THE DIABETIC NEWSLETTER
January 14, 2013 - Volume XIV; Issue #01
---- Advertisement --------------
Great News for Sufferers of Nerve Pain:
2 Capsules Twice Daily Can Change Your Life.
Now is the best time to learn about an all-natural formula
with ingredients backed by many medical clinical studies.
See how these ingredients have been shown to improve
neuropathy symptoms and let you return to a normal life.
Four out of five of our customers have already
discovered how these ingredients will:
- Reduce or eliminate numbness & tingling in hands, feet &
legs
- Lessen or eliminate the pain and burning sensations
- Support & strengthen nerves and nerve linings
- Reduce stress and anxiety
- Improve balance and coordination
Neuropathy Support Formula is a capsule you take twice daily that
uses ultra-high doses of benfotiamine(B1) and methylcobalamine
(B12) combined with a super anti-oxidant that makes
the formula 12 times more effective. No side effects.
And it's backed by our 1-year money-back guarantee
about this product and to claim your FREE trial bottle.
Limit one (1) FREE bottle per customer and per household.
---- End of Advertisement -------
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
=========================
In The News
Active Community Discussions
Feature Recipes:
- Spinach and Onion Saute
- Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomato Quesadillas (w)
- Garlic Smashed New Potatoes
- New Potatoes with Olive Oil and Garlic (w)
- Honey-Dijon Chicken
- Honey-Mustard Chicken Wings (w)
- Cinnamon-Peach Crisp
- Cranberry Apple Crisp (w)
Diabetes 101:
- Children and Diabetes
- Cooking Up Fun For Kids With Diabetes (w)
Food and Cooking:
- Homemade Soups -- Easy and Nutritious
- Recipe: Hearty Vegetable Soup (w)
- Recipe: Classic Beef Stew (w)
Diabetes Q and A:
- Someone told me that I should see an eye doctor
because I am a diabetic. Is this true?
- Diabetes, What to Know Head to Toe (w)
Diabetes Related Explanations & Definitions
Special Sponsor's Message: Neuropathy Treatment Group
Newsletter Information; Removal Link
=========================
IN THE NEWS
=========================
Most Widely Used Diabetes Drug Works
Differently Than Previously Thought
Get the news while it's still news! Subscribe for free to
ACTIVE COMMUNITY DISCUSSIONS
=========================
Vitamin D and blood sugar ...
Newbie!!
=========================
THIS WEEK'S RECIPES
=========================
---------------------
SPINACH AND ONION SAUTE
Yield: 4 servings
Source: The Complete Diabetes Prevention Plan
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tablespoons reduced-fat margarine or light butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, very thinly sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 10 ounce package prewashed baby spinach (about 10 cups)
DIRECTIONS
Place the margarine or butter in a large, deep, nonstick
skillet. Add the onion and thyme and place over medium heat.
Cover and cook for several minutes, until the onions are soft.
Add the spinach, and toss gently over medium-high heat for a
couple of minutes, just until the spinach is wilted. Serve hot.
Nutritional Information Per Serving (2/3 cup per serving):
Calories: 48, Carbohydrate: 5 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg,
Fat: 2.8 g, Fat: 0.8 g, Fiber: 2.3 g,
Protein: 2.3 g, Sodium: 106 mg, Calcium: 75 mg
Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Vegetable, 1/2 Fat
Also Try: Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomato Quesadillas
-------------------
GARLIC SMASHED NEW POTATOES
Yield: 6 servings
Source: The Complete Diabetes Prevention Plan
INGREDIENTS
- 1-1/2 pounds unpeeled red-skinned new potatoes,
scrubbed and cut into 1-inch chunks.
- 4 to 6 cloves peeled garlic
- 1/2 cup light sour cream
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
DIRECTIONS
Place the potatoes and garlic in a large pot and cover
with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium,
cover, and cook for about 15 minutes until tender. Drain the
potatoes, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid.
Pick out the garlic cloves from the potatoes, place in a
medium bowl, and mash with a fork. Add the sour cream and
reserved cooking liquid to the garlic and stir until smooth.
Add the sour cream mixture and the salt to the potatoes and
stir to mix. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher just
enough to make them creamy but still with good sized chunks
of potatoes. Serve hot.
