Category: Healthy Body

class=”healthy-body”;

Being an active Latina means expressing our love for our bodies through the joy of movement. Move your body to inspire other positive changes in your life. Enjoy plenty of fun and easy workouts to feel strong, healthy and fregona!

Healthy Body

Should I Lose Weight?

manton

Should I Lose Weight? 

How many times have you asked yourself this question?

At De Las Mías, we would like you to rephrase the question and ask yourself, “Should I be taking better care of myself?”

If you haven’t already done so, read my story, Avoiding the Thin Trap: A Letter From De Las Mías Founder. This is a personal story about how being raised to be “Sobre todo delgada,” can leave you feeling bad about yourself with the extra bonus of an eating disorder.

How Did We Get Here?

Maybe your doctor has told you that you need to lose a few pounds to get you out of the danger zone.  (Diabetes, Heart Disease, High Blood Pressure, Some Cancers)

Maybe you already have prediabetes.

Maybe your mom and abuela already have diabetes and you don’t want it.

Maybe your boyfriend makes comments about another woman’s hot body and she weighs 30 pounds less than you do.

Maybe your jeans are too tight and it doesn’t feel good.

Maybe you want to look like J. Lo

Maybe you looked at your BMI.

Moving on to a Healthier and More Natural Weight

There are many reasons, and some of them are good reasons, why it’s important to get to a healthier and more natural weight, but labeling yourself, comparing your body to others’, and going on some crazy deprivation diet is not going to get you there.

That’s one of the reasons why we are abandoning the use of BMI as a measure of healthy weight.

Abandoning the BMI

Traditionally, the BMI was developed as one way of assessing if someone needed to lose weight. It has been used as a way to help assess if people are in the “healthy weight” category for over 100 years.   The Body Mass Index is simply a number based on your weight and height.  So for over 100 years, the general premise of the BMI has been that the higher your BMI is the more fat you have in your body. But as time has gone by, scientists have realized that the BMI does not actually measure the percentage of fat, muscle or bone in your body.

A recent article, Is B.M.I. a Scam? – The New York Times does a great job at explaining how the BMI has been used in the past and how it can be helpful, or harmful.  For example, it states that BMI measures are sometimes useful in researching weight health.  And in fact, we used BMI measures in our own NIH funded research, in looking at data related to weight health and building healthy habits.

Through our journey to help Latinas lead healthier lives, we have come to recognize how distressing and not helpful BMI labels can be, and we have decided not to use the BMI as a tool to assess if women are at a healthy weight.

At De Las Mías we believe that if we foster self-love and practice self-care we will arrive at a healthier, more balanced life. We believe that eventually this will lead to a healthier more natural weight for our unique and beautiful bodies.

We encourage you to take better care of yourself and build up healthy habits over time because this is the surest way to arrive at a healthier place. We are validated by more and more research that demonstrates the effectiveness of this approach.

Happily we are not alone.  We love the work of Dr. Linda Bacon, author of Health at Any Size.  Her groundbreaking work in the field of weight health is very closely aligned with ours.  Dr. Bacon and her colleagues have conducted several well-designed research projects that come to this same conclusion: If you want to reach a healthy and natural weight, your best bet is to focus on self-acceptance and self-care.

Dr. Bacon’s work, like the work of De Las Mías is to get you out of the “weight-loss mentality” and into the “embrace the health and happiness mentality.”  (1)

With that philosophy in mind, we developed the De Las Mías Tools for Healthy Living

We invite you to explore the De Las Mías App for great tools for healthy living.  One of the recommended tools for healthy eating is the De Las Mías Eating Plan.

What is a Healthy Eating Plan?

Whenever you want to get something done, and you want it to last, you need a plan. Eating healthfully and taking care of yourself is no exception.  That is why our Mera Mera Nutritionist, Malena Perdomo has developed a great 9-Step Healthy Eating Plan for Better Nutrition for you to consider.

As Latinas, we know that good food doesn’t just feed your body, it feeds your soul. We have a great library of healthy Mexican, New Mexican, and Southwestern dishes from Madrina Lori’s test kitchen. Lori and Malena are our dynamic duo—we call them Las Madrinas en La Cocina! You are going to love preparing and enjoying these delicious, nutritious, and culture-affirming foods.

The De Las Mías Healthy Lifestyle Checklist –

We have developed a great healthy lifestyle checklist you can use on our free App.  This easy-to-use checklist helps you monitor your healthy lifestyle goals.

We find that if you make a habit of using the De Las Mías Healthy Lifestyle Checklist, you will be well on your way to leading a healthier and more balanced life. In time, you will arrive at a healthy and natural weight for you.

What about physical activity?

Yes!

Find a physical activity that you love and move your body at least 30 minutes every day.  This is in keeping with the NIH recommendation to do moderate to vigorous activity for at least 30 minutes a day, five days a week.

Moderate means: Walking, cycling less than 10 miles per hour, gardening (such as raking, digging, or trimming shrubs), dancing, water aerobics or playing in the park with your kids or grandkids.

Vigorous means: Running or jogging, walking fast, cycling fast, heavy yard work (such as chopping wood or shoveling snow), swimming laps or playing a sport like basketball or fútbol.

At De Las Mías, we want you to LOVE YOUR BODY! Move it! Dance it! Walk it. Bike it. Run it. Grow a garden with it. Please it. Be proud of it. Stop comparing it.

Move it as much as you can, at least five days a week for 30 minutes a day and give yourself a big ¡Eso!

Move your body in a way that affirms the love you have for yourself and your desire to be healthy and strong.

The De Las Mías journey to a healthy life is a fun, and affirming way for Latinas

¡Unidas for a Healthy Life!

