How to fulfil your sweet tooth? Very easy and with Chocolate too!

Hi All!

So today after lunch, I had a craving for a sweet dessert. Since I don't keep ice cream in the house anymore, I found this very easy way to fulfil my sweet tooth with chocolate and there is less than 5g of sugar! So when I crave that 'chocolate' (Girls, you know what that craving means!!) I have this:

Keep fresh bananas and a bottle of the chocolate syrup (for Nestle Quik or whatever brand you choose),

Chop up the banana and drizzle about 1/3 teaspoon over the banana pieces.

I put my banana pieces in a bowl and do 3 waves of drizzle on it.

Now I don't eat this every day... well actually I have a banana every day but not with the chocolate syrup... the syrup is when I really need to fill those 'chocolate cravings' ;)

So don't go all crazy and use up a full bottle of chocolate syrup lol

There are other flavors of the syrup so try another kind but I always look at the sugar content and judge how much can I actually use?

I hope you enjoy my blog and feel free to share with others! ^.^

Yay! I lost 12 pounds in a month! Here’s my simple tips:

Hello all!

Sorry I haven’t blogged in days… just haven’t been sleeping much, the insomnia hitting me hard the past 5 days (yes, its 3:30am and I can’t sleep yet again)

Well after 5 weeks I decided to weigh myself and guess what? I lost 12 pounds! Yippee! Just 15 pounds to go for my ideal BMI, but as most diabetics, it’s around my waistline and its a lot harder to get rid of!

I admit I have a habit of drinking too much diet coke and eating some chips or popcorn (usually with my son) when we watch a movie… and then after a few handfuls, I feel so guilty and bad about myself… even sneak in the occasional bite or 2 of a chocolate bar…

But here’s a tip my friend told me and it really helped, not just lose the weight but not feel bad when I do occasionally eat the ‘junk’ foods:

She said: “Del everyone is going to eat junk at times and no point feeling bad and guilty and punishing yourself over it. It will just cause you more stress and want to eat more of it… so try this: when you get the urge to eat something, go to the kitchen and tell yourself  ’I'm going to make myself a small bowl of oatmeal and eat it’ and as a reward I will treat myself to some chips or popcorn’. So I tried this and guess what? after I had my oatmeal, I felt fuller and the urge for the chips or popcorn went away! 9 times out of 10 I didn’t eat those things. But when I did eat it, I felt guilt free because this is my reward for having the oatmeal!  I didn’t berate myself or felt bad how I ate ‘junk food’ but instead, just thought of it as a ‘reward’ for eating the oatmeal. Lately when I went to get the oatmeal, instead I would grab some granola bars or apples or cheese and crackers instead! There is only so much oatmeal a girl can eat!  :)

If you don’t like oatmeal, pick something else that is healthy and you enjoy..instant cup-a-soup, bowl of cereal or yogurt, or some cheese or celery and carrots! Just try to keep it simple and easy so it doesn’t feel like its a chore to get your snack.  I buy blocks of cheese and I sit at the table and use my cleaver and slice them all, then put it in a ziploc. You can do this with your favorite cheese and its a quick and easy snack to grab from the fridge . It doesn’t last more than 2 days because my son loves eating cheese too! 

Now I have been doing the same with my diet coke… I tell myself “I will drink a glass of water and as a reward, I will have my diet coke!” Most times after the nice icy cold water, I feel refreshed and skip the diet coke.. or just get another glass of water! I like my water icy! So keep ice cubes in your freezer!

Lately, I have also incorporated some on the spot stretches and exercises too now… I tell myself as a reward for doing these exercises for 5 mins, I will treat myself with (what ever I was in the mood for). I am surprised because I am doing this 3-4 times a day now!

I know the most common complaint with doing an exercise is ‘its boring’ but I play a youtube video (some favorite songs) while doing it and so its about 5 minutes give or take.

Again, always consult your doctor before doing starting a new exercise routine!

Some simple exercises I found online from people are the following:

“Jumping Jacks are a classic, as is just sucking in your gut and flexing the abs…you can do “crunches” by repeatedly reaching for the remote on the table in front of you whether you need the remote or not.”

