Maintaining a healthy diabetes diet away from home requires planning ahead and making smart choices. It can be a challenge, but dining out doesn't have to be overwhelming. Many of the dietary rules people with type 2 diabetes need to follow ? limiting salt, sugar, and fat intake ? are beneficial for anyone.

The key to enjoying a meal at a restaurant is to have a plan going in, according to Dietlinde Wolter-Nitta, RD, CDE, of the Clinical Diabetes Center of Montefiore Hospital in New York City. That means knowing what's on the menu, what to avoid, and how to control the way food is prepared and served.

Here are some ideas to make your night out more fun and less work.

Tip 1: Do Your Homework

Wolter-Nitta suggests looking at the menu before trying a restaurant. "It's hard to make smart diet decisions when you're hungry," she said. "So if you decide beforehand, you can make yourself stick to it."

For people with diabetes, when they eat can be as important to maintaining their blood sugar level as what and how much they consume. It's a good idea to make a restaurant reservation whenever possible, and avoid peak times when the wait for a table is longer.

If you're concerned about slow service, speak to the waiter and ask if certain meals take longer to prepare than others.

Tip 2: Portion Control

One of the biggest challenges to eating sensibly is the temptation to finish everything on your plate. There are tricks you can use to control that urge.

"Decide to take a doggie bag home before you start eating," suggests Wolter-Nitta. "Put half of the food away before you dig in. With diabetes, you have to watch out for sugar, sodium, and fat, and this will cut those in half."

Another way to reduce portion size is to split a meal with a dinner companion. "Order an appetizer each and split an entrée," she said. "That's a great way to lower calories."

Tip 3: Know What to Eat and What to Avoid

The first thing you usually have to watch out for in a restaurant is the bread basket. "They put it out on the table and it's so hard to say no," said Wolter-Nitta. "You have to ask yourself whether you're at the restaurant to eat bread or your meal."

Sauces and salad dressings can be loaded with salt and fat. "Sauces such as butter sauces, béchamel, au gratin, and hollandaise should definitely be on the do-not-eat list," she said. If you must have salad dressing, try dipping your fork in it rather than pouring it on.

Certain cuisines are trickier than others. For instance, "Chinese restaurants add corn starch and sugar to most foods," she said. "Stick to white rice and vegetables and avoid the soy sauce."

When it comes to food preparation, ask if a dish can be baked, grilled, or broiled rather than fried. When you do eat fried food, remove the fat- and calorie-laden bread coating.

It's not just what you eat: Sugary drinks affect your weight and glucose levels, and they have been directly linked to type 2 diabetes.

Tip 4: Indulge ? a Little

"Eating dessert isn't forbidden," said Wolter-Nitta. "It's just a matter of doing it the right way." One suggestion: "Instead of going for the chocolate cake, go for a piece of fruit or something sugar-free."

A meal at a fast-food restaurant can easily exceed your daily recommended allowance for calories, fat, and salt. If you're going to treat yourself to a grab-and-go bite, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) reminds you to check the nutritional information before ordering, avoid "super-sized" or "deluxe" meals, and ask for healthy substitutions when you can.

Whatever you're treating yourself to, moderation is key.

Here are some more suggestions from the ADA when ordering out: ·

Be Creative. Just because dishes are labeled "appetizers," "entrees," and "desserts" doesn't mean you can't mix things up. The ADA suggests a fruit cup as a starter, or a salad and appetizer as a main course. ·

Order Ahead. Call the restaurant and ask if your food can be prepared to meet your dietary needs. By giving the kitchen advance notice, they might be able to better accommodate you. ·

Think About What You Drink. If you're going to treat yourself to an alcoholic beverage, remember that mixers can pack a lot of calories and sugar.

Watching what you eat and drink all the time "takes a lot of discipline," as Wolter-Nitta points out. "But it pays dividends for your health."

Roughly 100 million Americans suffer from chronic pain lasting more than six months, according to a report from the Institute of Medicine. Throughout the past decade, the use of painkillers such as Vicodin, Percocet and OxyContin has soared by 300 percent. For many - 17,000 people per year, or 46 each day - the treatment is worse than the pain; those are the number of users who die from the medicine, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

For every person who dies from the use of painkillers, 30 more are admitted to emergency rooms due to complications.

"Those figures are appalling," says Dr. Frank King, a doctor of naturopathy, president of King Bio natural medicine company, and author of The Healing Revolution (www.kingbio.com).

"Death is just one of the many side effects of heavy-duty pharmaceuticals, and researchers unanimously agree that addiction to painkillers has risen drastically in recent years. People are so focused on pain that they miss the fact that it is a signal of deeper health problems. Don't shoot the messenger! Listen to the pain, and it will lead you to the root causes."

