Category Archives: diabetic Aids

Delicious Poultry Recipes and They Are Diabetic Friendly, Too Potpie, Soup, and Chicken Breasts

October 13, 2011

As most cooks know, chicken and turkey are easy replacements for each other in most recipes. If you happen to have one and not the other, use what you have on hand. these recipes make great family meals and they are healthy. while not listed as ‘diabetic’ recipes, they are very diabetic friendly so you can serve them even when diabetics are at your table. The Incredibly Moist Chicken Breasts is a 4-ingredient recipe that is ready is less than half an hour. The Apple and Turkey Potpie is a tasty comfort food. and speaking of comfort food, how about some Lemony Chicken Soup?

INCREDIBLY MOIST CHICKEN BREASTS
4 to 6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 pkg (1.4-oz) French Onion Soup Mix
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1/3 cup mayonnaise

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

But the soup mix and bread crumbs in a gallon size zip-top plastic bag. Mix together well.

Brush the chicken breasts with the mayonnaise on all sides. Place chicken in the zip-top bag, one piece at a time, and shake bag to coat well. Arrange the chicken pieces on a rack in a broiler pan. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes until juices run clear and chicken is tender.

APPLE & TURKEY POTPIE
1/4 cup chopped yellow onion
1 tbsp butter
1 can (10 3/4-oz) condensed cream of chicken soup
1 can (10 3/4-oz) condensed cream of celery soup
3 cups cubed cooked turkey*
1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled & cubed
1/3 cup raisins, optional
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Pastry for a single-crust pie

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; add the onion and saute until tender. Add the soups, turkey, apple, raisins – if using, lemon juice, and nutmeg; mix together well. Spoon the mixture into an 11 x 7 x 2-inch baking dish.

On a floured surface, roll out the pastry dough to fit the baking dish. Cut slits or a design in the pastry. Place the pastry over the turkey mixture and flute the edges using the tines of a fork.

Bake the potpie at 425 degrees for about half an hour or until the crust is a golden brown and the filling is bubbly.

*Chicken works as well as turkey.

LEMONY CHICKEN SOUP
3 cans (13 to 14-oz each) condensed chicken broth
2 tbsp minced fresh parsley
1/2 tsp tarragon
1 tsp grated lemon peel
3 large eggs
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 cans (5-oz each) premium chunk white chicken, drained, shredded
1 cup cooked brown rice

In a medium saucepan, simmer the chicken broth with the parsley, tarragon, and lemon peel over medium heat for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile beat the eggs and lemon juice until light and frothy. Slowly beat in 1 cup of the hot broth then pour the mixture into the saucepan with remaining broth. Reduce the heat to low and add the chicken and rice. Stir constantly until the mixture thickens slightly, about 3 to 4 minutes. do not boil the soup.

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10 Snack Ideas for Diabetics

September 20, 2011

Snacks can be a hard-to-resist temptation but also an important food to keep nearby for diabetics. This paradox can lead to unhealthy snacking and trouble managing blood sugar. This article will list 10 snacks for diabetics that are healthy, convenient, and diabetic-friendly.

Snacks for Diabetics

Some people think of snacks as something you buy in a box/jar from the grocery store and some people think of snacks as a bunch of small things you cook So, to appease our diverse readership we’re going to list our top 5 favorites from each category.

Top 5 Snacks for Diabetics – Grab-and-Go

  1. Nuts – nuts are convenient, diverse, and loaded with nutrients. In large quantities their carb content can become a worry but if eaten as a snack by someone who is already counting their carbs and calories, we’ve found nuts to be the most satisfying of all.
  2. Beef/Turkey Jerky – loaded with salt and often preservatives, jerky isn’t something you should eat regularly or a lot of. however, as a treat jerky is an excellent snack for diabetics. This is a snack that can be enjoyed once or twice per week without worry, just be sure to check the nutrition info for hidden sugars or other unhealthy additives
  3. Atkins/Generic Low-Carb Granola Bars – name brand low-carb bars can be expensive but are often worth it. The serving size is adequate to tame most cravings and you also get peace-of-mind knowing that the ingredients and nutritional information are accurate and disclosed entirely. In recent years these bars have come a long, long, LONG way in tasting better. The faux-chocolate Atkins granola bars are our favorites in this category.
  4. Cheese String Sticks – We realize these are often considered children snacks but don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it If you buy a good brand like Kraft, cheese string sticks can be very delicious They come in a variety of flavors like cheddar, mozzarella, marble, and even parmesan.
  5. Yogurt – Sugar-free yogurt is easy to find in grocery stores can easily satisfy a craving for sweets or desserts. Artificial flavorings have come a long way and the variety of flavors available is a definite reflection of this. If you’ve never liked yogurt before I’d urge you to buy a good brand name and give it another try. Snacks for diabetics in the dessert area can be hard to find but sugar-free yogurt is definitely one of the few worth keeping around.

