Food Cures (30 page)
Authors: Carol Svec
GRILLED ROCKEFELLER OYSTERS
When it comes to oysters, people either love them or hate them. My own household is divided. If you’re a lover, you’re in luck. Pacific oysters provide omega-3 fats, which have been shown to reduce inflammation in people who suffer with swollen joints. My recipe also adds olive oil and hot sauce—two more beneficial ingredients for fighting arthritis.
Makes 4 servings, 6 oysters each
2 | | tablespoons olive oil |
2 | | tablespoons all-purpose flour |
¼ | | cup water |
| | | Zest and juice of 1 lemon |
2 | | cups spinach, wilted and chopped |
½ | | cup fresh basil, chopped |
3 | | cloves garlic, minced |
1/8 | | teaspoon hot sauce |
| | | Salt |
| | | Ground pepper |
2 | | dozen large, tightly closed fresh Pacific oysters in the shell |
2 | | tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese |
- In a small skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the flour and cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring continuously until a thick, smooth paste forms. Remove from the heat and add the water, lemon zest and juice, spinach, basil, garlic, and hot sauce. Whisk quickly until a thick sauce forms. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Preheat a grill or an oven to 400°F. Shuck the oysters, reserving the shells. Arrange the oysters in the deepest reserved half-shells, one oyster per shell. Top with a spoonful of the spinach mixture and sprinkle with the Parmesan.
- If grilling, set the half-shells on the grill, filling-side up. Cover loosely with a sheet of aluminum foil, and grill 8 to 10 minutes, until oysters are no longer translucent but still tender. If baking, place the half-shells on a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil, and bake 8 to 10 minutes, until the oysters are cooked inside and the filling begins to brown and the oysters are no longer translucent but still tender. Serve immediately.
PER SERVING
183 calories, 13 g protein, 9 g carbohydrate, 10 g fat (2 g saturated), 58 mg cholesterol, 178 mg sodium, 2 g fiber
GINGER-SPICED PUMPKIN MUFFINS
I call these Muffins with a Mission! Enjoy one as a midday snack, or couple with an egg, fat-free yogurt, or glass of fat-free milk for a balanced breakfast. Either way, it’s win/win—just 131 calories and created to help ease the aches and pains of arthritis.
Makes 12
½ | | cup packed brown sugar |
1½ | | cups whole wheat flour |
2 | | teaspoons baking powder |
1 | | teaspoon ground cinnamon |
1 | | teaspoon ground ginger |
½ | | teaspoon salt |
1 | | egg |
1 | | cup fat-free milk |
½ | | cup canned 100% pure pumpkin |
¼ | | cup canola oil |
½ | | teaspoon grated orange zest |
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly spray 12 muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the brown sugar, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and salt.
- In a small bowl, beat the egg for 30 seconds, until foamy. Add the milk, pumpkin, oil, and orange zest. Beat well. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture, and stir until the flour mixture is moistened.
- Fill the muffin cups three-quarters full with batter. Bake for 15 minutes, until the tops spring back when you touch them with a finger. Turn out muffins onto a wire rack to cool. Once cool, you can freeze the muffins, tightly wrapped, for up to 2 months.
PER MUFFIN
131 calories, 3 g protein, 19 g carbohydrate, 5 g fat (0 g saturated), 18 mg cholesterol, 20 mg sodium, 2 g fiber
GINGERED CARROTS
I’m always looking for creative ways to prepare one of my favorite veggies—carrots. This chapter gave me a reason to experiment with ginger, and I’m thrilled with the finished product. I hope your joints, and taste buds, agree!
Makes 4 servings
1 | | pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1″ wedges |
2 | | tablespoons soft tub reduced-fat, trans fat-free margarine spread |
¼ | | cup grated fresh ginger |
2 | | teaspoons ground ginger |
| | | Salt |
| | | Ground black pepper |
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Tear a large piece of aluminum foil, about 24″ long. Spread the carrots evenly over one half. Rub the carrots with the margarine, fresh ginger, and ground ginger. Season with salt and pepper.
- Fold the opposite end of the foil over, folding around the edges to make a neat package with no openings. Place the package on a baking sheet and bake 20 to 25 minutes, until the carrots are tender when pierced with a knife. Serve immediately.
PER SERVING
77 calories, 1 g protein, 12 g carbohydrate, 3 g fat (0 g saturated), 0 mg cholesterol, 129 mg sodium, 3 g fiber; plus 470 mcg beta carotene, 142 mcg beta cryptoxanthin
GINGER GREEN TEA
Swap your morning coffee or afternoon soda for a relaxing cup of pleasure. Both ginger and green tea possess potent anti-inflammatory properties. Plus, I love the sensational aroma that fills my kitchen when I make this brew. If you use the optional sugar, the calorie count will be 65.
