That won't happen to me! The Diabetic Time Bomb! (warning graphic pictures)

“Yeah but it won’t happen to me!”  With this statement we shrug off the implication of being overweight and inactive.  Sure there is some information about chronic disease but that’s what happens to others!

Right now in America we have a time bomb ticking.  The scary part is that it’s not a matter of if the bomb will blow but when?  (Don’t laugh rest of the world you are right there with us.)  Imagine a bomb that could kill over 100 Million Americans?  In the face of such a threat everyone would mobilize to prevent it.  The threat is real and yet goes largely unnoticed by the world.  The threat is called Diabetes, specifically type 2.  It is estimated that approximately 24 Million Americans have already been diagnosed and another 80 Million have prediabetes (Metabolic Syndrome by another name).  A little quick math tells us that over 100 Million Americans will have Type 2 Diabetes in the next 10 years.  This is where the “Yeah, but it won’t happen to me!” starts to show up.  Daily people are diagnosed and warned by their doctors about the impending disease but other than a little fatigue they don’t really feel different. So why make any changes?  By the time you are diagnosed with pre-Diabetes you are already in the second phase of the disease.  Without realizing it your body was slowly building up a resistance to insulin. Insulin is necessary to control the amount of sugar in your blood (known as glucose).  By Phase 2 (pre-diabetes) the cells that produce insulin in your pancreas are being impaired and yet we still have very few symptoms (we just don’t feel different).  Then one day we pass the threshold and now officially have type 2 Diabetes.  Our doctors warn us about the dangers of the disease and yet we still don’t feel bad.  They give us some medication and tell us to lose weight and get active but we answer “come on Doc, Really?  I feel fine, nothing bad is going to happen to me!”  

On we go for several years and other than the annoying warnings of the doctor and the increases in medication nothing really changes. It can take 4 to 7 years for the disease to really set in.  But then one day, the bomb goes off.  The leading treat from having Diabetes is Heart Disease which accounts for more than 50% of Diabetes related deaths.  But, that’s still only 50%, “that won’t happen to me!” 

 

I’m sure it will get better soon!!

 

Any Day now it’s going to heal up…

 

Maybe it’s time to see the Doctor…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The disease has now become very, very real but there is no rewind button.  If only there had been something you could have done earlier to prevent this!!!  Oh, that’s right there was.  Of the three main risk factors for Type 2 Diabetes only one, heredity, is not modifiable the others Obesity and Physical inactivity are completely modifiable.  By losing weight and becoming physically active over 80% of Chronic Diseases like Heart Disease and Diabetes are preventable.   So we have the choice we can either continue path to heart disease and diabetes or we can change to a healthy lifestyle.  Still not enough motivation to make a change then consider this…

Our children are following in our footsteps of poor nutrition and inactivity.  What was once known as “Adult Onset” Diabetes was changed to “Type 2” because it’s now showing up in children.  So what can be done to prevent our children from going down this path?  For adolescents and children with type 2 diabetes, the goals of therapy are the same as for any person with diabetes: achieve physical and psychological wellbeing while controlling the glucose levels. In other words, maintain a healthy weight and increase physical activity. 

This is the reason we need a Healthy Family Evolution!  This is the reason for the Healthy Family Challenge!  It’s not a matter of IF Diabetes will get you, it’s a matter of WHEN!  Ask your children “what do you want to be when you grow up?”  There won’t be any that say “I want to be an amputee, with out of control Diabetes!  Maybe have a few heart attacks and die at an early age.” 

The time for the change is now!  The sooner you get started the easier it is to turn things around.    The Healthy Family Challenge is registering now.  more information at www.myTERRIO.com
 

12 Ways to Assure You and Your Family gets a Chronic Disease!!

12 Ways to Assure You and Your Family gets a Chronic Disease!!

1.                  Make sedentary behavior the norm—sitting for long periods of time—is distinct from physical activity and has been shown to be a health risk in itself. We now know that long periods of inactivity are actually very harmful to the body, allowing the long hours spent playing video games, watching TV or playing on phones, without interruption will significantly increase your chances of illness.

2.                  Stock cupboards, refrigerator and freezer with processed foods.  The more processed the better.  Try to get foods high in high fructose corn syrup, fat and long lists of chemicals you can’t pronounce.   

3.                  Believe the “It’s more expensive to eat healthy” myth!  Buy lots of fast food and avoid fresh fruits and vegetables.  Thank all of the fast food and processed food providers for selling food below the cost of purchasing it.  Obviously this is the only way it would be cheaper to eat processed and fast food. 

4.                  Give in to Parkinson's Law:  ‘Work expands to fill the time available for its completion.’ Fill up all your available hours with our smartphones, Facebook, TV, videos, movies, games, etc., and that way there “isn’t enough time to exercise.”

5.                  Jump on every get skinny quick potion and program.  It’s too much to acknowledge that this journey is NOT easy, it is NOT simple, and there are no magic formulas, potions or concoctions.  It’s much better to spend lots of money on gimmicks. 

6.                  Utilize large plates and bowls while eating.  Since people are unable to estimate accurately how much they have eaten, especially if the plate or bowl it large it will assure we eat more than necessary.

7.                  Forget the Stages of Motor Learning and that Stage 1 is the ’Cognitive’ stage, which means thinking. Make fun of family members for trying to learn a new activity or skill.  I mean they look funny when first trying to learn so why not ensure they quite early.

8.                  Believe that exercise with ‘going to the gym,’ instead of just being more active.  And since it’s such a hassle to get to the gym it’s better to just stay inactive

9.                  Do not cook or bake at home using more natural sources and we go out to restaurants more often.  This ensures that you will get more calories and that kids won’t learn to cook or be involved in making different healthy dishes. 

