Wellness On Call
Experts answer your questions,
on your schedule
Steps to Avoid Diabetes
Q. "Is there a particular diet for early stages of diabetes to reverse the onset of it?” Dolores, Lawrenceville, Georgia
A."Dolores, you are wise to ask this question. While the diagnosis of diabetes is scary, the symptoms and thus the complications of high blood glucose may be avoided with proper dietary strategies.
"Diabetes is an alteration in the ability of your body to use sugar (glucose) due to an inability of the hormone insulin to work properly. For the type of diabetes you are referring to, your body (specifically the pancreas) makes enough insulin but the insulin is not working properly, often because of excess body weight.
"If you can lower your body weight by 5-10 pounds, your blood sugar levels will be reduced. How can you lose weight? There are many ways, but here are a few ideas I use with my clients.
"Reduce your portions of meat and fats like butter, salad dressing and oil. Instead, eat lots of vegetables, some fruit and whole grains each day. Also avoid foods with sucrose like candy, cake, cookies and pie. They offer no real nutrients and no fiber. Try to eat two to three small meals and two to three snacks each day so you avoid between-meal hunger. Finally, try to engage in some exercise.You can start slow by walking 15 minutes each day and then work up to more time.
"I hope that answers your question. For very specific individual assistance contact your local American Dietetic Association." -- Laurie Schlussel, R.D.,M.A.; Adjunct Nutrition Professor, William Paterson University, Wayne, New Jersey
Eating at Night
Q. "When is the best time of night to stop eating?” Joan, Blue Jay, Ohio
A. “That is a great question, and one that I am often asked. In truth, there is no rule that says one must stop eating at a certain time. That said, there are a few caveats.
“Under certain conditions, several groups of people will find it healthier if they stop eating one to two hours prior to bed. Those with type 1 diabetes, who require a bedtime snack, often eat that snack during that time period. If you have gastrointestinal reflux disease, your sleep will be more comfortable if you avoid food two hours prior to bedtime. This way most of the stomach contents will be on their way to the small intestine by the time you go to sleep.
“For weight control, try to have your last snack within the two-hour limit. If you take in too many calories before bed you have no opportunity to use any of those calories and that will hurt your weight loss efforts. Finally, many people feel very uncomfortable eating large quantities of food just prior to bed. Thus, if you stick to the one- to two-hour guideline, your digestive system (body chemicals like enzymes and hormones) will be as ready for bed as you are.” – Laurie Schlussel, R.D., M.A.; Adjunct Nutrition Professor, William Paterson University, Wayne, N.J.
How Do I Gain Weight?
Q. "How can one gain weight? I am thin and always have been, but get thinner as I age." Bob, Astoria, Oregon
A. Adding healthy body weight can be challenging because it takes 3,500 extra calories to add a pound of weight. Try to eat an extra 500 calories every day for a net gain of about one pound per week. Here are some tips for increasing calories:
Stock up with high-calorie, high-protein snacks such as:
- Milk (1%), yogurt, soymilk
- Instant breakfast mixes that can be added to milk
- Nuts, which are an easy high-energy, high-protein snack
- Canola or olive oil-based spreads (butter/margarine section of the store)
- Whole grain wheat crackers or bread sticks- top with spreads or peanut butter
- Cheeses such as string cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt
- Fresh, canned or dried fruits - dip in honey for added calories
- Tuna fish, mackerel, salmon, -mix with mayonnaise,
- Ice cream, puddings, whipped cream toppings- top with fruit
- Oatmeal raisin cookies, vanilla wafers, graham crackers or other desserts.
Avoid skipping meals and try to include a hearty breakfast with protein from eggs, cheese or ham.
Plan three meals with all food groups, and two snacks. Smaller portions are better tolerated. Consume about ½-cup of a beverage with meals to save room for higher-calorie foods.
Include high-calorie, high-protein beverages between meals: milk, soymilk, milk shakes, eggnog, or 100% fruit juices.
