DiabeticMealPlanning

EARTHING REDUCES BLOOD GLUCOSE

noreply@blogger.com (Martha Katona) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 16:42:00 +0000

If you have not heard about earthing yet, get ready for a revolution. This simple practice took my blood sugar down by about 30 points the first day on my earthing mat. You can buy earthing products for just a small amount of money and there are no ongoing expenses.

This is something you can do for free by going outside, barefoot, and placing your feet right on the earth. This produces a stream of electrons from the earth, which act as antioxidants in the body. Diabetes is a disease of inflammation, and the electron stream from the earth goes right to the points of inflammation in the body and puts the fire out.

In addition to normalizing blood sugar, earthing reduces pain and also normalizes cortisol, the stress hormone. There are too many benefits to mention here. So, check out youtube, google, and all other sources for earthing. It is real and it works.

DR BRUCE FIFE AND THE COCONUT OIL MIRACLE

noreply@blogger.com (Martha Katona) — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 14:12:00 +0000

By now, you have no doubt seen on the net that coconut oil is very beneficial for diabetics.

Dr. Bruce Fife, author of "The Coconut Oil Miracle" explains these mechanisms of action for opening up circulation and healing wounds.

See the video at:

http://www.ihealthtube.com/aspx/viewvideo.aspx?v=859c271425140a40

I am now taking 2 to 3 tbs coconut oil daily, in my morning protein cocoa and in my shake.

I have been away from the blog, helping others in the real world. I am glad to help, but the real work is done by the people who are losing weight and regaining control of their blood sugar.
Best wishes to all,
Martha

RASPBERRY COCOA SHAKE

noreply@blogger.com (Martha Katona) — Thu, 27 May 2010 14:40:00 +0000

Raspberry Cocoa shake is a wonderful way to start the day. Add a 15 carb oat bran muffin or other carbs, like fruit, to balance protein and carbs.

RASPBERRY COCOA SHAKE

1/2 cup 2% cottage cheese
1 cup water
1 scoop (15gm) chocolate whey protein
sugar free raspberry syrup to taste
stevia to taste

Blend all ingredients in a blender. Add one cup ice and blend again.

Fat 3gm, Carbs 8gm, Protein 30gm, Calories 178

D-CHIRO-INOSITOL AND DIABETES

noreply@blogger.com (Martha Katona) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 18:38:00 +0000

I found another supplement which may help Type II diabetics. It is called d-chiro-inositol. You may have heard of inositol, a member of the B vitamin family. The two are not the same, but related.

D-chiro-inositol helps insulin across cell membranes and assists with ATP production. It is a part of the carbohydrate energy cycle.

In several clinical trials, both with mice and with humans, d-chiro-inositol lowered insulin resistance, fasting glucose, and A1C.

Food sources include buckwheat farinetta, cantaloupes, and soybean lecithin.

The amount needed to help diabetics is about 1200mg daily. It is a fairly expensive supplement, but the lowest price I found was located at http://d-chiro-inositol.com/

I am testing this over the next few weeks. My diet is stabilized, I eat balanced protein and carb and I can see on my glucose meter what happens with supplements. I will file a report!

*REPORT*
The D-chiro-inositol did not do much for me. It did not affect my blood glucose, although I did feel very full on the food I eat. So the effect, for me at least, was minimal. But it might be something that will help you, so be sure to try it out.

RED LIGHT THERAPY FOR NEUROPATHY

noreply@blogger.com (Martha Katona) — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 12:46:00 +0000

I was fortunate enough to find some research about red light therapy for the pain and lumps of lymphedema. I bought the red light unit at Amazon.com for $40, the Pretika Lightsonic.

Imagine my surprise when I found that, in addition to helping the pain and swelling of lymphedema, that red light therapy also helps diabetic neuropathy. It takes away the pain and tingling in my toes, and stimulates circulation.

I use the red light for about 10 minutes on each set of toes, daily. My toes tingle after the treatment, and feel much better.

So, diabetic neuropathy can be helped a lot with red light therapy. And since the price is so reasonable, most people can afford it.