Makes 1 serving
1 | | cup water |
1 | | ½-inch piece fresh ginger with skin, sliced |
1 | | green tea bag, or 1 tablespoon loose green tea leaves in a tea ball |
2 | | tablespoons fat-free milk |
1 | | tablespoon sugar, honey, or sugar substitute (optional) |
Bring the water to a boil. Add the ginger and boil for 30 seconds more. Remove from the heat, and add the tea bag or tea ball. Steep for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the milk. If desired, stir in sugar, honey, or sugar substitute.
PER SERVING
13 calories, 1 g protein, 2 g carbohydrate, 0 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 20 mg sodium, 0 g fiber
FIERY NECTARINE CHUTNEY
My sweet and spicy chutney made its debut on the
Today
show. Since then, I’ve discovered that it goes great with just about anything! Jalapeños and ginger possess anti-inflammatory properties, which have been shown to alleviate the aches and pains associated with arthritis. What’s more, chopped onions supply quercetin…and the nectarines, red pepper, and orange juice provide disease-fighting antioxidants, like beta cryptoxanthin and vitamin C. Serve as a dip with crudités and baked tortilla chips, or spoon a few tablespoons on top of grilled fish, poultry, lean turkey sausages, or veggie burgers.
Makes 12 servings, ¼ cup each
2 | | large, ripened nectarines (about 1 pound), finely chopped with skin |
1 | | large red bell pepper, chopped |
½ | | cup finely chopped red onion |
4 | | teaspoons minced jalapeño chile pepper, or more if you can take the heat |
| | | (wear plastic gloves when handling) |
2 | | tablespoons fresh lime juice |
2 | | tablespoons orange juice |
2 | | to 3 teaspoons sugar (optional) |
¼ | | teaspoon ground ginger |
¼ | | teaspoon ground allspice |
¼ | | teaspoon salt |
In medium bowl, stir together the nectarines, bell pepper, onion, jalapeño, lime juice, orange juice, sugar if you like, ginger, allspice, and salt. Refrigerate until serving time.
PER SERVING
19 calories, 0 g protein, 5 g carbohydrate, 0 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 49 mg sodium, 1 g fiber; plus 23 mg vitamin C (38% DV)
TYPE 2 DIABETES
I
’m not going to try to sugar-coat it—diabetes is a silent killer. Of all the disorders I treat, diabetes is among the sneakiest and nastiest.
Sneaky…because unless you know you’re at risk and are checking for signs, symptoms might not appear until your body is damaged in some way. Nearly one-third of people who have diabetes don’t know it. If you suspect there’s a problem but wait until you feel sick to get help, you may be well on your to developing complications.
Nasty…because if it goes untreated, one or several serious complications can kill you, although the process might take years. Diabetes can lead to a heart attack or stroke, continuous pain from degenerated nerves, foot or leg amputations from gangrene, kidney failure, or blindness from retinopathy.
It’s not a pretty picture, but the condition is serious, and one that deserves your serious attention if you’ve been diagnosed, know or even suspect you’re at risk!
On a positive note, if you work with your doctor to closely monitor and control your blood sugar and commit to eating right and exercising regularly, there’s great reason to believe you’ll live a long, healthy life. New medications, clever blood testing devices, and breakthrough information about diabetes processes, foods, and supplements mean that near-perfect glucose control is within everyone’s reach.
WHAT IS DIABETES?
Your body’s primary source of energy is glucose, a simple sugar created when carbohydrates are broken down during digestion. If everything is working properly, glucose enters the blood stream…which triggers the pancreas to release insulin…which allows glucose to leave the blood and enter every cell in your body. That’s how cells get their nourishment. This energy transfer at the cellular level fuels all the your bodily functions from thinking to digestion to all the fantastic physical feats the human body is capable of. Think of glucose as the electricity in a house—you have one main line which branches off into each room and branches again to supply power to the outlets within them. Skimp on the glucose, and your power goes out.
If you have diabetes, there is a problem with the way your body produces or uses insulin. If glucose can’t move into the cells, it stays in the blood stream leading to the high blood sugar levels characteristic of the disease.
There are three main types of diabetes. With
type 1 diabetes
, the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas are destroyed, so there is no insulin available to let glucose enter body cells. It is as if a circuit breaker tripped, and the power is simply cut off. No insulin means no energy getting to the cells. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder for which there is no known prevention. It requires treatment with insulin and carefully planned meals.
