Diabetic Recipe of the Week: Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

Makes: 6 servings
Serving Size: 2/3 cup gumbo, 1/3 cup rice
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 60 minutes
Ingredients
1 cup long grain brown rice

2 cups water
2 Tbsp. canola oil
3/4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 large onion, chopped
1 large green pepper, cored, seeded, and diced
1 cup okra, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
1 cup chopped celery
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 to 2 tsp. Cajun seasoning
1/2 lb. reduced-fat smoked turkey sausage (cooked), cut into 1-inch-thick slices
1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes
1 3/4 cup fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
Preparation
1. Rinse the rice in a fine sieve until the water runs clear. In a medium saucepan, bring the 2 cups water to boiling. Add the rice and bring to boiling. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 40 to 50 minutes, until the rice is tender; set aside.
2. In a Dutch oven or large skillet, heat the canola oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and saute for 5 to 6 minutes, until cooked; set aside.
3. Add the flour to the pan. Cook the flour over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add the onion, green pepper, okra, and celery and saute for 1 minute. Add the Cajun seasoning and saute for 1 minute more.
4. Add the cooked chicken, sausage, tomatoes, and broth and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until the soup is heated through. Serve in individual bowls over the cooked brown rice.
This recipe is from Diabetes Forecast.
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, like our page on Facebook, and follow my tweets on Twitter.

Related articles

• Diabetic Recipe of the Week: Green Beans With Grape Tomatoes
• Diabetic Recipe of the Week: Seared Scallops With Pine Nut Spinach
• Diabetic Recipe of the Week: Cornbread Muffins
• Diabetic Recipe of the Week: Spiced Roasted Salmon
• Diabetic Recipe of the Week: Crustless Spinach Quiche
• Diabetic Recipe of the Week: Garlic and Sage Roast Pork
• Diabetic Recipe of the Week: Homemade Potato Chips

Shoe Inserts Cut Amputation Risk By Half

Swedish researchers have identified a simple way to cut diabetes-related amputations in half: wear shoe inserts.
The research team with the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, began their investigation after statistics were released that every 30 seconds a doctor performs an amputation because of foot ulcers or complications due to diabetes. Many of these amputations can be prevented with conservative treatment and controlling blood sugar.

The main reason for amputations, foot ulcers that haven't healed properly, can be prevented by wearing shoe inserts that protect the foot from creating too much friction. Regular podiatric check-up are also essential in the prevention of toe or foot amputations.
"We found that good shoes and inserts can reduce pressure on the foot by 50 percent compared with going barefoot," said research Ulla Tang. "Our conclusion at the end of one year is that... inserts effectively distribute pressure under the sole in order to minimize the risk of ulcers."
The study was conducted over a period of five years by the Gothenburg researchers of diabetic foot complications. They studied 114 Swedish patients with diabetes who were at risk for developing foot ulcers. The participants wore one of three different types of shoe inserts, or orthotics, over two years.
Just 0.9 percent of participants developed new foot ulcers during the first year, compared to 3-8 percent who typically report having ulcers.
"Ulcer prevention is not only a way of relieving suffering, but a sound financial investment," Tang said. Amputations are far more costly in personal and monetary concerns than shoe inserts.
The researchers also developed a new digital tool doctors can use to assess the patient's risk for foot ulcers.
Reference: NewsMax Health
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, like our page on Facebook, and follow my tweets on Twitter.

Related articles

• Diabetic Foot Ulcers Linked To Risk of Death
• New Supplement To Reduce Diabetes Risk During Pregnancy
• Having Diabetes Increases Cancer Risk

Diabetic Recipe of the Week: Steamed Chicken With Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Makes: 4 servings
Serving Size: 1 packet
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
Parchment paper or aluminum foil