And, in using it for lymphedema, the lumps go away within 24 hours of treatment, so I treat my arm and breast area every other day. It takes me about 1 hour to go over all the swollen and lumpy parts. The light also kills pain within just a few minutes of use.

So, this is a universal help for those fighting neuropathy and/or lymphedema.

WHAT ELSE CAN I HAVE FOR BREAKFAST?

noreply@blogger.com (Martha Katona) — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 15:05:00 +0000

Protein shakes are wonderful for the main breakfast meal. They lower insulin resistance because they have whey protein in them. But on these cold, icy mornings, it's hard to contemplate putting something frozen into your mouth.

So, since we know what my target numbers are for breakfast, we can aim for those targets by using other sources of protein. We can even make it look like a "normal" breakfast.

NORMAL BREAKFAST:

1 egg
2 pc low fat ham deli slices
2 pc Pepperidge Farm Oatmeal Bread

Fat: 7 gm Protein 30 gm Carbs 22gm

Now the only difference between the two breakfasts is that the shake will keep you losing weight faster. It gets around insulin resistance, so it helps with stabilizing blood sugar all morning. The normal breakfast does not give you this advantage, so whenever you feel like it, a shake is the best option.

ELDERBERRY CONCENTRATE LOWERS BLOOD SUGAR

noreply@blogger.com (Martha Katona) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 10:22:00 +0000

I have just discovered a very nice way to reduce post-prandial highs: 2 oz of Elderberry Concentrate taken daily. My post prandial highs have come down by about 25% with this dosage.

Elderberry, along with blueberries and bilberries, contain myrtillin, the substance responsible for the blood sugar lowering effect.

The proanthrocyanins in these fruits also help with night vision, capillary strength, and immune system functions. Nice package.

You can buy Elderberry Concentrate from either Luckyvitamin.com or Vitacost.com at about $15 for a 16 ounce bottle.

As with all supplements that lower blood sugar, it is always FOOD FIRST, then supplements. The elderberry helps, but not as much as balancing protein and carbs. Learn to hit your target numbers, in the panel on the left labeled "DIET TO NORMALIZE BLOOD SUGAR" and then elderberry, and other supplements can come in and finish the job.

CRANBERRY ORANGE PROTEIN SHAKE

noreply@blogger.com (Martha Katona) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 15:48:00 +0000

Just in time for the season, here is a delicious recipe for a cranberry orange protein shake. It has a few more carbs in it than my other shakes, but it has almost 6 gm fiber, so it is not too bad. Plus you get all the benefits of the antioxidants and virus fighting powers of cranberries.

CRANBERRY ORANGE PROTEIN SHAKE

1/2 cup cottage cheese, 2%
1 cup water
1 cup cranberries
1 scoop vanilla whey protein
1 packet stevia
1/3 cup mandarin oranges

Blend all in the blender. Add one cup ice and blend again.

Fat 3 gm, Carbs 40gm, Protein 35 gm, Cals 333

IT'S NOT WILL POWER

noreply@blogger.com (Martha Katona) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:34:00 +0000

So many times I see people who need to lose weight, that think they don't have the willpower to stay on a diet. These people are missing one key piece of information: it is what you are eating that is making you hungry. Willpower has nothing to do with it.

When you eat protein grams equal to carb grams, every time you eat, you are controlling insulin levels in the body. Protein is a wonderful way to curb appetite. Most people just do not realize that if they change the food composition of what they are eating, their hunger disappears.

When we eat carbs by themselves, our pancreas puts out insulin to remove the sugar from the blood. Insulin is a fat storage hormone. So, carbs put on fat. But we have to have them to run our brains and our bodies - about 60gm per day for the brain alone. Anything less and our bodies start eating their own muscle and reducing calorie burning by doing that. But the real problem is that after eating carbs by themselves, you get even hungrier, because the insulin has driven your blood sugar so low that now you are starving.

This does not happen when you eat protein grams equal to carb grams every time you eat. What we used to think of as lack of will power is actually nothing more than the biological response to eating carbs by themselves. Stop doing that! Always eat equal grams of protein with your carbs, and you will begin to understand it is not will power at all. Your hunger disappears, your tiredness disappears, and you are full on many less calories. No more eating an entire bag of Oreo's - and no more blame for not being able to control yourself.

