Diabetic Recipe of the Week: Espresso Chocolate Pudding

Makes: 6 servings
Serving Size: 1/3 cup
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients
2 cups 1% milk, divided
1 1/2 tsp. instant espresso powder
1/2 cup sugar-stevia blend
1 1/2 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped, or chocolate chips
3 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch
Fat-free whipped topping
Fresh raspberries
Preparation
1. Add 1 3/4 cups of the milk to a 2-quart saucepan and heat over medium heat. Stir continuously until bubbles form around the edges of the pan.
2. Remove the milk from the heat just before the milk begins to boil. Stir in the espresso powder, sugar-stevia blend, and chocolate. Let the mixture sit for 1 minute. Stir the mixture until the chocolate melts.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining milk and cornstarch, stirring until smooth. Return the chocolate mixture in the saucepan to medium heat. Gradually whisk the cornstarch into the chocolate mixture. Continue to whisk over the heat until the pudding thickened, about 5 minutes.
4. Transfer the pudding to a serving bowl or individual bowls. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving. Top with whipped topping and raspberries, if desired.
This recipe is from Diabetes Forecast.
If you are a diabetic and do not currently see a podiatrist, call our Glastonbury or Middletown office to make an appointment.
Ayman M. Latif, DPM
Connecticut Foot Care Centers
Diabetic Foot Doctor in CT
Podiatrist in Glastonbury and Middletown, CT
Visit our website, like our page on Facebook, and follow my tweets on Twitter.

Exercises For Peripheral Neuropathy: Standing Balance

While standing at the kitchen counter, place two fingertips on the counter. Stand on one foot lifting the other off the floor. Slowly lift your hands away from the counter and maintain your balance as long as you can. Minor balance checks are acceptable as long as you continue to maintain your balance with minimal help from your hands.
Hold: 5-10 seconds
Repeat: 2 repetitions on each leg/2 times a day.
If you are a diabetic and do not currently see a podiatrist, call our Glastonbury or Middletown office to make an appointment.
Ayman M. Latif, DPM
Connecticut Foot Care Centers
Diabetic Foot Doctor in CT
Podiatrist in Glastonbury and Middletown, CT
Visit our website, like our page on Facebook, and follow my tweets on Twitter.

Diabetic Recipe of the Week: Spiced Chicken Tenders

Makes: 4 servings
Serving Size: 1 cup
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. sweet paprika
1/2 tsp. mild chili powder
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3/4 lb. chicken tenders
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1/2 cup sliced red onion
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 small red pepper, cored, seeded, and thinly sliced into strips
1 small green pepper, cored, seeded, and thinly sliced into strips
1 small yellow pepper, cored, seeded, and thinly sliced into strips
Dash hot sauce
Preparation
1. In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, paprika, chili powder, salt, and black pepper. Add the chicken tenders and toss to coat. Refrigerate, covered, for 15 minutes.
2. In a large skillet or wok, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken tenders and saute for 5 minutes, until cooked through. Remove the tenders from the pan; set aside. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onion to the pan, and saute for 3 to 5 minutes until the onion is soft. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the peppers and saute for 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Return the cooked chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan, and heat for 1 minute. Add a dash- or more- of hot sauce to taste.
This recipe is from Diabetes Forecast.
If you are a diabetic and do not currently see a podiatrist, call our Glastonbury or Middletown office to make an appointment.
Ayman M. Latif, DPM
Connecticut Foot Care Centers
Diabetic Foot Doctor in CT
Podiatrist in Glastonbury and Middletown, CT
Visit our website, like our page on Facebook, and follow my tweets on Twitter.

Diabetes Puts Women At Risk For Early Menopause

A new study from researchers at the University of Cartagena in Columbia found that women who are diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes before the age of 45 are more likely to go through menopause at an earlier age.
The research was led by Dr. Alvaro Monterrosa-Castro, who interviewed 6,079 women between the ages of 40 and 59 about menopause, depression, and diabetes. The women came from 11 different countries in Latin America. The research team recorded weight, blood pressure, and whether or not the participants had used hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
The researchers concluded that menopause was not a contributor to the onset or risk of diabetes. They did find that women who were diagnosed with diabetes before the age of 45 however did get menopause earlier than non-diabetic women. The average age of onset for menopause for women with diabetes was 48.5 and the average age for women without diabetes was 50.1.
When menopause occurs, estrogen levels drop, and previous research has shown that lower levels of hormones are tied to increased risk for heart attack, stroke, and bone disease.
"The associations between diabetes and menopause can be complex, which reinforces the message that women approaching the menopause need to be treated as individuals, and evaluated according to their own general health, background, and risk factors," said Monterrosa-Castro. "Diabetes is also associated with a generally poor quality of life, so we should encourage women to avoid risk factors for type 2 diabetes, such as being overweight or having high blood pressure."
Reference: Counsel and Heal
If you are a diabetic and do not currently see a podiatrist, call our Glastonbury or Middletown office to make an appointment.
Ayman M. Latif, DPM
Connecticut Foot Care Centers
Diabetic Foot Doctor in CT
Podiatrist in Glastonbury and Middletown, CT
Visit our website, like our page on Facebook, and follow my tweets on Twitter.

