DIABETES CONFERENCE

Yesterday the Insulin Dependant Diabetes Trust http://www.iddt.org/ held their annual conference at the Park Hotel in Kettering.

It was well attended and speakers gave updated advice on the topic. Having myself spoken and run a workshop on aspects of diet many people wanted to get ideas for adapting recipes plus tasty foods to make. I have already compiles some recipes for IDDT and will be doing more as well as putting ones on my blog.

Diabetes is a major problem and affects about 3 million people with more estimated to have the condition and not know it.

There are 2 types of diabetes;

• Type 1 which needs insulin for treatment and type 2 which can be often managed by diet and medication.
• Type 2 diabetes also tends to be linked with obesity and the onset is slower and often people do not know they have it
• About 90% of people have type 2 diabetes
• Signs and symptoms of type 2 diabetes tend to be tiredness, passing extra urine, feeling thirsty and needing to drink more plus repeated infections of various types
• If you feel you have a problem do go and discuss this with your doctor or nurse

 

BONE HEALTH

BONE HEALTH

Unfortunately  1in 2 women and 1in 5 men over the age of 50 years will break a fracture as a result of poor bone health

Bones require adequate calcium which is derived from foods like milk, cheese, yogurt (if you do not take these use a fortified form of soya milk or rice milk), fish with small bones provide calcium. White flour is also fortified with calcium.

Vitamin D is required for the absorption of calcium. This important vitamin is made by the action of sunlight on the skin. Unfortunately this year there has been about 50% of the days being rainy during the summer which obviously means that the synthesis of vitamin D is reduced.

There are a limited number of food sources like oily fish, butter and spreads, full fat milk and cheese made from it, egg yolks, fortified breakfast cereals, liver and red meat.

If you do not eat these foods it is wise to look at a supplement of vitamin D

MEDITERRAENEAN DIET

The Mediterranean diet is associated with health and longevity it advocates

• lots of fruit and vegetables
• nuts and pulses
• low GI carbohydrates
• herbs and spices
• some olive oil
• fish twice per week
• poultry, eggs and cheese moderate portions daily
• sweets and red meat less often

Indeed this fits in well with the healthy English diet. All components of the diet can be easily bought from supermarkets, shops and markets or indeed the vegetables, herbs and fruits can be grown.


 THE PYRAMID WAS PRODUCED BY OLDWAYS     http://oldwayspt.org/

About Oldways

Oldways is a nonprofit food and nutrition education organisation, with a mission to guide people to good health through heritage.

Diet and Diabetes

It is well established that diet is helpful in diabetes.

For those with type 1 diabetes balancing the amount of  carbohydrate with the insulin injected is important

For those with type 2 diabetes watching the amount of calories if overweight is helpful

Further information can be found at the Insulin Dependent Diabetes Trust


http://www.iddt.org/news/newsletters/

http://www.iddt.org/news/type-2-and-you/

CAKES

Cakes can make a lovely treat especially if home made. They can also incorporate fruit and vegetables.

Hereis my recipe for Beetroot cake

Chocolate beetroot cake per portion NB provides extra vegetables

Makes 12 slices

Energy kcal 329 per slice

Ingredients

3oz (75g) cocoa or chocolate drink powder

6oz (180g ) plain flour –can use 5oz white and 1 oz wholemeal

8 oz (225g) sugar

2tsp baking powder

250g cooked and cooled beetroot

3 large eggs

200ml sunflower oil

1tsp vanilla extract

Icing sugar for dusting

Method

Pre-heat oven to 180 C/335F/gas4

Sift dry ingredients together in a bowl

Puree the beetroot

In a separate bowl mix the eggs one at a time with the oil and vanilla essence when smooth add the sugar. Add the puree beetroot

Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add the beetroot and oil and sugar mixture

Mix well

Pour into a greased and lined 9inch cake tin

Bake 30-40 mins or until firm and a skewer inserted in the cake leaves it cleanly

Cool on a rack

Dust with icing sugar

The cake can be split and filled with cream if desired or iced

Book

Books on nutrition abound and mine on "Nutrition and Health" is designed to provide information on nutrition to both students of the subject and a wider audience.

I have been pleased to have a 4th edition of this book published.

It has been reviewd by Azimina Govindji the Award -winning dietitian and Media Nutritionist seen on the One Show www.azminanutrition.com/

Title: Intermediate Nutrition & Health

Author: Dr Mabel Blades

Pages: 138

ISBN: 978-1-1906404-24-6

Illustrations: Two colour

Format: B5 firmback, gloss finish

Published: 2012, 4th Edition

Sports drinks

Hydration is vital for anyone especially those involved in sport and activity.

Water is excellent but isotonic drinks are really useful to replenish.

Isotonic means in balance with the body fluids. So these drinks replace nutrients lost during activity.

While there are lots on the market here are my simple home made ones. Both very cheap to make.

Mabel's isotonic drink 1

400g glucose ( very cheap from a chemist or supermarket)
1 litre water
splash of low calorie squash for flavour
pinch of salt

Mabel's isotonic drink 2

500 ml fruit juice such as apple or orange
500ml water
pinch of salt

For rapid absorption both are better taken un-chilled