Cooking Tips for a Diabetic-Friendly Meal

Who says that having diabetes means you can’t still whip up delicious, homemade food? When you know the basics of meal planning, you can make almost any recipe work.

So don’t throw out your cookbooks or toss your favorite recipes. Instead, take some tips about how to cook wisely.

1. Cook with liquid fats in place of solid fats.

Solid fats often include saturated fats, which you should limit, or trans fats, which you should avoid totally.

If a recipe calls for solid fat like butter, lard, or hydrogenated shortening, try trans-fat free margarine, spreads, or shortening instead. Check the label to see whether the product will work for cooking or baking.

Many liquid fats -- oils such as canola, corn, olive, and grape seed -- can be healthy when used in moderate amounts. Some oils have stronger flavors that may affect the taste. So experiment to find which oils work best with which recipes.

2. Switch to low-fat dairy.

Many dairy products used in cooking and baking are high in fat. You can lower the fat content without compromising taste.

Instead of whole milk or half-and-half, pour 1% or skim milk, condensed skim milk, or nonfat half-and-half. Instead of sour cream, try low-fat or nonfat plain yogurt, buttermilk, or even low-fat cottage cheese (you may need to blend it first to make it smooth.)

To make a sauce that calls for cream or whole milk, use cornstarch and skim milk.

3. Use less fat altogether.

For many dishes, you can use 25% to 33% less fat than what the recipe says. Another tip: Substitute applesauce or mashed bananas for some or all of the fat in baked goods.

Or, if you’re whipping up a treat that calls for chocolate or chocolate chips, try cocoa powder, or use mini-chocolate chips and use fewer of them.

When cooking up a soup or stew, skim off the fat that floats to the surface while it’s on the stove. Or, place the pot in the refrigerator. When the fat has hardened at the top, it's easy to skim off.

4. Be smart about carbs.

Choose those that give you energy that lasts and fiber.

When a recipe calls for "white" flour, "white" rice, or other refined grains, try substituting whole wheat flour, brown rice, or other whole-grain flours or grain products. You can also use ground nuts such as almond or hazelnut (filbert) meal. Or you can mix several of these whole-grain ingredients together in the same recipe.

5. Skimp on the sugar.

Sugar can quickly raise your blood sugar, unlike the carbs from vegetables or starches, which are absorbed more slowly.

Many times you can cut the amount of sugar without seriously affecting taste or texture, though you may need to add more flour. An exception: You can’t cut corners if something you're baking needs yeast, because the yeast needs the sugar in order to do its job.

If you’re using a sugar substitute, check the product label to be sure it’s designed for baking.

6. Experiment with flavor.

Reach for ingredients other than sugar, salt, and fat to satisfy your taste buds. Try out different herbs, spices (cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg), mustards, and vinegars (balsamic, sherry).

Some spices may even have health benefits of their own. Cinnamon, for example, may help lower blood sugar levels.

You can also cut the amount of salt in a recipe, unless the recipe includes yeast, which needs the salt for rising. Or skip the salt entirely when you’re cooking, and then sprinkle a little on at the table when it’s time to eat.

Another way to reduce how much sodium you get is to choose fresh over canned and frozen foods, which tend to be higher in salt. If you’re cooking with nuts, check that they aren't salted.

7. Ask a pro.
If you have favorite recipes that you’d like to make diabetes-friendly, ask your doctor for a referral to a dietitian. They’re experts at helping plan meals that are appropriate for people with diabetes or other health issues.

7 Wonders of Water

1. Stay Slimmer With Water

Trying to lose weight? Water revs up metabolism and helps you feel full.

Replace calorie-filled beverages with water, and drink a glass before meals to help you feel fuller. Drinking more water helps amp up metabolism - especially if your glass is icy cold. Your body must work to warm the water up, burning a few extra calories in the process.

2. Water Boosts Your Energy

If you're feeling drained and depleted, get a pick-me-up with water. Dehydration makes you feel tired. The right amount of water will help your heart pump your blood more effectively and water can help your blood transport oxygen and other essential nutrients to your cells. 

3. Lower Stress With Water

About 70% to 80% of your brain tissue is water. If you're dehydrated, your body and your mind are stressed. If you're feeling thirsty, you're already a little dehydrated. To keep stress levels down, keep a glass of water at your desk or carry a sports bottle and sip regularly.

4. Build Muscle Tone With Water

Drinking water helps prevent muscle cramping and lubricates joints in the body.

When you're well hydrated, you can exercise longer and stronger without "hitting the wall."

5. Nourish Your Skin

Fine lines and wrinkles are deeper when you're dehydrated. Water is nature's own beauty cream. Drinking water hydrates skin cells and plumps them up, making your face look younger. It also flushes out impurities and improves circulation and blood flow, helping your skin glow.

