24 Survival Tips for Living Alone

Even if you don't live alone - these are some great tips and handy things to know! 

1. Open a stubborn jar using rubber bands

Place one rubber band around the lid, and another around the jar. With one hand, grip the jar where the rubber band encircles it; use the other hand to twist off the lid. The rubber bands provide friction, so your hands won't slip off the jar or lid.

Image Source: www.marthastewart.com

Head over to Buzz Feed for more useful tips when you only have two hands in the house

Saving Money With Diabetes

Source: diabetescare.net via DiabetesCare on Pinterest

San Antonio Spurs and Sanofi US Partner Up For Diabetes Awareness

The San Antonio Spurs have teamed up with Sanofi US, a diversified global healthcare leader, to create a program to help bring awareness for diabetes among both children and adults. 

Spurs forward Stephen Jackson will serve as a diabetes awareness spokesperson for the campaign, which tips-off today in the fight against diabetes by encouraging basketball fans to take the pledge to become a Healthy Lifestyles Ambassador.

Every 17 seconds another American is diagnosed with diabetes, and by taking a pledge to become a Healthy Lifestyles Ambassador with the Partner Up for Diabetes Awareness program, you are pledging to live an active, healthy lifestyle and raise awareness about diabetes risk reduction and management. 

Those that take the pledge on http://www.nba.com/spurs/Sanofi are automatically entered into the Suite Life for the Spurs Sweepstakes, where you could win a suite night at the Diabetes Alert Day Spurs Game March 27 and a meet and greet with Stephen Jackson.

“Sanofi is committed to serving as a valued partner to the diabetes community,” said Dennis Urbaniak, Vice President, Head of U.S. Diabetes, Sanofi US. “By partnering with the Spurs through the Sanofi US and San Antonio Spurs Team Up For Diabetes Awareness program, we will be able to reach basketball fans and raise awareness about diabetes risk reduction and management.”

The San Antonio Spurs Diabetes Alert Day Game on March 27 will feature on-court promotions, in-game diabetes awareness education and an on-court presentation honoring fans living with diabetes. Additionally, attendees throughout Spurs Holiday Youth Basketball camps and Silver Dancer Clinics will learn about what it means to live a healthy lifestyle and how they can reduce their risk of diabetes

In 2010, nearly 10% of the people in Texas were diagnosed with diabetes*. Cases of diabetes are skyrocketing and nearly 26 million Americans are living with the disease. The American Diabetes Association has estimated 50 million Americans will have diabetes by 2025. 

While diabetes is prevalent, widespread ignorance and misconception about the disease and the medications available to treat it continue to affect how people react to diagnosis and management, whether or not they are living with the disease.

Source: http://www.nba.com/spurs/news/121219_sanofi

Holiday Travel Tips for People with Diabetes « DiabetesAmerica's Blog

Many of us will be traveling somewhere this holiday season and if you have diabetes, you must carefully plan ahead. 

Whether by plane, car or foot, it is important to consider how your travels will affect proper diabetes care.

Air Travel

• Keep snacks with you in the event of a delayed flight or meal
• If you use insulin, keep it with you at all times
• Divide medications and supplies and pack them in more than one place in the event a bag is lost
• Security scanners will not damage insulin or glucose meter
• Will need a list of your medications and letter from doctor verifying need for syringes and other supplies

On Foot

• Bring a First-Aid kit along
• Have someone else know how to administer glucagon
• Have hypoglycemia treatments accessible
• Do your best to avoid cuts, bruises, sunburns, blisters, insect bites and contaminated food or water

When Driving

• Do not drive if hypoglycemia or symptoms are present
• Keep medications, meals and snack times as regular as possible

Time Zone Changes

• If you lose more than 2 hours, may need to take less insulin
• If you gain more than 2 hours, may need to take extra insulin
• Can change time of injections and meals by up to 2 hours in a day without adjusting doses
• If crossing more than two time zones, prepare a plan your doctor or diabetes educator

Insulin Storage and Use

• Can spoil in extreme hot or cold temperatures
• Insulin retains potency at room temperature for thirty days
• In hot temperatures keep insulin in an insulated bag or cooled thermos
• In cold temperatures keep insulin close to your body or an insulated bag to keep it from freezing

Source: Holiday Travel Tips for People with Diabetes « DiabetesAmerica's Blog

Diabetes Patients May Not Receive Best Treatment to Lower Heart Disease Risk

For some people with diabetes, there may be such a thing as too much care.

