Grade-A GroceryList: Tips To Prevent Type 2 Diabetes by the National Diabetes Education Program (NAPSA)—If you have a family history of diabetes, or you’ve been told by a health care professional that you're at risk for type 2 diabetes, it’s important to take steps now to reduce your risk. Studies show that people at high risk for type 2 diabetes can prevent or delay the onset of the disease if they lose as little as 10 pounds—by walking 30 minutesa day, five days a week and making healthy food choices. A healthy diet doesn’t have to be expensive. Start by planning meals and making a grocerylist ahead of time to take charge of what you eat. Follow these tips by the National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) while grocery shopping to help you and yourentire family make healthy food choices: * Don’t go to the store hungry. You may buy food you don’t need. Read and compare food labels. Choose foods with fewer calories that are lower in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, sodium (salt), and added sugars. Check the serving size and the number of servings. Food labels are based on one serving, but many packages contain more. When you compare calories and nutrients between brands, check to see if the serving size is the same. Focus on fruits, vary vegeta- bles. Buy a variety of frozen, canned, or in-season fresh fruits such as melons, berries, and oranges rather than fruit juice for most of your fruit choices. Choose fruit without added sugar or syrup. Buy in-season, leafy dark green vegetables such as broccoli big rewards Prevent Diabetes and spinach, and orange vegetables such as carrots or squash. Choose vegetables without added salt, butter, or sauces. Look for calcium-rich foods. Buy low-fat or skim milk instead of whole milk. If you can’t drink milk, choose fat-free or low-fat lactose-reduced milk or try calciumrich leafy green vegetables such as kale or collard greens. Make your grains whole. Buy whole wheat bread, crackers, cereals, brown rice, oatmeal, and barley. Go lean with protein. Buy lean meats. For poultry, remove the skin before cooking. Vary your protein choices with more fish, nuts, seeds, beans and peas such as pinto beans andsplit peas. For a free copy of Get Real! You Dont Have to Knock Yourself Out to Prevent Diabetes, contact the National Diabetes Education Program at www. YourDiabetesInfo. org or call 1-888-693-NDEP (6337); TTY: 1-866-569-1162. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ National Diabetes Education Program is jointly sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) with the support of more than 200 partner organizations.
