Food is so personal. You can take a highly logical adult and tell them a particular food is not good for them. I've suggested that they shouldn't eat that as often as they do. You would’ve thought that I told this person that I crashed into their car. They get defensive, belligerent, and angry. They are ready to fight over their freedom to choose their favorite food. I get it; but what we put in our bodies makes a huge difference in our health.
Some substances cause inflammation in the body. Our bodies can handle short periods of inflammation. Prolonged periods of inflammation trigger major diseases in the body like heart disease, Alzheimer's, diabetes and stroke. Which foods or substances? And why are they bad for me? What can I do to become a bit healthier? The substances are:
nicotine - try Allen Carr's "Easy Way to Stop Smoking" available on audio book.
alcohol - try moderation
processed sugars - stick with natural sugars from fruits in moderation.
dairy - try almond milk.
red meats - tend to be processed or have high amounts of bad cholesterol.
soy - because of the way it is processed.
peanuts - because of the way they are processed.
It’s not just what we put in our bodies but also how much. I’ve watched people eat because it’s a source of happiness. Junk food floods the brain with dopamine. It is a feel-good chemical that makes us want to eat even more. The problem is with too much sugar, we end up with inflammation in our bodies. Too much sugar in the brain leads to memory and cognitive decline.
Source: "Sugar and the Brain"
Harvard Medical School Spring 2016
I've tried to explain this to people. If you just reduce how much food you put in your body, you may feel better. Our stomachs are about the size of our fist. Of course, we do not want to hear this. I struggle with it too.
We've been trained that more food is better! It's not just the advertisements on TV. Many restaurants plate large quantities of food. I eat slowly and listen to the biofeedback from my body. When it says stop, I do. When I give my body time to relay the fact that it's full to my brain, I tend to feel better and have another delicious meal waiting on me the next day.
Change is hard. We want to stay with what we know and what is comfortable. Even doctors are guilty of this. Doctors have told us for decades to eat right, get good sleep and exercise. Unfortunately, patients don’t always comply. We don’t get results. Yet we wonder why our doctors have taken the easy choice of giving us pills? Huh? It is because that seems to be the only thing we will take.
If I tell you, you could cure your diabetes, heart disease, or reduce your risk of stroke just by your personal actions, you may not listen. It requires change that you can control. Many of us don't know how. The rest just do not believe it.
There are many people that will encourage you to take the easy path. It may be because it’s easier on them. They may cook for you. Maybe you need to take that off their plate. It may be because they see how distressing and hard the change is. Whatever the reason, it most likely has good intentions
Now that I have gotten over my personal anger and frustration because I have to change my diet again to reduce foods that aid in ceramide production. I am not just going to give up and keep on sticking myself twice a day with insulin or taking a drug like Metformin. I'm going to keep on working on recipes that heal the body from within. I’m starting this week with Mediterranean chicken wings.
Ingredients:
3 lbs. chicken wings
3 medium sized tomatoes
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon pepper
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
6 teaspoons of garlic, minced (or 6 cloves)
1 teaspoon salt
Directions:
Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl with a lid, adding the chicken last.
Close up the bowl and allow it to marinate for at least two hours in the refrigerator or cooler.
Preheat the oven or grill to 400°.
Spread out the chicken with the marinade into two large Pyrex dishes.
Cook for 30 minutes.
Since football season is in full swing, I thought a chicken wing recipe would be fun. These can be reheated in the oven or microwave. Even better, they can be cooked up on the grill while tailgating. When the weather turns cold, the garlic and chicken help build up the immune system.
The sauce pictured with the wings is tzatziki sauce for dipping. It has milk in it. Ok, I'm still struggling with dairy. Please omit this sauce if you are trying to reduce the ceramides in your body. Not everyone at a tailgating event is diabetic, so I try to cook in a way that many people will enjoy the food while getting healthier. So, the yogurt base in the tzatziki sauce is good to help replenish the good bacteria in our stomach.
While exercise really makes the most difference in ceramide reduction, diet can play a significant role in helping or undermining our hard work. I'll keep working on the recipes. If you have a favorite dish, please tell me. I'll create a diabetic friendly version, just let me know by leaving a note below. I've learned how to swap blood sugar spiking ingredients for others with a lower glycemic index. It may take a week or two, but I love the challenge. I'll also work on introducing more recipes to help lower the ceramides in the body. Please comment, like, share, and come back next week for more recipes, ideas, and tips. Subscribe to the website, if you would like weekly email reminders to add more recipes to your recipe book.
Disclaimer: This is not medical advice, but a compilation of research from medical sites. Make sure to see your doctor and have up-to-date lab work