Your exercise tip – diabetes and your weight loss program
In Australia we have 280 people per day diagnosed with diabetes, but what is it? It is a condition that is either caused by our inability to produce insulin (from the pancreas) or we are producing, but the tissues are not responding to its stimulus. The role of insulin is to facilitate the storage of blood glucose into our muscles and liver.
Type 1 diabetes is the condition where our pancreas does not produce insulin and Type 2 is where our pancreas does produce insulin, but, our tissues do not respond to that stimulus. Both conditions have quite serious medical implications, such as circulation issues leading to gangrene and possible amputation of our appendages.
Both types can remain undiagnosed unless major symptoms arise that you recognise as abnormal. Type 1 diabetes is usually a genetic abnormality not related to lifestyle choices (like a lack of exercise). Type 2 diabetes is usually related to a person’s lifestyle choices (poor diet, stress, lack of exercise and being overweight). Regularly exercising, eating well, keeping in a healthy weight range and managing stress in your life, will all help you reduce any risk factors, or help with maintenance if you are diagnosed.
Your health tip – discretionary foods.
In the Australian healthy eating guide, we have a provision for discretionary foods. These are outlined in content of each food example and a guide to portion sizes. It is worth a look. https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/discretionary-food-and-drink-choices
Exercise of the week – Incline DB bench press
This week we are looking at an exercise that is a great for our chest and shoulder strength and can really help with stamina in the upper body for those repetitious tasks we do as part of day to day life. The basic tips are:
- Start with the light weight, something that is easy to control.
- Keep the elbow bent at the top of the movement and try not to go so fast as to ‘throw’ the weight away from the body.
- Try for good technique and landing rather than greater numbers
- If you have acute shoulder issues, this is not an exercise you should try.
- If it hurts, stop.
Your life tip
Try to memorise different things each day – the mind is like a muscle; it becomes stronger with use.
This week’s wise words
“Common sense is genius dressed in work clothes.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Have a great week and keep healthy in 2017. David.