Have you completely sworn off carbs since being diagnosed with diabetes?
This angst is easy to understand when every day we are bombarded with health messages to limit, restrict, avoid, and feel guilty for eating carbohydrates. However, these negative food and eating messages are harmful and do not align with my nonjudgment view of food.
Megrette FletcherM.Ed., R.D., CDE is a registered dietitian, diabetes educator, and Mindful Eating expert joins us on our 7th Anniversary Diabetes Late Nite podcast on Tuesday, July 11, 2017 to discuss this ‘hot topic’ suggested by one of our loyal listeners.
Over the past few decades carbohydrates have become demonized. But the truth of the matter is that ‘Carbs are friends, not foes’!
“Motivating (my) clients with fear is not only ineffective, but can lead to misinformation, misunderstanding, and toxic emotions such as blame, shame, and depression,” says Megrette.
Carbohydrates (carbs) are a macronutrient found in foods like grains, starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes, potatoes, squashes, corn, fruit, vegetables, dairy, legumes/beans, and foods like bread, pasta, sweets, and more. While vegetables DO have carbohydrates, some nutritionists don’t consider them a carb source because they feel the energy you use to digest them counters any carbs you would get from them.
Carbs often come packaged with fiber and sometimes protein, like in legumes, dairy, or starchy vegetables. In the body, carbohydrates break down to sugars like glucose, fructose, or galactose (the simplest sugars). Don’t be scared of the “S” word (sugar) – this is simply the way the body digests and processes carbohydrates.
Carbohydrates give us the energy we need to live our diabetes lives. If chosen carefully, carbohydrates can deliver a number of health benefits and also help people maintain their weight.
One of the reasons for why carbs get such a bad rap is because the extra sugar available from the glucose formation gets stored in muscles, the liver, or other parts of your body, later getting converted into fat if the body doesn’t need it for energy. However, that’s on you, not the carbs. If you keep moving and require your body to use up that energy, the sugar from carbohydrates won’t get stored as fat.
TUNE IN: Join us for our Seventh Anniversary Diabetes Late Nite podcast with musical inspiration from Cyndi Lauper on Tuesday, July 11, 2017, 6 PM, EST. Special guests included Susan Weiner RD, MS, CDE, CDN , Megrette Fletcher MEd, RD, CDE, Poet Lorraine Brooks, the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach and Mama Rose Marie. Throughout this podcast we will be playing selected songs from the Essential Collection of Cyndi Lauper courtesy of SONY Music.
Always saddle your own horse. Always know what you’re doing. And go in the direction you are heading.” Connie Reeves
Our Divabetic Father’s Day Celebration takes on a Spaghetti Western theme to encourage you to embrace your ‘inner cowboy and cowgirl’ and keep riding high with diabetes health!
There are plenty of cowgirls to inspire you, like Connie Reeves, who paved the way for women everywhere she went. Although she was one of the first women to study law at the University of Texas, when tuition money came up short during the Depression she took a job teaching high school, reports WIRED. There she started a girl’s drill team, one of the first in the state (and now a passion in Texas). Then she began teaching horseback riding. Over the years this horsewoman taught riding along with her own brand of confidence to an estimated 36,000 children.
The documentary American Cowgirl shows 101-year-old Ms. Reeves riding, assisting at a girl’s summer camp, and trying to keep herself from cussing on camera. As she said, “There’s nothing as expressive as profanity.” The woman described as America’s oldest cowgirl said, “My life’s not important to very many people. But what I have done may be something that will motivate someone else. I hope so.”
One of our favorite experts, Best-Selling Cookbook Author Holly Clegg shares this Southwestern menu for a Divabetic Father’s Day Celebration.Holly’s menu includes Southwestern Roasted Vegetables, Asparagus with Zucchini Rings., Vodka Pasta, Beer Bread , Butternut Squash, Black Bean and Feta Enchiladas with Salsa Verde,Southwestern Pasta(Check out all of Holly’s healthy recipes for our Father’s Day Celebration on our Divabetic blog).
Butternut Squash, Black Bean and Feta Enchiladas with Salsa Verde by Holly Clegg
“Six ingredient vegetarian enchiladas burst with flavor and effortless to make,” says Holly Clegg.
