I know, I know, I know... I've been gone for months. I was completely bogged down in a number of things...work, school, everything. However, I've made some changes, and I think that I can finally re-commit to living and blogging about a healthy and happy lifestyle. Hopefully some ppl are still out there reading.
I was most prompted to hop back on the wagon by today's Oprah show. It was all about diabetes, and I never realized how deadly or pervasive this disease can be. Dr. Oz gave one fact in particular that made me step back and take a closer look at my own lifestyle. He stated that belly fat is the #1 indicator and cause of Type II diabetes. Furthermore, he indicated that your waist size should be no more than 1/2 of your height...Ex. I am 6 ft tall (72 inches)...therefore, my waist should be no larger than 36 inches. I'm not sure if you are aware, but that is not THAT big. Currently my waist is 33 inches (the largest in a few yrs), but my goodness... I never even considered that I was anywhere near at risk for diabetes.
Watching this show made me realize just how many ppl could be on the verge of being very sick...and don't even know it. Here are a few symptoms and risk factors. I would HIGHLY recommend that you get to know more about this disease and take the necessary steps to ensure that you are healthy for the long run.
Common symptoms of diabetes include:
- Excessive thirst and appetite
- Increased urination (sometimes as often as every hour)
- Unusual weight loss or gain
- Fatigue
- Nausea, perhaps vomiting
- Blurred vision
- In women, frequent vaginal infections
- In men and women, yeast infections
- Dry mouth
- Slow-healing sores or cuts
- Itching skin, especially in the groin or vaginal area
- High blood pressure
- High blood triglyceride (fat) levels
- Gestational diabetes or giving birth to a baby weighing more than 9 pounds
- High-fat diet
- High alcohol intake
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Obesity or being overweight
- Ethnicity: Certain groups, such as African Americans, Native Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Japanese Americans, have a greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes than non-Hispanic whites.
- Aging: Increasing age is a significant risk factor for type 2 diabetes. The risk of developing type 2 diabetes begins to rise significantly at about age 45 years, and rises considerably after age 65 years.
