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Friday, April 4, 2008

Nine Surprising Diabetes Risks For Texans

Many individuals in Dallas, Houston and other places around Texas don't know that they may be slowly working toward a permanent, chronic disease -- diabetes. Untreated, diabetes can lead to heart and blood pressure problems, dependence on insulin shots, blindness, neuropathy and an early death. Here are nine risks for you to evaluate:

1. Watching two plus hours of TV daily.
Increases your risk: 14%
How: More hours in front of the tube equals less activity.
The fix: Limit TV time to 10 hours a week and get off the couch and move around. Take a walk. Go for a swim. Enjoy life outdoors.

2. Drinking one soda dailyif at all.
Increases your risk: 83%
How: Soda adds extra and empty calories, which can easily lead to weight gain. Most non-diet pops are full of sugar. More than you'll probably add to your coffee.
The fix: Switch to water, diet soda, or even better, unsweetened tea, which actually protects against disease. Green teas are gaining in popularity because of their health benefits.

3. Skipping breakfast.
Increases your risk: almost 50%
How: Not having that morning meal increases the appetite-stimulating hormone ghrelin, making you hungrier and, as a result, you're actually more likely to eat more.
The fix: Eat high-fiber cereal with low-fat milk and one-half cup of fruit in the morning. One study of people with prediabetes found that eating high-fiber cereals made their cells respond better to insulin. Consuming dairy products may also cut the risk for insulin resistance by 72%.

4. Major depression
Increases your risk: 23%
How: Depression may alter body chemistry in a way that makes us more prone to developing diabetes.
The fix: Exercise. Even taking a walk, just 30 minutes, three times a week, has been shown to improve symptoms of depression.

5. A large waist line, even if you are of a normal weight.
Increases your risk: 330%
How: Fat in the abdomen produces compounds that make cells insulin-resistant. Women should keep their waist size below 35 inches and 40 inches for men.
The fix: A half-hour to one hour of cardio, three to five times a week.

6. Waking up in the middle of the night.
Increases your risk: 98%
How: Middle-of-the-night awakenings means you're not getting enough sleep, making you more prone to developing insulin resistance, leading to diabetes.
The fix: No caffeine in the late afternoon and evening. No TV and alcohol right before bed. Try yoga or meditation to relax.

7. Consuming fast food more than twice weekly.
Increases your risk: 100%
How: Individuals who eat burgers, fries and soda more than twice a week put on 10 extra pounds and were twice as likely to become resistant to insulin.
The fix: Stay away from fast food dining. And if you have to eat it, satisfy cravings with smaller portions.

8. High stress.
Increases your risk: 184%
How: Constant high stress can interfere with your ability to make insulin and process glucose.
The fix: Allow 10-15 minutes a day to relax. Try yoga or meditation.

9. Consuming lots of processed meats.
Increases your risk: 43%
How: These meats, like hotdogs, bacon and salami, are loaded with preservatives that may destroy insulin-producing cells in your pancreas.
The fix: Cut back on these meats or eliminate them from your diet altogether. A recent Harvard University study found that women who ate these meats less than once a week had the lowest risk. If you need to satisfy a craving, try preservative-free brands.

It's important to take care of yourself; from what you eat to how active you are on a daily basis. And how you treat your body when youre young will certainly affect your health when you get older. Eventually, it will also affect your wallet as well. If you're a young individual who likes to maintain a healthy condition, you should take a look at the revolutionary, comprehensive and highly affordable individual health insurance solutions created by Precedent specifically for you.

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Denise Austin Pilates And Yoga Equipment

Health Tips During Plane Travel

It is a known fact that long traveling is usually stressful and tedious. Having a stressful trip should not be a part of your travel planning. When you travel in an economy or coach section in a plane for a longer period, it can be stressful and can cause harm to your health. You definitely tend to feel fatigue and experience all kinds of symptoms like vomiting, headache, body pain, desperation for water and uneasiness. So here are few tips to make yourself comfortable during your travel.

1. Drink lots of water and don't let yourself get dehydrated. You can also consume alcohol moderately.

2. You can wear ear plugs and also eye shades to prevent yourself from hearing any noise and also coming in contact with bright luminous lights.

3. Have a light meal and avoid junk foods. Take fruits, cheese and crackers in between your meals to have a filled feeling.

4. Ensure that you refill your water bottle frequently to consume enough water to fulfill your thirst.

5. Take extra care for your neck and back. Sitting in the plane for too long can cause neck and back pain. Ensure you have an additional pillow or cushion apart from the one given to you in the plane.

6. Moisturize your lips with a lip balm.

7. Prevent your skin from drying up by applying enough moisturizer to your hands and face.

8. Don't be sitting in the plane. Just have a small walk occasionally to have a good blood circulation.

9. Dress warm because the temperature of the cabin is usually set to 22 to 24 degrees Celsius.

10. Don't remove your makeup before taking rest since it will prevent your skin from losing moisture in the flight.

11. Yawn frequently or chew your gum or swallow your saliva to depressurize your ears.

12. Don't drink coffee before and during your flight.

13. Ensure that you have plenty of greens and carbohydrates before boarding the flight and see to it that you take a deep breath before boarding it.

14. Wear comfortable shoes and loose clothes. Make sure for every time zone you cross, you take rest which in turn will reset your body's condition and allow it to adjust to the new environment.

15. Have a small medicine kit with your medical records and insurance in case of any emergency a balanced diet and have a routine to keep healthy at all times.

Cathy Peterson writes about http://www.traveldealsdiscounts.com/discount-travel-deals/4vacations.com/ and http://www.traveldealsdiscounts.com/discount-travel-deals/AlohaAirlines.com.

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