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Rest Up to Prevent Diabetes

by Megan Haubenreiser

We all have stresses in our lives. how to sleepThese stresses range from our daily work to financial situations and can often haunt us while trying to rest at night. More and more each year, Americans are becoming sleep deprived, and the effects are much greater than a yawn throughout the day.

Chronic sleep deprivation can lead to many health conditions, including an increased risk of developing diabetes. When the body does not get adequate sleep, the reaction can resemble insulin resistance, a precursor for diabetes*. Insulin resistance leads to high blood sugar levels, which can build up in the body and cause harm to the eyes, kidneys, nerves, or heart. Inadequate sleep can make us feel fatigued, which leads us to search for energy through food. We have a harder time making decisions when sleep deprived and we are tempted to consume more than we need to- not a good combination.

Quality of sleep can be improved with few simple strategies. Dr. Carolyn Dunn of NC State University shares strategies to improve sleep and how to make it a priority for our overall health. The webinar recording is available now.

The Eat Smart, Move More, Weight Less Pinterest page has a Sleep Board dedicated solely to tips, recipes, and stretches to help you sleep. Many of the recipes are incredibly simple. One is called Banana Peel Sleepy Tea. To make the tea, just save your banana peels, boil them in hot water for 10 minutes, and add a dash of cinnamon! The tea is not only tasty, but very relaxing.

Sweet dreams!

*Mann, D. 2005. The Sleep-Diabetes Connection: Not sleeping? Check your blood sugar levels. Retrieved from: http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/features/diabetes-lack-of-sleep#1

Easy Weeknight Meal: Stuffed Peppers

by Carolyn Dunn, PhD, RD, LDN

I’ve seen stuffed pepper recipes all over and in all different forms the past few years. Italian stuffed peppers, taco stuffed peppers, chicken and pesto stuffed peppers– you name it. But for a weeknight meal, it seemed like one step too many for me. Why not just throw all those same ingredients in a bowl instead of taking the time to put them in the peppers and bake? But then as I was scrolling through Facebook, I saw a Buzzfeed Tasty video pop up for taco stuffed peppers… and you know how they make everything look so easy and quick. Side note: just because something is fast and easy doesn’t mean it’s healthy… I’ve seen a few claims that those videos or other recipes are healthy because they only contain a few ingredients. Remember to be mindful and look at the nutrition information. So anyways, I saw the video and thought it looked much simpler than I thought it would be and that it was something I could easily modify to be a healthy dinner. So I tried it out. And guess what? It was easy! It was delicious, it was simple, and it made for a great presentation on the plate. The family loved it! I made modified the recipes as my “Meatless Monday” vegetarian meal and even my meat-loving husband raved about them. My version of the recipe is below. healthy dinner

Lighter Taco Stuffed Peppers

3 bell peppers (any color, preferably red/orange/yellow)

1 onion

1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed

Taco seasoning (I always make my own using this recipe)

1/4 to 1/2 lb of extra lean ground beef (optional, can just use beans or use a small amount of meat and mostly beans)

1 cup corn

1 cup brown rice, cooked

1 jar of salsa

3 Tablespoons 2% sharp cheddar cheese

Plain Greek Yogurt (optional)

Sliced avocado (optional)

Diced Tomato (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut the top of the peppers off, pull out the stem from the middle. Place in a loaf pan or other baking pan so they stay right side up. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees. Meanwhile, heat a pan on medium high with a small drizzle of olive oil. Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent. Add the black beans, corn, brown rice, taco seasoning, and salsa. Stir together. When the peppers are finished, spoon the bean and rice combination into each pepper and fill to the brim. Sprinkle a Tablespoon of cheese on top of each pepper. Place back in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Remove and let cool for a minute. Top with a small dollop of plain Greek yogurt and add sliced avocado, and tomato on the side if desired. Enjoy!