The De Las Mías app is free and ready for download in the Google Play Store. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @delasmiaslife.

 

Ref:  Bacon, Linda. Healthy at Any Size:  The Surprising Truth About Your Weight. BenBella Books, Inc.  Dallas, Texas. 2008

Callahan, Alice. Is BMI a Scam?  https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/18/style/is-bmi-a-scam.html.

¡Hola, Guapa!, English, Healthy Body

Should I Lose Weight?

shared

Should I Lose Weight? 

How many times have you asked yourself this question? At De Las Mías, we would like you to rephrase the question and ask yourself, “Should I be taking better care of myself?” If you haven’t already done so, read my story, Avoiding the Thin Trap: A Letter From De Las Mías Founder. This is a personal story about how being raised to be “Sobre todo delgada,” can leave you feeling bad about yourself with the extra bonus of an eating disorder.

How Did We Get Here?

Maybe your doctor has told you that you need to lose a few pounds to get you out of the danger zone.  (Diabetes, Heart Disease, High Blood Pressure, Some Cancers) Maybe you already have prediabetes. Maybe your mom and abuela already have diabetes and you don’t want it. Maybe your boyfriend makes comments about another woman’s hot body and she weighs 30 pounds less than you do. Maybe your jeans are too tight and it doesn’t feel good. Maybe you want to look like J. Lo Maybe you looked at your BMI.

Moving on to a Healthier and More Natural Weight

There are many reasons, and some of them are good reasons, why it’s important to get to a healthier and more natural weight, but labeling yourself, comparing your body to others’, and going on some crazy deprivation diet is not going to get you there. That’s one of the reasons why we are abandoning the use of BMI as a measure of healthy weight.

Abandoning the BMI

Traditionally, the BMI was developed as one way of assessing if someone needed to lose weight. It has been used as a way to help assess if people are in the “healthy weight” category for over 100 years.   The Body Mass Index is simply a number based on your weight and height.  So for over 100 years, the general premise of the BMI has been that the higher your BMI is the more fat you have in your body. But as time has gone by, scientists have realized that the BMI does not actually measure the percentage of fat, muscle or bone in your body. A recent article, Is B.M.I. a Scam? – The New York Times does a great job at explaining how the BMI has been used in the past and how it can be helpful, or harmful.  For example, it states that BMI measures are sometimes useful in researching weight health.  And in fact, we used BMI measures in our own NIH funded research, in looking at data related to weight health and building healthy habits. Through our journey to help Latinas lead healthier lives, we have come to recognize how distressing and not helpful BMI labels can be, and we have decided not to use the BMI as a tool to assess if women are at a healthy weight. At De Las Mías we believe that if we foster self-love and practice self-care we will arrive at a healthier, more balanced life. We believe that eventually this will lead to a healthier more natural weight for our unique and beautiful bodies. We encourage you to take better care of yourself and build up healthy habits over time because this is the surest way to arrive at a healthier place. We are validated by more and more research that demonstrates the effectiveness of this approach. Happily we are not alone.  We love the work of Dr. Linda Bacon, author of Health at Any Size.  Her groundbreaking work in the field of weight health is very closely aligned with ours.  Dr. Bacon and her colleagues have conducted several well-designed research projects that come to this same conclusion: If you want to reach a healthy and natural weight, your best bet is to focus on self-acceptance and self-care. Dr. Bacon’s work, like the work of De Las Mías is to get you out of the “weight-loss mentality” and into the “embrace the health and happiness mentality.”  (1)

With that philosophy in mind, we developed the De Las Mías Tools for Healthy Living

We invite you to explore the De Las Mías App for great tools for healthy living.  One of the recommended tools for healthy eating is the De Las Mías Eating Plan.

What is a Healthy Eating Plan?

Whenever you want to get something done, and you want it to last, you need a plan. Eating healthfully and taking care of yourself is no exception.  That is why our Mera Mera Nutritionist, Malena Perdomo has developed a great 9-Step Healthy Eating Plan for Better Nutrition for you to consider. As Latinas, we know that good food doesn’t just feed your body, it feeds your soul. We have a great library of healthy Mexican, New Mexican, and Southwestern dishes from Madrina Lori’s test kitchen. Lori and Malena are our dynamic duo—we call them Las Madrinas en La Cocina! You are going to love preparing and enjoying these delicious, nutritious, and culture-affirming foods.

The De Las Mías Healthy Lifestyle Checklist –

We have developed a great healthy lifestyle checklist you can use on our free App.  This easy-to-use checklist helps you monitor your healthy lifestyle goals. We find that if you make a habit of using the De Las Mías Healthy Lifestyle Checklist, you will be well on your way to leading a healthier and more balanced life. In time, you will arrive at a healthy and natural weight for you.

What about physical activity?

Yes! Find a physical activity that you love and move your body at least 30 minutes every day.  This is in keeping with the NIH recommendation to do moderate to vigorous activity for at least 30 minutes a day, five days a week. Moderate means: Walking, cycling less than 10 miles per hour, gardening (such as raking, digging, or trimming shrubs), dancing, water aerobics or playing in the park with your kids or grandkids. Vigorous means: Running or jogging, walking fast, cycling fast, heavy yard work (such as chopping wood or shoveling snow), swimming laps or playing a sport like basketball or fútbol. At De Las Mías, we want you to LOVE YOUR BODY! Move it! Dance it! Walk it. Bike it. Run it. Grow a garden with it. Please it. Be proud of it. Stop comparing it. Move it as much as you can, at least five days a week for 30 minutes a day and give yourself a big ¡Eso! Move your body in a way that affirms the love you have for yourself and your desire to be healthy and strong. The De Las Mías journey to a healthy life is a fun, and affirming way for Latinas ¡Unidas for a Healthy Life! The De Las Mías app is free and ready for download in the Google Play Store. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @delasmiaslife.   Ref:  Bacon, Linda. Healthy at Any Size:  The Surprising Truth About Your Weight. BenBella Books, Inc.  Dallas, Texas. 2008 Callahan, Alice. Is BMI a Scam?  https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/18/style/is-bmi-a-scam.html.

