Being diagnosed as a diabetic does not have to be filled with doom and gloom.  Although diabetics, must choose their food very carefully, their is hope with a vegetarian diet.

Diabetes affects people of all ages, both genders, from all walks of life and backgrounds.

If diabetes goes untreated, it can cause wounds to heal slower, infections will take longer to cure, blindness, and kidney failure can also occur.

Diet is one of the most important ways of controlling diabetes, and a vegetarian lifestyle with its emphasis on low fat, high fiber, and nutrient-rich foods is very complementary.

Affecting more than 30 million people worldwide, this disease inhibits the body from properly processing foods. Usually, most of the food we eat is digested and converted to glucose, a sugar which is carried by the blood to all cells in the body and used for energy.The hormone insulin then helps glucose pass into cells.

Diabetics are unable to control the amount of glucose in their blood because the mechanism which converts sugar to energy does not work correctly. Insulin is either absent, present in insufficient quantities or ineffective. As a result glucose builds up in the bloodstream and leads to problems such as weakness, inability to concentrate, loss of co-ordination and blurred vision.

If the correct balance of food intake and insulin isn’t maintained, a diabetic can also experience blood sugar levels that are too low.  If this continues for a prolonged period of time, it can lead to a coma and in some cases death.

Diabetes is incurable but can be  successfully controlled through diet and exercise, oral medications, injections of insulin, or a combination.  Instead of counting calories diabetics must calculate their total carbohydrate intake so that no less than half their food is made up of complex carbohydrates.  Many diabetic vegetarians have discovered that as a result of their meatless diet, they’ve had to use insulin injections less, which gives them a feeling of power and control over their disease.

Until next time,

Do you feel like a zombie in the morning, slowly dragging into the kitchen…stumbling over the kid toys, in order to reach your coffee machine to make a wonderful brew of coffee?  Does the aroma of the coffee brewing, miraculously transform you back to a ‘normal person’?  If you are not the type that makes the special brew at home do you find yourself running late, because you MUST stop at Starbucks for your fix?

If you need a caffeine fix, in order to function you are not alone.  Coffee addiction has actually reached epidemic proportions within the global community.  The question is this – is our dependency on coffee setting us up for disease?  Some scientists say, ‘Maybe’, however ongoing research has identified  several disadvantages of coffee consumption, but you will be glad to know that the research has   also found some benefits as well.

Some of the Pros:

• May Lower Kidney Disease and Gout Risk – Some preliminary research has found that moderate coffee consumption may ward off gout and kidney disorders.  This is done by reducing a coffee drinker’s blood concentrations of uric acid, a chemical that is associated with both of these conditions.  One study compared the serum uric acid concentration in over 2,000 Japanese men who drank coffee or green tea.  The results noted that the coffee drinkers had 7 percent less serum uric acid, compared with those who drank the green tea.  Researchers believe that the diuretic properties contained in the caffeine, which makes individuals rush to the bathroom, make account for these findings.  (Britain Journal of Nutrition 2000)
• Reduces Parkinson’s Disease Risk – Although the research is not completed yet, it has revealed that those who consume their daily java, are significantly less likely to develop Parkinson’s Disease, when compared to those who avoid coffee.  The Journal of the American Medical Association, published that data compiled on over 8,000 Japanese-American men between the ages of 45 and 68, showed that those who consumed coffee were at less risk of developing the disease than those who did not drink coffee.  Caffeine from non-coffee sources was also associated with a reduced risk.
• Promotes Weight Loss – Caffeine that is found in coffee is actually a stimulant.  This stimulant appears to assist some individuals in losing weight.  The weight is lost because the caffeine increases your activity and lowers your appetite.  This is one main reason that caffeine is often found in weight loss medications.  However, researchers warn that stimulant drugs such as caffeine are not effective in long-term weight management.  Sorry, the coffee diet will not work..
• Possible Antidepressant – Does the image of relaxing with a good cup of coffee put a smile on your face?  New research has shown that the connection many consumers feel between coffee and well-being isn’t completely due to aggressive marketing campaigns by the coffee industry.  Research suggests that a daily dose of your favorite java may fend off the blues, especially in those recovering from alcohol or drug addiction.  The caffeine in the coffee as well as other chemical called chlorogenic acids, have antidepressant properties.