10.              If you’re having a snack, eat directly from the package. This will ensure that you have no idea how much you actually eat.  Don’t pay attention to the serving size on the package and just guess that it’s ‘about right.’

11.              Water is boring so make sure you have lots of soda, juice and chemical rich drinks available.

12.              Don’t worry about your decisions compounding.  Sure Albert Einstein said ‘Compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world. He who understands it, earns it ... he who doesn't ... pays it.’ And our bad decisions compound to lead us to bad health but I’m sure it won’t happen to you.

Americans are drowning in debt because we have entered a hyperconsumption lifestyle, without regard to its costs and nowhere is that more apparent than our health.  The percentage of adults and children who are overweight and obese continue to rise.  The percentage of adults and children who get less that recommended daily activity continues to increase.  We continue to rely on medications to help when we get sick, so, it’s only natural that we look for the pill to fix our chronic diseases of Diabetes and Heart Disease.  Sure, 80% of them are preventable but why worry about that when we can simply take a pill or five or 10.  The truth is that we don’t need this list because we are actually already very good and increasing chronic disease in our families.  So if that is your goal congratulations you are on the right path.  Soon you and your family will enjoy the full effects of Diabetes.  Think of how great it will be when you have wounds that don’t heal, that can eventually lead to amputation.  Then there’s the going blind, but even better than that is the heart disease that will soon come.  Eventually you get to spend a lot of time in doctors’ offices and hospitals. But that’s a few years off so why worry about it now. 

If on the other hand this isn’t your goal and it’s time for a change.  If you want to equip your family with the benefits of a healthy lifestyle then there are three things you must do.  Get Informed.  Get Moving and Get Better.  On September 2^nd we are starting the Healthy Family Challenge.  A 12 week program that will start you on the journey to a healthy future.  For more information call (661)410-3443 or visit www.myTERRIO.com

5 Best Ways to Decrease Athletic Success!!

As fall sports are starting, I was talking to a good friend of mine (Fred Smith), who happens to be a Certified Athletic Trainer with 30+ years of experience.  He came up with this list and I contributed to it.  We actually see this over and over.  I felt it was so true, I had to share. 

5 Best Ways to

Decrease your Athletic Success &

Irritate Coaches & Athletic Trainers

1.        Become weak or dizzy in practice.  Cause: Lack of eating or fluids.

A.     The human body needs energy to properly function.  We get this energy from eating food.  Just like you can’t run your car without gas you can’t run your body without food.  Skipping meals means you’re running on empty!!

B.    You don’t get energy from water, but if you don’t have water you don’t have energy.

C.    The fastest way to ensure poor performance is to not drink enough water.

D.    5 Keys to staying healthy:  1) Eat good 2) Drink plenty of fluids 3) Get plenty of rest

                                             4) Train hard 5) Follow advice of athletic trainers

2.       Not correcting problems found in preliminary screens.

A.    Medical Staff do screens to identify potential problems and give a programs to correct them.  By not doing the program you are increasing your chance of getting injured.  So, A few weeks later you show up with an injury that keeps you out of practice related to it.

B.    Hint:  We actually write down the findings and programs in your file and the first question you will be asked is have you been doing your corrective exercises.

3.       Rehab until allowed to return to practice, then discontinuing rehab.

A.    It’s important to continue your rehab until your weakness becomes a strength.

B.    Athletes that stop rehab too soon are more likely to get reinjured. (this means you will miss more time)

4.       Not telling us about problems early and waiting until problem is bad.

Athletes come in with bad problems that started as a small problem and when asked why they did not come in earlier, they say, “I didn’t think it was that bad.” or “I thought it would go away.”  The trainers are actually medical professionals who are paid to determine the severity of injuries.  Waiting until it is bad means longer recovery (more missed time)

5.       Not informing us ASAP after a head injury (concussion).

Like all other injuries concussions need the right treatment to assure full recovery. 

Your Health-What You don't know CAN hurt you!!

 

•Our intelligence is the same as a muscle, the more you use it, the stronger it becomes.

•Sedentary behavior—sitting for long periods of time—is distinct from physical activity and has been shown to be a health risk in itself.  Our bodies were made to move and move often.

•Physical movement improves our mental functioning.

•Our bodies respond to the stresses placed on it, from our bones to our muscles, tendons, and joints. We have a built-in ability to meet the demands placed on our bodies, by gradually increasing strength and growing more tissue, over time.

•Increased pain 2 to 3 days after exercise or activity is called DOMS, delayed onset muscle soreness. This is actually an inflammatory reaction of the muscles and tendons (A warning sign that you overdid it).

•Bones, ligaments, tendons, and muscles— respond to the right amount of stress or force by increasing in strength, but they will also break down when the force is too much, increased too rapidly, or they are not allowed to recover adequately between workouts.

•Very light or light intensity is best for older persons or previously sedentary adults starting exercise.

 

•One of the biggest mistakes that people make with exercise is to not allow their bodies time to recover, which means they are not allowing their bodies to build up.

•Low Back Pain is the most common physical problem and peaks between 35-55 years old.  The sooner you start treatment the better the outcome.

•Use the appropriate level of complexity and resistance that allows for proper technique to minimize the chance of injuries.

•It takes 2 to 3 minutes for heart rate to plateau at work level so allow yourself a few minutes to build up to the level you will be working at.

•When you are first starting out, the most important thing is to build a strong cardiovascular base to improve overall wellness, and then add appropriate resistance training to maintain or increase muscular strength.

•A forward head can lead to increased headaches, neck pain and even shoulder pain.

•Your Mother was right!  Stop Slouching.  Good posture means your ear is aligned with your shoulder and hip. Poor posture leads to many issues.