Not feeling "funny" anymore...

Good morning sunshines,

temptations for diabetics are available all around us. It takes guts (for the ladies) and balls (for the men - ag, the dearies) to resist these naughty cravings stoically, and to be honest, I indulge every once in a while in a cookie or two....But if this should get out of hand, we need to consider if we want the cookies so much as to risk serious health complications, or to quickly whip up something sweet, but sugar free in the kitchen. Lately I choose the second option more and more often and am proud to announce really good diabetes management results for the moment. This is my light at the end of a tunnel, to be healthy and enjoy life!!

To highlight the temptation factor from somebody elses's point of view (the wife and carer of a diabetic husband) I quote the following article:

“Funny” Is No Laughing Matter

By Donna Gibson

“I don’t feel right!” Don said.  My husband, who has type 2 diabetes, had just walked back in our front door, after having gone into town to do some Christmas shopping. Or so he said. He only came back with gifts from one store. He felt “funny,” he said, afraid to drive. Which was odd, since I’d only fed him a few slices of whole grain toast with butter and a glass of milk before he left, nothing that would bring on the “funny feelings” about which diabetics often complain.

“Funny” in our home is no laughing matter. It’s how my husband feels when he’s not being active or when he’s eaten something he shouldn’t have eaten. I suspected foul play–a soda, maybe some greasy fries, eaten in secret, as diabetics often do–and called him on it. “Quit preaching to me,” he said.

As a caregiver, I prepare the majority of our healthy meals from home, but that doesn’t mean Don doesn’t sneak in something greasy and juicy when I’m not looking. The “funny feelings” he describes occur when his glucose is off balance. The hard part for me is trying to walk those fine lines between caregiver and scold, wife and caregiver, friend and foe. He’s nearly sixty years old, and we’re still figuring out this dance.

The other night, while I was preparing dinner, Don was working on his train platforms that we put up each year during the Christmas season. But then suddenly he was sitting in front of the TV, feeling “funny” again. I’d suggested a healthy snack, but I suspect he grabbed a Mountain Dew and a piece of dark chocolate from his secret stash in his car. He was so out of it, I grabbed the camera and took a photo. Maybe if he sees himself during these unfunny “funny” moments, particularly now, during the sugar-laden Christmas season, he’ll think twice about indulging in sugar.

At least I hope so. I don’t like being the scold. I suspect Don doesn’t love it either. He’s only had diabetes for a year. He’s probably still in the denial stage of the illness. It’s hard on him, but it’s hard on me, too, and I’m not sure what the solution is other than to keep reminding him of all the things that can go wrong if he doesn’t heed his body’s warnings. I’d like to keep him around. And I hope 2015 will bring a bit more discipline, a bit less “funny,” a bit more fun: the real kind.

More puddings...the proof is in the eating!

Hello friends!

On the 21st of June was the soltice that determines spring is on it's way South of the equator, and winter North. The diabetics in the South can celebrate the day by eating these summery desserts. The ones North can say Good Bye summer slowly but surely. Poor diabetics in the North!!

The crowd-pleasing Peach Melba 'n' Cream Trifle can't possibly get any easier to make. It doesn't matter how busy you are, this no-bake classic is a simple yet elegant dessert that tastes as good as it looks. Just wait 'til you see their eyes light up when you place this on the dinner table!

Makes: 9

Preparation Time: 5 min

What You'll Need:

• 
  
• 1 can of peach slices in fruit juice
• 100 g sugarfree wafers, coarsely crushed
• 1 container fat-and sugar free dessert whipping cream
• 1 cup freas raspberries or strawberries
• 3/4 cup sugar free raspberry or strawberry conserve

What To Do:

1. Place one-half of the peaches on the bottom of a serving bowl. Top with one-half of the crushed wafers, one-half of the whipped topping, and drizzle with one-half of the melted preserves. Repeat the layers one more time.
2. Garnish with fresh raspberries/strawberries, and serve, or cover and chill until ready to serve.

This light version of Creamy Chocolate Pie is good as is, or you may want to toss on some fresh raspberries, or a dollop of low-fat whipped topping with a few sprinkles to give it a "wow" finishing touch.

Serves: 12

Chilling Time: 4 hr

What You'll Need:

• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/4 cup sugalite
• 1/3 cup low-fat (2%) milk
• 4 ounces fat-free cream cheese, softened
• 1  container fat-free whipped topping
• 1 (20 cm) reduced-fat graham cracker pie crust

What To Do:

1. In a large bowl, combine cocoa powder and oil. Add sugalite and milk; mix with a spoon until smooth. Add cream cheese and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. With a spoon, fold in whipped topping until well blended.
    
2. Pour into pie crust, cover loosely, and freeze at least 4 hours, or until firm.

CREAMY DREAMY BANANA PIE

You'd never guess that this Creamy Dreamy Banana Pie is guilt-free. Honest! It tastes as good as the real thing, but no one has to know you used lighter ingredients.