1/2 cup peeled, grated carrots
1/2 cup unpeeled, grated zucchini
1/2 cup unpeeled, grated yellow squash
1/2 cup thinly sliced sweet onion or red onion
1 Tbsp. minced fresh thyme
1/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
4 boneless, skinless chicken cutlets (4 oz. each, about 1/2 inch thick)
12 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained, lightly patted dry
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar (the thicker the better)
2 tsp. olive oil
Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Tear or cut the parchment paper into four 12- to 14-inch squares.
2. In a medium bowl, mix the carrots, zucchini, yellow squash, onion, and thyme, 1/4 tsp. of the salt, and 1/4 tsp. of the black pepper. Divide the vegetables equally among the parchment squares.
3. Lay the chicken cutlets over the vegetables. Sprinkle the chicken with the remaining salt and black pepper. Place three sun-dried tomatoes on each piece of chicken. Drizzle each serving with the balsamic vinegar and oil. Pull one side of a parchment square over the chicken and veggies, and seal the parchment with narrow double folds. Place the parchment packages on a baking sheet.
4. Bake the chicken about 20 minutes or until cooked through. The packets may puff up slightly while cooking. Place the packets on individual dinner plates. Ask the diners to carefully open their packets- hot steam will be released.
This recipe is from Diabetes Forecast
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, like our page on Facebook, and follow my tweets on Twitter.

Related articles

• Diabetic Recipe of the Week: Green Beans With Grape Tomatoes

Should Halle Berry Be Worried?

Halle Berry was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes when she was 23 and developed gestational diabetes in

2007 when she was pregnant with her daughter Nahla.
Berry announced in April that she is expecting her second child with fiance Oliver Martinez, a surprise for the 46 year old. Experts say that being pregnant at an advanced age raises serious health concerns, but Berry has access to the best in medical care.
"Older moms are at higher risk for developing high blood pressure and diabetes," says obstetrician Ranit Mishori. "But it sounds like (Halle's) doing a good job monitoring her diabetes.
Gestational diabetes can lead to birth defects if the condition is not carefully monitored. "Mothers need to control their glucose levels or their babies can be born larger," says Mishori, an associate professor of family medicine at Georgetown University Hospital. "That can pose problems at birth. We're assuming with Halle Berry that she'll have top medical care and good nutrition. In that case, everything could be fine for her and her baby."
Doctors say that any pregnancy over 35 can be risky because they experience chromosomal changes that can result in birth defects like Down's Syndrome and heart abnormalities. The likelihood of having a baby at age 46 are 1 in 18, or 5.5%, says medical geneticist Barry Skotko. But as we've seen in the news, with the advances in medical care, women can safely give birth into their 50's and 60's.
"The paradigm has drastically changed because of the noninvasive tests that are available now," says Dr. Martin Chavez. "It's no longer the case of gloom and doom."
Berry meanwhile is thrilled about the baby, saying, "I feel fantastic. This has been the biggest surprise of my life. I thought I was kind of past the point where this could be a reality for me, so it's been a big surprise and the most wonderful one." Berry is rumored to be pregnant with a boy and is due in October 2013.
Reference: Examiner
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, like our page on Facebook, and follow my tweets on Twitter.

Related articles

• Halle Berry mistook pregnancy for kidney stones

NASCAR Racer Reed Not Letting Diabetes Get In Way

NASCAR racer Ryan Reed has been known to make pit stops for tires, fuel, and insulin.

