How do I live with Diabetes Type 2 as I get Older?

Here is some really good advice from this video that I got from the Diabetes Awareness Site.

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

The DASH Diet: How To Lower Your High Blood Pressure

I decided that I needed to post the DASH Diet in my Diabetes Life Notes because this eating plan is beneficial for people with Diabetes Type 2. I wish I had practised this earlier in my pre-Diabetes Type 2 days. It is never too late!I found this publication at the US Department of Health and Human Services. Lowering Your Blood Pressure with the DASH Eating Plan, a.k.a. the DASH Diet

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Content Curation: Gluten-Free Recipes for the Asian Palate

My Twin Nephews, Emmanuel and Christian, with Filipinas Magazine Achievement Awards' Honoree, Dante Basco, and Yours Truly, in 2007

July 20, 2011

Here is something I will enjoy sharing with my twin nephews, Christian and Emmanuel, this summer. I'm their cooking coach! In other words, I started off their dinner preparations by not going through recipe books but by looking at what ingredients were available in the refrigerator and pantry.

My research and development mindset (kicked in by my first commercial baking recipes when I was 15 years old at our bakeshop in Cebu City, Sally's Home Bake Shop) is somehow helping them discover "outside the box" paradigms by knowing a few basic scientific principles about cooking, then working through healthy lifestyle choices.

I am hopeful that by the time they go back to their respective colleges, their last lessons will be about how to shop and stock the pantry and refrigerator, how to use coupons, cooking and baking measurements, how to read recipes, and document their cooking experiments.

I remember the first time they saw how much suet we extracted from boiling two pounds of beef spare ribs (more than a half cup! For now, I'm enjoying having them taste and suggest herbs and spices for their own versions of Fried Rice, Baked Chicken Wings, Honey-Baked Lean Beef Spare Ribs, Mongo Soup, Puspas (or Arroz Caldo), Bam-i, and other simple Asian cuisine. I also made the twins promise me that they will refer to this blog so some of my words will help them discover their own magical touch in healthy foods.

Today, it's all about salads for dinner.

In the meantime, I'm preparing for Lauren's arrival in the USA. She asked me for gluten-free recipes. Here they are!

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

John Robbins and the Diet For A New America

Warning: Read this blog posting when you are not eating. The videos can be quite graphic. I was visibly disturbed by my own research (yes, I am literally shaking because I am a carnivore with an emerging vegetarian interest). All I seek is balance in my outlook and a re-evaluation of my own values.

Nona D. Andaya-Castillo, a Filipina Breastfeeding Advocate/International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and a practising vegetarian these past 17 years, turned me on to the "Diet for A New America." As I strive to live a more healthy lifestyle, I also take the time to gather research and knowledge from people who can help me with my Diabetes Type 2 condition.

PETA TV has a thought-provoking, compelling video that features John Robbins, son of the founder of the Baskin-Robbins ice-cream empire, who shows us why animal-based diets are killing Americans. You can also check out the YouTube videos (Part 1 to Part 8) of the same PETA TV documentary here.

Here is Part 1 of this YouTube video.



As a kid, John Robbins had been paralyzed from "the waist down" due to polio. Thus, his continuing interest in healing his body using a plant-based diet is John's prime directive.

What I learned from John is that: the food choices that are healthiest for our bodies, kindest to animals, environmentally-friendly, and ecologically-virtuous are vegetarian and vegan. John's "statement of consciousness, compassion, and care" resonate with my determination to be wiser about my lifestyle choices.

I am still in a state of shock. It will take a while before all of the knowledge and opinions I just imbibed will truly sink into my psyche. In the meantime, please take the time to check out the videos below.

Special Interview with Mr. John Robbins, Part I



Special Interview with Mr. John Robbins, Part II



Nona Andaya-Castillo is very busy bringing people and organizations together to organize the Second Synchronized Breastfeeding Worldwide Event, scheduled on October 11, 2008, as well as its launching during the World Breastfeeding Week on August 1 to 7, 2008. She is looking for public service, corporate, non-profit agency, and community-based partners.

COULD THIS BE YOU OR YOUR GROUP?

TO CONTACT NONA D. ANDAYA-CASTILLO:

Nona D. Andaya-Castillo, IBCLC
International Board Certified Lactation Consultant
The Breastfeeding Clinic: Your Partner from Pregnancy to Parenting
Telephone: 632-444-4716 632-271-0954
Children_For_Breastfeeding@yahoo.com
+63-919-839-5555 and nurturers2005@yahoo.com.ph

Founder:
Nurturers of the Earth
A support group for vegetarians and vegetarians-in-progress

Children for Breastfeeding
Mobilizing children to promote earth-friendly parenting

P.S. Here is something I learned from Nona about Formula Milk made by Wyeth that is supposed to be recalled in the Philippines. Very controversial!

Can Gastric By-Pass Surgery Force Diabetes Type 2 Into Remission?