Photo Credit Medline Plus

Traditional treatment to reduce risks of heart disease among patients with diabetes has focused on lowering all patients’ blood cholesterol to a specific, standard level. 

But this practice may prompt the over-use of high-dose medications for patients who don’t need them, according to new research from the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System (VAAAHS) and the University of Michigan Health System.

The study encourages a more individualized approach to treatment that adjusts treatment according to the patient in order to improve the quality of care. The findings appear in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.

Authors also suggest that blanket goals routinely used to lower heart attack risks may unnecessarily expose some patients to potential adverse side effects of high-dose medications. 

Researchers also note that when these standard goals are used to assess whether a health provider delivered high quality care, they may encourage overly aggressive treatment.

Continue with article

Diabetes Walking Tip

Source: diabetescare.net via DiabetesCare on Pinterest

Diabetic Christmas Cookies

Source: diabeticlivingonline.com via CE on Pinterest

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel), softened
1 8 ounce can almond paste
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup refrigerated or frozen egg product, thawed, or 1 egg
2 1/2 cups flour

Decorating Ideas (below) (optional)

1. In a large mixing bowl beat butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add almond paste, baking powder, and salt; beat until well combined. Beat in egg. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour. Divide dough in half. Cover and chill for 1 to 2 hours or until easy to handle.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough, half at a time, to an 1/8-inch thickness. Using a 2-1/2-inch cookie cutter, cut into desired shapes. Place cutouts 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Reroll scraps as necessary. If desired, decorate unbaked cookies with sugar sprinkles or egg white "paint" before baking.

3. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until edges are firm and just starting to brown. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool. If desired, decorate plain cooled baked cookies with piped chocolate. Makes about 48 (1 cookie each) servings.

Tip
Decorating Ideas: Glazed Cookies: To decorate cookies with glaze, combine 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch, 1 drop of lemon or almond extract, and enough milk to make a thin glaze. Brush over cooled cookies and sprinkle with finely shredded lemon peel. 

Colored Sugar Sprinkles: To decorate cookies with colored sugars, in a small bowl beat 2 egg whites and 1 tablespoon water together with a fork. Lightly brush on unbaked cookies. Sprinkle lightly with desired colors of sugar or edible glitter and bake as directed. You will need about 2 tablespoons total sugar or glitter for one batch of cookies. 

Painted Cookies: In a small bowl beat 1 egg white with desired-color food coloring until well combined. Use a new paintbrush or a clean paintbrush that is only used for food to lightly brush colored egg white over unbaked cookies. Bake as directed. Color will be more intense after baking.

Chocolate Piped Cookies: Melt 2 to 3 ounces semisweet or milk chocolate; cool slightly. Place in a small heavy resealable plastic bag. Snip a small tip off one corner of the bag. Pipe chocolate as desired onto cooled baked cookies. Let cookies stand until chocolate is set. Or melt 2 to 3 ounces white baking chocolate and, if desired, tint with paste food coloring. Cool slightly and pipe onto cookies.

More Diabetic Deserts via Pinterest

Peach Berry Frozen Diabetic Dessert

Recipe via Pinterest from Diabetic Living Online


(1) 8 oz package fat-free cream cheese, softened

(2)  6 oz carton peach fat-free yogurt with artificial sweetener

(1/2) 8 oz container frozen light whipped dessert topping, thawed

1 cup chopped, peeled fresh peaches; frozen unsweetened peach slices, thawed, drained, and chopped; or one 8-1/4-ounce can peach slices (juice pack), drained and chopped

1 cup fresh or frozen unsweetened blueberries, raspberries, and/or strawberries, thawed and drained if frozen

Fresh mint leaves (optional)
Fresh berries (optional)

1. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese and yogurt. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Fold in the whipped topping, peaches, and the 1 cup berries.