A crew member is tasked with tearing the protective film from the windshield of No. 16 Roush Fenway Ford and injecting Reed through a target fashioned on the left middle thigh of his firesuit.
Reed was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes two years ago and was told that a racing career would not be in his future. He has formed a partnership with the American Diabetes Association to create the project that will sponsor him for five Nationwide races this season.
"It's not just a selfish motivation to go out there," Reed says. "This is something that can help the whole diabetes community, raise awareness, show everyone in the diabetes community you can go out there and do what you want."
Reed was "diagnosed on the spot" after his father demanded he see a physician after he lost 25 pounds in three weeks and displayed typical signs of diabetes: extreme thirst and frequent urination.
His physician told him racing would be too dangerous because of the process of monitoring and regulating blood sugar. He didn't like what he heard.
"I think it was my stubbornness at 17 that kind of helped me prevail there," Reed recalls. "I guess it comes in handy sometimes. It was absolutely devastating. It was one of those things where it was the most trying time of my life. My dream was hanging in the balance."
He went on the Internet to find answers he liked better. What Reed found was Charlie Kimball, a fellow Californian, who was breaking into IndyCar racing with Ganassi Racing. He also found Dr. Anne Peters, an endocrinologist and director of the USC Westside Center for Diabetes who helps maintain performance and health in diabetic athletes. Reed became one of her patients and she has been "a backbone for me."
"I saw she treated Charlie, and I figured that was probably my safest bet maybe getting inside the race car. I know it's a different world (between) IndyCar and NASCAR and there's different challenges, but it was definitely interesting to see how we could use Charlie's notes and how they've done different things with Charlie to try and help me and see how it translated into NASCAR. Honestly, most of it did," Reed said.
Kimball and Reed have never met, but Reed sees him as a mentor and friend. "It was definitely nice to have that to fall back on and the barrier he'd already broken," Reed said.
Reed has formed a nonprofit organization called Ryan's Mission, to promote diabetes awareness and is part of the program Drive For Diabetes, which sponsors his car. American Diabetes Association CEO Larry Hausner said of Reed in a press release, "Ryan Reed is an inspiring individual , and his voice is critical to spreading awareness and educating communities across the country about this disease."
Reed's blood sugar is constantly monitored through a hair wire that is inserted into his stomach that feeds information to a wireless transmitter back with his team. They assess his condition just like they would his lap times. Several members of his team have been trained on injecting insulin. Officially Roush Fenway chose engine tuner Craig Hermann as the stabber, but they haven't had to do it.
"It's funny because all the guys are jumping up and down for the opportunity. They're all 'Pick me! Pick me!'... I'm kidding. I trust them. It's one of those things where I am going to be so jacked up on adrenaline I probably won't even feel it. But like I said, that's the joke around the shop, who gets to stab Ryan.
"But the main thing is we go to extraordinary lengths for safety. The last thing we want to do is go out there and have a problem and have it be a setback for the diabetes community," Reed says.
Reed had a top-5 and six top-10s in 14 ARCA races for Venturini Motorsports last season and finished 17th in a Truck series start for Wauters Motorsports. He also won the Super Late Model season opener at Irwindale Speedway this season.
Reference: ESPN.
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, like our page on Facebook, and follow my tweets on Twitter.

Diabetic Recipe of the Week: Steamed Asian Fish

Makes: 4 servings

Serving Size: 4 oz.
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking 10 minutes
Ingredients
4 cod, halibut, haddock, or rockfish filets (4 oz. each, about 1 inch thick)
6 scallions, cut into 2-inch lengths, divided
1 piece (5 inches long) fresh ginger, divided (slice two thirds into thin coins, one third into thin 2-inch strips)
1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro, divided
2 Tbsp. dry sherry
2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
2 Tbsp. lite soy sauce
1/4 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. ground white pepper
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 tsp. peanut oil
Preparation
1. Pat the fish fillets dry with a paper towel; set aside. Add a collapsible metal steamer insert into a wok. Pour about 2 inches of water into the wok. The water should not touch the steamer's underside.
2. Add two thirds of the scallions, the ginger coins, and 2 Tbsp. of the cilantro to a heatproof plate that will fit inside the wok. Place the fish on the scallion-ginger bed on the plate. Drizzle the fish with the sherry.
3. Cover the pan and bring the water to boiling. Remove the lid and reduce the heat to medium. Add the plate of fish to the steamer and cover the wok. Steam the fish for 10 to 15 minutes until cooked through (fish will easily flake with a fork).
4. Meanwhile, heat the sesame oil in a small skillet. Add the remaining cilantro and saute for 30 seconds. Stir in the soy sauce, sugar, white pepper, and red pepper flakes. Remove the cilantro mixture from the skillet and set aside.
5. In the same skillet, heat the peanut oil over medium-high heat. Add the remaining scallions and the ginger strips. Stir-fry for 20 to 30 seconds until crispy.
6. When the fish is done, carefully remove it from the steamer and and place it on a serving platter. Discard the scallion-ginger mixture used during the steaming.
7. Sprinkle with the sauteed cilantro mixture on the fish, and top with the crispy scallions and ginger strips.
This recipe is from Diabetes Forecast.
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, like our page on Facebook, and follow my tweets on Twitter.

