Protect Yourself Against Type 2 Diabetes!

Type 2 diabetes is on the increase in this country.  Did you know that the heavier you get, the more chance you have at developing this disease?  What's even worse is this tragic epidemic is happening to our children.  However, you can lower your risk by adjusting your diet for starters. 

Nuts, nut butters and peanut butter are excellent preventive foods to incorporate into your life because of their healthy fats and magnesium.  Eat a serving of nuts in any of those forms just five times a week can lower your odds up to 30 percent of ever developing this disease.

Adding more fiber such as in legumes or whole grain cereals and breads daily can make a tremendous difference.  One study found people that ate fiber rich foods every day reduced their risk by 40 percent compared to those that did not.

Coffee is another choice you may want to reconsider and add to your diet.  Whether you prefer caffeinated or decaffeined does not matter, however, you need to drink at least three or four cups a day for this drink to do anything to lower your risk. 

One thing you may also want to avoid is regular soda.  Simply put,  if you just  drink two cans of  this sugar-loaded stuff, you also double your chances of getting kidney disease, compounding the problem. 

Eating sweets are fine when you you do it in moderation.  Also, it is a good idea to save one or two days a week for that indulgence instead of making desserts a daily routine. 

If you already have type 2 diabetes, then experts advise losing some weight often helps get the disease under control.   Exercise is also recommended. 

Unfortunately, we are becoming a sedentary nation due to computers, video games, television, and technology.  Try putting a limit on the amount of time that your child is stationed in front of the computer or television. The upcoming warm weather is the perfect time to take walks or play outdoors with a baseball, volleyball, basketball, etc. with the kids.