Hello!
Halloween is just around the corner. It’s a fun time of year for kids and adults. The article this week talks about candy and sugar, so I won’t get into that right now. I just want to wish you a happy and active Halloween. Get outside with your kids, nieces, nephews or hang out with friends who have kids. The infectious enthusiasm of kids at Halloween (and every other major holiday) is a refreshing break from the seriousness of most people in the corporate world.
I mention this because a big part of what we help clients master is their mindset. An important part of mindset is to know how to let loose, have fun, and step outside your comfort zone. Dress up in a funny or spooky costume, head out with the kids, and have loads of fun. It may even remind you of the fun you had when you were a kid. :-)
Have a wonderful weekend, and a great Halloween. Remember to enjoy a few treats, but be kind to your body (and pancreas).
Yours in Health and Happiness,
Tim Borys
CEO FRESH!
Wellness Group
P.S. If you missed it on Facebook, I’ve just got the first test run copy of my new book call “The Fitness Curveball: Hit a Grand Slam in Health and Happiness...No Matter What Life Throws at You”. The full print run will still be about 6 weeks to complete, but I will be starting a to do pre-sales shortly. If you want to pick one up, just reply to this email and let me know. I will get you on the pre-order list.
What's Scarier than Ghosts & Goblins? How about Type 2 Diabetes!
It’s Halloween, and you know what that means: sugar, sugar, sugar!
But that indulgence takes its toll and is manifesting itself more and more...
See Article Below
Roasted Fall Vegetables
Do you love all those vegetables in season?
You better try this great and healthy recipe with some of your favourites.
Check out the details below
Events
Happy Halloween!
What's Scarier than Ghosts & Goblins?
How about Type 2 Diabetes!
It’s Halloween, and you know what that means: sugar, sugar, sugar! Beginning in late summer, stores begin taunting and tantalizing us with prominently displayed festive treats conveniently packaged in small, easy to eat servings. By the time the actual holiday rolls around, we’ve been wading through candy corn and “fun sized” candy bars for months.
All holidays have their peculiar food traditions, but Halloween perhaps wins the prize for being the most focused on candy and other sweet treats as the center of attraction. And no matter how hard you try to avoid it, you will undoubtedly find yourself staring down a confection before all is said and done.
Will you give in?
While one piece of candy won’t make or break your health, few of us stop at just one. In fact, most of us see Halloween as we see every other festive occasion from Thanksgiving to our neighbour's cookout: as a perfectly good time to indulge in whichever kind of sweet temptations are presented to us.
But that indulgence takes its toll and is manifesting itself more and more in the current epidemic of Type 2 Diabetes. It is called an epidemic because of the shocking increase in new cases of diabetes. Less than 5% of the population had diabetes in 1990. That figure is now up to 7%: a 40% increase.
Every 21 seconds someone is diagnosed with diabetes.
What is diabetes?
Much of the food that you eat is turned into glucose for your body to use as energy. After a meal, your pancreas produces the hormone insulin which helps the glucose, or sugar, move from your bloodstream into the cells in your body where it can be used for energy.
When you have diabetes, your body either does not make enough insulin or it cannot use the insulin that it produces. The result is a buildup of glucose or sugar in the bloodstream.
High levels of blood sugar cause extensive damage in the body such as heart disease, kidney failure, blindness and even amputations. Adults with diabetes are twice as likely to die early as those without diabetes.
What’s the connection?
The connection between Halloween and Type 2 diabetes is simple: the more sugar you eat, the harder your pancreas has to work to produce insulin and keep your blood sugar within a safe range.
But the cells in your pancreas that produce insulin are the only cells in your body that actually wear out from use. If you overwork them, they will eventually cease to perform in a way that can keep up with the demand.
Your body can also become resistant to the insulin that your pancreas produces. The more resistant your cells become to insulin, the more your pancreas has to make in order to have an effect.
When these situations develop, you have Type 2 diabetes.
Prevention
The good news is that Type 2 diabetes is completely preventable. By adopting a healthy lifestyle, you will never have to experience this disease. And if you already have Type 2 diabetes, you can do much to control it naturally.
The best strategy is to keep your weight within normal range, eat a healthy diet full of whole foods and very little sugar, and exercise at least 30 minutes, 5 days per week.
These simple lifestyle changes are the enemies of Type 2 diabetes.
This Halloween, choose future health over present pleasure. Enjoy one or two treats, and then stop. It’s not worth the price you will pay later.
Sources
http://diabetesinformationhub.com/HistoryandStatistic.php
Featured Quote
Roasted Fall Vegetables
Serves 4-5
Ingredients
- 1 pound brussels sprouts
- 1 small sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 cubes (about 1 cup)
- 1 Fuji apple, cut into 1/2 cubes
- 1 Pear, cut into 1/2 cubes
- 3/4 cup butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2 cubes
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
- 1/3 cup toasted pecans, diced
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
Wash brussels sprouts and cut the ends off, then cut into halves or quarters depending on how big your brussels are. The goal is to try to have all the fruit and veggies in this dish to be about the same size so they cook evenly. Just keep this in mind when chopping everything up.
Add brussels sprouts, sweet potato cubes, apple cubes, pear cubes, butternut squash cubes, sea salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl and toss together. Add melted coconut oil over veggies and fruit to evenly coat. Add mixture to baking sheet and spread evenly to coat the pan.
Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until veggies and fruit are soft and tender. The cooking time will depend on how large you make your cubes too. Immediately after removing pan from oven sprinkle toasted chopped pecans and cranberries over the veggies and fruit and stir to combine.
Original Recipe from Multiply Delicious.
Tip of the Week: Reap the Brain Benefits
It’s normal to think of exercise as being good for weight loss, heart health, and lowering blood pressure. But what many people fail to remember is the powerful, positive effect exercise has on improving mental health. Who couldn’t use a little extra help managing stress, relieving depression, coping with anxiety, or improving their mood?
Exercise for your mental health, not just your physical health. Read on to learn what exercise can do for you.
Cut Anxiety. Exercise is a proven way to manage tension and stress, it distracts you from the worries on your mind, and it boosts your energy. The endorphins released during exercise work to help you relax and improve your mood. When your adrenaline is pumping out of control and making you feel uptight and on edge, exercise is a wonderful way to burn it off.
Depression Drop. Exercise is one of the best ways to snap out of depression. In fact, exercise can be as effective as medication in treating mild to moderate depression. The endorphins your body produces during exercise improve your outlook on life, the extra activity helps you sleep better, and getting in shape boosts your confidence.
Lowered Stress. At the end of a stressful day, one of the best ways to relieve tension is with a good workout. Instead of letting the stress build up to cause anxiety, physical health problems, or insomnia, manage your stress level by exercising on a regular basis. An elevated heart rate leads to an increase in chemicals that counter the negative effects of stress hormones on your brain and improves the way your nervous systems communicate so you’re better able to cope with stress in the future.
Getting Started
You don’t have to spend hours at the gym every day to reap mental health benefits. Half an hour of moderate exercise five days a week is all it takes. If you can’t do that much, remember that a little physical activity is better than nothing. Start with 5 or 10 minutes here and there and as your mental and physical health improve, you’ll have more energy to exercise for longer.
FRESH! Wellness Group
18th Floor 734-7th Avenue SW Calgary, Alberta T2P 3P8 Canada (403) 217-2730