Ingredients:
4 cups peeled butternut squash
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 bunch green onions, chopped
3/4 cup crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese, divided
8 large (about 7-inch) corn or flour tortillas
2 cups salsa verde
1.Preheat oven 400°F.Coat baking pan with foil and coat with nonstick cooking spray.
2.Place squash on prepared pan.Bake 20-25 minutes or until squash is tender but not mushy.
3.Reduce heat to 350°F.In bowl, combine cooked squash, black beans, green onion and 1/2 cup feta.
4.Coat 3-quart oblong baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and spread a little of salsa verde on the bottom.Fill tortillas with about 1/2 cup filling, rolling up and place seam side down in dish.Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas.Sprinkle remaining cheese over sauce.
5.Cover pan with foil and bake 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
Holly’s Terrific Tip:Roasted vegetables are easy to prepare with easy clean-up, and more flavorful. Look for pre-cut butternut squash in grocery.
Nutritional Nugget: Make this recipe gluten free with corn tortillas.
With over 1 million cookbooks sold, Holly Clegg has become a culinary expert on easy healthy everyday recipes through her nationally recognized best-selling trim&TERRIFIC® and Eating Well cookbook series, including Eating Well Through Cancer, (English, Spanish and Chinese editions), Eating Well to Fight Arthritis and Diabetic Cooking with the American Diabetes Association. Holly Clegg attended the Cordon Bleu Cooking School, London. For more information, visit About Holly or The Healthy Cooking Blog for more recipes and tips.
The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic shines the spotlight on author and chef, Holly Clegg, in this half-hour special edition of Diva Talk Radio. This fun-filled food frenzy will feature expert advice on quick, flavorful and healthy eating from Holly’s latest book, ‘Too Hot in the Kitchen: Secrets to Sizzle at Any Age’ LISTEN NOW
The Frozen Shoulder: What’s Diabetes Got to Do With It?
About three percent of the general population get frozen shoulder, compared to about 20% of people with insulin-dependent and non-insulin dependent diabetes and in those with prediabetes. Women are more likely to develop the condition than men, and it mainly affects people between the ages of 40-65.
Although there is no conclusive link to high sugars or insulin use, long-term complications of diabetes may include changes in the connective tissue that occur as a result of high glucose levels.
People who have a history of adhesive capsulitis are at an increased risk to develop the condition on the other side of the body. Recurrence on the affected side is also possible, particularly in patients with diabetes. READ MORE
You might notice that Spaghetti Westerns are usually fitted with titles that sound suspiciously like other movies. The original title of “Fistful of Dollars,” for instance, was “The Magnificent Stranger,” a knock off of “The Magnificent Seven.” In short, if the words “Dollar” “Gold” or “Coffin” are in the title, you’re probably watching a Spaghetti Western.
New Study Sees Link Between Sleep Duration and Diabetes in Men
During the last 50 years, the average self-reported sleep duration per person has decreased by 1.5 to 2 hours and the prevalence of diabetes has doubled in the same time period, according the this study’s primary author, Femke Rutters, PhD, of The Netherlands. READ MORE
Carrie Fisher arrives at the Governors Awards at the Dolby Ballroom on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Carrie Fisher died from ‘Sleep Apnea & other Causes’
Star Wars actress Carrie Fisher died from sleep apnea and “other factors”, the Los Angeles County coroner says. Sleep apnea is a common condition in which a person stops breathing during sleep, either for a few seconds or minutes. As well as listing sleep apnea as a cause of death, the coroner’s statement cited other factors, including heart disease and drug use.
Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder that occurs when a person’s breathing is interrupted during sleep. People with untreated sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep, sometimes hundreds of times. This means the brain — and the rest of the body — may not get enough oxygen.
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA): The more common of the two forms of apnea, it is caused by a blockage of the airway, usually when the soft tissue in the back of the throat collapses during sleep.
Central sleep apnea: Unlike OSA, the airway is not blocked, but the brain fails to signal the muscles to breathe, due to instability in the respiratory control center.