Add extra spreads, mayonnaise, and dips to everything: crackers, toast, vegetables and sandwiches.
If you need help purchasing or preparing meals, contact your social service agency. It’s much more fun to enjoy meals with others in your community.
Bon appetite! -- Georgia Chavent, M.S., R.D.; Director, Nutrition and Dietetics, University of New Haven
Boost Your Emotional Energy
Q. "No matter how much—or how little—sleep I get, I am tired all day. My diet is mainly protein, fruits, and vegetables (no carbs for me). Any suggestions for increasing my energy? PS—Sorry, exercise has never proven to energize me." Julie, Los Angeles
A. Everyone knows that to feel energetic you need to eat healthfully, exercise regularly and get enough sleep. But what if you've done all those things, and you're still not performing at your peak? Your emotions may be to blame.
According to a survey of endocrinologists, nutritionists and specialists in sports medicine conducted at The Chestnut Hill Institute in Boston, a center for research and psychotherapy, at least 70 percent of your perceived energy is attributable to your emotional state.
For example: You're running a marathon. It's the last mile. You're
physically exhausted. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, your hope, desire and
sheer joy in running give you an extra boost, you pick up the pace and sail
to the finish.
You've been rescued by emotional energy more often than you realize - every time you're tired or sick but your optimism keeps you going. You've also been dragged down by emotional fatigue, as worry, envy, discouragement and stress eat away at your inner resources. Fortunately, you can take measures to boost your emotional energy, just as you do for your physical stamina:
Keep it new. High-energy people are always trying new things, even when the old and familiar patterns seem good enough. Every week, add something new to your life – a new food you've never eaten; an alternate route to work, a new genre of book, a new yoga pose. Once every month or two, get radical. Take up a new sport; change your hair color or cut; or get away to a place you've always wanted to go.
Be your own boss. Living up to other people's expectations and demands is
exhausting. Examine your career, relationships and responsibilities, and ask
yourself if you're mainly doing what someone else wants, or what you want.
Do something solo—go to a movie or restaurant by yourself, so you
can do exactly what you want.
Conquer a fear. Eliminate a stress from your life and get an energizing high at the same time. Do something small that frightens you, just enough for you to say
when you've done it, "Well, that wasn't so bad." Afraid of heights? Take a
hike in a hilly area and gradually walk to higher ground. Scared to
speak in public? Start by making toasts at dinner parties with friends.
Enjoy yourself. Fun is fuel. You can't have a blast every second, but being more playful or taking things less seriously will help keep you going. Dismiss the idea that there's a right way to do things. Perfectionism can turn everything into a struggle, so allow yourself to simply do your best. And finally, smile. There's abundant research suggesting that feelings follow actions. If you start by smiling, you might just boost your mood.
– Mira Kirshenbaum, author, The Emotional Energy Factor: The Secrets High-Energy People Use to Beat Emotional Fatigue.
Stress and Illness
Q. “What connections have been shown between stress and disease? Not just what conventional wisdom says, but real links shown in scientifically rigorous medical research?" Adam, Tarrytown, N.Y.
A. Stress is difficult to define because it differs for each of us. However, there is little doubt that stress can contribute to emotional and physical problems ranging from anxiety and depression to cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, skin, musculoskeletal and immune
system diseases, says Paul J. Rosch, M.D., president of The American Institute of Stress and professor of medicine and psychiatry at New York Medical College.
Further, "Job stress is far and away the leading source of stress in adults, has been steadily increasing, and has been linked in scientific studies to heart attacks and stroke as well as some of the above disorders," Dr. Rosch adds.
"Just as stress differs for each of us, no stress reduction strategy is a panacea. Meditation, jogging and yoga work great for some but prove dull and stressful when arbitrarily imposed on others. You have to find something that works for you that you adhere to it because you want to, not because somebody tells you to." Dr. Rosch says.
For more about stress and how to ease it, see Health.com.