The preferred fuel mixture for the human body is roughly equal calories of fat, protein, and carbs. This has been outlined in great detail in the Zone Diet. You would not put diesel fuel into a gasoline engine. So, don't try to run your body on pure carbs. It is killing all of us, leaves you hungry, tired, and on your way to diabetes.

WHAT IS THE WHEY PROTEIN DOING?

noreply@blogger.com (Martha Katona) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:23:00 +0000

As you may have seen from my previous posts, I get about half my protein daily from whey protein. For me, that is about 45 gm of whey protein daily. So why the emphasis on whey protein?

Whey protein is extremely important for a diabetic because it improves insulin sensitivity. On the days that I have my protein shake in the morning, my blood sugar is under control for the rest of the day.

Whey protein also builds muscle. And it is muscle that burns calories. Since diabetes is a disease of reduced calorie burning, adding muscle as you lose weight is very important.

Whey protein is the only source of protein with no fat and very few carbs. This means you can keep your calories low enough to lose weight because you are not spending many calories on fat, but you are still getting a very high quality protein.

Whey protein is the only protein that alkalinizes the body. This contributes to less insulin resistance.

And finally, whey protein kills appetitie. It is a marvelous deal to lose weight without hunger.

So, find the DIET TO NORMALIZE BLOOD SUGAR in the left side-bar and look up your height and sex. Learn to hit your daily targets. You will be losing about two pounds per week of fat, not muscle, and you will feel full the entire time. Marvelous, marvelous. Whey protein is our friend.

HERE IS MY DAILY MEAL PLANNING

noreply@blogger.com (Martha Katona) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:14:00 +0000

I am a woman, 5'9" tall, and I have 100 pounds lean muscle. To normalize blood sugar, I eat one gm protein and one gm carbs for each pound of lean muscle mass. So, for me, that is 100gm protein daily, and 100 carb gm daily. Of course, we keep the diet low fat, so my target for fat is 25gm fat plus 6gm omega 3's supplemented from fish oil and flax. My target numbers are thus 25gm fat, 100gm carbs, and 100gm protein. Plus omega 3 supplementation.

So, here is a brief outline of what my day looks like in terms of meal planning:

6AM protein cocoa
9AM protein shake
12AM low carb tortilla with ham, turkey, beef, chicken, or fish as a wrap, and one piece of fruit
3PM protein bar or 1/2 cup cottage cheese and another piece of fruit
6PM 3 oz lean protein, 1/2 cup beans or sweet potato (no white potatoes), side salad, deep green veggie and 1/2 cup Blue Bunny ice ream for dessert.

You can look up the fat, protein, and carb content of any food at calorieking.com - but this plan works for a female, 5'9" - see the post to the left side bar for the diet to normalize blood sugar for people of other heights and sex.

I am full all the time because I am getting more than double the protein that most people get. Also, whey protein improves insulin sensitivity, so that protein shake in the morning helps my blood sugar all day long.

This is not a hard pattern to memorize. And it has helped me lose 125 pounds and get off insulin. Try it, you' ll like it!

WELLSPHERE MEETUP 10-10-2009

noreply@blogger.com (Martha Katona) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 12:28:00 +0000

The Wellsphere Meetup on Oct. 10, 2009 was a real learning experience for the participants, as well as a treat for the taste buds. In our meeting, we started by discussing the fact that most of us get blamed for obesity, but we are not trained to do anything about it, and are guilty of nothing more than eating what is put in front of us by the American food industry. I told them my history, and how I lost 125 pounds through the use of a balanced protein and carb diet. Whey protein is an integral part of that diet because it is a source of pure protein that contains no fat and no carbs.

I weighed each of the 5 participants on a body composition scale to determine their lean muscle mass amount. Then, I assigned one gram protein and one gram carbs for each pound of lean muscle, and a low fat target as well. So, for instance, for two of the female participants, their daily targets were 25gm fat, 90 gm protein, and 90 carb grams. For the male participant, who had 150 pounds of muscle mass, the diet assigned was 30gm fat, 150gm protein, and 150 gm carbs daily.