Healthy Body, Healthy Comadres, Healthy Family

Five Steps to Living a Life with Ganas and Salud

manton

So You Have Diabetes, Comadre…

First of all, remember, you are strong, you are powerful.  You are Latina.  Even with all the diabetes in our families and communities, Latinas still live longer than anyone else.

We are made of strong stuff.  So even though we have diabetes, we still live longer than anyone else.  Now let’s live, not just longer, but also healthier!  We can do it.

Let’s take care of ourselves con Ganas y Salud!

When it comes to diabetes, taking care of ourselves comes down to several steps.

  1. See a Certified Diabetes Educator.
  2. Eat Healthy.
  3. ¡Actívate! Get active, already.
  4. Manage your stress.
  5. Get support.

  1. See a Certified Diabetes Educator. The first step in taking care of your diabetes is to get good advice from an expert.  If you have insurance, are on Medicare or Medicaid, find out more about DSMES.

DSMES is the Diabetes Self Management Education and Support Program.  This program offers special diabetes education and management services to people with diabetes.  These are certified educators who know what they’re doing when it comes to diabetes.  They will help you figure out a plan that is tailored to  your needs.  Take advantage of it, if you can.

If you are Medicare and/or Medicaid, DSMES may be free.  Find out more.

There are other very good resources in the United States for other diabetes education and support.  There is a program called the Diabetes Self-Management Program and the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program that offer classes.  You will learn a lot about diabetes self-care and you will make friends!

Contact your local health department for information about these free classes.  They are sometimes available in Spanish.

  1. Eat Healthy. What does that mean?  We are going to give you some simple guidelines, from the CDC.  This is an easy way to eat healthier when you have diabetes. 

The Plate Method

Eating healthy when you have diabetes is all about controlling your blood sugar levels.  Starchy vegetables and processed grains like white flour, white rice, white flour tortillas and white bread are just some of the foods that will raise  your blood sugar levels.  These kinds of foods can cause you problems. Learn to eat these kinds of foods in a more moderate way, and your body will thank you. It doesn’t mean you can never have cake or bizcochitos or empanadas.  It just means you need to take care of yourself by being careful and medida.  Nothing wrong with being medida. (Didn’t your mama always tell you that?)

The plate method is a simple, visual way to make sure you get enough nonstarchy vegetables and lean protein while limiting the amount of higher-carb foods.

Here’s how to use the Plate Method:

  • Start with a 9-inch dinner plate.
  • Fill half with nonstarchy vegetables, such as salad, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, peppers, verdolagas, pepinos, and carrots.
  • Fill one quarter of your plate with a lean protein, such as chicken, fish, turkey, beans, or eggs.
  • Fill one quarter with carb foods. Foods that are higher in carbs include grains, starchy vegetables (such as potatoes and peas), rice, pasta, fruit, and yogurt. A cup of milk also counts as a carb food.
  • Choose water or a low-calorie drink such as unsweetened iced tea to go with your meal.
  • Look in our Cocina for Diabetes Friendly Recipes.
  • Learn to make more veggie dishes.
  • Snack on veggies like carrots, pepino con chilito, green beans, celery and jicama, also con chilito y limón.

  1. ¡Actívate, Ya! Get active already.  You don’t need to join the gym or get expensive equipment.  Start with 30 to 45 minutes of activity every day.  You can go for a 20 minute walk in the morning and 20 minute walk in the afternoon. You can mix up up. 

Get a bike! Ride your bike for 30 minutes. Work in your garden for 20 minutes and go for a walk for another 20 minutes.

Walking is free. Find a safe place to walk. Call your Comadre and get out there, Girl! Being more active will help you control you blood sugar and may help you get to a healthier weight. Don’t delay. Do it today.

  1. Manage your stress. Stress is not good for anyone but it is especially hard on people with diabetes.  Learn about deep relaxation. There are many free resources online that can help you manage your stress.  Even taking 10 deep  relaxing breaths every few hours will help you reduce stress.  Go stand under a tree for 5 minutes and be still.  Take a walk around your neighborhood and look at the flowers. Pray the rosary. Or use prayer beads in your own way. 
  2. Get support. Moral support is very  important for people with diabetes.  Avoid isolating yourself when you feel sick or low energy.  Call a Comadre and complain.  Go for it.  Join a support group.  Take a diabetes self-management class and make new friends who also have diabetes.  Reach out to your friends and family and share your feelings.  Find people who will not judge you when you don’t stick  to your plan or eat something that makes you feel guilty. 

Remember, you can live well with diabetes.  You are strong. You are powerful. You are Latina!  And you live longer than anyone else!  That’s good news!

Now live your healthiest life so  you can live that long life con ganas y salud.

¡Hola, Guapa!, ¡Hola, Sabrosa!, Edición No. 3: Stay On Track, Healthy Body, Healthy Comadres, Spanish

Cinco pasos para vivir una vida con Ganas y Salud

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Así que tienes diabetes, Comadre…

En primer lugar, recuerda: Eres fuerte, eres poderosa y eres latina.  Con toda la diabetes que es aparente en nuestras familias y comunidades, las latinas vivimos vidas más largas que la demás de la población en los EEUU. Estamos bien hechas. Así que a pesar de que tenemos diabetes, todavía vivimos más tiempo que nadie.  ¡Ahora vamos a vivir, no sólo más tiempo, sino también más una vida más saludable! ¡Sí se puede! ¡Cuidémonos con Ganas y Salud!