This is something new that just came out of Yahoo News! today, a snippet from 60 Minutes. If there are more advances in this area, it would be wonderful!

Click here to go directly to Yahoo.com.

Eating Well with the USDA Food Guide Pyramid

This morning, I took out my notes from my Kaiser Permanente Diabetes and Nutrition classes, mandatory for me when I decided to take a more pro-active approach with my health issues.

Let's start with some"Eating Well" basics that I'm reviewing right now.


THE NEW FOOD PYRAMID AS OF 1998
a.k.a. the USDA Food Guide Pyramid

MyPyramid.Gov is a good source of information for all of us.

There used to be a time that there was only one recommended Food Pyramid for everyone. Today, it's more personalized. My Pyramid helps us out with a personal eating plan based on a detailed evaluation about the food we eat and how much physical activity we have.

At my Kaiser Permanente nutrition class, the instructors stressed that: "When you have diabetes, healthy eating habits are a cornerstone of your treatment. You can help control your blood sugars with good meal planning."

I read the list and I discovered that I had broken a lot of their recommended guidelines.

1. When to eat: I break every single guideline here. I need to do better (sigh!). My lifestyle is such that I don't have regular times for cooking. Sometimes, I even eat two meals a day. Not that I'm dieting. I forget to eat! No wonder I have such high and low swings in my blood sugar readings.

Eating regularly will help control your blood sugars.
Try to eat about the same times each day.
Try to eat a meal or snack every four to five hours during your day.
Prevent low blood sugars. Avoid skipping or delaying your meals and snacks.

2. What to eat: Check out the Diabetes Food Pyramid. I copied the image below from the National Diabetes Education Program because it's too much trouble for me to draw my own pyramid. This should help us out.

it's simple to understand. You take in less of fats, sweets, and alcohol and more of grains, beans, and vegetables.

Our bodies need four basic food nutrients so we can function properly:

a. Proteins

b. Carbohydrates

c. Fats

d. Water, the most important food nutrient (and I have to force myself to drink 8 glasses of water every day)

Whatever I designate as "FREE" means that these are CARB-friendly food. They could be fatty food, though.

Let's start from the top of the pyramid.

1. Heart-healthy fats (free) to choose from: Avocado, olive or canola oil, unsalted nuts, 100% all-natural peanut butter or other nut butters, seeds.

I asked the nutritionists about the merits of virgin coconut oil for persons with Diabetes Type 2. They couldn't give me an informed answer. I think they should look into the merits of virgin coconut oil. Even Loida Nicolas Lewis told me that she's more healthy today because of this oil.

Heart-unfriendly fats (free) which should be limited: Butter, margarine, mayonnaise, salad dressing, cream sauces.

Good-bye to Fettuccine Alfredo Sauce, etc. I cannot live without butter or margarine so I think I will just have to learn how to combine extra virgin olive oil and a little butter. Or maybe I can find some "butter flavor" in the supermarket that isn't carcinogenic.

Sweets definitely have CARBS.

Alcohol doesn't turn into glucose. Drink moderately.

2. Milk and Yogurt = 2 to 3 servings per day

There is Lactose sugar in these milk products.

Ice-cream contains sucrose.

Suggestions: Drink 1 cup 1% or fat-free milk or 1 cup light (artificially-sweetened) yogurt.

3. Meat & Others (free) = 2 to 3 servings per day

Servings depend on the portion size, type of meat, and preparation style.

Rule of Thumb: A 3-oz. size of meat is about the size of your palm.

A serving can be:

2 or 3 ozs. of lean meat, chicken, fish, or low-fat cheese

1/2 to 1/3 cup of tuna or low-fat cheese

1 egg, 2 tbsps. all-natural peanut butter or 4 ozs. tofu

4. Non-Starchy Vegetables (free) = 3 or more servings per day

A serving can be:

1/2 cup cooked vegetables

1 cup raw vegetables

3/4 cup vegetable juice

Examples: carrots, mushrooms, eggplants

All right! Leafy, green, non-starchy vegetables are my friends!

5. Fruit = 2 to 4 servings per day

Fruit contains fructose.

A serving can be:

1 small piece of fruit

15 grapes, 12 cherries

1 cup melon, berries

1/2 small banana

I have to do better in this department. I demolish one large banana per meal.

6. Grains, Beans, Starchy Vegetables = 6 to 11 servings per day (this means 3 servings per meal)

Use a 1/4 cup for measuring items.

Note: The size of your fist is about 1 cup.

A serving size can be:

3/4 cup unsweetened dry cereal, 1/2 cup bran cereal, or 1/2 cup cooked cereal

1 slice of bread, 1 small tortilla, or 4 to 6 crackers

1/5 bagel, 1/2 English muffin, 1/2 pita bread, or 1/2 hamburger or hot dog bun

1/3 cup cooked rice or cooked pasta

1/2 cup corn grits, bulgur, potatoes, yams, corn, peas, or winter squash

1/2 cup cooked dried beans or lentils

This is what my nutritionist explained to me.

a. A portion is the serving size of the food I'm eating.

b. A serving is a specific amount of food typically determined by the USDA.

c. One CARB serving is equal to 15 grams of carbohydrates. The average CARB servings per meal range from 3 to 5 servings.

d. Examples of how to quickly determine CARB servings.

