in adulthood, type 2 diabetes used to be called “adult onset diabetes.”  With kids eating more processed foods and being less active than they used to be, some children and teens are now developing type 2 diabetes.

Causes of Type 2 Diabetes

• Weight - Fat makes it harder for your body to use insulin correctly.  Some elderly people who are very thin are also at greater risk for type 2 diabetes.
• Genetics  – Having a family history of someone with type 2 diabetes makes it more likely for you to get or have it.
• Lifestyle Choices - Low activity level, poor diet and retaining that spare tire around your middle increases your risk of getting type 2 diabetes.
• Insulin Resistance - As cells meant to absorb and store glucose perform less well, the pancreas continues to churn out insulin in an effort to move the glucose in its intended direction (into the cells).  After a while, the beta cells wear out and fail to produce enough insulin to keep blood sugar levels in the normal range.

Risk Factors for Type 2 Diabetes

• Age - Type 2 diabetes occurs more often in those older than 45 years.
• Ethnicity - African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, and Native Americans are at higher risk.
• History of Gestational Diabetes - If you’ve had diabetes during a previous pregnancy, you remain at higher risk.
• Weight - If you are over weight, and especially carry weight around your middle, you’re at higher risk of having type 2 diabetes.
• Genetics - Those who get type 2 diabetes more often have a family history of diabetes.
• History of Birthing a Large Baby - If you’ve given birth to a baby weighing more than 9 pounds, you remain at higher risk.
• Low “Good” Cholesterol - HDL cholesterol under 35 mg/dL.
• High Triglyceride Levels – Measured at 250 mg/dL or more.
• High Blood Pressure - Greater than or equal to 140/90 mmHg.
• Impaired Glucose Tolerance – Upon testing.
• Low Activity Level - Exercising less than 3 times per week.
• Metabolic Syndrome - A combination of symptoms including a large waist size, high blood sugar levels, high triglycerides, high blood pressure and out of range cholesterol levels put you at risk.
• Sleep Problems – Studies show that those with problems that reduce restful sleep (for instance, sleep apnea or the need to work shifts) have higher rates of obesity, insulin resistance, and diabetes.
• Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome - An imbalance of female sex hormones, leading to ovarian cysts, problems with fertility and menstrual and other health changes.  Those with PCOS are at higher risk of having type 2 diabetes.
• Acanthosis Nigricans – A condition which causes dark, thickened skin around the neck or armpits.  As, itts most common cause is insulin resistence, those with Acanthosis Nigricans also have a high likelihood of becoming diabetic.
• Stress  – In a study of nearly 7000 men noted a significant increase in diabetes in those who reported “permanent stress” versus “no” or “periodic” stress.  The stress increased their chance of getting diabetes by almost 50%!

Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes

At times, many people with type 2 diabetes remain without symptoms, or their symptoms may remain quite vague.  When they do appear, symptoms include:

• More frequent bladder, kidney, skin, or other infections and/or slow healing
• Fatigue
• Hunger
• Increased thirst
• Increased urination
• Blurred vision
• Male sexual dysfunction
• Pain or numbness in the feet or hands

Treatment for Type 2 Diabetes

Treatments for type 2 diabetes include measures to keep the blood sugar levels controlled.  These efforts include checking your blood sugar levels, following a diet low in refined carbs and sugars, and exercising regularly.  As a short-term measure or last resort, your doctor may prescribe oral or injectable medications, like Metformin or Pramlintide to lower blood sugar levels.

Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that affects only pregnant women.  Experts believe that about 18% of pregnant women get gestational diabetes. While the cause is unknown, gestational diabetes is believed to occur because of the hormonal shifts of pregnancy, which help the baby develop.  These changes may also block the way your body uses insulin, thus at times creating insulin resistance. This type of diabetes develops late in pregnancy (after 24 weeks) and doesn’t typically deform the baby, as it might have in early stages of development.  The main danger to the baby is not the higher levels of the mother’s insulin (as this is not passed to the baby), but higher blood sugar levels, which are.  This leads the baby to produce higher levels of insulin to try to control his or her rising glucose levels.  The result is that the extra glucose is stored as fat, and the baby may be born very large.  This may lead to problems birthing the baby, which may affect the baby’s shoulders, arms or neck. The baby may also have low blood sugar after birth due to his or her high insulin levels, which may also incite breathing problems.  Longer-term problems include the baby being at higher risk of becoming obese or getting diabetes later in life. Treatment for gestational diabetes includes regular blood sugar checks, careful meal planning, structured exercise and, in severe cases, insulin shots.

Pre-Diabetes

Pre-diabetes is a precurser to type 2 diabetes.  Having pre-diabetes does not mean you will get diabetes.  In fact, many people who have pre-diabetes don’t, when they change their lifestyles by losing weight and boosting exercise. You know that you have pre-diabetes when you have any of the test results below:

• A fasting blood glucose test (FBGT) result of 100-125 mg/dl.  A FBGT is a blood test drawn first thing in the morning after not eating all night.
• An oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) result of 140-199 mg/dl.  An OGTT is a blood test drawn after fasting, and then again 2 hours after drinking a sugary drink.
• An A1C level of 5.7-6.4%.  A1C blood tests measure the average amount of glucose in the blood over a 3-4 month period.

Risk Factors for Pre-Diabetes

You should be tested for pre-diabetes if:

• You are overweight and age 45 or older.
• You are of normal weight but over age 45.
• You are younger than 45 and overweight, with other risk factors, such as high blood pressure, out of range cholesterol levels, a family history of diabetes, high triglyceride levels, a history of gestational diabetes or birthing a large child, or belong to a high-risk ethnic or minority group.

Symptoms of Pre-Diabetes

Many people with pre-diabetes do not have symptoms.  If they do have symptoms, they mirror the symptoms listed above in the “type 2 diabetes” section.

Treatment of Pre-Diabetes

Here’s the great news.  If you have pre-diabetes, you can change course.  Studies show that with moderate weight loss and regular exercise, you can turn your health around.  One study showed that about eleven percent of those studied developed type 2 diabetes three years later.  Other studies show that large amounts of people with pre-diabetes get type 2 diabetes within ten years of having pre-diabetes. According to experts, you can cut your risk of getting diabetes by 58% if you lose only seven percent of your body weight and increase your exercise to 30 minutes, five days per week!

Prevention

Assess Your Risk

The good news is that many of things that can reduce your risk are in your hands.  First, take the “Diabetes Risk Test”. 

Fit it In to Be Fit!

Next, even if you aren’t at risk, fit in exercise.  Exercise holds many benefits  besides blood sugar control, like less stress and more energy and confidence.  Even living a longer life! Work to remove barriers and grow motivation, one step at a time. For best results:

• Start slow
• Find a fitness buddy
• Do something you like
• Exercise when your natural energy is highest
• Break it up into 10-minute spurts if you need to
• Make a fitness plan
• And don’t forget to get your health care provider’s OK!

Focus on Abundance

When changing lifestyles, many focus on the deficits and feeling deprived.  Instead, focus on the abundance of healthy foods you can eat, the health you’ll experience as a result of it, and the satisfaction you do derive when you occasionally do decide to indulge in a long-time favorite treat.

