Participant Guide Adopt a healthy lifestyle: prevent or better manage type 2 diabetes

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1 HealthSelectSM Lose and Win Session 13 of Texas Pre-diabetes & type II diabetes Participant Guide Adopt a healthy lifestyle: prevent or better manage type 2 diabetes Chances are that you know someone that has diabetes or maybe you have been diagnosed with diabetes. The disease is becoming more common due to obesity and unhealthy lifestyles. In fact, about one in 12 individuals has diabetes. Whether you are living with diabetes or trying to prevent diabetes, exercising, eating healthy and maintaining a healthy weight play an important role. What is diabetes? Diabetes is a condition that affects the way your body uses food for energy. Normally, the carbohydrates that you eat break down into glucose, and the hormone insulin helps move the glucose into your cells for fuel or energy that your body needs. Insulin is needed to move glucose (blood sugar) into cells, where it is used for energy. If glucose does not get into the cells, the body cannot use it for energy. Too much glucose will stay in the blood, causing the symptoms of diabetes. The most common form of diabetes is type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body no longer effectively regulates blood glucose levels. This causes blood glucose levels to remain high and can cause damage to the heart, kidneys, eyes and circulatory system. Many people with type 2 diabetes often have no warning signs and go undiagnosed for several years. Type 2 diabetes usually occurs gradually. Most people with the disease are overweight at the time of diagnosis. Are you at risk? Because about 27 percent of individuals with diabetes have not been diagnosed, it s important to understand the risk factors and talk to your doctor about your risks. Family history and genetics play a large role in type 2 diabetes. Low activity level, poor diet and excess body weight (especially around the waist) significantly increase your risk for type 2 diabetes. There are 25.8 million children and adults in the United States, or 8.3 percent of the population, who have diabetes. While an estimated 18.8 million have been diagnosed with diabetes, unfortunately, 7 million people (or nearly one quarter) are unaware that they have the disease. Source: American Diabetes Association Pre-diabetes: Pre-diabetes means that your blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be called diabetes. The good news is that you may be able to prevent the progression of pre-diabetes to diabetes by losing weight, eating healthier and exercising.

2 Take this quiz and then talk to your doctor. The more Yes responses, the greater your chance of developing type 2 diabetes. 1. Are you overweight? Yes No 2. Are you aged 45 or older? Yes No 3. Do you have a parent, brother or sister who has diabetes? Yes No 4. Are you from African American, Native American, Latino, Asian American or Pacific Islander decent? Yes No 5. Do you have high blood pressure (140/90 or higher)? Yes No 6. Do you have a cholesterol problem, such as low good HDL cholesterol (35 or lower) or high triglycerides (250 or more)? Yes No 7. Do you exercise less than three times a week? Yes No 8. Have you had gestational diabetes or gave birth to a baby who weighed more than nine pounds? Yes No Source: myoptumhealth.com Small improvements result in big changes Pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes can often be prevented. And it does not require a complete overhaul of your lifestyle. Research shows that reducing your body weight by 5 percent to 7 percent 10 to 14 pounds for someone who weighs 200 pounds may reduce the conversion to full blown diabetes by 58 percent. This reduction is 70 percent for people 60 and over. Regular exercise helps lower your blood sugar levels and reduces your risk of diabetes-related complications. What is insulin resistance? Insulin is the key that unlocks the cell wall to let glucose inside so that it can be used for energy or stored if not used. Individuals with insulin resistance have a stubborn lock keeping glucose from going into the cell. The cell wall does not respond well to insulin or is insulin resistant. People who are overweight have a higher risk of insulin resistance, because fat interferes with the body s ability to use insulin. What is hyperglycemia? Individuals with hyperglycemia have a high level of glucose in the blood. Individuals with insulin resistance are more likely to be hyperglycemic. Because the glucose is not able to go inside the cell, glucose levels remain high in the blood. Many people with insulin resistance have hyperglycemia and high blood insulin levels at the same time. How exercise helps diabetes When you exercise, your body becomes more responsive to insulin. It takes less insulin to keep blood sugar levels in the normal range. Exercise helps the body move sugar to where it s supposed to go the cells instead of lingering in the blood. Better blood sugar control does not end when the treadmill stops. Your body reaps these health benefits during your workout and for several hours after. Over time, exercise may help people with type 2 diabetes reverse their resistance to insulin. This is because physical activity helps the cells better respond to insulin. The health benefits Being physically active has many benefits. Those with diabetes, are at greater risk for complications in the long run. This includes heart and kidney disease, and nerve and eye damage. Exercise can help cut the risk of these diseases, too. Regular exercise leads to: Better blood sugar control Lower blood pressure and bad (LDL) cholesterol Higher good (HDL) cholesterol Improved circulation Weight loss (if you are overweight) Reduced stress levels More energy Stronger heart, muscles and bones 2 Pre-Diabetes & Type II Diabetes

