July | 2011 | Talk Diabetes

Wear Identification, especially if you are exercising away from home.  A wallet ID card, bracelet, shoe tag or necklace provides important information to any rescue personnel, if needed. Carry a cell phone that includes “ICE” (in case of emergency) contact phone numbers.

Exercise with a buddy!

If you are just starting an exercise program or trying to stay on track, get a buddy!  A friend, co-worker, or family member can provide moral support and help you stick with the routine.  They can also help you treat a low blood sugar or call for help if there’s a medical emergency. If you have questions about low blood sugar or treatment of low blood sugar, contact your diabetes educator.

Summer brings more daylight hours and that means more time for outdoor activities! There are many great reasons to continue any exercise regimen, but being outdoors provides the opportunity to add something different to your routine: walking, biking, gardening, golfing, or water exercises.  However, exercise during the hot summer temperatures requires some extra attention to safety precautions, especially if you have diabetes.  Over the next two weeks, you’ll learn the most important safety tips for starting an exercise routine.  Here’s number one: 

1. Start with your health care provider’s recommendations.

Maybe it’s time for that physical exam you’ve been delaying!  Check with your physician if you haven’t exercised in a while, if you have back/joint problems or a heart or respiratory condition.  Your provider can give you guidance on the type of exercise that may be safest for you. A Cardiac Rehab or Pulmonary Rehab program may be beneficial and may be covered by your health insurance company. St. Anthony’s Medical Center provides these types of monitored, guided exercise programs (click the links above for more information).

Get ready for our “Get Pumped for Exercise” blog series!

The benefits of exercise are unmatchable.  Not only is exercise essential for weight loss, it’s also proven to improve heart-health, reducing the risk for heart attack and stroke. Routine aerobic exercise helps maintain blood sugar control by helping the body use insulin and blood glucose more efficiently. Not to mention, exercise is great for improving mood and reducing stress.  It’s natural medicine!

So get pumped for exercise with our new blog series!  Over the next few weeks we’ll be posting safety tips, motivational tools and need-to-know information for exercise with diabetes.  If you’re looking to start an exercise routine, need a little help getting motivated or want to be safe and prepared, this series is for you!  To be alerted of each update, subscribe to the blog by clicking “sign me up!” in the email subscription box to the right.

As always, we’d love to hear your comments! Do you have any advice for those new to exercise? How did you get started? How do you stick with it? Please leave your comments below any of the posts we make.

In the July issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) released new guidelines for exercise healthy individuals of all ages.  Prefacing the updated recommendations, ACSM states, “The scientific evidence demonstrating the beneficial effects of exercise is indisputable, and the benefits of exercise far outweigh the risks in most adults. A program of regular exercise … beyond activities of daily living to improve and maintain physical fitness and health is essential for most adults.”  If you have diabetes, you may know that regular exercise is especially helpful in maintaining glucose control. 

The ACSM now recommends each of the following exercises weekly:

Cardiovascular (aerobic) exercise: Moderate-intensity cardiovascular exercise for at least 30 minutes per day, at least 5 days per week (at least 150 minutes per week) OR vigorous-intensity cardiovascular exercise for at least 20 minutes per day, at least 3 days per week (at least 75 minutes per week), OR a combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity exercise to achieve a total energy expenditure of at least 500-1000 calories per week.

Resistance exercise: Resistance exercises for each of the major muscle groups at least 2-3 days per week.

Flexibility exercise: Flexibility exercises for each of the major muscle-tendon groups at least 2 days per week to maintain range of motion.

If you’ve tried to start or participated in an exercise program before, you know that it is easier said than done!  But rest assured that getting started is the hardest part.  Visit the blog for our upcoming series on exercise for tips to get motivated and start your exercise program.  Remember, the physical and mental health benefits of exercise, especially for people with diabetes, are worth it!

Click here to view the full article.

Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, July 2011, Volume 43, Issue 7, pp 1334-1359.

Apps are more than just games!

The world of technology has been exploding since the introduction of the mobile phone application (app).  Apps have become so popular that some industry experts say they will be the next “game changing technology;” even more than the advent of the internet! There are numerous mobile phone apps that people are now using to help improve their health and diabetes control. We’ve compiled a sampling to assist you in sorting through some of the many offerings.  Click here and find one that suits you!

Do you use health-related mobile apps? What are your favorites? How does it help you to improve your health? Please share!

Please note: This article is not an endorsement of any products, and apps are not listed in any order of preference and are not meant to replace any member of your Health Care Team.

Come join us for an interactive TalkDiabetes LIVE program, Continuing Your Journey with Diabetes.  We’ll use “conversation maps” to guide discussion on the ABC’s of diabetes, short and long-term complications and goal setting.  Our Certified Diabetes Educators will also present information on new diabetes medications that can help in your journey for diabetes control. The free presentation is scheduled for 7 p.m. on July 21 in the Great Room at the Hyland Education & Training Center, 10020 Kennerly Road, on the campus of St. Anthony’s.  Please register by calling 314-ANTHONY. We hope to see you there! 

The TalkDiabetes LIVE meetings have replaced our diabetes support groups.  Same state-of-the-art information, interesting programs and free samples–just a different name!

Happy 4^th of July! 

As the final tip in our summer picnic series, we finish appropriately with a delicious and seasonal dessert.  Instead of pie or pound cake, try an angel food cake with an assortment of colorful, fresh berries.  The light and fluffy texture of angel food cake combined with the sweetness of summer berries is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.  This dessert still contains carbohydrate, but is much lower in fat and calories than other typical desserts (even if the pie is sugar-free).  And it actually is easier than pie.

Whenever dining at parties, try your best to make a healthy food choice.  Even if you’re not in charge of party-planning, you may consider bringing a healthy dish along!  If few options are available, limiting portion sizes can help you control carbohydrate, fat, and calories to meet your goals.

Remember, our dietitians are always available for help with meal-planning.  If you’re unsure about your nutrition goals, need a “refresher” or just some help with planning and organization, contact us.

Here’s an easy one—barbecue or grill chicken instead of pork steak and hot dogs.  By simply swapping for a leaner cut of meat, you eliminate artery-clogging saturated fat and calories.  Try grilling chicken tenderloins for the kids!  Other lean cuts of meat include pork tenderloin, pork loin chops, ground sirloin or sirloin steak, and flank steak.

Potatoes are a source of healthy carbohydrate, without the excess mayonnaise, that is!  When you choose a baked potato instead of traditional picnic potato salad, you can decide how much fat is added.  Looking for an easy way to serve baked potatoes to a large crowd?  Try my new favorite trick: cut the potatoes in halves or quarters, drizzle lightly with olive oil and seasonings and throw them on the grill!  I like salt, pepper, garlic and rosemary.  They’re delicious without adding another thing!