• Work to get in 5-9 fruits and vegetables every day.  This shifts your focus to health, naturally increases your fiber, boosts your vitamin intake and leaves little room for cravings.
•  Switch to whole-grains.  One thing to keep in mind–mostly all grains are processed, if even a bit.  Our health depends on eating whole foods, so try protein-packed quinoa or whole oats or barley if you’re going to eat them. Many items marketed as “healthy” might be better choices than your local diner’s apple pie.  Maybe.  Maybe not.  It depends. If you want natural ingredients, you’ll find more of them in many foods marketed as healthy.  But not all.  Check the labels.  A good rule of thumb is, if you can’t pronounce an ingredient, you probably shouldn’t be eating it.  If you are looking for lower sugar, items marketed as healthy might not actually be so, using artificial sweeteners and sugar substitutes instead.  Make your natural  ”healthy snacks” (i.e. snack bars, etc) your every now and then desserts.
• Choose lean meats and fish instead of red meat for less saturated fats, better weight control and better overall health.
• Make water and tea your drinks of choice.  Other options?  Those that contain sugar alcohols and not fake sweeteners might work on occasion.
• Choose small amounts of healthy oils, like olive and grapeseed oil.
• Portion Control!  Be certain to limit your portion sizes.  A good rule of thumb is:  at least half of the plate is full of fruits and veggies, and a max of 1/4 meat, 1/4 whole grain. Try replacing the whole grain a few times a week with more fruits and veggies.
• Try high-powered superfoods like beans, dark green leafy veggies, citrus fruits, sweet potatoes, berries, tomatoes, fish high in omega 3s, and nuts to acquire a diet high in fiber, magnesium, calcium, potassium, and vitamins A, C and E.

Manage Your Weight

As mentioned, you can cut your risk of pre-diabetes growing into diabetes by more than 50% by just losing seven percent of your weight.  So, while ambitious, throw away the big-numbers list and shoot low.  Take your current weight.  Times it by 0.07.  Subtract that number from your current weight.  That’s your goal weight. By paying attention to the diet and nutrition tips (above), and minimizing starches, refined sugars and processed grains, you will naturally re-fashion your waistline.

Diabetes–it seems a dirty word, but it needn’t be.  When left untreated, it certainly creates a health disaster.  But much remains in your control.  While it’s always fine to go for the gusto, don’t burn yourself out and lose steam.  Set a daily goal and strive to meet it.  Come close?  Don’t think failure.  Pay attention to your success and build.  Learn from each day.  Then walk forward with better knowledge, increased drive, and a stronger commitment.

Don’t let diabetes beat you.

The worst part of beginning a diet is learning which lovely foods you’ll no longer be able to eat:

• No more donuts
• No more pizza
• No more ribeye soaked in butter
• No more…

I don’t know about you, but I stopped listening after “pizza”.

The sad fact is, though, to lose weight you will have to cut out a lot of these foods and limit your intake of many many more.

But there is one thing you don’t need to cut back on to lose weight.  In fact, according to the National Institute of Health (NIH), you should be eating more of it.  A lot more.

This magical substance is, of course, Fiber.

Clinical studies concerning the benefits of fiber for weight loss clearly indicate that increasing fiber intake through consumption of high-fiber foods or fiber supplements helps people lose weight by reducing appetite as well as cravings for carbohydrate-rich foods. According to the article “Dietary Fiber and Weight Regulation” written by N.C. Howarth and published in the Nutritional Review, subjects consuming an additional 14 grams of fiber each day more than they normally consumed experienced a ten percent reduction in food intake over two days.

Many other studies have been published in numerous academic journals that reveal the benefits of fiber for weight loss as a statistically significant proof of its ability to control appetite. Fiber works as a weight loss aid because it is a complex carbohydrate plant material known as roughage that cannot be fully absorbed by the intestines and digested like meat.

We consume two kinds of dietary fiber–soluble fiber and insoluble fiber–both of which help weight loss.   Once in your system, soluble fiber absorbs liquid and expands in the stomach and develops into a gummy, gel-like substance that enhances a feeling of fullness after eating, decreasing necessary food intake. Fiber also slows down the digestion process as well as the absorption of sugars and starches, which keeps you feeling full longer than other foods. In addition, the benefits of fiber for weight loss extend into helping regulate glucose levels in diabetics and also plays a role in reducing cholesterol levels.

