WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6: Debbie Jones is currently a vice president of the International Diabetes Federation and a diabetes nurse educator at the Bermuda Hospitals Board’s Diabetes Education Centre. She will be writing a monthly diabetes column for the Bermuda Sun to help educate people about one of Bermuda’s biggest killers.
Bermuda has the opportunity to set an example for the rest of the world. The time is now to take a stand and be serious about the sugary, sweet drinks on the market today.
Every week, clients tell me they have no idea there is all that sugar in iced teas or fruit drinks. Sugar is toxic. What is wrong with water? Sixty percent of the human body is water. Why wouldn’t you want to use water to replenish water lost? A question we ask clients is whether they would consider giving their animals sweet, sugary drinks.
The answer is always no because those drinks are not good for their animals. So why do you think they are good for you??
Sweet, sugary drinks are literally pouring on the pounds. Stop drinking those sugary drinks and drink water instead. This is an easy, effective way to be healthy.
Bermuda can stand out. There are several things that can easily be done. Remove the sugary drinks from public places and replace them with water. This will encourage people to choose water first. Put a tax on sweet drinks- those who choose sugary drinks will have to pay a price. Sugar is toxic and over time causes weight gain and other health problems leading to diabetes, heart disease and some forms of cancer. The general public should not have to pay higher health costs because others choose not to be healthy.
If people make poor choices, they should be responsible for both the financial consequences and the resulting poor health.
Think seriously about fruits and vegetables. A new study suggests that eating at least five fruits and vegetables a day gives glow and vitality. By the way, French fries are not considered to be a vegetable.
Fresh produce
Spring is here and everything is growing.
Fresh vegetables are in the supermarkets and, of course, at the Farmers market.
Spring clean your kitchen. Throw out all of the unhealthy foods and replace them with healthy, nutritious foods that are low in fat and added sugar.
Start walking or form an exercise club. Purchase a pedometer at the pharmacy and aim to do at least 10,000 steps a day. If exercise is something new for you, start with a brisk ten-minute walk three times a day, five times a week. If you are thinking this is too much exercise, then close your eyes and imagine how much exercise your grandparents did and they never called it exercise; they called it living. Walk the stairs whenever you can. Park your car as far as away as possible from your workplace or better still, take the ferry or the bus. Decide today that you will start being active.
Just a few simple changes can make a huge difference to your health.
Drink water. Put a bottle or jug of water on your desk first thing in the morning and drink it during the day.
Stop drinking those sugary drinks
Start being active. A ten-minute walk several times a day will help make you healthier and make you feel good.
Try to eat at least five fruits and vegetables a day.
The big question to ask is do you want to be healthy? If you say: “Of course I do,” then start today. You will feel better and have more energy to do all the fun things you enjoy. So what are you waiting for? Put on those walking shoes and pick up a bottle of water. Get going.