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Parting Words

Staying Healthy

American Diabetes Alert.  By Lynn Faulkner

Here is some facts on the toll of Diabetes in Wisconsin:

1.) There are 475,00 adults in Wisconsin with diabetes and 4,500 children and adolescents.  There are also 1.45 million adults with pre-diabetes.
2.) Type II diabetes can often be managed by diet and exercise alone, but usually require medications- i.e., insulin or an oral medicine.
3.) 1 of every 3 individuals over age 65 has diabetes, nearly half of whom are undiagnosed.
4.) Average individual has diabetes 7-10 years before diagnosis
5.) Losing 5-7% of a person' weight can make an enormous impact on
how your diabetes will affect your lifestyle.
6.) Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness, heart disease and stroke, amputation of lower extremities.
7.) Costs: 2009 data for Wisconsin shows direct cost ( e.g. hospital and other medical costs) of $4.07 billion; indirect costs (e.g. lost
wages) of $2.7 billion.
8.) Diabetes disproportionately affects certain populations. For example, diabetes generally affects 1/3 of Native American
populations, with some tribal nations having rates as high as 50%.

Know your risk for developing diabetes by taking an online risk
test at the American Diabetes Webpage- www.diabetes.org.

Time for Some Exercise

Cardiac Rehab - Add Exercise to your Honey-do-List.  By Cyndi Belanger, RN

Summer is upon us and I don’t know about you, but I didn’t stick with any of my New Year’s resolutions. So now I plan to make some healthy lifestyle changes for the summer and hopefully, the rest of my life. If you are like me, you have several excuses and a list of jobs and "honey-do’s" a mile long.

Maybe that is the first step to becoming active; making a list of excuses why you are not exercising. Then, after you have done that, make a commitment to yourself and a daily date with exercise.

I think staying motivated is one of the hardest things to do, along with commitment. If you make a date with exercise everyday, like you do for other things in your life, such as your job, making dinner, and mowing the lawn, you may be more apt to walk or exercise on a daily basis.

Before you know it, it will be a lifestyle practice and you may even notice you might miss it if you stop. Make exercise something you do without question, like brushing your teeth.

Find a fitness partner. Studies show that you will commit to exercise if you have a friend or family member join you in your exercise plan.

Start a journal or exercise log. This is a good way to track your progress and keep you motivated in your fitness challenge. You can look back on where you started and see your accomplishments over the days, weeks, or months. Dress for exercise. Wear comfortable clothing and this may help you feel like working out.

Keep entertained and keep it fun. If it’s not fun and enjoyable, you will never stick with it. If you are walking alone, keep yourself entertained with portable music or books on tape. If you exercise
indoors, read while you are biking, or have music playing or the television on within viewing range. Some stationary bikes and treadmills are equipped with racks for books or magazines, so you can read while exercising. 

Make sure you evaluate your progress along the way and test your fitness level. You can do this by getting a body composition test every six months, or just judge for yourself what you were able to do at the beginning of starting exercise and what you are able to do after six months.

Exercise will help reduce your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes. It will help reduce stress, weight, and your risk of developing certain types of cancer. It can be fun and enjoyable, so start now and make it a part of your daily routine!