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Home food preservation is becoming popular with many people these days. This is a fantastic way for people with diabetes to enjoy fruits and vegetables all year long. By canning your own vegetables and making your own jellies you can control the amount of sugar and salt in these products.
Many of us have probably said, "I know I should eat more fruits and vegetables. But how?" Summer overflows with fresh fruits and vegetables at Farmers markets and roadside stands. People plant gardens and check frequently for the green shoots to appear. Even grocery stores create displays of local produce for your consumption.
Now in its third year, the Dining with Diabetes program has been offered in some unique locations all across the state of Pennsylvania. In April and May of this year, the class was offered at Mount Saint Benedict Monastery in Erie led by Extension Educator, Janice Ronan.
A recent study in the September 2011 Pediatrics journal revealed some interesting findings – more than 90% of home-packed lunches for 700 children in a Texas daycare had reached unsafe temperatures by the time the they were eaten.
Is there a connection between calcium, vitamin D and diabetes? Researchers are investigating the effects of these two important nutrients and how they might play a role in diabetes prevention.
To keep bones strong, we need to eat and drink calcium-rich foods daily to replace calcium used in our bodies. Calcium is also needed for other important body functions. It helps blood to clot and is needed to release insulin that maintains blood sugar levels. Calcium also is necessary for vitamin B12 to be absorbed.
By 2020 half of all Americans over 50 will have weak bones, making us at a higher risk for fractures. One in every five people with a hip fracture ends up in a nursing home. But, increasing age does not necessarily mean a decline in physical fitness thanks to programs like the StrongWomen™ Program. Developed by Dr. Miriam Nelson at Tufts University and delivered by Penn State Extension, this community based strength training program puts scientific research into practical application. Dramatic improvements in age associated conditions such as osteoporosis, arthritis and weight gain are being reported as a result of the program.
MyPlate is a new food icon recently released by USDA to complement MyPyramid. It offers a simpler rendition of what might appear on a healthy plate. Many people with diabetes adhere to the Idaho Plate Method. How do the two compare?
First Lady Michelle Obama and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today unveiled the federal government’s new food icon, MyPlate, to serve as a reminder to help consumers make healthier food choices. MyPlate is a new generation icon with the intent to prompt consumers to think about building a healthy plate at meal times. The new MyPlate icon emphasizes the fruit, vegetable, grains, protein and dairy food groups.
Those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer are here. Warm weather provides ideal temperatures for bacteria to grow to dangerous levels and cause foodborne illness.
Cultivating a good marriage is like two people growing a healthy garden. To achieve a full and satisfying harvest, the gardeners must work in harmony with one another, using the right tools, gardening wisdom, and a willing spirit. The gardening process teaches us vital – and sometimes painful – lessons about life. The struggle is worth it: both good marriages and healthy gardens can enrich and delight us. But neither happens by chance. Let’s break ground!
If your goal is to save money, then tracking your spending is the first essential step. Writing down what is spent on groceries, utilities, gasoline, mortgage, insurance, newspapers is fairly easy to do, and the foundation of a Spending Plan.
As educators, it is important for us to keep in mind the broad scope of emotions brought on by the diagnosis of diabetes. Bill Polonsky, PhD, CDE is the Founder and CEO of Behavioral Diabetes Institute and has some helpful suggestions for educators.
Penn State Nutrition Links is an umbrella administration for two federally funded nutrition education programs for limited resource audiences in Pennsylvania. EFNEP – Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program was initially part of the Smith Lever Act of 1969. The program focuses on helping families with children improve behaviors in: dietary intake as recommended by the Dietary Guidelines and MyPyramid, food resource management skills and practices, nutrition practices and food safety practices.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010 are the best science-based advice on how to eat for health. The Guidelines encourage all Americans to eat a healthy diet and be physically active. Improving what you eat and being active will help to reduce your risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, some cancers, and obesity. For more information, go to: • www.DietaryGuidelines.gov • www.ChooseMyPlate.gov • www.Health.gov/paguidelines • www.HealthFinder.gov
U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), tells us what types and components of food we should be eating more of as well as those we should limit.
Staying hydrated is important, especially during periods of physical activity and in warmer weather. With the availability of so many choices, making a decision about the type of water to drink can be challenging.
Facebook just become a lot more educational! A new, interactive game is providing a way for people to learn about diabetes through hands-on challenges and socializing with other gamers.
While some studies have shown cinnamon to help control blood sugars by allowing the body to be more sensitive to the insulin the body produces, other studies have not. So, the jury is still out. The studies with positive results show that cinnamon may decrease fasting blood sugars and lipids, and it may also slow the emptying of food from your stomach, resulting in lowered after-meal blood sugars.
I frequently get the question: Is sea or kosher salt better? The answer depends on how/why you use salt.
