Diabetic Recipe of the Week: Sweet and Sour Shrimp

Serves: 4
Serving size: 1 cup
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
1 lb. peeled and deveined large shrimp
3 Tbsp. flour
3 tsp. canola oil, divided
1 medium red pepper, cored and thinly sliced

1 medium green pepper, cored and thinly sliced
1/2 large red onion, sliced
1/2 cup pineapple chunks
Sauce
1/3 cup pineapple juice
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. sugar or Splenda
1 tsp. light soy sauce
1 tsp. grated ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. arrowroot
Preparation
1. Combine the sauce ingredients in a measuring cup and set aside.
2.  Coat the shrimp very lightly with flour and shake off excess
3. Heat 2 tsp. oil in a large wok over medium high heat. Saute the shrimp in batches until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes.
4. Remove the shrimp from the wok. Add the remaining oil and the peppers and onions and stir-fry for 5 minutes. Add the pineapple chunks and sauce and cook until the sauce thickens, about 1 minute.
5. Add the shrimp to the mixture and serve.
If you are a diabetic and do not currently see a podiatrist, call our Bristol office to make an appointment.
Richard E. Ehle, DPM
Connecticut Foot Care Centers
Diabetic Foot Care in CT
Podiatrist in Bristol, CT
Visit our website, friend and like our page on Facebook, and follow my tweets on Twitter.

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How Does Exercise Help Neuropathy?

A new study published in the June issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia says that exercise helps alleviate pain related to nerve damage by reducing certain levels of inflammation-promoting factors.
The lead author was Yu-Wen Chen, PhD. of China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan. The results support exercise as a nondrug alternative treatment for neuropathic pain and suggests it may work by reducing inflammation-producing substances like cytokines. Neuropathy is commonly seen in diabetics, who have nerve damage in their feet. Dr. Chen and his colleagues studied the effects of exercise on neuropathic pain induced by sciatic nerve injury in rats. After the nerve injury, some rats performed excessive exercise for several weeks, such as swimming or treadmill running. Pain behavior was monitored and evaluated against neuropathic pain severity. The results showed significant reductions in neuropathic pain in rats who swam or ran on the treadmill. The exercise reduced abnormal responses to temperature and pressure, both of which are characteristics of neuropathic pain.
Exercise lead to an increased production of a protein, heat-shock protein-27, which may have contributed to the decreased amount of cytokines. Neuropathy can be a difficult condition to treat, both with medication and without medication. Antidepressant and antiepileptic drugs can be helpful, but have significant side effects. Exercise reduced pain by 30 to 50 percent. The study also added new evidence that inflammation contributes to the development of neuropathic pain.
If you are a diabetic who suffers from neuropathy and do not currently see a podiatrist, call our Bristol office to make an appointment.
Richard E. Ehle, DPM
Connecticut Foot Care Centers
Diabetic Foot Care in CT
Podiatrist in Bristol, CT
Visit our website, friend and like our page on Facebook, and follow my tweets on Twitter.

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Diabetic Recipe of the Week: Warm Summer Fruit with Sour Cream and Brown Sugar

Serves: 6
Serving size: 1/2 cup
Ingredients

4 medium sized ripe peaches, peeled, pitted, and sliced
1 cup fresh blueberries
1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream
1 Tbsp. fat-free milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbsp. light brown sugar
Preparation
1. Place the broiler rack 4 inches from the heat source. Preheat the broiler.
2. Place the peaches and blueberries in a 2 quart flame-proof (not glass) baking dish and toss to combine.
3. Combine the sour cream, milk, and vanilla in a small bowl, and stir to mix well. Spoon the sour cream mixture over the fruit, and sprinkle with brown sugar.
4. Broil, carefully turning the pan if necessary, for 4 to 5 minutes or until the fruit is warmed and the sugar is lightly browned. Serve immediately.
If you are a diabetic and do not currently see a podiatrist, call our Bristol office to make an appointment.
Richard E. Ehle, DPM
Connecticut Foot Care Centers
Diabetic Foot Care in CT
Podiatrist in Bristol, CT
Visit our website, friend and like our page on Facebook, and follow my tweets on Twitter.