3 20 ways to halt pre-diabetes in its tracks Learn how small changes in your daily routine can help ward off type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is a dangerous disease, and one that can be a challenge to manage. It can lead to heart and kidney disease, blindness and many other health conditions. Until a cure is found, people with the disease have to watch what they eat, measure their blood sugar and take medication each day. Reduce your risk The key to stopping type 2 diabetes is to reach a healthy weight. And the trick to long-lasting weight loss is a healthy diet and regular exercise. Exercise Work up to 30 to 60 minutes of exercise most days of the week. Always check with your doctor before you start an exercise program. Try these exercise tips to get started: Exercise does not have to happen all at once. 1. Take a short, brisk walk before work, during your lunch break and after dinner. 2. Do squats while you brush your teeth. 3. Do sit-ups and push-ups during commercial breaks of TV shows. Find something you enjoy. 4. Walk with friends in a nearby park. 5. Swim at your local gym or community pool. Swimming and water workouts reduce impact on your joints. This is a great form of exercise for people with knee and other joint problems. 6. Use a push mower to cut your lawn or do other yard work, such as gardening. Get in spurts of physical activity throughout the day. 7. Instead of letting the dog out, walk him around the block. 8. Take the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator. 9. Walk over to your colleague s office instead of ing or calling. Eating right Eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and low-fat and nonfat dairy. Try to limit foods high in saturated and trans fat, cholesterol, salt and added sugar. Start with these tips: Watch portion sizes. 10. Use a salad plate instead of a dinner plate for your meals. 11. Do not go back for seconds. Limit how often you eat at buffets or all-you-can-eat restaurants to resist temptation. 12. Fill half of your plate with fruits and vegetables. One quarter of your plate should be a carbohydrate, such as brown rice or a baked potato. The other quarter should be lean protein, like grilled fish or chicken. 3 Pre-Diabetes & Type II Diabetes

4 Eat more often. 13. Always eat breakfast. Research shows that people who eat breakfast weigh less than those who skip the meal. 14. Have a snack. Keep healthy snacks like a piece of fruit and low-fat string cheese on hand so you won t need to visit the vending machine. Stop drinking your calories. 15. Use skim or nonfat milk in place of whole or 2 percent. 16. Request that your morning latte or mocha be made with nonfat milk. 17. Trade regular soda for diet. Better yet, choose water or unsweetened iced tea. Be wary of dining out. 18. Brown-bag your lunch instead of going out to lunch. 19. Have an appetizer as your meal or split an entrée. 20. Save eating out for special occasions and make dining at home a habit. Source: Communication Resource Center Test your knowledge 1. million people are unaware that they have diabetes. 2. The hormone helps move glucose into your cells for fuel and energy that the body needs. 3. If you have pre-diabetes, the progression to diabetes can be prevented by, and. 4. Research shows that reducing your body weight by to percent may reduce the risk of diabetes by percent. 5. Four risk factors for type 2 diabetes are,, and. See next page for answers. 4 Pre-Diabetes & Type II Diabetes

5 Answers 1. 7 million people are unaware that they have diabetes. 2. The hormone insulin helps move glucose into your cells for fuel and energy that the body needs. 3. Some people with pre-diabetes can prevent the progression to diabetes by losing weight, eating healthier and exercising. 4. Research shows that reducing your body weight by 5 to 7 percent may reduce the risk of diabetes by 58 percent. 5. Four of the risk factors for type 2 diabetes are (choose any of the four below) Being overweight Being age 45 and older Having a parent, brother or sister with type 2 diabetes Having high cholesterol Having high blood pressure Having an inactive lifestyle Being from African American, Native American, Latino, Asian American or Pacific Islander descent Having had gestational diabetes or have given birth to a baby that weighs over nine pounds /14 5 Pre-Diabetes & Type II Diabetes