mySugr Diabetic iPhone App

An iPhone app for us with diabetes, which works differently. It actually turns logging into a game, and makes our data useful!






The app has a number of features ready to help simplify your life and keep your blood glucose under control. A few of them… Log your therapy data Snap a pic Search and find entries Recognize patterns Feel progress

Download app, or get more info here

Walnuts May Reduce Women's Risk for Type 2 Diabetes

Eating walnuts may reduce the risk for Type 2 diabetes in women, a large new study concludes.

Previous studies have suggested an inverse relationship between tree nut consumption and diabetes. 

Though the findings are correlational, walnuts are uniquely high in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which may be of particular value in Type 2 diabetes prevention.

The scientists, writing in the April issue of The Journal of Nutrition, used dietary and health data on 138,000 women participating in a large continuing study of women’s health. 

Beginning in 1999 they collected data on walnut consumption, and followed the women for the next 10 years. They found 5,930 cases of Type 2 diabetes.

Women who ate walnuts tended to weigh less, consume more fish and exercise more than those who did not. But researchers controlled for these and many other factors, and found that compared with women who ate no walnuts, those who consumed 8 ounces of walnuts or more a month reduced their risk for Type 2 diabetes by 24 percent.

“There’s been a lot of research on nuts in general in relation to cardiovascular health,” said the senior author, Dr. Frank B. Hu, a professor of medicine at Harvard. “This is the first on walnuts and diabetes. Walnuts may have some unique benefits.”

The study was supported with grants from the National Institutes of Health and the California Walnut Commission.

Source: NY Times Health & Science

African American Diabetes Care Can Be Improved

For African-Americans with type 2 diabetes, health care-promoted interventions targeting patients, the health care system, or both, can improve the quality of care, according to a review and meta-analysis published in the March issue of Diabetes Care.


Researchers found that 22 interventions targeted patients, five targeted the health care system, and four addressed both patients and the health care system. 

Interventions that targeted patients, which mainly included culturally-adapted diabetes self-management education, correlated with a 0.8 percent decrease in the percentage of hemoglobin A1c. 

Available evidence suggested that interventions targeting the health care system and multifaceted interventions may be effective and can potentially improve diabetes care and health outcomes. 

Source Medical Express

How To Become Salad Bar Savvy

Salad bars make it easy and tasty to meet your vegetable quota, but even a salad can ruin your diabetes meal plan. 


Here's a few tips that will help you fill your salad plate the smart way.

Source: diabeticlivingonline.com viaLinda on Pinterest

Size Up Salad Bar Serving Spoons

Most spoons and tongs on the salad bar hold 2 tablespoons, so you can count as you dish them up. Smaller spoons found in toppings such as nuts and sunflower seeds hold about 1-1/2 teaspoons, which is enough to add crunch without excess calories.

Head over to Diabetic Living Online for all the savvy salad bar tips and info

Infographic - Type 1 & 2 Diabetes Difference

Source: Terry Helton- on Pinterest

Santa Fe Stuffed Peppers

Oh this looks so tasty - going to forward this to my wife :)

A healthy dinner with lots of flavor - made with ground turkey.

Source: shugarysweets.com viaBeth on Pinterest

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Yield: 8

A healthier version of stuffed peppers, filled with flavor!

Ingredients

3/4 lb ground turkey breast
1 1/2 Tbsp cumin
1 tsp kosher salt
1 can (28oz) Classico Crushed Tomatoes
1 can (15.25oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15.25oz) sweet corn, drained
3 cup Jasmine Rice (cooked)
8 fresh Sweet Red peppers
1 cup reduced fat Colby Jack cheese
2 green onions, sliced

Instructions

Wash red peppers and slice the tops off each pepper. Remove the seeds. Stand each pepper up next to each other in a large baking dish (13x9).

In a large skillet, brown ground turkey until fully cooked. Drain. Return to skillet. Add cumin, salt, tomatoes, black bean and sweet corn. Simmer about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook Jasmine rice according to package.

Add cooked rice to skillet, combining completely. Remove from heat. Fill each red pepper with turkey mixture.Cover dish with foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 40-45 minutes. Remove foil and to with cheese. 

