Protein Requirements

Here is a recent question from FOODPICKER.org

Question: Since I've been diagnosed with diabetes, a lot of people have given me advice about how much carbohydrates and fat to eat. I am wondering about protein. How much protein should I get in my diet and from what foods besides meat?

Answer: A typically protein requirement is 0.8 g per kilogram of body weight for healthy individuals. However, it is always best to check with your doctor, especially if you have kidney problems. Otherwise a general rule is to get 10-20% of your total calories from protein sources. It is best to spread out your protein consumption through the whole day, just like you spread out your carbohydrate intake daily. It can also be recommended that you consume protein and carbohydrate at a meal since protein helps to slow down the absorption of carbohydrates!

Protein is in all animal foods and some plant foods in a smaller amount. Plant foods that have a fair amount of protein in them are pinto, kidney, and red beans, lentils, tofu and split peas. Try to eat nonfat or skim milk products as a low-fat protein source. Eat at least 2 servings of fish such as salmon per week since eating fish provides healthy polyunsaturated fats called omega-3 fatty acids.

Great Fall Recipe Ideas.. Yum

So i wanted to start a recipe list going to help diabetics learn that food can taste good and be carbohydrate friendly too. Today the recipes are compliments of the Mayo Clinic. So here is my picks on some yummy fall menu options.. Feel free to let em know if you have any recipes or favorites too!

Eggplant with toasted spices: eggplant is one of my favorite foods and I hope it becomes one of yours too!

Cranberry spritzer: everyone deserves alittle mocktail option.

Baked apples with cherries and almonds: a great dessert treat that is less that 2 carbohydrate servings!

Cornmeal crusted sole with chili vinaigrette: tasty fish dish. 

Enjoy food and eat healthy too :)

Ideal Blood Sugar

Here is my weekly question from FOODPICKER.org

Question: I have diabetes and my blood sugar is all over the map. Could you please tell me the ideal blood sugar level?

Answer: Blood sugar goal levels depend on when you are testing and your activity level too.

According to the American Diabetes Association, they recommendations are as follows for adults:

Glycemic control
A1C	<7.0%
Preprandial plasma glucose (before a meal)	70–130 mg/dl (5.0–7.2 mmol/l)
Postprandial plasma glucose (after a meal)	<180 mg/dl (<10.0 mmol/l)
Talk to your doctor to determine your ideal blood glucose level

When you finish the blood glucose check, write down your results and review them to see how food, activity and stress affect your blood glucose. Take a close look at your blood glucose record to see if your level is too high or too low several days in a row at about the same time. If the same thing keeps happening, it might be time to discuss changing your plan with your doctor. Tight glucose control or consistent has been shown to help reduce complications.  

Try Tofu?

I saw this recipe from the Whole Foods Website and thought is was a simply way to try tofu. plus is only has 2 g of carbohydrates (these turn into glucose in the body typically and are what diabetic monitor)! Plus it is low in fat too. You could also season it alittle with herbs and spices for extra flavor and variety :) I tried this recipe and it is easy and tastes good. I suggest soon seasoning just don't go overboard and end up with extra calories or sodium! I hope you enjoy.

Easy Baked Tofu

What is Diabetes?

So before I start discussing diet or what to eat.. we need to all be aware of what diabetes is and what causes it. Don't worry, I don't plan on getting overly technically and will try not to use excessively large words.  

Diabetes is a type of metabolic disorder. Metabolism is the way our bodies digests food to use it for energy, growth, or even repair. Most of what we eat is digested into a sugar called glucose. Glucose is a form of sugar present in our blood and serves as a primary source of fuel for our bodies. In order for glucose to enter our bodies cells, it needs insulin. Insulin couples with glucose and makes it possible to enter into a cell and be used for energy. Insulin is a type of hormone and is produced by the pancreas. After eating, the pancreas is signaled automatically to release adequate insulin so glucose in the blood can enter the cells. With the aid of insulin, blood glucose is lowed as glucose enters the cells. A person with diabetes has a condition that creates an increase in blood glucose. This can be related to not enough insulin produced, no insulin produced, or has cells that do not properly respond to the insulin produced from the pancreas. This creates too much glucose that can build up in the blood. As a result it can not be correctly used as fuel for the body cells. This excess glucose that is not being used for energy has no good place to go now and can reek havoc on other areas of the body. We will discuss some of this havoc in another posting. 

I hope this provides you with a good, working understanding of diabetes so far. Feel free to leave any questions or comments on this topic. I also was planning to share some diabetic friendly recipes so let me know if you have any preferences! All ideas are welcomed and appreciated :)

 

My First Post

Good Evening,

My name is Carol and I am currently a senior in dietetics at Arizona State University. I recently volunteered for an opportunity with FoodPicker.org to help spread the wealth of information out there on nutrition and education for diabetes. I am very excited to start blogging to share what I’ve learned from my education and to help people with diabetes live their lives to the fullest through proper diet, and find enjoyment it too!

It took my a while to find my home in dietetics. After high school, I attended the University of Nevada, Las Vegas with the intent of becoming a physical therapist. I soon felt out of place in college and went to pursue an education in massage therapy in fall 2002. I feel in love with the abilities I possessed to be able to help people feel better. I expanded to become a fitness trainer are well in 2004. I quickly realize that there was more to health and physical fitness than just working out. Nutrition just became a natural stepping stone in my career and desires to help people feel better and improve their health! Over the years I have worked along side many medical professionals and have worked in various aspects of nutrition during my educational endeavors. 

I realize that being diagnosed with diabetes can be a nerve racking and scary time for many people. However, it is also a great opportunity to take charge of your health and create your own healthier future! I am here to assist you on this journey of exploration and knowledge development. Please feel free to add any comments, concerns, or questions. Currently my main goal of this blog is to address various topics of nutrition in diabetes and to equip readers with nutritional knowledge to make diabetes management easy and enjoyable. Check out FoodPicker.org for more information.