Each participant got a folder with daily log sheets with their daily targets written at the top, and a table of healthy fat ranges (by age and sex). Also included in their folder was 2 recipes for protein shakes, one recipe for Chicken Enchiladas, and a list of Grocery Store Goodun's - foods that fit into the diet. Also included was a 10% discount coupon to the local whey protein store.

We discussed the fact that the extra weight was what was making them tired, but hardly anyone there knew that what they were eating was what was making them hungry. We discussed how carbs by themselves stimulate insulin release and promote hunger. It is a real light bulb moment to understand that carbs out of proportion to protein makes you hungrier.

Then, we looked at a breakfast that one particpant had that morning. It was a bowl of Cheerios, a banana, and milk. We went to Calorieking software on the big screen tv, so everyone could see. That breakfast only had 14gm protein, and 76 carbs. That is what produces the insulin spike, and feeling hungry and tired just a few hours later.

Then, we looked at my diet, where I hit my targets of 25gm fat, 100gm protein, and 100gm carbs for the day. First breakfast was protein cocoa, second breakfast is a chocolate peanut butter protein shake, lunch is a wrap in a low carb tortilla in a piece of fruit, midafternoon snack is a protein bar or 1/2 cup cottage cheese and fruit, and dinner is carb controlled lasagna, side salad, Blue Bunny sugar free ice cream, and a piece of oatmeal toast.

Everyone was astounded that the food I eat had double the protein of the average diet. That is why I am never hungry. But they were also astounded that I only ate 1200 calories that day.

We made shakes so everyone could taste a Chocolate Peanut Butter shake and an Orange Julius Shake. Then we passed out samples of Better Balance pretzels, chips, and cereals from Kay's Naturals, which are balanced in protein and carbs. The piece de resistance, though, was the samples of protein bars that taste like Turtles.

The questions mostly centered around how to combine protein and carbs. I pointed out you can have protein without carbs, but never carbs more than protein, or carbs by themselves. What we are doing is controlling insulin levels in the body by the use of food composition. Learning to hit your targets by logging your food is the training you must go through to control your insulin levels. Most people will find that when they do this, their hunger disappears day 1 and their tiredness disappears by the end of the first week. You can expect to lose two pounds per week of fat, not muscle, when you hit your target numbers.

The feedback I got was that everyone really enjoyed the presentation and learned alot. Many thanks to Walter and Barbara Watkins, Tammy McKee, Jennifer Muschick, and Brett Piper for their attendance. Brett also helped take pics, along with hubby Paul Katona.

WEIGHT LOSS WITH IODINE

noreply@blogger.com (Martha Katona) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 12:57:00 +0000

Recently, a local naturopath informed me that iodine supplementation was needed by just about everyone in the USA. Why? Because we don't eat seaweed, and most of us don't eat a lot of fish, especially if living in the Central USA.

There is a test for iodine saturation, which is one of those "pee in a jar" and spit in a cup type of tests. It cost me $25 with the naturopath. It showed I was way low on iodine.

So, what does iodine do? Iodine can literally set your metabolic rate, so it is distinctly relevant for people who need to lose weight. The naturopath set me up with 50mg daily of Iodoral, to be taken until I test again in three months.

You can find Iodoral on Ebay, and from other suppliers on the web.

The results? I lost 10 pounds in one month WITHOUT TRYING OR MODIFYING MY DIET any further. I now weigh what I did in high school.

Iodine performs other functions in the body. It is suspected there is a link between iodine and breast cancer - a lack of iodine making you more prone to breast cancer. The same can be said for prostate cancer.

So, if you are fighting weight issues, consider iodine. It is possible to overdose on iodine, so you need to find a naturopath who can test you at the beginning of supplementation, and can test again after 3 months. After your iodine levels are adequate, you will probably be placed on a maintenance dose.

FAR INFRARED SAUNA AND GLUCOSE

noreply@blogger.com (Martha Katona) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 17:52:00 +0000

I had my first experience in a far infrared sauna recently. It is a sauna that is cooler than the older saunas, it only reaches 110F to 150F. The difference is that this sauna opens up the insulin receptors next to skeletal muscles. The end result: you burn as much as 350 calories in a half hour treatment.

