How to make sense of blood sugar levels
I don’t understand what my blood sugar levels mean! If you live with type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes, you have probably been asked to check your blood sugar a lot. But what are you supposed to be checking? How do you interpret the values you see? Managing your diabetes is easier when you know what the values mean and what you are trying to accomplish. What is the normal blood sugar level? Your doctor is the best person to ask what your blood sugar level range should be. Since everyone is different and unique, your goals may be different from the standard...
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All About Desserts
It’s the holidays and a delicious scent of cinnamon and spice is wafting in the air. From homemade pie to French toast, seasonal treats look all kinds of delicious… But how do you indulge your sweet tooth without jeopardizing your blood sugar level? It’s easy: just go for slightly healthier variations! Lighten your cake roll. Cut carbs by replacing the frosting by a thin layer of powdered sugar sprinkled with pieces of dark chocolate. The result will be just as beautiful (and yummy). Change up your cheesecake....
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How To Make Better Resolutions
Making a list of resolutions for the New Year is fine... as long as you’ve got the iron will to keep them all. Instead of making a big deal of announcing major changes and then dumping the whole thing after two weeks, here’s how to really get on the path to success! 1. Do not pin all your hopes of changing on New Year’s Day. So you want to eat better? Don’t think the stroke of midnight will magically spell the end of excess! In fact, the prospect of having to deny yourself after the New Year will make treats all the more tempting in December. So start putting your life choices...
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Dealing With Holiday Stress
During the Holidays, everything is turned upside down: you eat at random times, you sleep too little or too much. Then there are the last-minute gifts you need to buy, the long trips you need to make… And on top of it all, you still need to manage your diabetes! First and foremost: don’t panic. Stress affects your appetite as well as your blood sugar levels, so you’ll want to manage it. Target stressors and avoid them if at all possible. For example, do your gift shopping earlier during the year or order online instead of...
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Temptation Dead Ahead!
Yule log, chocolate cake, brown sugar fudge, gingerbread cookies… Resisting the holidays’ typical sweet treats can be quite a feat. But who said you have to forgo them entirely? Follow along! Plan for a healthy diet. Of course you are allowed to treat yourself. No need to hibernate until the holidays are over! It just means balancing the rest of your diet will be even more important; basically, make healthy choices most of the time. Pick your battles. It’s all about moderation. Decide which treats you want to indulge in ahead of time. Choose your favourites. For example...
Read More
Diabetes friendly dark chocolate dessert
Dark chocolate bark - a diabetes friendly desserts indulgence Don't get us wrong—even though it's rich in antioxidants, dessert recipes with dark chocolate aren't exactly healthy food. However, because it packs huge flavor into a small serving, you can get that sweet tooth satisfied when you crave without digging deep into the sweet cookie jar. This recipe uses Christmas colors, but you can substitute any nuts or dried fruit you prefer. No Bake and Low Carb Dark Chocolate Bark...
Read More
Healthy New Year! 5 steps to getting back into your routine.
Which healthy habits went out your window over the holidays? Portion control? Enough sleep? Getting your steps? Eat the recommended serving of vegetables? It's easy to wake up in January and realize that your routine isn't quite a routine anymore. So how can you get back on track? 1. Give up the guilt. You may have eaten too much, took your measures too infrequently or chosen eggnog over the treadmill, but that's in the past. Be glad you enjoyed the holidays, then let it go and look forward. 2. Go to bed early....
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Make the season merrier with new holiday traditions
How many of your holiday traditions exist because "we've always done it that way?" If you could choose which ones to keep or toss, what would you decide? It's okay to reconsider anything that feels like it takes up more time, money, effort or calories than it's worth. Traditions to review: "Must haves" at dinner. Turkey isn't hard to make, but all the things that go with it (potatoes, gravy, cranberries, stuffing) start to add up. You can enjoy family time just as much with a spiral-sliced ham served with rolls and a salad. Or...
Read More
Chocolate, peanut, whipped-cream cake
Call it a cake, cream pie or layered dessert, your friends and family will call it delicious. Easy enough for a family dinner or impressive on a holiday table, this recipe calls for coconut sugar in place of refined white sugar for a more complex flavor and a lower glycemic index (35 compared to 60), so it may not spike your blood sugar quite as high as table sugar1. Ingredients (Serves 8) Peanut base 1 ¼ cups of salted peanuts 3 egg whites (save the yolks for the chocolate cream) 1 ¼ cups of...
