Page 18 - Florida Sentinel 11-3-17

Health
Diabetes is one of the leading causes of disability and death in the United States.
It can cause blindness, nerve damage, kidney disease, and other health problems, if it’s not controlled.
One in 10 Americans have diabetes — that’s more than 30 million people. And another 84 million adults in the United States are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
The good news? People who are at high risk for type 2 dia- betes can lower their risk by more than half if they make healthy changes. These changes include: eating healthy, get- ting more physical activity, and losing weight.
We can use this month to raise awareness about diabetes risk factors and encourage people to make healthy changes.
HERE ARE SOME TIPS TO HELP MANAGE DIABETES:
• Make small changes, like taking the stairs, instead of the elevator.
• Lose extra weight. ...
• Check your blood sugar level at least twice a day. ... • Get A1c blood tests to find out your average blood
sugar for the past 2 to 3 months. ...
• Track your carbohydrates. ...
• Control your blood pressure, cholesterol, and
triglyceride levels. ... • Keep moving. ...
• Catch some ZZZs. ... • Manage stress.
SPOILER: FANCY COFFEE
Once you
add heavy
cream, fla-
vored syrups,
or a snowcap
of whipped
cream, your
mug of black
coffee is full of fat and sugar. Spe- cialty coffees can have up to 570 calories per cup: possibly more than an entire meal! If you don’t like your coffee black, add a little skim milk and artificial sweetener to keep the calorie count low.
HELPER: GREEN TEA
Green tea is an excellent choice when you’re looking for a little boost. Not only is it calo- rie-free --
some research suggests green tea extract may stimulate weight loss. It's not clear exactly how that works, but caffeine and micronu- trients called catechins may each play a role. The benefit appears to last only a few hours, so it may help to drink green tea at least twice a day.
SPOILER: ENERGY DRINKS
Most sports
and energy
drinks are calo-
rie bombs like
soda. They may
have more
added nutri-
ents, but you
can find the same vitamins and minerals in low-calorie foods. When you're working on weight loss, stay hydrated with water rather than sports drinks, unless you need the extra nutrients be- cause you're exercising hard and sweating a lot.
HELPER: BLACK COFFEE
When you need a shot of caf- feine, coffee is a better choice than soda or en- ergy drinks. Black coffee is calo- rie-free and rich in antioxidants. Studies have shown that drinking moderate amounts of coffee (about 3 to 4 cups a day) may im- prove mood and concentration, and may also lower the risk of type 2 diabetes and some types of
cancer.
DRINK POUNDS AWAY
Many of us watch what we eat but not what we drink when on a diet. That’s a mistake. The aver- age American drinks one out of five of their daily calories. Choos- ing the right drinks can tweak your metabolism, curb your ap- petite, and help cut calories. Which drinks are spoilers and which are helpers on the path to weight loss?
SPOILER: SODA
Every time you chug a bot- tle of soda, you get hundreds of empty calories. Switching to diet soft drinks is an obvious way to cut calories, but the research is mixed on whether this switch leads to weight loss. Some studies show a short-term benefit. Others find diet soda drinkers gain weight. If you eat or drink more calories than you burn, just switching to diet soda
may not do the trick.
HELPER: WATER
Replacing
carbonated
soft drinks
with water will
cut hundreds
of calories per
day. Drinking
two glasses of
water before a meal may also help you feel full faster, so you don’t eat as much. And drinking enough water may have a positive effect on your metabolism.
SPOILER: COOLERS
Coolers may sound light and airy, but they are heavy on calo- ries. A 12-ounce cooler contain- ing wine can have 190 calories and 22 grams of carbs. The same size hard lemonade or bottled al- coholic "ice" can have as much as 315 calories. Regular wine is not exactly a diet drink, with 100 calories in a 5-ounce glass. A low- calorie alternative is a wine spritzer: Mix a dash of wine with some sparkling water.
SPOILER: COCKTAILS
A shot of hard liquor has fewer calories than wine or wine coolers, but once you mix in soda or cream, watch out. An 8-ounce white Russian made with light cream has 715 calories. A less fat- tening option is to mix rum or
vodka with diet soda.
PAGE 6-B FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2017