1/3 cup rice = 1 serving

1 cup rice = 3 servings

1 cup of cooked pasta = 3 servings

1 plate of cooked pasta = 12 servings

1 oz. of bread = 1 serving

4 ozs. of bagel = 4 servings (In other words, bagels are really a no-no for people living with type 2 diabetes)

3 cups of air-popped popcorn = 1 serving

a small container of yogurt = 1 serving (anywhere from 15 to 30 gms. CARBS)

3 squares of graham crackers = 1 serving


3. How much to eat: I don't know when I eat too much.

This is what my nutritionist said:

Your body changes most of the food you eat into blood sugar (glucose). to supply your body with energy. When you have diabetes, your body has problems turning this sugar into energy, so more of the sugar stays in your blood.

You can help your body control your blood sugars if your eat smaller amounts of food and if you spread your meals throughout the day.

If you eat too much food, especially too many carbohydrates, your blood sugars may get too high. CARBS are naturally found in foods and are an important part of a healthy diet. CARBS include the starch, sugar, and fiber in foods.

CONCLUSION:

After reading all of the above, I finally figured out that I need to make the time to write my own "diet" according to the servings that are recommended for me. Right now, I am going to continue cutting down my food portions to another half (of what I'm used to) including the bananas.

Let me process it this way for now:

1. My "free" foods are lean protein, fats, and non-starchy vegetables.

2. Men are allowed 4 to 5 servings of CARBS per meal. As a woman, I'm better off with 3 to 4 servings of CARBS per meal.

So, for breakfast, my 3 to 4 servings of CARBS would be:

1/2 cup of bran cereal = 1 serving

1/2 banana = 1 serving

1 cup 1% milk = 1 serving

And coffee with some non-dairy creamer and Splenda.

3. I have to go back to eating five times a day with the following CARBS goals:

Breakfast: 3 to 4 carb servings or 45 to 60 gms.

Snack: 1 to 2 carb servings or 15 to 30 gms.

Lunch: 3 to 4 carb servings or 45 to 60 gms.

Snack: 1 to 2 carb servings or 15 to 30 gms.

Dinner: 3 to 4 carb servings or 45 to 60 gms.

Snack (before bedtime): 1 carb serving or 15 gms.

4. I should limit my sodium intake to less than 2,000 mgs. a day.

One teaspoon of salt = 2,300 mgs. sodium

This means about 500 mgs. of sodium per meal and about 200 gms. of sodium for every snack.

5. I should take blood sugar readings two hours after every meal.

I'm up to the challenge!

Two Steps Back

7:30 a.m. - 183


Yesterday, I was bad! Not only did I polish off a bag of Calbee chips, a 1/2 bag of dates (heaven!), and had my Mung Bean & Bake Tofu Saute for breakfast and lunch, I succumbed to the social networking madness called "Eating Out After A Dinner Meeting."

Jack and Cecille Hontiveros had been inviting me for the past six months to check out the YTB (Your Travel Business) business opportunity --- so I finally did go with them to a presentation last night. Of course, Cecille and I just had to eat the new Florentine Spinach Crepes with Hollandaise Sauce at IHOP before the meeting.

The travel "bug" is here, my friends, especially for the "baby boomers." Thus, I hope to refer some of my friends who might be open to checking out this "referring travel agent" internet-based business (a publicly-held company) for its travel benefits and tax advantages --- among other reasons. Since I have a travel booking engine at my RadiantView.com, I look at this YTB business as an opportunity for me to study what internet marketing techniques work for non-techies.

After the meeting, we ate at Tribu Grill for the ultimate homestyle Filipino cuisine, the stuff I haven't eaten in a long, long time. Think about Cold Eggplant Salad, Sizzling Bangus (Milkfish) Belly, and Lechon Kawali (Pan-Roasted Pork) with Liver Sauce. And Puto Bumbong for dessert!

Madness, I'm telling you, for someone with Diabetes Type 2!

Today, I'm contrite. I should have had just one slice of the Puto Bumbong. Or, why couldn't I just be contented with 22 Calbee chips or five pieces of dates?

It's Salad time for me. And lots and lots of veggies for the next couple of days.

I also have a couple of books I want to share with you --- that's been gathering dust on the bookshelf. Now, it's on top of my bedside table. That's progress, don't you think?

1. American Diabetes Association Complete Guide to Diabetes, 4th edition - the ultimate home reference from the Diabetes experts
2. The Calorie King "Fat & Carbohydrate Counter," 2007 colour edition - highly recommended by my Kaiser Permanente nutritionist

I'll share some of the tidbits that I've learned at another time.

I must go and find something to eat. Salad, remember?