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Easy to Eat Well Columns HOT HEALTH TOPIC: Hypertension 101 Type II Diabetes The right way to eat sugar Healthy grilling Hypertension 101: The Silent Killer What do you know about high blood pressure? Unless you did your homework, you might not know that 1 out of 3 adults in the United States has high blood pressure. Could you number be as high as 130/90? Readings less than 120/80 are within the optimal healthy range. Any number greater than 140/90 is considered hypertension. Everything in between is pre-hypertensive. With a reading of 130/90, you would be at great risk of hypertension and all of the health concerns that come with it. When was the last time you got your blood pressure taken? If it was high, have you done something about it? Hypertension is a silent killer because it has no symptoms and it strikes without a clear known cause. Many factors that contribute to high blood pressure can be changed: overweight, poor eating habits, excessive alcohol consumption, and lack of exercise. High blood pressure is a byproduct of narrow arteries. Diets high in saturated fat and cholesterol contribute to plaque buildup within blood vessels. Narrow vessels force the heart to work harder. Imagine blowing air out of straw instead of just releasing it from your mouth. The smaller opening requires greater force to move the same amount of air. With the blood pushing so hard against the walls of the arteries, there is greater likelihood that a small, thin blood vessel might burst and bleed into the brain, causing a stroke. This same scenario might also result in a heart attack.
On that cheerful note...What types of foods are high in saturated fat? These foods are not the bubonic plague. You do not have to eliminate them completely from your diet. Simply limit them to a few dishes a week and be mindful of how often you consume saturated fat. Do you spread butter on everything? Perhaps try some Earth Balance instead? Visit the American Heart Association for more details. Are You Headed for Type II Diabetes? This might sound like one of those commercials trying to get you to buy medication, but its not. Ask yourself these questions: Are you always thirsty or always hungry? Do you have constant fatigue? How about sores that do not heal or blurred vision? These are all signs and symptoms of a serious health risk called type II diabetes. More than 6 million people in the United States have type II diabetes and do not know it! Symptoms can be so mild that you do not notice them or you do not think that your symptoms are diabetes related. Many people do not find out that they have diabetes until a complication like blurry vision or heart trouble arises. More information about risk for type 2 diabetes can be found at National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse , part of the NIH. According to the CDC, diabetes was the sixth leading cause of death in 2004. Many more people are suffering from complications like blindness, limb amputation, gum disease, and many more. Take this quick risk assessment test. Are you surprised at the answer? Read more if you think it might be time for you and “your sugar” to have a little talk. Type 2 diabetes is the more common form of diabetes. As a result of several factors, the body does not produce enough insulin for the body or the cells ignore the insulin that is made because they become de-sensitized to it. Insulin is needed for the body to use glucose. Basically, all the food that you eat gets broken down into its component parts to be digested. Carbohydrates get broken down into a fuel called glucose. The energy is transported via the bloodstream and the body absorbs the glucose when insulin triggers cells to absorb it. Blood glucose level is highly regulated and it needs to be within a very narrow range for the body to function properly. Levels that are too high or too low are very serious and can result in complications and organ failure. What is most recommended in the treatment and prevention of diabetes? A healthy lifestyle including lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and regular exercise. If the risk assessment surprised you and you’ve discovered that you might be at risk, then seeing your doctor for a check up and improving your eating and exercise habits can make a dramatic difference in your life. Should you remove sugar from your diet? The answer is mixed. Its not necessary to completely eliminate sugar, but it would not hurt to greatly reduce it. The number one thing that you can do to prevent diabetes is to keep your weight within a healthy range. Oftentimes, sugary foods are also fattening foods, which can lead to weightgain. There is also research suggesting that some foods raise blood glucose levels higher and more rapidly than other types of food. This spike is seen as unhealthy because the body needs to produce a lot of insulin in a short period of time to get the glucose out of the blood stream. There is a ranking system called the glycemic index to rank foods according to how rapidly they are converted into glucose in the blood stream and how much they elevate blood glucose levels. Foods with lower glycemic indices are thought to be