With
type 2 diabetes
, there are two potential insulin problems. Either 1) the pancreas can’t make enough insulin; or 2) the cells have become resistant to the insulin your body produces. Either or both these conditions may be present. Going back to the electricity analogy, insulin resistance is like having a dimmer switch on your body’s power supply stuck on “low”—some energy gets through to the cells, but much of the glucose is blocked from entering cells and stays in the blood stream. Treatment options vary from person to person, depending on the severity of the condition. Some people with type 2 diabetes can manage their disease with dietary changes alone. Others require medications or insulin replacement.
There is also a third type of diabetes called
gestational diabetes
, which affects about 4 percent of pregnant women. Although this type of diabetes usually disappears after the baby is born, research suggests that women who develop gestational diabetes have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.
The information in the rest of this chapter pertains only to type 2 diabetes. People with type 1 or gestational diabetes should consult a private nutritionist or trained diabetes educator for one-on-one dietary counseling.
WHAT AFFECTS TYPE 2 DIABETES?
Type 2 diabetes was once called
adult-onset diabetes
, but now we know that even young children can develop this disease. The number one risk factor—by far—is being overweight. Genetics, age, and lack of exercise also contribute to your personal risk, but body weight is the biggest contributor. The American Diabetes Association recommends that anyone who is overweight should talk with his or her physician to see if testing is appropriate. If your doctor believes you’re at significant risk, she’ll order blood tests to rule out a thyroid disorder, and to determine if you have diabetes or prediabetes. There are two tests used to check for diabetes:
A Fasting Plasma Glucose test (FPG) measures blood glucose after an overnight fast. It is quick, convenient, and inexpensive. Normal fasting blood sugar is below 100 mg/dL. If your blood glucose is 126 mg/dL or higher, the test will be repeated. Two readings of 126 mg/dL or higher means a diagnosis of diabetes. If your blood glucose is 100 to 125 mg/dL, your diagnosis is prediabetes. (Prediabetes used to be called
impaired glucose tolerance
or
impaired fasting glucose
.)
An Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) measures blood glucose after an overnight fast, and again 2 hours after you drink a high-glucose liquid. This test is more sensitive than FPG, but it is inconvenient because of the 2-hour wait between blood draws. Normal 2-hour blood glucose is below 140 mg/dL. If your 2-hour blood glucose is 200 mg/dL or higher, the test will be repeated. Two readings of 200 mg/dL or higher means a diagnosis of diabetes. If your 2-hour blood glucose is 140 to 199 mg/dL, your diagnosis is prediabetes.
WHAT ARE THE DANGERS OF PREDIABETES?
It’s probably obvious, but the greatest danger of prediabetes is that it can lead to diabetes. In fact, research shows that most people with prediabetes will develop diabetes within 10 years unless they lose weight (at least 5 percent of body weight), become more active, and make changes to their eating habits (like embracing the eating plan I’ll tell you about later in this chapter).
Prediabetes is also one of the hallmarks of another disorder called
the metabolic syndrome
. The metabolic syndrome describes a cluster of risk factors that, when taken together, create a toxic environment in your blood vessels. Doctors diagnose metabolic syndrome in patients who have at least three of the following conditions: high blood pressure (130/85 mmHg or higher), high triglycerides (150 mg/dL or higher), low HDL cholesterol (below 50 mg/dL for women, below 40 mg/dL for men), large waist circumference (greater than 35″ for women, greater than 40″ for men), or fasting blood sugar higher than 110 mg/dL. The combination of any three is dangerous, even if the numbers are only slightly out of the normal range. People with the metabolic syndrome have an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. If you have been diagnosed with metabolic syndrome but have a normal fasting glucose level (below 100 mg/dL), follow the 4-step plan outlined in my cardiovascular disease chapter. If you have been diagnosed with metabolic syndrome and your fasting glucose level is elevated (higher than 110 mg/dL), follow the 4-step program outlined at the end of this chapter. You should also read the cardiovascular disease chapter to learn about the most beneficial foods to eat (and not!) in order to bring down all other elevated numbers, such as blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides.
FAQS
Is it safe for people with diabetes to drink coffee?
Coffee has a bad reputation, a largely undeserved one, especially when it comes to its effect on diabetes. Many studies have linked moderate coffee drinking with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. A Swedish study found that people with diabetes and low glucose tolerance who regularly drank coffee had less glucose resistance and better beta cell function. Caffeinated or decaffeinated, instant or filtered coffee, all can lower diabetes risk. But of all the varieties, decaffeinated coffee seems to have the greatest effect. The Iowa Women’s Health Study, which followed nearly 29,000 women for about 10 years, found that drinking decaffeinated coffee reduced the risk of developing diabetes by 33 percent, while coffee with caffeine reduced the risk by only about 21 percent. Because some other studies have shown that caffeine reduces insulin sensitivity, decaf is definitely the way to go.