Bake an additional 5 minutes, until cheese is melted. Remove from oven and sprinkle with green onion pieces. Serve and enjoy!

While surfing the Net for healthy recipes, I ran across this blog - which posted this particular recipe - http://www.shugarysweets.com/

Here's 63 Diabetic Recipes

Best of Diabetic Connect Low-Carb Recipes


63 great recipes all in one place!

Source: diabeticconnect.com viaLisa on Pinterest

http://www.diabeticconnect.com/slideshows/56

Skinny Berry Parfait Sugar Free Dessert

Source: skinnyms.com viaCE on Pinterest

Ingredients: 

1 cup old-fashioned oats 
1/2 cup almonds with skins sliced 
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 
3 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil 
1/2 cup fresh raspberries 
1/2 cup fresh blueberries 
1/2 cup fresh blackberries 
 2 cups raspberry or strawberry yogurt 

Directions: 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine oats, almonds and cinnamon. Stir in melted coconut oil to combine with other ingredients. Line a cookie sheet with parchment, spread oats evenly and bake approximately 20 minutes or until golden. Stir after 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely. 

Try adding raisins or other dried fruit without added sweeteners. 

 Orginally pinned via Pinterest from http://skinnyms.com/ 

 More Diabetic Deserrts via Pinterest 
http://pinterest.com/CEThompkins/diabetic-deserts/

Understanding Pre-Diabetes

Pre-Diabetes and Lifestyle Changes to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes

What is Pre-Diabetes?

It is recommended that you be tested for pre-diabetes if either of the following applies:

• You are overweight and older than 45 years of age
• You are overweight and under the age of 45, but have a family history of diabetes, high blood pressure, or high blood lipids (fat); are African-American, Native-American, Hispanic, or Asian; have a history of gestational diabetes; or have given birth to a baby weighing 9 pounds or more.

How is pre-diabetes diagnosed?

A fasting blood sugar test is performed after you have had nothing by mouth (eating or drinking) for eight hours. Normal fasting blood sugar is between 70 and 99 mg/dl for people who do not have diabetes. 

A normal random blood sugar result is between 70 and 140. The diagnosis of pre-diabetes is made when two blood tests show that your fasting blood sugar level is between 100 and 125 mg/dl, or if two random (anytime) blood sugar tests are greater than or equal to 140, but below 200.

Source

Snack Tips For Diabetics

Carb Choice + Protein Choice = Satisfying Snack

Photo Credit - Diabetic Living Online

In general, you may need a snack if:

• Your regular mealtime will be delayed
• It helps keep your hunger in check between meals
• You're truly hungry and not simply bored or stressed
• It helps you meet your daily calorie goal
• You exercise first thing in the morning
• Your exercise session is strenuous and/or lasts more than an hour
• Testing reveals you're prone to hypoglycemia during the night
• You've just treated a hypoglycemic reaction and it's not near mealtime
• It improves your blood glucose control

Based on your daily calorie allotment, keep snacks between 100 and 200 calories each. To help slow the rise in your blood sugar and satisfy hunger longer, pair a protein-rich food with a nutritious complex-carbohydrate choice.

Get tips at Diabetic Living Online on when to snack and must-have ideas for pairing a complex-carbohydrate choice with a protein-packed food for the perfect diabetic snack

Healthy Banana Pudding Recipe

Source: itsuxtobefat.com viaCE on Pinterest

Ingredients:

1 cup non-fat, plain Greek yogurt
10 oz Fat free Cool Whip, thawed
2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1/3 cup Better’n Peanut Butter (You can use whatever kind you have, just adjust the Weight Watchers point value)
1/2 t cinnamon
2 small boxes (3.4oz ) non-fat, sugar-free instant banana cream pudding (You could also use vanilla flavored)
1 container Trader Joes’s Ultimate Vanilla wafers
2 bananas, into thin slices

Preparation:

In a mixing bowl whisk together the Greek yogurt, peanut butter, whipped topping, almond milk and cinnamon until no clumps remain. Stir in the instant pudding until well incorporated and mixture begins to thicken.

In a large glass serving dish/trifle bowl, form a layer of wafers. Cover with a thin layer of pudding, followed by a layer of banana slices. Add another thin layer of pudding and repeat. The size of your serving dish will determine how many layers you can make. 2-3 layers is typical.

