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summer sunglasses

Summer Habits to Establish and Continue All Year

Community Health, Healthy Living , , , , , , , , , ,

We have had some incredible weather so far this spring! The official first day of summer will be here before you know it! As you are participating in all the outdoor activities of summer, there are many things to remember to help keep you healthier and enjoying during these warmer months. 

 

Here are our 7 summer health tips to implement this summer and the rest of the year as well. Some of us are better at remembering to do these tasks during the summer, but truly these are great tips to remember year-round!

 

Protect your skin

 

The sun’s rays are strongest during the summer months. Your skin is your largest organ and the first line of defense against the elements, so treat it well! However, summer is not the only time to remember sunscreen!  Your skin is still exposed every day. You probably don’t need to apply sunscreen as frequently as a summer day at the beach, but it is still a good idea to remember a little sunscreen daily, no matter the season or weather. 

 

Stay hydrated 

 

 With heat exhaustion and heatstroke serious summer threats, we tend to be more mindful of thirst in the summer. It’s important to stay hydrated, not just when you feel parched in the heat. Once summer passes, you may not feel as parched. Staying hydrated is still crucial to keeping your body at its best, however.

If you struggle with drinking enough water, buy a big jug you can fill up and keep near you all day. You need to drink approximately half of your weight in ounces of water every day.

 

Protect your eyes

 

Sunglasses are more than shade for your eyes and a fashion statement. Without them, you’re at the mercy of harmful UV rays and “blue light.”  This exposure puts you at risk for macular degeneration, cataracts, and eyelid cancer. Furthermore, sunglasses aid with more comfortable and improved vision from not having to squint. Sunglasses just might keep more than just your eyes safe as well. Good vision is especially important when you’re participating in outdoor sports. 

 

Get moving more 

 

Sunny summer days and evenings beckon us outdoors to soak up the sun, but don’t let dreary days in the fall, winter, or spring keep you from getting some exercise. If you have an office job on top of that, it can seem difficult to get moving. Get a fitness tracker to help you make sure you’re getting your steps in around the office or consider getting a standing desk to get you on your feet to keep exercise in focus year-round. 

 

 

Don’t leave swimming to the kids 

 

Swimming is excellent exercise for the entire family. As a low-impact exercise, anyone can do it. Just thirty minutes of light to moderate lap swimming may burn over 230 calories! Unless you are fortunate enough to live in a very temperate climate though, swimming is not enjoyable for much of the year. However, you may have a good indoor swimming pool available. Many gyms do, such as our local Family YMCA. 

 

Protect yourself from mosquitoes 

 

West Nile and Zika viruses are mosquito bite spread conditions and are no joke! Insect repellants can help. Also, cover exposed skin whenever possible and avoid going outside during dawn and dusk hours when mosquitoes are active. Remember not to scratch when you do get a bite! It will only make the itch worse! 

 

Eat seasonal foods

 

When you think of eating fresh, seasonal veggies and fruits, you probably think of summertime. In summer months, we tend to eat more fruits and veggies because they’re fresh. This can help us stay away from unhealthy snacks. Strawberries and tomatoes may not always be in season, but don’t forget fall superfoods around the corner. Brussels sprouts, pumpkins, and apples can be just as delicious and are also excellently healthy! 

 

If you are in need of a checkup or to find a new provider, summer is a great time to plan to do so when winter cold germs and the flu are lingering. Check out our list of providers at ccmhhealth.com/providers.

 

Disclaimer

The Comanche County Memorial Hospital website does not provide specific medical advice for individual cases. Comanche County Memorial Hospital does not endorse any medical or professional services obtained through information provided on this site, articles on the site or any links on this site.

Use of the information obtained by the Comanche County Memorial Hospital website does not replace medical advice given by a qualified medical provider to meet the medical needs of our readers or others.

While content is frequently updated, medical information changes quickly. Information may be out of date, and/or contain inaccuracies or typographical errors. For questions or concerns, please contact us at contact@ccmhhealth.com.

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diabetic on scale

Type 2 Diabetes in Remission After 10% Weight Loss

Healthy Living, Lifestyle , , , , , , , , , ,

November is American Diabetes Month! This month, we hope to give you with resources to help manage and even kick diabetes to the curb. If you’ve had your type 2 diabetes diagnosis for a while, you’ve probably accepted it and learned a great deal about treating it. However, perhaps you don’t have to just accept your diagnosis. Exciting new research shows that it may be easier than you think to put type 2 diabetes into remission.

 

What is type 2 diabetes? 

 

Type 2 diabetes (T2D)  is a metabolic condition. It is characterized by the body’s inability to sufficiently process glucose (sugar).  Consequently, blood sugar levels for T2D patients are persistently high.

 

Diabetes affects a staggering 30 million people in the United States. 1  If unmonitored, it may also lead to various complications, including hypertension, vision problems, and hyperglycemia.

 

Most often, doctors prescribe medication and dietary changes to help patients control T2D.

 

Remission, however, is possible for some patients.  Remission refers to a disappearance or even a decrease of symptoms. It even allows people to cease treatment when achieved.

 

How can remission from type 2 diabetes be achieved? 

 

Weight loss is a known factor to aid a patient’s ability to enter remission from T2D. 

 

For example, those struggling with T2D and obesity sometimes experience remission from diabetes following weight loss surgery.

