The best way to build immunity defense is with a healthy and nutritious diet. 50% of the food we consume in the Western World is processed, meaning somewhere down the line in its production, it has been chemically or mechanically altered.
Consuming these foods regularly is a dietary regime that can lead to a whole host of health complications, not least making us more vulnerable to experiencing regular colds and flu.
Many people are turning their focus towards more plant-based and whole-food diets that are far kinder to our bodies.
If you are a Vegetarian or Vegan, note that many meat substitutes are in fact also processed food, so try and get your protein from more natural sources such as lentils, beans and oats.
Try and also consume ingredients such as garlic, ginger and turmeric, all of which possess properties that can help the body’s immune system feel boosted and stronger, keeping you from getting ill.
There are three types of Diabetes: Type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune disease where the pancreas produces very little insulin or no insulin at all. Type 2 diabetes is, largely a lifestyle disease, found mainly in adults as they get older. Gestation diabetes is developed by pregnant women and it usually goes away after birth.
This suggests that type 2 diabetes can be both prevented and reversed. So what are the steps that can make sure we never suffer from it, or if we do, we manage to get out of its grip? In truth they are basic, but that’s what also makes them difficult, and they are just three:
Exercise
Diet
Nutrition
While this is the usual formula of “exercise more and eat less” the reality is a lot more involved and a number of very recent studies have given us a lot of what we need to successfully unpack it. Diabetes type 2 can be controlled with drugs but these sometimes have unpleasant side-effects and the quality of life of the sufferer drops, anyway so it is worth exploring the alternatives.
Exercise for diabetics
A 15-year long study that looked at two control groups, one using diet and exercise and the other medication found that the diet and exercise group fared by far the best, reducing the incidence of diabetes by almost a third, as opposed to just 18% in the group using medication.
Beginners could start with brisk walks and vigorous swimming and then, as their physical conditioning improves, move on to slightly more demanding aerobic activity.
Resistance exercise should be undertaken at least twice weekly on non-consecutive days involving either moderate or vigorous workouts.
The study however found that combined aerobic and resistance training three times a week in individuals with type 2 diabetes may be of greater benefit to blood glucose control than either aerobic or resistance exercise alone.
Diet for Diabetics
Diet can no more be divorced from effective diabetes type 2 prevention than it can from any other aspect of fitness and exercise. But that doesn’t mean restrictions. As a matter of fact restrictions, quite naturally, lead to over-indulging in other foods and also breaking the restrictions from time to time which means that overall health and weight goals are compromised.
Studies have shown that high-fat diets affect insulin production in the body and increase the likelihood of type 2 diabetes. So a reduction in fat intake is the first step. In addition to this, the latest studies have indicated that when diabetics eat vegetables and protein first and carbohydrates afterwards in their meal, glucose levels in the blood drop.
While more work needs to be done in this area, the suggestion is that the way foods are combined and the order in which they are consumed affects the chemical processes of the body in ways that can help those with diabetes type 2.
When it comes to protein a recent study found that people who ate diets high in red meat, especially processed red meat, had a higher risk of type 2 diabetes than those who rarely ate red or processed meat, so protein quality does matter.
As a matter of fact in what is definitely good news for those who suffer from diabetes and exercise, researchers discovered that whey protein, which is used by athletes and weightlifters to improve fitness, stimulates the production of a gut hormone, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), which boosts insulin.
From a dietary point of view then diabetes sufferers should:
Reduce fat in their diets
Generally have diets that in the long term are low in fat and carbs
Eat vegetables and protein first in their meals and carbohydrates last
Make sure there is high quality protein in their diet and use whey as a means of boosting their protein intake
For diabetes type 2, in particular, there is the suggestion that a diet that is high in protein can reverse the disease and when combined with exercise it can potentially cure it.
Nutrition for Diabetics
One of the problems with diabetes of all types is the fact that it damages nerve endings leading to reduced feedback, slowed responses and an impaired control over our body. The medical term for this is peripheral neuropathy and it can seriously affect the quality of life of diabetes sufferers.
There is good news here too with studies showing that nerve damage can be reversed provided nutrition is improved to include: Alpha lipoic acid (which protects nerve cells from further damage and assists in the repair of damaged nerve cells), L-arginine, (to improve blood flow), Omega-3s and omega-6s (which also aid in nerve repair) and B vitamins (there is some evidence that taking a balanced B complex, helps with peripheral neuropathy).
Having some extra virgin olive oil in the diet can help reverse a lot of the nerve damage and may also help combat type 2 diabetes directly.
Summing up
Type 2 diabetes does not have to be a permanent condition but we do need to take active control of our lifestyle by making the right choices in terms of staying fit, losing some weight and eating foods that help our body stay healthier. The quality of protein we consume is also important particularly when it comes to preventing type 2 diabetes or reducing its impact, when it is already present.
The body is a complex chemical factory. When things go awry we can still work to improve its chances of rebalancing and recovering through our own actions.
We all know that regular exercise will provide you with a host of health benefits, but in the current confusion and anxiety surrounding the Coronavirus, how and where can you best fit your exercise regime in?
The term ‘Social Distancing’ shouldn’t be translated to ‘stay at home sat watching TV all day’, rather make sure you maintain responsible levels of space (a metre or two) away from any other individual to reduce the chances of viral transmission.
In fact, sitting inside for a week without access to fresh air and Vitamin D can significantly affect your mood and make you more likely to experience feelings of anxiety and depression, both of which can have a huge knock-on effect on your physical health and your immunity levels.
Going out for a run or practising some simple bodyweight exercises during this time is a great way to maintain your level of fitness if you don’t have access to a gym or specialist equipment, and will also help alleviate feelings of anxiety that can come from being inside too much.