“Simple isometrics like butt clenching, fist making, standing on tiptoes, pushing hands against each other, curl your own arms (push down with one while curling with the other)”

“Jogging on the spot is another lucid exercise that is great for the heart. One can jog in a place while playing music, watching television and so on. Apart from an investment on a good pair of shoes, you won’t have to shave off a single penny to get started. As such, one can perform this activity without the shoes as well; however, this decision might prove to be stressful on your legs.”

“Pushup is considered to be one of the best home exercises ever. With diet alteration, one can achieve weight loss as well as muscle gain with the aid of pushups. Also, it’s easy to perform this exercise, especially when you practice it on daily basis. Within few months of practice, one will be able to do hundreds of pushups within half an hour or so. The best part is that it works on various body muscles such as chest, arms, biceps, shoulder, legs etc.”

Another useful site I found is this:

http://www.simplefitnesssolutions.com/articles/ab_muscles.htm

I hope you find my blog useful and feel free to share it with others! ^.^

Diabetes and Exercise:

Hello All!

Let’s talk about something most of us don’t like and try to avoid… Exercise!

Exercise is very important in managing type 2 diabetes. Combining diet, exercise, and medicine (when prescribed) can help control your weight and blood sugar level.

Exercise helps control type 2 diabetes by:

- Improving your body’s use of insulin
- Burning excess body fat, helping to decrease and control weight (decreased body fat results in improved insulin sensitivity)
- Improving muscle strength
- Increasing bone density and strength
- Lowering blood pressure
- Helping to protect against heart and blood vessel disease by lowering ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol and increasing ‘good’ HDL cholesterol
- Improving blood circulation and reducing your risk of heart disease and stroke
- Increasing energy level and enhancing work capacity
Reducing stress, promoting relaxation, and releasing tension and anxiety

How Does Exercise Affect Blood Sugar Levels?

Normally, insulin is released from the pancreas when the amount of sugar (glucose) in the blood increases, such as after eating. Insulin stimulates the liver and muscles to take in excess glucose. This results in a lowering of the blood sugar level.

When exercising, the body needs extra energy or fuel (in the form of glucose) for the exercising muscles. For short bursts of exercise, such as a quick sprint to catch the bus, the muscles and the liver can release stores of glucose for fuel. With continued moderate exercising, however, your muscles take up glucose at up to 20 times the normal rate. This helps lowers blood sugar levels. At the same time insulin levels may drop in anyone not taking insulin so the risks of hypoglycemia or low blood sugar is minimized.

But intense exercise can have the opposite effect and actually temporarily increase your blood glucose levels right after you stop exercising. This is especially true for many people with diabetes. The body recognizes intense exercise as a stress and releases stress hormones that tell your body to increase available blood sugar to fuel your muscles. If you have diabetes you may need to check your sugar after exercise to see if this happens to you.

Is Blood Sugar Ever Too High to Exercise?

Yes. In some cases, you should hold off on exercising if your blood sugar is very high and your body is producing ketones. Ask your doctor about if and when you should hold off on exercise.

Bottom line: Always consult your doctor before starting an exercise routine. Have your blood tested also. As in my case, I was producing too much ketones and have to do light to moderate exercises. Most of us don’t like to do it but if you break it down into 5-10 minute increments several times a day, it will help you a great deal!

I hope you find my blog useful and feel free to share it with others! ^.^

Breakfast: Come and Get It!! :)

Hello Everyone!

Now that we got our dessert out of the way and fulfilled our sweet cravings…and we will have a great dinner tonight,  let’s start with breakfast tomorrow! The most important meal of the day!

Yes I know you heard this a million times and you have skipped breakfast many times but it is true, this is most important for diabetics, and everyone else for that matter! If you don’t eat a good breakfast, or skip it, your body (after fasting all night) thinks it won’t get another meal for a long while and goes into this “starvation mode” (as I mentioned in an earlier post). When you finally eat lunch, your body stores it as fat because it thinks, “I’d better save this for later. I don’t know when the next meal will come.” And that can lead to weight gain, higher sugar levels and feeling sluggish all day. I am not going to keep lecturing why breakfast is so important but you can read this article if you want to know more reasons why.

http://forecast.diabetes.org/magazine/food-thought/the-importance-breakfast

Ok so now that we all know we will be eating breakfast each day, let’s start with something quick, and easy to make and eat  … CEREAL !!! Yes cereal is my fastest choice and when I am not in the mood to eat breakfast, I pour some cereal into a bowl and since I am lactose intolerant… I add some yogurt! I keep packs of dried cranberries, raisins, almonds and walnuts, and throw in a little bit with this cereal mixture. Sometimes I even cut up a banana (my favorite fruit) or an apple. I pick a cereal with a higher content of fibre and low sugar. If you tend to favor sweet cereal, add a packet of sugar twin sprinkled on top instead.

