When you cook vegetables in a microwave it not only takes less time but also helps them retain more color and nutrients than they do with most other cooking methods.
If a recipe calls for 1 pound of apples, you can use 4 small apples or 3 medium, or 2 large or 3 cups diced apples.
It takes 3,000 cows to supply the NFL with enough leather for a year's supply of footballs.
We all know it is important for diabetics to take good care of their feet. But did you know that one-fourth of the bones in your body are in the foot?
Need a quick snack? 1 Jell-O sugar-free pudding provides protein, low calories, is portable and tasty. 1 string cheese stick offers the same qualities.
Diabetics should add black beans to their daily diet when possible. Black beans have shown to contain a high fiber content and can help to improve blood sugar levels.
Celery has negative calories! It takes more calories to eat a piece of celery than the celery has in it. So make sure you keep celery around for those times when you just have to have something to munch on.
If you spend most of your day sitting at a desk, it is very important that you take a 10-minute break every hour or so to get up and walk around. The exercise will not only benefit you physically but also mentally. You will be more productive when you get back to your desk.
YOUR MOTHER WAS RIGHT! Eat your fruits and vegetables. Study after study confirms that fruits and vegetables are vitally important to our diet. For one thing, that is where most of the natural cancer fighters are found. That should be enough reason to be sure your plate contains plenty of veggies and fresh fruits!
A 1 1/4-inch cube of cheese equals a serving.
Potassium helps to control water balance in the body. It helps with regulating nerve impulses, muscle contractions, and this is very important--heart rhythm. It is very important to keep your potassium level regulated to prevent heart rhythm problems that can be very serious. Potassium is found in fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, poultry, milk and milk products. Potatoes and bananas are two excellent sources of potassium.
Replace whole milk and cream in your diet with fat-free milk and fat-free or skim evaporated milk. You will still get the benefits of milk without all the fat. If it is too hard to make the change suddenly, start by combining fat-free milk with whole milk and gradually reducing the amount of whole while increasing the amount of fat-free.
When driving to a picnic, put the picnic basket in the car; not in the trunk. Temperatures inside the trunk will quickly jump to over 150 degrees on a typically hot day.
For a healthier diet, switch from white bread to whole-grain breads, from regular pasta products to whole-grain pastas, eat whole-grain cereals and mix whole-wheat flour with all-purpose flour. This is especially important for the diabetic.
According to the American Association for Cancer Research, women with diabetes are one-and-one-half times more likely to develop colorectal cancer than women who do not have diabetes.
San Francisco diabetes specialist Dr. Gary Arsham, co-author of the book Diabetes: A Guide to Living Well, says he finds that for many of his patients a diagnosis of diabetes makes their lives better. "What?", you might say. Once many patients absorb the lifestyle changes that come with a diagnosis of diabetes, they actually admit to being slimmer, happier, and healthier than they were. "It's inspiring," says Dr. Arsham. "Although diabetes is still a challenge, I see people with the disease becoming so much more alive, energetic, and vibrant than ever before. They feel better and are motivated to keep on taking good care of themselves."
Your blood glucose levels before meals should be between 90 and 130. Two hours after a meal your number should be under 160.
Here are three ways to lower your risk of getting diabetes. And believe me, you don't want it! 1) Watch your weight and keep it within the healthy range. Around 90% of diabetics are overweight. 2) Eat less fat. 3) Increase your amount of exercise. Even a small increase in exercise is beneficial. Exercise helps your muscles better absorb the sugar in your blood.
Controlling one's weight is very important for the diabetic. I know it is hard to do but it is another of our necessary evils. It is especially important for type 2 diabetics as extra body fat makes if difficult for bodies to make and use our own insulin. A weight loss of 10 to 20 pounds could make a big difference in improving your blood sugar control.
According to a new study presented in the Journel of the American College of Cardiology, women ages 35-44 are the only Americans whose coronary heart disease mortality rate is rising. And this particular group don't even give much thought to heart care. If you are in this group and are diabetic, you should be sure to have regular checkups with your doctor, watch your diet and faithfully take your medications.
The type of steak you choose can make a big difference in the calories and fat you eat. For example, a 7 oz prime rib steak has about 834 calories and 72 grams of fat. A 7 oz broiled top sirloin has about 372 calories and 13 grams of fat. Now that's a BIG difference. Remember that the next time you order steak! Even though diabetics really need protein, there are still ways to be careful about protein choices.