So, just to make sure the claims were true, I logged my blood sugar before going in. I was at a post-prandial peak of 170. After thirty minutes, I rushed out and measured again. Still 170. Hah, I thought, just another false claim about lowering blood sugar and burning calories.

Yet, as I cooled off on the way home, I started getting REALLY hungry. By the time I got home, made a dive for my glucose meter, and measured my blood sugar, it was 125. That was less than 10 minutes after a reading of 170.

So, from my tests, the claims of burning calories are true for Far Infrared Saunas. You can buy a good one for about $2500. I don't know if it is practical to use it daily, but it would certainly be good for not only blood glucose, but for toxic waste removal and skin toning. I think they are the next big thing for diabetes.

WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, THE TOUGH GO BACK TO LOGGING

noreply@blogger.com (Martha Katona) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 20:03:00 +0000

The balanced protein and carb diet is extremely predictable. When you hit your target numbers, you will lose approximately 2 to 3 pounds per week of fat, not muscle. Unfortunately, people are not as predictable.

Every dieter faces the time when food is put in front of them that is not balanced in protein and carbs, and certainly not within the target numbers for them. Rather than be social outcasts, most people give in and have that treat.

Ah, yes, and then they don't lose weight for that week. It only takes one splurge to send your insulin levels skyrocketing, and thus, creating more hunger. It is much more tempting after that to just keep splurging. After all, the insulin spike from your first splurge now has you feeling like you want to kill someone and take their food. What else can you do?

Well, believe it or not, the best thing to do is to start logging your food again RIGHT AWAY after your treat. As in THE NEXT MEAL, hit your target numbers. That means going back to your log sheets and balancing protein and carbs ever so carefully, so protein is always equal to carbs. If you do this, your splurge hunger will not hit nearly so bad, and you will be back on track again within just a few hours.

If ya wanna play, ya have to pay..... but pay and get out of there!

WHY YOU CAN GET ALONG ON FEWER CALORIES WITHOUT HUNGER

noreply@blogger.com (Martha Katona) — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 14:08:00 +0000

Most people think that if you eat something, it should kill hunger. Anything will do. What they do not realize is that different types of food composition have different effects on the body. The net effect of the Standard American Diet (SAD) is to make you tired and hungry.

Carbs, which we have known all along, make you take up water and get puffy. They will kill hunger for awhile, but ultimately, if you have a healthy pancreas, it will kick in insulin to take the sugar out of the blood that came from the carbs. After eating carbs by themselves, you get to the stage, a couple of hours later, where you could kill someone and take their food.

The unfortunate part of this process is that over a lifetime of too many carbs, the pancreas begins to OVERREACT to carbs, making you hungry after you eat them. Years of overeating carbs produces Type 2 diabetes, in which the cells are resistant to glucose, and ultimately can exhaust the pancreas.

Protein is a wonderful muscle builder and hunger killer. When you combine protein exactly with carbs, you are doing a couple of things: slowing down the insulin response to the carbs, and also reducing the number of effective calories you are taking in. If you make your diet with a higher percentage of protein, not only do you kill hunger, but, since it takes 40% of the calories in protein to digest the protein, you are reducing the net calories in your diet.

Carbs and protein together was recommended by the American Diabetic Association for some 50 years. Yes, it is a hassle to make them exactly equal each time you eat. But I would rather do that than shoot so much insulin, which only increases insulin resistance.

So, with a heart-healthy low fat diet (30 gm for most people) and balancing protein and carbs, taking 1 gm carbs and 1 gm protein for each pound of muscle mass, you are giving your body what it needs, and super-nourishing yourself on far fewer calories.

Most people I have worked with cannot believe how full they feel on the 1000 or so calories they are eating on this balanced protein and carb diet. That is because the protein is killing their hunger and slowing down the insulin response to the carbs they eat. (see my post DIET TO NORMALIZE BLOOD SUGAR, and find your sex and height. Eat the recommended targets of fat, protein, and carbs daily to lose weight and normalize blood sugar.)

So, yes, you can get along on far fewer calories, and not be hungry. Food composition is everything.

