Healthy Foods And Cacao: Part One

By: Marilyn Reid

What makes a food a healthy food? What properties does it have to make it a nutritional super food? We age because our bodies break down and wear out. Why? From the moment we draw our first breath, we begin the, usually, slow process of dying. Every breath gets us a step closer. The unfair part is that the process of aging is initiated with breath. Oxygen, so vital for our living, brings us daily closer to death. Think of the aging process as rusting. That is why antioxidants are so essential. They help the body deal with the process of rusting and thereby help stave off aging and help the body function optimally.

Green tea is quite a powerhouse. In the last couple of years, dentists have been recommending green tea because it has been shown to kill the bacteria causing plaque. As we know, dental plaque is, indeed, related to cardiovascular plaque and those with oral issues often also have heart issues. Further, studies have shown that green tea is beneficial in treating mouth and throat infections, which might explain its connection to a decrease in esophageal cancers. Green tea has been linked in several studies with a reduction of cancer proclivities, probably because of its high levels of antioxidants.

Usually, when we think of cacao, we think of hot cocoa. Cacao, even cacao tea http://healthyfoodrawdiet.com/cacao/cacao-tea), however, has often been recommended as a substitute for other, more harmful drinks. While cacao does contain some caffeine, it tends to be less acidic than coffee or black tea and therefore tolerated more easily. Furthermore, cacao, especially unprocessed and unsugared, has loads of other health benefits. Containing such properties as Phenylethylamine, it is able to induce both a sense of calmness and alertness. Cacaos levels of flavonoids are unsurpassed by most foods and contain other minerals like magnesium and chromium provide the body with nutrients that will stave off sugar cravings.

Blueberries, like green tea, are loaded with antioxidant vitamins. Blueberries, cousins to cranberries and bilberries, have been shown to promote urinary tract health. Interestingly, the tartness associated with wild blueberries is one of the reasons blueberries are so potent. That tartness leads to helping the body in becoming more alkaline (and less acidic). Acidity, we know, makes our system work harder. Our body has to strip magnesium and calcium from our bones to reduce the bodys acidity and make it more alkaline. Over time, a high level of acid in the body will affect the kidneys that are under load from the acidity and are working overtime to neutralize it. Blueberries, on the other hand, help restore and maintain a good level of alkalinity.

It has been suggested by numerous studies that cancer itself may be the body’s reaction to being under the load of inflammation over time. Any time we force our bodies to work overtime and we do not give our bodies the raw materials it needs to deal with that level of stress, we invite a whole host of other issues. Superfoods, like cacao, green tea, and blueberries are generally high in antioxidants and help the body fight inflammation, while providing it with the nutrients it needs to function optimally.

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Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com

About the Author:
Flavonoids are a type of antioxidants, a superfood (http://www.healthyfoodrawdiet.com/cacao)

Why American’s Can’t Afford to Eat Healthy

By David Sirota

The easiest way to explain Gallup’s discovery that millions of Americans are eating fewer fruits and vegetables than they ate last year is to simply crack a snarky joke about Whole Foods really being “Whole Paycheck.” Rooted in the old limousine liberal iconography, the quip conjures the notion that only Birkenstock-wearing trust-funders can afford to eat right in tough times.

It seems a tidy explanation for a disturbing trend, implying that healthy food is inherently more expensive, and thus can only be for wealthy Endive Elitists when the economy falters. But if the talking point’s carefully crafted mix of faux populism and oversimplification seems a bit facile — if the glib explanation seems almost too perfectly sculpted for your local right-wing radio blowhard — that’s because it dishonestly omits the most important part of the story. The part about how healthy food could easily be more affordable for everyone right now, if not for those ultimate elitists: agribusiness CEOs, their lobbyists and the politicians they own.

As with most issues in this new Gilded Age, the tale of the American diet is a story of the worst form of corporatism — the kind whereby the government uses public monies to protect private profit.

In this chapter of that larger tragicomedy, lawmakers whose campaigns are underwritten by agribusinesses have used billions of taxpayer dollars to subsidize those agribusinesses’ specific commodities (corn, soybeans, wheat, etc.) that are the key ingredients of unhealthy food. Not surprisingly, the subsidies have manufactured a price inequality that helps junk food undersell nutritious-but-unsubsidized foodstuffs like fruits and vegetables. The end result is that recession-battered consumers are increasingly forced by economic circumstance to “choose” the lower-priced junk food that their taxes support.

Corn — which is processed into the junk-food staple corn syrup and which feeds the livestock that produce meat — exemplifies the scheme.

“Over the past decade, the federal government has poured more than $50 billion into the corn industry, keeping prices for the crop … artificially low,” reports Time magazine. “That’s why McDonald’s can sell you a Big Mac, fries and a Coke for around $5 — a bargain.”

Yes, it is a bargain, but one created by deliberate government policy that serves the corn industry titans, not by any genetic advantage that makes corn derivatives automatically more affordable for the budget-strapped commoner.

The aggregate effect of such market manipulation across the agriculture industry, notes Time, is “that a dollar [can] buy 1,200 calories of potato chips or 875 calories of soda but just 250 calories of vegetables or 170 calories of fresh fruit.”

So while it may be amusing to use Americans’ worsening recession-era diet as another excuse to promote cultural stereotypes, the nutrition crisis costing us billions in unnecessary healthcare costs is more about public policy and powerful special interests than it is about epicurean snobs and affluent tastes. Indeed, this is a problem not of individual proclivities or of agricultural biology that supposedly makes nutrition naturally unaffordable — it is a problem of rigged economics and corrupt policymaking.

Solving the crisis, then, requires everything from recalibrating our subsidies to halting the low-income school lunch program’s support for the pizza and French fry lobby (yes, they have a powerful lobby). It requires, in other words, a new level of maturity, a better appreciation for the nuanced politics of food and a commitment to changing those politics for the future.

Impossible? Hardly. A country that can engineer the seemingly unattainable economics of a $5 McDonald’s feast certainly has the capacity to produce a healthy meal for the same price. It’s just a matter of will — or won’t.

• David Sirota is a best-selling author of the new book “Back to Our Future: How the 1980s Explain the World We Live In Now.” He hosts the morning show on AM760 in Colorado. E-mail him at ds@davidsirota.com, follow him on Twitter @davidsirota or visit his website at www.davidsirota.com.

Source: Organic Consumers Association/Salon.com News

African American Diet

 

 by Shalisha Alston

 

Greasy Foods – The Holy Grail Of African American Diet

I do not know about you, but when I was growing up, my mom cooked fried chicken (no, not oven “fried” chicken, we are talking about southern deep fried chicken), macaroni and cheese topped with tons of butter and mounds of cheese, collard greens cooked in chicken fat, hot buttered biscuits and brown gravy for dinner – at least twice a week.

Yes, I know you are salivating right about now. Here is another past time favorite to which I am sure you can relate – deep fried catfish, red beans and rice soaked in oil, candied yams with tons of butter, sugar, and cinnamon and deep fried pork chops.

I can relate. I grew up in a family of 9 where food portions were humongous. I mean we are talking about a 9-year-old whose plate was filled to the edges that was even too much for an adult! Years later, with the same poor dietary habits intact, I ballooned up to 213 pounds!

My Food History Repeated Itself

So there I was 20 years later weighing 185 pounds. I thought I could control it. The smallest I had ever been was 140 pounds. But my weight went up and down my whole life. Finally, I crossed the line where I could not stop eating. I was addicted to fried foods, white flour and sugar, but I did not know that until 3 more years of food agony and an additional weight gain of 18 pounds.

My Health Deteriorated

I come from a long line of strokes, heart attacks, diabetes and high blood pressure. At age 29, severely overweight and a heavy smoker, I was headed down the same path as my ancestors.

