Battling Diabetes

Nothing is forbidden to a diabetic. The mantra continues to be all about wise choices.

A recent question and answer in the L.A. Times discusses whether diabetics can eat fruit.

Dr. Adrienne Youdim, medical director of the Cedars-Sinai Center for Weight Loss, disses the idea that diabetics should avoid fruit, instead encouraging it as being part of a healthy daily meal plan, but with the awareness that some fruits have a higher glycemic index.

Ann Albright, president of healthcare and education for the Alexandria, Va.,-based American Diabetes Association further discusses fruit. “A diabetic’s response to eating fruit and other carb-rich foods will vary depending on time of day, current glucose levels, what else is or was being eaten, how the food was prepared and any medications being taken.”

She further states, “Be a bit more careful about non-fresh fruits, such as ones that are dried and canned in syrup — both have higher sugar contents. Unsweetened fruit juice is fine, but again, keep portion size in mind. Juice is not verboten, but don’t think that drinking a 32-ounce glass is OK because it’s healthy. The carb content is not that far off from a soda.”

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June 12, 2008, Reuters Health: Diabetic Weight Loss Plan Yields Long Term Success. One year later. The findings of the follow up of the Joslin Diabetes Center, Why Wait? program show that the participants of the 12-week program for Type 2 diabetics resulted in an average weight loss of 24.6 pounds and good control of blood glucose levels and blood pressure.

What is Why Wait?

The 12-week program involves exercise, dietary changes, education, counseling and adjustment of diabetes medications. Participants meet weekly and the program is insurance reimbursable. There is a monthly support session fee of $25 out of pocket.

Program components per the Joslin Why Wait? site:

• Intensive and interactive medication adjustments
• Structured modified dietary intervention
• Graded, balanced and individualized exercise intervention
• Cognitive behavioral intervention
• Group education

The dietary component portion of the Joslin Why Wait? program includes meal replacement shakes for breakfast and lunch. Snacks between meals. Dinners are from 14 menu selections from the Joslin Nutrition Guidelines. Nutritional breakdown of the meals are about 40% carbohydrate, 30% fat and 30% protein.

Additional Joslin weight notes per Why Wait? site:

• A modest weight loss of one pound every one to two weeks is advised.
• Reducing daily calories should be by 250 to 500 calories; total daily calories should not be less than 1,000 to 1,200 for women and 1,200 to 1,600 for men.
• Weight loss is different for each person and should be continued until a person reaches a target body mass index, or BMI.

Calculating target body mass index or BMI:

• Fit Watch
• Target Health
  

The exercise component portion of the Joslin Why Wait? program recommends ” A minimum of 150 to 175 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity is recommended. A target of 60 to 90 minutes most days of the week is encouraged.”

The medication component portion includes working with a diabetologist to reduce or eliminate medications that interfere with weight loss. It is includes more frequent glucose monitoring. Medications are adjusted weekly based on your personal results.

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Yummy Goodness, Without The Extra Sugar

I love granola. Toasted, crunchy, and sweet it is versatile and perfect for anytime snacking. Most home-made recipes are full of sugar, though. While I know that regular sugar is fine for most healthy diabetics in small quantities, the amount called for in most recipes would make the most lenient doctor or nutritionist go into fits.

Can’t say that I blame them. Brown sugar, white sugar, honey, and a big dose of molasses makes home-made granola a big no-no. In the following recipe, I have replaced most of those with (mostly)natural alternatives. Feel free to experiment until you find the perfect fit for you and your taste. More →

Veganism is popular and healthy

I need to start this off by saying that I am not a Vegan. My family eats more vegetables than meat based dishes, though we do consume meat. When I share vegan and vegetarian recipes, I am not condemning meat eaters at all!

Veganism has gained a lot of popularity among the health and eco-conscious. With the issues that elevated protein can cause in diabetic, I thought it may be a good idea to share recipes all diabetics can incorporate into their diet. So, if you are a vegan/vegetarian diabetic, this recipes is dedicated to you!

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I am posting sugar-free and low sugar recipes today for you to enjoy. Please, let me know if you try them and how they turn out for you. If you have a request for a recipe to be modified for diabetics, email me! I’ll work on modifying it for you.

Strawberry Oat Mini Muffins

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Diabetics Must Avoid Carbs

Perhaps you have heard that to properly regulate your blood glucose levels, you should avoid carbohydrates. Certain popular diets have days or weeks where carbs are off limits completely. Their ‘inventors’ expound upon the idea that carbs are the enemy. Because of popular misconception, people who begin these diets believe they must cut out all carbohydrates. Perhaps this misconception stems from individuals who do not completely read the books on the diets.

The professionals, I loosely call them professionals because I have not checked the credentials of all the authors, do not actually claim all carbs are bad. Their main goal is to help people eliminate refined, manufactured carbs out of the diet. Refined white bread, white sugar, and other items in the diet of general population today are the target enemies.

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Birthday goodness denied

A friend of mine once lamented that she would be unable to make a traditional birthday cake for her diabetic daughter. This really made her feel down, because parents love giving their children the best that they can for their birthday. She was positive her daughter could not have a birthday cake at all.

Never fear, Julie is here! Ok, so I did not say that exactly, but close enough. I did a search for Angel Food Cake, grabbed a recipe and designed a cake any little girl would love. Do you all remember ‘doll’ cakes? A cake was the skirt for a Barbie or other Barbie-type doll? It takes a lot of icing, but even for a diabetic child, this can be managed with an Angel food or chiffon cake, and a little creativity.

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I created the following recipe as a low fat, energy packed breakfast for my family.You can modify it by adding in other chunks of fruit or nuts. It really is very versatile. If you would like, try using a 50-50 ratio of white and wheat flour. If you use wheat, be sure to use molasses. I have also used soy flour to add a protein punch. Enjoy!

Oatmeal-Fruit Breakfast Fuel

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I wrote this yesterday, it was intended to give you a smile to begin your week. Thanks to raving children and blustery weather that knocked out my power a few times, you will have your laugh today.

**
What a day. Really, this has been one of the most frustrating ever.

I had planned on bringing you a great review on the recipe I had posted from The Big Book of Diabetic Desserts. The weather was so nasty, freezing winds and tempatures that would make even the Abominable Snowman think twice before stepping out of his cave.

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I just do not know how it could get any better.

Really, I don’t.
I received the press release and a copy of The Big Book Of Diabetic Desserts by Jackie Mills, MS, RD and I could not be happier! This book is filled with absolutely decadent desserts that anyone, not just diabetics will lust over. Many diabetics find themselves eating things that are devoid of taste, at least compared to what they are used to.

Not anymore!

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