2. Pour into a 2-quart square baking dish. Cover and freeze about 8 hours or until firm.

3. To serve, let stand at room temperature about 45 minutes to thaw slightly. Cut into squares. If desired, garnish with mint leaves and additional berries. 

Makes 9 servings

Diabetic Deserts

3 Easy Ways to Prevent Diabetes

With the holidays upon us, it might be easy to tell yourself to wait till the New Year to work on your diet, exercise plan or lifestyle. 

However, there's a good reason to start your plan today, and it's not about looking better in your clothes.

Why start now? Two words - beta cells. These are the all-important cells that manufacture insulin in your pancreas. 

Once you get diagnosed with diabetes, at least 35-50% of your beta cells are dysfunctional or gone, and there's no turning back.

beta cell image from models.cellml.org

Everyone is born with a set amount of beta cells at birth. Lifestyle choices determine whether these cells function at their highest levels. Some people are born with defective beta cells, but lifestyle can still dramatically change whether they are diagnosed with diabetes or not.

Read full article - Don't Wait to Prevent Diabetes: Start Today With 3 Easy Ways

Diabetic Berry Pudding Cake Recipe

Source: diabetic-diet-recipes.net via CE on Pinterest

Use nonstick cooking spray - 

2 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Dash salt
1 cup fat-free milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups assorted fresh berries (such as raspberries, 
blueberries, and/or sliced strawberries)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degree F. 
Lightly coat six 6-ounce individual quiche dishes with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange in a 15x10x1-inch baking pan; set aside. In a medium bowl, combine eggs, granulated sugar, vanilla, and salt; whisk until light and frothy. Whisk in milk until combined. Add flour and baking powder; whisk until smooth.

2. Divide berries among prepared quiche dishes. 
Pour batter over berries. (Batter will not cover berries completely.) Bake about 20 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Serve warm. If desired, sift powdered sugar over each serving. 

Makes 6 servings

More Diabetic Friendly Recipes via Pinterest

Give Up Soda - What The Heck Are You Eating

Free Apps That Save You Money

Download these 5 money-saving tools to help you shop smart and stick to a budget

RedLaser

How You Save: Helps you learn if you can get a better deal elsewhere — on almost anything

How It Works: You scan the bar code of an item, and the app shoots back prices from competing stores and online merchants. See a better price? Use the app to buy the item, and some stores will have it waiting when you arrive. Bonus trick: Scan a book's bar code, and the app finds nearby libraries with a copy.

Why I Love It: It gives me peace of mind. I feel new confidence that I'm getting the lowest price possible.

Slice
(also available for Android)

How You Save: Organizes online-shopping email, such as order confirmations and shipping info

How It Works: You provide up to five addresses where you get email (they can be Gmail, Yahoo!, AOL, Hotmail or iCloud/MobileMe). The app sorts through your in-boxes to gather and organize all your shopping-related messages, including receipts for online purchases and vouchers from daily-deal sites.

Why I Love It: It saves me a headache! I don't have to search my email in-box — which is a mess — for receipts, and I can track packages easily.

Coupon Sherpa


How You Save: Helps you search for — and then redeem — coupons

How It Works: You browse for online, printable or mobile coupons by retailer or product type, either on CouponSherpa.com or via the mobile app. Take printable coupons to the store the old-fashioned way; for mobile coupons, just show your phone to the cashier to get the savings.

Why I Love It: I get the savings without investing hours clipping and organizing. And no rifling through an envelope at checkout.

KEY RING


How You Save: Makes sure you've always got your loyalty-card data on hand at checkout

How It Works: You scan your loyalty cards with your smartphone, then put them away. When you pay for something in a store, the cashier scans your smartphone's screen to get your loyalty-account information. You can also use the app to sign up for other loyalty programs.