PROTEIN COCOA TIP

noreply@blogger.com (Martha Katona) — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 18:27:00 +0000

From feedback that I have received about making protein cocoa, it seems some people, at least, are having problems getting the whey protein to mix properly.

The best tip I have is to run the water you want to heat up through a coffeemaker. This way, the water comes out at a temperature of 180 degrees F. This makes for a hot cup of protein cocoa, but the most significant thing about it is that the water IS NOT BOILING. It is water that is too close to the boiling point that makes the whey protein clump up into objectionable lumps.

Another tip is to put the whey protein dry powder into a cup, then add the hot water slowly. (I also add reishi mushroom to the protein powder, it makes a great nerve soothing cup of cocoa.)

Don't let a bad experience with mixing whey protein stop you from learning what this marvelous food can do for your body. My daughter calls this the "gumption test."

MY FAVORITE WHEY PROTEIN FLAVORS

noreply@blogger.com (Martha Katona) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:07:00 +0000

I think about the time, long ago, when I had just been introduced to chocolate whey protein. What a yumy way to make hot protein cocoa (just stir chocolate whey protein into hot water and add stevia or splenda to taste.) And then, I learned to make a Reese's Shake with chocolate whey protein, cottage cheese, water, stevia, peanut butter, and ice (see my Reese's Shake recipe). I thought I had died and gone to heaven, to have these treats every single day and to have them be mostly protein!

But, then it suddenly dawned on me that I could expand those ideas to other flavors.

My current stash of whey protein includes:
Banana Scream Whey - Champion Nutrition
Vanilla Whey - MRM
Strawberry - Champion Nutrition
Tropical Delight - Champion Nutrition

There are lots of other manufacturers out there that make great flavors. Just try to get 30 to 45 gm of extra protein daily, along with the carbs you eat.

THE DIET AND DIABETIC MEDICATIONS

noreply@blogger.com (Martha Katona) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 07:35:00 +0000

Once you actually start hitting your target numbers, you find out a couple of things:

1. Your glucose meter will plunge.
2. You need to work with your doctor to reduce your diabetic medications.

This is victory! You are now hitting your target numbers and being super nourished on far fewer calories. Your hunger is gone. Your tiredness is gone. And your A1C will be much lower as a result of hitting your targets.

It is so simple. Use food to manage blood glucose. What a concept! I am being facetious, of course, but this is your opportunity to learn how badly the Standard American Diet treats us. We don't need all the extra fat, carbs, and calories, in fact, that is what is making us sick.
And we DO NEED the extra protein to help manage blood glucose. This is what the American Diabetic Association recommended for fifty years. A balanced protein and carb diet manages blood glucose all on its own. Now the supplements that lower blood glucose can really work.

So, congratulate yourself, and stay free. Your doctor will be amazed. And you will be losing weight, feeling great, and getting more energy from day to day.

Martha

BLUEBERRY SHAKE

noreply@blogger.com (Martha Katona) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 11:45:00 +0000

This is the season for blueberries! Not only does the blueberry shake taste great, but it is packed with antioxidants. You can use any fruit in this basic recipe, but blueberries are a wonderful treat!

BLUEBERRY SHAKE:

1/2 cup 2% cottage cheese
1 cup water
stevia or splenda to taste
1 cup blueberries
1 scoop vanilla whey protein

Blend all in a blender. Add one cup ice and blend again.

Fat 3 gm, Carbs 30 gm, Protein 30 gm

CHICKEN TOSTADAS

noreply@blogger.com (Martha Katona) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 16:12:00 +0000

CHICKEN TOSTADAS
makes 6 servings

6 Mission Low-Carb Tortillas
PAM cooking spray
1 lb cooked chicken breast
2 cups refried beans
1 cup salsa
1/2 cup chopped onions
shredded lettuce
3 oz grated cheese

Spray tortillas with cooking spray and bake for 5 minutes at 425F, or until crisp. Debone chicken and chop. Spread refried beans over cooked tortillas. Add chicken, salsa, cheese and lettuce. Add chopped onions.