For those that want a hot breakfast, I suggest Oatmeal packets. All you do is boil water, add the packet and stir  Quick, simple, fast and easy! You can add any of the food items I mentioned above. I love adding raisins and diced apple to my oatmeal!

I also want to share my recipe for breakfast when I want to cook for others too! It’s basically like a ‘western sandwich’ style omelet. I look in the fridge to see what vegetables I have on hand: onion, mushrooms, tomatoes, green peppers, even broccoli! I dice up to a small handful of each, depending on how many people you want to feed. For 1-2 people, just half a handful of diced vegetables will do. You can even use frozen or canned vegetables: peas, carrots, corn, and beans.

Turn on your stove to high with a large non-stick frying pan. For each person, I use one large egg. I scramble it, then add the diced vegetables and mix it really well. I don’t cook with salt but I do like garlic and add a tiny bit of crushed garlic. Add salt and/or pepper as desired. Do one omelet per bowl or dish as you have to cook one at a time.

Now, turn the stove to medium (on my stove it’s a 6) and spray with Pam (cooking spray) then pour the mixture in the middle to make it look like an omelet. I think drizzle some canola oil around the edges of the pan and swirl the pan around so the oil goes all over the edges of the omelet.

Cook for 2-4 minutes until it is a light golden color on the edges. Flip it gently and cook the other side. At this point you can add some grated cheese and put a cover on it to let the cheese melt.

My boys LOVE BACON so while I am cooking these, I cook bacon in the microwave too! 

I use the paper towel method and my microwave takes about 75 seconds per slice.

http://www.wikihow.com/Cook-Bacon-in-the-Microwave

People ask me all the time to write out my recipes. I’m sorry my omelet recipe isn’t typed out in a traditional recipe format, but I love to cook and cooked all my life, so for me, it’s very hard to write down exact measurements as it’s all judged on how I feel at the time. Some days I don’t feel like much onion taste, other days, I want more peas and carrots, or if you crave some sweetness, add more corn!  :)

Dinner: Only 5 minutes – Bologna Stir Fry Anyone? ;)

st night I wasn’t in the mood to cook a dinner. As my son had eaten earlier, I didn’t want to cook a meal for just me. Around 8 pm I decided “Well, I should eat something, I will make a quick salad”. I went to the fridge and took out some vegetables and then saw the bologna! I love it more than bacon most times  Mostly I fry it with eggs and make a sandwich or omelet. But for some reason I decided to make it into stir fry! Now I also cheated… I buy these frozen Green Giant Valley Selections pasta/vegetable mix for those days I have no time to make dinner and only takes about 5 minutes!

http://lifemadedelicious.ca/en/product-pantry-old/green-giant/valley-selections/garlic-pasta-with-vegetables

So what I did was put a big handful of the frozen pasta in my wok, add some water (about a quarter cup) and let it boil. I added more crushed garlic too. I buy those jars of already crushed garlic in oil and keep it in my fridge. For a more savory taste, I added Worcestershire sauce and 4 squirts of bbq garlic sauce. While it started to boil, I sliced up some bologna and added it. You can add any kind of pre-cooked meat or tofu or nothing else – the pasta is fine alone! I did add sliced mushrooms, cucumbers and more broccoli because just wanted to use the the vegetables in my fridge 

Like I said, you don’t have to add anything to it, the frozen pasta is fine alone. I didn’t check but I think you can microwave it too!

You can add anything for extra taste, what ever is your fancy: chili sauce, curry, pepper, bbq sauce, salad dressing, even ketchup!

I just use my spatula and tossed it around a few times as it boiled off until it was done! I actually topped it off with peanuts when I put it on my plate. Sometimes I top it off with grated cheese (yes, I buy the cheese already grated sometimes for mini pizzas for Adam). Here is a picture I took with my phone just as it was almost done cooking!

I hope you enjoy my blog and my own recipes ideas! Enjoy! 

Dessert Recipe: Applesauce Brownies

Hello All!

