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5 Pieces of Information on Diabetes that Everyone Needs to Know
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with diabetes, it
can be scary with all of the conflicting information on diabetes
that is currently available. While the internet can yield some
great information, there is also a lot of wrong...
Conquering Restless Legs: Victory over Defeat
Do your legs have the heebie-jeebies and creepy-crawlies, especially at night? Do you just have to move them? Do these symptoms play heck with your sleep? Then you just might have restless legs syndrome (RLS), a condition for which treatment is...
Hypnosis Relieves Symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a chronic gastro-intestinal (GI) condition with no known cause or cure. Symptoms include diarrhea, constipation, cramping, gas, pain or bloating. Symptoms run in cycles lasting for days, months or years. IBS can...
Low Carb and Lowfat Diets...A Scam?!
If anyone knows anything about fitness, it’s that a low fat diet is the healthiest way to avoid serious diseases, right? Maybe wrong. In many instances quality research has shown just the opposite…that a low fat diet, sometimes even a...
We Are Not Immune: Women and Heart Attacks
Heart disease is the #1 killer of women in America.
Approximately 1 in 3 women die each year due to heart attack or
stroke. Nearly twice as many women die of heart disease or
stroke, than they do of any form of cancer, including breast
cancer....
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Fighting Childhood Obesity Starts At Home
It is a fact that people are generally getting fatter in many western societies. This is reflected in the popularity of diet books and fitness equipment. But while most of us realize it would be good to lose a bit of weight, we are only vaguely aware of the staggering levels of "obesity" in our societies. We are even less aware of the impact this is having on our children, and the widespread existence of childhood obesity.
**What is Obesity?**
Generally speaking, a person is considered "obese" when the amount of fat stored in his body endangers his health. Here are some recent OECD statistics that show just how widespread the problem of obesity is:
Percentage of Population (over 15 years of age) who are obese
U.S.A. - 30.6%
Mexico - 24.2%
U.K. - 22.4%
Australia - 21.7%
New Zealand - 17%
Canada - 14.9%
Germany - 12.9%
France - 9.4%
In other words, almost 1 in 3 Americans and roughly 1 in 5 Australians are so grossly overweight as to have health problems because of it.
**Causes of Obesity**
As individuals we have a tendency to rationalise our inclination to be overweight or obese. We often blame such things as heredity, or glandular imbalance, and while these things often do make a difference, the primary cause for most obesity is quite simple. A person gains weight when he or she consumes more calories than they burn.
In other words, there are two important factors involved -- diet and activity level. And it seems pretty obvious that in countries with a high obesity level, both things are taking a hit. Western diets are oozing with more fat and sugar than ever before, while people are generally becoming more sedentary and getting less physical exercise -- sitting in front of computers all day, and in front of the TV all night.
**Consequences of an Obese Lifestyle**
Obesity has overtaken infectious diseases as the most significant contributor to ill health worldwide.
Illness such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, high blood pressure, obstructive sleep apnea, asthma, heart disease, stroke, back and lower extremity weight-bearing degenerative problems, certain types of cancer, and depression, have been attributed to obesity.
In fact, it has been estimated that roughly 500,000 deaths now occur annually due to poor diet and physical inactivity. If this trend towards obesity is not reversed in the next few years, it will likely overtake tobacco as the leading preventable cause of death.
Even more troubling, when adults adopt an obese lifestyle, they are more likely to pass their eating and activity habits along to their children. This has given rise to a dramatic increase
in obesity in children.
**Obesity in children**
Obesity in children has become commonplace in many countries. For instance, it is estimated that obesity in children and adults in the US has increased by more than 30% over the past 10 years alone.
The reasons are obvious. Children are subjected to the obese lifestyle from all sides. Many families have substituted high fat, high sugar junk food and soft drinks for regular well-balanced meals. Or they have simply stopped preparing meals in the home -- the proportion of foods that children consumed from restaurants and fast food outlets increased by nearly 300% between 1977 and 1996.
Children are also the targets of a constant barrage of advertising that promotes highly processed junk food. And in many cases the normal physical activity that has been a part of childhood for many generations has been restricted by concerns for safety, or completely replaced by sedentary activities like playing video games or watching TV.
**Consequences of childhood obesity**
Obesity is never a good thing. But obesity in children is especially bad. Once fat cells are created in the body they cannot be gotten rid of by normal dieting or increased physical activity. So an obese child normally carries their obesity through into adulthood.
On the other hand, if a child learns good habits for diet and exercise as children, they will very likely carry these habits and this knowledge into adulthood as well.