Nutritional Information Per Serving (2/3 cup per serving):
Calories: 126, Carbohydrate: 26 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg,
Fat: 1.2 g, Saturated Fat: 0.7 g, Fiber: 2.3 g,
Protein: 3 g, Sodium: 119 mg, Calcium: 17 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 Starch
Also Try: New Potatoes with Olive Oil and Garlic
-------------------
HONEY-DIJON CHICKEN
Yield: 4 servings
Source: The Complete Diabetes Prevention Plan
INGREDIENTS
- 3/4 teaspoon fines herbes or herbes de Provence
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 pound chicken tenders or 1 pound boneless skinless chicken
breast, cut into 8 equal pieces and pounded 1/2-inch
thick
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions or finely chopped
parsley
Sauce Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
DIRECTIONS
Combine the herbs, garlic powder, salt and pepper
and sprinkle some of the mixture over both sides
of the chicken pieces.
Coat a large nonstick skillet with the olive oil and
preheat over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook
for 2 minutes on each side, until nicely browned. Cover
the skillet and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for about
3 minutes, turning once, until the chicken is cooked through.
Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside to keep warm.
Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and stir
to mix. Add the sauce to the skillet and bring the mixture
to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for a minute or 2,
stirring frequently, until reduced by half.
To serve, place 2 chicken pieces on each of 4 serving
plates, drizzle with some of the sauce, and top with
a sprinkling of scallions or parsley. Serve hot.
Nutritional Information Per Serving (1/4 of recipe):
Calories: 198, Carbohydrate: 6 g, Cholesterol: 66 mg,
Fat: 5.1 g, Saturated Fat: 0.9 g, Fiber: 0.2 g,
Protein: 26 g, Sodium: 367 mg, Calcium: 22 mg
Diabetic Exchanges: 3 Very Lean Meat, 1/3 Other Carbohydrate, 1/2 Fat
Also Try: Honey-Mustard Chicken Wings
-------------------
CINNAMON-PEACH CRISP
Yield: 8 servings
Source: The Complete Diabetes Prevention Plan
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cans (15 ounces each) sliced peaches in juice
- 2-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
- Sugar substitute equal to 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup raisins (optional)
Topping Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup old-fashioned (5-minute) oats
- 3 tablespoons toasted wheat germ
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons soft-reduced-fat margarine
- 1/2 cup chopped almonds or pecans
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Drain the peaches, reserving 1/2 cup of the juice.
Place the cornstarch in a 2-quart pot, add a tablespoon
of the reserved juice, and stir to dissolve the cornstarch.
Stir in the remaining reserved juice.
Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
Cook and stir for a minute or two, until the juice has
thickened. Stir in the sugar substitute, peaches, and
if desired, the raisins and heat through.
Coat a 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray and
spread the peach mixture evenly in the dish.
To make the topping, place the oats, wheat germ, brown sugar,
and cinnamon in a medium bowl and stir to mix well. Add the
margarine and stir until the mixture is moist and crumbly.
Add a little more margarine if the mixture seems too dry.
Stir in the nuts.
Sprinkle the topping over the fruit and bake uncovered for about
20 minutes, until the filling is bubbly around the edges and the
topping is golden brown. Let sit for 20 minutes before serving.
Nutritional Information Per Serving (1/8 of recipe):
Calories: 162, Carbohydrate: 28 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg,
Fat: 6 g, Saturated Fat: 0.8 g, Fiber: 2.7 g,
Protein: 3.8 g, Sodium: 32 mg, Calcium: 37 mg
Diabetic Exchanges: 2 Carbohydrate, 1 Fat
Also Try: Cranberry Apple Crisp
=========================
DIABETES 101:
=========================
CHILDREN AND DIABETES
By Maggie Francis
When a child is diagnosed with diabetes, families must
learn how to manage the condition on a daily basis.
Education starts almost immediately with information
to absorb and skills to be practiced.
The learning process introduces parents to an array of medical
words and terms that describe diabetes and how to manage it;
insulins, ketones, shots, pokes, tests, sugars, highs and lows,
reactions, control. Until these words become a part of everyday
language, however, it is easy for misunderstandings to occur.
Take the word control, for example. It is commonly used when
talking about how effectively diabetes is being managed.
For parents, whose goal is to keep their child as healthy as
possible, this often means keeping a very close watch over
blood sugar readings, amounts and type of food eaten and
exercise taken. For a teen however, 'control' is not so
much about keeping healthy but a threat to his or her need
for independence. It means limiting privacy and the ability to
choose for oneself. It is also easy to see how words like diet
and compliance can be unintentionally viewed as restrictive.