I know, being a diabetic, I miss my desserts a lot and sometimes crave it so much. So I found this, and yes, I tried it and came out perfect! I used the SugarTwin® Granulated sweetener instead of sugar. I thought that the first recipe I share should be a dessert one because I know its hard for diabetics (and everyone for that matter) to find a healthier dessert recipe. So enjoy! :)

Applesauce Brownies
Servings: 16

(Note: you can substitute the sugar with the SugarTwin® Granulated white or brown sweetener if you want to avoid sugar altogether)

Ingredients

1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup chopped nuts (Optional)

Directions

- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- Combine oil, applesauce and cocoa. Add sugar and stir until dissolved.
- Add eggs and vanilla.
- Mix dry ingredients together and stir into the first mixture.
- Pour the batter into a greased and floured (or wax paper lined & sprayed) 9 inch square pan.
- Sprinkle on nuts (optional).
- Bake about 20 to 30 minutes or until top is set but edges are not dried out. Toothpick will come out clean.
- Cut into 16 or 24 squares.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving)
Calories: 165
Protein: 3 g
Sodium: 84 mg
Fat: 7 g
Carbohydrates: 27 g
Exchanges: 1 Starch; 1 Fat; 1 Fruit

(Source: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/169.shtml)

Create a Healthy Meal Plan for Diabetics!

Hello All,

One of the biggest things diabetics have to worry about is food - what we eat. Regular diet plans for just weight loss may not be suitable for diabetics because of how we process our food into glucose. So here is a great website to help you create a good foo plan!

http://www.symptomfind.com/nutrition-supplements/diet-plan-for-diabetics/

What is Diabetes? What Causes it?

Hello All!

Many people have diabetes, and many people don't even know they have it. Not all diabetics are 'fat'. And not all diabetics eat a lot of 'sugar' or 'sweets'.

I have found an interesting website that fully explains what diabetes is and what causes it.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/info/diabetes/

Some Facts And Myths Regarding Diabetes

Many presumed "facts" are thrown about in the paper press, magazines and on the internet regarding diabetes; some of them are, in fact, myths. It is important that people with diabetes, pre-diabetes, their loved ones, employers and schools have an accurate picture of the disease. Below are some diabetes myths:

People with diabetes should not exercise - NOT TRUE!! Exercise is important for people with diabetes, as it is for everybody else. Exercise helps manage body weight, improves cardiovascular health, improves mood, helps blood sugar control, and relieves stress. Patients should discuss exercise with their doctor first.

Fat people always develop type 2 diabetes eventually - this is not true. Being overweight or obese raises the risk of becoming diabetic, they are risk factors, but do not mean that an obese person will definitely become diabetic. Many people with type 2 diabetes were never overweight. The majority of overweight people do not develop type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes is a nuisance, but not serious - two thirds of diabetes patients die prematurely from stroke or heart disease. The life expectancy of a person with diabetes is from five to ten years shorter than other people's. Diabetes is a serious disease.

Children can outgrow diabetes - this is not true. Nearly all children with diabetes have type 1; insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas have been destroyed. These never come back. Children with type 1 diabetes will need to take insulin for the rest of their lives, unless a cure is found one day.

Don't eat too much sugar, you will become diabetic - this is not true. A person with diabetes type 1 developed the disease because their immune system destroyed the insulin-producing beta cells. A diet high in calories, which can make people overweight/obese, raises the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, especially if there is a history of this disease in the family.

I know when my blood sugar levels are high or low - very high or low blood sugar levels may cause some symptoms, such as weakness, fatigue and extreme thirst. However, levels need to be fluctuating a lot for symptoms to be felt. The only way to be sure about your blood sugar levels is to test them regularly. Researchers from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark showed that even very slight rises in blood-glucose levels significantly raise the risk of ischemic heart disease. (Link to article)

Diabetes diets are different from other people's - the diet doctors and specialized nutritionists recommend for diabetes patients are healthy ones; healthy for everybody, including people without the disease. Meals should contain plenty of vegetables, fruit, whole grains, and they should be low in salt and sugar, and saturated or trans fat. Experts say that there is no need to buy special diabetic foods because they offer no special benefit, compared to the healthy things we can buy in most shops.

