(NAPSA)—Keeping your waist- line and weight under control can do more than help you avoid plus sizes—it can also help decrease your risk of chronic diseases, such as diabetes. This is a condition that affects the body’s ability to produce or react properly to insulin, a hormone that enables blood glucose (also called sugar) to enter cells and produce energy. According to the American Diabetes Association, there’s a wealth of risk factors that increase the chances of developing diabetes: older age, obesity, family history, physical inactivity, even race/ethnicity. In fact, type II diabetes is almost twice as common among African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans and Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders as it is among Caucasians. Just as this is a very specific condition, doctors say dealing with it requires very specific solutions. To help prevent or maintain diabetes by keeping pounds off and staying active, eDiets.com offers a “Living with Diabetes” meal plan that’s designed to help keep blood glucose levels under control with unrefined carbohydrates, while carbohydrates with little nutritional value are excluded. Memberscan also participate in the “Living with Diabetes” support board and newsletter, benefit from peer support and haveall their questions answered by a diabetes expert or nutritionist around the clock. eDiets.com offers the followingtips: Preventing Diabetes Search for the “wholey” grain—Instead of white flour products, eat whole grain versions of breads, cereals and pastas, and include high-fiber carbohydrates (whole fruit, beans, peas and vegetables). Food For Thought—A new meal plan is designed to prevent or maintain diabetes. @ Eat small but often—This enables your carbohydrate intake to be spread out more evenly, preventing excessive hunger or overeating. * Don’t forget the protein— Protein (meat, chicken, pork, fish, eggs, nuts, beans, milk) has a pos- itive effect on creating feelings of fullness and will help minimize muscle tissue loss during weight reduction. Move it—Thisis important to a healthylifestyle and can also help reduce your blood sugar levels. Review your exercise routine with your health care professional. Think size—Choose a variety of foods in moderate amounts and stick to regular mealtimes. Use yourplate as a guide: About % of your plate should be filled with grains or starchy foods; % should be protein; the last % should be filled with nonstarchy vegetables. For more information, visit www.eDiets.com.
