Question of the week: How many veggies should I eat?

The following question was submitted by one of my readers,

"I was just diagnosed with pre-diabetes. The nurse told me to eat lots of vegetables. Could you tell me what "lots of vegetables" means and what type of vegetables to consume? Also, how should I prepare them?"

Depending on how many vegetables you currently eat, start with 3 servings a day with a goal of 5 servings a day (to avoid any possible GI distress from the new fiber increase to your diet).

A serving of vegetables is equivalent to either 1 cup of raw vegetables or 1/2 cup of cooked vegetables. When choosing which vegetables to eat, eat more "non-starchy" vegetables as they have less calories and carbohydrates than "starchy vegetables" such as potatoes and corn.

There are so many delicious ways you can prepare your vegetables! Steaming, baking, grilling, and microwaving are just a few of the ways. Utilize garlic and onion for flavoring - experiment with different spices or herbs. Use lemon juice or balsamic vinegar for flavor.

How can you increase my intake of veggies? Load on extra veggies to your sandwich, create a healthy veggie stir fry, or use cut veggies as a snack with hummus or tzatziki.

Examples of Non Starchy Vegetables:
# Artichoke
# Artichoke hearts
# Asparagus
# Baby corn
# Bamboo shoots
# Beans: green, Italian, wax
# Bean sprouts
# Beets
# Broccoli
# Brussels sprouts
# Cabbage: bok choy, Chinese, green
# Carrots
# Cauliflower
# Celery
# Chayote
# Cucumber
# Eggplant
# Green onions or scallions
# Greens: collard, kale, mustard, turnip
# Jicama
# Kohlrabi
# Leeks
# Mixed vegetables without corn, peas or pasta
# Mung bean sprouts
# Mushrooms
# Okra
# Onions
# Oriental radish or daikon
# Pea pods
# Peppers, all varieties
# Radishes
# Rutabaga
# Sauerkraut
# Soybean sprouts
# Spinach
# Sugar snap peas
# Summer squash
# Swiss chard
# Tomato: raw, canned, sauce, juice
# Turnips
# Vegetable juice cocktail
# Water chestnuts
# Zucchini

Source: Mayoclinic.com

Question of the week: Eating Healthy in a Mexican Restaurant

The following question was submitted by one of my readers, "I have type 2 diabetes and love Mexican food. Could you give me some tips on what to order at my favorite Mexican restaurant?"


My first suggestion is to steer clear of the tortilla chips that are usually on the table. Save those calories and carbohydrates for your meal!

My next suggestion is to check with your waiter or waitress to see if they have whole wheat tortillas available (if your meal includes tortillas). If possible, limit the amount of the tortillas you use with your meal. For example, if you order fajitas, try to eat your meal with one or one and a half whole wheat tortillas despite the stack of them they might serve you with your meal.

Before you even start eating your meal, divide your entree into two portions and ask for a container to take half of it home for another meal. Restaurant portions are usually overinflated. Out of sight, out of mind!

Skip the appetizer - or choose an appetizer as your meal. Usually the appetizer portion is a more reasonable size than an entree.

Pass on the sour cream - salsa is a much healthier choice. Guacamole is healthier than sour cream, however, watch your portions as it is high in calories fat (albeit the of the healthier sort).

Avoid entrees that are fried or breaded - look for ones that are grilled!

Choose black beans as a side dish - avoid refried beans as they have more added fat.

Load up on veggies where possible - lettuce, tomato, peppers, and onions can add alot of flavor and fiber and not alot of calories!

Question of the week: Healthier bread options?

The following question was asked by one of my readers, "My husband has diabetes and we always eat whole wheat bread but wanted something different for a change. Is rye bread or sourdough bread as good of an option as whole wheat?"

In order to determine healthy bread choices, it is important to read the nutritional labels. This is what you need to look for in making a good bread choice:

Fiber Content: A good bread choice should have at minimum 3g of Fiber per slice. A high fiber choice will have 5g of fiber.

Whole Grains: Brown bread is not always healthier than white - sometimes it is merely a marketing gimmick (coloring). To tell if bread is truly "whole grain" - the first ingredient should be "whole wheat".

If you see the words "bleached" or "enriched", or just "wheat flour" - then this bread is merely just white bread with brown food dye.

In some cases, labels will say only "wheat flour," which means the bread is 75% white and 25% whole wheat.

Always read the nutritional labels!

Question of the week: How much protein should I eat?