With decades of experience helping patients, Dr. King offers four natural suggestions for pain management.

•  Identify the root causes of pain. Pain is a signal of deeper problems, similar to the warning light on the dashboard of your car. You can mask the light with duct tape, which is what prescription drugs do with pain. You can cut the wires, which might symbolize a surgical approach. Or you can look for the root causes, which is what our more natural, holistic approach seeks to do. Address the problem, and the pain will subside.

•  Make good choices. Most chronic conditions are caused by bad lifestyle choices. Try walking more, eating and sleeping better, eliminating stress and bad habits from your life, and watch pain decrease and health increase. It's that simple. Moreover, surround yourself with a healing community of like-minded "healing buddies" who support your healthy choices.

•  Explore natural healing techniques, and if necessary, see a natural healing practitioner. You are your best doctor, on call 24/7. I developed many self-healing techniques that address the needs of every aspect of mind-body health. These techniques are free and easy to implement at home, on the job, and wherever you might be. You might also explore meditation, yoga and other approaches for filling the holes in your wholeness.

•  Look into homeopathy. Homeopathy predates modern medicine. Homeopathic medicines are safe and effective, with no known side effects or negative drug interactions. They target the root causes, not the superficial pain. I have personally seen homeopathy dramatically raise the quality of life and happiness for countless of my patients.

With the appalling death toll due to pharmaceutical pain medication, natural solutions like homeopathy are our safest, brightest hope for the future of pain management.

About Dr. Frank King

Dr. Frank King is a chiropractor, doctor of naturopathy, and founder and president of King Bio, an FDA-registered pharmaceutical manufacturing company dedicated to education, research, development, manufacture and distribution of safe and natural homeopathic medicines for people and pets. Dr. King is also the author of, The Healing Revolution: Eight Essentials to Awaken Abundant Life, Naturally! (www.kingbio.com). A fourth-generation farmer, Dr. King raises yak, camel, boar, wisent and American bison sold under the Carolina Bison brand. He is a member of the Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia Convention of the United States.

Milestones Agency on Aging, St. Ambrose University, and the Center for Active Seniors, Inc. (CASI) join forces for the Falls Prevention Awareness Day Workshop

Milestone Area Agency on Aging, the Center for Active Seniors, Inc. (CASI), and St. Ambrose University encourage seniors to attend the Fall Prevention Awareness Day Workshop on Tuesday, September 23, from 8:30-11:30 a.m. at CASI 1035 W. Kimberly Road, Davenport, IA 52806. The workshop will include helpful information and instruction on how to live a Fall Free lifestyle.

Sessions will include balance and mobility assessment, pharmacy screening (please bring a list of your current medications), vision and hearing assessment, blood pressure checks, fitness and exercise demonstrations and door prizes!

The event is free, but advance registration is required. Please call or stop at CASI (1035 W Kimberly Rd, Davenport, IA?563-386-7477) to reserve your spot today. Space is limited.

Falls are the leading cause of both fatal and nonfatal injuries for those 65 years of age and over. Every 14 seconds, an older adult is seen in an emergency department for a fall-related injury. The chances of falling and of being seriously injured in a fall increase with age.

This year's theme, Strong Today - Falls Free® Tomorrow, highlights the important roles professionals, older adults, caregivers, and family members play in raising awareness and preventing falls in the older adult population.

"Falls are not a normal part of aging and the resulting injuries can steal quality life from seniors and their families," said Albert Terrillion, NCOA Senior Director, Clinical Community Partnerships. "This awareness day is an opportunity for older adults and their support communities to learn how to reduce falls risks so our seniors can stay independent for as long as possible."

Studies show that a combination of interventions can significantly reduce falls among older adults. Experts recommend: 

• A physical activity regimen with balance, strength training, and flexibility components.
• Consulting with a health professional about getting a fall risk assessment.
• Having medications reviewed periodically.
• Getting eyes checked annually.
• Making sure the home environment is safe and supportive.
• Having an annual hearing assessment.

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About the Falls Free® Initiative Led by the National Council on Aging, the Falls Free® Initiative includes more than 43 states and 70 national organizations, professional associations, and federal agencies working collaboratively to bring education, awareness, and evidence-based solutions to local communities. Falls Free® seeks to provide hundreds of thousands of older Americans with the resources and education needed to reduce their risk of injury. For more information, please visit: www.ncoa.org/FallsFreeInitiative. Use #FPAD14 to join the conversation on social media.

