Need another good reason to keep close tabs on the food you eat? Eating healthy is not just about your blood pressure, blood sugar levels or waistline. Your diet may affect the health of your mouth and teeth, too.

Oral health is closely linked to the food a person eats, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The academy gives these prevention strategies to keep your mouth healthy:> Eat a healthy diet. Aim for a bal-

ance of fruits, vegetables, lean

protein, low-fat dairy products and whole grains that provide essential nutrients for your mouth and your overall health.

> Drink water or sugar-free beverages. The academy has found that sipping sugary beverages for lengthy periods of time is associated with an increased risk of tooth decay and cavities.

> Practice good oral hygiene. Brush your teeth with fluoride tooth-paste twice daily, floss daily and see your dentist regularly.

> Pop some gum. Chewing sugarless gum after eating a meal or snack increases the production of saliva, which can wash away acids that can damage your teeth’s enamel.

Bottom line: Want to take good care of your

mouth? Eat a healthy, balanced diet and make dental hygiene a priority, too. Learn more by visiting www.mouthhealthy.org.

How to Keep Your Mouth Healthy

OutlookH E A LT H , W E L L N E S S , P R E V E N T I O N

Spring 2014

Staying Healthy. Living Well. Diabetes

Get ready to change your clock: Daylight Saving Time

(DST) begins Sunday, March 9, at 2 a.m. While some people dread losing one more hour of sleep when the time change occurs, that additional hour of daylight in the evening is an extra hour to get outside and be active!

Ways to get moving. Venture into your garden and plant some seeds after work. Or use the extra time to take your children on a bike ride around the neighborhood after dinner. Put on your walking shoes and take a brisk walk to enjoy the cool air at the end of the day. Mow the lawn or wash and detail your car. (Think of all the good, calorie-burning effort it takes to apply that coat of wax.)

*Whatever you choose to do, enjoy it while you can because DST endson November 2!

Spring Forward! And Get Outside

2 Diabetes Outlook | Spring 2014

Water always is the No. 1 choice. But in general, you’re better off choosing calorie-free or very-low-calorie drinks because sugary drinks can send your blood glucose levels skyrocketing. They also can con-tribute excess calories that make reaching and maintaining a healthy weight more difficult.

What to choose: water, unsweet-ened iced tea, diet soda or other low-calorie drinks. Add a twist of lemon or lime for extra flavor.

What to avoid: colas and other sugary sodas, fruit punch, sweet tea, and energy drinks. And if you’re a coffee drinker, don’t give in to the temptation to dump three packets of sugar into your mug.

Of course you don’t have to totally avoid healthy beverages like 100 percent fruit juice or low-fat milk. But you’ll still need to watch portions and account for the carbo-hydrates they contain as part of your overall meal plan.

For people with diabetes, it’s important to have the following tests and checkups:

Hemoglobin A1C test two to four times a year Blood pressure check at every office visit Foot inspection at every office visit, and complete sensory

foot exam once a year Dilated retinal (eye) examination once a year Fasting lipid profile test—including high-density lipoprotein

(HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and triglycerides—at least once a year

Urinary protein/microalbumin test once a year Serum creatinine measured once a year Dental checkup at least twice a year

The information in this publication is not intended to be a substitute for medical care or advice provided by a health care provider. Always consult your provider for appropriate examinations, treatment and care recommendations. If you have any questions about this information, you should call your provider. Specific treatments and therapies may not be covered by your health plan. For questions about your benefits, please consult your health plan. Any reference in this material to other organizations or companies, including their Internet sites, is not an endorse-ment or warranty of the services, information or products provided by those organizations or companies. All models are used for illustrative purposes only. © 2014 Healthways, Inc.

Good Health GUIDELINES

Good Question( )

Even if you carefully watch your sugar intake, you can enjoy sweet-tasting foods once in a

while by eating naturally sweet fruits or using a sugar substitute. Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame (Equal® or Nutrasweet®) or sucralose (Splenda®) are one type of substitute that could be used in moderation as part of a healthy eating approach to manage blood sugar levels.

Artificial sweeteners don’t contain carbohydrates so they won’t cause blood glucose levels to rise, says the American Diabetes Association. But foods sweetened with sugar substitutes aren’t always low-calorie,

and may contain other carbs, so read labels carefully.

Keep in mind that the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) advises consumers to avoid su-cralose, saccharin, aspartame and acesulfame potassium (Sunett® or Sweet One®) when possible, though artificially sweetened diet soda is still probably preferable to regular soda. Stevia is generally considered to be safe by both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the CPSC.