Fish, especially salmon, is a great source of the important heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. But for those of us who don't like fish, we can still get our omega-3 by eating flaxseed and walnuts.
When women are stressed, studies show they grab hold of their husband's hand. In a recent study, brain scans showed this brought immediate relief to the women. So ladies, grab hold of your husband's hand. It's good for you!
It is a good idea for diabetics to add more black, kidney or garbanzo beans to their daily diet. These particular beans are high in fiber and are known to help improve blood sugar levels.
Eating peanut butter can help you control your blood sugar.
- In a hurry at breakfast? Spread a tablespoon of peanut butter on a piece of whole grain toast.
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When eating pancakes, spread with peanut butter instead of butter or margarine. Top off with sugar-free syrup.
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Peanut butter, regular Jif Peanut Butter used as this example, has more protein than carbohydrates. This is important for diabetics.
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Need a quick snack? Cut a slice of whole grain bread in half. Top one of the halves with a tablespoon of peanut butter, add a tablespoon of low-sugar jelly then top with the other half of the bread. Or you can eat it without the top piece of bread if you prefer.
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For snacks, lunches or party platters, cut a rib of celery into three or four pieces. Stuff the inside with some peanut butter.
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Slice an apple into wedges. Dip into peanut butter for snacking. The protein in the peanut butter will help to counteract the natural sugar in the apple.
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When eating out and tempted by dessert, eat a few bites or small slice of peanut butter pie. This should be after eating meat or other protein during your meal. I have done this several times at a local steakhouse and it has never caused my blood sugar to go over 120.
Diabetics should generally eat snacks and meals having one-third as many proteins as carbs! For example, if you have a snack that contains 21 grams of carbs you want to balance that with 6 to 8 grams of protein. This is not a hard and fast rule but something that should be done as often as possible. It will help you control your blood sugar in almost all cases.
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When eating a cookie, brownie, etc. choose one with nuts or eat a couple of nuts with the sweet. This applies to regular or sugar-free cookies. Even sugar-free sweets have carbs.
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Add some chopped or sliced hard-boiled egg to salads, especially if they don't have meat.
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Add chick-peas to meatless salads, especially if you don't like or have a diet restriction on eggs.
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Don't like chick-peas? Add kidney beans to salads.
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Eat some low-fat cheese, string cheese is great for this, as a snack.
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Use low-fat (Neufchatel) cream cheese on bagels.
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If eating a high-carb meal, drink some low-fat or fat-free milk as your beverage.
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Have some cheese when snacking on fresh fruit.
NOTE: IF YOU ARE HAVING SERIOUS DIABETES COMPLICATIONS WITH YOUR KIDNEYS AND YOU ARE ON A PROTEIN RESTRICTED DIET, THIS PROTEIN ADVICE IS NOT FOR YOU!!
Eating refined foods, high in carbs, could be a source of problems with the skin. Australian researches compared a Western diet high in processed foods and refined grains to a diet of lean meats, seafood, fresh fruits and vegetables, and whole grains. After only 12 weeks on the diets, those on a more natural diet reduced skin breakouts by 50%. One of the things that causes blemishes is a carb-triggered jump in insulin levels. Insulin boosts the level of hormones that regulate production of skin oil. It also promotes keratin growth, which can block follicles causing redness, swelling and zits. If you are a young person on insulin and you are having skin problems, check your diet to see if it could be part of your problem.
Controlling your diabetes is vital for your health. While some people love the cold weather others would rather hibernate until warm weather returns. But being diabetic means we cannot hibernate. It is very important to stay active during the winter months. We tend to eat more in the winter and exercise less. This is a formula for failure for the diabetic. Force yourself if necessary but get moving! Malls are great places for walking during the winter time. Many malls even have clubs for walkers. Check out the malls in your area and put on those walking shoes!!
Famed M.D. Dr. Andrew Weil routinely recommends diabetics take the supplement Coenzyme Q10. Dr. Weil says that Coenzyme Q10 is a powerful antioxidant which may help maintain a healthy heart. Since one of the major complications of diabetes can be heart problems, he recommends diabetics start with a softgel form in 60 to 100 mg taken daily with your largest meal.