Tips to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes

As I've revealed in the past, I am a Type II Diabetic and suffer some vision impairment due to diabetic retinopathy. Needless to say health issues are important to me, especially those related to diabetes.  I've previously posted on the warning signs and risk factors for type 2 diabetes (click here to read it). In this article, I want to give some tips to help prevent type 2 diabetes.

Tips to Help Prevent Type 2 Diabetes

• Eat healthy -This means limiting junk food, fast food, and sweets. Instead eat more veggies, particularly those with a low glycemic load, which is a measure of food's effect on blood sugar. Examples include leafy greens (turnip, mustard, collards, kale, spinach, etc.) and other cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, etc.). Some other good choices include squash, zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, onions, and various types of lettuces.
• Be careful of the so-called "white foods."  Replace white flour and white bread with whole grains. Replace white rice with brown rice or wild rice. Replace white potatoes with sweet potatoes. Replace refined white sugar with natural sweetness from fruit or honey. Even with these substitutions, be careful of eating too much. Control your portion sizes.
• Don't drink sodas or sweet teas. Drink water or unsweet teas instead. Be careful with fruit juices since they are extremely high in sugar. Again, control your portion size.
• Be mindful of the hidden sugar in many products. Many condiments and salad dressings have surprisingly high amounts of sugar and calories in relatively small serving sizes. Also, I have found many frozen dinners labelled "healthy" actually have more sugar than the average candy bar. Read labels carefully.
• Be physically active. Walk more, sit less. Strive for at least 30 minutes of moderate activity every day (enough to increase your heart rate and make you sweat lightly). Good ideas for exercise include walking, jogging, hiking, biking, swimming, and gardening. Park at the back of the lot so you have to walk farther. At work or the mall, take the stairs instead of an elevator. If you cut grass, use a push mower. If you golf, walk and carry your own clubs. Consider taking up tennis, as many local parks have courts you can use for free.
• If you’re overweight, take the necessary steps to lose the extra weight. Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight is very important.
• Quit smoking and abusing drugs and alcohol.
• Get plenty of sleep - a minimum of seven hours of sound sleep a night, and eight hours would be even better. Several studies have revealed a link between not getting enough sleep and a variety of chronic health conditions, including heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and even some cancers. 
• Early detection of diabetes or prediabetes is essential. See your doctor for regular checkups. Also see your eye doctor for regular checkups since diabetes can often be caught by an eye exam very early on.

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Of all the books on diabetes I've read, the best and most useful is 60 Ways to Lower Your Blood Sugar by Dennis Pollock. Pollock's book is an aggressive plan to control your blood sugar by bringing together the best of traditional and alternative medicine. What I appreciate about Pollock's approach is that it is based on solid science, even the "alternative" aspects, and is not some hippy-dippy book that rejects medical science (avoid those). Also, I found his ideas easy to follow.

More Anti-Christian Violence in Egypt

The following is an unedited press release from International Christian Concern (ICC), a Christian human rights organization.   You can visit the ICC website at https://www.persecution.org/ for more on Christian persecution around the world.
 

 Isamic Celebration Spirals into Anti-Christian Violence in Egypt

Christians Targeted in Upper Egyptian Village Following Conversion Case 

06/06/2019 Washington D.C. (International Christian Concern) – International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that on June 5, 2019, anti-Christian mob violence sparked in the Upper Egyptian village of Shosha, located in Minya Governorate. The predominantly Muslim village is home to approximately 50 Christian families, that are currently confined to their homes as the authorities attempt to regain control of the situation.

No injuries are reported, although Christians have noted that some of their homes were stoned. An estimated 40 Muslim men initially gathered in the streets to celebrate the return of Fransa Abdel Sayeed, a Christian woman who disappeared in April. It was later discovered that she had converted to Islam, married a Muslim man, and was pregnant. Her Christian family immediately began facing harassment and intimidation from their new Muslim in-laws, who live across the street.

Initially, police refused Fransa’s petition to return home to the village, citing concerns that it would incite sectarian tension. However, during the celebration of Eid, police allowed Fransa and her husband to return. A group of Muslims gathered to welcome her, and the situation quickly escalated into anti-Christian violence.

Fransa’s Christian brother, Elisa Yusuf, shared with local press his family’s belief that “the police manipulated us. Now, the police encourage and support the Muslim extremists… We live in a state of terror now and the village has become chaotic as a result of the celebration of Fransa.”

He continued, “Copts have not been able to leave their homes. Despite the great presence of security forces in the village, this has not prevented chaos, and (at) the house of my uncle… stones have been thrown and the Copts are crying. The extremists are provoking the Copts so it’s possible to blow up [violent] actions between the Christians and the Muslims of the village.”

A local church leader familiar with the situation further explained to ICC, “At the dawn of Wednesday, the governor of Minya commanded that Fransa must return to the village and there would be a great presence of security forces. He was smart to choose this time. It is a time when all the people are celebrating (Eid).” 

“The police members are relatives to the Muslim extremists, so it is hard and impossible for the police to resist or disagree with them,” he added. “The Muslim husband has many relatives and friends in this village. The Muslims want to humiliate the Copts.” 

The issue of conversion remains highly sensitive in Egypt, where Islam is the official religion. Christians, most of whom are Coptic Orthodox, are often placed under intense pressure to convert to Islam. Christian families with a relative who converted to Islam are especially at risk of violence and harassment.

Claire Evans, ICC’s Regional Manager for the Middle East, said, “Police have known for several months that tension was approaching a breaking point in Shosha. The manner at which they addressed the problem during Eid was the ignition point that has long been boiling. Police should hold the mob accountable for their indiscriminate attacks against Christians. Pray that tensions will soon cease and that the violence will be resolved according to due process of law.”  

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