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Organ donation: Your
questions answered
Becoming an organ donor is one of the
most generous things you could ever do.
But you might wonder what's involved—
and why you should consider it. If so,
here's the information you need.
Q
Why is becoming
a donor so crucial?
Nationwide, 22 people die
every day waiting for trans-
plants that can't take place because of a
shortage of donated organs. On the posi-
tive side: A single organ donor can save
up to eight lives.
Q
How can I become a donor?
Designate your decision on
your driver's license and state
donor registry (if available).
Talk to your family too, and ask them to
carry out your wishes.
Q
Are there age
limits for donors?
Anyone—regardless of age—
is a potential donor. New-
borns and senior citizens alike have been
donors.
Q
Can I become a donor if I
have a medical condition?
Chances are, yes. Only a few
medical conditions—such as
being infected with HIV or having ac-
tive cancer—absolutely rule you out as a
donor. Doctors will examine your organs
and determine if they are suitable for
donation at the time of your death.
Q
What organs
can be donated?
The heart, kidneys, lungs, liver,
pancreas and intestines.
Q
I've heard I can donate
tissues too. Is that correct?
Yes, you can donate corneas,
the middle ear, skin, heart
valves, bone, veins, cartilage, tendons
and ligaments.
Q
Are there any costs to
my family for donation?
No. Your family pays for your
medical care and funeral
costs—not for organ donation.
Q
How can I learn more about
being an organ donor?
Go to
organdonor.gov
.
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
5 ways to cut back on added sugars
If you pay
attention to dietary headlines, you’ve
probably heard the fuss over foods with added
sugars. And you might wonder: How could
something so deliciously sweet be so potentially
bad for your health?
First, it’s important to remember that sugars
occur naturally in many foods, from milk to fruit.
But that’s not the issue here.
Instead, we’re talking sugars, syrups and ca-
loric sweeteners that are added to foods when
they’re processed or prepared. Diets that limit
added sugars are linked to a reduced risk of obe-
sity and certain chronic diseases.
WHERE'S THE EXTRA SUGAR?
Everyone knows candy, cookies, cakes and regu-
lar sodas have added sugars. But added sugars
are also listed on packaged food labels un-
der dozens of different names. Among them:
cane sugar, syrup, brown sugar and many words
ending in
-ose
(like
fructose
or
dextrose
).
Added sugars can be a part of a nutritious
diet—you don’t have to shun them all. However,
you should limit them to less than 10 percent of
your daily calories. To help cut back:
1
Choose naturally sweet fruits for desserts
or snacks.
2
Shop for foods with less or no added sugar.
For instance, choose plain (instead of
flavored) yogurt and add your favorite fruit. Or
try unsweetened applesauce
3
Swap your usual sweetened soda, punch or
energy drink for water or milk.
4
When baking, try using only half the
recommended sugar. Chances are, nobody
will notice.
5
Make candy, cookies and other sweets an
occasional treat.
Sources: American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics; American Heart
Association; U.S. Department of Agriculture
Prediabetes
Why you shouldn
’
t ignore it
Meteorologists can often
warn us of
impending bad weather. Doctors can often
do the same with a serious disease.
An example: a condition called prediabetes.
If you’ve been diagnosed with predia-
betes, it means you have a blood glucose
(sugar) level that is creeping up. Your level
isn’t high enough yet to be called type 2
diabetes, but it is abnormally high.The con-
dition is basically a warning that screams:
“Pay attention! Danger ahead!”That’s be-
cause your risk of developing full-blown
diabetes is increased with prediabetes. And
once you have diabetes, it never goes away.
But here’s the good news: If you act now,
you can slow this trip toward diabetes. You
may even be able to stop it altogether.
TAKING A SAFER ROUTE
According to the American Diabetes As-
sociation (ADA), you can cut your risk of
type 2 diabetes by 58 percent if you:
● ●
Lose 7 percent of your body weight, or
about 15 pounds if you weigh 200 pounds.
● ●
Exercise moderately—taking a brisk
walk, for example—30 minutes a day, five
days a week.
These may require turning off the TV,
prioritizing schedules to make time for
exercise, and eating and shopping in a new
way. A healthy diet is one that cuts back on
calories and saturated fat and emphasizes
low-fat or nonfat dairy products, healthy
oils, whole grains, lean meats, dried beans,
fish, and lots of fruits and vegetables.
By taking positive steps now to con-
trol prediabetes, you can put yourself on
the path to better health—a path that just
might lead to a life without diabetes.
To learn more about prediabetes, visit the
ADA website at
diabetes.org. Search for
“prediabetes.”
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DESTINATION HEALTH