Diabetes Can Happen

One of the biggest “catch phrases” of today’s age is the so called “Super Foods.” While there is obviously no one food that will magically solve all of anyone’s health and weight issues,  there are some foods that are clearly better for you than others.  This is especially true when considering a healthy diet for a diabetic.

Don’t misunderstand, these “Super Foods” won’t cure diabetes but they have been proven to dramatically improve the quantity and quality of life for diabetics.  These foods are a rich and complex array of phytochemicals, fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, all of which help to improve blood glucose regulation, enhance insulin activity, and slow down the complications of diabetes.  To start:

1. Fish:

More specifically, deep clean coldwater fish, is rich in protein, vitamins B-6 and B-12, and a vital mineral often lacking among Americans- Omega 3.  Try to add fish into your diet at least twice weekly.  Some of the healthiest, easy to prepare, and tasty fish include Salmon, Halibut, Sole, Cod, Tuna, and Sardines. Well prepare fish is often not as “strong” of flavor as some people fear and drizzled with a bit lemon and served with greens it is a filling and delicious meal.

2. Vinegar

Unpasteurized and unfiltered vinegar contains organic acids, good bacterias, pectin and acetic acid all of which help to slow down the emptying of the stomach. These elements help to slowdown the rate in which glucose is moved into the bloodstream.  According to Patrick Quillin, Ph.D author of The Diabetes Improvement Program, “Two tablespoons of vinegar can slow gastric emptying rate by 30% and drop blood glucose peaks by 30%.” For more on vinegar and ways to use it, check out our sister blog recipes-happen.com

3. Brewer’s Yeast

In addition to lacking insulin people with Type 2 Diabetes also lack GTF (Glucose Tolerance Factor) which does the same job as insulin. The best source of GTF is brewer’s yeast.  Try mixing about a tablespoon of the yeast into a morning breakfast shake.

4. Cinnamon

Believe it or not this tasty, no-calorie, spice is a champ when it comes to making insulin work more effectively.

5. Onions

Onions contain allyl propyl disulfide (APDS) which lowers blood sugar (in many case quite dramatically) by preventing to liver from deactivating your bodies insulin allowing it to sty in the bloodstream longer thereby lowering blood glucose. All onion, raw or cooked have to effect, so load up your meal with some flavorful onions.

5. Garlic

Garlic has been used for its medicinal and health benefits for over 4000 years. If that alone isn’t enough, consider this study where scientists found that people with high serum cholesterol were able to lower their levels by 7% by adding garlic to their diet. So be sure to break out your handy garlic press and add a little bit of garlic flavor to your meals.

As every diabetic is aware making healthy changes to ones diet is often one of the best ways to regulate diabetes.  Adding theses super foods to your diet can aid in your fight against diabetes even more.

*Source:

Quillin, Patrick. Diabetes Improvement Program. USA: Leader, 1999. Print.

I do not claim to be a doctor, food expert, or philosopher but from my point of view it is clear that one of the most alarming aspects of the “American” diet is our reliance of processed and fast foods.  Today it is possible to go for weeks or months without actually preparing our own food from healthful raw ingredients (just ask some of my college friends).  And as the percentage of the population struggling with type 2 diabetes climbs over 8.2%, it is clear that it is our bodies and our health paying the price.

In my opinion many of these problems stems from our lack of “food education.” When I imaging what the world was like thousands of years ago, food wasn’t something that was simply there for the taking.  It had to be hunted, gathered, prepared, and stored.  There was great thought and care as to what foods would give the most energy to the body, what the plant looked like, how to cultivate it, and what parts of an animal were edible.  People had to be educated in food if they were to survive.  Fast forward to today when I can walk into my grocery store in the midst of a Northern Indiana winter and pick up a fresh tomato, tropical banana, and “Thanksgiving” dinner in a box.  Do you see the problem?  We are losing touch with what food is and where it comes from. 

Take for instance the humble lentil.  Before today I couldn’t have told you what a lentil plant looks like, or really any reasons why I should I eat them (other than I was told they are somehow good for me).   So today begins my journey to a better understanding of the foods I am eating from a biological point of view I suppose you could say, and I’d like to share my findings with you all.

Firstly, a note about lentils and diabetes specifically; lentils have proven to have a lower glycolic index than foods such as white bread, pasta, rice, oatmeal, and even whole-grain breads.  In short, it is a tremendous food for anyone with diabetes to work on incorporating into his or her diet.

