You eat right, work out,
and maintain a healthy weight. But before you start declaring yourself the
pillar of health, take a step back—you still might be at risk of diabetes.
The following 5 habits
may make you more likely to develop this dangerous disease. How many of them do
you do on a daily basis?
Diabetes Danger: Burning
the Midnight Oil
Guys who stay up until
the wee hours are more likely to develop diabetes than those who go to bed
earlier—even if the night owls log the recommended 7 to 8 hours of sleep,
according to a recent Korean study. This might be because they tend to get
lower-quality sleep, which can disrupt your metabolism, increasing your risk of
diabetes. People who stay up later are also more likely do unhealthy stuff like
smoking, not exercising, or eating late, all factors linked to development of
the disease.
Plus, they tend to be
exposed to higher levels of artificial light from devices like televisions and
cell phones, which has been linked to lower insulin sensitivity and poorer
blood sugar regulation, says study author Nan Hee Kim, M.D., Ph.D.
Your Fix:
Gradually work towards an
earlier bedtime, which could improve your overall sleep quality. (If you normally
get up at 7:00 a.m., shoot for 11:00 p.m. to log 8 full hours. ) It’ll also
help you steer clear of those late-night temptations that entice night owls.
If you can’t turn back
your bedtime, at least work towards implementing some positive habits.
“Exercise and avoid late-night meals to overcome the negative metabolic effects
of staying up late,” says Dr. Kim.
Diabetes Danger: Eating
Too-Few Bugs
Skipping foods rich in
probiotics—the good bacteria that live in your gut—could mean that your belly
is home to more bad bacteria than good. And studies suggest that the
not-so-friendly bugs can actually damage the lining of your intestines and
wreak the sort of inflammatory havoc that can lead to diabetes.
“This inflammatory state
affects the pancreas and the brain, and can eventually lead to insulin
resistance,” says Irina Ciubutaru, M.D, an endocrinologist at the University of
Illinois at Chicago. Insulin resistance occurs when your body produces enough
insulin but doesn’t use it effectively, causing sugar to build up in your
blood. Over time, that can lead to diabetes.
Your Fix:
Boost your good bacteria
count by making probiotic-rich foods like yogurt, kimchi—spicy fermented
cabbage—and miso—a fermented paste made of soybeans— a regular part of your
diet, Dr. Ciubutaru says.
To keep the bugs happy,
feed them prebiotics (their favorite food), a type of fiber found in foods like
whole grains, bananas, onions, and artichokes.
Diabetes Danger: Bingeing
on Game of Thrones
Hanging out with Jaime
Lannister for an hour after dinner isn’t a huge deal. But staying glued to the
screen all night can set you up for trouble. In fact, a recent study from the
University of Pittsburgh found that every hour spent sitting in front of the TV
bumps up your risk for developing diabetes by nearly 4 percent—regardless of
whether you hit the gym when you’re not parked in front of the tube.
Most likely, that’s
because you’re sitting for hours on end. “Too much sitting can lead to storage
of visceral fat, which increases your waist circumference,” says Eric
Sternlicht, Ph.D., an associate professor of kinesiology at Chapman University.
And putting on extra weight around your belt significantly increases your risk
of developing diabetes, a 2013 study from the University of Washington found.
Your Fix:
Say goodbye to the
marathon binge-fests and get into the habit of watching just one episode of
your favorite show per night. It’s a tough sell, but research shows that
Spacing Out Your Shows Makes You Enjoy Them More.
Diabetes Danger: Missing
Out on Vitamin D
It’s no secret that being
at a normal weight slashes diabetes risk. But even a healthy number on the
scale might not protect you if you don’t get enough vitamin D. According to new
Spanish findings, people with too-low levels of the sunshine vitamin are more
likely to develop type 2 diabetes—regardless of how much they weigh.
That could be because
vitamin D plays a role in proper functioning of your pancreas, which produces
insulin and helps regulate blood sugar.
Your Fix:
The Institute of Medicine
recommends 600 IU of vitamin D daily, but Men’s Health nutrition advisor Mike
Roussell, Ph.D., says you can aim for 1,000 IU. “Food sources like salmon,
eggs, and fortified milk or yogurt are best. But if you’re still falling short,
consider taking a supplement,” he says.
Diabetes Danger: Stressing
Like Crazy
Bottling stuff up can
actually make you sick. When left unchecked, sky-high anxiety can make it
harder to sleep, lower your immunity, and even up your odds for developing
diabetes. In fact, one recent German study found that when people experience
high levels of stress—particularly the work-related kind—their risk of type 2
diabetes can spike by up to 45 percent.
Though experts are still
unraveling the connection, high levels of stress might prompt the release of
inflammatory hormones like cortisol that may mess with your body’s ability to
keep blood sugar levels in check.
Your Fix:
Managing stress doesn’t
have to mean you need to take up yoga. Regular cardio—at least 30 minutes a
session, four times per week— and getting enough quality sleep can go a long
way towards making the hard stuff feel more manageable, says Susan Bartell,
Psy.D., a psychologist who specializes in work-life balance.
And delegate those pesky
tasks when you’re at the office. “Learning how to ask for help can dramatically
reduce workplace stress,” she says.
Article Credit : http://www.menshealth.com/