About NCOA The National Council on Aging is a nonprofit service and advocacy organization headquartered in Washington, DC. NCOA is a national voice for millions of older adults?especially those who are vulnerable and disadvantaged?and the community organizations that serve them. It brings together nonprofit organizations, businesses, and government to develop creative solutions that improve the lives of all older adults. NCOA works with thousands of organizations across the country to help seniors find jobs and benefits, improve their health, live independently, and remain active in their communities.

For more information, please visit: www.ncoa.org |www.facebook.com/NCOAging | www.twitter.com/NCOAging

5 Brain-Health Tips from Bodybuilding Neurosurgeon
During World Alzheimer's Month, Take Steps
to Care for Your Most Vital Organ

As a fitness expert and neurosurgeon, Dr. Brett Osborn says he appreciates the growing public interest in general health and fitness. Now, he says, that attention needs to extend to arguably our most essential organ - the brain.

"There are several, multi-billion dollar industries out there dedicated to burning fat and building muscle; cognitive health, on the other hand, has been largely overlooked," says Osborn, author of "Get Serious, A Neurosurgeon's Guide to Optimal Health and Fitness," www.drbrettosborn.com.

"Of course, any good health expert is quick to remind readers that it's all connected. For example, what's good for the heart will be, directly or indirectly, good for the brain."

September's an appropriate time to talk brain health: its World Alzheimer's Month, and it's the beginning of football season. By now, we know that football players in the NFL, college and even high school suffer considerable head trauma, whether through big hits resulting in concussions or moderate, repeated blows, he says.

It's also soccer season in other parts of the world. Concern continues to mount about the neurological damage done to players from repeated headers, where the ball is hit by the head. The long-term effects, including depression and other mental-health problems, are similar to those suffered by American football players, he says.

"Sports can impart great habits to kids, including discipline, fellowship and an emphasis on strength and endurance," says Osborn, a bodybuilder and father. "As our children return to school and sports, health-care providers, coaches and parents need to make it a top priority to protect our student-athletes' brains."

Osborn offers five tips to help everyone maintain brain health:

•  Learn new skills. "Just as with other health concerns, brain health should be rooted in the prevention of disease," he says. Alzheimer's is a neurodegenerative disease, the causes of which, and the cure, are unknown. However, it's widely thought that brain stimulation and activity can delay the onset of the disease. The acquisition of a new skill - whether it's learning to play an instrument or taking up waterskiing - exercises the brain "muscle."

•  Commit to actual exercise. Everyone knows that exercise helps protect the heart, but not everyone knows that physical activity is also good for the brain. The brain is not a muscle, but it can be worked as muscle is worked during exercise, which forges new neuron pathways.

"Let's face it, there is a component of learning in exercise," Osborn says. "You cannot master the squat overnight; the brain has to change. Neuronal connections, or 'synapses,' are formed through very complex biophysical mechanisms. That takes time."

•  Don't sweat stress. There is such a thing as good stress, including the acute bodily stress involved in strength training. Of course, there's the bad stress, such as psychological stress associated with work or interpersonal relationships, and environmental stress, derived from pesticide-laden food - toxins. As always, you have a choice. You don't have to accept mental stress in your life. Reconsider toxic relationships. Rethink how you handle pressure at work. Perhaps adopt a lunchtime exercise routine.

•  Fuel a better body and brain. "I don't believe in 'diets,' " Osborn says. "Fit individuals were around for eons before the term existed, and I associate the term with temporary and, often, self-destructive behaviors."

Again, it's all connected. A healthy balance of food and activity will inevitably be good for the entire body: the heart, skeleton, muscles, brain, etc. Proper nutrition is a natural mood enhancer, and good health will inevitably improve self-esteem.

•  Feed your head with smart drugs. Some pharmaceuticals may help enhance cerebral blood flow and increase concentration, including Hydergine, Deprenyl and Prozac, to name a few. Ask your doctor about these. There are also over-the-counter smart drugs to consider. Piracetam is one of the oldest and has been shown to have a variety of positive effects in patients with cognitive disorders like dementia and epilepsy. Vinpocetine has potent anti-inflammatory effects, and inflammation is a key component in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease, and others. You may also want to check out gingko biloba and pregnenolone.

About Dr. Brett Osborn

Brett Osborn is a New York University-trained, Board-Certified neurological surgeon with a secondary certification in Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Neurological Surgery and of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine. He holds a CSCS honorarium from the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Dr. Osborn specializes in scientifically based nutrition and exercise as a means to achieve optimal health and preventing disease. He is the author "Get Serious, A Neurosurgeon's Guide to Optimal Health and Fitness," www.drbrettosborn.com.