The lentil plant of the legume family is said to have originated in India and has incredibly been consumed by humans since Neolithic times and was one of the world’s first domesticated crops!  Today much of the world consumes lentils as an inexpensive, versatile and nutrient rich food. There are many varieties of lentils with a range of colors from speckled blue-green French puy lentils, to yellow Mexican Macadiados, to brown Spanish parina.  All lentils though share similar health benefits.  Nearly 26% of a lentil’s calories come from protein, making it the plant with the 3^rd highest level of protein by weight only being bested by soybeans and hemp.  If that isn’t enough, lentils also contain dietary fiber, folate, vitamin B1, and iron. Combined with grains such as rice they make a complete protein dish.

Lentils are a hardy plant with a high tolerance to drought.  Surprisingly the largest exporter of lentils is Saskatchewan, Canada (wouldn’t have guessed that one).  However India holds the top tier producing 1/3 of the world’s lentils crop much of which is consumed domestically.

So, yeah.  You by now are no doubt thinking, ‘ok, lentils are thousands of years old, inexpensive, super healthy, and great for a diabetic’s diet, but…they’re so boring.  Do you really expect me to eat lentils and rice everyday?”  Well have no fear I searched the Internet for some great dressed up lentil recipes that are sure to please.

• This first recipe is for a classic lentil soup (one on my favorite cold weather comfort foods) from Alton Brown on the foodnetwork.com.
• If you are looking for a little spice and some ethnic flavor check out this amazing looking red lentil curry courtesy of Emma Maher on allrecipes.com. YUM!
• Lastly, winkii from food.com shares her recipe for lentil-grain burgers that she claims even her kids beg for! Great for getting to whole family to enjoy lentils.

Well, I hope you are leaving this post a little more enlightened about lentils and are inspired to make them part of your diet whether you yourself struggle with diabetes, have a family member who does, or simply just wish to eat healthier. Thanks for reading. Let us know how your lentil-rich dishes turn out.

Sources*

Murray, Michael T., and Michael R. Lyon. Beat Diabetes Naturally: the Best Foods, Herbs, Supplements, and Lifestyle Strategies to Optimize Your Diabetes Care. United States: Storey, 2006. Print.

Wikipedia contributors. “Lentil.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 7 Sep. 2011. Web. 14 Sep. 2011.

For people who are following the vegan lifestyle, cooking a simple meal for breakfast can become a very taxing and complicated process if you don’t know what to prepare in the first place. Fortunately, here’s a meal you can put together using ingredients and vegetables you can find in any local market. This recipe is interesting for three reasons: first, it’s a full vegan meal with a blend of nutritious vegetables. Second, the meal is perfect not only for breakfast, but for a lunch or midday snack as well due to its content of light ingredients. Finally, this meal is ideal for diabetics—if you are vegan, and at the same time, diabetic, this recipe is certainly for you.

These recipes do not intend to replace your daily insulin medication but may act as better food options for diabetics.

There are two concoctions you can prepare for breakfast with recipes below.

The first meal will include the following ingredients:

1/3 cups cranberry juice

(Alternative: sugar-free cranberry juice cocktail)

¾ cups cooked oatmeal

½ slices of banana for the mix

1 teaspoon vegan margarine

8 ounces enriched soymilk

To make, separate the juices from the oatmeal and banana mix. Stir the cranberry juice concoction well. Next, boil the oatmeal in hot water (or cook it) and add slices of banana into the bowl. Add 1 teaspoon vegan margarine for flavoring along with 8 ounces of enriched soymilk.

Your second recipe will consist of even fewer ingredients. To begin, prepare the following:

½ cup melon slices

2 slices of loaf bread

Eggs

4 ounces enriched Soy milk

Vegetable Oil

¼ cup of chopped peaches, apricots or both

Begin by making the French toast: take two slices of loaf bread and dip in a concoction of soymilk with beaten eggs in a bowl. Fry both loaves using vegetable oil. Mix ¼ cups of chopped peaches and apricots into the bowl or to the frying pan to give the French toast more flavor. Using the melon slices and a fruit and vegetable blender, make a classic melon shake and drink this concoction as soon as you wake up in the morning. Enjoy!

Good Morning All!

I really love it when celebrities step up and raise awareness for causes, especially Diabetes. Paul Sorvino and his daughter Mira are doing just that. They are sponsoring a diabetes friendly recipe contest. The winner will actually get to make the dish for the stars. What an awesome bonus!

I have loved Paul Sorvino since I first saw him act in O God, back in the seventies. He played a corrupt preacher and used the funniest accent. But what really draws me to this man is his love of family and his dedication to healthy living and the awareness of diabetes. Check out this link for more information about the contest. Who knows, maybe you will be the one making your favorite diabetic recipe for the Sorvino family!