Questions Every Diabetic Should Ask

Getting a diagnosis of any kind is difficult to handle, especially diabetes. Diabetes can be a life-long disease with many complications and problems, so having the right information from the beginning is key to understanding how your disease works. Here is a list of questions you should ask your endocrinologist or podiatrist when you receive a diagnosis of diabetes.
What is diabetes?
Do I have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes?
Why does it matter if I have Type 1 or Type 2?
What is a normal blood sugar level?
What are the symptoms of diabetes?
How can I manage my diabetes?
What medications will I have to take?
How do I inject insulin?
What is a glucometer and how do I use it?
How often will I need to check my blood sugar?
How do I make checking my blood sugar less painful?
What do I do if my blood sugar is high?
What do I do if my blood sugar is low?
What are the signs of low blood sugar?
How is low blood sugar dangerous?
What should I do if I have signs of low blood sugar?
What kind of food can I eat now that I have diabetes?
How do I count carbohydrates?
What is insulin?
What is glucagon and how do I use it?
Can diabetes be cured?
Why do I need to lose weight if I have Type 2 diabetes?
How do I use an insulin pen?
What size needle should I use to inject insulin?
How do I know how much insulin to use?
Should I use an insulin pump?
How do I calculate how many carbohydrates I've eaten?
Why is exercise important for diabetics?
How do I manage my diabetes if i get sick?
Will my medication and insulin requirements change?
What is a diabetes educator?
What are some diabetic resources I can use to find out more about my disease?
How can a nutritionist help me manage my diabetes?
What are the complications I can develop as a diabetic?
Why do diabetics lose their feet or toes?
How does diabetes cause kidney failure?
Why do some diabetics go blind?
Why are diabetics at higher risk for heart attack and stroke?
What can I do to decrease my risk for complications?
If you are a diabetic and do not currently see a podiatrist, call our Bristol office to make an appointment.
Richard E. Ehle, DPM
Connecticut Foot Care Centers
Diabetic Foot Care in CT
Podiatrist in Bristol, CT
Visit our website, friend and like our page on Facebook, and follow my tweets on Twitter.

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Diabetic Recipe of the Week: Blueberry Flaxseed Muffins

 Makes: 12 servings
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20-25 minutes
Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cloves
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup Splenda for baking
1 cup nonfat milk
3 Tbsp. canola oil
1 egg
1 egg white
1 tsp. lemon zest
1 cup fresh blueberries, washed
Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a 12 cup muffin pan with liners.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the flours, flaxseed, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.
3. In another bowl, combine the Splenda, milk, oil, egg and egg white, and lemon zest. Mix well. Add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients just until combined.
4. Fill the muffin cups 2/3 full with the batter. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes until the muffins are browned and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the muffins cool for about 5 minutes in the pan. Turn the muffins out onto a cooling rack and cool completely. 
If you are a diabetic and do not currently see a podiatrist, call our Bristol office to make an appointment.
Richard E. Ehle, DPM
Connecticut Foot Care Centers
Diabetic Foot Care in CT
Podiatrist in Bristol, CT
Visit our website, friend and like our page on Facebook, and follow my tweets on Twitter.

Diabetes and Native Americans

There are two stories that are perpetuated in the Native American culture: it is a culture rich in storytelling, and the likelihood of developing and dying from diabetes is high.
For Rhonda LeValdo and Teresa Trumbly Lamsam, they wanted to change that last story.
"It seemed inevitable," said Lamsam, a visiting professor of journalism at the University of Kansas who grew up on a Osage reservation at Pawhuska, OK. "You're going to get older. You're going to get diabetes because you're Indian. When I saw complications, I used to think, 'I wonder how long before they lose their feet?' Amputations were so common."
LeValdo had seen diabetes ravage her family and was ready to make a change in the world: "I have had diabetes run through my family. I've lost an aunt and three uncles now. My uncle recently passed away at the end of October. He was in his 50's."
Lamsam and LeValdo teamed together to create a website, WellboundStorytellers.com that invites Native American journalists and bloggers to contribute their stories about health well-being successes and struggles. It was an instant hit, with Native Americans from Kansas to Hawaii offering to tell their stories. "We have a Hawaiian guy who is working on the website. I have an educator and filmmaker who say they want to be a part of it. They are all on health journeys and they want to share and receive support," said Lamsam.
Running has been a tradition in the Native American culture. In a recent blog post, LeValdo told a story of her ancestors, who "had a garden, we grew crops, made our own foods, and I ran." As natural based foods have been replaced by processed and microwavable foods, LeValdo saw "my relatives, now older, becoming diabetic, having heart disease, and some passing on." For her it was a light bulb moment: "I have two small children and I didn't want to leave them early."
But LeValdo and Lamsam know they have a rough road ahead of them: one small website isn't going to change the future of 3.5 million Native Americans. Native Americans and Pacific Islanders rank next to the bottom on almost every health measure, just ahead of African Americans. 15 percent of Native Americans aged 18 and older suffer from diabetes, compared to 11.4 percent of African Americans, 11 percent of Hispanics, 8 percent of Asians, and 7.1 percent of non-Hispanic whites.
Darryl Tonemah, of Kiowa, Comanche, and Tuscarora descent who works on an Indian diabetes program as a board member of the American Diabetes Association says that Native American's health problems go beyond just their culture: "It is not as simple as blaming the victim. You look at a group that has been traumatized by colonization, put on reservations, given high-carbohydrate, high-fat, high-calorie foods and then left with limited opportunities to change that."
Lamsam had been doing research on the federal initiative Special Diabetes Programs for Indians and mainstream media's coverage of that program. The program, currently funded at $150 million has helped decrease blood sugar and levels of bad cholesterol among the Native American population, but has had no effect on the percentage of diabetes.
The website follows in the traditional of the Native American culture by using stories to help inspire and motivate.
If you are a diabetic and do not currently see a podiatrist, call our Bristol office to make an appointment.
Richard E. Ehle, DPM
Connecticut Foot Care Centers
Diabetic Foot Care in CT
Podiatrist in Bristol, CT
Visit our website, friend and like our page on Facebook, and follow my tweets on Twitter.

