38 THE QUEENS COURIER • WELLNESS • DECEMBER 20, 2018 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
wellness
6 simple tips for thriving with diabetes
Randy Jackson is best known as an
award-winning producer, music industry
expert and beloved television personality.
But what many people don’t know
is that Jackson has also been managing
the everyday reality of living with diabetes
for 18 years.
More than 30 million Americans live
with diabetes, according to the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC). Whether that’s you or someone
you care for, it’s clear that diabetes
impacts many daily decisions. While
everyday life with diabetes can feel overwhelming
at times, there are small, tangible
steps you can take to improve your
everyday reality.
Below are six simple tips from Jackson
to stay healthy and keep smiling.
1. Make healthy choices. You don’t
have to give up the foods you love, but
pay attention to what you eat and how
much of it hits your plate. Growing up
in Louisiana, I ate a lot of rich Southernfried
food and I just didn’t pay attention
to the portions. (Just how good it tasted!)
When I moved to LA, there was always
food around on tour or in the studio.
Today I’m more conscious of what I eat
and how much. I don’t think of food as
“good” or “bad,” but instead think about
which foods provide nutrition and keep
my blood sugar in check. Everything in
moderation.
2. Embrace movement. As with diet,
you don’t have to change overnight.
Just make sure you’re staying active.
When I was fi rst diagnosed with diabetes,
I weighed around 350 pounds and
exercise just wasn’t part of my life. I
slowly eased into an exercise plan that
worked for me, starting with something
as simple as walking. Today, I go to the
gym regularly, enjoy playing tennis, yoga
and Pilates. Find fun ways to incorporate
exercise into your daily routine and
when you fi nd something that works,
stick with it.
3. Maintain good oral health. I’m a
producer, but I also like to sing, so my
mouth really matters and I pay extra
attention to keeping it healthy. Th e reality
is, gum disease could be a bigger issue
for me than someone without diabetes.
People living with diabetes are two times
more likely to develop gum disease,
according to the CDC. I make sure to
pay extra attention to the products I use.
Th at’s why I use Colgate Total toothpaste.
Its unique formula is unsurpassed
for its ability to prevent and reverse gingivitis,
which is the most common form
of gum disease.
4. Listen to your doctor ... and your
dentist. It’s easy to be in denial or want to
avoid prediabetic symptoms. According
to the CDC, nearly 1 in 4 four adults living
with diabetes do not know they have
the condition. Don’t let diabetes sneak
up on you. Your mouth is the window
into your body, so your dentist can help
catch some problems early on. Your dentist
may see changes to your oral health
that could be indicators of diabetes, such
as fungal infections or signs of gum disease.
Be sure to listen to your doctor or
your dentist early and know your family
health history. For some, early treatment
of prediabetes can actually return blood
glucose levels to the normal range.
5. Create a personalized treatment
plan. Everyone’s body and symptoms
are diff erent. Make sure to work handin
hand with your doctor and dentist to
implement the necessary changes into
your routine and educate yourself on
the disease. It was not until I was diagnosed
in 2003 that I learned there are a
lot of other health issues linked to diabetes,
like gum disease. Th is deep understanding
of the disease motivated me
even more to ensure that I was managing
it accordingly.
6. Build a strong support system.
Remember, you don’t have to face the
everyday realities of diabetes alone.
Surround yourself with positive people
that will help motivate you, be it friends,
family, even an online community like
the American Diabetes Association’s
Facebook page.
For more information and ways to
manage the everyday reality of living
with diabetes, visit diabetes.org/everydayreality
and for information on oral
health go to OralHealthAndDiabetes.
com.
Courtesy BPT
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WAS IT TRIVIAL?
Q: In New York City, the right heel of my shoe became stuck in
a crack on the sidewalk. I tripped and fell. Within minutes, my friend
took photographs.
A: Under New York City Administrative Code 7-210(a), it is “the
duty of the owner of real property abutting any sidewalk, including,
but not limited to, the intersection quadrant for corner property, to
maintain such sidewalk in a reasonably safe condition.”
Often, the owner of the abutting property will seek to circumvent
section 7-210(a) by making a ‘triviality’ argument: that it may
not be held liable for a defect that is merely trivial, not constituting a
trap, snare, or nuisance. In determining whether a defect is trivial,
the court must examine all of the facts presented – including the
width, depth, elevation, irregularity and appearance of the defect
along with the time, place, and circumstance of the injury.
There is no minimal dimension test or per se rule that a
condition must be of a certain height or depth in order to support a
lawsuit. Photographs that fairly and accurately represent the
accident site may be used to establish whether or not the defect was
trivial. As with any accident, photographs taken as soon as possible
may well make all the difference.