Get off the couch and get walking
Couch potato addicts – especially during the feasting holiday season – need to get out of the living room and get walking to avoid stealthy diabetes.
A metabolic disorder linked with obesity, diabetes can be a silent killer because its symptoms aren’t sudden, but build up over time and lead to heart disease or other maladies.
“The obesity epidemic is surging and people don’t realise they’re setting themselves up to develop diabetes. They’re like ticking time bombs,” said Dr Manisha Chandalia, an endocrinologist at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.
“Without treatment, high levels of blood sugars in the body can damage blood vessels and nerves over time, leading to high cholesterol, hypertension, stroke, kidney disease and amputations.”
If you are age 40 or older, obese, lack physical activity or have a family history of diabetes, Dr Chandalia recommends making time during the holidays to visit a doctor for a diabetes test and checking symptoms which include excessive thirst or hunger, dramatic weight loss, fatigue, frequent urination or blurry vision.
The health tips the experts offer include setting consistent meal times and avoiding fast foods, exercising regularly for at least 30 minutes a day, eating a nutritious diet high in fibre and whole grain, and losing up to 7% of excess body weight.
“Overall, worried couch potatoes need to maintain a healthy lifestyle with a balanced diet, weight management and regular exercise to prevent the development of diabetes or help control an existing condition,” Dr Chandalia said.