Foods containing soluble fiber:

• Oat bran
• Nuts
• Dried peas and beans
• Barley
• Apples, strawberries and oranges
• Flax seed
• Carrots

Foods containing insoluble fiber:

• Wheat and corn bran
• Nuts and seeds
• Green beans
• Dark green, leafy vegetables
• Whole-wheat products
• Fruit skins
• Root vegetable skins

To experience the benefits of fiber for weight loss, include fiber supplements in your daily diet if you cannot receive the recommended daily amount of dietary fiber. Although the average person eats about 15 grams of fiber each day, this is well below the amount suggested by the American Dietetic Association, which is 30 to 35 grams per day. Moreover, elderly people should also take fiber supplements due to problems with constipation arising from inactivity and low food intake.

When sold as a supplement, fiber is usually in the form of beta-glucan, guar gum, pectin, glucomannan, flax seed, cellulose, psyllium and inulin. Inulin is a naturally occurring polysaccharide produced by various types of plants and is most often found in roots like Chicory Root.

Before you begin enjoying the benefits of fiber for weight loss, remember to slowly incorporate fiber-rich foods into your diet. Suddenly eating large amounts of fiber can cause gas and bloating until the body adjusts to affects of fiber on the digestive system. Start by snacking on vegetables or eating high-fiber cereal for breakfast. Instead of drinking fruit juice, eat oranges, apples and grapes as whole fruits. Finally, add seeds and nuts to your diet plan in small portions, and eat more beans whenever possible.

The Institution of Mechanical Engineers recently released a report stating that a staggering 30-50% of food in the world just ends up being tossed in the dumps instead of feeding hungry mouths. Thirty percent of the UK’s produce is left to rot because the vegetables don’t look blue-ribbon worthy. Per capita food waste in the United States has been a steady 50% since 1974.  But don’t think that third world countries hang on to every edible morsel either: food wastage in developing parts of Asia and Africa, primarily due to poor harvesting, storage, and handling of produce, is on par with the wastage of North America and Europe.

The rate of over a billion tons of wasted food every year makes very little sense, particularly when considering the inflation of commodity prices, worldwide economic disparity, the tools at our disposal to prevent food spoilage, and the dire environmental issues looming over our heads.  While there is little you can do to put any kind of measurable ding in that massive pile of food, there is a tremendous amount you can do right now to reduce your contribution to it.  Here are 10 simple tips to help you and your family with this needless problem.

What You Can Do to Conserve Food

1.  Know Your Dates

Learn to decode (and monitor) expiration, “sell by”, and “use by” dates. Food products with ‘use by’ dates can sometimes be safely consumed even if it’s already a little past the stamped date.  If the food’s expiration date has no wiggle room, make sure to consume it before the date arrives.

 2.  Check the Fridge

Routinely check the fridge and cupboard. Try to see how much food you still have by making a quick inventory every few days. Check and write down the expiration dates of foodstuffs as well. Take out soon-to-expire items from the cupboard and place on the kitchen counter to remind you that you have to use them soon.

 3.  Plan Ahead and Prepare

Instead of winging it in the kitchen, Plan your meals. Follow a recipe instead of randomly buying lots of food for impromptu cooking sessions.  Put your improvisation skills to good use by whipping up a dish that makes use of ingredients that you already have and are about to rot or expire.

4.  Make a List, and Check it Twice

Always carry a list when doing your grocery shopping, and stick to it. Resist the urge to buy more than you need. Choose 2-for-1 deals and other attractive offers wisely.

 5.  Make it Last

Store food and leftovers properly. Make sure that your refrigerator and freezer temperatures are cold enough to prevent bacteria and molds from growing on your food. Freeze food items (such as fruits, vegetables, meat, and bread) and leftovers that you won’t be eating or finishing up anytime soon. Perishable foodstuffs such as fresh fruits and vegetables should be your prioritized eats as nutritional decline occurs after produce items are picked from the tree or ground.