My Aha Moment

There was a voice inside me that said, “Shalisha, you are lost when it comes to food. Get help.” I did. I was introduced to a food plan that was abundant, healthy, delicious, and made me lose 90 pounds in 6 months. This was no diet. It was a lifestyle change. So here are the top 5 reasons I think the African American diet is in dire need of an overhaul:

1.The African American diet is extremely high in fat
2.The African American diet is extremely high in sugar
3.The African American diet lacks fruit
4.The African American diet lacks vegetables
5.The African American diet is extremely high in sodium

If you want to start eating healthy and lose weight:

1.Stop deep frying and start broiling
2.Cut out sugar and white flour
3.Include at least 5 servings of vegetables daily
4.Include at least 3 servings of fruit daily
5.Drink plenty of water (8-12 cups)
6.Take the salt shaker off the table

One more thing – dare to be different! Demand that your neighborhood Key Food supermarket carry Fage Fat-Free Greek Yogurt. Demand that your friendly neighborhood Met Food supermarket carry organic fruits and vegetables.

All it takes is one person to lead the way. Be a power of example and show other African Americans in the community that it is not only okay to eat healthy – it is a matter of life and death. By making those 6 small dietary adjustments, you will go a long way to improving your health and losing weight.

About the Author

Shalisha Alston is an African American weight loss consultant. She lost 90 pounds in 6 months and you can do the same.

Source: GoArticles.com © 2011, All Rights Reserved.

7 Nutrition Fundamentals for Losing Fat

Source: Uploaded by DrClayFitness on Mar 15, 2007 to YouTube

Dr. Clay shares 7 fundamental nutrition tips that serve as the foundation of any good diet.

Financial Help for Diabetes Care

 

Financial Help for Diabetes Care

On this page:
•Medicare
•Medicaid
•State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)
•Health Insurance for Those Not Eligible for Medicare or Medicaid
•Health Insurance after Leaving a Job
•Health Care Services
•Hospital Care
•Kidney Disease: Resources for Dialysis and Transplantation
•Prescription Drugs and Medical Supplies
•Prosthetic Care
•Classroom Services
•Technological Assistance
•Food and Nutrition Assistance for Women with Diabetes or Gestational Diabetes
•Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Benefits
•Local Resources
•Acknowledgments
•National Diabetes Education Program

 

Diabetes treatment is expensive. According to the American Diabetes Association, people with diabetes spend an average of $11,744 a year on health care expenses—more than twice the amount spent by people without diabetes.

Many people who have diabetes need help paying for their care. For those who qualify, a variety of governmental and nongovernmental programs can help cover health care expenses. This publication is meant to help people with diabetes and their family members find and access such resources.

Medicare

Medicare is federal health insurance for the following groups:

• people 65 or older
• people younger than 65 with certain disabilities or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also called Lou Gehrig’s disease
• people of any age with end-stage renal disease—permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or a kidney transplant

Medicare Health Plans

People with Medicare can choose how to get their health and prescription drug coverage. The following options are available:

• Original Medicare
• Medicare Advantage Plans—such as health maintenance organizations (HMOs) or preferred provider organizations (PPOs)
• other Medicare health plans

Original Medicare. Original Medicare, managed by the Federal Government, has two parts: Medicare Part A is hospital insurance and Medicare Part B is medical insurance. People in this plan usually pay a fee for each health care service or supply they receive.

People who are in Original Medicare can add prescription drug coverage—Medicare Part D—by joining a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan. These plans are run by insurance companies and other private companies approved by Medicare.

People can also choose to buy insurance to help fill the gaps in Part A and Part B coverage. This insurance is known as Medigap or Medicare Supplement Insurance.

Medicare Advantage Plans. Medicare Advantage Plans are health plan options, like an HMO or PPO, approved by Medicare and offered by private companies. These plans are part of Medicare and are sometimes called Part C or MA Plans. Medicare Advantage Plans provide Medicare Part A and Part B coverage and usually Medicare Part D coverage. The companies that run these plans must follow rules set by Medicare. Not all Medicare Advantage Plans work the same way. People considering one of these plans should find out the plan’s rules before joining.

Other Medicare Health Plans. Other Medicare health plans include Medicare Cost Plans, Demonstrations/Pilot Programs, and Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). These plans provide hospital and medical insurance coverage, and some also provide prescription drug coverage.

To get more information about Medicare coverage, see “More Information about Medicare.”

Medicare Covers Diabetes Services and Supplies

Original Medicare helps pay for the diabetes services, supplies, and equipment listed below. Coinsurance or deductibles may apply. In addition, Medicare covers some preventive services for people who are at risk for diabetes. A person must have Medicare Part B or Medicare Part D to receive these covered services and supplies.

Medicare Part B helps pay for

• diabetes screening tests for people at risk of developing diabetes
• diabetes self-management training
• diabetes supplies such as glucose monitors, test strips, and lancets
• insulin pumps and insulin if used with an insulin pump
• flu and pneumonia shots
• foot exams and treatment for people with diabetes
• eye exams to check for glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy
• medical nutrition therapy services for people with diabetes or kidney disease, when referred by a doctor
• therapeutic shoes or inserts, in some cases

Medicare Part D helps pay for

• diabetes medicines
• insulin, but not insulin used with an insulin pump
• diabetes supplies like needles and syringes for injecting insulin

People who are in a Medicare Advantage Plan or other Medicare health plan should check their plan’s membership materials and call for details about how the plan provides the diabetes services, supplies, and medicines covered by Medicare.

More details are available by calling 1–800–MEDICARE (1–800–633–4227) and requesting the free booklet Medicare Coverage of Diabetes Supplies & Services. This booklet is also available at www.medicare.gov/publications/pubs/pdf/11022.pdf (PDF, 4.7 MB) *.

More Information about Medicare

More information about Medicare is available at www.medicare.gov, the official U.S. Government website for people with Medicare. The website has a full range of information about Medicare including free publications like Medicare & You, the official Government handbook about Medicare, and Medicare Basics—A Guide for Families and Friends of People with Medicare. Through the Medicare website, people can also

• find out if they are eligible for Medicare and when they can enroll
• learn about their Medicare health plan options
• find out what Medicare covers
• find a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan
• compare Medicare health plan options in their area
• find a doctor who participates in Medicare
• get information about the quality of care provided by nursing homes, hospitals, home health agencies, and dialysis facilities

Calling 1–800–MEDICARE (1–800–633–4227) is another way to get help with Medicare questions, order free publications, and more. Help is available 24 hours a day, every day, and is available in English, Spanish, and other languages. TTY users should call 1–877–486–2048.

Medicare information can also be obtained from the following agencies or programs:

• Each state has a State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) that provides free health insurance counseling. A state’s SHIP may have a unique name. SHIP counselors can help people choose a Medicare health plan or a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan. The phone number for the SHIP in each state is available by by calling Medicare or visiting www.medicare.gov and selecting “Find Helpful Phone Numbers and Websites” under “Search Tools.”
• The Social Security Administration can provide information about eligibility for Medicare. People can contact the agency at 1–800–772–1213, visit its web-site at www.socialsecurity.gov, or check with their local Social Security office to learn if they are eligible for Medicare.
• State Medical Assistance (Medicaid) offices in each state can provide information about help for people with Medicare who have limited income and resources. The phone number for each state’s Medicaid office can be obtained by visiting www.medicare.gov or calling Medicare.

People who enroll in Medicare can register for MyMedicare.gov, a secure online service, and use the site to access their personal Medicare information at any time. People can view their claims, order forms and publications, and see a description of covered preventive services.

Help for People with Medicare Who Have Limited Income and Resources

People who have Medicare and have limited income and resources may qualify for help paying for some health care and prescription drug costs from one of the following programs:

• Extra help paying for Medicare prescription drug coverage. Those who meet certain income requirements may qualify for extra help from Medicare to pay prescription drug costs. People can apply for this help by calling Social Security; visiting www.socialsecurity.gov to apply online; visiting their local Social Security office; or by contacting their State Medical Assistance (Medicaid) office. Each state’s SHIP can provide information and answer questions about this program.
• State pharmacy assistance programs (SPAPs). Several states have SPAPs that help certain people pay for prescription drugs. Each SPAP makes its own rules about how to provide drug coverage to its members. Information about each state’s SPAP can be obtained by calling Medicare or the state’s SHIP.
• Medicaid programs for people with Medicare. State Medicaid programs help pay medical costs for some people with Medicare who have limited income and resources. People who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid may get coverage for services that aren’t fully covered by Medicare, such as nursing home and home health care. States also have programs called Medicare Savings Programs that pay Medicare premiums and, in some cases, may also pay Medicare Part A and Part B deductibles and coinsurance. More information is available at www.medicare.gov. The phone number for the State Medical Assistance (Medicaid) office for each state can be obtained by calling Medicare. Each state’s SHIP can also provide more information.