Honorable mention – Sugar-free cookies. more and more cookie-makers are coming out with lines of sugar-free cookies made with Splenda or other sugar substitutes. Check out your grocery store’s cookie aisle and you might be surprised what you find

Top 5 Snacks for Diabetics – Cook it or Prepare it Myself

  1. Veggies and Dip – A favorite amongst diabetics and non-diabetics alike. The only difference is that a diabetic’s veggie tray will have much less starchy vegetables. Celery, Asparagus, Broccoli, Cucumber, and Mushrooms are what you should be using here. Low-sugar dips vary widely, just find the salad dressing area of your grocery store and grab your favorite flavor Ranch is an especially easy one to find in a low-sugar variation.
  2. Meat Trays – The meat equivalent of a veggie tray, meat trays can be bought in any deli for reasonable prices and they save you all the hassle of shopping for the meats and slicing them all up. You’ll often be able to find combination trays that have meats, cheeses, and pickles all in one.
  3. Whole Grain Crackers with Cheese or Peanut Butter – Combining something crunchy with something smooth tricks your brain into thinking you’re eating more than you really are. Crackers make a great base for just about any snack, just keep an eye on those carbs
  4. Frozen Grapes and Bananas – Combine grapes and slices of banana in a plastic container or bag and throw them in the freezer for a few hours. You’d be surprised how refreshing frozen grapes can be, especially in the summer during those heat waves This isn’t just a snack for diabetics as you’ll find out when you notice your family members enjoying your grapes just as much as you are.
  5. Whole Grain Nachos with Salsa – Throw in some melted cheese and you’ve got a delicacy for bonus points you can make the salsa yourself and focus on diabetic-friendly ingredients. every carb you save in the salsa lets you eat that many more nachos; win-win situation This one is great for entertaining guests or during the holidays since it is a snack that is universally enjoyed by everyone.

Honorable mention – Sushi. There’s a bit of a learning curve in preparing it but it’s worth it Totally customizable in terms of ingredients and loaded in nutrients. give sushi a try.

Snacks for diabetics is something that newly-diagnosed Diabetes patients often struggle with. The reality is that diabetics can eat anything.. in moderation. The real trick is in finding snacks that can be consumed regularly and in decent amounts. while it’s true that the most convenient snacks are often laden with carbs and added sugar, the food industry is slowly becoming health-conscious which is a win for diabetics. Low-sugar variations of just about anything can be found in grocery stores today so get out there and look around.

Our lists above are a great starting point but for more information, consult our website. happy snacking

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Acceptable Blood Sugar Levels And Diabetics

August 13, 2011

When the human body is not capable of controlling normal blood sugar levels, usually there will be levels of glucose in the blood that are too high, very often a condition named diabetes type 2 sets in. It is believed that more than 21 million Americans have some or other form of diabetes.

That is at epidemic levels and it costs the country billions of dollars every year.

Many studies have pointed to a link between life style or food intake or consumption habits and blood sugar levels that cause diabetes to become chronic. I tend to agree, I’ll tell you why in a moment.

Normal blood sugar levels recommendations by ADA state they should be at levels from 70 mg/dl to 130 mg/dl before meals and below 180 mg/dl after meals. Without fresh whole or raw foods during the meal, that will be hard to achieve. this is due to the way the digestive system is built and the way it processes nutrients.

For people who have created the habit of avoiding vegetables and other non processed foods, this can lead to catastrophic results for their health and diabetes is one of the conditions that can easily set in, as statistics show.

One thing is also known: diabetes can be controlled by food intake. If you change your lifestyle, you can beat the condition.

I should know. After struggling along with diabetes type 2 for more than 20 years I decided to actually do something about it. It took a few small small changes to beat the diabetes. It is why I tend to agree when specialists postulate that diabetes is an affluence disease linked to lifestyle.

