Oatmeal may appear to be just a bowl of warm carbs, but “oh contraire!” While oats certainly do contain carbohydrates, they’re a little more complex than that. (aahh, how’s that for a pun!)

Anyway. Unlike simple carbs like refined sugar and white flour, oatmeal is full of fiber and digested slower which means two very good things. One…it makes you feel full longer, perfect for those trying to lose weight, and two…it won’t raise your blood sugar levels as much as quickly, making it a good choice for diabetics.  My favorite reason for eating oats in the morning, they go great with an array of toppings.

I went all the way with this morning’s oatmeal recipe. It was so good. Even the All-Star, an old lover of crappy instant packaged oatmeal, filled with sugar and dehydrated fruits, wished for seconds. Houston, we’ve made contact!

So this recipe was inspired by a can of pumpkin that’s been sitting in my cubbard since we moved in.

Just a couple tablespoons…

Some blueberries I picked up yesterday, which aren’t local but are SO good…

A touch of vanilla extract, some crushed walnuts, coconut flakes and voila…

sprinkled with cinnamon…Breakfast deliciousness!

What’s favorite addition to oatmeal?

While giving a look around the internet for some healthy starch choices, I happened upon the website for the Whole Grains Council. Man, there’s a council for everything.  Anyway. The folks over at WGC have come up with the “grain of the month” and for March it’s quinoa.  Clap clap clap.  Congratulations to the mother of all grains! (That’s what the ancient Incas called it.)

I also learned that 1/2  a pound of quinoa seeds is enough to plant a whole acre which can yield 1200-2000 pounds of new seed. The United Nations calls it the super-crop because it’s drought resistant and can grow in poor soils.  AND the seeds have a bitter flavor coating which acts as a natural pesticide. Nice!

Nutrition wise, it’s my grain of choice.  High in potassium, fiber and gluten-free, it can be served as a side, an addition to soups, stews and salads, and its flour can be used to make many a baked good!

Not sold yet? Studies have suggested that quinoa is useful in preventing and managing Type 2 diabetes. Most likely because it serves as a healthy alternative to starches with a high glycemic index. But also because it has high levels of quercetin, an anti-oxidant that also acts as an anti-inflammatory and an anti-histamine. Studies are examining quercetin’s ability to prevent cancer.

To learn more about this “mother grain” visit the Grain of the Month page on The Whole Grain Council’s website.

They’ve got some good recipes there too. It’s super easy to cook and only takes 15 minutes! I use my rice-cooker. 1 part quinoa, 2 parts water is all you need. One cup of uncooked seeds yields 4 servings. Just make sure you rinse the seeds a couple of times before cooking. Remember that bitter coating I mentioned? You want to avoid bringing that flavor to your food.

Enjoy and be healthy!

I found this website that I really like: EatingWell.com. 

I think Eating Well started as a magazine but who needs paper when you’ve got all their delicious recipes and diet help right at your web-browsing fingertips.  I especially like their Diet, Nutrition and Health section where you can find descent information about food and your health as well as special recipes for those with specific diet needs, ie. gluten free, diabetes, low calorie, etc.  They also include nutritional facts, which is always good.  I’m certainly not saying this is the end all website of healthy cooking but like I say, “when in doubt, go home-made” and this is another great resource for adding healthy choices to your personal recipe collection. 

As always, use your discretion and make healthy diet choices that are best for you.  When in doubt, follow the advice of your doctor.

I’d like to follow-up on my post entitled Your Personal Health Care Reform.  I said it then and I’ll say it again…We need to now more than ever start looking towards prevention to save our lives.  I know, I know, we can’t run around like Negative Nancys, worrying constantly about random calamities.  Those we can never prevent.  What we can prevent is serious life threatening conditions like cancer, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.

In an article recently posted on the New York Times website, the writer  recommends acupuncture as a resource for your personal health care reform.  As a licensed acupuncturist I can agree that this popular form of Alternative medicine plays an active and successful roll in the art of prevention, but it doesn’t start there, and it does not need to be that costly.  Prevention starts with each individual.  It’s the choice between a burger or a salad, between a walk around the corner or an hour on the couch in front of the tube.  Did you know that 1 extra serving of fruits or vegetables each day (that’s 1/2 a cup!) can prevent your chances of heart disease by 4%?!  Think of the possibilities you have to save your life: that’s 1 apple, 10 baby carrots, 6 strawberries, half a sweet potato, 3 celery sticks, 1 banana…the list goes on and on and on.