This is also particularly relevant if you are working from home in an environment where you may be sat about all day. Don’t fall into the trap of making this a regular habit of yours and make sure that you get up and go for regular walks and have breaks for fresh air.
Finally, listen to your body. You know you better than anyone else, so if you feel unwell or that you’re working out too much and don’t have the energy to maintain it, take a rest. Your physical ‘gains’ won’t suffer as a result of it and your body and your mind will appreciate it much more in the long term.
The mental health charity Mind have recently conducted a survey to find out how the coronavirus pandemic and the lockdown was affecting people’s mental health. Their findings show that new mental health problems have developed and existing mental health problems have worsened.
Worryingly, a staggering 60% of adults and 68% of young people said their mental health got worse during lockdown.
Results show that restrictions on seeing people, not being able to go outside and worries about the health of family and friends are the key factors driving poor mental health.
Some of the groups of people found more likely to report that their mental health has declined included women, people with eating disorders, and frontline workers.
It has been found that the most common (negative) coping strategies that people are using are over or under eating, alcohol and drug use and self-harming.
Positive ways of coping that many are using include connecting with family and friends, watching tv or films, spending time outside and doing household chores.
Some of the participants gave their advice on how to manage mental health during difficult periods of uncertainty. The most commonly focused five key points are:
Be kind to yourself – getting through each day is enough
Keep talking to others about how you’re feeling
Develop a new routine
Find activities that help to distract you
Limit how much news you engage with
While there is still so much more to achieve, Mind’s research is leading the way to enable people to help one another through this challenging time and it has highlighted the degree of which coronavirus has affected our mental health.
To find out how Mind are making use of these findings you can read the full report here.
Taking
time to cook more ambitiously or to cook a meal slowly is a luxury that can be
enjoyed on weekends, or to unwind during the week after a long, busy day.
Really
investing in the preparing and cooking of a meal is an opportunity to ground
yourself and truly be in the moment, taking care and paying attention to
details.
Washing
and cutting ingredients, tasting and adjusting the balance of flavours,
textures, and seasoning all require full attention. Cooking is one of the
easiest ways to practice mindfulness.
Take a
moment to think about your food – where it came from, how it was grown, what it
cost the earth to produce it – and appreciate what is given to you.
Making
sure you eat three satisfying meals a day, with an optional two snacks, is
crucial to warding off any food cravings in between meals. Have plenty of the
following in your everyday diet, rather than taking supplements that may
disrupt your nutritional balance.
Chromium –
this regulate blood-sugar levels and is found in wholegrain cereals, black
pepper, thyme, organic meat and cheese.
Magnesium
– found in meats, green leafy vegetables, dairy products, beans, apricots,
curry powder, wholegrain cereals, wheatgerm and nuts.
Iron –
iron from red meat (especially liver) Is most easily used by the body; other
good sources of fish and Sawyer, and you can get some from eggs and green leafy
vegetables.
Zinc –
rich sources are wholegrains, brewer’s yeast, wheatgerm, seafood and meat.
Tryptophan
– milk and eggs contain plenty of this amino acid.
By
choosing Fairtrade where possible, we can help to make a positive contribution
to the world when we buy food.
It’s a
widely supported idea that poverty in developing countries can be overcome by
supporting small-scale farming and businesses.
The more
Fairtrade we buy, the more we can help people to move from poverty to
sustainability and independence. Of course not everyone is able to make the
most ethical, environmental, and health conscious choices when buying food.
Health food, especially organic products, can have a hefty price tag.
In most
cases, though, there are good budget options that are just a little less hip.
And the most essential healthy foods are cheap – kale, spinach, whole grains,
beans, and lentils, for example.
Careful
food planning and prepping can save you money and reduce waste. Cooking from
scratch is also great for keeping within a tight budget.
Your body
mass index (BMI) is a rough estimate of whether you are overweight. It’s harder
to lose weight if you’re already a healthy BMI, as your body is trying to stay
healthy.
To find
your BMI, divide your weight in kilos (kg) by the square of your height in
metres (m). So, if you’re 1.65m tall and weigh 57kg, your BMI is 57 divided by
2.72 (i.e 1.65 x 1.65). This equals just under 21.
For women, a BMI under 19 is considered to be underweight, over 25 is overweight and over 30 is obese. Between 19 and 25 is healthy.
Many
people choose to buy organic when possible, especially for soy products that
are most likely genetically modified if they’re not organic.
Genetically
modified (GM) foods are possibly harmless for our health, and our history of
eating this kind of food is relatively short, so it’s a gamble to eat lots of
it.
Another
issue with GM foods is that these crops are threatening the natural diversity
of original seeds. Farmers worldwide have reacted with despair at the
dependency on global seed manufacturers who restrict the varieties of plants
grown for food to a few favoured for their reliability, not quality.
Genetically
modified foods are not the standard everywhere, of course, and several
countries have placed restrictions on GM crops to protect the environment.
Supporting small scale, organic farming is a good thing.
Many
people give up on an exercise regime because they started over-enthusiastically
and suffered an injury. Instead, start at a level that slightly challenges you
and work on up.
Move
smoothly with control rather than swinging or bouncing. Push your limits gently
and take time to perfect each move. Exercises are only effective if carried out
correctly.
You are
wasting your effort as well as risking injury if you do you numerous
repetitions wrongly or force your body passed its natural limits. Knees, ankles
and lower back are especially vulnerable.
You may
ache a little the day after your first few sessions, but you shouldn’t feel any
pain. If you’re exhausted or hobbling, you’ve been working too hard. Ease off
to avoid sabotaging your programme.