Serves: 10

Serving Size: 1 slice

Chilling Time: 4 hr

What You'll Need:

• 1 cup fat-free (skim) milk
• 1 (4-serving) package sugar-free instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1 large ripe banana, peeled and sliced
• 1 (9-inch) reduced-fat graham cracker pie crust
• 1 (8-ounce) container frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed and divided
• 2 tablespoons toasted coconut (optional)

What To Do:

1. In a large bowl, using a wire whisk, combine milk and pudding mix until thickened.
    
2. Place banana slices on bottom of pie crust. Fold half the whipped topping into the pudding.
    
3. Spoon pudding mixture evenly over bananas then spoon remaining whipped topping over pudding mixture and sprinkle with toasted coconut, if desired. Cover and chill at least 4 hours, or until ready to serve. 

Notes

• If you love banana desserts then check out our collection of 12 Healthy Banana Recipes including banana bread, pudding, and more!

Bibbering but warm greetings,
Barbara

Diabetic recipes / Ice Cream / Coconut Oil

Good day. friends.

Who said you can't eat ice cream being a diabetic? So many recipes abound (see also my previous blog post) that basically you only have to give 'diabetic ice cream' into your search engine, and voila!

Pinterest as well is a mine of information for diabetic recipes and other 'tips and tricks'. Again type 'pinterest.com' into the search engine and then search 'pinterest' for whatever you want to see and know. You click on a picture of e.g. 'diabetic chocolate cake' and to get the details you click on 'visit site' in the window that will appear. Vast resources will open up, for fans of cooking, crafting, sewing, jewelry making, fast cars, psychology, internet hacks like blogging tutorials, beer brewing and what have you. To get a taste of the incredible possibilities I herewith give you a link to my very own

PINTEREST BOARDS

which I hope will open a whole huge modern library with limitless resources for you too!

Incidentally I am a great fan of COCONUT OIL ('My latest craze') and most of what I use in cooking, in the bathroom and in my household, for my pets and, wait for it, for slimming and lowering my blood sugar level are derivatives of the humble but amazingly powerful coconut.

It is impossible to blog all the recipes, benefits and goodness of this nut, so again I give you the link to my coconut board on pinterest:

My latest craze - Coconut Oil

Please keep in mind that almost all recipes on this board are more than suitable for diabetics!!

To round off this post a recipe for diabetic ice cream follows:

Banana-Coconut Raw Vegan Ice Cream

Ingredients

• 4-6 bananas, frozen and cut into pieces
• 1/2 cup shredded (desiccated) coconut
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean powder or -extract

Directions

• Blend bananas up in blender or food processor until they’re smooth and creamy. Don’t blend for too long or the ice cream will melt.
• Add shredded coconut and vanilla and blend for 30 seconds or until the coconut and vanilla are thoroughly mixed into the ice cream.
• Serve immediately and enjoy!

This recipe makes approximately 2 cups of ice cream.

BANANAS ARE NATURALLY VERY SWEET, SO PORTION CONTROL IS ADVISED ONCE AGAIN!

NUTTY GREETINGS FOR TODAY,

Barbara

Hello again, all friends with diabetic dry skin!

                                        FLOWERS FOR YOU, WHO READ MY BLOG.....

I'm posting an article which is especially important for us South Africans, who are experiencing a very cold winter at the moment.

It all makes perfect sense, but there is one paragraph which I do not agree with. All the remedies that are named there are not really beneficial to severely dry skin, excema and others, as they contain preservatives and chemicals.

Being a great fan of natural remedies, I recommend to use COCONUT-OIL instead. I have a vast amount of research on this humble, affordable and time tested oil. It helps the body from the inside and out to get enormous benefits for the heart, blood pressure, memory, immune system, infections, diabetes and slimming. I take 2 tablespoons a day in different ways: in a hot beverage, melted into warm foods, used as sandwich spread or made into delicious, sugar free chocolate or biscuits. I use it as hair conditioner, skin-food (very good!!) for body, face, hands and feet. If your temperatures are lower than 25 Celsius, it is a kind of solid white substance. Immediately on skin contact it will melt into the softest and mildest lotion you ever have used. PLEASE try this!
And next time I will post some really nice recipes for homemade cosmetics, remedies and cooking with Coconut-Oil. See you then.

From a website called C-Diabetes comes the following info:

Diabetes affects many body organs, including the largest of the body, the skin. Some skin conditions are specific to diabetes, but most of them also occur in the general population. In addition, the clinical symptoms and complications of skin disease are frequently more severe in the context of diabetes.

Dry skin (also called xerosis or asteatosis) is one of the numerous dermatological problems associated with diabetes. Although by no means the most serious complication of diabetes, you may find it extremely bothersome and problematic.

What is Dry Skin?

