I've been gone for two weeks. I needed it to take care of healthcare concerns for me and my pets. Really, I just had my mind blown! Every week, I put out a recipe to help us manage or lower our blood sugar. We're treating the symptoms because we have to keep our blood sugar low to prevent damage to our internal organs and blood vessels. Modern medicine hasn't known of the root cause of diabetes. Not only did I learn of a possible cause, but also possibly different foods, in addition to sugar and carbohydrates, that may even worsen diabetes and heart disease.
Are we actually treating the disease? We get good sleep. We take our insulin. We eat right. Some of the foods we've been told are safe to eat may be aggravating and even worsening the problem.
Recently, I was doing research like normal. I came across a video. Like many diabetic websites, it was trying to sell pills to me. I always slow down and look critically at how they are trying to influence me. I see a red flag when the goal is to sell to me, but it had one nugget of information that was truly interesting.
The long-winded presentation came discussing a Tibetan tea that was the root of a cure for diabetes. It had a bunch of different natural ingredients. The video said the ingredients were very hard to find and expensive. Next, they told me the price for a six-month supply was $400.
Instead of jumping at the suggestion and adding another pill along with my insulin, I listened to the information. It made logical sense when the video discusses a plaque that builds up on major organs in the body like the heart, liver, kidneys, and pancreas. This plaque damages these organs and keeps them from doing their work properly. Hence our bodies struggle producing and utilizing insulin to control blood sugar.
The problem is described as a fat molecule that is like another type of cholesterol, ceramides. This is great for the skin to aid in preventing moisture loss. It is not good when too much of it builds up in the body, specifically in the liver where it is produced and in muscles where it is stored. Ceramide is a known inhibitor of insulin signaling in the body. A little research showed the University of Utah is doing research on this. I went on to find out which foods are high in ceramides: soybeans, dairy, eggs, sweet potatoes, wheat germ, corn, and brown rice.
Source: "Ceramides: A Key Piece of the Diabetes Puzzle"
U Health University of Utah 04/15/2022
This information blew my mind! No eggs or dairy! What??? It was time to rethink my diet. The first thing to do was to learn about the foods that are low in ceramides: fruits and vegetables.
Since the college football season is about to kick off, I thought a super healthy diabetic tailgating snack was in order. You may even find those without diabetes enjoy these recipes. There are two variations: turkey boats and turkey pinwheels. The pinwheels are for you if your blood sugar has dropped along with a glass or two of Cabernet or Merlot. After all, we are talking about tailgating. The boats are the extremely healthy option, if you can't stop yourself from enjoying some to the other tailgating food.
Serving: 1 Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 oz. deli sliced turkey (approximately 4 slices)
- 1/2 tablespoon soy free mayonnaise
- 1/2 teaspoon spicy mustard (your choice)
- 1 whole romaine lettuce leaf per boat or 2 leaves per pinwheel roll
- 1/4 cup of julienned carrot sticks
- 5 black olives for boats or swap for 1/4 small tomato, diced
- toothpicks
Turkey Boat Directions:
Lay out the lettuce leaf on a large plate; and spread the mayonnaise and spicy mustard all over the inside of it.
Lay out the turkey slices, each slice overlapping the previous one by about 3/4 of the slice.
Top with carrots lined up parallel to the edges of each leaf.
Top with either black olives or diced tomatoes.
Use three toothpicks pressed 1/3 way down from the top of each leaf and spaced evenly to divide the boat into 4 sections.
Leave the toothpicks in until you reach each section of the boat.
Turkey Pinwheels Directions:
Lay out the pita on a large plate; and spread the mayonnaise and spicy mustard in the center of it.
Tear the 2-romaine lettuce leaves into small bite-sized pieces and lay out on the pita.
Lay out the turkey slices, each slice overlapping the previous one by about 3/4 of the slice.
Top with carrots lined up parallel to the edges of the pita.
Roll tightly into a wrap.
Use 5 to 6 toothpicks pushed through the edge of the pita wrap along the wrap's length.
Slice off the ends of the wrap and cut the rounds between the toothpicks, cutting through the edge of the pita wrap carefully.
The snacks have moisture from the vegetables which assists with hydration. The carrots improve your eye sight with vitamin E. The black olives in the turkey boats improve digestion and aid in preventing constipation caused by other tailgating foods. The turkey has tryptophan that assists with improved mood, sleep, and bladder control, for women. The protein in the turkey is complex and takes the body time to process into glucose. This slows the blood sugar spike that naturally occurs when eating.
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