Until next time: Don’t forget to test!

Photo: Courtesy David_Shankbone

Looking for recipes on how to make sorbets and ices? Look no more, you will find here a list of ices recipes that are not only delicious but also healthy and suitable for diabetics.

Pineapple Sorbet

2 tbsp water; 3 tsp gelatin; 225g can pineapple in natural juice, chopped; 3 tbsp fresh orange juice; ground ginger

Put the water in to a heatproof container, sprinkle in the gelatin and leave to soften. Stand the container in a pan of hot water and stir until the gelatin dissolves. Add the gelatin to the canned pineapple and juice and the orange juice. Process in a blender, then pour into a 550ml mold and leave to set in a freezer. Serve sprinkled with ginger.

SHORTCUT CUTOUT COOKIES

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 of an 18-oz roll of refrigerated sugar-cookie dough

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Orange Sorbet

1 tbsp fructose; 425ml boiling water; 175ml frozen concentrated orange juice, thawed; 2 egg whites

Dissolve the fructose in the boiling water. Add the concentrated orange juice, and mix well. Put in a suitable container in a freezer and remove when on the point of setting. Beat well. Whisk the egg whites until stiff and fold into the iced mixture, then freeze until firm.

Drain cherries, reserving 1/2 cup of the juice. Combine reserved cherry juice, cherries, granulated sugar, and cornstarch in a saucepan. Turn heat to a low setting and cook, stirring, until thickened. Add the vanilla extract and stir to blend.

Split each of the cake layers in half horizontally. Crumble one of the half layers and set aside. Place one of the cake layers on the serving plate. Set other two aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla together until creamy. Add eggs to the sugar mixture and beat well. Stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Cool slightly on cookie sheets then remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Yield: About 5 dozen cookies

Photo: Courtesy Tom Carmony

Kettlebells, which are weights with handles that look similar to those on kettles are utilized by a high number of individuals who yearn to become stronger, more fit and lose some weight. They’ve been used in an array of different cultures over the centuries with one strategy or another, however the Russians are attributed with recognizing their factual potential. Today, they are popular all over the world and are used by ordinary people who want to lose weight, as well as athletes and bodybuilders. What follows are some of the methods for kettlebells to be effective for anybody who’s in search of a trouble-free option for shedding weight.

One factor that makes kettlebells such an effective resource for weight loss and overall fitness is known as plyometrics.

This term refers to a type of exercise that helps you move in a way that’s fast, powerful and explosive. This is very useful for many types of sports, from basketball to martial arts, but it’s also great for boosting your metabolism if you want to lose weight. There are various other types of plyometric exercises but kettlebells are a simple and safe way to get this effect. When you set off to use kettlebells, it’s essential for you to be certain that you’re using them safely and properly. You don’t want to just start lifting them in any random way, as you could injure yourself and you won’t be getting the maximum benefits. You may wish to keep your eye out for a kettlebell class at your local gym, or you could acquire a good instructional DVD. You can additionally come across some excellent instructions on the Internet, on YouTube and various video sites. While you want to work out reliably, you also don’t want to be in too much of a scurry. Don’t aim to work out on a daily basis, although always skip a day of workouts and slowly up the weights.

Kettlebells are ideal for intense, anaerobic training, which is the best way to lose weight. Many fitness experts recommend interval training for those who work out on a treadmill or bicycle for this reason. So alternate between high intensity exercise and rest periods instead of working out at a steady pace the entire time. You can get the benefits offered by this type exercise with kettlebells and in less time than with most other types of exercise. This helps you burn away fat by giving your muscles a good workout and increasing your metabolism. Doing a workout with kettlebells is an efficient way to lose weight and to get in better condition. Kettlebells can used in many ways even though we’ve only covered a few of their many benefits. Kettlebells are worth trying if you are looking for an effective method for burning fat and improving your health.

The proper name for a heart attack is myocardial infarction. When somebody has a heart attack the flow of blood to the heart muscle is impeded. When oxygenated blood cannot get to the tissues of the heart they begin to die. Without rapid treatment these tissues are permanently damaged and the person suffering the attack may die. For those who want to know something about shoulder pain or rehabilitation, you can turn to a physiotherapist.

In most cases heart attacks are caused by atherosclerosis, which is commonly called coronary artery disease. Atherosclerosis is the buildup up of fatty plaque in the coronary arteries. This condition is exacerbated by hypertension and high cholesterol levels.