Am I at Risk for Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea can affect anyone at any age, even children. Risk factors for sleep apnea include:
Divabetic ‘Spaghetti Western’ Father’s Day Celebration Playlist: “She’s in Love with the Boy” is a song written by Jon Ims and recorded by Trisha Yearwood. It was released in March 1991 as the lead single from her self-titled debut album. The song reached number one on the Billboard U.S. Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart and was the first of five number ones on the country chart for Trisha Yearwood.
“Life is a combination of magic and pasta,” said filmmaker Federico Fellini.
Walking down the aisle of my local Whole Food it seems clear that the ‘magic’ of today’s pasta is the wide range of ingredients such as quinoa and legume such as chickpeas and lentils available. Whereas traditional pasta is made from semolina, a refined flour derived from durum wheat, these new noodles appeal to people interested in cutting back on barbs, avoiding gluten and looking for plant-based proteins.
What do you put on your pasta?
Canned pasta sauce can be an indispensable ingredient when making spaghetti and meatballs, lasagna and other pasta dishes. Unprocessed choices are typically healthier than processed options. It’s important to read the nutrition facts label to confirm the sauce fits into your meal plan.
Processed American pasta sauces are loaded with excess calories, tons of salt, and loads of added sugar that might surprise you. These jarred, ready-to-eat sauces from the grocery store are often made with oils that are full of inflammatory omega-6s—a stark contrast to the oleic acid found in extra virgin olive oil that actually helps you lose belly fat, not gain it.
Prego “Traditional” sauce is free of any extra virgin olive oil and only contains canola oil. That’s not the only problem—the sauce also boasts as much sugar as a French Cruller donut from Dunkin Donuts. ( Per 1/2 cup: 70 calories, 1.5 g fat (0 g saturated fat), 480 mg sodium, 13 g carbs, 3 g fiber, 10 g sugar, 2 g protein)
Ragu Chunky Tomato, Garlic and Onion sauce is full of more sugar than a bowl of Froot Loops cereal and fats entirely from likely pesticide-laden soybean oil. (Per 1/2 cup, 128 g: 90 calories, 2 g fat (0 g saturated fat), 460 mg sodium, 16 g carbs, 2 g fiber, 12 g sugar, 2 g protein)
Ragu Old Style Organic Traditional sauce uses all organic products in their Traditional sauce. (In case you didn’t know, Ragu’s “Traditional” sauces differ from their “Marinara” sauces because of the addition of Romano cheese). Unfortunately, there’s plenty of inflammatory soybean oil and sugar to the sauce. (Per 1/2 cup, 125 g: 70 calories, 2 g fat (0 g saturated fat), 470 mg sodium, 12 g carbs, 3 g fiber, 8 g sugar, 2 g protein)
DIVABETIC TIP: One way to lower the sodium content of any jarred sauce is to combine it with a can of salt free tomato sauce or diced tomatoes.
Enjoy Best-Selling Cookbook Author Holly Clegg‘s healthy delicious recipes for our Divabetic ‘Spaghetti Western’ Father’s Day Celebration. Holly’s menu includes Southwestern Roasted Vegetables, Asparagus with Zucchini Rings., Vodka Pasta, Beer Bread , Butternut Squash, Black Bean and Feta Enchiladas with Salsa Verde,Southwestern Pasta. READ
Find out how our Divabetic ‘Spaghetti Western’ themed Father’s Day Celebration is shedding new light on ‘Great Silence’ aka Erectile Dysfunction (ED) in this guest blog by Janis Roszler MSFT, RD, LD/N, CDE, FAND READ
LISTEN NOW: Lorraine Brooks reads ‘I Woke Up This Morning’ on June’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast. Guests include singer Alfa Anderson, Diabetic Macular Edema patient Maryanne Kass, Artist Bryce Chisholm, the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach, Poet Lorraine Brooks and Mama Rose Marie. Throughout the podcast we will be featuring selected songs from several of Maxwell’s albums courtesy of SONY Music.
Our Divabetic Father’s Day Celebration takes on a ‘Spaghetti Western’ theme to encourage you to embrace your ‘inner cowboy’ and keep riding high with diabetes health!