Consequently, this diabetes vocabulary can often be
misinterpreted by both parent and child, resulting in conflict
where neither side feels understood. The way out of this is
to talk less about control and focus more on the idea and
expression of partnership between parent and child, and child
and diabetes. For example, using open-ended questions such as
"How do you feel you are coping with your diabetes", or "What
are you finding most difficult about it?", or "What would
help you now?" is likely to foster a working, parent-child
partnership and avoid excessive conflict. Experts are finding
that this approach generates the kind of support that
children with diabetes need.
Parents must be patient, flexible and willing to respond
accordingly to their child's developing needs. Daily
conversations between parent and child play an important
part in helping to shape the child's view of himself and
his world. Sometimes parents feel that they are not the
major influence in their child's life and that they have
been replaced by friends, movies, television and magazines.
Although your child may appear disinterested, you are
still an important source of experience and knowledge.
Keep in mind that what you say and how you say it can help
to influence the way your child learns to live with diabetes.
Here are some points to consider when you next talk about diabetes.
LABELS
The words that we use to describe ourselves play an important
part in defining our identity. They can also influence the
way we lead our lives. For example, a child who is known as
a troublemaker often continues to live up to that reputation.
Similarly someone who has a chronic illness may succumb to
the role of being sick and incapacitated.
A child with diabetes must reconcile his search for his own
identity with having a lifelong medical condition. This is
not always an easy process, particularly for young teenagers
who need to feel that they fit in with their peers. Being
called a diabetic assigns a particular identity and can
accentuate a sense of difference. Being told that you can't
do something because of your diabetes gives the condition
the upper hand and sets a child apart from others.
As a parent, you can try to help your child feel that diabetes
has not completely taken over her life and made her into some
kind of freak. Acknowledge your child's normal developmental
needs, as well as the additional challenges of dealing with
diabetes, and talk in terms of having diabetes rather than
being a diabetic. This will help your child develop the idea
that she can be in charge of diabetes while continuing to
take part in all typical daily activities.
JUDGING
No one enjoys being judged, least of all children. Think of
their reactions when they show you their school reports with
consistently low grades. Anxiety, despondency, humiliation, a
'couldn't-care-less' attitude? None of these inspire motivation
to try harder. What about your reactions as a parent?
Are you supportive or critical?
If given the chance, diabetes does its fair share of judging.
Tests and more tests every day. No wonder children often find
it harder to do these than give themselves insulin. It is not
surprising that they sometimes make up blood sugar readings in
order to do well and please their parents.
Monitoring blood sugar levels is obviously an essential part
of maintaining good health in your child, but there may be more
constructive ways of approaching it. Replace the word test with
check or reading and introduce the idea to your child earlier
on that checking blood sugar levels is a guide or signpost
for determining which way to go next.
Try to avoid using the words good or bad in relation to blood
sugars as they imply more judging and results. High and low
are preferable terms, but even better to leave out the
descriptive word: "Your reading is 20 so what do you need
to do now?" This will help a child work with blood sugar
outcomes rather than view them as the enemy.
SHAMING
All children want to hear that they are loved by their family,
that they belong and that they are good enough just the way
they are. Children continually seek parental approval. When
this is missing, children grow up feeling that there is
something wrong with them and that they are flawed in some
way. This sense of shame comes about from children being
told repeatedly that they do not measure up to expectations
and are a continual disappointment to their parents.
Of course most parents have no intention of shaming their
children, but as a result of personal frustrations or
family background, shaming messages may slip out.
This can happen in families where there is diabetes. Parents
may inadvertently give these types of messages out of intense
desire to keep their child healthy. Blood sugar readings are
rarely good enough, diet and exercise are never acceptable,
attitudes to having diabetes are not up to expectations. The
biggest disappointment, however, is when children lie about
their diabetes - falsifying readings, sneaking food. For some
parents, this is a form of betrayal and results in either
punishment or parents giving up ("I've done all I can to
help, you're on your own now"). In fact, what a child needs
in this situation is support and understanding, not dismissal.
Children and adults all make mistakes. Although parents
would like to see perfect control in their child's diabetes,
this is not always possible and only sets up a child for
failure and parental disapproval.
Working together with your child rather than against him
in a blaming and critical way is more likely to help him
cope better with diabetes and feel accepted for who he is.