Cuando se trata de diabetes, cuidarnos a nosotros mismas se quiere decir tomar estos cinco pasos:

  1. Consulta a un educador certificado en diabetes.
  2. Come sano.
  3. ¡Actívate, Ya!
  4. Maneja tu estrés.
  5. Busca y encuentra apoyo.

  1. Consulta con un educador certificado en diabetes. El primer paso para cuidar de tu diabetes es obtener buenos consejos de un experto.  Si tienes seguro, perfecto.  Si tienes Medicare o Medicaid,busca más información sobre DSMES.

El DSMES es el Programa de Educación y Apoyo para el Autocontrol de la Diabetes.  Este programa ofrece educación especial  sobre la diabetes y servicios de control a las personas con diabetes.  Estos son educadores certificados que son expertos en diabetes.  Ellos te pueden ayudar a encontrar un plan que se adapta a tus necesidades.  Aprovéchalo, si puedes. Si tienes Medicare o Medicaid, DSMES puede ser gratis.  Pide más información. Hay otros recursos muy buenos en los Estados Unidos para personas con diabetes.  Hay un programa llamado programa de autocontrol de la diabetes y el programa de autocontrol de enfermedades crónicas.  Ofrecen clases gratuitas.  ¡Aprenderás mucho sobre el autocuidado de la diabetes yencontrarás amigas! Comunícate con el departamento de salud local para obtener información sobre estas clases gratuitas.    A veces están disponibles en español.

  1. Come sano. ¿Qué significa eso?  Vamos a darte unos tips muy sencillos de parte del CDC.  Esta es una manera fácil de comer más sano cuando uno tiene diabetes.

El método del Plato.

Comer sano cuando tienes diabetes se trata de controlar tus niveles de azúcar en la sangre.  Las verduras con almidón y los granos procesados como la harina blanca, el arroz blanco, las tortillas de harina blanca y el pan blanco son solo algunos de los alimentos que te suben el azúcar en la sangre.  Este tipo de alimento te puede causar problemas. Puedes comer estos alimentos, pero con medida.  Tu cuerpo te lo agradecerá.  No quiere decir que nunca podrás comer pastel o bizcochitos o empanadas. Sólo significa que te tienes que cuidar a ti misma, y ser medida.  Nada de malo en ser  medida. (¿Te acuerdas de los consejos de mamá o de la tía?) El método del plato es una forma simple y visual de asegurarte que estás comiendo suficientes verduras, frutas y proteínas bajas en grasa.  Esto te ayuda a limitar comer alimentos con muchos carbohidratos.

A continuación, se explica cómo utilizar el método del Plato: También se conoce cómo My Plate o Mi Plato:

  • Comienza con un plato de cena de 9 pulgadas.
  • Llena la mitad con verduras no frescas y verdes como ensalada, judías verdes, brócoli, coliflor, repollo, pimientos, verdolagas, pepinos y
  • Llene una cuarta parte de tu plato con una proteína magra, como pollo, pescado, pavo, frijoles o huevos.
  • Llene una cuarta parte del plato con alimentos con carbohidratos. Los alimentos que son más altos en carbohidratos incluyen granos procesados, verduras con almidón (como papa), arroz, pasta, frutas y yogur. Una taza de leche también cuenta como alimento con carbohidratos.
  • Bebe agua o té sin azúcar.
  • Busca más recetas con verduras en nuestra Cocina. Hay recetas “Diabetes Friendly.”
  • Aprende a hacer más platillos vegetarianos.
  • Para merendar, come verduras como zanahorias, pepino con chilito, judías verdes, apio y jícama, también con chilito y limón.

  1. ¡Actívate, Ya! Asegúrate de ser activa de 30 a 45 minutos diarios.  Se puede ir a dar a caminar 15-20 minutos por la mañana y 15-20 minutos por la tarde.  No tienes que ir a caminar.  También puedes pasearte en bici.  Trabaje en tu jardín por 15-20 minutos y luego sal a caminar.

Caminar es gratis y lo más fácil.  Encuentra un lugar seguro.  Llámale a tu Comadre y salte, ¡Chica!   Ser más activa te ayudará a controlar el azúcar en la sangre y a llegar a un peso más saludable. No te dilates. Hazlo hoy.

  1. Maneje tu estrés. El estrés no es bueno para nadie, pero es especialmente difícil para las personas con diabetes.  Aprende sobre la relajación profunda. Hay muchos recursos gratuitos en línea que pueden Incluso, hasta puedes tomar 10 respiraciones relajantes profundas cada unas cuantas horas y hasta esto te ayudará a reducir el estrés.  Ve a pararte debajo de un árbol por 5 minutos y cálmate así. Date un paseo por tu vecindario y mira las flores.   Reza el rosario.  O usa las cuentas de oración a tu manera.
  2. Obtén apoyo. El apoyo moral es muy importante para las personas con diabetes.  Evita aislarte cuando te sientas mal o con poca energía.  Llámale a tu comadre y quéjate.  Tienes que desahogar.   Únete a un grupo de apoyo.  Toma una clase de autocontrol de la diabetes y encuentra nuevas amistades que también tengan diabetes.  Ponte en contacto con tus amigas y familiares y comparte tus sentimientos.  Encuentra personas que no te juzguen cuando no puedas cumplir con tu plan de comer bien.  No te dejes sentir culpable si no cumples con tu plan.  Nada más comienza de nuevo otra vez.