Diabetic Recipe of the Week: Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes

Makes: 12 cupcakes
Serving Size: 1 cupcake
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 to 30 minutes
Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup Splenda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. fresh lemon zest
3/4 cup nonfat buttermilk
1/3 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1/3 cup canola oil
2 eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla
4 oz. fresh raspberries, gently washed
Confectioner's Sugar, optional
Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Add paper liners to a 12 cup muffin pan.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, Splenda, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix well.
3. In a large bowl, combine the lemon juice, and lemon zest. Add in the buttermilk, yogurt, and oil. Mix at medium speed for 1 minute. Add in one egg and continue to beat for 1 minute. Add in some of the flour mixture and beat for 1 minute. Add in another egg and vanilla, and beat for 1 minute. Add the remaining flour and beat for 1 minute.
4. Gently fold in the raspberries by hand. Pour the batter into all the muffin cups. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until a tester inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. Remove the cupcakes from the oven. Allow them to cool in the muffin tin for 5 minutes. Remove the cupcakes, place on a cooling rack, and cool completely. Dust with confectioner's sugar.
If you are a diabetic and do not currently see a podiatrist, call our Bristol office to make an appointment.
Richard E. Ehle, DPM
Connecticut Foot Care Centers
Diabetic Foot Care in CT
Podiatrist in Bristol, CT
Visit our website, friend and like our page on Facebook, and follow my tweets on Twitter.

Diabetes on the Rise in American Teenagers

A new study found diabetes and prediabetes in American teenagers aged 12 to 19 has reached a new staggering high: between 1999 and 2008 the percentage increased from 9 percent to 23 percent.
The study also found that 50 percent of overweight teens and 60 percent of obese teenagers have at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease, including diabetes, high cholesterol levels, or high blood pressure.
Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say, "U.S. adolescents carry a substantial burden of cardiovascular disease risk factors especially those youth who are overweight or obese." The study suggests that those who have this risk factors in their younger years will most likely continue to be at risk in their adult years.

3,383 adolescents participated in a government survey from 1999-2008. All were interviewed, underwent a physical exam, and at the time, one-third were overweight or obese. 22 percent of the participants had borderline-high or high cholesterol levels and 15 percent had diabetes or prediabetes during the study. Only 6 percent had low levels of good cholesterol, while 14 percent had pre-hypertension or hypertension.
The percentage of those who were overweight or obese did not change drastically during the study, but the percentage of those with prediabetes or diabetes increased 14 percent. Researchers' findings indicate that "a large proportion of teens, regardless of their weight, would benefit from interventions that promote healthy lifestyles, including physical activity, and eating a healthy diet." However,only a blood test was used to determine pre-diabetes and diabetes, which can be unreliable in children.
If you are a diabetic and do not currently see a podiatrist, call our Bristol office to make an appointment.
Richard E. Ehle, DPM
Connecticut Foot Care Centers
Diabetic Foot Care in CT
Podiatrist in Bristol, CT
Visit our website, friend and like our page on Facebook, and follow my tweets on Twitter.

Diabetic Recipe of the Week: Mexican Corn Salad

Makes: 4 servings
Serving Size: 1/2 cup

Preparation: 10 minutes
Ingredients
10 oz. frozen corn, thawed 
1/2 cup no-added salt salsa
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup radishes, diced
4 romaine lettuce leaves
Preparation
In a large bowl, combine the corn, salsa, green onion, and radishes. Cover and chill for 2 hours. Spoon the corn salad on the lettuce leaves to serve.   
If you are a diabetic and do not currently see a podiatrist, call our Bristol office to make an appointment.
Richard E. Ehle, DPM
Connecticut Foot Care Centers
Diabetic Foot Care in CT
Podiatrist in Bristol, CT
Visit our website, friend and like our page on Facebook, and follow my tweets on Twitter.

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