That's Fit

There's the weight you are, the weight you want to be, and the weight you should be. For some people, these three align perfectly. For others, there may be a bit of a disparity from one scale reading to the next.

The National Institute of Health reports that more than half of Americans weigh more than they should. Being overweight is not just a cosmetic problem, it is a health problem. It increases your risk for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, arthritis and some types of cancer.

That's why it's so important to know your healthy weight; in other words, the weight you should be. Remember, everyone's body is different, so what may be a healthy weight for one person may not be healthy for someone else -- even if it's what you want to weigh.

Fruits and vegetables are among the most nutritious foods you can eat, which is why they are so close to the wide base of the food pyramid (and, arguably, should be at the very bottom in place of breads and cereals). Still, as I mentioned in a recent post, it's entirely possible to overdo it when it comes to eating healthy food, too -- especially fruits and vegetables, since they usually don't have nutritional labels on them (the only exception being when they come in pre-bagged packs).

Unless you've researched the carb and calorie content of certain fruits and veggies before heading the grocery store, you're pretty much at a loss. Fortunately, in most cases you really can't go wrong. But, it's still worth knowing what you're putting in your body, which is what makes dLife.com's recent article, "The 25 Lowest-Carb Fruits and Vegetables" so worth reading.

Check out the full article by clicking here.

Perhaps I'm being a bit presumptuous, but I think it's safe to say that most women wouldn't exactly mind having a body like Jessica Biel. Similarly, I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a guy that would scoff at having Jason Statham's physique. Well, in order to build a Hollywood-worthy hard body of your own, you have to be willing to enter into the iron age.

While cardiovascular exercise is a must for people looking to reduce their BMI, adding a weightlifting program to your weekly workout is vital for movie star muscle. My suggestion is to focus on calorie-torching compound exercises that target major muscle groups, rather than trying to isolate individual muscles with detailing exercises. For those of you who fear becoming big and bulky, you truly have little to worry about. By using light weights and performing a high number of repetitions (anywhere from 12 to 20) per set, you'll be able to stick to your goal of looking slim and toned.

In addition to the aesthetic benefits of resistance training, it also offers a number of benefits to your overall health. Not only have studies shown that it can help cut the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, but Harvard researchers found that lifting weights can greatly improve the mood of a person experiencing depression.

A data analysis of a government health study, conducted from 1999 to 2004. revealed that people with diabetes may be more prone to developing hearing problems.

Among people with diabetes who were part of the study (representing 8 percent of the total number of participants), 54 percent had at least mild hearing loss in their ability to hear high-frequency tones, compared with only 32 percent of those with no history of diabetes. Moreover, 21 percent of participants with diabetes had at least mild hearing loss in their ability to hear low-to-mid frequency tones, compared with nine percent of those without the disease.

Researchers posit that diabetes may damage blood vessels or nerves in the ear, although there is currently not enough evidence to prove this connection.

If you have type 2 diabetes, you may be interested to know that there may be something you can eat to help keep your blood glucose levels under control. Just don't get grossed out when you find out that something is tree bark.

A new study published in the May 2008 edition of the journal of Nutrition Research shows Pycnogenol, an antioxidant plant extract from the bark of the French maritime pine tree, reduces blood sugar in type 2 diabetes patients. What's more, this somewhat magical bark also showed promise for people with other diabetes-related health risks, such as cardiovascular disease.

A breakthrough of this kind, provided further testing also produces similar results, could affect the lives of the estimated 20 million people in the U.S. living with type 2 diabetes, serving as a potent adjunct to prescription medication.

Can you remember the last time you had a candy bar? If you can't, it may be due to the fact that you've eaten too many of them. That's because spikes in blood sugar can have damaging effects on your short-term memory.

A study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that when adults were given memory tests after consuming a sugary drink, those with the highest resulting blood glucose levels exhibited the worst recall ability.

High blood sugar has also been linked to a number of other health complications, including obesity, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. Thankfully, it's often possible to avoid blood glucose-related issues by limiting your diet to foods rich in protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates, and by following a regular exercise program.

A recent Japanese study, published in the Kobe Journal Medical Sciences and most recently highlighted in Fitness Rx magazine, confirms what we've known for quite some time: eating foods high in simple, fast-digesting carbs can cause you to pack on more fat. The difference this time around, however, is that this study provides an additional explanation for why this happens.

When you drink copious amounts of regular soda and chomp on white bread, you spike your blood glucose levels (also known as blood sugar). You may be familiar with this concept from your own knowledge base or from hearing of this process from someone who has diabetes. In response, your body produces a large amount of insulin in efforts to bring your blood glucose back down from orbit by moving the glucose out of the blood and into the cells (whereas a person with diabetes may have to use synthetic insulin -- administered either by shot or pump -- to make up for what their pancreas is not able to sufficiently do on its own in this regard). After this occurs, all excess glucose is stored for later use as fat in white adipose tissue.

Red wine is known for its heart-healthy compounds, but a glass a day may hold promise for people with type 2 diabetes, say researchers from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

According to the UMass scientists, blood glucose levels rise sharply in people with type 2 after they finish a meal high in carbohydrates. But, the natural antioxidants found in red wine may slow the passage of glucose through the small intestine and eventually into the bloodstream, thus prevent this spike.

The researchers also tested other popular drinks for their affect on blood sugar, finding that red wine was clearly the most successful in preventing a spike. However, though not as effective as red wine, black tea, oolong tea, green tea, and white wine had some effect.

Last week, Diabetes Alert Day was celebrated on March 25th. According to popular diabetes website dLife.com, this awareness campaign is aimed at people becoming more aware of type 2 diabetes and taking a few minutes to assess their own diagnosis potential.

But, what about type 1 diabetes?

Wait a second ... did you even know there were two types of diabetes? If not, you're not alone, as it seems that there are many people who also lack awareness of this difference. Unlike people with type 2 diabetes, people with type 1 are usually diagnosed when they are children after their pancreatic beta cells stop producing insulin. This cessation has nothing to do with weight, diet, or even blood sugar fluctuations at its onset. It simply happens, and it does so for reasons unknown.

Many feel that the differences between type 1 and type 2 are so stark that they should not both fall under the umbrella category of "diabetes." Pointing to the fact that various types of cancer have their own respective names (as opposed to merely being labeled Cancer 1, Cancer 2, and so forth), many feel that type 1 should be renamed entirely, as doing so will help raise awareness of this much lesser known (and incurable) version of the disease.

To that end, Monday, April 14th has officially been designated Type 1 Diabetes Awareness Day. Though the name of the disease remains the same, the level of awareness will surely be raised through this campaign. To help spread the word about the "Raise Your Voice: Type 1 Diabetes Awareness Day" campaign, be sure to pass this information along to as many people as you can!!

It's always best to check with a doctor before starting a physical fitness routine of any kind. Certain health restrictions, such as having diabetes, may require additional care to be taken, something of which your physician will surely make mention during your consultation.

Generally speaking, most doctors will suggest that patients with diabetes should do the following when exercising:

Vigilantly monitor blood sugar. Exercise can cause rapid and unexpected change, so be sure to test throughout your workout session.

Be sure to have a high-GI snack or drink on your person to treat hypoglycemic episodes.

Keep your feet warm and dry and remember to check them for blisters, cuts, or bruises once you are done with your activity.

Protect your diabetes monitoring equipment from damage and, if exercising outdoors, weather elements.

Again, it is always best to first check with your doctor, as he or she may have more specific instructions than those listed above. Also, for more information on exercising with diabetes, visit the popular website dLife (www.dlife.com).