Cowboys, like today’s miners and farmers, symbolize courage, optimism, and plain hard work. They also remind you that success isn’t only measured with materials, but by where you find satisfaction.
One of our favorite experts, Best-Selling Cookbook Author Holly Clegg shares this Southwestern menu for a Divabetic Father’s Day Celebration.Holly’s menu includes Southwestern Roasted Vegetables, Asparagus with Zucchini Rings., Vodka Pasta, Beer Bread , Butternut Squash, Black Bean and Feta Enchiladas with Salsa Verde,Southwestern Pasta(We will be posting one recipe each day throughout the upcoming week).
This veggie captivated my attention at a dinner for 300 people so I went home to make them. Simple ingredients, eye-catching and unbelievably delicious- they add flair and flavor to any plate. Make ahead, refrigerate, and cook when ready to serve.
2. Cut zucchini into 1/4-inch diagonal slices and hollow out hole in center of each slice, leaving an edge (like napkin ring). Place about 3 asparagus, depending on size through hole, and lay on baking sheet.
3. Drizzle with olive oil and season to taste. Roast 25-30 minutes or until tender and browned.
Nutritional information per serving: Calories 50 Calories from fat 45% Fat 3g Saturated Fat 0g Cholesterol 0mg Sodium 4mg Carbohydrate 5g Dietary Fiber 2g Sugars 3g Protein 2g Dietary Exchanges: 1 vegetable, 1/2 fat
With over 1 million cookbooks sold, Holly Clegg has become a culinary expert on easy healthy everyday recipes through her nationally recognized best-selling trim&TERRIFIC® and Eating Well cookbook series, including Eating Well Through Cancer, (English, Spanish and Chinese editions), Eating Well to Fight Arthritis and Diabetic Cooking with the American Diabetes Association. Holly Clegg attended the Cordon Bleu Cooking School, London. For more information, visit About Holly or The Healthy Cooking Blog for more recipes and tips.
LISTEN NOW: The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic shines the spotlight on author and chef, Holly Clegg, in this half-hour special edition of Diva Talk Radio. This fun-filled food frenzy will feature expert advice on quick, flavorful and healthy eating from Holly’s latest book, ‘Too Hot in the Kitchen:Secrets to Sizzle at Any Age’
Health Headlines: Santa Fe, N.M. residents are considering a new tax on sugary sodas and other sweetened beverages to boost access to pre-kindergarten
The 2 cents-per-ounce tax would apply not only to traditional sugary sodas but also sweetened sport drinks such as Gatorade, many caffeinated energy drinks, sweetened teas, lemonade and some coffee drinks that contain sweetened syrups.
Santa Fe Mayor Javier Gonzales, a key proponent of the tax, says that the proposal includes an incentive for the beverage industry to come up with healthier products by exempting lightly sweetened beverages. That exemption applies to drinks with 10 grams of sugar or less per eight fluid ounces.
San Francisco, Oakland and Albany, California, Boulder, Colorado, Chicago, Illinois, and Philadelphia, PA stunned the industry by approving ballot measures in favor of soda taxes.
With that public momentum, a soda tax may be coming to a city near you. READ MORE
In 1914, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson proposed a special revenue tax on soft drinks, beer and patent medicine after the outbreak of World War I caused a decline in imports and a corresponding decline in credit created by import tariffs. This proposed taxation measure was not however linked to the anticipated health outcomes of reduced sugar sweetened beverage consumption.
“Life is a banquet, and most poor suckers are starving to death!” from Auntie Mame.
Our Divabetic Mother’s Day Celebration embraces an Old Hollywood aesthetic to encourage you to shine the spotlight on you and your diabetes health!
We believe diabetes doesn’t have to dim your dazzle! You can still embody Old Hollywood glamour and the kind of woman who is accustomed to attention from throngs of paparazzi!
Sure, it can be challengingat times to enjoy the holidays when you’re living with diabetes especially if you feel like you can’t enjoy the foods your actually preparing for your family and friends! Why not take the opportunity this Mother’s Day to change your mindset as well as your family’s about what healthy tastes like?