One of my readers has sent me the following question, "Since I've been diagnosed with diabetes, a lot of people have given me advice about how much carbohydrate and fat to eat. I'm wondering about protein. How much protein should I get in my diet and from what foods besides meat?"

The recommendations for protein for people with diabetes are the same as for people without. However, before you take this recommendation, be sure to check with your medical practitioner to ensure you are not experiencing any kidney problems.

Your protein intake should be between 10-20% of your total calorie intake. For example, if you are eating 1800 calories for the day, between 180-360 of those calories (45g-90g) should be protein.

There are many other sources of protein other than meat:

Legumes are good sources of protein. Chick peas, beans, and lentils can be used in many delicious ways and are full of nutrients. Dairy products such as eggs, milk, and cheese are also good sources (watch your portion sizes for fat/cholesterol content). Tofu, tempeh, and other soy products (i.e. milk, edamame) are even more choices for non-meat sources of protein.

Question of the Week: What are "good" blood sugar numbers?

The following question was posed by one of my readers, "I have diabetes and my blood sugar is all over the map. Could you please tell me the ideal blood sugar level?"

Your "ideal" blood sugar level is dependent on when you have taken the test:

Before a meal(no food/liquids other than water for several hours): 70-130 mg/dl

After a meal 1 - 2 hours after you have started eating): <180 mg/dl

After you finish testing your blood glucose, log your results in a journal or notebook to review and see how the food you are consuming, your activity and stress levels have affected your blood glucose. If your blood glucose record levels are too high or too low several days in a row around the same time, you may need to make some changes to your care plan. You can work with your diabetes educator, registered dietitian or medical practitioner to find what works best with you. Don't be discouraged as it may take some time to find what works.


Source: American Diabetes Association

Question of the week: Popcorn as a snack choice?

The following question was asked by one of my readers, "I have pre-diabetes and enjoy having an afternoon snack. Is microwave popcorn ok for me to have? "

Popcorn can be a healthy snack depending on how it is prepared. 3 cups of air-popped popcorn has just less than 100 calories and is equivalent to 1 carbohydrate choice. Popcorn is also a good source of fiber!

Microwave popcorn can be an okay choice but read your labels as there are some that are very high in sodium and fat. Keep in mind that a whole bag of microwave popcorn may contain anywhere from 2 - 3 servings.

Calories for microwave popcorn may vary depending on brand. The following website is very helpful in researching nutritional information on different brands, http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-popcorn-ic2508.

In addition to sodium and calories, other items to watch out for on your labels of microwave popcorn:
*Saturated Fat
*Trans Fats

The optimal way to consume popcorn would be if you could air-pop your own (being able to control the type of oil, amount of salt, and toppings that it would contain.

Suggested tasty toppings for your popcorn: A small amount of grated Parmesan, cayenne pepper, Mrs. Dash, paprika, nutritional yeast, lemon pepper, garlic powder,cinnamon, or taco seasoning.

Question of the week: How Do I Stay Motivated?

The following question was posted by one of my readers, "I have diabetes and I'm having trouble staying consistent and motivated. I'm usually good for about 2 weeks and then I go back to my old ways of eating and lack of exercise. How can I stay motivated?"

It isn't easy to change habits, especially those that we have had for a long time. The key is to start small, and once you see yourself succeed, you'll have the motivation to continue.

Try the following to help with motivation and to stay consistent:

Set short term goals that are attainable.
**For example, instead of setting a goal to workout an hour per day or to go to the gym everyday, set a goal to work out 3 or 4 times per week. However, you can start "small" and work your way up. When you see yourself succeeding at the 3 or 4 days, you will feel motivated.

**Another example, would be instead of setting a goal saying that you are going to stop eating ice cream (for example) everyday, set a goal that you will allow yourself a low calorie frozen portioned dessert (i.e. Skinny Cow, Weight Watchers Frozen Treat) a couple of times a week or allow yourself one 1-Cup portion of ice cream on the weekend and one during the week.

Another way to stay consistent (and stay motivated) is to keep a journal or make a chart of your successes. Get a blank notebook, date the page, and list all the positive choices that you made that day. For example, I could list that on a particular day:
*I skipped eating a slice of cake at the company party
*I exercised for an hour on the treadmill
*I took the stairs instead of the elevator at the office
* I drank 8 glasses of water throughout the day
* I had 3 pieces of fruit during the day
*I used skim milk instead of half and half in my coffee

As you look back on your successes and positive choices, you'll find that you stay motivated!