With the holidays behind us and a new year in front of us, thoughts often turn to starting fresh, especially when it comes to losing weight. Whether you have put on a few pounds over the holidays, or just want to shed a few pounds to help improve your health, lose weight smartly and safely with the steps laid out in this article.]]>
What would you do to get rid of diabetes? If your answer includes surgery, there may be hope. A surgery called gastric bypass has been shown to reverse type 2 diabetes in some cases. If you are 80 pounds overweight or more, you may qualify for this type of weight loss surgery.]]>
People with diabetes have a higher risk for sleep apnea, a condition in which your breathing stops and starts many times during the night. As this prevents you from getting a good night’s sleep, it puts you at a high risk for sleepiness during the day, memory and attention problems, insulin resistance, and even heart disease. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common type of this condition, and it usually affects people who are older or overweight. The good news is that a recent study found that people with OSA can manage the condition well by changing their lifestyle. The study, which was published in CHEST Journal, looked to see whether losing weight with certain lifestyle changes helped people with OSA feel more awake during the day. The Chinese researchers tracked 104 people with moderate to severe OSA. For one year, they were either given the standard treatment, or extra help from a dietitian. Those in the dietitian group were able to work with healthcare professionals specifically to change their eating and exercise habits. By the end of the study, the subjects in the dietitian group lowered their BMI and had a more balanced meal plan that included lots [...]]]>
If you’re like most Americans, you probably have your cell phone with you for most of the day. You can call your friends and loved ones, check your email, and even usethe Internet on your phone. Butdid you ever think texting could help you lose weight? A recent study has shown that a texting program that sends healthy tips to your phone could make you more likely to make healthy lifestyle choices.]]>
In the hopes of losing weight and getting your health under control, it is very likely that you have counted calories, carbohydrates, or even grams of fat. With all of that counting, your weight loss journey may have become too much of a chore, and therefore may have ended before you reached your goal. A new study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine has found that a new and easier way to eat healthy for weight loss may be counting fiber, and only fiber.]]>
If you have a high BMI (Body Mass Index) and other metabolic problems, like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and/or high triglycerides, your healthcare provider may suggest weight loss surgery to you. Though there are not many long-term studies on weight loss (bariatric) surgery yet, the research so far has shown that there can be big benefits. Not only can obese people lose a lot of weight with these surgeries, many have also been able to reverse their diabetes. But a new study from the University of Cincinnati has shown that weight loss surgery may not be helpful–or even safe–if you have a BMI of 46 or more. This category is called Class III, or “super obesity.” Researchers looked at information from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, the HMO Research Network sites, and the National Health Interview Survey linked to the National Death Index. They wanted to know how long people lived after weight loss surgery if they were: Class I or II obese (BMI between 30 and 40) Class III obese (BMI over 40) The scientists expected to find that those who were “super obese” had the biggest benefits from weight loss surgery. So, the results surprised them. [...]]]>
People with Type 1 Diabetes May Need Different Blood Glucose Goals Low blood glucose (called?hypoglycemia) can be especially dangerous for people with type 1 diabetes. If they don’t keep their blood glucose high enough, they can face serious problems like losing consciousness or even death. For this reason, many healthcare providers tell their patients with type 1 diabetes that keeping their blood glucose a little high is safer than letting it get too low. Still, they worried that this would lead to long-term complications, like blindness, liver failure and heart disease. Now, there is good news. A recent study from the Pitt Graduate School of Public Health at the University of Pittsburg has shown that good blood glucose control, even at the upper end of “normal,” is linked to longer life and better health for people with type 1 diabetes. The researchers followed almost 1,500 people with type 1 diabetes for 27 years. At the end of the study, they looked at how well each person controlled his or her blood glucose, and how many people had died. Those who managed to keep their blood glucose levels at the top end of the normal range were less likely to [...]]]>
You may have heard that type 2 diabetes is becoming much more common these days. In fact, there are now more than 29 million adults who have the disease! Plus, there are about 86 million people who have prediabetes, and about one-third of them will go on to get diabetes.]]>
Hot sauce. Chili peppers. Jalape?os. Indian curry. What do these foods all have in common? They’re hot! If you have the taste buds and the stomach for them, you might want to include them in your regular eating plan, because they offer a whole host of benefits. Here’s how they can help your health!]]>