Medicaid

Medicaid, also called Medical Assistance, is a joint federal and state government program that helps pay medical costs for some people with limited income and resources. Medicaid programs and income limits for Medicaid vary from state to state. The State Medical Assistance (Medicaid) office can help people find out whether they qualify for Medicaid or provide more information about Medicaid programs. To contact a state Medicaid office, people can

• search for Medicaid information for a state at www.GovBenefits.gov
• visit www.medicare.gov and select “Find Helpful Phone Numbers and Websites” under “Search Tools,” or call 1–800–MEDICARE (1–800–633–4227) and say “Medicaid”
• check the government pages of the phone book for the local department of human services or department of social services, which can provide the needed information

 

State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)

SCHIP is a federal and state government partnership to expand health coverage to uninsured children from families with income that is too low to afford private or employer-sponsored health insurance but too high to qualify for Medicaid. The free or low-cost coverage is available to eligible children younger than 19.

SCHIP provides an extensive package of benefits including doctor visits, hospital care, and more. Information about the program is available at www.insurekidsnow.gov or by calling 1–877–KIDS–NOW (1–877–543–7669). Callers to the toll-free, confidential hotline are automatically connected to their state’s program.

Health Insurance for Those Not Eligible for Medicare or Medicaid

People who are not eligible for Medicare or Medicaid may be able to purchase private health insurance. Many insurers consider diabetes that has already been diagnosed a pre-existing condition, so finding coverage may be difficult for people with diabetes. Insurance companies often have a specific waiting period during which they do not cover diabetes-related expenses for new enrollees, although they will cover other medical expenses that arise during this time.

Certain state and federal laws may help. Many states now require insurance companies to cover diabetes supplies and education. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), passed by Congress in 1996, limits insurance companies from denying coverage because of a pre-existing condition. Information about HIPAA is available at www.dol.gov/dol/topic/health-plans/portability.htm.

More information about these laws is available from each state’s insurance regulatory office. Some state offices may be called the state insurance department or commission. This office can also help identify an insurance company that offers individual coverage. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ website, www.naic.org/state_web_map.htm, provides a membership list with contact information and a link to the website for each state’s insurance regulatory office.

The Georgetown University Health Policy Institute offers consumer guides on health insurance topics, including guides for each state about getting and keeping health insurance. The guides are available at www.healthinsuranceinfo.net.

Health Insurance after Leaving a Job

When leaving a job, a person may be able to continue the group health insurance provided by the employer for up to 18 months under a federal law called the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, or COBRA. People pay more for group health insurance through COBRA than they did as employees, but group coverage is cheaper than individual coverage. People who have a disability before becoming eligible for COBRA or who are determined by the Social Security Administration to be disabled within the first 60 days of COBRA coverage may be able to extend COBRA coverage an additional 11 months, for up to 29 months of coverage. COBRA may also cover young people who were insured under a parent’s policy but have reached the age limit and are trying to obtain their own insurance.

More information is available by calling the U.S. Department of Labor at 1–866–4–USA–DOL (1–866–487–2365) or visiting www.dol.gov/dol/topic/health-plans/cobra.htm.

If a person doesn’t qualify for coverage or if COBRA coverage has expired, other options may be available:

• Some states require employers to offer conversion policies, in which people stay with their insurance company but buy individual coverage.
• Some professional and alumni organizations offer group coverage for members.
• Most states have a high-risk health insurance pool or other means for covering people otherwise unable to get health insurance. Information about high-risk pools is available at www.nahu.org/consumer/hrpguide.cfm.
• Some insurance companies also offer stopgap policies designed for people who are between jobs.

Each state insurance regulatory office can provide more information about these and other options. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ website, www.naic.org/state_web_map.htm, provides a membership list with contact information and a link to the website for each state’s insurance regulatory office. Information about consumer health plans is also available at the U.S. Department of Labor’s website at www.dol.gov/dol/topic/health-plans/consumerinfhealth.htm.

Health Care Services

The Bureau of Primary Health Care, a service of the Health Resources and Services Administration, offers primary and preventive health care to medically underserved populations through community health centers. For people with no insurance, fees for care are based on family size and income. Information about local health centers is available by calling 1–888–ASK–HRSA (1–888–275–4772) and asking for a directory, or by visiting the Bureau’s website at www.bphc.hrsa.gov.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) runs hospitals and clinics that serve veterans who have service-related health problems or who simply need financial aid. Veterans who would like to find out more about VA health care can call 1–800–827–1000 or visit www1.va.gov/health.

Many local governments have public health departments that can help people who need medical care. The local county or city government’s health and human services office can provide further information.

Hospital Care

People who are uninsured and need hospital care may be able to get help from a program known as the Hill-Burton Act. Although the program originally provided hospitals with federal grants for modernization, today it provides free or reduced-fee medical services to people with low incomes. The Department of Health and Human Services administers the program. More information is available by calling 1–800–638–0742 (1–800–492–0359 in Maryland) or visiting www.hrsa.gov/hillburton.

Kidney Disease: Resources for Dialysis and Transplantation

Kidney failure, also called end-stage renal disease, is a complication of diabetes. People of any age with kidney failure can get Medicare Part A—hospital insurance—if they meet certain criteria. To qualify for Medicare on the basis of kidney failure, a person must

• need regular dialysis

or

• have had a kidney transplant

and must

• have worked long enough—or be the dependent child or spouse of someone who has worked long enough—under Social Security, the Railroad Retirement Board, or as a government employee

or

• be receiving—or be the spouse or dependent child of a person who is receiving—Social Security, Railroad Retirement, or Office of Personnel Management benefits

People with Medicare Part A can also get Medicare Part B. Enrolling in Part B is optional. However, a person needs to have both Part A and Part B for Medicare to cover certain dialysis and kidney transplant services.

Those who don’t qualify for Medicare may be able to get help from their state to pay for their dialysis treatments. More information about dialysis and transplantation is available by

• calling Social Security at 1–800–772–1213 or visiting www.socialsecurity.gov for information about the required amount of time needed under Social Security, the Railroad Retirement Board, or as a government employee to be eligible for Medicare based on kidney failure
• visiting www.medicare.gov to read or download the booklet Medicare Coverage of Kidney Dialysis and Kidney Transplant Services or calling 1–800–MEDICARE (1–800–633–4227) to request a free copy; TTY users should call 1–877–486–2048
• reading the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse’s publication Financial Help for Treatment of Kidney Failure, available at www.kidney.niddk.nih.gov or by calling 1–800–891–5390
• visiting Medicare’s “Dialysis Facility Compare” at www.medicare.gov/dialysis for important information about chronic kidney disease and dialysis, including choosing a dialysis facility

Information about financing an organ transplant is available from the following organization:

United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS)
P.O. Box 2484
Richmond, VA 23218
Phone: 1–888–894–6361 or 804–782–4800
Fax: 804–782–4817
Internet: www.unos.org

Prescription Drugs and Medical Supplies

Health care providers may be able to assist people who need help paying for their medicines and supplies by directing them to local programs or even providing free samples.

A free nylon filament—similar to a bristle on a hairbrush—is available to check feet for nerve damage. The filament, with instructions for use, can be obtained by calling 1–888–ASK–HRSA (1–888–275–4772) or by accessing www.hrsa.gov/leap.

Prescription drug coverage for those eligible for Medicare is available through Medicare’s Prescription Drug Plans and many Medicare Advantage Plans. More information is available at the Medicare website at www.medicare.gov.

Drug companies that sell insulin or diabetes medications usually have patient assistance programs. Such programs are available only through a physician. The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America and its member companies sponsor an interactive website with information about drug assistance programs at www.PPARx.org.

Also, because programs for the homeless sometimes provide aid, people can contact a local shelter for more information about how to obtain free medications and medical supplies. The number of the nearest shelter may be listed in the phone book under Human Service Organizations or Social Service Organizations.

