Dining Out and Staying Healthy

Eat healthy, whether it's a business meeting over lunch, carry-out dinner out or a fast-food meal with the kids. Here are some tips:

• If you don't know what's in a dish or don't know the serving size, ask.
• Try to eat the same portion as you would at home. If the serving size is larger, share some with your dining partner, or take extra food to go.
• Ask for fish or meat broiled with no extra butter.
• If you are on a low-salt meal plan, ask that no salt be added to your food.
• Ask for sauces, gravy and salad dressings "on the side."
• Order foods that are not breaded or fried as these preparations add fat.
• Read the menu creatively. Order a small portion of an appetizer or a cup of sorbet.
• Ask for substitutions. Instead of French fries, request a double order of a vegetable.
• Ask for low-calorie items, such as salad dressings, even if they're not on the menu.
• Limit alcohol, which adds calories but no nutrition to your meal.

Exercise for Better Health

If you have Type 1 diabetes, exercise is part of keeping your body healthy overall. If you have Type 2 diabetes, exercise can actually help improve your blood sugar control.

• If you have Type 1 diabetes, exercise is part of keeping your body healthy overall. If you have Type 2 diabetes, exercise can actually help improve your blood sugar control.
• Consult Your Doctor First.
• Learn how exercise fits in with your diabetes care.
• Use an Exercise Diary.
• Keep track of your workouts and how they affect your blood glucose levels. Share the diary with your doctor.
• Watch Your Glucose Levels.
• Keep track of your workouts and how they affect your blood glucose levels. This determines if your blood glucose levels are stable, rising or falling and if it's safe for you to exercise.
• Be Smart.
• Start slowly and build up.
• Warm up, cool down and stretch.
• Exercise 30 minutes a day, on most days of the week, if you can.
• Add resistance exercise such as pushups. Resistance training doesn't have to involve dumbbells and other equipment. You can use your own body weight to add resistance.

(Source: DiscoveryHealth.com)