Eating smart starts in your cart

November 16, 2009 by Renata Follmann 

Honor Diabetes Awareness Month by snacking healthily

We all have urges and the urge to snack is one of the hardest to fight, especially when it comes to snarfing down twinkies and sour cream-smothered nachos.

With the oft-forgotten presence of healthy food options on campus, it’s so easy to get our hands on them too.

But the consequences for devouring those delicacies can lead to a deadly disease: type 2 diabetes.

According to Chris Moore, co-founder of Adult Diabetes Education and Management Support, one of the main causes for type 2 diabetes is obesity and lack of exercise.

Starr Wharton, a UNLV Wellness Educator, said other aggravating factors include genetics, low HDL (good) cholesterol and high blood pressure. Certain ethnic groups like Asians, Pacific Islanders, non-Hispanic Blacks, Hispanics and American Indians.

The good news is that this disease is preventable.

“Wise [snack] choices will decrease the chance for obesity and diabetes,” Moore said.

“To prevent diabetes one needs to know risk factors and symptoms of diabetes. Modest weight loss, exercise at least 150 minutes weekly, reduction in excessive carbohydrates can lessen one’s chance for type 2 diabetes.”

Shop wisely

Moore said students can determine how healthy a snack is just by its location in the grocery store.

“Some of the healthiest foods are found in the perimeter of the grocery store and the least healthy foods are found in the center of the store,” Moore said.

Snack wisely

Moore’s ideas of a smart snack are nuts, trail mix, fruits, beef jerky and low-fat and low-carbohydrate snacks.

Not-so-smart snacks are the ones with high fat and carbohydrates, that are processed and packaged.

So that bag of chips that seems so easy to grab on the way to class is definitely on the bad side of the spectrum.

“The vending machines and food places around campus have very little choices that are healthy,” said Shanna Elhard, president of Healthy Rebels. She suggested that students pack their lunch at home.

The healthiest foods are ones you prepare, that are fresh, low-fat, low- carbohydrate, lean-protein and low-calorie.

A fruit parfait or something simple like apples are appropriate snacks if one is trying to stay healthy. A home-made sandwich with lean meat and some salad are also on the good side.

“Just make sure you like them because when hunger strikes and all you have are yucky celery sticks, you might be tempted to head for something unhealthy,” Elhard advised.

Balance wisely

Wharton is optimistic about students paying attention to their health. But students are not always aware of the programs and services UNLV and SRWC offer.

“Wellness is not just about nutrition or physical activity. It’s about balance. Finances, relationships, the environment, academic stress and self-confidence are examples of other areas of wellness,” Wharton said.

Not everyone has the time to cook something at home every day and sometimes the healthier foods are actually the ones that need preparing.

One solution is to make bigger quantities and storing them in the freezer. Another alternative is to take a trip to the grocery store on the way to school to pick up a few fruits.

Snack on campus wisely

And the campus is not all bad. Smoothies, fruits and nuts are available at the food court if you can resist the smell and taste of the overwhelming amount of unhealthy food.

But preventing this disease it not only about eating healthily. Wharton said an appointment with a nutritionist, counseling for students dealing with emotional problems, fitness classes and periodical check-ups are some efficient ways to be proactive.

Specialists say some of the symptoms of type 2 diabetes can develop very slowly and the disease could even be present without one’s knowledge.

Some of the warning signs to pay attention and seek medical attention are increased thirst, frequent urination, fatigue, blurred vision, slow healing sores, frequent infections and areas of darkened skin.

“Most of the same prevention techniques are used for treatment,” Wharton said adding that pharmacological treatment (i.e. insulin) is part of the treatment as well.

There are plenty of choices around campus and outside to find information on how to stay healthy, like the SRWC and the Healthy Rebels.

According to Elhard, the Healthy Rebels focus on the seven dimensions of wellness: physical, emotional, social, occupational, environmental, intellectual and spiritual.

Eating healthy is almost a cliché and too often is taken for granted. There are serious risks of exchanging the smart snack with something less healthy.

Even though eating better might mean longer hours preparing and even a difference in taste, the results are worthwhile.

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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT DIABETES

The American Diabetes Association offers these tips on ways to incorporate treats into a healthy diet for those living with and prone to diabetes:

Limit portion size and frequency

You don’t have to cut out the foods you love to eat, just cut down portion size and treat yourself to these foods on special occasions.

Plan ahead

People living with diabetes can include desserts in their meal plans, just plan ahead and make other meal adjustments to compensate for the dessert, like cutting back on other foods with carbohydrates at the same meal. For many people, about 45 to 60 grams of carbohydrates at meals is a good target. The key to keeping your blood glucose levels on target is to substitute small portions of sweets for other carb-containing foods in your meals and snacks.

Read the label

Foods labeled as sugar-free, no sugar added and reduced sugar may still contain carbohydrates. Sugar is only one type of carbohydrate that affects blood glucose levels, so when reading the nutrition facts on a product, read the total carbohydrate content, in addition to the sugar content and serving size. Keep in mind that the total carbohydrate includes both added sugars and naturally occurring sugars, as well as starch and fiber.