Recuerda que tú puedes vivir bien con diabetes.  Eres fuerte. Eres poderosa. ¡Eres latina!  ¡Y vives más tiempo que nadie! ¡Esa es una buena noticia! Ahora vive tu vida más saludable para que puedas vivir esa larga vida con ganas y salud.

¡Hola, Guapa!, English, Healthy Body, Healthy Comadres, Healthy Family

Five Steps to Living a Life with Ganas and Salud

shared

So You Have Diabetes, Comadre…

First of all, remember, you are strong, you are powerful.  You are Latina.  Even with all the diabetes in our families and communities, Latinas still live longer than anyone else.

We are made of strong stuff.  So even though we have diabetes, we still live longer than anyone else.  Now let’s live, not just longer, but also healthier!  We can do it. Let’s take care of ourselves con Ganas y Salud!

When it comes to diabetes, taking care of ourselves comes down to several steps.

  1. See a Certified Diabetes Educator.
  2. Eat Healthy.
  3. ¡Actívate! Get active, already.
  4. Manage your stress.
  5. Get support.

  1. See a Certified Diabetes Educator. The first step in taking care of your diabetes is to get good advice from an expert.  If you have insurance, are on Medicare or Medicaid, find out more about DSMES.

DSMES is the Diabetes Self Management Education and Support Program.  This program offers special diabetes education and management services to people with diabetes.  These are certified educators who know what they’re doing when it comes to diabetes.  They will help you figure out a plan that is tailored to  your needs.  Take advantage of it, if you can. If you are Medicare and/or Medicaid, DSMES may be free.  Find out more. There are other very good resources in the United States for other diabetes education and support.  There is a program called the Diabetes Self-Management Program and the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program that offer classes.  You will learn a lot about diabetes self-care and you will make friends! Contact your local health department for information about these free classes.  They are sometimes available in Spanish.

  1. Eat Healthy. What does that mean?  We are going to give you some simple guidelines, from the CDC.  This is an easy way to eat healthier when you have diabetes. 

The Plate Method

Eating healthy when you have diabetes is all about controlling your blood sugar levels.  Starchy vegetables and processed grains like white flour, white rice, white flour tortillas and white bread are just some of the foods that will raise  your blood sugar levels.  These kinds of foods can cause you problems. Learn to eat these kinds of foods in a more moderate way, and your body will thank you. It doesn’t mean you can never have cake or bizcochitos or empanadas.  It just means you need to take care of yourself by being careful and medida.  Nothing wrong with being medida. (Didn’t your mama always tell you that?) The plate method is a simple, visual way to make sure you get enough nonstarchy vegetables and lean protein while limiting the amount of higher-carb foods.

Here’s how to use the Plate Method:

  • Start with a 9-inch dinner plate.
  • Fill half with nonstarchy vegetables, such as salad, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, peppers, verdolagas, pepinos, and carrots.
  • Fill one quarter of your plate with a lean protein, such as chicken, fish, turkey, beans, or eggs.
  • Fill one quarter with carb foods. Foods that are higher in carbs include grains, starchy vegetables (such as potatoes and peas), rice, pasta, fruit, and yogurt. A cup of milk also counts as a carb food.
  • Choose water or a low-calorie drink such as unsweetened iced tea to go with your meal.
  • Look in our Cocina for Diabetes Friendly Recipes.
  • Learn to make more veggie dishes.
  • Snack on veggies like carrots, pepino con chilito, green beans, celery and jicama, also con chilito y limón.

  1. ¡Actívate, Ya! Get active already.  You don’t need to join the gym or get expensive equipment.  Start with 30 to 45 minutes of activity every day.  You can go for a 20 minute walk in the morning and 20 minute walk in the afternoon. You can mix up up. 

Get a bike! Ride your bike for 30 minutes. Work in your garden for 20 minutes and go for a walk for another 20 minutes. Walking is free. Find a safe place to walk. Call your Comadre and get out there, Girl! Being more active will help you control you blood sugar and may help you get to a healthier weight. Don’t delay. Do it today.

  1. Manage your stress. Stress is not good for anyone but it is especially hard on people with diabetes.  Learn about deep relaxation. There are many free resources online that can help you manage your stress.  Even taking 10 deep  relaxing breaths every few hours will help you reduce stress.  Go stand under a tree for 5 minutes and be still.  Take a walk around your neighborhood and look at the flowers. Pray the rosary. Or use prayer beads in your own way. 
  2. Get support. Moral support is very  important for people with diabetes.  Avoid isolating yourself when you feel sick or low energy.  Call a Comadre and complain.  Go for it.  Join a support group.  Take a diabetes self-management class and make new friends who also have diabetes.  Reach out to your friends and family and share your feelings.  Find people who will not judge you when you don’t stick  to your plan or eat something that makes you feel guilty. 

Remember, you can live well with diabetes.  You are strong. You are powerful. You are Latina!  And you live longer than anyone else!  That’s good news! Now live your healthiest life so  you can live that long life con ganas y salud.

Healthy Body, Healthy Comadres, Latina Community

De Las Mías Tools for Healthy Living – ¡Actívate, Ya!

manton

Can we talk about physical activity?

Did you know that over half of Latinas in the United States are not physically active?

“Latinas are the largest, fastest growing female ethnic minority in the USA and also report the lowest level of physical activity.”(1)

“It is estimated that the number of deaths due to physical inactivity is similar to the number of deaths due to smoking.” (1)

“It is estimated that that just over half (52%) of Latina girls born in this century will eventually develop diabetes.” (1)

 

At De Las Mías we like to say “We are strong.   We are powerful.  We are Latinas.”

These research findings are a call to action, ¡Comadres!  If we, as Latinas, are to claim our rightful place in the world, raise strong, educated and healthy children, we have to take back this power and get moving!