Why I Love It: I have a lighter key chain, plus an Rx Savings extra that can shave 10 to 75 percent off Food and Drug Administration — approved medications.

Next: How about an app that saves money on gas! 

Chocolate Bars Sugar And Dairy Free

Dairy and Sugar Free Dark Chocolate. (Gluten/Soy Free, Vegan) 
Click for recipe

Source: realsustenance.com via CE on Pinterest

Double-Chocolate Cupcakes

If you like chocolate - this is the perfect diabetic recipe - very tasty!

Source: diabeticlivingonline.com via CE on Pinterest

A rich chocolate cupcake, this diabetes-friendly dessert is worth the carbs. Click the pic for cupcake recipe and frosting.



More diabetic desert recipes via Pinterest

Diabetic Sweet Potato Pie

Source: food.com via CE on Pinterest

Ingredients:

1 (1 lb) sweet potato
1/2 cup margarine, softened 
1 cup Splenda granular, sugar substitute 
1/2 cup low-fat milk 
2 eggs 
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract 
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie shells 

Directions: 

1. Boil sweet potato whole in skin for 40 to 50 minutes, or until done. Run cold water over the sweet potato, and remove the skin. 

2. Break apart sweet potato in a bowl. Add margarine, and mix well with mixer. Stir in splenda, milk, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until mixture is smooth. Pour filling into an unbaked pie crust. 

3. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 55 to 60 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Pie will puff up like a souffle, and then will sink down as it cools. 

You Might Also Like More diabetic desert recipes via Pinterest 

Red Grape Sorbet - Diabetic Friendly

Source: myrecipes.com via CE on Pinterest

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups red grape juice, divided
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
Mint sprigs (optional) 

Preparation:

Combine 1/2 cup grape juice and gelatin in a medium saucepan; cook over low heat, stirring until gelatin dissolves. 

Remove from heat; stir in 2 cups grape juice. Pour mixture into an 8-inch square baking pan. Freeze until almost firm. 

Break frozen mixture into pieces, and place in a food processor; process several seconds or until fluffy but not thawed. Return to freezer, and freeze until firm. 

Scoop sorbet into individual dessert dishes using an ice cream scoop. Garnish with mint sprigs, if desired. 

More diabetic desert recipes via Pinterest 

Diabetic Strawberry Cheesecake

Source: Pinterest

Ingredients:

24 oz Cream cheese
1 cup Strawberry pourable fruit
1 tsp Vanilla
1/4 tsp Salt
4 Eggs
2 tsp Vanilla
1 cup Sour cream
Strawberries, sliced


Instructions:

3/4 cup strawberry fruit spread combined with 1/4 cup warm water may be
substituted for the pourable fruit.

Do not use reduced-calorie sour cream.

Preheat oven to 325. Beat softened cream cheese in large bowl until
creamy. Blend in pourable fruit, vanilla, and salt. Add eggs, one at
a time, beating well after each addition. Pour into greased 9"
springform pan. Bake 50 minutes.

Combine sour cream and vanilla; mix well. Carefully spoon over warm
cheesecake. Bake another 10 minutes, or until just set. Turn oven
off; leave cheesecake in oven, with door closed, 30 minutes. Transfer
to wire rack; loosen cheesecake from rim of pan. Cool overnight.

Just before serving, garnish with sliced strawberries.

Serves 10

More diabetic desert recipes via Pinterest

Diabetic Berry-Cream Cheese Tart

Blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries crown this tart filled with cream cheese. The sweet treat, with eye- and taste-appeal for all, meets guidelines for diabetic food plans.

Source: diabeticlivingonline.com via CE on Pinterest

More diabetic desert recipes via Pinterest

Diabetes Doesn't Slow Down Paula Deen

The new year was barely a few weeks old when its first major celebrity scandal erupted.

Actually, the flap began in the waning days of 2011, when TV chef Anthony Bourdain, the foul-mouthed, chain-smoking, hard-drinking, former drug addict who hosted the Travel Channel series “No Reservations,” proclaimed fellow TV cook Paula Deen “the worst, most dangerous person to America” who is “proud of the fact that her food is (f---ing) bad for you.”