Prosthetic Care

People who have had an amputation may be concerned about paying their rehabilitation expenses. The following organizations provide financial assistance or information about locating financial resources for people who need prosthetic care:

Amputee Coalition of America
900 East Hill Avenue, Suite 205
Knoxville, TN 37915–2566
Phone: 1–888–AMP–KNOW (1–888–267–5669)
Fax: 865–525–7917
Internet: www.amputee-coalition.org

Easter Seals
230 West Monroe Street, Suite 1800
Chicago, IL 60606
Phone: 1–800–221–6827
Fax: 312–726–1494
Internet: www.easterseals.com

Classroom Services

Public agencies and other organizations that provide services and assistance, such as providing special equipment, to children with diabetes and other disabilities and to their families are listed on the State Resource Sheets published by the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY). Each state’s resource sheet lists the names and addresses of agencies in the state. The free resource sheets are available at www.nichcy.org/states.htm or by contacting

NICHCY
P.O. Box 1492
Washington, DC 20013
Phone: 1–800–695–0285
Fax: 202–884–8441
Email: nichcy@aed.org
Internet: www.nichcy.org

College-aged students who have diabetes-related disabilities may be faced not only with the costs of tuition, but also with additional expenses generally not incurred by other students. These costs may include special equipment and disability-related medical expenses not covered by insurance. Some special equipment and support services may be available at the educational institution, through community organizations, through the state vocational rehabilitation agency, or through specific disability organizations. The names and addresses of these and other agencies are also listed in the State Resource Sheets available from the NICHCY.

The HEATH Resource Center, an online clearinghouse on postsecondary education for individuals with disabilities, offers information about sources of financial aid and the education of students with a disability. Contact the clearinghouse at

The George Washington University
HEATH Resource Center
2134 G Street NW
Washington, DC 20052–0001
Phone: 202–973–0904
Fax: 202–994–3365
Email: AskHEATH@gwu.edu
Internet: www.heath.gwu.edu

Technological Assistance

Assistive technology, which can help people with disabilities function more effectively at home, at work, and in the community, can include computers, adaptive equipment, wheelchairs, bathroom modifications, and medical or corrective services. The following organizations provide information, awareness, and training in the use of technology to aid people with disabilities:

Alliance for Technology Access (ATA)
1304 Southpoint Boulevard, Suite 240
Petaluma, CA 94954
Phone: 707–778–3011
Fax: 707–765–2080
Email: ATAinfo@ATAccess.org
Internet: www.ATAccess.org

United Cerebral Palsy (UCP)
1660 L Street NW, Suite 700
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 1–800–872–5827 or 202–776–0406
Fax: 202–776–0414
Email: info@ucp.org
Internet: www.ucp.org/ucp_channelsub.cfm/1/14/86

Food and Nutrition Assistance for Women with Diabetes or Gestational Diabetes

Food, nutrition education, and access to health care services are available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program. The WIC program provides assistance to women during pregnancy or the period following childbirth and to infants and children up to age 5. Applicants must meet residential, financial need, and nutrition risk criteria to be eligible for assistance. Having diabetes or gestational diabetes is considered a medically based nutrition risk and would qualify a woman for assistance through the WIC program if she meets the financial need requirements and has lived in a particular state the required amount of time. The WIC website provides a page of contact information for each state and Indian tribe. Contact the WIC’s national headquarters at

Supplemental Food Programs Division
Food and Nutrition Service—USDA
3101 Park Center Drive
Alexandria, VA 22302
Phone: 703–305–2746
Fax: 703–305–2196
Email: wichq-web@fns.usda.gov
Internet: www.fns.usda.gov/wic

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Benefits

The Social Security Administration pays disability benefits through the SSDI and SSI programs. These benefits are not the same as Social Security benefits. To receive SSDI benefits, a person must be unable to work and must have earned the required number of work credits. SSI is a monthly amount paid to people with limited income and resources who are disabled, blind, or age 65 or older and meet certain other conditions.

More information is available by calling Social Security at 1–800–772–1213 or contacting the local Social Security office for more information. TTY users should call 1–800–325–0778. A “Benefit Eligibility Screening Tool” is available at www.socialsecurity.gov to check whether a person is eligible for benefits.

Local Resources

Local resources such as the following charitable groups may offer financial help for some of the many expenses related to diabetes:

• Lions Clubs International can help with vision care. Visit www.lionsclubs.org.
• Rotary International clubs provide humanitarian and educational assistance. Visit www.rotary.org.
• Elks clubs provide charitable activities that benefit youth and veterans. Visit www.elks.org.
• Shriners of North America offer free treatment for children at Shriners hospitals throughout the country. Visit www.shrinershq.org.
• Kiwanis International clubs conduct service projects to help children and communities. Visit www.kiwanis.org.

In many areas, nonprofit or special-interest groups such as those listed above can sometimes provide financial assistance or help with fundraising. Religious organizations also may offer assistance. In addition, some local governments may have special trusts set up to help people in need. The local library or local city or county government’s health and human services office may provide more information about such groups.

The National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (NDIC) gathered information from various agencies and organizations to try to provide the most comprehensive and helpful information possible. Changes may occur in these programs from the time this fact sheet is published. Please contact each organization directly for the most up-to-date information. The NDIC welcomes corrections and updates to the information in this fact sheet. Updates should be sent to ndic@info.niddk.nih.gov.

Source:

National Diabetes Education Program

1 Diabetes Way
Bethesda, MD 20814–9692
Phone: 1–888–693–NDEP (1–888–693–6337)
TTY: 1–866–569–1162
Fax: 703–738–4929
Email: ndep@mail.nih.gov
Internet: www.ndep.nih.gov

The National Diabetes Education Program is a federally funded program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and includes over 200 partners at the federal, state, and local levels, working together to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with diabetes.

How to Start The Raw Foods Diet

This is a short and simple video that offers suggestions on how you can start to transition your diet from cooked foods to raw foods. Discover how you can change your life and level of health by consuming a 100% RAW FOOD DIET.

Source: letsgetraw on YouTube

Natural Cures For Diabetes –Treat it the Natural Way

 

 

By Marilyn Reid

Frequent urination, unquenchable thirst, weakness, fatigue, tingling, numbness of extremities, and sudden weight loss. These are the common symptoms that a person suffering from diabetes experiences. Are you experiencing the same thing? If you are, then it’s high time you pay your doctor a visit and have your blood sugar checked.

What is diabetes? Diabetes is a disorder on which the body is not able to regulate the amount of sugar, particularly glucose, in the blood. Glucose plays a vital function in the body as it provides you with the energy to perform daily activities like brisk walking, working, jogging, and many others. It is regulated by the insulin, the hormone produced by the pancreas, and allows it to move from the blood to the muscle, liver, and fat cells to be used for fuel.  Now, if a person’s body does not produce enough insulin, also known as type 1 diabetes, or produce enough but does not use it properly, referred to as type 2 diabetes, then he or she should find diabetes treatment at once.

What are some natural cures for diabetes? When you are diagnosed with diabetes, perhaps the first thing that comes to your mind is to know what medications to take in order to treat it. Although it’s true that there are prescribed medicines for this disorder, you can always treat it the natural way just by knowing what the natural cures are. Natural cures for diabetes could range from regular exercise, good eating habits, and including raw foods in your diet.

Make sure that you get enough physical exercise to burn off the extra energy producing glucose. It can also help prevent complications that may arise from diabetes like poor circulation in the feet and legs and nervous disorders. Good eating habits, on the other hand, means managing what you eat, how much you eat, and when during the course of the day you sit down to eat. People suffering from diabetes should commit to keeping their diet varied and include a large amount of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains and they should see to it that they do not eat too much or too little during every meal.

A raw food diet can also do a lot to treat diabetes the natural way. People who have tried a diet of raw and organic foods revealed that it had helped reverse diabetes without the need for pharmaceutical medication. Although it can be difficult to change your diet, especially from cooked meals to raw, the little sacrifice can be worth it in the end as it helps you achieve a healthier you.

Diabetes may be a serious disorder but it can be easily managed and treated if done the right way. Regular exercise, good eating habits, and eating raw foods can certainly do a lot. The first two may be easy for you to follow, but the third could be not. Why not learn more about rawfood nutrition and sunfoods from David Wolfe for you to be enlighten further as to what it can do to treat diabetes?