Notes:

To save time, I used Trader Joe’s individual packet of frozen brown rice. Stick it in the microwave for 3 minutes, and it’s ready to go.  For the salsa, I used Medium but it depends on your level of spiciness. The Medium salsa combined with the homemade taco seasoning made for a perfectly spicy meal. For the corn, I used Trader Joe’s frozen roasted corn. It brings a great smoky flavor.

Registration Closing SOON for September Series!

by Madi Johnson

A lot can happen in 12 months. Your whole life can change.

Registration DEADLINE: September 9th at 5:00pm ETdiabetes prevention

 This September, fall into health with a new focus on YOU.

Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes classes are held online with a live instructor. Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes is an evidence-based diabetes prevention program recognized by the CDC. Classes beginning in September will be accessible on all computers, laptops, and mobile devices.

 Classes begin the week of September 12th

Lunch time and evening class available

Registration deadline: September 7th at 5:00pm ET

Registration Open: FREE Holiday Challenge

by Madi Johnson

holiday challenge

The 2016 Eat Smart, Move More, Maintain, don’t gain! Holiday Challenge

This holiday season, the only thing that should be “stuffed” is the turkey.  Many Americans gain between 1 and 5 pounds each holiday season. While it may not sound like much, most people never manage to lose these extra pounds. You are invited to join the 11th annual Holiday Challenge. Rather than focusing on trying to lose weight, this FREE seven-week challenge provides participants with tips, tricks, and ideas to help maintain their weight throughout the holiday season.

Last year’s Holiday Challenge was the biggest and best ever. We had over 13,500 participants from across the state and country. Now it’s time for the 2016 Eat Smart, Move More, Maintain, don’t gain! Holiday Challenge!

The Holiday Challenge will begin November 14th and run through December 31st.

Weekly Newsletters, Daily Tips, and Weekly Challenges with strategies to:

  • Survive a holiday party
  • Manage holiday stress
  • Be a healthy host
  • Fit physical activity into your day
  • Cook quick and healthy meals
  • Plus healthy holiday recipes!

Follow us for Holiday Challenge updates, additional tips, and participant support on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Last year’s Holiday Challenge:

In 2015, more than 13,500 people from all 50 states and Canada took part in the Holiday Challenge. ALL 100 counties in North Carolina were represented. At the end of the program, 93% reported maintaining or losing weight. 99% of participants said they were likely to participate in the Holiday Challenge again next year. For more results click here: Holiday Challenge Results.

The Holiday Challenge is provided by Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less, a 15-week online weight management program, and Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes, a 12-month online diabetes prevention program.

For questions or additional information, please email holidaychallenge@esmmweighless.com or call 919-707-5398.

I am an Athlete! (Strong Women and the Power of LABELS)

by Greg Moore

Take another look at that photo used recently in my blog entry about Olympic lifting and my love/hate relationship with those movements! You may just spot one of my favorite coaches, Amber, in the background.  She is one of my favorite label-making  supporters!strength training for women

Let me explain please. When in a CrossFit box (gym), you become an athlete! Yes, I am an athlete. Why? Well, because my coaching supporters say so. That’s why! Each person in the box is referred to as an athlete, and that term carries power and motivation with it.

I have been inspired recently in a sermon series at my downtown Raleigh church about the power of labels that we carry and those we place upon others. It hit me when I viewed this photo for an unrelated blog entry (I thought) that I have become an athlete after a half-century of living. Having supporters who put a positive label on oneself empowers one to do things one never thought possible (see handstand push-up blog months earlier).

Strong women/female coaches and friends like Amber have redefined femininity in their time and encouraged others along the way to see the term as strong synonymous with that of healthy! You may be surprised how this feminine strength is catching on in our world. NPR did a fantastic article about how weight lifting can help women stay strong.

We even have a terrific webinar from our Nutrition Decisions series on this very topic: Strong is the New Healthy.

So I challenge you to place a label on yourself— that label of healthy! What does that mean to you? We at Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less and Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes already label you as participant (or future participant)  and that very label brings with it hope, determination, and healthy potential! Thanks for joining us on this ride into better health.