**What Can be Done about Childhood Obesity?**
It is up to parents and other adults to teach responsible alternatives to the obese lifestyle. Parents must first become aware of the problems with their own personal and family eating habits and activity levels, and then they must make adjustments that will have a positive lifelong impact on their children.
One effective way is to adopt the "AKA" approach -- AWARENESS of the problem. KNOWLEDGE of what to do about it, and ACTION designed to bring about lifestyle changes. Children have an innate thirst for knowledge, a deep desire to improve their self-image, and will love the attention you give them as you develop a plan for a more healthy lifestyle for your entire family.
About the Author: The Body Mechanics Toolkit helps children fight childhood obesity. Rick Hendershot is a writer and online publisher. See Linknet Publishing for more information.
Source: www.isnare.com
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| American Diabetes Association Home Page |
| Their mission is to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by this disease. Available in English and Spanish. |
| www.diabetes.org |
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| Diabetes Information - American Diabetes Association |
| The American Diabetes Association recommends the FPG because it is easier, ... Take the first steps toward better diabetes care by visiting the Diabetes ... |
| www.diabetes.org |
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| Diabetes UK home page - Diabetes UK |
| Diabetes UK is the largest organisation in the UK working for people with diabetes, funding research, campaigning and helping people live with the ... |
| www.diabetes.org.uk |
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| Canadian Diabetes Association |
| To promote the health of Canadians through diabetes research, education, service, and advocacy. |
| www.diabetes.ca |
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| Diabetes information including treating type 2 diabetes at ... |
| Offers dietary recommendations, including recipes and tips on managing blood sugar levels. From GlaxoSmithKline. |
| www.diabetes.com |
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| Diabetes |
| Web site for Diabetes. ... publishes Diabetes. Stanford University Libraries' HighWire Press ® assists in the publication of Diabetes Online ... |
| diabetes.diabetesjournals.org |
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| CDC Diabetes Public Health Resource |
| The diabetes information homepage of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, provided by the CDC’s Division of Diabetes Translation. |
| www.cdc.gov |
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| CDC - Health Topic: Diabetes |
| Diabetes · Diabetes and Research Diagnostics · Diabetes Surveillance Report · FAQ's on Diabetes · Physical Activity and Health: A Report of the Surgeon ... |
| www.cdc.gov |
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| National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse |
| Provides educational materials to increase knowledge and understanding about diabetes among patients, health care professionals, and the general public. |
| diabetes.niddk.nih.gov |
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| Diabetes mellitus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
| For diabetes mellitus in pets, see diabetes in cats and dogs. ... Type 1 diabetes mellitus - formerly known as insulin-dependent diabetes (IDDM), ... |
| en.wikipedia.org |
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| MedlinePlus: Diabetes |
| (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - Links to PDF ... Select services and providers for Diabetes in your area. ... |
| www.nlm.nih.gov |
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| MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Diabetes |
| Diabetes affects about 18 million Americans. There are many risk factors for ... These levels are considered to be risk factors for type 2 diabetes and its ... |
| www.nlm.nih.gov |
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| Diabetes |
| What to expect from your diabetes diagnosis? Get up-to-the-minute information about medications, insulin, blood sugar management, nutrition requirements, ... |
| diabetes.about.com |
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| WebMD Diabetes Health Center - Information on Type 1 and Type 2 ... |
| Find in-depth information here about diabetes prevention, diet, ... Study Shows Burned-Out Staffers More Likely to Get Type 2 DiabetesGo To Article ... |
| www.webmd.com |
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| WebMD Health - 404 Error |
| Allergies|Anxiety Disorders|Arthritis|Asthma|Back Pain|Bipolar Disorder|Cancer|Children's Health|Cholesterol|Depression| Diabetes|Diet & Nutrition|Erectile ... |
| www.webmd.com |
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| Diabetes Overview |
| Defines diabetes, including the various types and treatments. Provides information on the impact and cost of the disease, its increasing prevalence, ... |
| www.niddk.nih.gov |
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| Diabetes News - The New York Times |
| A free collection of articles about diabetes published in The New York Times. |
| topics.nytimes.com |
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| children with DIABETES Online Community |
| An online community for kids, families, and adults with diabetes, featuring message boards, chat rooms, and questions/answers from medical professionals. |
| www.childrenwithdiabetes.com |
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| International Diabetes Institute - Diabetes Research, Education ... |
| The International Diabetes Institute is the leading national and international centre for diabetes research, diabetes education and diabetes care. |
| www.diabetes.com.au |
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| Diabetes New Zealand |
| Educates and informs people about diabetes, its treatment, prevention, and cure of diabetes. |
| www.diabetes.org.nz |
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