March 21, 2005

Next in our Health & Wellness Series

In time for tomorrow’s American Diabetes Alert Day, the DNI unveils the third in its Health & Wellness series, a brochure filled with facts about the sixth leading cause of death and No. 1 cause of blindness in America: Diabetes.

Often brought on by excess weight, diabetes interferes with the body’s production or use of insulin, a hormone that transports sugar from the blood to the cells for use as energy. Download our brochure to learn:

• Who’s at risk? What are the factors that make you more vulnerable to this disease?
• What’s the difference between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes?
• Six leading myths about diabetes — and the facts that set them straight.
• Warning signs and prevention tips. How to forestall or cope with diabetes.One in three children born in the year 2000 will contract Type 2 diabetes — and potentially the heart disease, eye problems, asthma, kidney disease, gall bladder disease and other ailments for which it is a risk factor. The good news is that there are things you can do to protect yourself and those you love. In addition to the steps described in our brochure, try these counteractive measures mentioned in previous newsletters:

  Increase citrus consumption. In addition to potentially lowering your stroke risk, oranges, grapefruit, lemons and the like should be included in your anti-diabetes arsenal.

  Try tea. USDA supported research suggests black, green and oolong tea could boost insulin’s effectiveness, thus hindering diabetes’ harm.

  Spice it up. Cinnamon can help lower cholesterol, glucose and triglyceride levels (see below) — a boon for people with Type 2 diabetes.

  And this just in: Anthocyanins — compounds found in blackberries, cherries and other berries — may help fight diabetes. New research from Michigan State University has found that anthocyanins could help lower glucose levels in diabetes sufferers. Check out this issue’s featured Superfood recipe for blackberry sorbet (try experimenting with sugar substitutes to keep calories in check).

  OOPS, OUR BAD!

  For those of our readers who were frustrated trying to find the download page for our Fresh Choices magazine in the last issue, we offer manifold maximum mea culpas and promise to eat more quercetin-rich apples, resveratrol-rich berries and omega-3-rich walnuts to boost brainpower and so reduce the occurrence of such oversights in the future.