Good Shoes Make Happy Feet

by Christi Clemons

There are many types and brands of athletic, casual, and dress shoes. With so many varieties available, one should buy a shoe for  comfort over the look as there are many things to consider that can potentially lead to foot problems. There are many benefits to wearing a good fitting shoe. An appropriate shoe can provide you with proper foot stabilization, decrease fatigue and work of muscles, decrease stress and strain of ligaments of the knee and/or foot joints, and provide protection within various terrains and climates.best walking shoes

It is important to know what to examine and consider before purchasing a new shoe to assist with overall foot care and wellness. Feet are more susceptible to change with age, certain medical diagnosis, and sometimes with increased physical activity. Purchasing proper shoes may also assist in preventing potential injury and/or legs and hips not being properly aligned. There are a list of things to consider from both your current and potential shoe before purchase of a new shoe to maintain healthy feet.

  • Examine your current shoe for signs of increase wear around specific areas around the sides and bottom of shoe
  • Measure the length of both feet: The size of shoe may vary depending on the brand. For some, one foot may be larger than the other
  • Measure the width of each foot
  • Examine the sole of the shoe for gripping to decrease risk for sliding and for falls
  • Make sure there is ½ inch between your toe and tip of the inside of the shoe
  • Examine cushion of shoe and shock absorption components for various terrains
  • Examine overall quality and make of shoe to ensure proper protection
  • Stand and walk in shoes to ensure comfort and balance
  • Make sure laces and fit around foot are not tight
  • If you are flat footed or have a decreased arch it is beneficial to buy a shoe with arch support
  • Choose a shoe designed for the activity of choice (example: running shoe, walking shoe, basketball shoe). 

Plus, new shoes can get you motivated to move more. Enjoy your new shoes and celebrate the miles you will walk and the mountains they will climb (metaphorically, but maybe also physically). Always remember, if your feet ever exhibit any signs of change in color, sensation, swelling, or pain please remember to contact your doctor. 

Avocado and Chocolate Desserts

by Madi Johnson

You might already think this is a crazy blog post before reading it. But hear me out. Avocado desserts are delicious. Yes, really! Avocados create creamy, healthier desserts and you wouldn’t even know they are in there. In fact, all of these recipes I am about to share were given to groups of unsuspecting people (male and female) and no one noticed. No one even realized they were “healthier”, let alone had avocado in them. Notice I am saying these are healthier treats, not healthy treats, as they do still have sugar in them so it’s important to continue to be mindful of portions.

My favorite options I’ve tried so far are chocolate avocado brownies and chocolate avocado popsicles. Both these chocolate avocado fudge popsicles as well as these  turned out great. They are perfect for a warm summer night and the whole family loved them. They are quick and easy, and I used dark cocoa powder to bring more of a dark chocolate taste. No popsicle holders? A small paper cup and a popsicle stick work great too.

madi-avocado_-final

Another favorite are these chocolate, black bean, and avocado brownies. They are absolutely delicious! They have fooled many friends and family – most cannot believe there is avocado in them, let alone black beans too! You do need a high powered blender to make them though, but that results in a creamy batter without any noticeable black bean pieces. Best served with a dollop of frozen yogurt or low-fat ice cream.

avocado brownies

Now use that same popsicle recipe and instead of freezing it, you can make a chocolate avocado mousse. I’ve tried both this dark chocolate avocado mousse or this same recipe for the popsicles and just refrigerated the mousse instead of freezing it. My mousse is not nearly as pretty as their picture, but I included it below anyway. I shared this with my husband before telling him what was inside– and he loved it. Both this mousse and the popsicle batter are also great with added strawberries or mixed into plain Greek yogurt. Also pictured are dark chocolate avocado cookies. Although they didn’t look like regular cookies because of their funny shape, they taste just as fudgey.

madi-avocado-3-final

 

Hiding vegetables in dishes is one of my favorite past times (right after enjoying them as they are). I add pureed spinach into anything I can, more black beans into my brownies, and pumpkin into my baked goods. Do you have a sneaky vegetable dessert, or any recipe, I can try? Share it in the comments or send it to us on Pinterest!