Have questions? Talk to your healthcare provider about how sugar substitutes can be included as part of your overall diabetes meal plan.

Choosing a Sugar Substitute

What beverages can I drink and which ones should I avoid?

A CLOSER LOOK

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Spring 2014 | Diabetes Outlook 3

Your diabetes management routine can be thrown off if you ever need to spend time in the hospital. The Joint Commission collaborated with several leading diabetes associations to develop five steps to help you actively par-ticipate in the management of your diabetes from your hospital bed.

1Learn how your diabetes will be managed during your hospital

stay. Don’t assume that nurses or caregivers already know the best way to manage your diabetes.

2 Inquire about all medications that you’ll take and when you’ll

receive them. Find out what new medications you may be given that could interact with current meds. Ask questions about any medica-tions you don’t recognize. Many times, confusion happens when

hospitals substitute a generic form, but it’s always best to ask.

3 Know what will happen with your diet and what to do if your

meals or medicines arrive late. If you have questions about your meals, consult with the dietitian.

4 Avoid getting an infection. Diabetes puts you at elevated

risk for getting a hospital-acquired infection. Make sure caregivers wash their hands and wear gloves. Remind visitors to wash their hands or use hand sanitizer, too.

5 Ask for detailed written instructions about home care,

including a timeframe for when you can return to your normal diet, medicine routine and exercise. A trusted friend or relative can take notes about your home care to help you remember details later.

Participating in Your Care in the Hospital

This salad combines two stars of the spring garden, asparagus and peas. Since the asparagus goes into the mix raw, look for the freshest, tenderest spears you can find and slice them into very thin rounds.

Preparation Time: 35 minutesServing Size: 8 servings, about 2 cups each

Green Salad With Asparagus and Peas( )

Control Blood Sugar and Keep Your Brain Sharp

A recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that higher blood glucose levels seem to be a risk factor for dementia, even for people without diabetes. So it’s worth making the effort to exercise your brain as well

as your body. After your physical exercise routine, go for something that challenges your brain, since research shows that the most effec-tive activities are those that push you out of your mental comfort zone.

What you can do:> Try a challenging mental activ-

ity. Think crosswords or Sudoku. > Be social. Join a book club

or start your own organization of people with a similar interest.

> Learn something new, like a new language or how to play a musical instrument. Register for a course at a nearby college or university.

> Take a trip (even a short one), and explore unfamiliar surroundings.

Ingredients:2 teaspoons freshly grated

lemon zest 1⁄4 cup lemon juice 1⁄4 cup canola oil 1 teaspoon sugar 1⁄2 teaspoon salt 1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 2 heads Boston or Bibb lettuce 2 cups very thinly sliced fresh asparagus 2 cups shelled fresh peas 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives

Instructions:Combine lemon zest and juice, oil, sugar, salt and pepper in a large salad bowl. Add lettuce, asparagus, peas, tomatoes and chives (or scallion greens); toss to coat.

Nutrition Facts: Per Serving: 113 calories; 10 g carbohydrates; 3 g protein; 3 g fiber; 1 g added sugars; 7 g fat (1 g saturated, 4 g monounsaturated); 152 mg sodium; 339 mg potassium*Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A & Vitamin C (45% daily value), Folate (19% daily value)Diabetic Exchange: 2 vegetable, 1.5 fat

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Recipe by Joyce Hendley. © EatingWell, Inc. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission.

Need more incentive to control blood glucose levels? It could lower your risk for dementia.

Health or wellness or prevention information HW

Spring 2014Staying Healthy. Living Well. Sample the

Delicious Bounty of Springtime

Spring means all sorts of delicious fruits and vegetables are in season. Make a list of some of the best seasonal produce available where you live

and head to a farmer’s market or grocery store to pick up strawberries, butter lettuce, collard greens, snow peas, and apricots or whatever is

plentiful in your area. Challenge yourself to try something new this

spring. If your family loves strawberries, experiment with some new ways to serve them. Or pick a vegetable that you

haven’t eaten in a long time—or maybe ever. For something that’s both healthful and easy to prepare on a busy evening,

pick up some tender spring asparagus, which you can roast in a flash and serve. Or spritz a few spears with olive oil and grill them for just a couple of minutes. Another spring favorite is easy to prepare—sugar snap peas! Cook them unshelled and in the pod in boiling water, strain and eat. Or toss them in a sauté pan with a mixture of olive oil, lemon juice and garlic over medium-high heat for a couple of minutes.