For the past 10 years Marilyn Reid has been active as an advocate for Alternative Health Therapies, with an emphasis on healthy living and raw food diets. Marilyn has been fascinated with the work of the Healthy Lifestyle Nutritionist and Guru, David Wolfe and has a blog which keeps up with the latest in the world of Healthy Lifestyles. See more facts about Diabetes.

Source:www.isnare.com

Hungry Planet

It’s an inspired idea–to better understand the human diet, explore what culturally diverse families eat for a week.

That’s what photographer Peter Menzel and author-journalist Faith D’Alusio, authors of the equally ambitious Material World, do in Hungry Planet: What the World Eats, a comparative photo-chronicle of their visits to 30 families in 24 countries for 600 meals in all.

Their personal-is-political portraits feature pictures of each family with a week’s worth of food purchases; weekly food-intake lists with costs noted; typical family recipes; and illuminating essays, such as “Diabesity,” on the growing threat of obesity and diabetes.

Among the families, we meet the Mellanders, a German household of five who enjoy cinnamon rolls, chocolate croissants, and beef roulades, and whose weekly food expenses amount to $500. We also encounter the Natomos of Mali, a family of one husband, his two wives, and their nine children, whose corn and millet-based diet costs $26.39 weekly

Source: psychetruth on YouTube

The Truth About Sugar – Parts 1 and 2- Time: 18:36

Nutrition by Natalie

Sugar Shock

How much sugar do you consume? You might be surprised just how much sugar there is in everyday food. In this video, Natalie shows you the shocking truth about how much sugar you’re consuming.

You will be surprised just how much sugar there is in common things like a soft drink, McDonalds Value Meal, fast food, Starbucks drinks, etc.

Natalie shows you how much sugar there is in certain food items including; blueberry muffins, orange juice, a poptart, Lucky Charms cereal, barbecue sauce, a Coke, Gatorade sports drink, a Starbucks Chocolate Frappuccino Mocha, a chocolate cake dessert and others.

Natalie also talks about the relationship of sugar and high fructose corn syrup to weight gain, energy, diabetes and health.

This video is an eye opener even if you aren’t on a diet.

Part Two

What to Eat: Sensible Choices in an Era of Food Confusion

Proper nutrition is on all of our minds, but how do we make smart choices in today’s world of savvy marketing? Join us for this eye-opening lecture from one of the leading author’s on how the food industry influences our nutrition and health. Marion Nestle, Ph.D., is an author and professor of Nutrition, Food Studies and Public Health at New York University. Series: “UCSD Moores Cancer Center Presents”

Source: UCtelevision on YouTube

Gestational Diabetes

Cathy Moulton, a Diabetes UK care adviser, explains how gestational diabetes affects pregnant women. Kimberly, who was diagnosed with gestational diabetes, talks about the symptoms she experienced and how she dealt with the condition. Find out about complications of gestational diabetes http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/gestational-diabetes/Pages/Complications.aspx

Source: NHSChoices on YouTube

Michael Pollan – Food Rules for Healthy People and Planet

Award-winning food writer Michael Pollan shows how we can become more mindful of what we eat, and how we can make food choices that are better for ourselves and our environment.

 Biography:  Michael Pollan is the author, most recently, of IN DEFENSE OF FOOD: AN EATER’S MANIFESTO. His previous book, THE OMNIVORE’S DILEMMA: A NATURAL HISTORY OF FOUR MEALS (2006), was named one of the ten best books of 2006 by the NEW YORK TIMES and the Washington Post. It also won the California Book Award, the Northern California Book Award, the James Beard Award for best food writing, and was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. He is also the author of THE BOTANY OF DESIRE: A PLANT’S-EYE VIEW OF THE WORLD (2001); A PLACE OF MY OWN (1997); and SECOND NATURE (1991). A contributing writer to the NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE, Pollan is the recipient of numerous journalistic awards, including the James Beard Award for best magazine series in 2003 and the Reuters-I.U.C.N. 2000 Global Award for Environmental Journalism.

 Pollan served for many years as executive editor of HARPER’S Magazine and is now the Knight Professor of Science and Environmental Journalism at UC Berkeley. His articles have been anthologized in BEST AMERICAN SCIENCE WRITING (2004); BEST AMERICAN ESSAYS (1990 and 2003) and the NORTON BOOK OF NATURE WRITING. Published November 28, 2008.

Source: theRSAorg on YouTube

Our Daily Bread “…Nuestra pan de cada dia…”

Faith and community leaders discuss the health disparities that exist within LA, with a specific focus on the lack of access to quality foods and good jobs in low income communities due to the paucity of quality grocery stores (particularly South LA).

 The community calls on the grocery industry to reinvest in low income communities like South LA, East LA and the Northeast Valley, in an effort to create good jobs and increase access to quality food and produce in such communities, where health inequities are prevalent.

Source: ClueLosAngeles1 on YouTube
http://cluela.org and http://www.clueca.org

The Many Health Benefits of Ground Flax Seed

By Rich Fuller

Controlling blood sugar levels is very important for people who suffer diabetes and also those who may be at risk of developing it. Flax seed and flax seed oil both contain omega 3, an essential fatty acid and also a mucilage.

In the past twenty or so years it has been encouraged by health professionals to keep fat intake to a minimum in our diets. This has driven more people towards a diet high in carbohydrates, which serve to increase blood sugar levels. The result is extra insulin being produced, causing the blood sugar to dip down low. Having these peaks and drops in the levels of sugar in your blood causes weight gain through food cravings and hunger pains. The increased weight along with the continued ups and downs of the sugar levels is what causes type two diabetes to begin its attack.

Studies have shown that essential fatty acids can suppress hunger without causing changes in blood sugar. A combination of these two effects can result in prevention or control of diabetes.

The mucilage properties to flax seed also contributes to controlling the blood sugar levels. It lines the digestive tract, slowing absorption of carbohydrates which can otherwise be processed too quickly, flooding the bloodstream in excess. When they are absorbed slowly through a healthy lined digestive tract they are treated the same as a good carbohydrates, leaving no residue or sugar over-doses.

If you are interested in taking a flax seed supplement for blood sugar control, consider having both the seed and oil form. You can sprinkle the powder on your cereal, salads or in smoothies. The oil can be used in the same ways or taken in capsules and on a daily basis is best for maximum benefits to be seen. Using both forms as a dietary supplement of essential 3 fatty acids, omega 3 can certainly fix mild to moderate blood sugar level problems.

Being an appetite suppressant, preventing blood sugar rises and drops and slowing carbohydrate absorption all contribute to why flax seed and flax seed oil is fantastic as a dietary supplement for diabetics. If someone in your family suffers, consider taking it daily as well to prevent having the same problems. You could be saving yourself a lot of health problems, and will no doubt experience many other benefits it provides as well.

Learn more about the benefits of flax seed and cancer on our site. You’ll also find other information such as flax seed grindersand flax seed oil is good for heart.  OmegaFlaxSeedOil.comis a comprehensive resource to help individuals gain the benefits of essential nutrition such as flax seed oil, omega 3 and vitamin B12.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rich_Fuller

Sample Diabetes Diet Menu

By Denchi Minh

When a person is diabetic they are advised to go to a licensed dietician in order to provide them with a diabetes diet menu.

The diabetes diet menu is a specialized kind of diet that aims to help a diabetic lose weight and reduce their blood sugar levels. A reduction 500 calories in a daily basis can result to a pound of weight lost in a week’s time.

The diabetes diet menu gives you an option in choosing the meal that would complement the required calories you need each day. Each menu that is given by the dietician provides calories in such a manner than 50 percent are for calories, 20 percent are from proteins and 30 percent coming from fats.

Each meal is complimented by a snack so you wouldn’t have to go hungry at all. These meals are to be complemented by exercise in order for you to achieve the goal you need, which is of course reducing your weight.

Below is a sample diabetic diet menu that covers for an entire day.

• Breakfast sample menu

o 2 4½-in waffles laced with 2 tsp margarine
o 4 Tbsp. light syrup
o 1 cup yogurt
o ¾ cup blackberries
o A cup of Coffee or tea

• Lunch sample menu

o 1 cup chili with beans
o 12 crackers
o ½ cup broccoli or ½ cup cauliflower
o 1 apple
o A diet soda

• Dinner sample menu

o 4 oz. hamburger in a 1 hamburger bun. It is laced with 1 tablespoon ketchup, 2 lettuce leaves and 2 tomato slices
o 1 cup of celery sticks
o 1 cup of watermelon
o 2 tablespoon of peanut butter for the sticks
o Skim milk

Diabetics are required to lose weight in order for their body to improve its tolerance to insulin. Insulin is used by the body in order to effectively convert sugar into energy. The body cannot properly transpose sugar into energy because of the high levels of fats in the system.