Read More All About Desserts
It’s the holidays and a delicious scent of cinnamon and spice is wafting in the air. From homemade pie to French toast, seasonal treats look all kinds of delicious… But how do you indulge your sweet tooth without jeopardizing your blood sugar level? It’s easy: just go for slightly healthier variations! Lighten your cake roll. Cut carbs by replacing the frosting by a thin layer of powdered sugar sprinkled with pieces of dark chocolate. The result will be just as beautiful (and yummy). Change up your cheesecake....
Read More How To Make Better Resolutions
Making a list of resolutions for the New Year is fine... as long as you’ve got the iron will to keep them all. Instead of making a big deal of announcing major changes and then dumping the whole thing after two weeks, here’s how to really get on the path to success! 1. Do not pin all your hopes of changing on New Year’s Day. So you want to eat better? Don’t think the stroke of midnight will magically spell the end of excess! In fact, the prospect of having to deny yourself after the New Year will make treats all the more tempting in December. So start putting your life choices...
Read More Dealing With Holiday Stress
During the Holidays, everything is turned upside down: you eat at random times, you sleep too little or too much. Then there are the last-minute gifts you need to buy, the long trips you need to make… And on top of it all, you still need to manage your diabetes! First and foremost: don’t panic. Stress affects your appetite as well as your blood sugar levels, so you’ll want to manage it. Target stressors and avoid them if at all possible. For example, do your gift shopping earlier during the year or order online instead of...
Read More Temptation Dead Ahead!
Yule log, chocolate cake, brown sugar fudge, gingerbread cookies… Resisting the holidays’ typical sweet treats can be quite a feat. But who said you have to forgo them entirely? Follow along! Plan for a healthy diet. Of course you are allowed to treat yourself. No need to hibernate until the holidays are over! It just means balancing the rest of your diet will be even more important; basically, make healthy choices most of the time. Pick your battles. It’s all about moderation. Decide which treats you want to indulge in ahead of time. Choose your favourites. For example...
Read More Diabetes friendly dark chocolate dessert
Dark chocolate bark - a diabetes friendly desserts indulgence Don't get us wrong—even though it's rich in antioxidants, dessert recipes with dark chocolate aren't exactly healthy food. However, because it packs huge flavor into a small serving, you can get that sweet tooth satisfied when you crave without digging deep into the sweet cookie jar. This recipe uses Christmas colors, but you can substitute any nuts or dried fruit you prefer. No Bake and Low Carb Dark Chocolate Bark...
Read More Healthy New Year! 5 steps to getting back into your routine.
Which healthy habits went out your window over the holidays? Portion control? Enough sleep? Getting your steps? Eat the recommended serving of vegetables? It's easy to wake up in January and realize that your routine isn't quite a routine anymore. So how can you get back on track? 1. Give up the guilt. You may have eaten too much, took your measures too infrequently or chosen eggnog over the treadmill, but that's in the past. Be glad you enjoyed the holidays, then let it go and look forward. 2. Go to bed early....
Read More Make the season merrier with new holiday traditions
How many of your holiday traditions exist because "we've always done it that way?" If you could choose which ones to keep or toss, what would you decide? It's okay to reconsider anything that feels like it takes up more time, money, effort or calories than it's worth. Traditions to review: "Must haves" at dinner. Turkey isn't hard to make, but all the things that go with it (potatoes, gravy, cranberries, stuffing) start to add up. You can enjoy family time just as much with a spiral-sliced ham served with rolls and a salad. Or...
Read More Chocolate, peanut, whipped-cream cake
Call it a cake, cream pie or layered dessert, your friends and family will call it delicious. Easy enough for a family dinner or impressive on a holiday table, this recipe calls for coconut sugar in place of refined white sugar for a more complex flavor and a lower glycemic index (35 compared to 60), so it may not spike your blood sugar quite as high as table sugar1. Ingredients (Serves 8) Peanut base 1 ¼ cups of salted peanuts 3 egg whites (save the yolks for the chocolate cream) 1 ¼ cups of...
Read More