 

In 2016, a different study demonstrated that diabetics who followed an intensive low-calorie diet for 8 weeks could also experience remission. 2

 

Are such demanding dietary restrictions necessary, however? That is what a research team from the University of Cambridge sought to find out.

 

Moderate weight loss may be sufficient 

 

The findings of this study appeared in the journal Diabetic Medicine. The team analyzed data from 867 people aged 40–69. The participants of this study were also newly diagnosed type 2 diabetics.

 

In addition, all of these individuals had previously enrolled in a study that assesses the effectiveness of diabetes screening.

 

The researchers gathered data on the individuals for 5 years. The team then discovered that 30% of the participants experienced T2D remission at the end of the study.  Furthermore, participants who achieved at least 10% weight loss in the first 5 years following their diagnosis were more than twice as likely to enter remission within that period, compared to those who had not lost weight.

 

Weight loss “worth a try”

 

For diabetics who are also overweight, weight loss does not promise a cure but is still worth a try. While the study mentioned does offer more hope for T2D patients, other studies have shown that remission rates are lower.

 

For example, another study of 10,059 patients with type 2 diabetes found that only 4.97% of participants had achieved remission at the end of an 8 year period. 3

 

However, if we had known this when 30 million Americans received their T2D diagnosis, 1.5 million Americans could be living in remission. 

 

Do you need help managing your diabetes? We would love to assist you. Reach out to Diabetes Education at Lawton Community Health Center today. 

 

Sources 

 

1 American Diabetes Association. Statistics About Diabetes. 2017. 

2 Sarah Steven, Kieren G. Hollingsworth, Ahmad Al-Mrabe, et al. American Diabetes Association.Very Low-Calorie Diet and 6 Months of Weight Stability in Type 2 Diabetes: Pathophysiological Changes in Responders and Nonresponders.  May 2016. 

3 Srikanth Tangelloju, Bert B. Little,1, Robert J. Esterhay, et al. Front Public Health. Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) “Remission” in Non-bariatric Patients 65 Years and Older. 2019.

 

Disclaimer 

 

The Comanche County Memorial Hospital website does not provide specific medical advice for individual cases. Comanche County Memorial Hospital does not endorse any medical or professional services obtained through information provided on this site, articles on the site or any links on this site.

 

Use of the information obtained by the Comanche County Memorial Hospital website does not replace medical advice given by a qualified medical provider to meet the medical needs of our readers or others.

 

While content is frequently updated, medical information changes quickly. Information may be out of date, and/or contain inaccuracies or typographical errors. For questions or concerns, please contact us at contact@ccmhhealth.com.

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Is White Meat Just as Bad for Cholesterol as Red Meat?

Healthy Living, Heart and Vascular, Lifestyle , , , , , , , , ,

Many of us avoid red meat to maintain our low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or “bad”) cholesterol level. LDL is can increase your risk of heart disease risk. However, a newly published study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that red and white meat have similar effects on LDL. Before you give up and order steak and cheeseburgers at every meal, let’s take a look at the facts. 

 

Details of the study 

 

Led by scientists at Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute, the study examined whether cholesterol levels differed after consuming diets high in red meat compared with diets with similar protein levels from white meat or non-meat sources. Non-meat sources high in protein include foods such as nuts, legumes, grains, and soy products. The researchers also examined to see if the saturated fat in each diet affected each participant.

 

The study’s participants were one hundred and thirteen healthy men and women, ranging from ages 21 to 65. The group participated for four weeks by consuming either a randomly assigned high or low saturated fat diet. They also consumed either red meat, white meat, or non-meat food sources. 

 

To reduce the chances that other factors would affect cholesterol levels, participants maintained their typical activity level and abstained from alcohol. They also worked to maintain their weight during the study period and adjusted their calorie intake if their weight changed.

 

Red meat, white meat, or non-meat? 

 

After consuming both the red and white meat diets, LDL cholesterol was significantly higher compared with the non-meat diet, regardless of whether the diet was high or low in saturated fat. The high-saturated fat diets had a larger harmful effect on LDL cholesterol levels than the low-saturated fat diets, however. High-density lipoprotein (HDL, or “good”) cholesterol was unaffected by the protein source.

 

Conclusion of the study 

 

Further research will surely ensue as the study had a number of limitations. The number of participants and the duration of the study was small. The study also excluded processed meats such as cold cuts, sausage, or bacon. 

 

It is always best to consult with your physician about what diet is best for you. If you need a physician, please refer to our provider directory. When seeking protein sources yet maintaining a healthy LDL, there are a number of vegetables and legumes such as peas, beans, lentils, nuts and chickpeas to consider. Meat, as with all things, should be consumed in moderation. 

 

Disclaimer 

 

The Comanche County Memorial Hospital website does not provide specific medical advice for individual cases. Comanche County Memorial Hospital does not endorse any medical or professional services obtained through information provided on this site, articles on the site or any links on this site.

Use of the information obtained by the Comanche County Memorial Hospital website does not replace medical advice given by a qualified medical provider to meet the medical needs of our readers or others.

While content is frequently updated, medical information changes quickly. Information may be out of date, and/or contain inaccuracies or typographical errors. For questions or concerns, please contact us at contact@ccmhhealth.com.