The body becomes tolerant to the insulin it secretes and by then the body cannot effectively use the glucose in the blood. When this happens the body needs to inject higher dosage of insulin in order to counter act the amount of glucose in the blood.

We should take note that a diabetes diet menu doesn’t mean they will have to stop eating sweets or their favorite dishes. The diabetic only needs to reduce them in a minimal level.

For more diabetes diet menu information, visit Diabetes Diet Menu Guide and Start Reversing the Effects of Diabetes though a proper diet.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Denchi_Minh

Food Policy – What We Eat is Making Us Sick

Marion Nestle is a Paulette Goddard Professor in the Department of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health (the department she chaired from 1988-2003) and Professor of Sociology at New York University. Marion’s blogsite is www.foodpolitics.com. 

Source: Bravenewfilms on YouTube

What is Overweight and Obesity?

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What is Overweight and Obesity

U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services
National Institutes of Health

• What are overweight and obesity?
• How are weight-related health risks determined?
• Body Mass Index Table
• Why do statistics about overweight and obesity differ?
• Prevalence Statistics Related to Overweight and Obesity
• Economic Costs Related to Overweight and Obesity
• Other Statistics Related to Overweight and Obesity

 

About two-thirds of adults in the United States are overweight, and almost one-third are obese, according to data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2001 to 2004. This fact sheet presents statistics on the prevalence of overweight and obesity in the United States, as well as the health risks, mortality rates, and economic costs associated with these conditions. To understand these statistics, it is necessary to know how overweight and obesity are defined and measured, something this publication addresses. This fact sheet also explains why statistics from different sources may not match.

Overweight and obesity are known risk factors for:

■diabetes
■coronary heart disease
■high blood cholesterol
■stroke
■hypertension
■gallbladder disease
■osteoarthritis (degeneration of cartilage and bone of joints)
■sleep apnea and other breathing problems
■some forms of cancer (breast, colorectal, endometrial, and kidney)

Obesity is also associated with:

■complications of pregnancy
■menstrual irregularities
■hirsutism (presence of excess body and facial hair)
■stress incontinence (urine leakage caused by weak pelvic floor muscles)
■psychological disorders, such as depression
■increased surgical risk
■increased mortality

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What is overweight and obesity?

Overweight refers to an excess of body weight compared to set standards. The excess weight may come from muscle, bone, fat, and/or body water. Obesity refers specifically to having an abnormally high proportion of body fat.[1] A person can be overweight without being obese, as in the example of a bodybuilder or other athlete who has a lot of muscle. However, many people who are overweight are also obese.

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How are weight-related health risks determined?

Various methods are used to determine if someone’s weight has increased his or her health risks. Some are based on the relationship between height and weight; others are based on measurements of body fat. The most commonly used method today is the body mass index (BMI). BMI is an index of weight adjusted for the height of an individual.

BMI can be used to screen for both overweight and obesity in adults. It is the measurement of choice for many obesity researchers and other health professionals, as well as the definition used in most published information on overweight and obesity. BMI is a calculation based on height and weight, and it is not gender-specific in adults. BMI does not directly measure percentage of body fat, but it is a more accurate indicator of overweight and obesity than relying on weight alone.

BMI is calculated by dividing a person’s weight in kilograms by height in meters squared. The mathematical formula is “weight (kg)/height (m²).”

To determine BMI using pounds and inches, multiply weight in pounds by 704.5,* divide the result by height in inches, and then divide that result by height in inches a second time. (You can also use the BMI calculator at www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi or check the chart below.)

* The multiplier 704.5 is used by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Other organizations may use a slightly different multiplier; for example, the American Dietetic Association suggests multiplying by 700. The variation in outcome (a few tenths) is insignificant.

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Body Mass Index Table

To use the table, find the appropriate height in the left-hand column and then move across to a given weight. The number at the top of the column is the BMI at that height and weight. Pounds have been rounded off.

Source: Clinical Guidelines on Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults, NHLBI, September 1998

An expert panel convened by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) in cooperation with the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), both part of NIH, identified overweight as a BMI of 25 to 29.9 kg/m², and obesity as a BMI of 30 kg/m² or greater. However, overweight and obesity are not mutually exclusive, since people who are obese are also overweight.[1] Defining overweight as a BMI of 25 or greater is consistent with the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO)[2] and most other countries.

Calculating BMI is simple, quick, and inexpensive—but it does have limitations. One problem with using BMI as a measurement tool is that very muscular people may fall into the “overweight” category when they are actually healthy and fit. Another problem with using BMI is that people who have lost muscle mass, such as the elderly, may be in the “healthy weight” BMI category (BMI 18.5 to 24.9) when they actually have reduced nutritional reserves. BMI, therefore, is useful as a screening tool for individuals and as a general guideline to monitor trends in the population, but by itself is not diagnostic of an individual patient’s health status. Further assessment of patients should be performed to evaluate their weight status and associated health risks.

For more information on measuring overweight and obesity, see Weight and Waist Measurement: Tools for Adults.

——————————————————————————–

Why do statistics about overweight and obesity differ?

The definitions or measurement characteristics for overweight and obesity have varied over time, from study to study, and from one part of the world to another. The varied definitions affect prevalence statistics and make it difficult to compare data from different studies. Prevalence refers to the total number of existing cases of a disease or condition in a given population at a given time. Some overweight- and obesity-related prevalence rates are presented as crude or unadjusted estimates, while others are age-adjusted estimates. Unadjusted prevalence estimates are used to present cross-sectional data for population groups at a given point or time period, without accounting for the effect of different age variations among groups. For age-adjusted rates, statistical procedures are used to remove the effect of age differences when comparing two or more populations at one point in time, or one population at two or more points in time. Unadjusted estimates and age-adjusted estimates will yield slightly different values.

Previous studies in the United States have used the 1959 or the 1983 Metropolitan Life Insurance tables of desirable weight-for-height as the reference for overweight.[3] More recently, many Government agencies and scientific health organizations have estimated overweight using data from a series of cross-sectional surveys called the National Health Examination Surveys (NHES) and NHANES. The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted these surveys. Each had three cycles: NHES I, II, and III spanned the period from 1960 to 1970, and NHANES I, II, and III were conducted in the 1970s, 1980s, and early 1990s. Since 1999, NHANES has become a continuous survey.

Many earlier reports use a statistically derived definition of overweight from NHANES II (1976 to 1980). This definition (based on the gender-specific 85th percentile values of BMI for 20- to 29-year-olds) is a BMI greater than or equal to (>) 27.3 for women and 27.8 for men. NHANES II further defines “severe overweight” (based on 95th percentile values) as a BMI > 31.1 for men and a BMI > 32.2 for women.[4] Some studies round these numbers to a whole number, which affects the statistical prevalence. In 1995, WHO recommended a classification for three “grades” of overweight using BMI cutoff points of 25, 30, and 40.[5] WHO suggested an additional cutoff point of 35 and slightly different terminology in 1998.[2]

The expert panel convened by NHLBI and NIDDK released a report in September 1998 that provided definitions for overweight and obesity similar to those used by WHO. The panel identified overweight as a BMI > 25 to less than (<) 30, and obesity as a BMI > 30. These definitions, widely used by the Federal Government and more frequently by the broader medical and scientific communities, are based on evidence that health risks increase in individuals with a BMI > 25.

BMI cutoff points are a guide for definitions of overweight and obesity and are useful for comparative purposes across populations and over time; however, the health risks associated with overweight and obesity are on a continuum and do not necessarily correspond to rigid cutoff points. For example, an overweight individual with a BMI of 29 does not acquire additional health consequences associated with obesity simply by crossing the BMI threshold of > 30. However, health risks generally increase with increasing BMI.

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Overweight and obesity are found worldwide, and the prevalence of these conditions in the United States ranks high along with other developed nations.