High blood sugar levels are fine for some, while for others they are a sign of diabetes - high blood-sugar levels are never normal for anybody. Some illnesses, mental stress and steroids can cause temporary hikes in blood sugar levels in people without diabetes. Anybody with higher-than-normal blood sugar levels or sugar in their urine should be checked for diabetes by a health care professional.
Diabetics cannot eat bread, potatoes or pasta - people with diabetes can eat starchy foods. However, they must keep an eye on the size of the portions. Whole grain starchy foods are better, as is the case for people without diabetes.

One person can transmit diabetes to another person - NOT TRUE. Just like a broken leg is not infectious or contagious. A parent may pass on, through their genes to their offspring, a higher susceptibility to developing the disease.

Only older people develop type 2 diabetes - things are changing. A growing number of children and teenagers are developing type 2 diabetes. Experts say that this is linked to the explosion in childhood obesity rates, poor diet, and physical inactivity.

I have to go on insulin, this must mean my diabetes is severe - people take insulin when diet alone or diet with oral or non-insulin injectable diabetes drugs do not provide good-enough diabetes control, that's all. Insulin helps diabetes control. It does not usually have anything to do with the severity of the disease.

If you have diabetes you cannot eat chocolates or sweets - people with diabetes can eat chocolates and sweets if they combine them with exercise or eat them as part of a healthy meal.

Diabetes patients are more susceptible to colds and illnesses in general - a person with diabetes with good diabetes control is no more likely to become ill with a cold or something else than other people. However, when a diabetic catches a cold, their diabetes becomes harder to control, so they have a higher risk of complications.

Introduction :)

Hello Everyone!

First of all, I would like to introduce myself: My name is Delphine Kay and yes, I have type 2 Diabetes.

The history with my family on both sides of mom and dad has diabetes. My grandparents, my parents, most of my aunts and uncles, and most of my siblings. My father and brother passed away with complications that related to diabetes. Yes, I am scared I may too.

I first contracted it the first time I was pregnant: Gestational Diabetes. It went away days after I gave birth to Ethan. Then a year later, I got pregnant again, and BOOM! Gestational diabetes again!! This time, (at age 33) after Adam was born, it never went away 

As time passed, my sugars were slowly going up and up. I started off taking Metformin twice a day.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metformin

But as time kept passing, it wasn’t enough. My sugars would still go up 1 or 2 points each year. So a few years later, the doctor prescribed Januvia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Januvia

Again, the sugars wasn’t stabilizing and slowly creeping up. I know what the problem was: stress and not eating enough, plus lack of exercising properly. This led to a depression, which became an endless circle for me.  Depression caused me not to eat, sleep or exercise, which raised my sugar levels… that caused me to be more depressed, and back again to the sugar levels.

In October 2010 I had to have surgery to remove my gallbladder.  Ever since August 2010, I had nothing but health issues… health was a big part of my problem and I had to quit my job. This time I started taking another drug called Diamicron.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gliclazide

At this point, I am taking 3 different diabetic medications. If my sugar levels didn’t stabilize, I would have to go on insulin shots.  Luckily they did but the levels are still high.

Before I would eat very small breakfast, skip lunch and then eat little for supper… it put my body into a “starvation mode” where my body thinks it’s starving, and not know when it would get its next meal. My body then would hold onto all the fats and sugars and not use them up, thus keeping my sugars high and not losing any body fat.

Since the beginning of 2011, I tried to follow the diabetic dietitian’s advice, eating 6 times a day. I still don’t eat much, so I force myself to eat. Crackers with cheese there, an apple or banana few hours later, then maybe ham sandwich, another time celery and peanut butter. People think that being a diabetic and overweight means you shouldn’t eat carbs. But carbs are needed too. Otherwise your body retains it and you will never get rid of the fat, especially around your waist and front abdomen area. I don’t eat a lot of carbs but I do add some. Every 2-3 hours, I try to eat, even if it is only 2-3 nibbles, I try.

As for exercising, I do some Wii Fit, and  I try and walk around, even if it’s just around the house or up and down the stairs. As for my stress, I do some meditation. I found some good meditation on YouTube. I play it just before I go to bed and it does help me sleep too. I also suffer from insomnia, which compounds the stress issue, and keeping my sugar levels high.

To sum it all up, everything I do has an effect with diabetes: food, exercise, sleep, mental health, and family/friend support. I would never have been able to make it this far without their support! And if you are reading this, YOU KNOW who you are!! God Bless and I hope you will find my blog helpful and insightful!

Thank you all for reading this! <3

Del