Myocardial infarction is the leading cause of death here in the United States and in most other developed countries. In fact it causes one fifth of all deaths in this country. The good news is that there are measures that everybody can take in order to avoid dying of a heart attack.

The best way to avoid dying of a heart attack is to make sure that you do not have one in the first place. You can do this by making sure you lead a healthy lifestyle so that you do not get high cholesterol or hypertension. Regular exercise is an important part of leading a healthy lifestyle. We should all aim to get at least half an hour of vigorous cardiovascular exercise three times per week. Regular exercise keeps the heart muscle healthy and helps to control weight.

Being overweight can cause hypertension and eating a high fat diet leads to high cholesterol.  A healthy low fat diet can help a person to avoid becoming overweight or having elevated cholesterol. Increase your intake of healthy whole foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, pulses, beans, nuts, fiber and lean meats and fish.Avoid eating processed foods and excesses of sugar or fat whenever possible. Try not to consume more calories than you need.  

There are other measures that you can take in order to avoid dying of a heart attack. You should avoid nicotine products and limit your alcohol intake. Finding the time to relax and avoid stress is also important. You may also wish to help yourself by taking certain vitamins and supplements such as omega 3 fish oil capsules or flaxseed oil. A low dosage of aspirin taken daily can also help by thinning the blood. Research also shows that drinking one glass of red wine each day is good for the heart.

Even if you lead a very healthy lifestyle that doesn’t mean that it is impossible for you to have a heart attack.  Unfortunately there are certain risk factors that cannot be controlled. For example you are more likely to suffer a myocardial infarction if you are male or if there is a history of heart disease in your family. Therefore it is important to recognize heart attack symptoms.

The warning signs of a heart attack include pain in the chest or other areas of the upper body including the back, neck, jaw and arms. Other signs include fatigue, nausea, indigestion, cold sweats, vomiting, anxiety, an irregular heart beat and shortness of breath or difficulty breathing. The symptoms can vary significantly from one individual to the next. Furthermore, male warning signs are often different from those for a female. If you ever experience one or more of the warning signs of a heart attack then phone 911 immediately.

Arteries are the blood vessels that supply oxygenated blood to every part of your body. All the way from your brain to the very tips of your toes. Arteries that are healthy have smooth walls on the inside and the blood is able to pass through them very easily. However when the arteries become clogged or they have arteries plaque on the insides of their arteries. Arteries plaque will compromise the amount of blood flowing through the body.

A person who has plaque on arteries is at a greater risk of having a heart attack, embolism and even a stroke. This condition can affect anyone no matter their sex or age, so it is best to get frequent checkups and take a preventive lifestyle approach to prevent serious complications.
The plaque that is inside your arteries is made of several types of substances; fat, cholesterol, waste, fibrin and calcium.  When your body is trying to defend itself against plaque on arteries, your artery walls cells begin to produce themselves in extra quantities and produce other substances that actually worsen the condition of the arteries.

There is much debate on what starts arthrosclerosis or the hardening of arteries. All that is really known about it is that damage is done to the walls of your arteries. When this damage occurs, plaque deposits also begin to show up. These deposits come from cholesterol, high blood pressure which speeds up the hardening process, and smoking. Cholesterol comes in two forms – good and bad. Good cholesterol commonly referred to as HDL (high density lipoprotein) which helps removes some of the bad cholesterol from the plaque in the arteries and transport it to the liver where it is processed and eliminated. Bad cholesterol is referred to as LDL (low density lipoprotein) which considered a major culprit in artery plaque formation.

Plaque is always present throughout our life cycles. It starts to develop in our childhood years and teenage years depending on our diets. As we become adults and age even older this plaque starts to clog the arteries.  

Depending on where the plaque on arteries forms and clogs the arteries can determine what medical complication you may suffer from or are at an increased for.

Coronary artery disease is when plaque deposits accumulate in the arteries that supply blood to your heart. This cause heart attacks and is among the leading cause of death in the U.S.   Carotid artery disease affects the arteries located on the sides of the neck and supply oxygen to the brain. Arterial plaque deposits in the carotid arteries can cause stroke. If plaque builds up in the arteries and vessels that supply blood to your legs, the amount of blood flow and oxygen to your lower extremities can be compromised and result in feelings of pain, infection, and numbness.

If you have been looking for a way to reduce your risk of heart disease, lower your cholesterol, get your blood pressure under control,have a clean arteries in your heart and ultimately Save Your Heart, then the Pauling Therapy is for you! We help how to clean arteries naturally. It is a Heart Treatment That Really Works!