Below are some frequently asked questions and answers about overweight and obesity statistics. Data are based on NHANES 2001 to 2004. Unless otherwise specified, the figures given represent age-adjusted estimates. Age-adjusted estimates are used in order to account for the age variations among the groups being compared. Population numbers are based on estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey.

Q: How many adults age 20 and older are overweight or obese (BMI > 25)?

A: About two-thirds of U.S. adults are overweight or obese.[6]

All adults: 133.6 million (66 percent)
Women: 65 million (61.6 percent)
Men: 68.3 million (70.5 percent)

* The statistics presented here are based on the following definitions unless otherwise specified: healthy weight = BMI > 18.5 to < 25; overweight = BMI > 25 to < 30; obesity = BMI > 30; and extreme obesity = BMI > 40.

Q: How many adults age 20 and older are obese (BMI > 30)?

A: Nearly one-third of U.S. adults are obese.[6]

All adults: 63.6 million (31.4 percent)
Women: 35 million (33.2 percent)
Men: 28.6 million (29.5 percent)

Q: How many adults age 20 and older are at a healthy weight (BMI > 18.5 through 24.9)?

A: Less than one-third of U.S. adults are at a healthy weight.[6]

All adults: 65.4 million (32.3 percent)
Women: 38.1 million (36.1 percent)
Men: 27.4 million (28.3 percent)

Q: How has the prevalence of overweight and obesity in adults changed over the years?

A: The prevalence has steadily increased over the years among both genders, all ages, all racial and ethnic groups, all educational levels, and all smoking levels.[7] From 1960 to 2004, the prevalence of overweight increased from 44.8 to 66 percent in U.S. adults age 20 to 74.[6] The prevalence of obesity during this same time period more than doubled among adults age 20 to 74 from 13.3 to 32.1 percent, with most of this rise occurring since 1980.[6]

Q: What is the prevalence of overweight or obesity in minorities?

A: Among women, the age-adjusted prevalence of overweight or obesity (BMI > 25) in racial and ethnic minorities is higher among non-Hispanic Black and Mexican-American women than among non-Hispanic White women. Among men, there is little difference in prevalence among these three groups [6]. Sufficient data for other racial and ethnic minorities has not yet been collected.

Non-Hispanic Black Women: 79.6 percent
Mexican-American Women: 73 percent
Non-Hispanic White Women: 57.6 percent

Non-Hispanic Black Men: 67 percent
Mexican-American Men: 74.6 percent
Non-Hispanic White Men: 71 percent
(Statistics are for populations age 20 and older.)

Studies using this definition of overweight and obesity provide ethnicity-specific data only for these three racial and ethnic groups. Studies using different BMI cutoff points derived from NHANES II data to define overweight and obesity have reported a high prevalence of overweight and obesity among Hispanics and American Indians. The prevalence of overweight and obesity in Asian Americans is lower than in the population as a whole.[1]

Q: What is the prevalence of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents?

A: While there is no generally accepted definition for obesity as distinct from overweight in children and adolescents, the prevalence of overweight* is increasing for children and adolescents in the United States. Approximately 17.5 percent of children (age 6 to 11) and 17 percent of adolescents (age 12 to 19) were overweight in 2001 to 2004.[6]

* Overweight is defined by the sex- and age-specific 95th percentile cutoff points of the 2000 CDC growth charts. These revised growth charts incorporate smoothed BMI percentiles and are based on data from NHES II (1963 to 1965) and III (1966 to 1970), and NHANES I (1971 to 1974), II (1976 to 1980), and III (1988 to 1994). The CDC BMI growth charts specifically excluded NHANES III data for children older than 6 years.[8]

Figure 1. Overweight and Obesity, by Age: United States, 1960-2004

Source: CDC/NCHS, Health, United States, 2006

Q: What is the mortality rate associated with obesity?

A: Most studies show an increase in mortality rates associated with obesity. Individuals who are obese have a 10- to 50-percent increased risk of death from all causes, compared with healthy weight individuals (BMI 18.5 to 24.9). Most of the increased risk is due to cardiovascular causes.[1] Obesity is associated with about 112,000 excess deaths per year in the U.S. population relative to healthy weight individuals.[9]

——————————————————————————–

Economic Costs Related to Overweight and Obesity

As the prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased in the United States, so have related health care costs—both direct and indirect. Direct health care costs refer to preventive, diagnostic, and treatment services such as physician visits, medications, and hospital and nursing home care. Indirect costs are the value of wages lost by people unable to work because of illness or disability, as well as the value of future earnings lost by premature death.

Most of the statistics presented here represent the economic cost of overweight and obesity in the United States in 1995, updated to 2001 dollars.[10] Unless otherwise noted, these statistics are adapted from Wolf and Colditz,[11] who based their data on existing epidemiological studies that defined overweight and obesity as a BMI > 29. Because the prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased since 1995, the costs today are higher than the figures given here.

Q: What is the cost of overweight and obesity?

A: Total Cost: $117 billion
Direct Cost: $61 billion*
Indirect Cost: $56 billion

*A recent study estimated annual medical spending due to overweight and obesity (BMI >25) to be as much as $92.6 billion in 2002 dollars—9.1 percent of U.S. health expenditures.[12]

Q: What is the cost of lost productivity related to overweight and obesity?

A: The cost of lost productivity related to obesity among Americans age 17 to 64 is $3.9 billion. This value considers the following annual numbers (for 1994):

Workdays lost: $39.3 million
Physician office visits: $62.7 million
Restricted-activity days: $239 million
Bed-days: $89.5 million

——————————————————————————–

Other Statistics Related to Overweight and Obesity

Q: How physically active is the U.S. population?
A: Only 26 percent of U.S. adults engage in vigorous leisure-time physical activity three or more times per week (defined as periods of vigorous physical activity lasting 10 minutes or more). About 59 percent of adults do no vigorous physical activity at all in their leisure time.[13]

About 25 percent of young people (age 12 to 21) participate in light-to-moderate activity (e.g., walking, bicycling) nearly every day. About 50 percent regularly engage in vigorous physical activity. Approximately 25 percent report no vigorous physical activity, and 14 percent report no recent vigorous or light-to-moderate physical activity.[14]

Q: What is the cost of physical inactivity?

A: The direct cost of physical inactivity may be as high as $24.3 billion.[15]

Q: What are the benefits of physical activity?

A: In addition to helping control weight, physical activity decreases the risk of dying from coronary heart disease and reduces the risk of developing diabetes, hypertension, and colon cancer.[14]

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References [1] Clinical Guidelines on the Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults—The Evidence Report. National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. September 1998. Available at www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/obesity/ob_gdlns.htm.
[2] World Health Organization. Obesity: Preventing and managing the global epidemic. Report of a World Health Organization Consultation on Obesity, Geneva, 3–5 June, 1997. World Health Organization. Geneva, 1998.

[3] Flegal KM, Carroll MD, Kuczmarski RJ, Johnson CL. Overweight and obesity in the United States: Prevalence and trends, 1960–1994. International Journal of Obesity. 1998; 22:39–47.

[4] Kuczmarski RJ, Flegal KM. Criteria for definition of overweight in transition: Background and recommendations for the United States. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2000; 72:1074–1081.

[5] Physical status: The use and interpretation of anthropometry. Report of a World Health Organization Expert Committee. World Health Organization: Geneva, 1995 (World Health Organization Technical Report Series; 854).

[6] National Center for Health Statistics. Chartbook on Trends in the Health of Americans. Health, United States, 2006. Hyattsville, MD: Public Health Service. 2006.

[7] Mokdad AH, Ford ES, Bowman BA, Dietz WH, Vinicor F, Bales VS, Marks JS. Prevalence of obesity, diabetes, and obesity-related health risk factors, 2001. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2003; 289(1):76–79.

[8] Kuczmarski RJ, Ogden CL, Guo SS, et al. 2000 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention growth charts for the United States: Methods and development. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Stat 11(246). 2002.

[9] Flegal KM, Graubard BI, Williamson, DF, Gail MH. Excess deaths associated with underweight, overweight, and obesity. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2005; 293(15):1861–7.

