Pre-diabetes is a serious, but treatable medical condition if patients exercise and modify their diets. Lifestyle changes, including just 30 minutes of exercise per day and a 5-10% reduction in body weight, produced a 58% reduction in diabetes.

Meal planning, like carbohydrate counting, can manage your blood glucose levels. By keeping track of how many carbohydrates you eat and setting a limit for your maximum amount to eat, you can help keep your blood glucose levels in your target range. Carb counting is easy when you're looking at a label, but can be quite difficult when you're cooking for yourself.

The American Diabetes Association recommends eating about 45-60 grams of carbohydrate at a meal. You should still include protein and fat to balance your meals. These days there are many cookbooks created for people with dietary restrictions. This one came from recently released Brilliant Eats.

Rosemary Sage Burgers with Apple Slaw and Chive "Mayo"
Prep Time: 45 Minutes
Servings: 4

Burgers
     ½ pound extra-lean ground round beef
     ½ pound lean ground pork
     1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
     1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
     ¼ teaspoon salt
     4 whole-grain buns
     1 cup baby spinach leaves
Chive "Mayo"
     ½ cup nonfat sour cream
     2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
     1 dash each salt and pepper
Apple Slaw
     3 green apples, peeled, cored and grated
     2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
     1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Preheat grill to medium high. Combine beef, pork, rosemary, sage and salt in a medium-sized bowl; form into 4 patties. In a small bowl, combine mayo ingredients. In a medium-sized bowl, combine slaw ingredients. Grill patties 4 minutes on each side or until juices run clear. Toast the buns, and spread each top with chive "mayo." Place burger on bun, and top with slaw and several spinach leaves.

If you're at risk for diabetes or another medical condition that can me managed with diet, schedule your free nutrition consultation with a Registered Dietitian to learn more..

October was Physical Therapy Month, which gave our therapists time to consider what they love about their careers. Their answer: They love helping keep you pain free and resume the activities you love.

We realized, though, that unless you've been in physical therapy, there is a good chance you don't know what we do. Here's your cheat sheet to the benefits physical therapy can offer.

Physical therapists are health care professionals who evaluate and treat people with orthopedic issues (joint replacements or osteoporosis), neurological injuries (stroke or Parkinson's), and workplace or sports-related injuries. 

Most physical therapists specialize in particular injuries, but the best take their knowledge and use it to develop personalized plans for each patient to help restore movement, improve function, prevent loss of mobility, and decrease pain.

Physical therapists can help you improve your posture and reduce strain injuries from poor ergonomics (such as your computer workstation). They also educate patients in the importance of proper lifting techniques. 

Patient education plays a vital role in helping people understand their condition and to help prevent future reoccurrence. During this process the patient and therapist work together to improve the patients' physical, emotional, and spiritual self.

If you have chronic pain or have recently experienced an injury call Mettler Center or Mettler Athletic and set up a free 30-minute physical therapy consulation.