Top with a few vanilla wafers.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
Serves 12 at 6 Points Plus Value per serving.


RECIPE SOURCE: It Sux To Be Fat 

Take A Lap for Diabetes Fitness

Take a lap for diabetes fitness, and munch on a healthy lunch while you work when you get back.

Source: everydayhealth.com viaCE on Pinterest

A Japanese study found that women who engaged in short bursts of physical activity (as short as three to five minutes) regularly throughout the day were able to reduce their belly fat.

So take a lap for diabetes fitness, and munch on a healthy lunch while you work when you get back.

American Diabetes Association® Alert Day®

Today is American Diabetes Association® Alert Day® 

This is a one-day "wake-up call" asking the American public to take the Diabetes Risk Test to find out if they are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. 

The Diabetes Risk Test asks users to answer simple questions about weight, age, family history and other potential risk factors for prediabetes or type 2 diabetes. Preventative tips are provided for everyone who takes the test, including encouraging those at high risk to talk with their health care provider.

Although Alert Day is a one-day event, the Diabetes Risk Test is available year-round.

Taking the Test Pays Off!
For every Diabetes Risk Test taken, Boar's Head® - a leading provider of premium delicatessen products - will donate $5 to the American Diabetes Association starting March 26 through April 9, 2013, up to $50,000.

http://www.diabetes.org/in-my-community/programs/alert-day/

Diabetic Carrot Cake

Moist Carrot Cake
Prep time:  10 mins Cook time:  40 mins Total time:  50 mins
Serves: 8

Source: diettaste.com viaCE on Pinterest

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 pound carrots, finely grated
2 eggs
1/4 cup yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 tsp orange zest
2 cups almond flour
sweetener of your choice equivalent to 1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
3 Tablespoons oil

FROSTING:
3 Tablespoons butter, softened
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
sweetener to taste
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

INSTRUCTIONS:
In a large bowl beat the eggs with yogurt, oil, vanilla and orange zest
In another bowl combine flour, sweetener, baking powder and pumpkin spice. Add to the egg mixture and mix well. Stir in carrots.
Pour into lightly oiled 8-inch (20 cm) cake pan and bake at 350 F (175 C) for about 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Cool completely.

TOP WITH FROSTING:
Combine butter, cream cheese, sweetener and vanilla and beat until smooth. Spread the icing on the cake.


RECIPE SOURCE: Diet Taste

Garden for Diabetes Fitness

Source: everydayhealth.com viaCE on Pinterest

If you enjoy gardening or doing yard work, use it as a great escape and a nice way to sneak exercise into your day and get more physical activity with diabetes. 

Work up a sweat raking leaves, pulling weeds, or cutting the grass. Plus, when youre burning calories in the backyard, you wont be able to camp out on the couch with a high-calorie snack.

Asian American Diabetes Initiative

Chefs Ming Tsai and Joanne Chang prepare diabetes-friendly meals

Photo Credit: Shannon Kelley Felton via Metro US

This week, the Joslin Diabetes Center’s annual tasting event gathered chefs such as Joanne Chang and Ming Tsai to benefit the center’s Asian American Diabetes Initiative, which aims to promote awareness of the greater diabetes risks for people of Asian descent.

“Regardless of whether you are East Asian or South, we see a greater risk of diabetes at a lower body mass index,” says Karen Lau, head of the initiative. “The usual BMI for diabetes risk is around 25%, but we see it at 23% for Asians. That small percentage is a greatly increased risk, and it’s more likely to go undetected.”

But regardless of ethnicity, Lau says a diabetic-friendly diet can prevent the condition: “Healthy eating is for everyone. A family can struggle with a different diet for a diabetic member, but a healthy diet is healthy for the whole family.”

 Lau's diabetic-friendly diet tips:

Brown carbs vs. white carbs  “What affects blood glucose most are carbs, and certain types of carbs,” she says. “Simple carbs — like white flour and white rice — are bad, while complex carbs like brown bread and brown rice are better. Complex carbs have higher fiber, which helps stabilize blood glucose levels.”

Fat counts  “Often times, a high-fat diet is not good for blood glucose. Fats increase insulin resistance too. So the amount of dietary fat has to be controlled.”