There may be times when your child struggles with both the
idea of having diabetes and with carrying out the daily tasks
of taking insulin, checking blood sugars, and monitoring food
and exercise. There is no let-up in this rigorous program nor
is there a vacation; therefore, it can be expected that children
get tired and frustrated with it. Sometimes this results in a
pattern of missing shots, forgetting to check blood sugars and
"junking out" on unhealthy foods. If this is done on a consistent
basis, parents understandably become very anxious that this
attitude of poor control will result in serious health problems
later on. Again, out of love and desperation, parents have been
known to try shock treatment (i.e., "You'll go blind if you
carry on like this!"). This doesn't work! For a start, teenagers
are not thinking about the years ahead - they are living in the
present, and trying to scare younger children into obedience
is more likely to give them nightmares!
Try to help your child express his frustration of having
diabetes. You can't make it go away, but you can help to
share the load. It may be that some extra support and
involvement is needed: doing some of the injections if this
has been the sole responsibility of your child or teen, planning
a more interesting diet or working in some extra treats if there
is a craving for a particular food. Try to understand how
your child feels and ask yourself, would you always have the
willpower to stick firmly to your meal plan?
Above all, in dealing with your child's frustration, you
also need to look after your own worries and concerns as
a parent. Finding ways of dealing with your own stress
and having support will help you to feel hopeful and to
communicate with your child in a more positive way.
FAMILY COMMUNICATION
Conversations are constantly taking place within the daily life
of a family. They are the means by which we communicate our
thoughts and feelings. Sometimes they flow smoothly with mutual
understanding and respect. Other times they end in anger,
frustration, and hurt feelings. Communication does not always
come naturally and can depend on how a parent or child feels
at that moment. It takes thought and effort, both of which
are not readily available when there is stress and tension
in the family. We have seen how, in the case of diabetes,
well-intentioned parents can sometimes miscommunicate
with their children.
The good news is that everyone can learn to communicate better,
and one or two changes in your language can make an important
difference when you speak of diabetes with your child.
You may also want to read:
Cooking Up Fun For Kids With Diabetes
=========================
FOOD AND COOKING
=========================
HOMEMADE SOUPS -- EASY AND NUTRITIOUS
It is almost as easy to make vegetable soup as it is to open
a can of vegetable soup. And homemade soup will have more
flavor and more nutrients than what comes off the shelf.
A hearty, filling soup, along with some whole grain bread
and a salad, is a satisfying meal on a cold winter night.
Any recipe for vegetable soup is just a guide. Add or
subtract according to taste and what looks good at the
market that day, or in your refrigerator. Add hot pepper
flakes, a dash of Tabasco or chopped chilies for a spicier
soup. Low-sodium chicken broth can be used instead of
vegetable broth. Spinach and cabbage would add color, crunch
and nutrients. Have some leftover bell peppers? Throw them in.
Whatever goes into the pot, what comes out is a meal
full of nutrients. For years, nutrition experts have been
promoting the health benefits of at least five daily servings
of vegetables and fruits. They now say five servings a day
should be the minimum, with nine servings as a goal.
In addition to containing the powerful natural anti-cancer
substances called phytochemicals, foods like vegetables,
fruits, whole grains and beans are loaded with fiber, which
creates a full feeling with a minimum of calories. These foods
also tend to keep you feeling full longer than starchy, higher
calorie foods such as potatoes and refined pasta.
So vegetable soup can warm you up, fill you up and build
up your ability to fight disease - all in one bowl.
HEARTY VEGETABLE SOUP
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients
- 2 medium zucchini, sliced thin
- 2 medium carrots, sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 10 mushrooms, sliced
- 2 ribs celery, sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 15 1/2-oz. can corn, drained
- 1 russet potato, peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1/2 lb. green beans cut in half diagonally
- 4 cups (1 quart) vegetable broth
- 3 cups canned crushed tomatoes, drained
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 Tbsp. chopped garlic
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil (or 2 tsp. dried)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano (or 2 tsp. dried)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
Combine zucchini, carrots, mushrooms, celery, corn, potatoes
and green beans in heavy large soup pot. Add vegetable broth,
tomatoes, parsley, cilantro, garlic, basil and oregano.
Bring mixture to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer
until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
With slotted spoon, take 3 cups of vegetables from pot
and put in blender or food processor. Add 1/4 cup cooking
liquid. Puree until smooth. Stir puree into rest of soup.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring soup to simmer.
Heat through and serve.
