Diabetes & Healthy Skin Awareness Month
In honor of November's Diabetes Awareness Month and with the holiday season about to begin, I wanted to touch on some traditional and nontraditional ways of optimizing your health and improving your metabolic health and glycemic control. Some restraint now will avoid too much cleanup after the new year…
Who is affected?
According to Diabetesresearch.org, diabetes was the seventh leading cause of death in the United States in 2017. About 34.2 million people, or 10.5% of the U.S. population, have diabetes, which includes approximately 26.8 million people – or 10.2% of the population with an actual diagnosis of diabetes. About 7.3 million people have diabetes but have not yet been diagnosed (2018). According to the CDC, in the United States, 96 million adults—more than 1 in 3—have prediabetes, and 8 in 10 don't know they have it. With prediabetes, blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough to diagnose type 2 diabetes. Prediabetes raises your risk for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. A lifestyle change program can help you take healthy steps to reverse it.
How are Diabetes and Prediabetes Diagnosed?
Diabetes is diagnosed by fasting blood sugar greater than 126 or hemoglobin A1c greater than 6.4. However, it is essential to remember the disease starts way before any patient reaches these laboratory values. Most patients who develop Type II diabetes have impaired blood sugar regulation for years, if not decades before they develop diabetes mellitus. So, it's essential to make changes before developing the official diagnosis.
What changes can YOU make today to prevent developing diabetes or improve diabetic control?
Eating a low glycemic WHOLE FOOD balanced diet
Exercise at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity physical activity. Include activities that work all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms).
Improving stress management and improving Heart Rate Variability (HRV)
Improving sleep quality
Reducing toxin exposure (YES, this does include alcohol, but also food preservatives, deep-fried foods, environmental toxins, etc.)
Maintain a healthy body composition level and visceral fat level
Maintain healthy gut microbiota
Avoid nutritional-specific insufficiencies/deficiencies
When necessary, take medications and nutrients to control blood sugar, reduce weight, and improve other metabolic and non-metabolic diseases, including high cholesterol, blood pressure, and excess inflammation.
*Diabetes Article References Available Upon Request
Your Path to Healthy Skin Starts Now!
Nina, our aesthetician, has put together a article about how your path to healthy skin
is a year around process. Check out her tips and tricks!
November has also been considered Healthy Skin Awareness Month—our skin is the largest organ in our body. It's a wonder that we often forget to give it what it needs to
keep it looking its best. The basic tenets of skincare (and health in general) are straightforward—stay hydrated, get plenty of rest, release stress, and maintain a healthy diet. But there are many other aspects to consider to ensure your skin stays as radiant as the holidays.
We recommend starting with a retinol treatment if you don't already have one in your skincare regimen. Remember that your skin may initially experience a minor sensitivity when using any retinol treatment. To avoid the usual irritation, we highly recommend using a product that contains both retinol and bakuchiol. Adding bakuchiol will boost the retinol's effectiveness and help mitigate any sensitivity issues that may arise. That makes it a win-win in our book!
Protecting your skin against skin cancer and damage from the sun is not just a summer task. Additionally, we need to prepare our skin for the harsh dry winter heat and air. So to keep our skin as healthy as possible, we first and foremost want to stay HYDRATED. Consider adding electrolytes to your water consumption daily, especially when exercising. Other supplements which benefit the skin include collagen peptides, vitamin D, skin-focused multivitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, and niacinamide. As for products to protect your skin, use a heavier skin cream or lotion after your shower to protect your skin from the harsh winter weather. And don't forget to use sunscreen or moisturizer containing SPF 30, no matter the weather. Incorporating these tips into your beauty regimen all year long is key to maintaining the health and vitality of your skin.