Related articles

• Diabetic Recipe of the Week: Spiced Roasted Salmon
• Diabetic Recipe of the Week: Green Beans With Grape Tomatoes
• Diabetic Recipe of the Week: Seared Scallops With Pine Nut Spinach
• Diabetic Recipe of the Week: Winter Salad With Citrus
• Diabetic Recipe of the Week: Garlic and Sage Roast Pork
• Diabetic Recipe of the Week: Cornbread Muffins
• Diabetic Recipe of the Week: Homemade Potato Chips

Diabetes Saved Sherri Shepherd's Life

Sherri Shepherd, comedienne and co-host of The View, says that having type 2 diabetes should have killed her, but it instead saved her life.
"If I didn't have diabetes, I would probably be at the International House of Pancakes eating a stack of pancakes with butter and syrup. I would probably be 250 pounds. I would not be going to the doctor. I probably wouldn't be married to my husband, Lamar Sally. I wouldn't be healthy for my son, Jeffrey," Shepherd said.
Shepherd, 46, is 5-foot-1 and weighs 157 pounds, down from the 197 pounds she weighed several years ago. At one point she was taking three medications for her diabetes, but since she has been eating healthier, exercising more, and keeping her blood sugar in the right range, her doctor has taken her off all the medications.
Shepherd wrote about her struggles with diabetes and how she changed her life in her new book Plan D: How to Lose Weight and Beat Diabetes (Even If You Don't Have It), co-written with Billie Fitzpatrick. She has a family history of diabetes- her two sisters have it and her mother died at age 41 from complications from the disease.
When Shepherd was diagnosed with pre-diabetes, she says she was in denial. "That said to me I'm not diabetic so I can eat the way I want", including barbecue, mac and cheese, pizza, pancakes, and waffles, she recalls.
By the time she was diagnosed in 2007, Shepherd had numbness in her feet, blurred vision, no energy, and was thirsty all the time and went to the bathroom frequently. Her blood sugar was too high.
Her doctor was blunt: "She said, 'Sherri, you love wearing those shoes, don't you?' I said, 'Yes, I do.' She said, 'You won't be wearing them with your foot cut off, because if you keep eating the way you are eating, that's where you are headed.'"
Even after she was diagnosed with what she calls "the big D", Shepherd went out and had a stack of pancakes and enough "pesto pasta to feed a family of four people. I can down some food. I love food. Girl, it was complete denial. I figured if I didn't talk about it, it was going to go away."
Shepherd became scared when her doctor put her on medication and realized that she had to make a change in her life or she wasn't going to be around to raise her son. "I was going through a nasty divorce at the time, and I thought, I'll be damned if my husband's girlfriend is going to raise my son."
Her good friend Mo'Nique said to her, "We keep saying we would die for the people we love. Are you willing to live for the people you love?"
Shepherd has completely revamped her eating and exercise habits. "I learned how to eat. I learned how to get rid of the white foods- the pasta, pancakes, cereal, anything loaded with sugar." She began eating grilled fish and chicken, instead of fried, reading food labels, and eating more vegetables.
"I never liked vegetables before. Now I'm a kale freak because one day we got kale and my husband sauteed it with green peppers, olive oil, and garlic." Lamar does most of the cooking for the family.
Shepherd goes to boot-camp workout classes (intense cardio and weight training) three times a week and heads to the gym several times during the week, working on the elliptical.
"I do have a trainer who teaches me stuff that I can do on my own at home. And when I have the time, I will go work out with her to have someone hold me accountable, but for the most part I do it on my own," Shepherd says.
She has also incorporated exercise into her daily life. "I have learned to turn my house into a gym. I do lunges when going to the laundry with my basket. When cooking, I do push-ups against the kitchen counter. I do toilet squats. My behind has not touched a toilet seat in years. I am an Olympic squatter," she jokes.
Shepherd runs races with Jeffrey and even climbs the monkey bars with him. She loves dancing (remember when she was on Dancing With the Stars?) and does salsa at home with her husband or son.
"I feel really healthy. I have so much energy. I want to live and I'm going to beat this thing. I feel so blessed," Shepherd says.
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, like our page on Facebook, and follow my tweets on Twitter.

Related articles

• Having Diabetes Increases Cancer Risk
• Diabetic Foot Ulcers Linked To Risk of Death
• New Guidelines For Children With Diabetes
• 6 Exercises For People With Diabetes
• Calluses and Diabetes
• Like Cheese? May Prevent Diabetes!

