Everyone knows that December is a always a busy month with shopping and traveling, you tend to be 'ut and aboot (just practicing my Canadian for when we move to Vancouver next month - more to follow).
With traveling usually comes the unhealthy fast food dinner options filled with sugar and carbs. One pretty good option to eat a low carbohydrate (not low calorie) is at In N Out :) mmmmmm! Sorry for those that are not on the West Coast, since it is only available out here. On the menu they only have three options: Double Double, Cheeseburger & Hamburger, all with an option for a side of fries. What many people don't know is that you can get any of them "Protein Style" which means they substitute the high carb bun for a large piece of leaf lettuce. I always do a Double patty Hamburger. Pretty good and tasty option for PWD that are trying to watch carb intake. Happy Holidays and enjoy a protein style burger :)
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It can be difficult to keep track of all the sugar substitutes these days and to really understand the health implications of each of them and how well they really work for people with diabetes. One of the substitues that you will find in a lot of sugar free gums is called Xylitol. You might be thinking from the title of my post that Xylitol is another one of those cancer causing sweeteners like Saccharin (SweetN' Low, Sugar Twin), but in actuality, Xylitol has been proven to be safe for human consumption. In addition, it has been proven to have little to no effect on blood sugar levels, so is a great option for people with diabetes. As you might guess, my distinction is "Human Consumption", as Xylitol can be DEADLY in dogs!
Being raised in the San Diego area and going to college there, Mexican food has always been a food staple in my life. From Carne Asada/California/Breakfast burritos to fish/calamari tacos to chicken tamales! Any form of mexican food was usually consumed multiple times a week and could even be hazily eaten at some odd times of the night. One of the best nights of the week in San Diego was Taco Tuesday. Ok, yes the tacos were amazing, but the $2 beers always helped provide some fun on Tuesday nights, but also led to not so fun Wednesday work days!
However, you are probably reading this, thinking to yourself, CARB overload! Yes, you are correct, but I was sort of able to manage in college, but now it leads to chaotic blood sugar levels, even without the beers. (NOTE: Tacos are much better for me when it come to blood sugar levels, they are manageable, but burritos never work.) So the healthier low carb option for burritos and tacos is to replace the tortilla with a romaine lettuce leaves, or what we like to call, "lettuce boats". Have a taste for yourself & happy Taco Tuesday to all! Setting a record at 53.5" box jump at my Crossfit gym! Can't let anything hold you back. If you want it, make it happen! The funny thing is I did not specifically train for jumping, but the beauty of Crossfit is that it prepares you for any physical challenge. Firm believer! NOTE: High intensity training can be difficult while on an insulin regimen, so I always carry a GU Pack (sports gel) in my pocket for lows. However, recently I have noticed with my CGM (continuous glucose monitor), that after high intensity workouts, my blood sugar can sky-rocket. I learned that your liver will release "sugar" stores to provide your body with energy. Either way, I just try to keep an eye on it before and after and STOP and pop a GU Pack if I start to feel shaky.
Here is a little treat for your Friday evening... baked apple slices. I know it isn't your typical (high calorie) apple crisp recipe, but trust me, it is still really tasty! This is gluten & dairy free if you use Earth Balance instead of butter.
Just a warning for PWD, this will still raise your blood sugar so measure out agave nectar/honey & apples to get correct carb count. It has been 10 years since I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and it hasn't been until recently that I have been more willing to share my disease, especially through this blog (I bet only a handful of people at my work/gym know I am diabetic). There were a couple people I was lucky enough to meet that helped guide and provide inspiration as both were diabetes advocates in there own sense. Both of them embraced diabetes as best as they could and encouraged me to as well.
I met a great friend only months after I was diagnosed in the college dorms who was my go to for all diabetes related questions, since she had great insight into the disease from being diagnosed as a child. She was more helpful than any specialist doctor. She provided better real life tips, would spare BG meters and extra insulin. She was always the one I would go to for drinking tips and guidelines. One time she even shared her trick of how to get out of having to go to the drunk tank, if I ever needed it :) Now she is an endocrinologist! Later after college, I met another girl through a co-worker who was very active within the diabetes community and my co-worker sent me a link to check out her blog - www.irunoninsulin.com. I met her a couple times and she actually planted the seed in my head for this blog! She has great insight into the disease, the community and the advocacy of diabetes. When we met, she actually asked me to make a guest post, to provide a male perspective for her readers. The title of my post was, "Bring Back the Fanny Pack" in September 2009. One quote of hers really stands out (see below). There are many stats that diabetes is the leading cause of blindness, limb amputation, this/that and the other. That is why I like the quote so much! Don't be a statistic! With the food revolution well on its way in the United States, consumers have been demanding healthier foods for themselves and especially for their children. With this revolution, “organic” and “all-natural” have become generally overused terms in many grocery stores & households. You can't walk down the aisle of a grocery store without seeing 100 different items that blast "all natural" on the packaging, but can people really explain what exactly the difference is between organic & all-natural?
Thanks to everyone for the encouraging comments on my new foray into sharing my experiences with Diabetes. I will try to keep fresh posts with a focus on topics typically less discussed. However, many posts hopefully will be relevant to people without Diabetes as well. I BET if people were to try some of my nutrition and exercise habits they would probably see more results than their traditional DIETING. Forget the “South Beach Diet”, what if people tried the “Diabetic Diet”; don’t know if that sounds marketable though? One of the many great experiences during our trip to Thailand was the Thai cooking class we took in Chiang Mai. We spent four hours learning how to cook a few different dishes: pad thai, stir fry, coconut soup (tom kha) and curry. I chose to cook the noodle-free, diabetic friendly option of Cashew Nut Chicken and to my surprise it came out really tasty. Michelle cooked her favorite pad thai or what our instructor called “The Boring Dish”, haha. She also cooked some green curry for me, which was nice and spicy. I write this first post this during an odd hour of the night in preparation of World Diabete Day, as I am still trying to adjust my sleeping patterns back to normal after getting back from my adventurous, two week honeymoon in Thailand, with my amazing new wife. We were married on October 20, 2012 or 10/20/12, that date just seemed to look good to my wife, “looks good to me too”.
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