Nutritional Information Per Serving:
117 calories, 1 g. total fat, <1 g. saturated fat,
26 g. carbohydrate, 5 g. protein, 4 g. dietary fiber, 720 g. sodium
Diabetic Exchanges Per Serving (1/8 of recipe):
1 Starch/Bread, 2 Vegetable, 1 Lean Meat
You may also enjoy:
Classic Beef Stew
=========================
DIABETES RELATED DEFINITIONS
AND EXPLANATIONS
=========================
TRIGLYCERIDE: A type of blood fat. The body needs insulin to
remove this type of fat from the blood. When diabetes is under
control and a person's weight is what it should be, the level
of triglycerides in the blood is usually about what it should be.
KETOSIS: A condition of having ketone bodies build up in body
tissues and fluids. The signs of ketosis are nausea, vomiting,
and stomach pain. Ketosis can lead to ketoacidosis.
VITREOUS HUMOR: The clear jelly (gel) that fills the center of the
eye.
ADRENAL GLANDS: Two organs that sit on top of the kidneys
and make and release hormones such as adrenalin (epinephrine).
This and other hormones, including insulin, control the
body's use of glucose (sugar).
DESENSITIZATION: A method to reduce or stop a response such
as an allergic reaction to something. For instance, if a
person with diabetes has a bad reaction to taking a full
dose of beef insulin, the doctor gives the person a very
small amount of the insulin at first. Over a period of time,
larger doses are given until the person is taking the full
dose. This is one way to help the body get used to the full
dose and to avoid having the allergic reaction.
=========================
DIABETES Q AND A:
=========================
QUESTION:
Someone told me that I should see an eye doctor
because I am a diabetic. Is this true?
ANSWER:
Diabetes is the main cause of blindness in adults in the
United States. You should have your eyes checked once a
year. You may have eye problems and not know it. Treating
eye problems early can help prevent blindness.
High blood sugar can cause the blood vessels in the eyes
to bleed. This bleeding can lead to blindness. You can
help prevent eye damage by keeping your blood sugar level
as close to normal as possible. If your eyes are already
damaged, an eye doctor may be able to save your sight with
laser treatments or surgery.
The best way to stop eye disease is to have a yearly eye exam.
In this exam, the doctor or nurse puts drops in your eyes to
make your pupils get bigger (dilate). This is called a "dilated
eye exam." The drops make the pupils big so that the doctor can
see into the back of the eye. The exam does not hurt. If you
have never had an eye exam like this, you should have one now.
Do this even if you have no trouble with your eyes.
Here are some other rules
for taking care of your eyes:
For people with insulin-dependent diabetes: Have your
eyes examined when you have had diabetes for 5 years
and every year after that first eye exam. (Children
should have an eye exam in their early teens).
For people who got diabetes as an adult: Have an eye exam
right away and then once a year after the first eye exam.
For women planning to have a baby:
Have an eye exam before becoming pregnant.
Tell your doctor right away if you have any problems with
your eyes. These problems include blurry sight or seeing
dark spots, flashing lights, or rings around lights.
See your eye doctor for an eye exam with dilated
pupils every year. Early treatment of eye problems
can help save your sight.
You may also be interested in reading:
Diabetes, What to Know Head to Toe
=========================
SPECIAL SPONSOR'S MESSAGE
=========================
Great News for Sufferers of Nerve Pain:
2 Capsules Twice Daily Can Change Your Life.
Now is the best time to learn about an all-natural formula
with ingredients backed by many medical clinical studies.
See how these ingredients have been shown to improve
neuropathy symptoms and let you return to a normal life.
Four out of five of our customers have already
discovered how these ingredients will:
- Reduce or eliminate numbness & tingling in hands, feet &
legs
- Lessen or eliminate the pain and burning sensations
- Support & strengthen nerves and nerve linings
- Reduce stress and anxiety
- Improve balance and coordination
Neuropathy Support Formula is a capsule you take twice daily that
uses ultra-high doses of benfotiamine(B1) and methylcobalamine
(B12) combined with a super anti-oxidant that makes
the formula 12 times more effective. No side effects.
And it's backed by our 1-year money-back guarantee
about this product and to claim your FREE trial bottle.
Limit one (1) FREE bottle per customer and per household.
----------------------
ABOUT THIS NEWSLETTER: "The Diabetic Newsletter" is an opt-in mailing list
published
by Diabetic Gourmet Magazine.
The Diabetic Newsletter (c) copyright 2013. CAPCO Marketing,
LLC.