 6.  Make it Count

Eat whole foods to avoid unnecessary eating. Consumption of whole foods leave you feeling satisfied and fuller longer. Quality whole foods contain nutrients that truly feed your body, reducing cravings and helping you practice portion control. Switching to a predominantly plant-based diet can help the entire planet prevent future food and water shortage.

 7.  Use What You’ve Got

Be creative with your leftovers.  Learn a few leftover hacks on what to do with unused produce and how to create fun and quick meals with your leftovers. Unfinished dishes and meals can be easily recycled with handy grocery items such as whole wheat or non-GM corn tortilla, wholegrain bread, tomato sauce, wholegrain pasta (brown rice, quinoa), organic or non-GM tofu, and organic eggs.

 8.  Say “Yes” to the Doggy Bag

There is nothing wrong with bringing home leftovers from the restaurant. It’s perfectly alright to do so. Store in the fridge as soon as you get home and consume within the next 1-2 days. Freeze if you do not plan to eat them within the next 48 hours to avoid spoilage.

9. Get Creative

Learn how to can and ferment vegetables; dry fruits, vegetables, and meat; and make jams and fruit preserves using healthy sweeteners.

 10.  Get Generous

Avoid the guilt of throwing excess food away, and donate it to soup kitchens, food banks, and other charities in your community that help feed the poor.

The message of the IME report is perfectly articulated in its own title: waste not, want not.  Avoiding food wastage is the most sensible, practical, and ethical thing we can do for the planet, for our own physical and financial health, for those less fortunate, and for future generations.

Perhaps the most meaningful health slogan for the next decade is:  ”Don’t get beat by diabetes.” With fast food item sizes more than tripling since the 1950s, our bodies have taken the brunt of the excess everything–the calories, the fat, the sodium and the chemicals that infuse these health robbers. That’s right–the average weight of a fast food burger in the 1950′s was 3.9 ounces.  Today?  A whooping 12!  Sodas?  They’ve grown five times their original seven ounces to a staggering 42. The serving size of french fries has nearly tripled as well.  And while the average weight of an average American has not necessarily tripled, it has crept up by about 20%, as has waist size.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP), nearly 26 million adults and children have diagnosed diabetes. Another 79 million have prediabetes, which puts them at risk for getting type 2 diabetes.  The total cost from this disease, measured in 2010 and recently reported this month by the CDCP,  includes direct medical costs of $176 billion, and indirect costs like lost time from work and decreased production at work, as a result of having the disease.  That totals $245 billion, up 41% from the $174 billion in 2007.

The truth is, medical costs for people with diagnosed diabetes are more than double than for those without diabetes. Nearly two million adults who had prediabetes, were newly diagnosed with diabetes in 2010. As the number of people suffering from both prediabetes and diagnosed diabetes rises, so does the cost. “The cost of diabetes is rising at a rate higher than overall medical costs with more than one in 10 health care dollars in the country being spent directly on diabetes and its complications, and more than one in five health care dollars in the U.S. going to the care of people with diagnosed diabetes,” said Robert Ratner, MD, Chief Scientific & Medical Officer of the American Diabetes Association.

Prediabetes can be reversed with weight loss, if overweight.  A 10% reduction in body weight lowers your risk by 58%! Other measures to treat prediabetes and prevent diagnosed diabetes includes:

• knowing your risk factors
• taking care of related issues, like high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels
• managing blood sugar levels
• managing stress
• eating fewer foods high in refined carbs
• exercising regularly
• reducing body weight to be within normal range

If we sustain current trends, we’re in trouble. Recent estimates project that as many as one in three American adults will have diabetes in 2050. That’s scary stuff.  So, if you’re inclined to eat that burger, please share it with your two best friends (or, perhaps it should be your worst foes!).  And begin to create a healthy lifestyle, so that you don’t get beat by diabetes.