Risks and causes

The simplest answer is that you are overweight or obese because you eat more calories that you use. A calorie is a unit of energy in the food you eat. Your body needs this energy to function and to be active. But if you take in more energy than your body uses, you will gain weight.

There are a lot of factors that can cause you to be overweight or obese

The following are some of the factors:

Psychological factors:  Psychological factors may also influence eating habits. A number of people will eat more when they are sad,bored or angry Behaviors, such as eating too many calories or not getting enough physical activity may also contribute to obesity.

Environment and culture: This includes lifestyle behaviors such as what a person eats and his or her level of physical activity. For example, Americans tend to eat high-fat foods, and put taste and convenience ahead of nutrition. In addition, most Americans do not get enough physical activity. Lifestyle choices that have developed are,larger portions,lack of time to exercise and a tensency to drive rather than walk

Since obesity tends to run in families there may be a genetic factor However families will also have lifestyle and eating factors which could be another cause Separating these from genetic factors is often difficult. Medical research however does seem to indicate a genetic link

There are a number of diseases which can be caused by obesity or simply being overweight:

Heart Disease

Stroke

Type 2 diabetes

High Blood Pressure

Breathing Problems

Arthritis

Gallbladder Disease

Some kinds of cancer

Problems getting pregnant

But the weight itself is not the only risk to your health Even more important is where your body stores the fat. Whether you are Apple shaped or Pear shaped

Doctors, dieticians and nutritionists are concerned not only with how much fat a person has, but also where the fat is located on the body.

Gender plays a part in that women will tend to store fat around the hips and buttocks which will give them a pear shape Men usually store fat around their waist area, meaning that their shape will resemble  an “apple” shape.

Of course some men are pear-shaped and some women become apple-shaped, especially after menopause.

If you carry fat mainly around your waist, you are more likely to develop obesity-related health problems. Women with a waist measurement of more than 35 inches or men with a waist measurement of more than 40 inches have a higher health risk because of their fat distribution.

So it is diffilcult to determine one single cause for developing obesity The good news, however, is that it is a fully and completely controllable condition. The secret is to have an active lifestyle and eat low calorie and low fat foods with balanced protein/carbohydrate  and include a natural diet pill like Proactol Plus This pill will help you to lose weight faster and smoothly

Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)

• Related posts on Nutrition
• Health & Nutrition | American Sports Nutrition
• Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey Protein, Double Rich Chocolate, 1 …
• Buy The Yale Guide To Children's Nutrition (1997, Paperb… For Sale …

• Related posts on Obesity
• Tackling Obesity While Retaining the Youth in Skin Tone | Ask …

Nutrition Management is an essential to diabetic treatment and this includes meal, planning, diet and nutrition. For diabetics, it doesn’t require a lot of effort but sometimes can be difficult to maintain. The diabetic meal plan requires thorough conceptualization because it can greatly affect a diabetic person’s lifestyle..

Diabetics who use medical management like insulin needs greater flexibility in the timing and content of meals. Adjustment in the dosage of insulin must be done because of the possible changes in eating habits and lifestyle.

Eating habits will be altered by the meal plan and therefore requires great dedication from the person.. First of all, you should take a person’s diet history to identify his or her eating habits and lifestyle. Assessment of the patient’s helath status and health needs to be done before selecting any treatment.. Identify a person’s weight needs before starting with therapy.. Weight loss is necessary for some one who has Type 2 Diabetes..

Teaching the patient about meal planning will require various approaches. Meal planning can be taught in a variety of ways.. A consistent eating habit is needed to achieve your goals in nutrition management.. Having an individualized meal plan is necessary because each one has a different need. 
Certain aspects of meal planning may be difficult to learn. The Food Exchange System can be very beneficial in diabetes management if it is used properly.. Some people may feel deprived of the food they eat and feel that they have limited food choices.

Most people have difficulty in planning for their diet.. You must restructure the way you think about food in general. One must be able to learn management skills, such as eating at restaurants, reading food labels, and adjusting the routines for exercise, illness, and special occasions.

Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)

• Related posts on Diabetes
• Health happenings: April 26 | Diabetes Care Journal

• Related posts on diabetes reversal
• | Natural Diabetes Treatment
• It is not blood-sugar food for diabetics inspiration! | Nutrition …

• Related posts on diabetes treatment
• Pompey Elliott: our most revered fighting general? | Diabetes Care …
• Health happenings: April 26 | Diabetes Care Journal
• Apple Cider Vinegar May Be a Potential Ally Against Diabetes …