What does it mean to be physically active?

Physical activity means moving your body, at a moderate intensity, in a way that uses up energy. It includes walking, dancing, running, cycling, hiking, climbing, swimming, lifting weights, doing yoga, stretching, gardening, running after your kids,  and any other activity that you do when you move your body to use energy.

The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommend that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity, or an equivalent combination each week.(2)  That means 30 minutes a day for 5 days.  AND, you don’t even have to do it all at once.  You can go for 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes in the afternoon or evening.  You can do it in the park or you can do it on safe street or you can do it at the mall.  Heck, I know someone who does it in Walmart! BUT YOU CAN DO IT!

Here are some of the benefits of physical activity:

  • Gives you energy.
  • Improves your mood.
  • Improves your confidence.
  • Improves your sex life.
  • Helps you manage stress.
  • Helps you get to a healthier weight.
  • Helps lowers your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers.
  • Helps lower blood pressure.
  • Helps you be a better role models to your children.
  • Helps you be more admired by our friends and family.

 

Barriers to Being Physically Active:

The research shows that when it comes to barriers to becoming more active, Latinas list time, energy, safety and lack of knowledge about physical activity as the main reasons why they don’t get more active. These are all real good reasons but we challenge you to find a solution, ¡Comadres!

It is ironic that lack of energy is a reason why some of us don’t get out there and move our bodies, yet, research shows that moving our body will give us energy!

 

Silver Linings –

But here are some encouraging research findings that we can grab on to:

¡Dime con quién andas y te dire quién eres!  Tell me who you “walk” with and I will tell you who you are!

Social support is key to physical activity:

  • Latinas who know people who exercise are more likely to be physically active.
  • Latinas who have physically active friends are more physically active.
  • Latinas who even report seeing people exercise in their barrios are more likely to be active than those who don’t report seeing people exercise.
  • Dancing as a form of physical activity among Latinas is more common than in other groups.
  • Providing free classes in the park or other safe spaces for groups to be active work for Latinas.
  • Walking groups with comadres, friends, and family are effective ways to get Latinas to be more active.

 

So, how about it, Comadres? 

What’s your ¡Actívate, Ya! Plan?

Can you think of one fun way you can mover you body this week?

Can you commit to moving your body, poco a poco, until you build up to 30 minutes per day?

Who can you ask to go with you?

Don’t you deserve unos minutitos to go out with your comadre for unos mitotitos?

 

Remember our SMART Goal technique.  

  • To make a plan, use the SMART Goal technique.
  • Everything goes better with comadres.
  • Share your SMART Goal with her.
  • What else do you need to prepare? Do you need a water bottle, a new pair of sneakers? A baseball cap to keep the sun out of your face.  A raincoat to go for a walk in the rain. A walking stick for the pesky dog.
  • Look at the Actívate, Ya! Features on the App. Learn to track your ¡Actívate, Ya!

 

References:

https://www.cdc.gov › physicalactivity › basics

https://salud-america.org/why-telling-latinas-to-just-exercise-is-a-big-mistake/
Physical activity in Latinas: social and environmental influences

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov › articles › PMC3868363

¡Hola, Guapa!, English, Healthy Body, Healthy Comadres

De Las Mías Tools for Healthy Living – ¡Actívate, Ya!

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Can we talk about physical activity?

Did you know that over half of Latinas in the United States are not physically active?

“Latinas are the largest, fastest growing female ethnic minority in the USA and also report the lowest level of physical activity.”(1)

“It is estimated that the number of deaths due to physical inactivity is similar to the number of deaths due to smoking.” (1)

“It is estimated that that just over half (52%) of Latina girls born in this century will eventually develop diabetes.” (1)

At De Las Mías we like to say “We are strong.   We are powerful.  We are Latinas.”

These research findings are a call to action, ¡Comadres!  If we, as Latinas, are to claim our rightful place in the world, raise strong, educated and healthy children, we have to take back this power and get moving!

What does it mean to be physically active?

Physical activity means moving your body, at a moderate intensity, in a way that uses up energy. It includes walking, dancing, running, cycling, hiking, climbing, swimming, lifting weights, doing yoga, stretching, gardening, running after your kids,  and any other activity that you do when you move your body to use energy.

The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommend that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity, or an equivalent combination each week.(2)  That means 30 minutes a day for 5 days.  AND, you don’t even have to do it all at once.  You can go for 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes in the afternoon or evening.  You can do it in the park or you can do it on safe street or you can do it at the mall.  Heck, I know someone who does it in Walmart! BUT YOU CAN DO IT!

Here are some of the benefits of physical activity:

  • Gives you energy.
  • Improves your mood.
  • Improves your confidence.
  • Improves your sex life.
  • Helps you manage stress.
  • Helps you get to a healthier weight.
  • Helps lowers your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers.
  • Helps lower blood pressure.
  • Helps you be a better role models to your children.
  • Helps you be more admired by our friends and family.

Barriers to Being Physically Active:

The research shows that when it comes to barriers to becoming more active, Latinas list time, energy, safety and lack of knowledge about physical activity as the main reasons why they don’t get more active. These are all real good reasons but we challenge you to find a solution, ¡Comadres!

It is ironic that lack of energy is a reason why some of us don’t get out there and move our bodies, yet, research shows that moving our body will give us energy!

Silver Linings –

But here are some encouraging research findings that we can grab on to:

¡Dime con quién andas y te dire quién eres!  Tell me who you “walk” with and I will tell you who you are!