Fat 9 gm, Carbs 28gm, Protein 33gm, Fiber 12gm

LEARNING TO LOVE NUMBERS

noreply@blogger.com (Martha Katona) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 14:28:00 +0000

I have many people that ask why we need to get so exact that we need to count grams of fat, protein, and carbs. The answer is surprising: by learning to count, we get the freedom to use any food we want, as long as we hit the target numbers. Rather than talking about "eat more protein, and cut back on carbs" - we find many ways we can "cheat" on the diet, and still hit our targets. For instance, Blue Bunny makes a really good sugar free ice cream, and sometimes I want that after dinner. As long as I am hitting my targets, it is fine!

The other reason to learn to love numbers and logging is that it teaches you where your fat, protein and carbs are coming from. After one year of logging, I know exactly how many carbs and protein grams are in my best loved foods. And I can plan around that and hit my numbers.

Most people cannot believe how great they feel when they are hitting their targets. So, logging, and learning to hit targets is a necessary step. You will be a different person, a Ph.D. in food, and your body will show it!

DIET TO NORMALIZE BLOOD SUGAR

noreply@blogger.com (Martha Katona) — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 18:06:00 +0000

FOR WOMEN:
5'7" and under = 25gm fat 90 gm protein, 90 carb gram daily
5'7" and over = 25gm fat, 100gm protein, 100gm carb daily

FOR MEN:
5'7" and under 30gm fat, 100gm protein, 100gm carb daily
5'7" and over 30 gm fat, 125gm protein, 125gm carb daily

BE SURE TO ADD A PROTEIN BAR TO THESE TARGETS IF YOU EXERCISE 30 MINUTES.ALSO, BE SURE TO TAKE YOUR OMEGA 3 SUPPLEMENTS IN ADDITION, 10GM FLAX OR FISH OIL OR COCONUT OIL.

Remember, mildly hungry, not starving. If you are starving, you are losing muscle. That means you are slowing your metabolism.

Viola! Hunger and tiredness disappear the 2nd day of this!
YAY!!!!!

PROTEIN SHAKE FOR MEN

noreply@blogger.com (Martha Katona) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 11:28:00 +0000

Lots of you love the Reese's shake, which tastes like chocolate and peanut butter, with 30 gm protein for great blood sugar balancing. But the 13 carbs in a Reese's shake are not enough for the larger amounts of muscle mass that men have. This shake has more carbs, balanced with protein.

So, here is a recipe for a protein shake for men:

1 cup 2% skim milk
1 scoop whey protein
1 cup frozen fruit
splenda or stevia to taste

Blend all in blender. Add one cup ice and blend again.

Fat 6 gm, Carbs 34 gm, Protein 27 gm, Calories 299

Great combinations of whey protein and fruit include chocolate whey protein with strawberries, or rasberries. If you like vanilla, blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries also work well.

WHAT YOU EAT IS WHAT YOU FEEL

noreply@blogger.com (Martha Katona) — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 11:46:00 +0000

When I first started to manage my blood glucose with food, by hitting my target numbers for fat, protein, and carbs, I was simply stunned. I could not believe how much better I felt, starting with DAY 2 of this balanced carb and protein diet. Where before, I was hungry and tired all the time, by DAY 2 of the diet, the hunger had gone away, and my tiredness disappeared.

My sin was eating the average American diet. Once I began getting adequate protein, with half of my protein from whey protein, the hunger just went out the window. Instantly. Then, as I learned that the 100 gm of carbs to go with my 100 gm protein would not leave me craving carbs, my new way of life became complete.

This is a much better way of treating diabetes. Just learn to hit your target numbers. The target numbers are derived from 1 gm protein and 1 gm carbs for every pound of lean body mass. When you feed your body what it needs, the outrageous desire for more and more carbs just disappears.

Once I started hitting my target numbers, I felt BETTER from day to day, not worse, yet I was still losing weight! And my need for medications just disappeared.

So, if you want to feel better, learn to give your body the fuel mixture it is asking for. We know that if you learn to hit your target numbers for fat, protein, and carbs, that the body loses fat and gains muscle all on it's own. How much more of a clue do you need?

This is super nourishment on far fewer calories. Learn to live on lean protein, good carbs, and low fat. The stuff humanity has eaten for millenia. And you feel so much better!