Diabetic Recipe of the Week: Salad Bar Salsa With Grilled Flank Steak

Makes: 4 servings

Serving Size: 1/3 cup salsa, 3 oz. steak

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

Salsa

1 cup yellow corn

1 cup diced tomatoes or quartered cherry tomatoes

1/4 cup diced red or white onion

2 Tbsp. minced scallions

3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

1/2 Tbsp. olive oil

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp. sugar

Steak

1 lb. flank steak

Nonstick cooking spray

2 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 Tbsp. olive oil

Preparation

1. In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients for the salsa; set aside.

2. Trim any excess fat from the flank steak. Using a sharp knife, make 3 diagonal slashes across the top surface of the steak, cutting about 1/3 of the way through. This prevents the steak from curling on the grill.

3. Preheat the grill or broiler to medium-high heat. Coat the grill rack with nonstick cooking spray. Combine the paprika, chili powder, salt, and black pepper. Brush both sides of the steak with the 1 Tbsp. olive oil. Sprinkle the steak with the spice mixture. Grill the steak, about 4 to 6 inches from the heat source, for about 5 minutes per side or until desired doneness. 

4. Remove the steak from the grill onto a carving board; let stand 5 minutes. To slice, cut diagonally across the grain into thin slices. Serve with salsa, and if desired, corn tortillas and lime wedges. 

This recipe is from Diabetes Forecast

If you are a diabetic and do not currently see a podiatrist, call our Glastonbury or Middletown office to make an appointment.
Ayman M. Latif, DPM
Connecticut Foot Care Centers
Diabetic Foot Doctor in CT
Podiatrist in Glastonbury and Middletown, CT
Visit our website, like our page on Facebook, and follow my tweets on Twitter.

Diabetes Risk High For Mothers Who Don't Lose Baby Weight

New mothers who don't lose baby weight are at a higher risk of developing high blood pressure and diabetes the next time they are pregnant.
Even small weight gains put women at risk for the diseases, and increases the odds of birth defects and future health issues in the baby.
Surprisingly, those who are most affected are women of a healthy weight.
Belgian researchers studied 8,000 women who had their first two children between 2009 and 2011. Women who were healthy or underweight prior to their first pregnancy but gained two BMI units or more in weight, equal to 11 pounds for a 5'4" woman, were four times as likely to have high blood pressure in their second pregnancy. Healthy weight women who kept three or more BMI units after pregnancy were twice as likely to have diabetes in their next pregnancy.
Once blood pressure has risen in a woman's life, it typically stays higher the rest of her life.
Gestational diabetes traditionally starts late in pregnancy and goes away after birth. Risks with this condition include stillbirth, birth defects, and caesarean section. Both mother and child are left at higher risk for diabetes later in life
The research team from the Leuven University Hospital said that overweight women also face risks. Those who were overweight prior to pregnancy and retained at least 11 pounds were twice as likely to give birth via c-section.
Obstetrician Ronald Devlieger said, "There are a lot of women who gain too much weight in pregnancy and don't lose the last 11 pounds, so it is a very common problem."
The study did not explain why healthy or underweight women had different risks from obese women, but weight gain in proportion in original weight can affect people differently.
Reference: Daily Mail
If you are a diabetic and do not currently see a podiatrist, call our Glastonbury or Middletown office to make an appointment.
Ayman M. Latif, DPM
Connecticut Foot Care Centers
Diabetic Foot Doctor in CT
Podiatrist in Glastonbury and Middletown, CT
Visit our website, like our page on Facebook, and follow my tweets on Twitter.

