Shaquille O’Neal slam dunks diabetes
Retired US basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal has blamed bad diet and lack of exercise for the dramatic increase in diabetes and says a healthy way of life is the only way to address the global pandemic.
According to the International Diabetes Federation and the World Health Organisation, Africa is set to attain the highest growth rate of diabetes over the next 20 years. In the US, one in three citizens is expected to have contracted type 2 diabetes by 2050.
At 7.1ft tall and weighing around 160kg, O’Neal came was criticized for being “obese” during his 19 year NBA career, and was dubbed a “freak of nature”. Denying that he was ever obese, O’Neal claims that a year into retirement his body fat is only 13%, slightly below average for male athletes. O’Neal now promotes a healthy diet and lifestyle to fight diabetes which has affected some of his family members. He keeps his weight in check by cutting out bread and fizzy drinks and sticking to a meal plan of omlettes for breakfast, salad for lunch and steak or fish for dinner — although still has a weakness for chocolate brownies.
Blaming poor diet, lack of exercise and technology such as the iPhone, Twitter and social media (which keep children indoors) for playing a huge role in obesity, O’Neal says keeping in shape is no longer an option.
“It’s a different world we live in now,” O’Neal said in an interview on CNN. “I always urge people to eat healthy and ask them to try to help kids get exercise. I stress the importance of keeping them in shape. It’s not about the physical appearance but for their health.”
International diabetes expert, Dr Geert Verhelst says the link between diet and diabetes has been conclusively proven, adding that consuming sugar plays a major role in contracting the disease.
Verhelst — who consults to OTC Pharma International which developed and markets food supplement Diabecinn for diabetes type 2 — encourages the elimination of all refined and processed foods, all carb sources with a high glycemic index (sweets, sugared foods, sugared drinks, refines cereals), all bad fat sources containing refined oils, hydrogenated fats (transfats) and heated poly-onsaturated fats (oxidized fatty acids), and all processed meats and saturated fats.
Verhelst says a diet comprising fresh vegetables, non-sugary fruit, legumes and beans, nuts and seeds, whole grains, fermented milk products, unrefined oils with an accent on omega-3 and omega-9 (linseed oil, canola oil, olive oil), fatty fish, poultry and moderate amounts of quality lean red meat, not only promotes weight loss but provides antioxidants which have been shown to decrease insulin resistance.
Diabecinn is available in all health shops, pharmacies, Dis-Chem, Clicks, Pick n Pay, Medi-Rite and Wellness Warehouse.
For more info, see: www.otcpharma.co.za or visit Diabecinn SA on Facebook .