Having recently just tried a Fitbit physical activity tracking device (the Charge HR model) for the first time, I have noticed that in this post-Thanksgiving holiday sales time, everyone is selling them! But they are far from inexpensive. The American Diabetes Association also recently was involved in a FitForGood promotion that Fitbit ran that allowed them and two other nonprofit organizations to earn some extra money. Racking up extra steps for the ADA certainly motivated me and my family members to be more active—for a few days at least!
Read More »Take Back Your Steps!
It has long been known that regular physical activity is essential for good health. Even well over 2,000 years ago, Hippocrates (460-370 BC) noted, “Eating alone will not keep man well; he must also take exercise. For food and exercise work together to produce health.” Why, then, is it so hard for us to embrace this concept of being active now?
Read More »Losing Weight with Diabetes: What Prevents It and Causes Weight Gain
I recently was included in a discussion on a Facebook group for athletes with diabetes about how hard it can be to lose weight through exercise. While I would never claim to have all the answers on this topic, here are some ideas about what can make you gain weight or keep you from losing weight with diabetes, based on my decades of professional and personal experience with diabetes and weight management, and what you can do about it.
Read More »Teaching Patients About Glycemic Variability and Why It’s Important
Under normal circumstances, blood glucose levels vary throughout the day. While it may not be of much significance to a healthy subject, the degree of these changes is of great importance to individuals with diabetes.
Read More »The Dangers of Hyponatremia: Better Dehydrated Than Overhydrated During Exercise
An updated position statement on the dangers of hyponatremia (also known as water intoxication) was just released (1). It once again highlights how drinking too much water or any fluids during physical activity in the hopes of preventing dehydration can be potentially fatal...
Read More »The Diabetes Diet, Chapter 3 – Part 1
The Diabetes Diet Richard K. Bernstein, MD, FACE, FACN, FACCWS Part 1 of Chapter 3 Essential Guidelines for the Diabetes Diet WHY YOU OUGHT TO IGNORE THE GLYCEMIC INDEX In the days before low-carb diets began their tremendous upswing in popularity, it was difficult for people to over-come resistance to …
Read More »The Diabetes Diet, Chapter 3 – Part 2
The Diabetes Diet Richard K. Bernstein, MD, FACE, FACN, FACCWS Part 2 of Chapter 3 Essential Guidelines for the Diabetes Diet What’s Wrong with the Glycemic Index The glycemic index seeks to measure the impact that particular foods have on blood sugar. It’s my opinion that there is simply no …
Read More »The Diabetes Diet, Chapter 3 – Part 3
The Diabetes Diet Richard K. Bernstein, MD, FACE, FACN, FACCWS Part 3 of Chapter 3 Essential Guidelines for the Diabetes Diet Keeping It Simple There are no complicated formulas or calculations in the Diabetes Diet. In the following pages I will show you the foods that you ought to emphasize …
Read More »The Diabetes Diet, Chapter 3 – Part 4
The Diabetes Diet Richard K. Bernstein, MD, FACE, FACN, FACCWS Part 4 of Chapter 3 Essential Guidelines for the Diabetes Diet Keeping It Simple There are no complicated formulas or calculations in the Diabetes Diet. In the following pages I will show you the foods that you ought to emphasize …
Read More »The Diabetes Diet, Chapter 3 – Part 5
The Diabetes Diet Richard K. Bernstein, MD, FACE, FACN, FACCWS Part 5 of Chapter 3 Essential Guidelines for the Diabetes Diet Bread and Crackers One average slice of white, rye, or whole wheat bread contains 12 or more grams carbohydrate. “Thin” or “lite” breads are usually cut at half the …
Read More »