Prevention is a commitment, it’s true, but not to your job or to your teacher or your government.  It’s a commitment to yourself and to those that love you, that you will try to make your life as healthy and happy as you can.  No more easier said than done people.  I will not admit that it is more convenient to clog your arteries than to snack on a carrot.  Or that being a couch potato will bring you more joy than a bike ride with your child.  Those statements are simply erronious.  I will admit that change can be a challenge and I invite you to accept the challenge.  You don’t have to run a marathon (unless you want to), and you don’t have to cut out every guilty pleasure that passes your lips (although the more, the better.)  It starts with a little each day.  You know what you have to do!

For those of you who are on the path, 2 kudos to you.  Now spread the word and share with others your success.  Help bail your brothers and sisters out of their personal health crisis through education and compassion.  We can beat the terror of heart disease and cancer, but it starts at home, and it doesn’t have to cost billions of dollars.   In fact, it can cost less than a value meal.

Read The NY Times article: An Economy in Need of Holistic Medicine…

Another GREAT resource for those living with diabetes is DiabetesActNow.

On this website you can watch short, entertaining, and highly informative videos, called Easy Actions, which contain easy suggestions for you to better improve your health.  You can also sign up for a free account and receive emails that help you track your progress.  The truth is that anyone can benefit from the Easy Actions recommended on this website!

The fight to end this serious disease rages on.  Every year people all over the United States walk, bike, and volunteer to raise money in an effort to stop diabetes from continuing to afflict millions of Americans.  Yes, I  said millions.  There are 24 million children and adults in the United States living with diabetes and 57 million Americans are at risk for type 2 diabetes.  November is the month to join the movement.

Diabetes, medically known as diabetes mellitus, refers to a disorder in which the body has trouble regulating its blood glucose, or blood sugar, levels. There are two major types of diabetes:

Type 1 diabetes, also known as juvenile or insulin-dependent diabetes is a disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks and destroys certain cells in the pancreas, called beta cells.  These cells normally produce insulin, a hormone that helps convert glucose into energy.  When the beta cells are destroyed, no insulin can be produced, and the glucose stays in the blood where it can cause serious damage to all organ systems of the body.  People with type 1 diabetes must carefully monitor their blood sugar levels and take insulin to stay alive.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes.  This type is an acquired form of the illness and can be more easily moderated with diet and exercise.  People with type 2 diabetes do produce insulin, but the body cannot use the insulin adequately.  Anyone can develop type 2 diabetes, however the highest risk is for those who are over-weight or obese, women who have had gestational diabetes, and people with a family history of type 2 diabetes.   In addition, people who smoke, have inactive lifestyles, or have certain dietary patterns have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

While there is no cure for type 1 diabetes, type 2 can be avoided and controlled.  Be mindful of your sugar intake, exercise regularly, and if you think you may have problems with your blood-sugar levels, have them tested by your doctor.  The American Diabetes Associate has donated a portion of their website to help those struggling with diabetes manage their Food and Fitness.

Another GREAT resource for those living with diabetes is DiabetesActNow. 

On this website you can watch short, entertaining, and highly informative videos, called Easy Actions, which contain easy suggestions for you to better improve your health.  You can also sign up for a free account and receive emails that help you track your progress.  The truth is that anyone can benefit from the Easy Actions recommended on this website!

Not enough money or insurance to test your blood sugar levels??  This month there are no excuses?  Walgreens, the nation’s largest drugstore chain, is joining the battle.  More than 1,500 stores nationwide will be hosting their first-ever Diabetes Wellness Events this month.  Each participating store will host a six-hour walk-in clinic offering free blood glucose testing, free A1C testing, pharmacist consultations, AND Walgreens will donate $1 to the American Diabetes Association for every test performed.  Each store’s clinic will be held on one day during either the Nov. 9-13 or Nov. 16-20. To find a Diabetes Wellness Event at a store near you visit the Walgreen’s website.  Just type in your zip code and make sure to check the box next to Diabetes Wellness Event.

The New England Journal of Medicine published a health policy report yesterday, discussing the benefits of higher taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages.  The authors of this proposal, all respected doctors and PhD’s, suggest that because “the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages has been linked to risks for obesity, diabetes, and heart disease…a compelling case can be made for the need for reduced consumption of these beverages.”

They believe that, not only will a new tax reduce the consumption thereby positively effecting the health of our county, but it will also generate a revenue that can then be used to support health-related programs, an estimated $14.9 billion if a tax of a penny an ounce is applied.   This tax would be for soft drinks, energy drinks, sports beverages and many juices and iced teas,  excluding sugar-free diet drinks.

According to an article in The New York Times, this proposal is getting some attention in Washington. President Obama has said it is worth considering.    Read the full article….

What do you think?

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