Get the most bang for your carbohydrate buck

Many of us struggle to improve or maintain our blood glucose levels by way of some form of low carbohydrate eating and based upon my interactions with other type 2's, many (most?) pursue the low-carb way of eating with little to no concern for total nutrition. I'm not talking about balancing your macros (carbs/proteins/fats). It is about making sure you are spending your carbohydrate "bucks" carefully so as to get the optimal intake of vitamins and minerals  (your micronutrients).

Honestly, it wasn't until I had my stroke that I really started looking into this. My approach has been simple. I look at the food I eat and ask myself, "why am I eating this" ... if it is meeting my nutrient need and my carbohydrate goals then it's on the "menu", otherwise I will most likely pass. 

Links:

Making Your Carbs Count 

The 11 Most Nutrient Dense Foods on The Planet

What Are Micronutrients?

Good stuff

watch this (and his other videos)

Soup

chicken stock

garlic chili paste

scallions

ginger

cilantro

sesame oil

shoyu (soy sauce to you haoles)

rice vinegar

black pepper

five-spice

napa cabbage

white mushrooms
shirataki noodles

mung bean sprouts

tofu

topped w/ spam and green onion

virtually zero carbs, high protein, and all kinds of Yummy!

Superfood, indeed!

This was dinner last night. Started with my standard raw veggie bowl with a chunky bleu cheese dip. As a special treat, I cooked up some calf liver and onions with bacon. The term "superfood" is thrown a lot these days ... but in the case of liver I think it certainly applies. 

Obviously high in protein and low in carbs, but its amazing health benefits come from its abundance of micronutrients. consider the following chart ...

I grew up eating liver and I'm committed to increasing the frequency that I eat it these days (includes chicken liver too).

More info and the source of the above chart here.

RAW BEEF LIVER

Enjoy!

You put that in your mouth?!?!

I am always very concerned (and, to be honest, slightly amused) by people who seem surprised to learn that a medication they are taking may cause serious complications. I see this a lot with cholesterol "lowering" drugs (statins) and with metformin, two commonly prescribed medications  The possible side effects of the statins can be devastating (don't get me started) while the side effects of metformin (Glucophage) are relatively minor ... the most notable being B 12 deficiency which can lead to peripheral neuropathy.
If you are taking metformin you really need to make sure your doctor is testing your B12 (and folate) levels yearly. Sure, your doctor should know this, but my experience is very few do. Sad state of affairs but it is ultimately you who will be suffering the consequences.
Oh, and if you are taking 'statins' and do not have a genetic predisposition to high LDL levels, you really, really need to do your research and consider getting off them (here is a good starting point).


Every prescription I've ever received comes with a voluminous information package. It is daunting and, really small print and I never read that stuff either. What I do is go online to sites such as RxList. There are a number of sites that might work ... I like RxList a lot. Review the information you find and pay close attention to the possible drug interactions, the contraindications and of course the side effects. If you have concerns talk to your doctor and/or pharmacist.

Supplements are much harder (if not impossible) to get unbiased and accurate info on. There are tons of sites out there, but as to their accuracy or impartiality (many are selling supplements, so ...) it is a crap shoot. One thing you might be helpful is to learn how to spot the less than honest brokers. Here is a good start on that. 

... cause you don't just put anything in your mouth, now do you?

-be well.

Something new ...

"Breakfast" today -
Walnuts
Unsweetened flaked coconut

Protein shake:

• milk
•  kefir
•  cocoa powder
•  cinnamon
•  cayenne pepper (really)
•  sweetener
•  whey protein concentrate
•  creatine

What's new you ask?
A couple days ago I started adding 5 grams of 100% creatine to my protein shakes. No, I'm not looking to get "swoll" ... just looking to stop, or slow, the muscle weakness/loss in my legs (thanks to motor neuropathy), improve results from lifting and to reap some of its  other benefits (heart health, lower blood glucose and LDL cholesterol). Not all the evidence on those benefits is conclusive but ... it's safe, cheap (80 days worth for $10) so I figured I'd give it a 3-4 month trial.

