We are committed to the goal of providing easier access to helpful information, giving you the keys to effectively control blood sugar, and manage diabetes complications.
• How can I be sick? I feel fine.
• What is diabetes doing to my body?
• What can I do to fix it? My Doctor tried, but I just didn’t understand.
• What are these medicines? How do I even pronounce the names?
• Does anybody understand what I am going through?
• How do I motivate this person whom I love, to do the right thing?
• I feel like I am losing control of my life.
• I feel so alone!
We are here to help.
• To create easy, whole life solutions for Diabetes.
That means providing easily understood information, about every aspect of your life that is affected by this disease. It starts with understanding the underlying causes, and hopefully, with good blood glucose management, you are rewarded with a "Type Free" life.
• We believe that what we eat and how much we eat, our nutrition, matters a lot.
• We believe that physical activity, matters a lot.
• We believe that following your doctors’ orders matters a lot.
• We believe that making the personal choices each person needs to…matters a lot.
• And finally, we believe that staying upbeat, not getting beaten down, matters a whole lot!
These are all of the things we plan to help you achieve. With your help and personal commitment, we can probably make it happen.
Within our families, we have many individuals affected with diabetes. Our family trees show even more. We are more than a little genetically pre-disposed towards the disease. This means that our kids are pre-disposed as well. Many of our friends have the disease. We lost a very dear friend many years ago to Gestational Diabetes. We lost her and her unborn baby in her ninth month. We live the challenges of many people who are affected with Diabetes, one way or another.
We hate seeing family members suffer. Basically, they have suffered because they have lacked helpful information, And the commitment to take corrective actions. Now, we will help them effectively bring together the information and corrective actions. We have made a choice to help. Not just them, but all of us and all of our children.
Please spend time on the pages we have created for you and your personal care. We believe that armed with knowledge we can address most anything. Our “community rooms”: the forums, our blogs, the Creative Corner are all intended to provide a safe haven for you to meet people challenged by many of the same issues and concerns that you are dealing with today. Together, let’s create new solutions and take on each new day, a little stronger.
We are pleased to present this site to you and could not have done it without the help of many specialists in this field.
Researchers, and of course, the writers who could simplify any language and make it all very straight forward and easy to understand.
Importantly, we would like to acknowledge the many government resources that were more than eager to share and make open to you the very great work that the various agencies provide. Of note, a significant body of information was adapted from:
We will continue to keep you up to date on what’s happening in this world as it pertains to diabetes; and remain committed to partnering with you in the quest for your unique solutions.
Sincerely,
Ed Stephens
Ann-Marie Stephens
Founders
ImTypeFree.com, a diabetes health education website, announces that the management of Type 2 Diabetes through nutrition and exercise may be the best treatment.
Heart attacks, broken bones and rapid weight gain, sounds like the consequences of neglecting your health; but a recent FDA study suggests that those side effects may be the result of treating Type 2 Diabetes (T-2) with Avandia® (rosiglitazone) a medication prescribed to T-2 diabetics for the past eight years.
According to many health professionals and advocates for diabetics, prescription drugs alone may not be the best treatment for diabetes.
"Treating diabetes with drugs such as Avandia® may have hidden health costs," said Ann-Marie Stephens, the co-founder of ImTypeFree.com, a diabetes health education website. "Anyone recently diagnosed with impaired glucose tolerance (pre-diabetes) or diabetes should consult with their physician about managing this disease with nutrition and exercise either in conjunction with prescription medication or without," she added.
Most health professionals agree that nutrition and exercise are crucial in managing T-2 Diabetes or in reducing the risk of developing the disease. Studies have found that diet and exercise have effectively helped to manage T-2 Diabetes especially when overweight and/or obese diabetics commit to weight loss. Reducing waistline fat by 5% to 10% will reduce your risk of developing T-2 Diabetes by 25%.
"Thirty minutes of moderate exercise can go a long way in our journey to winning the war against diabetes," said Stephens. "But nutrition is also an important piece of the equation when reclaiming our health. Avoiding processed sugar, excessive fatty foods and alcohol are the first tiny steps you can take."
Type Free, LLC agrees with nutritionists who suggest a meal plan filled with whole grains, legumes, vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds is the foundation of a healthy diet that can effectively help battle diabetes.
ImTypeFree.com offers articles on proper nutrition and exercise regimens for diabetics. Visit the www.ImTypeFree.com forum and try the delicious diabetes recipes posted. Also sign up for the ImTypeFree newsletter, to receive health tips, diabetes news and timely information about winning the war against diabetes.
(Richmond, VA) - Sweets, cakes, fatty foods. You name it, most love to eat it…or avoid it, if they're watching their waistlines. But the winners of the 1st annual ImTypeFree Diabetes Recipe Contest (www.ImTypeFree.com) aren't just watching tummies and thighs, they're saving lives with recipes designed to delight the palate of diabetics and non-diabetics alike with delicious health conscious meals.
"Creating the ImTypeFree Diabetes Recipe Contest was a way to let people know that you can eat good and healthy too," said Ann-Marie Stephens, the co-founder of ImTypeFree. "When people are diagnosed with Diabetes they often mistakenly believe that the food they eat has to be bland to be healthy. But recipes submitted by the ImTypeFree Diabetes Recipe Contest winners disproves that idea."
Blair Grossman ({EXT http://www.personalcheftogo.com}Personal Chef To Go{/EXT}), a personal chef trained at the world-renowned Culinary Institute of America chose this year's winners:
First place goes to…Donna Noel for her "White Bean Basil Chicken Salad" recipe. Donna was awarded a $75 gift certificate by Bronson Labs ({EXT http://www.bronsonlabs.com}Bronson Labs{/EXT}), a nutritional and personal healthcare company. She also takes home a gourmet non-slip flexible cutting board, a personal tea maker and an exercise CD.
The 2nd place slot goes to…Tessa Downes for her "Bok Choy and Beans with Peppered Shrimp" recipe. For her delicious, Asian inspired meal, Tessa received a Dirt Devil Broom Vacuum, a party-sized gourmet non-slip flexible cutting board and an exercise CD.
And the 3rd place winner is…Hyacinth Brown for her mouth watering "Casserole Bread." She was awarded a wireless heart rate monitor, AccuTouch thermometer and an exercise CD.
Visit www.ImTypeFree.com to view the recipes of all the ImTypeFree Recipe Contest winners and prepare them for your next meal. Also signup for the ImTypeFree newsletter to receive up-to-date Diabetes information and news.
About ImTypeFree
ImTypeFree.com is a Diabetes information resource that addresses all aspects of life affected by Diabetes; diet, nutrition, fitness, medication, prevention and treatment.
ImTypeFree founders, Ann-Marie and Ed Stephens have had many close family members affected by Diabetes. They began development of the site in 2006 in response to their family members' remarks that obtaining easily accessible, yet comprehensive, information about the disease is difficult. Ann-Marie is a graduate of the Wharton School of Business and has worked as a Senior Executive at Circuit City Stores, Frito-Lay and Procter and Gamble. Ed has a background in scientific research and product development for companies such as Procter and Gamble, Avon Products, The Drackett Company, and Frito-Lay. The couple lives in Richmond, VA with their two sons.