Editor’s Note: Every week, Breaking Bronx features a health-related story, event or tidbit as part of an online expansion of our Be Healthy! column.

According to the American Diabetes Association, almost one in 10 adult New Yorkers have diabetes, and diabetes has increased 13 percent in New York City since 2002. Almost 20 percent of Latino and Hispanic New Yorkers have diabetes. In New York City during 2007, 23 of every 100,000 Hispanics or Latinos died from diabetes. Contributing to this epidemic? Our soaring rates of obesity.

“Diabesity” is a preventable but deadly disease. Excess weight destroys the body’s ability to process sugar properly, with life-threatening consequences. While you can’t change having a family history of diabetes, you can do something to combat other risk factors, such as being overweight or sedentary (inactive). If you or a loved one has diabetes, your doctor will suggest lifestyle modifications and may prescribe medications to control blood sugar levels.

The good news is, fighting diabesity also helps you reduce the risk of long-term complications, such as heart disease, stroke, kidney or nerve damage and vision problems. To get your diabesity under control, you’ll need to consider a number of factors, including exercise, proper nutrition, monitoring your blood sugar, and taking medications effectively so you can reduce the risk of long-term consequences and feel better. Maife Santillan, a registered nurse with Visiting Nurse Services of New York, has advice to help you with all of the steps involved in managing diabesity.

UNDERSTANDING DIABETES

If you have diabetes, your body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or your body doesn’t respond well to insulin–an important hormone. Insulin helps your body move glucose from the foods you eat into your cells for fuel (energy). There are a variety of symptoms of uncontrolled diabetes, from fatigue to increased thirst and urination to slow wound healing. Blood sugar monitoring, healthy eating, exercise and taking doctor-prescribed medications properly are important steps in managing this chronic condition.

THREE STEPS TO BEAT DIABESITY

1. Nutrition
This is the number one issue for someone confronting diabesity. When shopping and planning meals for someone with diabetes:
• Exclude all refined sugar.
• Eat slowly and chew your food well.
• Add fruits and vegetables to the diet
• Avoid white flour, choosing brown rice and whole-wheat pasta.
• Avoid salt and fat in cooking. Use vegetable spray and add herbs, seasoning and spices to add flavor to food.
• Avoid drinking soda and juice. Eat fruit instead and drink low-fat milk.
• Control portions and don’t skip meals.
• Avoid artificial flavors, colors and food additives.
• Eat fish at least three times a week.

A caregiver should also make sure that a diabetic loved one has sugary items on hand in case of an emergency.

2. Hydration
Water may be the secret weapon in weight loss, say researchers in the U.S. and Germany. Although the impact is modest and the findings are preliminary, the researchers say water consumption increases the rate at which people burn calories which could have important implications for weight-control programs. Drinking water packs a one-two punch for those with diabetes, since insulin dries out the natural moisture of the skin.

“Make sure someone with diabetes drinks enough water,” advises Santillan. “Caregivers should check skin for dryness and encourage hydration.” He suggests filling a pitcher to the maximum daily requirement in the morning, dispensing water by the cupful, and making sure the pitcher is empty by bedtime. A minimum of 8 cups of total fluids is recommended in a day unless restricted by other medical conditions.

3. Exercise
Staying active is a critical part of keeping diabetes under control. Interval training — alternating between short periods of high-intensity exercise and longer periods of low-intensity training — can be done at all fitness levels. It burns more fat and calories than trekking along at a constant pace.

Research shows that exercising like this improves endurance, strengthens the heart and has positive effects on metabolism. If you go for a walk, power-walk for a minute or two every five minutes. A minimum of 30 minutes of exercise every day is recommended. If you jog, bike or swim, bump up the intensity every few minutes and sustain that pace for at least 60 seconds. (Always check with your doctor before embarking on an exercise regime.)

Editor’s note: To learn more about programs that can help you or someone you love cope with diabetes, visit www.VNSNY.org or call (800) 675-0391.