Your Dietary Recommendations

diet pills

The obesity epidemic has cast a new spotlight on proper dietary requirements for all Americans. Consider that, since the seventies, the childhood obesity rate has more than tripled and that 80% of adult Americans are now considered overweight or obese! The toll that obesity takes on the economy is great, as Medicare and Medicaid are strapped to the max with obesity-related conditions. In fact, obesity is clearly linked to the development of cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, cancer, strokes and other unfortunate ends. The bright light at the end of the tunnel is doctors’ assurances that it’s never too late to start trying to lose weight and that even losing just ten pounds significantly reduces the risk of disease and death.

The “2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans” are the most current recommendations for diet nutrition, at least until the 2010 edition comes out. According to the guidelines, a “healthy diet” is one that is full of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products, including lean protein like poultry and fish, beans, eggs and nuts, and is low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, sodium and sugar. Consumers are encouraged to make smart choices and eat a wide variety of foods, while staying within the caloric needs for their height and weight. Each day, Americans should be consuming calories, amino acids, essential fatty acids, minerals and vitamins. While requirements change for people depending upon their size and level of physical activity, the average person consumes around 50 grams of fat and 2,000 calories per day to remain at a stable weight.

For someone with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, the normal dietary rules may not apply. Generally, most diabetics will need to reduce the amount of fat consumed (particularly saturated fat), quit smoking and reduce alcohol consumption to no more than 3 or 4 per day. Diets should be rich in mono-unsaturated fats (like olive oil), oily fish, starchy whole grain carbohydrates (bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, cereal), and fresh fruits and vegetables. A diabetic will need to check his or her blood sugar level before eating to see that it’s 70 to 130 and then again a few hours after eating to make sure it’s below 180. People with low blood sugar will need to have certain snacks handy, like fruit juice, hard candy, sugar or honey, soft drinks and milk. Small or medium sized women should eat 1,200 to 1,600 calories per day (6 starch, 3 vegetables, 2 fruits, 2 milks, 4-6 ounces protein and up to 3 fats). Larger women or small to medium sized men should have 1,600 to 2,000 calories (8 starch, 4 vegetables, 3 fruits, 2 milks, 4-6 ounces protein and up to 4 fats). For more information, check out the Diabetes Food Pyramid at www.nih.gov.

Some people wonder, “What about diet pills? Are they safe? Do they work?” The short answer, according to Redbook Magazine, is yes. In some instances, drugs like fen-phen and ephedra have helped people lose weight but with dangerous side effects, such as mood swings, nausea, anxiety, hypertension and even addiction. Two new drugs on the market are Alli, which is a drug blocking fat absorption and Zimulti, which helps you slim down and lower cholesterol. Both offer safer alternatives that work. People who take Alli ($54 for the starter kit) are able to block about 100 to 200 calories per day and lose 50% more weight than those who aren’t on it. What is the downside? Loose, oily stools and possibly a lack of Vitamin A and D. Zimulti reduces insulin and appetite and helped dieters lose two-and-a-half more times the weight than those who were not taking it. The downside is that many people taking it experienced anxiety and/or depression. The best way to lose weight is the old-fashioned combination of diet and exercise, although these little pills can help severely obese individuals who feel they need that extra head start.

What You Should Know About Diabetes Mellitus

of diabetes

The word “diabetes” was coined by Aretaeus Cappadocia and stems from the Greek verb “diabaínein,” (“dia” meaning “across/apart” and “bainein” meaning to stride with legs asunder”). The literal translation means “one that straddles” or “a compass, siphon,” referring to the main characteristic of diabetes, which is the excessive discharge of urine. The first version of this word appeared in text in 1425, but the word “mellitus” was added by Thomas Willis in 1675, which translates to “honey;” a reference to the sweet taste of the urine from excess sugar in the bloodstream, which had been written about by the Greeks, Chinese, Egyptians, Indians and Persians. In the past, diabetes was a death sentence, as Aretaeus commented, “[For diabetics], life is short, disgusting and painful.” Today, diabetes mellitus still has no cure, although lifestyle modification, medication and insulin treatment can make life much more tolerable.

Over the past few decades, diabetes mellitus cases have increased significantly, causing the Center for Disease Control to deem the disease “an epidemic.” Researchers are unsure why, but there is a significant number of Hispanics, Blacks, Natives and Pacific Islanders with type 2 diabetes. Additionally, the disease is inextricably linked with a combination of three things, which are obesity, living a sedentary life and aging. Since diabetes can begin with subtle symptoms, it’s believed that as many as 60 million Americans are living with the disease without an official diagnosis, which severely limits treatment options.

If treatments for diabetes are not sought, many complications may ensue. Up to 50% of people with the disease suffer diabetic neuropathy, which causes tingling, pain, numbness and weakness in the hands and feet. Sometimes this can lead to reduced blood flow, ulcers, gangrene and amputation. After 15 years, 2% of diabetics go blind and 10% suffer severe visual impairment as a result of damage to the retinal blood vessels. Diabetes is among the leading causes of kidney failure, causing 10 to 20% of diabetic deaths. Another 50% die from heart disease or stroke.

Despite long-term dangers of cardiovascular disease, chronic renal failure, nerve damage, Alzheimer’s and erectile dysfunction, prevention for many of the more serious complications related to diabetes mellitus is possible. Patients must remain committed to dieting, exercising, smoking cessation and blood sugar monitoring. If prescribed medication, the patient must remain on it. While these lifestyle modifications may seem exceedingly difficult, it is quite literally the difference between life and death for someone with diabetes. Even though there is no cure, an individual can live relatively well for many more years.