Diabetic Recipe of the Week: Creamy Dairy-Free Pasta Bake

Makes: 10 servings
Serving Size: 2/3 cup
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray
12 oz. whole wheat penne or shells
1 tsp. olive oil
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
8 oz. stemmed, cleaned, and sliced crimini or button mushrooms
1/2 tsp. dried Italian herbs
Sauce
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. nonhydrogenated buttery spread
4 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup nutritional yeast (not brewer's yeast)
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. sweet paprika
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup nondairy shredded cheese (cheddar or another sharp flavor)
Preparation
1. Coat a casserole dish with cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cook the penne pasta according to the package directions. Meanwhile, heat the 1 tsp. of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion; saute for 5 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic; saute for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and Italian herbs; saute for 4 minutes, until the mushrooms are brown and are just ready to release their liquid. Remove the mixture from the skillet and add to a bowl; set aside. Wipe the skillet clean. Drain the cooked pasta; add to the vegetable mixture, and set aside.
3. Make the sauce: Heat the 2 Tbsp. of olive oil and the buttery spread in the skillet on medium heat until the spread melts. Whisk the flour into the oil mixture until it is smooth. Slowly add the almond milk, whisking until smooth. Add the nutritional yeast, garlic powder, mustard, paprika, nutmeg, salt, and pepper, and whisk until thickened, for 5 to 8 minutes or until the sauce almost simmers. If the sauce is too thick, add a bit more almond milk. Stir in the nondairy cheese and mix well.
4. Pour the sauce over the pasta mixture and gently mix. Add the mixture to the prepared casserole. Bake, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove the cover and bake an additional 10 minutes, until bubbly and browned.
This recipe is from Diabetes Forecast.
If you are a diabetic and do not currently see a podiatrist, call our Glastonbury or Middletown office to make an appointment.
Ayman M. Latif, DPM
Connecticut Foot Care Centers
Diabetic Foot Doctor in CT
Podiatrist in Glastonbury and Middletown, CT
Visit our website, like our page on Facebook, and follow my tweets on Twitter.

Diabetes Kills Every Six Seconds

According to the International Diabetes Federation, diabetes kills one person every six seconds and affects 382 million people worldwide. In 2009 there were 285 million sufferers.
Those numbers are staggering, especially since the numbers continue to rise every year. The number of diabetes cases has risen 4.4 percent over the past two years and constitutes 5 percent of the world's total population.
The numbers will continue to worsen with poor diet, sedentary lifestyle, increases in obesity, and longer lifespans add to the epidemic. By 2035 the number of people affected will increase 55 percent to 592 million people worldwide.
"We haven't seen any kind of stabilizing, any kind of reversal," said Leonor Guariguata, a project coordinator and epidemiologist for IDF's Diabetes Atlas, which is published every two years. "Diabetes continues to be a very big problem and is increasing beyond previous projections."
The disease, as we've blogged about previously, is becoming a huge financial burden on governments, as $548 billion was spent in global health care last year. Health officials from 200 countries in May adopted nine targets, such as reducing average salt consumption by 30 percent by 2025 in an effort to curb cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. Officials also called for curbs on marketing unhealthy foot to children.
In addition to killing one person every six seconds, the total loss each year is 5.1 million people. There is an average of 10 million new cases diagnosed every year. The majority of those cases are in the 40-59 age group. As well, each year there are more than 1 million amputations, 500,000 kidney failures, and 1.5 million cases of blindness, according to Novo Nordisk.
Diabetes is spreading faster than the population is growing each year, which increased 2.2 percent in two years. There are 7 billion people worldwide.
"More younger adults are developing diabetes," Guariguata commented. "That's telling us that the pace of the epidemic is faster than the pace of change of demographics alone."
And these numbers are likely low and underestimated.
"These are probably substantial underestimates of what the real problem is," said Paul Zimmet, honorary president of IDF and director emeritus of the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute in Melbourne. "You can only work on the information that's available to work on."
Four out of five people with diabetes live in developed countries where there aren't big studies available.
Reference: Bloomberg
If you are a diabetic and do not currently see a podiatrist, call our Glastonbury or Middletown office to make an appointment.
Ayman M. Latif, DPM
Connecticut Foot Care Centers
Diabetic Foot Doctor in CT
Podiatrist in Glastonbury and Middletown, CT
Visit our website, like our page on Facebook, and follow my tweets on Twitter.

Diabetic Recipe of the Week: Mexicali Breakfast Eggs

Makes: 4
Cooking Time: 14 minutes
Ingredients
4 small (6 inch) whole-wheat tortillas
2 tsp. canola oil
1/2 cup diced onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 scallions, minced
1/2 cup sliced red pepper
1 Tbsp. seeded and diced jalapeno pepper (optional, not included in nutritional analysis)
1/2 tsp. cumin
7 egg whites
3 whole eggs
1/3 cup fat-free milk
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
Salt and pepper
Garnish
1/2 cup mild or hot salsa
1/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt (optional, not included in nutritional analysis)
Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Wrap the tortillas in foil and place them on a baking sheet in the oven to warm while you prepare the eggs.
2. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute for 3 minutes. Add in the scallions and red pepper and saute for 3 minutes. Add in the jalapeno peppers and cumin and saute for 1 minute.
3. Whip together the egg whites, eggs, milk, oregano, salt, and pepper. Pour over the vegetable mixture and lightly scramble the eggs until desired doneness.
4. To serve, divide the egg mixture among the hot tortillas and roll into cones. Serve with salsa and a dollop of Greek yogurt if desired.
This recipe is from Diabetes Forecast.
If you are a diabetic and do not currently see a podiatrist, call our Glastonbury or Middletown office to make an appointment.
Ayman M. Latif, DPM
Connecticut Foot Care Centers
Diabetic Foot Doctor in CT
Podiatrist in Glastonbury and Middletown, CT
Visit our website, like our page on Facebook, and follow my tweets on Twitter.