Social support is key to physical activity:

  • Latinas who know people who exercise are more likely to be physically active.
  • Latinas who have physically active friends are more physically active.
  • Latinas who even report seeing people exercise in their barrios are more likely to be active than those who don’t report seeing people exercise.
  • Dancing as a form of physical activity among Latinas is more common than in other groups.
  • Providing free classes in the park or other safe spaces for groups to be active work for Latinas.
  • Walking groups with comadres, friends, and family are effective ways to get Latinas to be more active.

So, how about it, Comadres? 

What’s your ¡Actívate, Ya! Plan?

Can you think of one fun way you can mover you body this week?

Can you commit to moving your body, poco a poco, until you build up to 30 minutes per day?

Who can you ask to go with you?

Don’t you deserve unos minutitos to go out with your comadre for unos mitotitos?

Remember our SMART Goal technique.  

  • To make a plan, use the SMART Goal technique.
  • Everything goes better with comadres.
  • Share your SMART Goal with her.
  • What else do you need to prepare? Do you need a water bottle, a new pair of sneakers? A baseball cap to keep the sun out of your face.  A raincoat to go for a walk in the rain. A walking stick for the pesky dog.
  • Look at the Actívate, Ya! Features on the App. Learn to track your ¡Actívate, Ya!

References:

https://www.cdc.gov › physicalactivity › basics

https://salud-america.org/why-telling-latinas-to-just-exercise-is-a-big-mistake/
Physical activity in Latinas: social and environmental influences

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov › articles › PMC3868363

Healthy Body, Healthy Comadres, Healthy Family

The Wellness Wheel: La Rueda del Bienestar

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I love the word for wellness in Spanish – It means to be well.

The De Las Mías tool I want to introduce you to is called the Wellness Wheel in English – La rueda del bienestar in Spanish.

What does Wellness/Bienestar mean? 

At its center, wellness means living a healthy, balanced life.  It includes being physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually well.

In the physical realm, it means eating healthy foods, drinking plenty of water, getting exercise and treating your body with respect.

In the mental realm, it means keeping your mind engaged, reading, learning new things, and being a good problem solver.

In the emotional realm, it means giving and receiving social support, paying attention to how you feel, sharing your feelings in a healthy way, and having and showing empathy for others.

In the spiritual realm, it means paying attention to your inner self, meditating, praying, relaxing and/or believing in something greater than yourself.

At De Las Mías, when we talk about a healthy lifestyle, we are talking about wellness in the whole sense of the word.

Wellness means you are in active pursuit of a healthier, more balanced life. We believe that you can live a life of wellness even when you have a chronic condition like diabetes, cancer or heart disease.  The idea of pursuing wellness also goes along with self-care.

The Rueda del bienestar is one tool to help you check in with yourself and look at your life from this lens.  It is another tool to help you on your quest for a healthier life.

Here is how to use La Rueda del Bienestar –  

Draw the Wellness Wheel on a piece of paper.  Label each area of the wheel, like in the illustration.  Once you have your Rueda in front of you, place a little dot in the wheel of where you think you are in each aspect. Use a scale from 1-10. One is in the center, which means you have to pay more attention to this aspect, and ten is that you are very satisfied with your lifestyle in this aspect of wellness.

This is your own private wellness wheel, and if you feel ready, share it with your comadre or someone who cares about you. It is just another tool to help you take stock of where you are now and where you want to be.

After you do this part of the exercise, ask yourself:

  1. Where are my strong points?  What aspects of my Wellness Wheel do I feel really good about?
  2. What aspects of my Wellness Wheel need improvement?
  3. Choose one small step that you can take to improve one aspect of your Wellness Wheel.

You can use the SMART tool to help you go into action. bit.ly/DLMsmartGoals

Remember the power of the Comadre, i.e., social support! Share your plan of action with your Comadre, Sister or Friend!

¡Hola, Guapa!, ¡Hola, Sabrosa!, English, Healthy Body, Healthy Comadres

De Las Mías Tools: Recipe for Success

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Setting S.M.A.R.T. Goals

Do you want to be healthier, more powerful and lead a much more supported life?  We want that for you too! And we are here to help.

As the old dicho goes, “Del dicho al hecho es largo trecho.”  –  From saying it to doing it is a long stretch of road.

We are here to give you tools for your trecho.

Another old dicho, this one from our Chinese antecedents is, “When the student is ready, the teacher appears.”  If you’re ready, we’re here. We would be happy to be your teacher.

At De Las Mías we talk a lot about making positive changes that will take you on the road to a healthier life.

Here is a tool for your toolbox: It’s called S.M.A.R.T. Goals. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Timely.

We believe that anytime we want to make a change, we first must be ready for it.  So, consider this…

  • Have you been thinking of making a change in your life?
  • Have you been thinking of eating more fruits and vegetables?
  • Have you been thinking of getting out on a daily walk?

If you have been thinking about making healthy changes, chances are you are ready to go from thinking about it to doing it. But, to make a change, you need a plan. It isn’t enough to say you’re going to do it. You must take yourself to the next important step.

Setting S.M.A.R.T. Goals

Learning how to set goals is a powerful exercise.  Here is a well-tested tool that may get you on the road to making healthy changes in all areas of your life.  It’s called the SMART Goals tool.  Try it! Share it with your comadre.  Let us know how we can help!

What does SMART stand for?

Specific – This means you give details to your goal.  For example, you don’t just say “I am going to be more active.”  You say, “Today, I am going to start walking for 30 minutes and I will do it 3 times per week.”

Measurable – How will you know that you met your goal?  Keep track and measure it.  It could be as simple as writing it down on a post it and put it on your fridge.

If you use the De Las Mías App, keep your phone with you and the App will track your steps and record it for you.   Some people wear Fitbits or some other kind of wearable.  This is another way to measure your goals Now, you can even sync your wearable to the De Las Mías App.