Death to the chicken finger

A follow-up, of sorts, to my previous post ...

"For a generation, many North American parents have indulged children’s picky eating tendencies by sticking them in an endlessly repeating loop of chicken fingers, burgers, pizza, plain pasta, mac and cheese, and grilled cheese sandwiches. Anyone who has sat down for a meal with youngsters over the past 25 years will recognize this list of typical “kids’ foods.” Pushed out of the picture, to varying degrees for different children, are fruits and vegetables and anything else that might challenge them, from spicy delicacies to unfamiliar proteins. To picture what this might look like to a visitor from almost anywhere else in the world, imagine we just mashed up some bread and cheese and mechanically separated chicken flesh together, called it Kiddy Chow, and bought it by the bag to rip open to feed the tots."

read the full article here
(if you don't read the article at least watch the video)

Teach your children ...

I often say that one of the greatest gifts a parent can give a child is an understanding and appreciation of good nutrition.
In that light ...

If you frequent health or nutrition sites you have no doubt seen the photo on the left in some ad ... it is omnipresent. While perusing a couple of my regular health blogs, I came upon one that had this photo. Asher, my (then) almost 3-year-old grandson, was sitting in my lap and said:

"Egg"
"Avocado"
"mmm ... Yummy!"

That's EXACTLY what I am talking about.

I am very proud of my son and his wife for teaching their children well.

The Gingerbread Man

Hyperinsulinemia is a serious and little-known problem. This is from Catherine Crofts, a New Zealand pharmacist and researcher in metabolic disease.  (read her article here)

(click on picture to view larger image)

Balance

I'm not a subscriber to the notion of "everything in moderation". I'm talking about balance. Specifically nutritional balance, ideally getting all of your nutritional needs through the way you eat.

One of my favorite sayings has long been  "eat as if your life depended on it". Seems pretty obvious doesn't it? Many type 2 diabetics got "here" (or, at or least the journey was hastened) by poor eating habits. Many, if not most, type 2's recognized that and made major changes to how/what we eat. But are we eating healthy? Really? Or have we simply replaced one poor eating plan for another ... avoiding entire nutritionally beneficial food groups to save a few carbs, sometimes having to rely on supplements to try and "round out" our nutritional requirements.

Trust me when I say, "been there, done that" and I have the scars to prove it. When first diagnosed I went a bit overboard. I ate about 20 total carbs a day and less than 700 calories. Without a doubt, I was wasting away losing a large amount of muscle mass (and a lot of fat too) but hey, I quickly lowered my A1c from 10.0 to 5.8 so yay me, right? Although I can't prove it, I am convinced that my poor eating contributed to my stroke and perhaps to some of the complications that I have developed despite maintaining tight control for 8 1/2 years now.

My point, my concern, is that it seems that a lot of type 2 diabetics get so hung up on the carbohydrate reduction aspect that we lose sight of the importance of total nutrition. Entering into to the mindset that the lower the A1c the better, no matter the cost or food group we exclude.

All I am suggesting is that you keep "balance" in mind and that you "eat as if your life depends on it".

Eat the Butter

eatthebutter.org

A computer generated diet?

Use it or lose it

Moderation?

‘Everything in moderation’ diet advice may lead to poor metabolic health in US adults
Americans with the healthiest diets actually eat a relatively small range of healthy foods. In modern diets, eating ‘everything in moderation’ is actually worse than eating a smaller number of healthy foods.

Please Stop Saying “Everything in Moderation”
In addition, the very concept of “moderation” is intangible—so fluffy as to be meaningless. Does it mean you only eat one cookie at a time, or cookies once a week, or just one bite of cookie a few times a day? The truth is, most of us haven’t take the time to map out exactly, specifically what “moderation” means to us. Even if we did, the “moderation” would probably creep when it suited our needs. (It’s easy to justify that second glass of wine when the bottle is open and you hate to waste it.)