Now for the Cons:

• Heart Disease Advancer – Research indicates that high blood concentrations of the chemical called homocysteine is an accurate indicator of stroke and heart disease risk, more so than cholesterol levels.  Coffee, especially the gourmet unfiltered variety, increases blood levels of this chemical.  In one study, 64 volunteers with normal homocysteine levels drank 6 cups of unfiltered coffee or a ‘control’ beverage for 2 weeks.  Coffee actually increased the subjects’ cholesterol levels and homocysteine concentrations by 10 percent each.  This boost means that there is a 10 percent elevated risk of heart attach or stroke, according to the study. (American Journal Clinical Nutrition, 2001)
• Increases Miscarriage Risk – Moms-to-be who drank 5 or more cups of coffee a day double their risk of miscarriage.  According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers reviewed data on 591 women who had miscarriages and 2,558 women who had live births.  Although drinking small amounts of coffee a day does not appear to affect a pregnant woman’s risk of miscarriage, it is advised to play it safe and avoid any type of caffeine all together.  Remember caffeine can be found not only in coffee, but in soft drinks and sweets as well.
• Increases the Chances of Arthritis – According to a report I found, coffee addicts are at an elevated risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis.  This particular study tracked over 25, 000 people.  The more coffee a person drank the more likely he or she was to have high blood levels of ‘rheumatoid factor’, a marker of rheumatoid arthritis.  This elevation was seen in those who drank at least 4 cups of coffee a day for 15 years, and those who drank more than 11 cups of coffee a day had 15 times the risk, compared with their peers who did not drink coffee. (Ann. Rheum. Dis. 2002)
• Headache Trigger – Many times headaches are associated with the areas of the cervical spine (neck area) where movement is restricted or bones are out of alignment, subluxations.  As Chiropractors, we locate those areas and with gentle maneuvers called adjustments, restoration is achieved.  Coffee promotes changes in the blood flow associated with several types of headaches such as migraines and tension headaches.  According to scientific studies, coffee boosts blood flow by dilating the arteries that supply the brain.  These arteries will become accustomed to caffeine induced fluctuations and adjust for them, by contracting and restricting the blood flow.  Many coffee drinkers will get excruciating headaches when they have missed their caffeine ‘fix’.  The reason for this is because the arteries continue to adjust for the expected caffeine rush, so the blood flow is restricted which will trigger a headache.  This is known as a ‘drug rebound headache’, the drug here is coffee.

So after all this research, the question still remains, Is Coffee Good or Bad?

Depending on the individual’s health concerns, moderate coffee consumption may either have postive or negative health effects.  One thing is for certain, excessive coffee intake and addictive coffee drinking will increase the risk of disease.  As for many things, moderation is key.  Meeting a friend for a cup the occasional cup of coffee may not impair your health, however, chugging several cups of coffee a day, dripping with cream and sugary syrups will certainly do you more harm than good.  You be the judge and make the right choice.

Until next time…

Yes, you read it correctly moderation!! In this crazy world of rush, rush, rush….we have been brainwashed into thinking that we need things to happen quickly. Look at all the drive-thru’s we have, restaurants, banks, pharmacies, car wash, grocery stores, drycleaning, etc. It’s no wonder we think that we can change our lifestyles quickly too…

Well, unfortunately that is not true… we need to take every step slowly and in moderation.

Look, honestly, if we do not like the image we see in the mirror it is no one’s fault but our own.. It truly doesn’t matter what excuse you may bring up or have convinced yourself of, it is ultimately our own responsibility. If we are not happy with our weight, for instance, how can we possibly think that we will change over night. Honestly, didn’t it take months or maybe years to reach that weight?? It is near impossible to lose it over night let alone 2 weeks.

So, we must be responsible and understand that anything can be achieved if we truly want it and are willing to work hard for it. It will take time, but it will be rewarding in the end.. We must be happy with ourselves, not only outside but inside as well. The first step we can take is: increasing our water intake..

Yes, increasing our water intake will start to eliminate the toxins within our bodies. It will make our skin healthier and smoother as well. If you don’t like plain water, add lemon or lime. But drinking water is where we must all begin. Then we can move onto the amount of food we eat. We should be eating at least 5 small meals a day.. yes at least 5… this will increase our metabolism therefore making our bodies burn the fat quicker. It is important to make these meals healthy, and fast food, does not count…

The 3 main meals are breakfast, lunch and dinner.. we must also add a snack in between each, so we are not starving our bodies until the next meal. People make the common mistake on missing meals to lose weight, but that is very unhealthy!! Our bodies require energy to function, and that energy is in the form of FOOD!!

You cannot starve yourself and expect to lose weight, keep it off and still be able to function on a daily basis. It is impossible to think that we can lose weight by just eating 1 meal a day… sure you may ‘lose’ weight but it is most likely ‘water weight’…. if you only eat 1 or 2 meals a day, your body will naturally store that food as fat in our bodies because it needs natural energy to function. SO, you will be doing yourself a dis-service by skipping meals. Be sure to eat a combination of foods that contain protein, fats, and carbohydrates. Yes, carbohydrates are needed for your body to function as well as fats. There are good fats and good carbohydrates and I will discuss those at a later date.