6. Stay Regular With Water

Along with fiber, water is important for good digestion. Water helps dissolve waste particles and passes them smoothly through your digestive tract. If you're dehydrated, your body absorbs all the water, leaving your colon dry and making it more difficult to pass waste.

7. Water Reduces Kidney Stones

The rate of painful kidney stones is rising. One of the reasons could be because people -- including children -- aren't drinking enough water. Water dilutes the salts and minerals in your urine that form the solid crystals known as kidney stones. Kidney stones can't form in diluted urine, so reduce your risk with plenty of water!

Are You Drinking Enough Water?
Most healthy adults get enough to drink by letting their thirst guide them. But the exact amount you need depends on your size, level of activity, the weather, and your general health. You may need more water if you exercise or sweat heavily. 

Diabetes Mistake: How to Wreck Your Blood Sugar

It takes work to manage your type 2 diabetes. Staying healthy also means making healthy habits in the little things you do every day, including what you eat and how active you are.

Start by avoiding these common mistakes. 

1. Not Taking Control of Your Condition

Your medical team is essential. But you're not in the doctor's office every day.

“You are your own doctor 99.9% of the time,” says Andrew Ahmann, MD. He's director of the Harold Schnitzer Diabetes Health Center at Oregon Health & Science University.

You’re the one in charge, so it’s up to you to watch your diet, exercise, and take your medication on schedule.

You can make better decisions about how to track and manage your diabetes by understanding how the disease works. Sign up for a class or a support group on managing diabetes. 

“Not enough patients seek them out, and not enough doctors send their patients to them," Ahmann says. "Not only do these resources offer essential information, but they also bring together people who have the same challenges, giving them a place to meet and talk with each other."

2. Expecting Too Much Too Soon

It's a big step to shift your eating and exercise habits. You need to give it time to see results and for it to feel permanent.

“Most people expect something dramatic is going to happen right away,” says UCLA endocrinologist Preethi Srikanthan, MD. “But it has taken them a decade or two to get to this point, and it will take a while for them to even get to that initial 5% to 10% reduction in weight.”

To make a lasting change, take small steps, Ahmann says. If you try to do more than you can handle, you might quit.

Before you start a new exercise program, talk with your doctor, especially if you aren’t active now. They can help you set goals and plan a routine that’s safe and effective.

3. Working Out Alone

“One error that people make when it comes to exercise is that they try to do it without help from other people,” Ahmann says. 

Spouses, partners, friends, and family members make great exercise buddies. They also are terrific cheerleaders. The same is true for your diet. It's easier to make changes when you have a friend or relative who's also on board.

4. Neglecting Other Problems

Constant stress and depression can really get to you. It's easy to feel too discouraged to deal with your diabetes. That can make matters worse. “You need to recognize depression and work with it,” Srikanthan says.

Depression and stress can also have a bad effect on blood sugar levels. Constant stress may boost hormones that make it harder for insulin to do its job. Doing “anything to reduce stress will improve your blood sugar," Ahmann says.

Exercise helps relieve stress, and there’s evidence that meditation and massage will benefit blood sugar levels, he says.

5. Misunderstanding and Misusing Medications

Ahmann says many of his patients think medications are more powerful than diet and exercise. But in many cases, type 2 diabetes can be controlled by a combination of a healthy diet and regular exercise without the need for medication.

For many people, medication can be helpful. Ahmann sees one mistake that stands out.

“It’s surprising how many people miss doses,” he says. That's a risky mistake, so tell your doctor. He might be able to change your dosing schedule to one that better suits you.

6. Poor Food Choices

When it comes to food and blood sugar, the big mistake is not the single candy bar that you couldn’t resist, Srikanthan says. It’s ongoing unhealthy eating habits -- what you eat over and over again -- that have a worse effect on your blood sugar.

“People think it’s a one-time diversion, but no, it’s a consistent problem that affects your test results,” she says.

The two biggest hurdles, she says, are calories and carbohydrates. You have to control both to keep your blood sugar level steady. Keep a food diary to keep track of what you eat and drink, and always read nutrition labels so you know what’s in the food you choose. Not eating on a regular schedule is another common food mistake. Make time for breakfast and eat regular meals during the day, so you don’t lose control and overeat in the evening.

Surprising Reasons You're Gaining Weight

What's With the Weight Gain?

If you started taking in more calories than usual or cutting back on exercise, you wouldn't be surprised if the numbers on the scale crept higher. But what if you're doing everything the same as you always do, and your weight still goes up? It's time to delve a little deeper into what else might be going on.

Lack of Sleep
There are two issues at work with sleep and weight gain. First, if you're up late, the odds are greater that you're doing some late-night snacking, which means more calories. The other reason involves what's going on in your body when you're sleep-deprived. Changes in hormone levels increase hunger and appetite and also make you feel not as full after eating.