Attainable – This means your goal is possible for you. For example, if your feet hurt when you walk, then it’s probably not attainable for you to set a walking goal of 30 minutes.  You could try 10 minutes at a time and build up.  You could try some other form of being active such as dancing, cycling, or swimming.  The important thing is to set a goal you can do.  Be realistic and get better results. Don’t shoot for the moon on the first try.  Slow and steady wins the race.

Relevant – Does your goal make sense to you?  Do you believe that it is important?  Does it fit with who you want to become?  It has to be something you want and that you believe has value.  Otherwise, it won’t work.

Timely – Set a time for when you are going to do it and for how long.  Some women even put it on their calendar.  Setting a goal for a week at a time is better than setting it for the whole year.

Here is an example of a SMART Goal.

 

Starting tomorrow, I am going to walk for 20 minutes during my lunch break.  I am going to walk every other day for this week.  At the end of the week, I will check in with myself and my comadre and see if I need to change my goal for next week or keep this up until I feel satisfied.

We believe that the SMART Goal tool works better if you have someone to share it with.  Sharing a goal helps keep us accountable and it is a powerful way to make healthy changes.  This is where your amigas and comadres come in.  Share your SMART goal with someone who cares about you and wants you to succeed.

¡Buena suerte!

¡Hola, Guapa!, English, Healthy Body

Self Care in the Time of COVID

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Self Care and Weight Gain

Are you gaining weight?  I heard from one of our comadres the other day via  Facebook, and she cried out “Help!  ¡Ayúdame!  I’ve put on a bunch of weight and it’s really stressing me out.  I can’t stand it anymore when I look in the mirror!  What am I going to do?”

It was a plea like the ones from the vintage Mexican lonely-hearts comic book, ¡Ayúdame, Doctora Corazón! Only Doctora Corazón helped mend broken hearts.

Our Hearts are Broken

But our hearts are broken, aren’t they? These crises we are living through are some of the worse times we will ever experience in our lifetimes.  COVID19 is destroying the lives of thousands of our Native, Latino and Black brothers and sisters all over our land.

Health disparities have come home to roost and it’s a pesadilla of mammoth proportions. Black Lives Matter are taking it to the streets and to our screens. This pandemic is a public health crisis, but racism is a public health crisis too and they have converged.

We hit the boiling point, hermanas.  These are hard and distressing times, and many of us are comforting ourselves and our families with food, which is completely understandable. We are consuming fritangas, chatarra, and chicharrones, as if our life depended on it.  As if we had no other choice.

And who can blame you?  Aren’t you taking care of a bunch of people right now, Super-Mujer?  I bet you are!  I bet you are bringing home the frijoles, cooking them and serving them up to a multi-generational montón de gente, and to top it all off, you aren’t even getting your nails or  hair done.

I speak from experience.  You should see my Covid hair! ¡Dios me salve, María!  And you know as well as I do that I do not look distinguished, okay?  That is a bunch of Malarkey como dice el Tío Joe.  I look like I’m 69 years old!  (Oh wait!  I’m 69 years old!)

But here’s the deal.  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, because at my age I get to repeat myself:  Los chicharrones son muy traicioneros!  They will turn on you like a bad boyfriend. No matter how simpaticos they look next to your Michelada, they are not your friend.  De vez en cuando, like at your cousin’s wedding pos-boda, they’re okay.  Delicious! Go for it!  ¡Aviéntate! But getting into the habit of overeating in the time of COVID is probably not going to make things better.

Let’s be honest. Are you giving up dieting?

(That’s a trick question. I want the answer to be, “yes.”)

Change Can Happen

During disruptive times like these, sometimes good things happen. Like Uber, there can be a disruptive technology. Change can happen.  So maybe women will finally give up dieting.  Maybe women like you and me, old and young, abuelas, tías, hijas, comadres, hermanas y madrinas will just say.  “Ya basta con las dietas, ”and start taking care of ourselves in the true sense of the word.

The Importance of Self Care

We have been doing a lot of  Self Care content on De Las Mías lately because we know how stressful these times are and how many responsibilities you have. Latinas are the hub of our families, remember?  We are the sun of the solar system we call familia.  Don’t be in denial about that, hermanas!  You know who you are!  You know that you are working full time, taking care of your mama, and your kids and your Viejo, who refuses to be controlled by you, and your sobrino is dropping out of high school, and you dread for his life.  You know these “truths to be self-evident.”

But what if in the midst of this DESMADRE, there is a dawning of a new age and I don’t mean Aquarius?  What if the dawning of a new age comes down to Latinas actually engaging in Self Care?  What if women like you and me would consider Self Care more seriously than having our hair and nails done?  What if Self Care means more than shopping for cute clothes, eating in front of the TV, or going out for a socially distancing happy hour with the girls?

My Hope For You and Me

My hope is that Self Care for you and me will mean that we take care of our bodies, our minds and our spirits, that we treat ourselves to good, healthy food, that we celebrate con muchas ganas, without being reckless with ourselves, that we move our glorious bodies and feel joy instead of a sense of duty. That we go back to dancing for the fun of it,  biking down tree-lined avenues like when we were girls or going out for nature walks with our  families.  What if those of us who survived this pandemic, took this crisis and turned it into an opportunity to become truly strong, healthy, and, yes, CHINGONAS?  What if we develop the ovaries and the confidence to demand we get paid what we’re worth? What if we stopped believing what the mass consumer market tells us about who we are, what we should look like and how much we should weigh? What if we start claiming our worth?

So, let’s send diets packing and claim our power to be strong and healthy, and yes, PODEROSAS.  Let’s tell the truth when we say, “We are strong.  We are healthy. We are Latinas.”