-”Studies have shown that only one-fourth of us get the 30 minutes of exercise each day that the Surgeon General recommends.”

-”Sedentary children are more likely to become sedentary adults and develop Type 2 Diabetes, so it’s important to encourage healthy habits early on.”

-”Childhood obesity is the new trend taking over America’s youth.”

-”America is the ‘fattest’ nation in the world”.

Now, I can go on and on, but it wouldn’t do any good if we don’t actually DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! I’m sending out

Exercising as a family creates unity while decreasing the risk of health problems- including Type 2 Diabetes.

this post as an encouragement to all of you-especially those of you with children-to go out and get active and make America a healthier nation!

“Getting fit and staying active is something families can do together,” says Sharon Bergen, senior vice president of education and training for Knowledge Learning Corporation, the nation’s leading provider of early childhood care and education. “In addition to the many health benefits, it can be great family fun.” Pick an activity the family can do together. Swimming, bicycling and walking are activities nearly everyone can enjoy. If you live in colder climates, in the winter, try ice skating or sledding. These activities will bring youo closer as a family while also encouraging your children to keep active.

Set aside time for physical activity and make it part of your family’s routine. Rediscover walking as transportation. Walk to the grocery store instead of driving. Encourage your child to walk with you whenever possible. Visit the library or recreation center on foot. Plan active vacations and weekend getaways. Instead of sightseeing through the window of your car, plan vacations that get the family moving. Explore a national park’s hiking trails or tour a historic site by bicycle. Use a canoe to find a secluded picnic site. Give gifts that encourage physical activity. Instead of video games or DVDs, how about sports equipment, skateboards or rollerblades? TV, video games and the Internet can be enjoyed in moderation but should be balanced with physical activity. For every hour your child spends in front of a screen, encourage him to spend twice as much time being active. The effort you put into cultivating healthy habits now will pay big dividends later in your child’s life.

I am a parent myself and don’t want my child to ever have to struggle with weight, high cholesterol, insulin shots to control type 2 diabetes, or any other health concerns that can very well be avoided by being healthy early on in life. Now I know all of you love your kids just as much, so I encourage you to start making positive changes today for happy and healthier tomorrow for your family.

Take Charge!

P.S. Want to: Learn the “Easy” way to get and stay in shape? Discover the secret to quick fat loss? How to exercise less and get better results? Discover the secret to ripped abs without doing endless crunches? Then be sure to get my “Amazing Fat Burning Formula” HERE.

P.P.S. If you like this post, and think it will help others, please help me help others by clicking on one of these “Share and Enjoy” links below.

So to have it this low means my hard work is “finally” paying off. But it hasn’t been an easy task for me.

You see, my mother is stubborn and hard-headed. And very sneaky. She would regularly go to the local Walgreens and buy a bag of chocolates on sale for $1.00. I’d come over and see a half empty chocolate bag in the refrigerator. When I asked her how come this was there, she’d always say she didn’t remember.

She also suffers from Alzheimer’s disease that has been accelerated by years of high blood sugar levels.

When I worked at NASA and didn’t live in the same town as my mom, it was impossible for me to get her to consistently eat the right things. I’d always tell her, “mom, you can only eat lean meat, fibrous vegetables, and healthy oils, that’s it!” She would always shake her head that yes, she understood. But it was always in one ear, and out the other.

So for as long as I remember my mother continued to eat what she wanted basically, always struggling with her high blood sugar as a result. Years of eating this way took their toll and my mom is now suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

She used to go every day to the local Jewish Community Center for lunch, but I never liked her to eat the foods they had because they always raised her blood sugar too much. It was a constant battle.

Now that she’s less independent, she actually relies on me and my brother to buy and cook her meals for her. I come over twice per day to make her meals for her. Since I’ve been doing that, plus giving her snacks that are good for her and don’t raise her blood sugar, her levels have come steadily down.

Here’s an example meal I cook for her.

Chicken Breast – I cook this up on the stove in a frying pan (no oil – I use non-stick cookware). Then I slice it up into bit sized chunks.

This kind of meal can help cure type 2 diabetes

Next, we buy her bags of all kinds of fresh-frozen vegetables. Brocolli, cauliflower, ocra, green beans, mushrooms, carrots (keep these to a minimum as they can raise blood sugar), squash, and lima beans. I measure out a good bowl-full then pop it into the microwave for 3 minutes while the chicken is cooking.

After everything is finished cooking, I’ll put about 2 ounces of sliced chicken breast on top of the veggies. Then, I’ll pour 1 tablespoon of UDO’s choice blended oil on top. This provides a really great nutty flavor to her meal (I do this for my meals as well). Then, 1-2 ounces of Apple Cider Vinegar. Use Apple Cider vinegar not white vinegar. Apple Cider vinegar is alkaline and healthier. White vinegar is acidic and not so healthy. Then I’ll add some salt, pepper, and maybe sprinkle some grated Romano cheese on top.

Voila! A type 2 diabetes-friendly meal.

But guess what?

It all back fired on me later. My son was visiting with my mother, and I brought along some food (rice and steak) for him to eat while there. He wasn’t that hungry so he only ate half. I put the rest in the ‘frig, hiding it well (so I thought) in case my mother saw it. Since her memory is so bad, she’d be liable to eat it if she found it, especially since the rice in there would really tempt her.

Do I even have to tell you the rest of the story? Well, my son and I took a nap, and when we woke up an hour later, I checked in the ‘frig and the remaining rice and steak was gone. I was so pissed, you can’t imagine. I told her how could she eat my son’s food (trying to lay the guilt trip on her), but I was really angry that she had eaten the rice, knowing what it was going to do to her blood sugar level. Sure enough, when I checked it again it had soared to 253!

You can’t imagine how frustrating this if for me. I have ALL of the knowledge and nutritional tools at my disposal to completely and permanently cure my mother, yet she fights me tooth and nail every inch of the way. I guess I just had to vent, thanks for hearing me out.

If you have someone in a similar condition you’ve been trying to help I’d love to hear about it. Maybe together we can find a solution.

Help me find a solution for type 2 diabetes

I’m not going to stop trying to help my mother, I just wish it was a bit easier. Somehow this is the cross I have to bear. Wish me luck…

Take Charge!

P.S. Want to: Learn the “Easy” way to get and stay in shape? Discover the secret to quick fat loss? How to exercise less and get better results? Discover the secret to ripped abs without doing endless crunches? Then be sure to get my “Amazing Fat Burning Formula” HERE.

P.S. If you think this might be a valuable post for others, please click on one or more of the “Share and Enjoy” links below.