Expert Advice on Health and Fitness - caring for that high level of sugar in the blood - Brief Article

Ebony, Oct, 2001

`Is there anything I can do to prevent diabetes and its effects on the body?'

DIET, EXERCISE AND DIABETES

[Q] Several members of my family have become victims of diabetes, and the disease didn't appear until each one was 40 years old or older. I'm a 34-year-old African-American woman who is concerned that I could be the next victim because of my family history. Is there anything I can do to prevent diabetes and its effects on the body? J.D., Little Rock, Ark.

[A] Doctors and researchers say they now have proof that exercise and diet (which promote weight loss) can prevent the onset of the most common form of diabetes, giving new hope to people who are at risk of contracting the disease.

In a recent study that focused on people at risk for diabetes, 58 percent of the study's participants who did moderate exercise (such as walking) for about 30 minutes a day and lost 5 percent to 7 percent of their initial body weight did not become diabetic for the three years of the study, which was sponsored by the National Instititute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

Doctors say an estimated 10 million Americans are at very high risk of getting Type 2 (adult onset) diabetes, a condition that results from the body's inability to produce enough insulin or to use it effectively to process blood sugars. The risk factors include being over age 40, having a family history of the disease, being overweight (especially with extra weight around the middle) and being African-American.

According to medical experts, diabetes is increasing at epidemic proportions because more Americans are choosing more sedentary lifestyles, leading to a disease that causes nearly 200,000 U.S. deaths annually and complications that include heart disease and stroke, kidney disease, blindness, nerve disease and impotence.

IDENTIFYING THE HERB EPHEDRA

[Q] I am a bit overweight and want to begin a diet and exercise program to help me lose some of the weight. I know that a lot of people take diet supplements when they are trying to lose weight, but I hear that many diet supplements contain a potentially dangerous ingredient called ephedra. What is it, how safe is it, and how does it affect the body? T.H., Savannah, Ga.

[A] The first thing you should do is to schedule an appointment to see your physician before beginning a diet program, especially one that will include dietary supplements.

Several dietary supplements do include ephedra (also called Ma huang), an herb that's been used for centuries in China. In the U.S., it is a common ingredient in many supplements used to promote weight loss or to provide an energy boost. Many medical experts say the active ingredient in this herb is a stimulant that could raise blood pressure and heart rate, cause heart palpitations, vomiting, dizziness, nervousness and possibly more serious reactions.

Industry spokesmen for the herb, however, have repeatly insisted that ephedra is safe if it is used as recommended.

BENEFITS OF SOY PRODUCTS

[Q] In recent years, more and more people have begun to include soy products in their diets. I am a 39-year-old woman interested in the benefits of soy. What forms are available and what are its pluses? P.H., Chicago

[A] Not long ago, soy products were exclusive items that were basically limited to specialty stores and were the primary choices of many people who wanted to reduce, or eliminate altogether, their intake of animal products.

The fact that more people have become health-conscious has prompted a wide distribution of various soy products that range from breakfast selections to dinner entrees to soy-based baby formula. Doctors say an adequate amount of soy protein has been linked to health benefits such as lower cholesterol, reduced cancer risks, improved menopausal symptoms and decreased osteoporosis.