The most important thing to remember is that we must be happy with ourselves and that everything we eat will be reflective on our bodies. Drink lots of water, eat at least 5 meals a day, exercise, oh yes, exercise and you will get to your target weight at the appropriate time and maintain it longer:)

Until next time,

Dr. Mommy

Okay, I know what you may be thinking that it is near impossible to replace the bad, because it tastes too good; but it can be done! The important thing to think about is ‘moderation’; everything in moderation.

Let’s face it; if it’s weight that we want to lose, we will not lose it overnight! We won’t lose it in 2 weeks either, sorry… It took some time to gain and it will take some time to lose. You may be lucky and lose weight quickly with some great new diet plan, but the plan is to keep it off and not just lose it. Some of the diet plans are unrealistic and impossible to continue for the rest of your life, so again I mention ‘moderation’.

If you remove some of the bad and replace with good, you will win the battle, I assure you. Let’s start with refined sugars. I know, it tastes very good, but it is also very bad.

Refined sugar is actually considered a poison. It is a poison because it lacks nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Refined sugars are actually carbohydrates. They are considered empty calories and something our bodies cannot fully digest. Refined sugars lack the natural minerals found in sugar cane.

Substituting refined sugar with whole grains, vegetables and natural fruits in season is the most important element in achieving a sensible natural regimen. Changing the quality of your carbohydrates can change the quality of your health and life. If you eat natural food of good quality, quantity tends to take care of itself. Nobody is going to eat a half-dozen sugar beets or a whole case of sugar cane. Even if they do, it will be less dangerous than a few ounces of sugar.

Another natural sweetener you may consider is molasses. Molasses tastes great and is extremely nutritional. Did you know that molasses are loaded with manganese, copper, iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, vitamin B6 and selenium; essentially all the good stuff that’s stripped out of sugar cane during the refining process. There are many ways to use molasses, not just as a sweetener. It can be substituted for sugar when making quick breads, and can be combined with low-sodium soy sauce, ginger and olive oil to use as a baste or marinade. The possibilities are endless with a little imagination.

I hope this has given you some insight on some of the bad that can be replaced with the good…if we make an effort to change it can be accomplished; no one else can do it but ourselves. Be sure to visit my blog often for more ways to replace the bad with the good…

Until next time..

Dr. Mommy

When trying to enhance your life and health I have always heard that it is essential to replace the bad with the good, but what exactly does that mean??

It is difficult to change a way we have always eaten but in order to live healthier there are some sacrifices to be made. We are very fortunate that we have many alternatives to choose from. For instance, when I decided to become a vegetarian over 2 decades ago it was very difficult. I was limited to rice, beans, and salads. Now, there are meat alternatives as well as dairy alternatives, which make it a bit easier…now the hard part is making the change..

When looking at your daily diet, do you find yourself drinking more than 1 cup of coffee a day?? Start by limiting your coffee intake. Instead of 3 cups, reduce to 2 than to 1; everything in moderation. It will be much easier to succeed in replacing the bad if you do things slowly. Once you have reduced your intake, than you can choose decaeffinated coffee or try herbal teas. This is not an all or nothing technique, but you will reap the benefits in the long run.

Now how about your intake of water?? Yes, water!! Our bodies are made up of over 80% water. Although we can survive days without food, we can not survive without water. It is recommended that we drink at least 8 cups of water daily or more… It is true that you can replace water with other fluids, but be careful not to replace with soft-drinks, liquor or coffee. You will not be getting the appropriate amount of liquids but will be adding extra sugars and other additives that our bodies do not need. So, start with 8 cups of water. It is not difficult, fill up a hand held jug and carry it with you. Water is essential to remove the many toxins within our bodies.

How about breakfast?? Do we all eat breakfast? Unfortunately, not many do, although it is the most important meal of the day. If you are not a big morning eater, you can get away with a slice a toast with margarine or a piece of fruit or even some yogurt or a muffin. Your brain and body need energy to function, and the energy is in the form of food. Without it, we will not function to our optimum and will be famished around noon time and then eat foods and drinks that are not considered ‘good’ choices.

I will leave you with these few thoughts to ponder.. I will continue the ‘Replacing the Bad with the Good’ topic and tackle the snacks that we eat and how we can still snack but choice ‘good’ snacks and not ones with empty calories.

Until next time..

~Dr. Mommy