What most people do not realize is that doctors know exactly what to tell patients to get better but that they also have been trained to respect the free will of their patients. my doctor sent me to a nutritionist and he in turn told me how to change my eating habits.

That is where I failed to follow through. I did not want to change my eating habits. It took me 20 years to understand that I needed to put my health before my food. All I can add to this today is that it wasn’t worth the wait. our bodies can cope with some level of abuse some of the time, but it can’t cope with continued abuse all of the time.

When we do not consider the fact that our digestive system simply was not built to process industrial foods day in, day out, we will quickly reach a breaking point. Don’t let it happen to you.

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Diabetic Dessert Recipes – The Important Tips You Should Know

August 8, 2011

Being a diabetic does not mean that you have to go entirely and absolutely free of sweets in your meal plan. Occasional mildly sweet treats can be allowed at certain times provided that your blood sugar levels are maintained within your target range. Eating food that are low in sugar and carbohydrates – both usual components of most desserts, makes up part of a natural treatment for diabetes. Food intake and food choices should therefore be adjusted to ensure that only good food for diabetes are included in any diabetic low carb diet. There are menu planners and cookbooks in the internet that contain hundreds or even thousands of diabetic meal recipes as well as diabetic dessert recipes that are interesting, healthy, and delicious.

Studies have shown that there are ways to lower blood sugar just by altering how we eat and what we eat. There are cookbooks on the diabetic low carb diet that contain lists of food that are allowed in the diabetic diet. The meal plans for diabetics often vary from one individual to another. it is best to consult your physician and your dietitian so that they can draw up a meal plan for you. Generally, food that are low in sugar or those whose glycemic indices are low are allowed into these meal plans. Sites that help you draw out your meal plan would also have diabetic meal recipes and diabetic dessert recipes that would be easy for you to prepare and delicious enough for you to enjoy.

Dessert is one of the sweetest foods that we eat. it is not unlikely that this part of the meal will be the one that gets cut when one develops diabetes. it is a good thing that there are still ways to enjoy dessert without having to suffer the effects of having a high blood glucose level. Diabetic recipes use only those ingredients that are low in glycemic index and are prepared in a low fat manner. with these recipes, anyone suffering from diabetes can have his fill of a deliciously prepared meal without having to worry about his blood glucose levels shooting up. There are, however, differences by which each one who suffers from diabetes reacts to sugar in the food that they eat. this is why it is still best to consult with your physician if you wish to include certain recipes in your meal plan.

Eating a balanced and healthy diet prepared from diabetic meal recipes and diabetic dessert recipes is a good way to control the effects of diabetes. when done in conjunction with a good exercise program and a healthy lifestyle, the diabetic low carb diet will effectively help anyone suffering from diabetes live long years free of any adverse complications. Eat only those good food for diabetes and keep your life stress-free are the most common advice that diabetics get from their physicians. Medication is not the first and only solution to diabetes. In fact, there are no known cures for diabetes. once you are diagnosed with diabetes, you are considered to be diabetic for life. You can only try and manage your diabetes by looking for ways to lower blood sugar levels in your system.

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In need of a diabetic cheesecake recipe?

July 23, 2011

im not looking for a specifically 'sugar-free' recipe, just one that can be eaten by a diabetic without screwing up their blood sugars etc.

also, feel free and please share any recipes you may have of any other cakes, cookies, etc. that may apply to a diabetic's diet

SPLENDA CHEESECAKE

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs ricotta cheese (whole milk ricotta works best)
1 lb cream cheese
6 large eggs
2 tablespoons vanilla
2 teaspoons orange extract
6 tablespoons flour
1 pint sour cream
1 cup Splenda sugar substitute (or 1 cup Sugar)
1 (1 lb) package sugar-free caramels (or 1 pound package Kraft caramels)
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 (1 lb) package pecan halves
plain breadcrumbs (for dusting pan)

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 325ºF.

Cream together the ricotta and cream cheese (if using regular sugar beat it into the ricotta and cream cheese mixture until well blended).

If using Splenda hold and add later with the sour cream.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating each in well. Add the vanilla and orange extract. Spoon in the flour, sour cream and Splenda (if using), mix well. Mixture will be loose; don't worry.

