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The notorious Freshman 15 those extra pounds college students can pack on when they first live away from home has now morphed into the Quarantine 15 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Its not surprising, as many adults are stressed, have irregular schedules and limited access to gyms, but plenty of Facetime or Zoom meetings next to snack-filled cupboards.

Today, one in three U.S. adults has prediabetes. Of those, 84% do not know they are in this danger zone because there are no clear symptoms, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This figure is more concerning now due to COVID-delayed check-ups when people are typically reminded by their doctor to eat healthy and exercise. Since weight gain and sedentary behaviors can increase the risk for prediabetes or even progression to Type 2 diabetes, developing healthy and sustainable habits is critical to prevention.

Prediabetes can develop when a persons body is not using insulin correctly or making enough to process glucose, also known as blood sugar, properly. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that helps the body turn blood sugar into energy. If a persons blood sugar is too high for extended periods, as seen with Type 2 diabetes, it can result in long-term damage to organs, as in heart and kidney disease, as well as limb and vision loss.

Prediabetes is a precursor to Type 2 diabetes, but it can be reversed or prevented by focusing on healthier lifestyle habits. Risk factors include age, family history, obesity, poor diet and consistent inactivity. While some of these factors are uncontrollable, incorporating healthy food choices and physical activity into each day can significantly reduce the risk for prediabetes.

The CDC recommends adults get at least 150 minutes of aerobic activity each week that's less than 22 minutes per day if practiced every day. Try these tips to get moving:

Take a walk around the block every couple of hours.

Set phone reminders for daily exercise.

Turn a conference call into a walking meeting, if possible.

Use laundry detergent containers, canned goods or other household items as hand weights for exercises such as squats or lunges.

Practicemindful eating, keeping aware of yourportions. Its important to understand that it takes about 20 minutes for the brain to register signals from the stomach that its full. This often results in overeating and excessive calorie intake. Here are some ways to keep the grazing under control:

Structure snacks and meals throughout the day to prevent hunger binges.

Track food intake and read labels to monitor calories and better understand the nutritional value of items.

Dont eat out of bags portion out nuts, pretzels and crackers.

Keep healthy snacks on hand such asraw nuts, cut fruits and vegetables, hummus or a homemade Greek yogurt dip. Dipping fresh vegetables like celery or carrot sticks in such dips will provide protein along with a satisfying crunch, fiber and minerals for a lower-calorie snack.

Shanthi Appel is a registered dietitian and health and wellness spokesperson for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. For more tips on lowering your risks of diabetes, visitahealthiermichigan.org.

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Learn ways to lower your risk of developing diabetes - The Oakland Press

This entry was posted on December 16, 2020 at 9:54 pm and is filed under Diabetes. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed. |