The good news is that prediabetes doesn’t necessarily progress to diabetes. The Diabetes Prevention Program, which studied more than 3,000 people with prediabetes, showed that participants who changed their diets, lost weight, and started exercising reduced their risk of developing diabetes by an astounding 58 percent. That’s slashing your risk of diabetes by more than half, without drugs! Treatment with the medication metformin reduced the risk of diabetes by 31 percent—still significant, but less than the combined effect of diet and exercise. Every step you take—and I mean that both literally and figuratively—can help prevent or delay the onset of disease. Every year you don’t have to deal with the complications of diabetes is a blessing for your future health.
One of my clients is counting on those blessings. Dina, 49, went to her doctor for a routine checkup and blood work before her second marriage, and discovered that she had the metabolic syndrome. Her fasting blood sugar was 125—just shy of full-fledged diabetes. In addition, she had triglycerides of about 200, high blood pressure, and total cholesterol of 340—her “bad” LDL cholesterol was over 200! (Although LDL cholesterol is not a diagnostic marker for metabolic syndrome, optimal levels are less than 100.). At 5?5? and 163 pounds, Dina was also overweight and carried a significant amount of fat around her middle. She also had a family history heart disease—her brother had died of a heart attack in his late 30s. Until her test results came back, Dina had eaten whatever she wanted and didn’t give a darn about exercise. Her doctor set her straight: “Those days are over. You’re getting married and have a whole new adventure ahead of you. You have a lot to live for.” He wrote her a prescription for a cholesterol-lowering medication and sent her to me.
After just two months following every point of my 4-Step Program for Diabetes, Dina lost 16 pounds and trimmed 4″ off her waist. Her fasting blood sugar was down to 105—still too high, but a significant improvement. Her blood pressure was now in the normal range and her blood lipids were lower, too, thanks to medication and nutrition changes. Her triglycerides had fallen to 130 (now considered normal), and her total cholesterol had fallen to about 210 (the bad LDL cholesterol dropped below 130!). She drew her motivation from both fear and hope—fear of meeting the same early death as her brother, and hope for years of love and happiness she dreamed of sharing with her new husband. Hope, for many of us, blooms as we see the powerful effects making just a few changes can have on our overall health.
WHAT ARE THE DANGERS
OF TYPE 2 DIABETES?
If you have diabetes, it is important to understand that it’s a chronic condition. You can control the disease, but it will never go away. The best you can hope is that your disease will go into a form of remission—contained, but subject to return. You’ll need to monitor your blood sugars daily, and your doctor will want to periodically check your progress, too. One of the most powerful medical tools is a blood test for glycosylated hemoglobin, more commonly called
HbA1C
or simply
A1C
. This test doesn’t require fasting, and it estimates how well you’ve been controlling blood glucose over the past two to three months. So A1C captures more than your blood glucose level at the moment your doctor draws blood for the test—it is a measure of whether you’re controlling your diabetes…or if your diabetes is controlling you.
High A1C levels mean a high risk of complications from diabetes. To put it bluntly, uncontrolled blood sugar is a poison. Because all cells need and use glucose, many different body systems are affected. The most common problems faced by people with diabetes are:
CARDIOVASCULAR PROBLEMS
Although a little extra blood sugar doesn’t sound dangerous, it is toxic to your blood vessels. High levels of glucose form free radicals, unstable molecules that damage cellular membranes, including the delicate cell membranes of your blood vessels. Over the long-term, the damage may trigger the immune system to address the damage. Unfortunately the inflammatory chemicals sent to the site of the damage further assault the blood vessels. The process can lead to serious cardiovascular problems…which in turn may cause a heart attack or stroke. (For more information about the cardiovascular system, see Chapter 7.)
EYE DISEASES
Diabetes increases your risk of cataracts, which cloud the lens, and glaucoma, which can lead to blindness from damage to the optic nerve. In addition, uncontrolled blood glucose damages the delicate blood vessels in the retina, leading to a condition called
diabetic retinopathy
. Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness in America, but that doesn’t mean it’s in your future. Studies show that people can prevent retinopathy by keeping their blood sugar levels as close to normal as possible. Once retinopathy develops, careful blood sugar control can keep the disease from progressing.
NEUROPATHY
Uncontrolled diabetes exposes your nerves to something like a sugar bath, which leads to degeneration of nerve axons—the bodies of the nerve cells. In addition, the protective coating around the nerves—the myelin—may be stripped, slowing the speed at which nerves can transmit sensory messages. If the blood vessels that feed the nerves are damaged by diabetes, then those nerves can die.