Bourdain, who has made no secret of his disdain for other television chefs and food personalities including Bobby Flay, Guy Fieri and Rachel Ray, said Deen wasn’t doing her audiences any favors by touting recipes loaded with butter and sugar.

The battle played itself out on network news programs including “The Today Show,” and didn’t simmer down until Deen - who once created a hamburger with bacon, cheese and an egg sandwiched between a pair of Krispy Kreme donuts - confirmed a rumor that had been circulating throughout the foodie community.

Three years earlier, she’d been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.


READ FULL ARTICLE - Diabetes doesn't slow down Paula Deen | Courier-Post | courierpostonline.com

Diabetic Friendly Chocolate Cake

Source: diabeticproducts.com via CE on Pinterest

Ingredients:

2 eggs
Non-caloric cooking spray
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup DiabetiSweet
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2/3 cup safflower oil
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup 2% milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray 13”x9” cake pan with non-caloric cooking spray
Lightly beat 2 eggs (until just mixed). Combine beaten eggs and other ingredients in a large bowl. Mix until just blended (do not over-mix).
Bake for approximately 45 minutes (until an inserted knife comes out clean).

Each serving counting as ½ starch exchange and 1 fat exchange.

More diabetic desert recipes via Pinterest

Diabetic Teens Know What They Are Supposed To Do, But Don't

The trouble with teens and diabetes Adolescents often know what they are supposed to do, but don't do it anyway. (See: homework, chores, junk food, hygiene, etc.) 

Turns out, they can be just as reckless when dealing with their own Type 1 diabetes. National studies show that blood sugar levels worsen when diabetic children reach their adolescent and teen years. Often due to disbelief or despair - or because they assume more responsibility from their parents - diabetic teens get a little sloppy with their diet, exercise and medication habits.

A U of M study is testing a solution that researchers hope will motivate teens with type 1 diabetes to take better care of themselves. Instead of the usual treks to clinics to talk with doctors and nurses, diabetic teens will participate in online clinic visits and view educational materials created at the U of M in which the information is delivered by teens.

Getting a handle on teen diabetes is significant. Some public health experts predict a tripling of type 1 diabetes cases in teens over the next 40 years.

Type 1 is an autoimmune disease in which the body produces no insulin at all to move sugar from the bloodstream. Type 2 is when the body starts to produce too little insulin, often as a result of poor diet and exercise. Both diseases can result in severe health problems if they aren't managed.

Read full article 

Diabetics Tend To Develop Periodontal Disease Earlier In Life

According to research, there is a two-way relationship between gum disease and diabetes. 

Gum disease may have the potential to affect blood glucose control and also contribute to the progression of diabetes.

People with diabetes tend to develop periodontal disease earlier in life. Many people lose teeth from gum disease by the age of 60, however diabetics might start to lose their teeth as early as age 40. Smokers with diabetes are especially at risk for gum disease and tooth loss.

Studies indicate diabetics visit the dentist less often than those without the disease. Regular dentist visits are important because oral diseases such as tooth decay and gum disease are often reversible if they are diagnosed early.

Dentists also check for other common mouth conditions that afflict people with diabetes such as dry mouth, ulcers and infections. 

If you have diabetes, make sure you start the New Year off right, and get a dental check up.

Holiday Food Safety Tips

Simple steps to help ensure that harmful bacteria won't be a guest at your festivities

Santo's Widow Backs Diabetes Alert Dogs

Diabetic Alert Dogs are trained to detect when a diabetic’s blood sugar is out of range (high or low), and to alert either the diabetic or another person 

On the second anniversary of Ron Santo’s death Monday, the Cubs legend’s widow says that she couldn’t be more excited about “extending his legacy” by pushing a cause “Ron would have loved.”

The Ron and Vicki Santo Diabetes-Alert Dog Foundation is in the final stages of becoming a nonprofit charity with a goal of helping people with diabetes buy alert dogs that could save their lives by literally sniffing out dangerous blood-sugar levels, Vicki says. 

