New research suggests that half of people who are overweight may actually be heart-healthy -- and many of those who are skinny may be heading for heart-related woes in the future.
When it comes to just about anyone, there is no excuse not to exercise. But this advice may be even more pertinent to those diagnosed with diabetes -- evidenced by the fact that the American Diabetes Association highly recommends activity for these individuals.
Unfortunately, many people just come up with excuses not to be active.
When we are young we believe we are indestructible. You remember that glorious time when you thought there was nothing out there that could kill you. Staying up all night dancing and partying, eating pizza, smoking and drinking alcohol and Red Bull -- does this sound familiar?
Inevitably, one day we wake up and find ourselves older, in a relationship and possibly with children.
Sure, we may still continue to eat pizza, drink sugary sodas and keep our energy levels up with stimulants. But four things have changed:
Our bodies' metabolisms have slowed down;
We are less active;
We have lost lean muscle tissue; and
We have started to gain weight.
Those initial signs are the beginning of a downward spiral that we need to be aware of that naturally accompanies aging. And we need to meet these challenges by replacing our unhealthy behaviors with strategies that work toward a healthier lifestyle.
Now for a growing number of us, a routine checkup could culminate in receiving the news from our doctors: "You have type 2 diabetes!"
Type 2 diabetes is a form that affects 90 to 95 percent of all those who have the disease. In type 2 diabetes, the pancreas does produce the blood sugar that regulates the hormone insulin, but only in small quantities.
Many who have type 2 diabetes remain unaware of their condition. But an important point is that type 2 diabetes occurs in adults who are overweight, and is characterized by a reduced sensitivity of insulin-target cells to available insulin.
Do you have more information about this topic? If so, please click here to contact the editors of ABC News.
