By Bev Bennett
If you're overweight and at risk for diabetes, or if you've recently been diagnosed with the disease, losing weight can mean a major improvement in your health.
But you don't have to go through severe deprivation to make a difference. Losing just 7 percent of your body weight -- a mere 16 pounds if you tip the scales at 230 -- may be all you need to achieve, according to researchers.
Diabetes frequently leads to coronary artery disease and heart attack or stroke. And heart attack and stroke are the leading causes of death in at least 75 percent of patients with diabetes, according to according Osama Hamdy, M.D., at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston.
However, even a modest weight loss, along with regular moderate exercise, can significantly reduce your risk for heart disease, regardless of whether you have diabetes, he says. In a recent study, he and his colleagues divided 35 obese volunteers into three groups, depending on their condition. (One group did not have diabetes; the second group had impaired glucose tolerance and was at high risk for the disease; and the third group had type 2 diabetes.) The three groups ate 500 fewer calories a day and did 30 minutes of moderate exercise two or three times a week.
After six months, the members of each group lost an average of 7 percent of their initial weight. All three groups showed a significant improvement in the function of their major blood vessels and reduced their risk of developing arteriosclerosis, according to Dr. Hamdy.
Those results should encourage anyone, but the potential results may be even more meaningful for those facing type 2 diabetes.
"If you lose weight and lead an active lifestyle at the very early stage of type 2 diabetes," says Dr. Hamdy, "you can reverse it and become sensitive to insulin again."
He cites the example of a young patient who wasn't in the study but who had recently been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. After two months of daily physical activity and a 6.5-pound weight loss, her blood glucose was back to normal.
He suggests doing 90-150 minutes of exercise a week, changing your food choices and trimming your portions.
Eat fewer processed carbohydrates, and put more emphasis on whole grains, vegetables and fruits, adds Jo-Anne Rizzotto, a diabetes educator also at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston.
Both Dr. Hamdy and Rizzotto recommend that you take a pass on oversized bagels and eat less white bread or other highly refined carbohydrates that are low in dietary fiber.
Foods without fiber, they note, are easily digested, and you'll feel hungry sooner and crave more of the same. If you eat fewer processed carbohydrate products, you may crave them less.
Don't let your fear of a diagnosis compel you to try a crash diet. You're more likely to be successful if you lose the weight gradually. If you lose two pounds a week, you're more likely to keep it off, says Rizzotto. Set small goals for yourself and keep moving.
The following low-calorie, low-fat recipe from "Cooking the RealAge Way" (HarperCollins, 2003) features nutritious vegetables, high-fiber grains and enough flavor satisfy the whole family.
Warm Chinese Greens With Shiitake Mushrooms and Five-Spice Powder
2 eggs plus 2 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
1 teaspoon salt, divided
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil, divided
1 pound kale
1 1/2 cups chopped white onion
8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps halved or quartered if large
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
Beat together the eggs, egg whites, five-spice powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Heat a 9- or 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon sesame oil, swirling to coat the skillet. Add the egg mixture, spread into a thin layer, and cook two minutes, or until the bottom of the pancake is set. With a large spatula, carefully turn the pancake; continue to cook one minute, or until eggs are set. Set aside to cool.
Rinse kale, but do not dry. Cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices, discarding the tough stems. Set aside. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the remaining teaspoon of oil. Add the onion, and cook three minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the mushrooms. Cook two minutes, stirring occasionally. Add kale and hoisin sauce. Toss well. Cover and let steam 1 1/2 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut the egg pancake into 1/2-inch strips. Cut the strips into 2-inch pieces. Shake the kale mixture, add the pancake strips and the remaining 3/4 teaspoon of salt. Toss well. Serves four.
Each serving has 200 calories, 6.5 grams fat, 11 grams protein, 26 grams carbohydrates, 106 milligrams cholesterol, 832 milligrams sodium and 8 grams of dietary fiber.
Bev Bennett is co-author of "The Dictionary of Healthful Food Terms" (Barron's, 1997).
© 2004, Bev Bennett. Distributed by Tribune Media Services International.