[10] Wolf AM, Manson JE, Colditz GA. The Economic Impact of Overweight, Obesity and Weight Loss. In: Eckel R, ed. Obesity: Mechanisms and Clinical Management. Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins; 2002.

[11] Wolf AM, Colditz GA. Current estimates of the economic cost of obesity in the United States. Obesity Research. March 1998; 6(2):97–106.

[12] Finkelstein EA, Fiebelkorn IC, Wang G. National medical spending attributable to overweight and obesity: How much, and who’s paying? Health Affairs Web Exclusive. 2003; W3:219-226.

[13] Lethbridge-Çejku M, Vickerie J. Summary health statistics for U.S. adults: National Health Interview Survey, 2003. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Stat 10(225). 2005.

[14] U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Physical Activity and Health: A Report of the Surgeon General. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 1996.

[15] Colditz GA. Economic costs of obesity and inactivity. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 1999; S663–S667.

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Weight-control Information Network 1 WIN Way
Bethesda, MD 20892–3665
Phone: (202) 828–1025
Toll-free number: 1–877–946–4627
Fax: (202) 828–1028
Email: WIN@info.niddk.nih.gov
Internet: www.win.niddk.nih.gov

The Weight-control Information Network (WIN) is a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which is the Federal Government’s lead agency responsible for biomedical research on nutrition and obesity. Authorized by Congress (Public Law 103–43), WIN provides the general public, health professionals, the media, and Congress with up-to-date, science-based information on weight control, obesity, physical activity, and related nutritional issues.

Publications produced by WIN are reviewed by both NIDDK scientists and outside experts. This fact sheet was also reviewed by David F. Williamson, Ph.D., CAPT U.S. Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Division of Diabetes Translation; Katherine Flegal, Ph.D., Senior Research Scientist, National Center for Health Statistics, CDC; and Rachel Ballard-Barbash, M.D., M.P.H., Associate Director, Applied Research Program, National Cancer Institute, NIH.

This publication is not copyrighted. WIN encourages users of this fact sheet to duplicate and distribute as many copies as desired. This fact sheet is also available at www.win.niddk.nih.gov.

Updated May 2007

Contact Us

Toll free: 1-877-946-4627 Fax: (202) 828-1028 E-mail: win@info.niddk.nih.gov
Weight-control Information Network, 1 WIN Way, Bethesda, MD 20892-3665

——————————————————————————–
Note From FoodSpook: This post is a little dated (2007), but it is still very relevant. Obesity is now responsible for more 400,000 deaths per year in the United States.

Diabetic Cooking: The Importance Of Diet

 

 

 

By Liat Nachman

For the individual living with diabetes, there is perhaps nothing more important than living a healthy lifestyle, which includes both diet and nutrition. Diabetic cooking and proper nutrition and diet can be the determining factors in the quality of life they will have. Developing healthy eating habits can not only help a diabetic control his or her weight, but it can also play an important role in helping them control their blood pressure, prevent heart disease, and maintain healthy blood-glucose levels.

There are dozens of diets on the market today, and different approaches to diabetic cooking that claim to have benefits for a variety of groups. However for the diabetic, most experts in the field recommend a diet that is relatively high in carbohydrate intake. In fact, a typical recommended diet for a diabetic may allow for more than half of the individual’s daily calories to come from carbohydrates, while allowing less than thirty percent of the individual’s daily calories to come from fat and protein, respectively.

In terms of diabetic cooking, this means having to employ the technique of cooking and eating several small meals throughout the day, instead of a few large ones, is also recommended, as this has been shown to both help keep the body’s metabolism operating at high levels, and prevent spikes or drops in blood-glucose levels. A diabetic diet and diabetic cooking does not have to be limiting, or flavorless. Foods from every group can be a part of a diabetics’ diet, without having to compromise health or taste.

From the fruit group, diabetic cooking can include a variety of fruits, including apples, oranges, peaches, and plums. Each of these fruits provides plenty of soluble fiber, as well as added sugar for the body. Whole grain bread, as well as whole meal pasta and breakfast cereals that are high in insoluble fiber, are also beneficial to a diabetic’s diet. The minerals they supply can actually help enhance the action of insulin. Fish can literally serve as lifesavers for diabetics, especially considering the fact that fish like salmon and sardines are full of omega 3 fatty acids, which most experts agree can help reduce the risk of heart disease.

Diabetic cooking should always include a little seafood. To wash down all of that healthy food, consider the old standard: water. Beverages that are herb-based are also highly recommended for diabetics. Coffee and other drinks that contain caffeine should be avoided if possible, as should alcohol. If you have to have that cold glass of milk, fill up a glass with skim milk, since it is lower in fat that the other choices. Since vegetables are rich in fiber and carbohydrates, they are certainly a welcome part of any diabetic diet. Beans and lentils are especially recommended, as are asparagus, broccoli, and cauliflower, as well as spinach, kale, tomatoes, and green beans. A good serving of cucumbers, and even a few onions and some garlic have also proven beneficial.

After going through the carbs and the fats, a diabetic now has to make choices related to protein. Lean meat and red meat, along with skinless poultry and fish, have proven to be excellent sources of protein, and important to healthy diabetic cooking. The key when eating meat is to limit the amount of fat that is consumed, since it is one of the best ways to maintain weight, and keep the body’s cholesterol levels low

All about Diabetic Cooking- to keep You Healthy And Happy! For more tips and info on diabetic cooking, visit Diabetic Cooking Secrets Get your Free e-book on GI (Glycemic Index)- See how easily you can use GI as your guide to live healthier.

Source: Liat Nachman

Soy Joins The Fight To Control Blood Sugar

 

 

 

 

 

By Dee Overly

Dee Overly is a mother and artist who discovered the health benefits of soy milk and now sells a Soymilk Maker at http://www.SoymilkCrossroads.com. Stop by and pick up your free Vegan recipe book and check out the blog.

View all articles by Dee Overly The relationship between soy foods and long-term health benefits has been the topic of many discussions among physicians and health organizations for several years now. Studies have been conducted that prove the link between high soy diets and lower heart disease, strong bone mass and cancer prevention. Now studies are being conducted regarding the relationship between a soy diet and blood glucose or sugar levels. Believe it or not, it seems soy may aid the body in this fight as well.

Soy and Diabetes Study

Recently, Iranian researchers reported to the Journal of Diabetes Care that their findings coincided with previous work. They found that soy protein had a significant impact on risk factors associated with Type-2 diabetic patients with kidney disease.

The study followed forty-one patients for a total of four years. All of the patients were Type-2 diabetics and suffered from some type of kidney disease. Twenty of the patients were given a diet of animal, plant, and soy protein, while the remainders were given a diet of just animal and plant proteins.

Results concluded that the patients who added the soy to their diets showed a lowering of blood sugar levels. Patients saw a dramatic drop in cholesterol levels and triglycerides, the number one cause of cardiovascular disease. This is great news for the 18 million Americans suffering from diabetes, because they are three
times more vulnerable to heart problems.

Another study involving diabetics and a soy diet was focused on those patients with severe kidney disease. Results concluded that soy protein seemed to improve kidney function, perhaps even better than completely avoiding all protein, which is the typical treatment.

Soy May Help in Prevention

As for those of you who are not diabetic and don’t ever want to be, soy is great for you as well. One study conducted on Chinese women found that eating a diet with large amounts of tofu, a soy product, protected them from Type-2 diabetes. Women who consumed the most soy in the study had 50% less sugar detected in their urine than the control group.

Researchers contribute the great benefit of soy to the proteins and isoflavones present in soybeans. The isoflavones stop fat tissue buildup and enhance the body’s ability to break down the fat. As a result, the blood glucose levels are lowered and the body doesn’t have to work as hard to produce insulin.

There is currently no data that suggests how much soy is needed in order to eliminate risk factors for diabetes. However, the Food and Drug Administration suggests that Americans eat a healthy 25 grams of soy protein per day in order to aid the body in disease control and in lowering risk factors, in particular, lowering cholesterol. Further studies are being conducted regarding diabetes patients and soy diets as well as soy used to lower the risk factors associated with Type-2 diabetes.

Source: Dee Overly

Alice Waters – The Mother of Slow Food

Alice Waters is trying to change the way we have been programmed to view food and nutrition.

FoodSpook

Source: CBSNewsOnline on YouTube

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