 

What is Diabetes? Can it be Prevented?

by Surabhi Aggarwal, RD, LDN

What is type 2 diabetes?

Type 2 diabetes, the most common form of diabetes, is a condition when thereprediabetes is too much sugar (or glucose) in the blood. While a normal blood sugar level is important for proper functioning of body; too much sugar can damage parts of the body such as the eyes, kidneys, heart and nerves. Our body breaks down all the different types of food we eat into a simple form of sugar, which provides energy to the body. Insulin, a hormone produced by our body, helps move the sugar from our blood into cells to maintain normal blood sugar levels. However, with type 2 diabetes, the body doesn’t use the insulin properly, and it leads to a rise in blood sugar levels. Diabetes is a serious disease that can cause heart attack, stroke, blindness, kidney failure, or loss of feet or legs.

But… what about prediabetes?

Prediabetes is a condition when blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be considered as type 2 diabetes. If proper measures are taken at this stage, the onset of type 2 diabetes can be delayed and even prevented. However, if no action is taken, up to 30% people with prediabetes develop diabetes within 5 years*. Eating smart, moving more and managing weight prevent diabetescan help reverse this condition. A structured lifestyle change program that helps someone adopt strategies to eat healthy, be physically active and manage stress is called a diabetes prevention program.

So, how do I prevent diabetes?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted a research study several years ago for a structured diabetes prevention program. Based upon the positive results from this study, the CDC set guidelines that providers can follow and obtain CDC recognition for their diabetes prevention program. Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes is a CDC recognized program – it’s designed to help prevent diabetes following CDC’s guidelines. Even better, the program is offered online in real-time which allows participants to be in a live, interactive session with their instructor and others with similar goals. The program is 12 months long and participants can conveniently attend classes using a computer or mobile device at work or at home. Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes motivates and EMPOWERS participants.

YES, diabetes can be prevented! Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes can help.

Click here to see available class times, learn more information, or to enroll in an upcoming class.

For questions, please email administrator@esmmpreventdiabetes.com

Registration Now Open for the September Series!

by Madi Johnson

A lot can happen in 12 months. Your whole life can change.

Registration Deadline: September 9th at 5:00pm ETdiabetes prevention

 This September, fall into health with a new focus on YOU.

Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes classes are held online with a live instructor. Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes is an evidence-based diabetes prevention program recognized by the CDC. Classes beginning in September will be accessible on all computers, laptops, and mobile devices.

 Classes begin the week of September 12th

Lunch time and evening class available

Registration deadline: September 7th at 5:00pm ET

How the Olympics Inspire me to ‘Move Strong’

by Greg Moore

Take a look at photo. Yes, I can clean and jerk with thebenefits of strength training best of them. No, I don’t claim to be one of the best of them— take a look at theSummer Olympics in Rio and you’ll clearly see that I’m not in theelite category of weightlifters. Hey, 99.99999% of us are thankfully not in the elite category of anything! I personally don’t care to be elite—- I tend to like company in all aspects of my life.

Please note my ‘celebrate’ – shirt under those weights and the American flag! I celebrate each day I enter the gym to build up lean muscle mass and attempt to stave off sarcopenia at the tender, yet exciting age of 50.

I hope you’ll learn to love weight lifting as I did over a course of time. I used to hate to do it, but I loved to socialize with others at my Raleigh CrossFit box (crossfit’s name for a gym). I now realize that weight-lifting is one of my strengths (no pun intended) in my healthier lifestyle changes as it helps me burn more calories while I am at rest.

So, drop what you’re doing. Turn the Rio Summer Olympics off for a moment over the final hot weekend and hit the weights. We have great resources for strength and flexibility exercises at www.esmmpreventdiabetes.com under TOOLS.