Stress

When life's demands get too intense, our bodies go into survival mode. Cortisol, the "stress hormone," is secreted, which causes an increase in appetite. And of course, we may reach for high-calorie comfort foods in times of stress as well. This combination is a perfect breeding ground for weight gain.

Antidepressants

An unfortunate side effect from some antidepressants is weight gain. Talk to your doctor about making changes to your treatment plan if you think your antidepressant is causing weight gain. But never stop or change your medication on your own. Realize that some people experience weight gain after beginning drug treatment simply because they're feeling better, which leads to a better appetite. Also, depression itself can cause changes in weight.

Steroids

Anti-inflammatory steroid medications like prednisone are notorious for causing weight gain. Fluid retention and increased appetite are the main reasons. Some people may also see a temporary change in where their body holds fat while taking steroids -- to places like the face, the belly, or the back of the neck. If you've taken steroids for more than a week, don't stop them abruptly. That can lead to serious problems. Check with your doctor first.

Drugs That May Cause Weight Gain

Several other prescription drugs are linked to weight gain. The list includes antipsychotic drugs (used to treat disorders like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder), along with medications to treat migraines, seizures, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Work with your doctor to find a medication that treats your symptoms and lessens side effects.

Don't Jump to Blame the Pill

Contrary to popular belief, combination birth control pills (estrogen and progestin) aren't proven to cause lasting weight gain. It is thought that some women taking the combination pill may experience some weight gain related to fluid retention, but this is usually short-term. If you're still concerned about possible weight gain, talk to your doctor.

Hypothyroidism

If your thyroid (the butterfly-shaped gland in the front of your neck) is not making enough thyroid hormone, you're probably feeling tired, weak, and cold, and gaining weight. Without enough thyroid hormone, your metabolism slows, making weight gain more likely. Even a thyroid functioning at the lower end of the normal range might cause weight gain. Treating hypothyroidism with medication may reverse some of the weight gain.

Don't Blame Menopause

Most women do gain some weight around the time of menopause, but hormones probably aren't the only cause. Aging slows your metabolism, so you burn fewer calories. And changes in lifestyle (such as exercising less) play a role. But where you gain weight may be related to menopause, with fat accumulating around your waist more than your hips and thighs.

Cushing's Syndrome

Weight gain is a common symptom of Cushing's syndrome, a condition in which you are exposed to too much of the stress hormone cortisol, which in turn causes weight gain and other abnormalities. You can get Cushing's syndrome if you take steroids for asthma, arthritis, or lupus. It can also happen when your adrenal glands make too much cortisol, or it could be related to a tumor. The weight gain may be most prominent around the face, neck, upper back, or waist.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

PCOS is a common hormonal problem in women of childbearing age. Most women with PCOS grow many small cysts on their ovaries. The condition leads to hormone imbalances that affect a woman's menstrual cycle and can lead to extra body hair and acne. Women with this condition are resistant to insulin (the hormone that controls blood sugar), so it may cause weight gain. The weight tends to collect around the belly, putting these women at greater risk for heart disease.

Quitting Smoking
Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for your health. When you quit, you may gain some weight, but perhaps less than you think. On average, people who stop smoking gain less than 10 pounds. You should stop feeling hungrier after several weeks, which will make it easier to help lose any weight you gained.

Rules if You do Gaining Weight :

1. Don't stop taking any medications without first consulting your doctor. Recognize the importance of the drug you're taking. It may be critical to your health. Also, something else may be causing you to gain weight. Your doctor can help you figure out what's going on.
2. Don't compare yourself to other people taking the same drug. Not all people experience the same side effects on the same drug. Even if a drug caused someone else to lose weight, the same might not be true for you.
3. Remember that if the weight gain is just from water retention, it's not permanent weight or fat. Once you're done taking the drug or your condition is under control, the puffiness from fluid retention may ease. Stick to a lower-sodium diet in the meantime.
4. Remember that if the weight gain is just from water retention, it's not permanent weight or fat. Once you're done taking the drug or your condition is under control, the puffiness from fluid retention may ease. Stick to a lower-sodium diet in the meantime.
5. Learn if the weight gain is from a decrease in metabolism -- from either a medical condition or medication. And if so, take the time to participate in metabolism-raising activities. Get moving!

Five Minute Breakfast Sandwich

This healthy vegetarian breakfast-sandwich recipe comes together in 5 minutes, but has plenty of protein from a vegetarian sausage patty and fiber from the whole-wheat bread and apple to keep you satisfied all morning long.

Ingredients

2 slices cinnamon-raisin bread, preferably whole-wheat

1 frozen vegetarian sausage patty

1 teaspoon raspberry jam

4 thin slices apple

2 tablespoons shredded Cheddar cheese

Instructions
Toast bread. Microwave sausage patty until hot, about 30 seconds, or according to package directions. Crumble. Spread jam on 1 piece of toast. Top with the sausage, apple slices, cheese and the remaining slice of toast. Cut in half and serve.