One of our favorite experts,‘The Decadent Diabetic’ aka Chef Ward Alper shares this Oscar worthy menu for a Divabetic Mother’s Day Celebration.The Decadent Diabetic’s menu includes Cucumber Soup, Smoked Salmon & Brie Omelet, Roasted Asparagus and Tart A Citron. Below is Chef’s Ward Alper’s recipe for Rosalind Roasted Asparagus (We will be posting one recipe each day throughout the upcoming week).
Rosalind Roasted Asparagus by The Decadent Diabetic
(Serving size 8-10 spears, net carbohydrates: 6 grams)
Chef’s Note: As with most vegetables, high temperature “roasting” intensifies the flavor. I roast a lot of veggies, but asparagus is my personal “star”
I like mid sized asparagus. The pencil thin ones just go limp, and the fat ones seem to taste “old” to me, even after peeling them. ONLY when it fresh in my garden, I use a little lemon thyme in this recipe.
Ingredients
8-10 – asparagus spears
1 – Tbsp. mincedshallot
1 – clove of grated garlic
1 Tbsp. olive oil
or
1 Tbsp. butter
salt and pepper to taste
2 – Tbsp. fresh lemon juice or balsamic vinegar (optional)
HOW TO PREPARE THE RECIPE:
Pre heat oven to 400-425° F.
Rinse the asparagus under running water. On a sheet pan lined with aluminumfoil, toss the shallots, garlic,butter, olive oil, salt, and pepper with the asparagusand spread to one layer.
Cook at for 6- 10 minutes depending on how crunchy you like your vegetables. Sprinkle with lemon juice or balsamic vinegar just before serving.
Did you know asparagus may be able to keep diabetes at bay by helping blood sugar levels stay under control while boosting output of insulin? READ MORE
Chef Ward’s asparagus dish pays homage to silver screen legend, actress Rosalind Russell.
“Flops are a part of life’s menu and I’ve never been a girl to miss out on any of the courses,” said Rosalind Russell.
She was a tall and lean just like asparagus! She was best known for her versatility in witty and sophisticated roles such as the fast-talking newspaper reporter in the screwball comedy ‘His Girl Friday’ in 1940. She is also fondly remembered for her portrayal of Mame Dennis in the film ‘Auntie Mame’ in 1958.
Rosalind Russell may have been the most glamorous and famous woman to have Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). However, she shared three qualities with many others living with RA: She was determined, hopeful, and private. She used her celebrity status to advocate for research and successfully lobbied Congress to pass the National Arthritis Act.
Not Everything About Old Hollywood Was Glamorous!
Actress Kim Novakrecalls when she first got to Hollywood, her studio changed her name, gave her lavender highlights, and told her to speak with a breathier voice. When Novak overate one day after a visit to a farmer’s market, one of her actress girlfriends suggested she remedy the mistake by drinking soap and water — which she did, before getting a ride to the hospital.
Did you know your favorite Old Hollywood actresses would dab gasoline on their cheekbones and browbones to spotlight their bone structure? Cinematographers would even rub the stuff on camera lenses to give the shoot a soft-focus, ethereal quality.
High blood sugar is dangerous for many reasons, but it can also make your skin dry, and prone to cracking and breaking. This opens the door to infections. And if you do get an infection, high blood sugar makes the infection harder to fight.
“The No. 1 key is to get your diabetes in check,” says Katherine H. Fiala, MD, director of the dermatology residency program at Scott & White Clinic in Temple, Texas. “If you do that first, everything else is so much easier.”
Our team’s having so much fun putting together ideas for a Divabetic Old Hollywood Mother’s Day Celebration, that Chef Ward ‘the Decadent Diabetic’ Alper sent me this fun message referencing Old Hollywood: “With all these Divas you are having for brunch, I HOPE, you didn’t have to call Janie Clarkson and cancel….again.”
This delicious quote is from the film, Mr. Skeffington starring Bette Davis. Popular and beautiful Fanny Trellis (Bette Davis) is forced into a loveless marriage with an older man, Jewish banker Job Skeffington, in order to save her beloved brother Trippy from an embezzlement charge, and predictable complications result.
