LifeMasters Provides Healthy Eating Tips To Help Individuals Manage Chronic Cond

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LifeMasters Provides Healthy Eating Tips To Help Individuals Manage

Chronic Conditions During The Holidays

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=58355

The holiday grazing season sparks weight gain worries for the

average American, but for individuals with chronic conditions, the

worries and health risks can be more serious. Holiday foods high in

fat, sugar, calories and sodium can contribute to symptoms that

challenge their management of chronic conditions.

" The temptation of large dinners and baked goods may cause

overindulging, and the cold weather discourages people from

exercising, " said C. Rene , RN, MS, CV/ANP, Clinical Product

Manager, at LifeMasters Supported SelfCare, Inc., a leading provider

of disease management programs and services in the nation. " Holiday

eating can present challenges for people with chronic conditions.

People with diabetes can skyrocket their blood glucose levels by

eating too many carbohydrates and for those dealing with congestive

heart failure or hypertension, consuming foods high in sodium can

lead to fluid retention and aggravation of high blood pressure. "

offers the following tips to reference during the holidays to

help improve management of chronic conditions and enjoy a happy and

healthy holiday:

LifeMasters Tips for a Healthy Holiday:

1. Think ahead: Don't skip meals. Keep consistent meal times when

possible as eating at your regular meal times can help prevent

overeating.

2. Manage size: Practice portion control by limiting meals to one

serving and eating slowly so the brain registers the feeling of

being full.

3. Avoid ingredients that can affect your condition: Read the

nutritional facts on package labels and ask about the ingredients of

served food to avoid high amounts of fat, sugars, carbohydrates and

sodium.

4. Know your body: For people with diabetes, increase glucose

monitoring during the holiday season. It may be helpful to check

your blood glucose levels before holiday events, meals and parties.

Fatigue during the holiday season is common. Prevent fatigue by

getting a good night's sleep. An occasional nap during the day may

be helpful too.

5. Exercise frequently: Walk or do low-intensity workouts to burn up

excess calories and increase energy levels. For people with

diabetes, exercise helps control blood glucose levels. Attend light

workout classes like Tai Chi or schedule " walk breaks " during the

work day. If it's cold outside, walking at your local mall or taking

the stairs instead of the elevator are good alternatives for

activity. Regular exercise can also help reduce the stress that the

holiday season brings.

6. Limit your alcohol: Alcohol is high in calories. The amount of

calories varies with the type and amount of an alcoholic beverage.

Keep to sensible drinking. Don't drink on an empty stomach. Enjoy

your drink with your meal.

About LifeMasters Supported SelfCare

LifeMasters Supported SelfCare, Inc. is a leading provider of

disease management programs and services that create health

partnerships among individuals, their physicians and payors. Its

mission is to empower individuals to achieve and maintain optimal

health. The programs improve quality of care for people with chronic

illnesses, reduce chronic-disease costs for payors and provide

decision-support tools for physicians. LifeMasters offers programs

for individuals with diabetes, congestive heart failure (CHF),

coronary artery disease (CAD), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

(COPD) hypertension and asthma (all of which are fully accredited by

the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) and URAC) and

musculo-skeletal pain. LifeMasters' programs are holistically

focused, support co-morbidities such as depression and facilitate

lifestyle changes such as smoking cessation and weight loss.

LifeMasters provides services to more than 650,000 people throughout

the nation.

Founded in 1994 by a physician, LifeMasters works with some of the

nation's leading health plans, employers, retirement systems and

governmental organizations, including Aetna, BlueCross BlueShield of

Tennessee, State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio, Florida's

Agency for Health Care Administration (Medicaid) and CMS. More

information about LifeMasters can be found at

http://www.lifemasters.com or by calling 1-800-777-1307.

LifeMasters Supported SelfCare, Inc.

http://www.lifemasters.com