The 'Everything In Moderation' Myth
One thing is certain… a person with true addiction will never, ever be able to consume their “drug of choice” in moderation.
Telling a food addict to eat junk food “in moderation” is just as ridiculous as telling a smoker to smoke in moderation, or an alcoholic to drink in moderation.

Why “Everything in Moderation” is Killing People
Out of the calorie-obsessed culture sprouted the uplifting idea of "everything in moderation," which may have started as a way to help people feel less obsessed with food, but has spiraled into a free pass to "treat yourself" to a supersized ice cream sundae every week.

Dr. Jason Fung on fasting

Links to Dr. Fung's series on fasting.

Putting these here for my convenience

1. Fasting – A History
2. Fasting Physiology
3. Fasting and Growth Hormone Physiology
4. Fasting and Lipolysis
5. Fasting Myths
6. Fasting Regimens
7. Longer Fasting Regimens
8. The Ancient Secret of Weight Loss
9. Caloric Reduction vs Fasting
10. Women and Fasting
11. Feasts and Fasts – The Cycle of Life
12. Practical Fasting Tips
13. More Practical Fasting Tips
14.  “The Fasting ‘Advantage’
15. Fasting and Muscle Mass
16. Fasting Lowers Cholesterol
17. Fasting and Hunger
18. Cephalic Phase Response and Hunger

WOE is me

di·et

/ˈdīət/

noun

1. the kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats.

"a vegetarian diet"

synonyms: selection of food, food, foodstuffs; informal grub, nosh

"health problems related to your diet"

2. a special course of food to which one restricts oneself, either to lose weight or for medical reasons.

"I'm going on a diet"

verb

1. restrict oneself to small amounts or special kinds of food in order to lose weight.

"it's difficult to diet"

synonyms: be on a diet, eat sparingly; lose weight, watch one's weight, reduce, slenderize; crash-diet "she dieted for most of her life"

We tend to use the word diet to mean a way to eat in order to lose weight (or meet other health goals) with the implication being that it is short term and once your goal is reached you can go off your diet. Well, wouldn't that be nice? Most everyone who has tried that approach realizes that just does not work. It has to be a long-term commitment in order to get the benefit. This is particularly true for those of us managing chronic health issues such as diabetes, hypertension and/or high cholesterol. The only way to manage those health concerns are with lifelong lifestyle change.

I prefer to think of the dietary regime I follow as my WOE (Way Of Eating). It's not short term and, although it is "tweaked" from time to time it is the way I will eat for the rest of my life (unless I inexplicably develop a death wish).

In order to be effective it really has to become part of your lifestyle. Not something you are doing, rather it has to be the way you are living. Someone told me long ago "You don't go on a diet ... you have a diet". It stuck with me all these years even though I never really put it into practice until I was faced with some serious health issues. I've been eating low carb for over 8 years now and really turned it up after my stroke (3 years ago as of Jan. 8th) and started intermittent fasting 18 months ago and can actually say it is now just my way of eating and a normal part of my daily life.

Dieting always starts "tomorrow" ... lifestyle changes start NOW.
Ever known a drunk or a junkie? Ever notice that they are always going to quit drinking or kick "tomorrow"?
Coincidence?

"I still indulge in a glass of wine or chocolate - treats are mandatory. Without deviating from the day-to-day healthy diet once in a while, it wouldn't be sustainable for me, and that's what I wanted: an approach to eating to last my entire life." ~ Alanis Morissette

"Want to learn to eat a lot? Here it is: Eat a little. That way, you will be around long enough to eat a lot." ~ Tony Robbins

"My doctor told me to stop having intimate dinners for four. Unless there are three other people." ~ Orson Welles

"I don't stop eating when I'm full. The meal isn't over when I'm full. It's over when I hate myself." ~ Louis C. K.

Transition Yourself From "Dieting" to a "Way of Eating"

5 Ways to Help Your Diet Become a Way of Life

What's your macros?

