Sweet Talk For Healthy Blood Sugar

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Diabetes is a condition where the body can’t make insulin, or can’t use it well. Insulin is a hormone that helps our bodies get energy from the glucose in the food we eat. Without it, glucose levels in the blood stream are too high. Over time, this can cause damage to your body tissue and organs.1

There are three main types of diabetes.1

  • Type 1 diabetes can affect anyone, but most often it develops in children or young adults. People with this type of diabetes produce very little insulin, or none at all.
  • Type 2 diabetes is the most common type. People with type 2 diabetes either make too little insulin, or their bodies aren’t able to use it effectively.
  • Gestational diabetes (GDM) is a form of diabetes that appears during pregnancy. While GDM usually goes away after pregnancy, it puts women and their babies at higher risk for type 2 diabetes.

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Don’t Give Cancer a Chance

Cancer comes in all shapes and sizes. And, people of all ages can get it. But there are things you can do to protect your health. The best ways to stop cancer in its tracks are to get your cancer screenings on time and take steps each day to stay healthy.

Get checked early and often
Did you know that your chances of surviving the most common types of cancer are 80-100% if you catch them early enough? Cancer progresses in stages. It starts in one organ or place in the body. This is called “local.”

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Healthy Hint #15

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Americans are heavier today than they were 20 years ago. We also spend a lot more time eating while staring at a screen – on a cell phone, computer, personal digital assistant (PDA) or TV. Plus, we’re choosing screen time over being active. And when your body takes in more calories than it burns, you end up with extra pounds.

So be aware of how you eat and use your time. Skip your online chat and meet up with a friend for a walk instead. Take a lunch break from your laptop and enjoy a healthy meal and good conversation with your coworker. At home, make TV time your physical activity time. You can work out without missing your favorite show.

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Healthy Hint #28

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Is stress affecting your mood and sleep? Then, it’s time to push back. While being active and having hobbies can help, you can also do simple things – like take frequent breaks throughout your day.

Learning how to relax is very important, too. One technique is imagining a peaceful place in your mind and, then, thinking of all the sights, sounds and smells of that place. Or you can practice deep breathing, with a focus on slow, deep and regular breaths, or tensing and relaxing the muscles in your body. If none of these strategies work for you, find a way to relax that does. Whatever you do, take time to de-stress.

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Pre-Diabetes: Signs and Prevention

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What is pre-diabetes?

Pre-diabetes means your blood sugar level is higher than normal, but not yet high enough to be classified as type 2 diabetes. However, without intervention, pre-diabetes can become type 2 diabetes in 10 years or less.

If you have pre-diabetes, the long-term damage of diabetes – especially to your heart and circulatory system — may already be starting.

Here’s the good news: Progression from pre-diabetes to type 2 diabetes isn’t inevitable.

With healthy lifestyle changes — such as eating healthy foods, including physical activity in your daily routine and maintaining a healthy weight — you may be able to bring your blood sugar level back to normal.

STEP ONE: Know the Risks

People who fit the following descriptions are more likely to develop diabetes: Read more

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Healthy Hint #14

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Fruits and veggies are low in calories and full of vitamins, minerals and fiber. How important are they to your diet? The United States Department of Agriculture and ChooseMyPlate.gov recommend making them half your plate at mealtime.

If you’re having trouble getting them fresh, use frozen, canned or dried fruits and veggies. With the canned option, watch out for too much sodium or salt. Save fruit that’s too ripe for smoothies with fat-free milk or low-fat yogurt – or bake muffins or bread with it. If your family isn’t crazy about fruits and veggies, try adding them to casseroles, salads, soups and sauces, where they’ll be harder to taste.

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Touched by Cancer? We’re Stronger Together.

Looking for information to help? The Stronger Together website is a great starting place for people facing cancer. You can find all the site links, tools, apps and more to help you – from diagnosis to survivorship and everything in between.

Find digital tools to:

  • Make shared treatment decisions.
  • Prepare for care.
  • Self-manage symptoms and concerns.
  • Work on a care plan.
  • Learn where to go for case management help.
  • Get support resources for caregivers.

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Healthy Hint #13

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Many of us are trying to get more fruits and veggies into our diet. Want to make it easier? Try planting your own! It can be a garden in your yard, raised beds or pots on your patio. And if you don’t have room, get your neighbors involved. Community gardens are a great way to grow healthy food and bring people together. They can be set up on empty lots or in parks and schools.

Another benefit to having your own garden or a shared one is being able to keep everything pesticide-free. Some flowers and herbs even act as natural pest control. So have fun, enjoy the “fruits” of your labor and plant safely.

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Skin Cancer

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States, but the good news is that it can be cured, especially when it’s found early.

If you notice any change on your skin, make an appointment with your doctor. Treatments are much more effective on cancers that are found early.

Know the warning signs

A yearly exam by a dermatologist is a key part of early detection. Signs of a problem include:*

  • An open sore or bump that itches, bleeds, crusts over and then repeats for more than
  • A red, irritated patch on the skin.
  • A shiny bump of any color.
  • A pink growth with an elevated border and a crusted indentation in the center or a growth that looks like a wart.
  • A scar-like area where the skin is shiny and tight.
  • Asymmetry, uneven borders, more than one color, large diameter or changes to moles – these are the signs of melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer.

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Healthy Hint #12

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Flu season starts around October and usually peaks in January/February. But you can catch the flu all year long. Symptoms may be minor, like a runny nose or sore throat, or very serious – even life-threatening. Your best protection is to get the flu vaccine each year. It’s even safe for babies as young as 6 months. Talk to your doctor if you have questions or concerns about the vaccine.

Because the flu is spread through contact with affected people and things, good hygiene is an important defense. Wash your hands often to kill germs, and avoid people who are sick. If you get the flu, stay home for at least 24 hours after a fever passes so you’re not contagious.

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