better alternatives for those who want to regulate their blood sugar levels because they raise blood glucose slightly over a long period of time, allowing the body to gradually produce insulin to eliminate the excess fuel. A good resource to check out the glycemic indices of foods that you eat is The Official Website of the Glycemic Index and GI Database . Even if you are not diabetic or at risk for diabetes, it is a helpful website for athletes who want to select the right types of carbohydrates for before and after workouts or games. There is also information for nursing mothers who want to get enough energy for themselves and their baby, but also not gain 50 pounds doing it. Low GI foods tend to be more satisfying and filling with energy that is delivered to the body in a time released fashion. The “Right Way” to Eat Sugar Why the hype around sugar? Would we all do better to eliminate the white stuff from our diet, or is it a myth that there is no nutritional value in this sweet piece of heaven? The bottom line is that sugar has taken the place of fat, on Nutritionists’ book of Blacklisted Foods. And while we do need some sugar just to function, the refined “white stuff” is not always the best source. Let’s look more closely. Sugar is like fuel to your body. When you consume it straight (think jelly beans and marshmallows), it immediately absorbs into your bloodstream and causes an energy burst. Simultaneously, a signal is sent to your pancreas to emit insulin to bring that hyped-up sugar burst back into balance. Over time, too much sugar causes a “cry wolf syndrome” and either your body fails to send up the right level of insulin, or that insulin fails to elicit the right “balancing” response. In either case, its bad news. The answer, instead (overlooking avoidance altogether) is to balance your sugar intake with other “absorption” nutrients, like protein, fat or fiber, to counteract, or slow, that sugar absorption rate. One option is to consume an “absorption” food with your sugar food – like putting peanutbutter on an apple (apple has natural sugar, but sugar the same). The fat and protein in pb slows the rate at which the apple sugars speed into your system. Another option is to make sure you’ve had some “absorption” food before consuming sugar. As an example, eat a turkey sandwich before you eat jelly beans. The protein in turkey and the fiber from the bread will help slow the straight-sugar bean impact. A few product ideas to steer your right: Lifestream Waffles, Multigrain Cheerios, Think! Energy Bars, Bear Naked Granola, Cascadian Farms Clifford Crunch Cereal and Kashi TLC Cookies. All of these products tend to be fairly low in sugar, whether natural or refined, and have other absorbing nutrients present to slow things down. The ultimate goal would be for us all to forgo white table sugar and, instead, get our “fix” of needed sugar from natural sources, like fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Pin that last line up on your kitchen cupboard door and the next time you reach for candy, cookies or some white-sugar laden treat, think “slow absorption”. Have a Balanced Week! Great Grilling for Health Summer is prime time for outside grilling. Outdoor parties usually have ample amounts of chips, hot dogs, cheeseburgers, and potato salad. If you plan on celebrating the summer thoroughly, but also keeping your health in tip top condition, consider some alternative outdoor cuisine. Get creative when you are grilling outdoors. Think corn on the cob, grilled pineapple, or vegetable shish kabobs. Stick a healthy sized carrot on the grill until it is tender and put it in a bun with some condiments as an interesting hot dog alternative. Put on some fun music and invite friends over to get your creative juices flowing. When grilling with high temperatures, take care not to char your meats because this will result in the creation of heterocyclic amines, a cancer causing compound that you don’t want to worry about. One way to prepare fish on the grill is to use an aluminum foil pocket. Fold a rectangle of foil in half and roll up the sides after filling the pocket with fish, herbs, and lemon juice. Try this month’s “Fiery 4th” Grilled Salmon which combines flavors like ginger and red pepper in a Hain Peanut Oil nutty marinade. Experiment with Annie’s Whole Wheat Pasta Shells with a chilled Grilled Greek Pasta Salad. Whole wheat pasta that has been cooled has a higher percentage of resistant starch, which cannot be digested. Therefore it increases the fiber content while decreasing the calories absorbed. For a healthy spin on fat laden potato salad, try Green Bean and Potato Salad which uses balsamic vinegar and Worcestershire sauce instead of mayonnaise. Instead of regular tacos, make Soft Grilled Chicken Tacos using Manny’s White Corn Tortillas and reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese. Just follow these basic concepts for outside grilling and you’ll be looking fit and healthy while soaking up some vitamin D outdoors. Keep things light and get creative with fruits and vegetables. Don’t forget your spices and marinades for added flavor. When grilling beef, pork, fowl, or fish, be careful not to char the meat. Enjoy the nice weather! |