lifestyle-tips-nov07

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LIFESTYLE

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Timely Information for Personal Success

Don’t Become One of the Millions By Tim Lencki t’s estimated that more than 18 million people in the United States have diabetes. That’s over 6% of the population! Each year, another million people are diagnosed with this condition. Diabetes is a metabolic disorder that affects the way our bodies use digested food for growth and energy. Most of the food we eat is broken down into a form of sugar called glucose. This is the main source of fuel for the body. Insulin must be present to get glucose to the body’s cells. When we eat, our pancreas produces the right amount of insulin. But in people who have diabetes, the pancreas produces little or no insulin. This causes glucose to build up in the blood, before eventually leaving the body without fueling it. If left unchecked for extended periods, elevated glucose can lead to heart disease, kidney failure, blindness, and nerve dysfunction.

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The most common form is type 2 diabetes, which makes up 90% to 95% of all cases. This form is associated with older age, obesity, family history, and physical inactivity. Type 2 diabetes is strongly linked to lifestyle factors, especially diet and exercise. Research has shown that exercise is at the forefront in the prevention, control, and treatment of diabetes. The American Council on Exercise recommends the following guidelines for exercising with type 2 diabetes:

“Research has shown that exercise is at the forefront in prevention, control, and treatment of diabetes.”

Employee Assistance Report

• Cardiovascular exercise — Aim for three to four days per week of moderate intensity exercise, such as walking or other non-weight-bearing activities like biking and water aerobics. Try to spend 20-to-60 minutes in one of these activities. • Weight training — Follow a lower-resistance, lower-inten-

Quit Smoking Without Gaining Weight By Tim Lencki re you one of the estimated 25 million men and 21 million women who smoke cigarettes in the U.S.? Smoking is one of the most common preventable causes of death. About half of the people who don’t quit smoking will die of smoking-related problems. Quitting smoking is important for your health and provides many benefits. Quitting isn’t easy, but even quitters have to deal with shortterm effects like weight gain, irritability, and anxiety. In fact, the average smoker gains eight pounds after quitting. Why does this happen? What can be done? Nicotine increases your metabolism. Once you quit, your

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Lifestyle Tips Insert

November 2007


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