Rough, dry and scaly skin affects at least 75 percent of people with diabetes over the age of 64. Dry skin is aesthetically unappealing, uncomfortable, itchy and can set the stage for eczema like outbreaks and other skin infections. Dry skin covered with scale may appear in a generalized pattern or in localized round patches. In more severe cases, the skin loses its suppleness and cracks with erythema (redness or inflamation) becoming evident in and around the involved areas. Pruritus (itching) is the most prominent feature of this condition. Rubbing and scratching can aggravate dry skin, causing more itching and inflammation and potentially leading to infection. Dry skin can be localized such as on the legs, feet, hands and/or face or it can progress to all the skin.

The Causes

Dry skin is usually caused in large part by environmental factors. Although dry skin may be present in a person with diabetes year round, it is particularly present in the winter. When people turn on the heat in their houses, the indoor humidity decreases and there is also increased exposure to cold dry winds outdoors. Soaps, detergents, hot baths and showers remove the skin’s natural oils (sebum) and promote dry skin. When you run the water in your tub, keep the temperature cool to lukewarm.

In addition, in people with diabetes, damage to small blood vessels and to small nerves may further promote dry skin and its complications.

It is important to treat dry skin because:

• It can cause intense itching and irritation;
• It can lead to secondary infection, localized folliculitis (inflammation of the hair follicles on the skin) or even cellulitis
• It can lead to ulceration particularly on diabetic feet with loss of sensation.
• Daily treatment can prevent these problems and complications.

Treatment

Addressing the environmental factors is the foundation of treatment and prevention. This includes keeping the temperature as low as is comfortable and increasing the humidity through the use of humidifiers. The skin should be protected by wearing gloves when using cleaning agents, solvents and other household detergents. Bathing should be kept to a minimum and extremely hot baths and showers should be avoided.

Products such as Dove® unscented cleaning bar or Cetaphil® wash (a grease-free emollient) can be used for washing. After bathing, an appropriate emollient such as petrolatum, or products containing lanolin or Aquaphor can be applied in liberal amounts. A good skin tip is to blot yourself dry after showering or bathing, leaving some water on the skin. The emollient can then be applied to trap some of the moisture in the skin. To this regimen can be added to products containing 10 to twenty percent urea that can hold moisture in the skin. An alphahydroxy acid (AHA) lotion can often restore the structure and function of dry skin. Creams and lotions are generally preferred by people as they are less greasy and thus more cosmetically acceptable. Urea and lactic acid mixtures are often not well tolerated for dry skin on a sensitive area such as the face, and they may sting if applied on open areas (i.e. unhealed cuts or rashes). Products with emollient bases may be better alternatives.

If there are eczematous changes or infected areas associated with the dry skin, a family physician or dermatologist should be consulted as topical steroids or antibiotics may be necessary.

The “diabetic foot” is a special case in point, as it is very prone to infection and ulceration. Roughness, dryness and fissuring require prompt treatment to avoid more serious consequences. A similar regimen of emollient and urea-containing preparations can be use. The simple act of putting a cream or lotion on the foot daily also forces one to check the feet daily.

Daily treatment of dry skin is a highly recommended, necessary and cost-effective way of preventing further problems and complications.

LOTS OF WARM GREETINGS FROM COLD SOUTH AFRICA,
Barbara

For the sweet tooth: mini-cinnies

Hi again, guys and girls,
it seems to be that I am maintaining this blog since long enough for 'google' to put me out there.
Getting inquiries and comments from the USA suddenly, which is fantastic. Thank you all.

As a reward for me and you I give you a delicious recipe for a baked cinnamon apple strudel, or mini-cinnies.

A good (in contrast to naughty) diabetic will of course replace the brown sugar with something more wholesome, like the fantastically sweet 'stevia'.

Go well, keep well and may you always have enough! (diabetic recipes, insulin, fresh air and optimism!!

One bite of these Nutty Baked Apples and you'll feel like you've just sunk your teeth into a warm bite of apple pie, but without the large amount of fat and carbs from the dough!

Serves: 8

Preparation Time: 10 min

Cooking Time: 30 min

What You'll Need:

• 4 baking apples
• 2 cups water
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 tablespoons light butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon*, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg*
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

What To Do:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cut the apples in half horizontally and core them (see Tip), making sure not to go through the bottoms. Place the apples cut-side up in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Pour water around the apples and place the cinnamon stick in the water.
3. In a small bowl, combine the walnuts, butter, brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and the nutmeg; mix well. Stuff the mixture evenly into the apples.
4. In another small bowl, combine the remaining 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and the granulated sugar; sprinkle evenly over the apples.
5. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the apples are tender. Serve warm.
6. Serves 8 with a serving size of 1 apple half.

Notes

• To make this a gluten-free recipe, use seasonings with no added starch from a gluten-containing source.
   
• If you don't have an apple corer, you can use a melon baller, a spoon, or knife--just make sure not to go through the bottom of the apples.

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

I love to refer to the above link for diabetic-friendly recipes.

Lots of friendly greetings,
Barbara / South Africa