Diabetic Recipe of the Week: Turkey Hash

Makes: 4 servings

Serving Size: 1/2 cup
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
1/2 lb. small red-skinned potatoes, diced into 1/4 inch cubes.
2 carrots, peeled, diced, into 1/4 inch cubes
1 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup frozen corn
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. salt-free Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
6 oz. cooked turkey breast, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
Preparation
1. Fill a 3-quart saucepot two-thirds full of water. Add the potatoes and cook on high heat for 5 to 6 minutes. Add the carrots and cook an additional 3 to 4 minutes. Drain.
2. In a large skillet, heat 1 Tbsp. of the olive oil. Add the onion and saute for 6 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 2 minutes.
3. Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the remaining 2 tsp. olive oil. Add the potatoes, carrots, corn, salt, Italian seasoning, and black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture starts to form a crust.
4. Add the turkey and press down on the mixture with a spatula as it cooks. Cook for an additional 5 to 6  minutes and serve.
This recipe is from Diabetes Forecast.
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, like our page on Facebook, and follow my tweets on Twitter.

Related articles

• Diabetic Recipe of the Week: Cornbread Muffins
• Diabetic Recipe of the Week: Winter Salad With Citrus
• Diabetic Recipe of the Week: Spiced Roasted Salmon
• Diabetic Recipe of the Week: Green Beans With Grape Tomatoes
• Diabetic Recipe of the Week: Homemade Potato Chips
• Diabetic Recipe of the Week: Seared Scallops With Pine Nut Spinach
• Diabetic Recipe of the Week: Lasagna Roll-ups
• Diabetic Recipe of the Week: Garlic and Sage Roast Pork

Does How You Cook Increase Your Diabetes Risk?

According to a team at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine it's not only what you eat that impacts your risk of developing diabetes, but how you cook. Certain cooking methods produce a compound that contributes to insulin resistance and weight gain, risk factors for diabetes.
Food can be cooked in three different ways: dry heat, moist (wet) heat, and microwave. When you do dry heat cooking, you are surrounding the food with hot dry air, typically at a temperature of 300 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. This includes sauteing, grilling, baking, roasting, deep frying, and broiling. Moist heat cooking involves adding water, like boiling, steaming, simmering, poaching, braising, and stewing. Of the three methods, dry heat cooking is associated with the risk of diabetes.
The connection between diabetes and dry heat cooking comes from the advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) compounds that are produced in this style of cooking. This includes not only the method itself, but processed food because they are typically cooked using high dry heat.
Glycation means a glucose molecule that attaches itself to a protein molecule or fatty acid molecule in an uncontrolled environment. When eating foods high in AGEs these molecules accumulate with free radicals and lead to inflammation, a perfect concoction for diabetes and other diseases.
The new study was led by Helen Vlassara, MD, professor and director of the Division of Experimental Diabetes and Aging. They conducted the experiment on different generations of mice, some whom were exposed to a type of AGE called methyl-glyoxal (MG). The control group of mice had the exact same diet, with the exception of the MG.
Scientists discovered the following for mice fed the MG-supplemented diet:

• They had signs of diabetes, including early insulin resistance and increased body fat in the abdominal area.
• There was a deficiency in SIRT1, a factor that controls inflammation. 
• An increase in the metabolism of glucose and insulin.
• Decreased activity in AGER1, an anti-AGE receptor that protects SIRT1 and fights insulin resistance.

However, mice who were fed the same diet, but without MG had high levels of SIRT1, AGER1, and no diabetes.
Vlassara reports that their findings "should inform how we understand and prevent the human epidemic of obesity and diabetes." Continued consumption of "seemingly innocuous substances common in human food, such as MG" can make a person susceptible to diabetes. The researchers suggest that doctors should recommend changes in cooking habits, "a reduction in the amount of dry heat and processed foods in the diet."
Cooking more healthfully is possible. Instead of dry heat cooking your food, try stewing or poaching meat and vegetables. When out at restaurants, eat mashed potatoes instead of French fries. Eat fruits and vegetables raw when possible. Avoid processed foods and look for whole and natural foods that are prepared using wet cooking techniques.
Reference: EMaxHealth
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, like our page on Facebook, and follow my tweets on Twitter.

Related articles

• Weight Training Exercise Reduces Diabetes Risk