Lose the salt  “Watching salt intake is important,” Lau adds. “The dietary guideline for the general population is 2,300 mg of sodium a day. That’s about one teaspoon. People with diabetes should have less than 1,500 mg. Use spices, garlic, scallions and onion to bring out flavor instead.”

Portion control “There’s a greater risk of diabetes if you’re overweight. But as we see with the Asian population, a thin person can be at risk. Even eating too many complex carbs will increase blood glucose. Too much of a good thing can be bad.”

Watch the sugar  “It’s a common misconception that sugar causes diabetes,” Lau says, “but it still should be limited. Look at product labels and watch out for foods which have sugar or high fructose corn syrup at the top of the list.”

Nutritionists at the Joslin Diabetes Center approved these two recipes from Ming Tsai and Joanne Chang as diabetes-friendly  - Chicken-Onion Meatloaf with Sambal-Worcestershire Gravy and Joanne Chang’s Thai Ginger Chicken Salad

Click here, and scroll down for recipes

How to Drink Your Veggies

Photo Credit - Recipe Rehab

Check out Veggie Smoothies made with Ginger, Cucumber, Kale, Spinach, Beets and Dates and LOTS more 
  

Diabetic Funnel Cake

Easy Funnel Cake recipe to add to your diabetic dessert recipes. 

This easy recipe is baked vs. deep fried


 Ingredients 

Cooking Spray 
1/2 cup water 
1/2 cup butter 
1 pinch salt 
1/2 cup flour 
2 eggs 
1 tablespoon confectioner (powdered) sugar 
Piping bag or plastic resealable bag and scissors 
Saucepan 
Wooden spoon 
Baking Sheet 
Wire rack 
Parchment paper 

Instructions 
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 
Combine water, butter, and salt in saucepan. 
Heat until boiling, about 30 seconds. 
Add flour all at once, stirring vigorously until mixture forms ball. 
Remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes. 
Add eggs one at a time, beating them into the mixture as you go. 
Put batter into piping bag or re-sealable plastic bag, and snip a tiny hole in the corner. 
Pipe 6 circles 3 to 4 inches in diameter on baking sheet pre-greased with cooking spray 
Use the remainder of batter to make little swirls and decorations to look like funnel cakes. 

Bake at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes, or until fluffed and golden brown. Sift powdered sugar evenly onto cakes. Place them on a wire rack with parchment paper underneath for easy clean-up. 

 Read more at http://www.favehealthyrecipes.com

$245 Billion Total Cost of Diabetes

The increased price isn't due to rising health care costs. It's due instead to the "sheer number" of Americans who have diabetes.

New research from the American Diabetes Association shows the total cost of diabetes was $245 billion in 2012  -  a 41% increase from the $174 billion spent in 2007.





"Medication costs have gone up, but overall they haven't gone up significantly," said Matt Petersen, the American Diabetes Association's managing director of medical information and professional engagement. "We have more people with diagnosed diabetes. A lot more of them. That's the burden we face."

An estimated 22.3 million people were living with type 1 or type 2 diabetes in 2012, according to the new report, up from 17.5 million in 2007.

Read full article at CNN

Can Diabetes Can Be Cured By Food?

Many health experts consider diabetes an epidemic interwoven with obesity and other conditions. It can often be controlled by medication but a doctor says it can be cured by food. That’s right, cured.

The CDC says more than 28 million Americans have diabetes, mostly adult-onset or Type 2. Many battle it using medication but a doctor and author argues that the path to victory is diet.

Dr. Joel Fuhrman promotes what he calls the Nutritarian Diet. He makes what he acknowledges is a radical claim about his new book, The End of Diabetes, that many diseases can be prevented through diet.

“Well, the secret is GBOMBS: greens, beans, onions, mushrooms, berries and seeds. It’s eating foods that have these natural phytochemicals that retrigger the body.”

The resulting diet is a complete 180 from what most Americans are used-to.

“You might be eating more natural foods, more whole grains, more vegetables, more salads, more onions and mushroom dishes, more bean soups and less of the processed foods and animal products Americans are eating.”

Dr. Fuhrman admits the transition requires some work but says once you begin feeling better you’ll never want to go back.

Source: CBS Philly