Grease a 10 inch spring form pan with butter or margarine and dust with bread crumbs (merely helps cake not to stick) Pour cheese cake batter into prepared pan and bake at 325ºF for about 1 hour (cake has a tendency to crack. Don't worry, the topping will cover any crack).

(Tip: if you didn't beat properly and discover you have lumps of cream cheese at the bottom as you are pouring into the pan, since there is no crust you can use an electic hand mixer and beat the cream cheese right in the pan).

Cool cake completely. in the top of a double boiler melt the caramels with 2 Tablespoons of oil stirring until nice and smooth. Spread the melted caramels over the top of the cooled cheesecake. Arrange the pecan halves in a nice pattern pressing them gently into the still warm caramel. Refrigerate the cheescake preferably overnight.

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AIDS At 30: Taking The Response To The Next Level

June 16, 2011

The planet recently celebrated a birthday, although celebrate is a term used loosely. In fact, it is not really the right word at all, though there seems to be a lack of a better word. how do you celebrate the birth of a monster that, although greatly injured, still infected and threatened to kill 2.6 million people worldwide in 2009? the monster is HIV/ AIDS, and it just turned 30. while it is surely much older than that, the awareness and world retaliation really began 30 years ago. as a global community the world has fought valiantly with many successes, but failures as well. Game changers have come into play, and for much of the world diagnosis is now that of a chronic illness rather than a death sentence.

While this is a great thing, the monster still has not been stopped. Great strides have been made however. Recently, on may 12, 2011, the early closure of a clinical trial was announced by the US National Institutes of Health. this trial was testing the ability of antiretroviral drug therapy to reduce the likelihood of transmitting the disease. the trial was closed early due to the early indication of very positive results. this is a game changer in the response to and the fight against HIV and AIDS. the thirty year old emergency response is over now. Now is the time to set long term goals and make a plan to meet them.

The global response over the last 30 years has been tremendous and there has been great progress made. there have been significant reductions in death rates and new infections, and major increases in awareness and treatment, but the goals of the last decade were greatly missed. with plans to increase the comprehension and knowledge of HIV in young people to 95%, provide universal access to drug therapy, and reduce the vertical transmission rate by 50%, among other goals for 2010, gains were made but in 2009 studies showed the goals were going to be undershot. Young people’s comprehension and knowledge of the disease has increased, but 34% was the number achieved, not 95%. with numbers like this all over the board, it is apparent that it is time to step it up.

So at 30, AIDS is crippled, but not finished. the global community must continue to fight and not allow it to rise back up before knocking it further back. A long-term response and plan for eradication is in the works to rid the world of the monster forever.

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Discover the Shocking Truth Behind Africa AIDS Statistics and the Statistics of HIV

June 13, 2011

Imagine a place where your every waking moment is surrounded by death. across the street is a family of eight, all orphans. The eldest takes care of all the siblings and he is barely in his teens. They don’t have any source of income and one of them has been infected with AIDS. right on the corner lays a man dying. No one bats an eye. No one tries to help. it is all just a common sight to the people in the neighborhood. Standing atop of it all are the authorities who are doing nothing to help. They are just stuffing their fat pockets with graft and corruption.

Imagine no further. Read about the Africa AIDS statistics and realize that the previous scenario is reality in Africa. these statistics show that two out of three people in Africa will die of AIDS. these deaths mean there will be more orphans that will be thrust into poverty, resorting to dire survival means, including crime, drugs and prostitution. unfortunately, this lifestyle will put these children at risk of getting AIDS themselves and continuing this vicious cycle.

Statistics of HIV show that most of the people with AIDS in the world come from Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa to be specific. Among the people inflicted with the disease, two out of three people will come from this region. In the state of Botswana, for example, one out of four people are infected and in Zimbabwe it is growing to one out of three. Twenty-four million in this region are infected by this deadly disease and the number will continue to grow if this epidemic is not attended to.

The economic repercussions of the disease are serious, too. it is the major reason for the loss of skilled workers. Africa AIDS Statistics show that Kenya loses two of out of every three police officers to the disease.

Furthermore, AIDS is seen as the main cause for the lack of teachers in the Central African Republic. this has led to 100 primary school closings in two years between 1996 and 1998. it is also important to note that statistics of HIV show that three out of ten soldiers in Africa are HIV-positive.

AIDS affects Africa so much so that if nothing is done about this disease, it will lead to continued poverty and suffering. Today, AIDS remains one of the major problems facing this region.

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