We hope everyone
will join us this Thursday for another mouth-watering Pathfinder Produce market
at the Village Commons from 1 to 5 p.m.
Our market offers a great selection of fresh fruits and vegetables, and
we cheerfully accept many forms of payment (checks, credit and debit cards,
SNAP benefits) to better serve our customers.
We want to send out
a big thank you to our many regular customers who visit each week for their
families’ mealtime needs. We love seeing
you and we are grateful for your support!
****
I was web surfing one evening and came across a startling
statistic: According to the Medical News Today
site, two in every five American adults are expected to develop type 2
diabetes. This summary was based on a 2014 study in The
Lancet: Diabetes & Endocrinology by researcher Edward Gregg, M.D.,
chief of the Epidemiology & Statistics Branch, Division of Diabetes
Translation at the National Centers for Disease Control & Prevention.
Those
are sobering numbers. The
summary said: “The (research) team found that for an average 20-year-old
American, the lifetime risk of developing type 2 diabetes increased from 20% in
1985-89 to 40% in 2000-11 for men, while lifetime risk for women increased from
27% to 39%.” When one thinks about those
findings in respect to our loved ones,
friends and acquaintances, that means that two of every five people we
know will have to face the life-altering realities of diabetes.
Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus is the body’s inability to process
glucose into energy, either because the pancreas makes too little insulin, or
the body doesn’t use insulin effectively.
In part, the spike in diabetes numbers is due to the increased amounts
of processed sugars found in commercially sold foods, according to Fed Up, a documentary film
produced by journalist Katie Couric and Laurie David.
But
with knowledge comes power,
and our collective health outlook doesn’t have to unfold that way. The behavior changes we can make now aren’t
difficult – we need to incorporate more exercise, and significantly reduce
sugar intake by shopping and eating smarter.
According to the Mayo Clinic, to reduce your chances of developing
diabetes and enjoy overall better health, you should do the following. Check out this
link to fully read the clinic’s recommendations.
- Get physically active to lower your weight, blood sugar, and improve your insulin response.
- Eat more fiber, which helps you fight hunger cravings and levels out your blood sugar.
- Make half of your grain intake whole grains.
- Skip fad diets and focus on healthier choices, like adding more fresh vegetables to your meals, cutting back on portion sizes, and avoiding foods that are high in sugar.
I would add you should cut back on any sugary drinks like fruit
juices, sports drinks, sodas or sweet teas.
Just drinking more water could be a really positive first step! And learn to
read those labels to determine how much sugar is actually in the items you
are buying.
If you are concerned that you are pre-diabetic, see your doctor
for a blood glucose test, and discuss steps you can take to improve your
health. If diabetes runs in your family, your chances of becoming diabetic are higher,
so be sure to mention that in any medical history you provide to your health
care team.
Until next time, eat well and move more!
Lori
