Get Creative with Squash!
By: Jessica Cook, Director of Education MS, RD, LD, CDE
Fall is the season for apples, spooky costumes, leaves changing colors
(not in South Florida of course) and squash! Butternut, spaghetti, acorn,
kabocha, pumpkin, delicata, sugar pie pumpkins are just a few variety
of winter squashes you may see at your local grocery store this season.
Squash is a rich, nutrient dense food that can be prepared many ways.
These squashes tend to be high in fiber, potassium, vitamin A and low
in carbohydrates providing usually 15g of carbohydrate per 1 cup prepared.
Which makes squash a great substitute for the traditional potato and a
yummy side dish everyone can enjoy!
Here are a few ways to add squash in your diet this season:
- Try roasting acorn or butternut squash as a minimal preparation side dish! After cutting and scraping out seeds, roast squash in a 425 degree oven for 40-50min. until tender. Try seasoning squash with olive oil, coconut oil or ghee. Then add cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and black pepper for a sweet and savory treat!
- Make a delicious squash soup! Butternut, kabocha or pumpkin are perfect to make into a creamy low carb soup. Add coconut milk for creaminess and try adding curry powder, turmeric or cumin for an exotic spin on a classic.
- Add to salads for a fun garnish. Try roasting first then serve with roasted pumpkin seeds, arugula, sliced onion and feta cheese. Yum!
- Add to baked goods for moisture without having to add additional oil or butter. You can substitute canned organic pumpkin puree or squash puree (found in the frozen section) for butter in baked goods such as cakes, muffins or pancakes.
-
Try adding squash to breakfast! Add pumpkin puree to vanilla Greek yogurt,
pancake or waffle batter, low carbohydrate muffins.
Low Carb Cream Cheese Stuffed Pumpkin Muffins :
Ingredients:
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1/4 cup coconut flour
- 1/2 cup siggis 2% pumpkin yogurt
- 2/3 cup pumpkin purée
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp molasses
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
Cream cheese filling:
- 6oz. Light cream cheese
- 1 tbsp vanilla protein powder
- 2-3 stevia drops
- ½ tsp vanilla ectract
Directions: Add all muffin ingredients and mix until smooth. Spoon into greased muffin pan with liners and make a small dent in the top of each muffin for the filling. Mix all cream cheese ingredients until smooth. Spoon 1 tbsp of cream cheese filling into Muffins. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 min.
Recipe makes 8 Muffins. Enjoy!
To learn more about diabetes, health and weight loss call 561-659-6336 ext 8012 to schedule an appointment with a certified diabetes educator today. Please enjoy our October 2017 Living Well with Diabetes Newsletter.
Giving Thanks
By: Gail Starr LCSW, CDE
Thanksgiving often induces thoughts of family, friends, traditions and
special holiday foods. It is
supposed to be a time of gratefulness but for some, it is a reminder of
loss. For those with diabetes, it may be a loss of eating holiday traditional
foods the way they were eaten before the diagnosis.
This year we are also experiencing a world that appears to be going off kilter. Between the hurricanes, fires, earthquakes, shootings, political turmoil, and world turmoil, we may be feeling off kilter in our own lives as well.
One of the ways that people may try to cope with anxiety, anger, or depression is by eating. This is an old habit that began when we were babies. We felt discomfort from hunger so we cried. Crying brought food that comforted us and stopped the stomach pains. Because we may be feelling discomfort now, those old habits may come back in full force. Between the holidays and the world situation, food could play a major role in our behaviors, feelings and health, both mental and physical, at this time of the year.
It is important that we keep balance in our lives. It can be helpful to choose to focus on the positives to create a force that equalizes the negatives. It can be helpful to keep a list of those positives to help us remember what is good and healthy.
The word moderation is a special word too. Moderation can help keep us balanced. Holiday foods can be eaten in moderation. Eat them slowly, in healthy portions, mindfully, and enjoy the flavors rather than the quantity. Gratitude for all the good balances the negative. Have a Happy Thanksgiving and and may health and joy abound!
Hypoglycemia in Patients Without Diabetes
By: Dr. Geetanjali Kale
Hypoglycemia is drop in blood glucose concentration resulting in signs and Symptoms. There is no clear cut off for blood glucose value to define hypoglycemia and low blood glucose without symptoms is not considered to be hypoglycemia. Symptoms of low blood sugar include impaired cognition, confusion, weakness, profuse sweating, and seizures. It is possible for someone to experience symptoms of hypoglycemia even when they don’t have diabetes. Taking insulin and certain medications such as sulphonylureas, chronic diseases such as liver and kidney failure, heart failure, adrenal insufficiency, insulinoma (tumors making insulin) are some of the possible causes of hypoglycemia.
What is reactive hypoglycemia?
Occasionally, people experience symptoms of hypoglycemia within four hours of eating carbohydrate heavy meals. History of gastric bypass surgery, alcohol use and history of pre-diabetes or diabetes are risk factors for experiencing reactive hypoglycemia.
How is reactive hypoglycemia is diagnosed?
The best way to diagnose any episodes of hypoglycemia is to obtain blood work as soon as one experiences symptoms of hypoglycemia. The blood work confirms presence of hypoglycemia and is able to indicate towards a specific cause. However it is not always possible to have lab drawn soon after episodes of low blood glucose. Patients with symptoms of reactive hypoglycemia are encouraged to keep a food and symptom diary. They are taught to check fingerstick blood glucose with glucometers and encouraged to check blood sugars at onset of symptoms.
What does further testing involve?
Not every patient with reactive hypoglycemia needs specialized testing. However, when the diagnosis is not clear and other possible cause of hypoglycemia is suspected, the patient may be required to do a 48 hour inpatient fast. Other tests may include mixed meal tests and 75 g glucose tolerance test to further clarify the etiology.
How is reactive hypoglycemia treated?
The patients who experience reactive hypoglycemia should learn to avoid high carbohydrate meals and should seek help of a trained nutritionist to learn how to incorporate fats and proteins in each meal in order to minimize carbohydrate intake below 20 grams for each meal (mixed meals). Those patients with pre-diabetes or family history of diabetes should focus on lifestyle modification such as weight loss and exercise along with dietary changes.
Want to learn how to slim down classic holiday meals?
Then come to our Healthy Holiday Meal Planning Classes!
At 2 Convenient Locations!
West Palm Beach Location: Temple Israel
1901 N. Flagler Drive
West Palm Beach FL, 33401
Tuesday December 12th 10am-12pm
Parking is located on Pine Street behind the Temple. Please buzz in to alert staff for diabetes refresher class. Classroom is located in the Program Room.
Boynton Beach Location: Brookdale Living Facility 8220 Jog Rd.
Boynton Beach, FL 33472
Wednesday December 20th 10am-12pm
Will provide Healthy Snacks!
**May bring one guest free of charge!
If interested attending this program please contact our scheduling department at (561) 659-6336 Extension 8001 today!
At Healthy Living with Diabetes we want to ensure that you are satisfied with all services received. We also would like your input on educational workshops that you would like us to offer, information you would like to read about in Healthy Living with Diabetes Monthly or feedback on any workshop that you may have attended. You can contact the director of education personally by email jcook@PBDES.COM or leave a message at (561) 659-6336 ext. 8012. We would love to hear from you!
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- www.palmbeachdiabetes.com
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