Why do people around the world have disease? Diabetes rates keep going higher and higher. What does that mean to you? That means more heart attacks, more strokes and a shorter life expectancy, even if you are otherwise healthy. The advice is simple, but it’s hard to follow sometimes. It could be as simple as get up and move!!! Too much sitting makes your blood sugar rise. What are suggestions to keep it up? Small changes can help you fend off diabetes.
1) Substitute nuts for potatoes – Snack on nuts, not carbs. They are high in fat, but they are good fats. Potatoes deliver a dietary double whammy. They make your blood sugar rise, and over the years, are particularly likely to make you gain weight. Nuts may be high in fat, but snacking on a handful instead of chips or fries will help you lose pounds. Pistachios, almonds and peanuts have surprising power to keep blood sugar even.
2) Exercise a little – Just one session of moderate exercise improves your body’s blood sugar control. Mini-bursts of activity seem to be as effective as continuous exercise. In fact, sitting for hours at a time boosts your risk of a variety of diseases, even if you are otherwise active. Aim to move at least 30 to 45 minutes a day. What makes that goal less daunting is that you can rack up some of those minutes during TV commercials or other bits of down time as long as you move briskly.
3) Treat your pasta right – Keeping your cells responsive to insulin is key to warding off diabetes because insulin is the hormone that sweeps sugar out of the blood. Here’s an effective, tasty way to do that. Saute your pasta in extra virgin olive oil and throw in some vegetables for good measure. That approach substantially increases insulin sensitivity for overweight people. Sauteing any carb-rich food in olive oil will help hold blood sugar steady.
4) Insist on a blackout – If you don’t sleep seven or eight hours most nights, your risk of developing diabetes or having it gets worse. To sleep longer and better, go dark, because even a small amount of light during bedtime hours slows the production of melatonin, the hormone that makes you sleepy. Reading lights or glowing screens can be enough to rev your body. If you want to read in bed, try wearing an inexpensive pair of amber shades. They block blue light waves that are particularly disruptive for melatonin.
5) Have salad – When you are indulging in high-carb foods like pasta, potatoes or rice, serve salad, too, and make sure the dressing contains vinegar. Consuming one and half tablespoons of vinegar can lower your blood sugar.