Are You Shopping Your Way to Diabetes?

We all know that diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and heart disease are the biggest killers in the U.S., yet the rates of these deadly conditions continue to rise. Why do so many of us continue the negative behaviors that cause these health disasters?

It seems as if almost every week on the news we hear about the widespread, yet largely preventable, illnesses that plague America. We all know what we should be doing to live healthier lives and prevent these conditions, yet we continue the very same actions that make us have low energy and be unhealthy.

Pharmacists across the country witness a strange phenomenon every day in which they see customers come to the pharmacy counter to fill their prescriptions for blood pressure and diabetes medications, yet their carts are filled with the very foods that cause these ailments. Customers' shopping carts are brimming with beverages and snacks loaded with sugar, sodium, and saturated fat. Taking medications to lengthen their lives seems counter to the damage people are willingly doing to their bodies with little, if any, consideration.

Certainly there are times when we all consume foods and beverages that are bad for us, and as long as we only do it once in a while, that's okay. If we never enjoy a treat once in a while, it's very likely that we won't stay with a healthy eating plan. The determining factor in how harmful it can be to consume salty, sugary, and fattening foods and drinks, however, is the frequency with which we consume them. When we start to deal with everyday stress after work by devouring a huge bag of potato chips washed down with a large cola, that can quickly become a serious problem. Add to that a habitual lack of physical activity, poor portion control, and excessive amounts of sugar and you have a deadly combination that robs many Americans of both their quality and length of life.

To many, it can seem overwhelming to try and make several major lifestyle changes all at the same time to correct the damage caused by poor nutrition and lack of activity. Fortunately, even one small change at a time can help someone to begin heading in the right direction toward good health. Once that small change feels comfortable, you can add another and another. Before you know it, you will have made several lifestyle changes that will improve the quality of your life, make you healthier, and help you to live a longer life.

Hunger management is a big issue for many people. Naturally, no one likes feeling hungry, and with our demanding work schedules, it can be extremely difficult to take regular breaks to eat properly. While our phones ring off the hook, our emails pile up, and our bosses ask us to work more hours, we feel increasingly stressed and tend to stuff down our lunch between meetings. Worse yet, all too often our lunch consists of drive-through fare or chips, candy bars, and sodas from the office vending machine. This not only makes us feel lousy and depletes our energy during the work day, but it slowly damages our health and brings us closer to developing serious illnesses.

To more effectively manage hunger, you should eat 3 meals and 2 snacks every day. Structuring meals, snacks, and portion sizes will enable you to achieve your goals of good health. Instead of running to a vending machine, bring in a handful of almonds and an apple to keep in the top drawer of your desk. These smaller amounts of healthy food consumed more evenly will maintain your energy throughout the day and help you reach a healthy weight. Instead of drinking hot chocolate, soda, or a cafe latte with whipped cream, have a cup of green tea. These simple changes will help you to feel better and develop good lifestyle habits that are the key to a lifetime of proper weight management.

Remember that you are in charge and can make the lifestyle changes needed to prevent serious diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. Even better, you can start today to develop your own personal lifestyle makeover!