In the meantime, she’s hoping someone will buy one of those specially trained dogs during the auction portion of Saturday’s Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation fundraising 33rd annual Chance of a Lifetime Gala at Chicago’s McCormick Place.


Read full article

Rev Run Rapping About Importance of Diabetes Screening

Rev Run (aka Joseph Simmons), formerly known as Run from the seminal rap group Run-D.M.C., was the star of the reality show "Run's House" on MTV and is now a 48-year-old Pentecostal minister known for his inspirational Twitter snippets.

He recently partnered with Novo Nordisk, insulin manufacturers, to promote screening for diabetes and the Novo Nordisk website devoted to diabetes, askscreenknow.com. Rev Run lives with his wife, Justine, and six kids in Saddle River, N.J.

Q. Do you get paid by Novo Nordisk to encourage people to get screened for diabetes?

A. I do get a fee, but beyond the fee, as a reverend, it's a big deal for me: I was praying about it and this is my calling. My new message is health is the first wealth. I'm telling people to ask their health care providers to screen them for diabetes and to ask specifically -- you often don't know what you're being screened for! African Americans my age are double the risk of everyone else, and African American men especially.

Q. Obesity is a risk factor for diabetes. How much did you grease on Thanksgiving?

A. I had a lot more string beans than gravy! I've lost 23 pounds in the last four or five months. Now that it's getting cold, I don't get outside much, so I have a treadmill in the house. When you get older, you realize your metabolism isn't the same. You can't have the same food you like all the time. The more I tell my body 'no,' the less it asks.

Q. Your dad had diabetes, didn't he?

A. Yes. He's passed now, but not from diabetes. I realized I'm at risk and then my friends got diagnosed -- like (the actor) Anthony Anderson. It hits close to home for me and people look to me for wisdom. I have 4 million followers on Twitter. I'm expected to help people and I believe I've been called at this season in my life to talk about health. I'm supposed to be speaking about this now.

Q. You are! You are! Do you have a church and congregation?

A. For years, I was on MTV. I don't have a church home, but I'm with Zoe Ministries. I go to multiple churches (and preach). I was very blessed to go to Ed Young's Fellowship church (in Grapevine, Texas, outside Dallas).

Q. Has your brother, Russell Simmons, been screened for diabetes?

A. My brother Russell is a complete yoga fanatic. He's beyond tested! But just because you're in great health doesn't mean you can't get diabetes. You have to make sure you're proactive instead of reactive. When you're proactive, life is better.

Q. There are so many campaigns to get people screened for cancer and diabetes, but such a shortage of care for people who can't afford treatment. Why isn't there greater emphasis on getting people affordable health care for conditions they may already know they have?

A. There are definitely federally funded clinics. Obamacare helps a lot. Care is available. Once you've been diagnosed, you can go to the federally funded clinics.

Q. You seem self-employed. Where do you get your health insurance from?

A. Through my brother's company!


Source: AM New York

Study Finds Link Between High Fructose Corn Syrup, Type 2 Diabetes

Higher consumption of (HFCS) high fructose corn syrup caused the increase in diabetes, only that there was a link between the two.

The American Beverage Assn. said in a statement that there is no evidence that HFCS, which was developed in the 1920s, has any unique risks for diabetes or any other disease.

Researchers from USC and the University of Oxford say they have found an association between countries that have more high fructose corn syrup in their food supply and those that have higher rates of diabetes.

Countries with higher use of HFCS had an average prevalence of Type 2 diabetes of 8%, compared with 6.7% in countries that don’t use it, according to the research published Tuesday in the journal Global Public Health. 

The researchers reported that of 42 countries studied, the United States had the highest per capita consumption of HFCS: 55 pounds a year. 

The second-highest was Hungary, at 46 pounds. Countries that had a per capita annual consumption rate of about a pound or less included Australia, China, Denmark, France, India, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Britain and Uruguay.

Full article at LA Times