• Nutritional Fact

• Calories320
• Fat8 g
  • Saturated fat3 g
• Cholesterol16 mg
• Carbohydrates46 g
  • Dietary fiber6 g
• Protein19 g
• Sodium458 mg

Diabetic Food List: Best and Worst Choices

Diabetes and Breads, Grains, and Other Starches

Your body needs carbs. But you want to choose wisely. Use this list as a guide.

• Best Choices

Whole-grain flours, such as whole wheat flour

Whole grains, such as brown rice

Cereals containing whole-grain ingredients and little added sugar

Whole-grain bread

Baked sweet or white potato or baked steak fries

Whole-grain flour or corn tortillas

Corn, popcorn or products made from corn

• Worst Choices

White flour

Processed grains, such as white rice

Cereals with little whole grain and lots of sugar

White bread

French fries

Fried white-flour tortillas

Vegetables and Diabetes

Most vegetables contain fiber and are naturally low in fat and sodium (unless they are canned or frozen in sauces). Starchy vegetables, such as potatoes and corn, aren't included in this category. They are considered part of the breads, grains, and other starches group.

• Best Choices:

Fresh vegetables, eaten raw or lightly steamed, roasted, or grilled

Plain frozen vegetables, lightly steamed

Low sodium or unsalted canned vegetables

Lettuces, greens, kale, spinach, arugula

• Worst Choices:

Canned vegetables with lots of added sodium

Vegetables cooked with lots of added butter, cheese, or sauce

Pickles (if you need to limit sodium; otherwise, pickles are okay)

Sauerkraut, (same as pickles; limit only if you have high blood pressure)

Fruits and Diabetes

Fruits have carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. They are naturally low in fat (except for avocados) and sodium. Most fruits have more carbs than do vegetables.

• Best Choices:

Plain frozen fruit or fruit canned in fruit juice

Fresh fruit

Sugar-free or low-sugar jam or preserves

No-sugar-added applesauce

100% fruit juice

• Worst Choices:

Canned fruit with heavy sugar syrup

Chewy fruit rolls

Regular jam, jelly, and preserves (unless portion is kept small)

Sweetened applesauce

Fruit punch, fruit drinks, fruit juice drinks

Diabetes and Meat and Other Protein

This category includes beef, chicken, fish, pork, turkey, seafood, beans, cheese, eggs, nuts, and tofu.

• Best Choices:

Baked, broiled, grilled, or stewed meats

Lower-fat cuts of meat, such as top sirloin

Turkey bacon

Low-fat cheeses

Skinless breast of chicken or turkey

Baked, broiled, steamed, or grilled fish

Tofu lightly sautéed, steamed, or cooked in soup

Beans

Eggs

Nuts

• Worst Choices:

Fried meats

Higher-fat cuts of meat, such as ribs

Pork bacon

Regular cheeses

Poultry with skin

Fried fish

Fried tofu

Beans prepared with lard

Dairy and Diabetes

This group includes milk and foods made from milk, such as yogurt and sour cream. Milk has a lot of protein and minerals, including calcium.

• Best Choices:

1% or skim milk

Low-fat yogurt

Low-fat cottage cheese

Low-fat or nonfat sour cream

Frozen low-fat, low-carb yogurt

Nonfat half-and-half

• Worst Choices:

Whole milk

Regular yogurt

Regular cottage cheese

Regular sour cream

Regular ice cream

Regular half-and-half

Diabetes and Fats, Oils, and Sweets
Eating too much of these kinds of foods can lead to weight gain, making it harder to keep diabetes under control.

• Best Choices:

Baked potato chips, baked corn chips, puffed rice, or corn snacks, in small portions

Vegetable oils, non-hydrogenated butter spreads, margarine

Reduced-fat mayonnaise

Light salad dressings

Air-popped or calorie-controlled popcorn

• Worst Choices:

Snacks fried in fat, such as potato chips, corn chips, pork rinds

Lard, hydrogenated vegetable shortening, butter

Regular mayonnaise

Regular salad dressings

Butter-flavored stove-top popcorn

Beverages and Diabetes

Some drinks have lots of carbs but very little nutrition. Others may be a better choice most of the time.

• Best Choices:

Water, unflavoured or flavoured sparkling water

Light beer, small amounts of wine or non-fruity mixed drinks

Unsweetened tea (add a slice of lemon)

Coffee, black or with added low-fat milk and sugar substitute

Plain coffee and hot chocolate

Sport drinks, in limited quantities

• Worst Choices:

Regular sodas

Regular beer, fruity mixed drinks, dessert wines

Sweetened tea

Coffee with sugar and cream

Flavoured coffees and chocolate drinks

Energy drinks