You can't spend much time on health sites, blogs or forums and not hear ... "what's your macro's?", "eat to your macros" or "IIFYM" (If It Fits Your Macros).
But ... wait ... what the hell is a "macros" ... and do I have one???

Macros is short for macronutrients, the three forms of nutrients we consume for energy (calories). Technically alcohol is the fourth, but I'm just talking about the main three. There are micronutrients as well, which are basically vitamins and minerals, equally important as their "big" brothers but a subject of a future post.

So, we're talking proteins, fats (lipids) and carbohydrates. All three are essential for proper health and, although carbs are technically non-essential they are almost impossible to completely avoid and the carb group includes fiber ... which is why I consider it essential. The macronutrients provide fuel for our bodies in the form of calories. Protein and carbs have 4 calories per gram, fats 9.

Oh ... and, yes ... whether you know it or not, you do indeed have a macros. When we refer to "a macros" it generally means the percentage that each one makes up of your daily calorie intake ... for instance ... 

My macros is 18/67/15 (P/F/C):

My daily caloric goal is 2000 calories

18% protein 90 g - 360 calories

67% fats 149 g - 1340 calories

15% carbs 75 grams - 300 calories

How you arrive at your macros is up to you. For heart health and as a diabetic, I limit my carbohydrate intake to 75 grams total per day and I find that 90 grams of protein seem to work best given my goals and work out routine. The fats ended just being the remainder (but not accidental).

"Macronutrients are nutrients that provide calories or energy. Nutrients are substances needed for growth, metabolism, and for other body functions. Since “macro” means large, macronutrients are nutrients needed in large amounts."

In order to set your macros, you will need to calculate your daily caloric needs based on your basal metabolism rate, daily activity level, your desire to maintain, gain, or lose weight along with goals for protein, carb and/or fat intake. A daunting task, huh? Thank goodness for handy online calculators.

... be well!

Fighting the good fight

I've been at this whole 'healthy living thing' off and on for 8 years and full tilt now for almost 3 years. Although there is so much more to learn and understand, I think I've got the basics down pretty well ... eat real food, not too much, get off your ass and move! (in a nutshell)

Easy-peasy, right?

Well ... it would be were it not for the idiot inside my head that is always saying ... "go ahead, one doughnut can't really hurt" or "you're tired, why not wait until tomorrow to work out?" Who the hell is that and why does he seem determined to undermine all my efforts sending me to an early grave?

It does seem at times that it is a constant battle that I wage against myself to do the things that I know I must in order to ensure that I will be around to see my grandchildren grow into the fine adults I know they will become.

I do look at this as a 'war' and as such I find these quotes inspiring ...
Winston Churchill - "Never, never, never give up"
Sun Tzu - "If ignorant of both your enemy and yourself you are certain to be in peril"
George S. Patton - "A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week"
Leo Tolstoy - "The two most powerful warriors are patience and time"

So far so good. I guess my greatest fear is that one day I will get tired of the battle and just surrender ... but it does seem that it gets 'easier' with time and just perhaps I'm actually winning and the 'enemy' will give up?
Hey, it could happen.

... be well!

Making sugar ...

... well, actually glucose.
An interesting (to me) overview on how our body produces its own glucose. Understanding this stuff has helped me better understand nutrition in general and diabetes in specific.

Get up off your dupa!

Yup ... that is a Kitchenaid timer next to my keyboard. It gets set for 10 - 15 minutes most every time I sit down at the computer (which is a lot). When it goes off I get up and do something ... lift weights, yoga (or qikung), do some dishes or just walk outside for a couple minutes.There is overwhelming evidence that sitting for prolonged periods of time is really bad for your health.

If and when I can afford it I plan to get a standing desk, but as they are insanely expensive I suspect that I will eventually cobble together some form of risers that will do the job.

Anyway ... something to think about if you are spending a whole lot of time seated.

Here is a 60-second video on the dangers of sitting.

be well ...