Happy New Year!

We here at Wellness Studio want to make sure you are up to date on all our latest news. We will be coming out with our first 2012 newsletter soon and we want to make sure everyone knows where they can sign up. Please click this link to sign up http://eepurl.com/hE7Jc.

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We wish you all a great new year and a great new you!

EATING HEALTHY AND STAYING FIT TO CONTROL AND MANAGE DIABETES

What is diabetes and are you at risk?
Diabetes is a disease that results in too much sugar (glucose) in the blood. Your body does not have enough insulin available to turn food into energy. High levels of glucose slowly damage your eyes, heart, kidneys, nerves, legs, and feet. Diabetes is a serious disease affecting 20.8 million people in this country, and you may be at risk if you are Hispanic, overweight, or do not exercise regularly. Hispanics are nearly twice as likely as non-Hispanic whites to develop this disease.

Steps to healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle to control and manage diabetes:

• Begin with a healthy eating plan. Healthy eating means eating more grains, fruits, and vegetables, and less meat, sweets, and fats every day. "Let the Food be the Medicine and Medicine be the Food"(Hippocrates).
• Be physically active every day to help prevent weight gain and improve blood sugar control.
• Check the sugar in your blood and take your medication every day if needed.

How to create a healthy meal plan:
To create a healthy meal plan you should do the following:

• Eat a variety of foods as recommended in the Diabetes Food Pyramid to get a balanced intake of the nutrients your body needs - carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals.
• Make changes gradually because it takes time to accomplish lasting goals.
• Reduce the amount of fat you eat by choosing fewer high-fat foods and cooking with less fat.
• Eat more fiber by eating at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day.
• Eat fewer foods that are high in sugar like fruit juices, fruit-flavored drinks, sodas, and tea or coffee sweetened with sugar.
• Use less salt in cooking and at the table. Eat fewer foods that are high in salt, like canned and packaged soups, pickles, and processed meats.
• Eat smaller portions and never skip meals.
• Learn about the right serving sizes for you.
• Learn how to read food labels.
• Limit use of alcohol.

What is the Diabetes Food Pyramid?

The Diabetes Food Pyramid is a general guide of what and how much to eat each day. It is similar to the Food Pyramid you see on many food packages. The pyramid is divided into six groups. You should eat more foods from the largest group at the base of the pyramid and less from the smaller groups at the top of the pyramid. The number of servings needed every day is not the same for everyone, so a range of servings is given to ensure you get the foods you need for good health. The food groups and suggested servings per day are listed below.

• Grains, Beans, and Starchy Vegetables: (good source of B vitamins and fiber) 6 or more servings/day
• Fruits: (contain vitamins C, A, potassium, folate, and fiber) 3-4 servings/day
• Vegetables: (provide vitamins A, C, folate, and fiber) 3-5 servings/day
• Milk: (source of calcium, protein, vitamins A and D) 2-3 servings/day
• Meats and Others: (good source of iron, zinc, B vitamins, and protein) 2-3 servings/day
• Fats, Sweets, and Alcohol: The foods at the tip of the pyramid should be eaten in small amounts. Fats and oils should be limited because they are high in calories. Sweets are high in sugar and should only be eaten once in a while.

What is the right number of servings for you?
The Diabetes Food Pyramid gives a range of servings for each group, but it is only a guide. If you have diabetes, a dietitian can design a specific meal plan for you.

Remember that the number of servings listed is for the entire day. Since food raises blood sugar levels, it is best to space servings throughout the day. For example, 4 servings of fruit might be divided between 3 meals and 1 snack.

Keep in mind
Follow a healthy lifestyle, eat healthy foods, and keep physically active to help control diabetes. If you have diabetes, be an active member of your diabetes care team: you, your doctor, dietitian, and other health care providers. This meal planner gives you only general information. Consult with your diabetes care team.

What is a serving size in the Food Pyramid?
Each of the following represents one serving from each of the food groups in the Diabetes Food Pyramid:

• Grains, Beans, and Starchy Vegetables: 1 slice of bread; 1/2 small bagel, English muffin, or bun; 1/2 cup cooked cereal, pasta, rice; 3/4 cup ready-to-eat cereal; 1/2 cup cooked dried beans, corn, peas

• Vegetable Group: 1 cup raw vegetable; 1/2 cup vegetable juice

• Fruit Group: 1 medium-size fresh fruit; 1/2 cup canned fruit; 1/2 cup fruit juice

• Milk Group: 1 cup (8 ounces) milk or yogurt

• Meat Group: 2-3 ounces cooked lean meat, skinless poultry, or fish; 1 egg; 2 tablespoons peanut butter; 2-3 ounces cheese

• Fats, Sweets, and Alcohol: 1 teaspoon butter, margarine, or mayonnaise; 1 tablespoon cream cheese or salad dressing; 1 tablespoon cream cheese; 1/2 cup ice cream.

Your own Meal Plan:
If you have diabetes, consult a Licensed Nutritionist to help you make your own meal plan. Your meal plan will be based on many factors, including your weight goal, height, age, and physical activity.

Do you really know where your food comes from?

Do you really know where your food comes from or what you are eating? 

Okay, so we have yet another reminder now of how important it is to really be aware of what we are eating and what we are putting in and on our bodies............ Peanut Butter. It is becoming increasing evident that our food supply we thought was safe and have taken for granted all our lives, has become increasingly compromised (in the name of good ol' greed & profits) and is unsafe and can potentially be lethal to our families. 

We already know that the chemical additives and preservatives that have been added to many basic foods on our store shelves for years, are now being removed or replaced with more "natural" ingredients (trans fats, hydrogenated oils, saccharin/aspartame) because of the findings of ingesting these foods for years and the possible link to cancer, diabetes and heart disease. Also we know that those diseases have all started out as minor illnesses, such as digestive problems, allergies, headaches, chronic weight gain or loss, hypoglycemia, etc. as this is our body's hidden intelligence informing us of an imbalance that needs to be corrected before it eventually becomes more serious. My belief as a Holistic Nutritionist is that most, if not all of these imbalances occurred as a lack of proper nutrients and too many "unhealthy foods" being fed to the body over and over on a daily basis. With this unhealthy cycle, the body will eventually break-down, sooner than latter. 

My suggestions to my clients who have come to me with these "little" issues, and the fear of not knowing what to eat, is to go back to natural! Since most of us don't have the ability to grow our own fruits and vegetables, I suggest going to your local farmers market and supporting your local farmers by purchasing their locally grown foods. Their foods are far better than the mass-produced produce your will find in the supermarkets and and you will be helping out the environment by saving produce from being flown all over the country. Also, it is great to buy organic whenever you can, reduce your chemical load with foods that don't have all of those pesticides and have possibly been genetically modified (cross-bread) with unlikely substances (that individuals with allergies may not be aware of).

So continue to buy peanut butter if you like it, just be aware of where it comes from and buy the organic brands from your local health food store and don't be afraid to spend a little extra, isn't what you put into your body worth it?