Here are some simple diabetes holiday tips: 

1. Eat breakfast or snacks earlier in the day and avoid the idea of saving carbs for the big feast later on. If you skip meals, it may be harder to manage your blood sugar levels.  
2. Limit the number of servings of starchy foods on your plate. It might be tempting to have some mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole and rolls however, try to choose just one of these items and have only a spoonful or small bites of each.  
3. Choose fruits and vegetables served raw, grilled or steamed. Avoid vegetables in creams, gravies and butter. Broccoli, baby carrots, cauliflower and tomatoes are good choices that are usually on the appetizer table.  
4. Enjoy your favourite holiday treats, but have only small portions of it and have it slowly. Savour the taste and texture, be smart and mindful of what you eat.   
5. Stick to calorie free drinks such as water, tea, seltzer, instead of punch, diet sodas or mixed drinks.  
6. If you choose to drink alcohol limit the amount and have it with food.  
7. After your meal, take a walk with family and friends. Exercise will also get you moving, keep you focused on your goals and give you a welcome break from being surrounded by treats. 

Following these strategies, may help you maintain your blood sugar levels and at the same time help you enjoy parties and gatherings along with everyone else. 

But what if you’re the one hosting the big feast this holiday season, this is exclusively for you. With diabetic friendly cooking strategies stay healthy this holiday season:  

1. Use long grain rice/wild brown rice especially for rice pudding as it is tender, not fluffy when cooked and contains medium glycaemic index and does not raise your blood sugar levels rapidly.  
2. Make pumpkin breads instead of plain breads, use almond or rye flour instead of wheat,  it adds flavour and makes it delicious and healthy.  
3. Use sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes for your salads as it adds flavour and gives a twist to your regular potato salad.  
4. Holidays without chicken/turkey and gravy is definitely incomplete. Where alcohol is used for marination in most of the cases, try to use water or any form of curd/hung curd for increased flavour. 
5. Try simple sauces with asparagus and other vegetables for your baked dishes to avoid high calorie and sodium rich sauces. Vegetable sauces are a healthier option.  
6. Use three different fruits to make a sauce for variety and reduce the sugar content. Though the main ingredients are fruits, it gives the sweet flavour instead of extra added sugar e.g. Instead of the regular cranberry sauce try apple, orange and cranberry.  
7. Add some nuts to your regular vegetable salad, like peanuts to increase the protein content of the food you eat.  
8. Parfaits are the perfect delicacies for the holidays. Try to omit crème, any kind of extra flavoring agents, and food colors. Yes, it may not be appealing to see but it will taste yummy. 
9. Chocolate chip cookies are everyone’s favourite during the holiday season. Try to add some orange or lemon zest to give it a tangy taste and helps in maintaining blood sugar levels to an extent. 
10. Who doesn’t love cocktails and cocktail sauce where capers are commonly used. Simple substitution with olives or omitting capers would be ideal to lower the sodium content.  
11. Using water instead of wine during stock preparation helps in lowering the calories and alcohol content of the prepared meal. 

By now you must be aware that it is possible to enjoy the wonderful foods this holiday season and keep your blood sugar stable. 

Bottom-line:  Managing diabetes during the holidays is not so difficult. Just make healthy food choices during the holidays, balance your food intake by limiting the sweets and desserts which are high in calories, high fat and high sugar, maintaining alcoholic drinks in moderation and ensuring good physical activity are the key points in managing diabetes during the holidays.  

Enjoy this special time of the year with good health, happiness and love of your near and dear ones.  

Happy Holidays!

Written by Aishwarya Deepika, ENHAPP Wellness Coach & Nutritionist 

The post Difficulty in managing diabetes during the holidays? appeared first on ENHAPP.

Let’s explore the magic of the mighty chestnut with respect to diabetes!  

Are Chestnuts high in Sugar? 

Chestnuts are low in calories and fats unlike other nuts. They possess good amounts of carbohydrates which is nothing but sugar, which is a sparkling factor compared to the other tree nuts. You must be wondering how can carbohydrate being sugar help in diabetes? Well, it is the complex carbohydrates/sugar which is present and complex carbs are beneficial for people with diabetes.   

Do Chestnuts raise blood sugar level?  

Chestnuts contain resistant starch (complex carbohydrates) which aid in transferring the sugar to the blood in a very controlled manner. Thereby helps in managing blood sugar levels by raising blood glucose slowly. This helps to avoid spikes in blood sugar, which can be dangerous for people with diabetes. Due to its high carbohydrate content, it is recommended to consume in prescribed quantity for a diabetic person. Recommended quantity – 1 ounce (28g) per day.  

How do Chestnuts stabilize blood sugar levels? 

Chestnuts have low glycemic index (GI) which are preferable for people with diabetes. Lower the glycemic index higher is the Fiber. Fiber in chestnuts improves blood glucose levels by helping insulin work more effectively. This is extremely important for people with diabetes type 2.  

Do chestnuts improve gut health in diabetics? 

The bacteria in your gut can affect your blood sugar levels and overall health. Studies have shown that disruption in the gut microbiome can contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes. The fiber in chestnuts acts as a prebiotic, fueling the gut bacteria and in turn help in maintaining a healthy gut and gut environment.  

Are chestnuts a good source of antioxidants? 

In the diabetic condition, the blood glucose levels are high leading to the generation of molecules which damage the cell function, aggravating insulin resistance and worsening diabetes. Chestnuts are excellent sources of antioxidants like vitamin C and gallic acid which is like an antidote to the present scenario. It helps in suppressing insulin resistance thereby improving insulin sensitivity which means it makes insulin more responsive to the cells.   

Do Chestnuts lower inflammation? 

Diabetes is a chronic condition where a person is prone to inflammation. Chestnuts contain polyphenols and antioxidants like vitamin C, ellagic acid which help in reducing inflammation.  

Do chestnuts help in lowering LDL cholesterol? 

Chestnuts lowers “bad” LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels in people with diabetes. It prevents the clogging of arteries and improves the functions of the blood vessels. It also reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease associated with diabetes.  

Do chestnuts boost immunity? 

People with diabetes are susceptible to infections due to high levels of blood sugar. Chestnuts are a good source of Vitamin C, which stimulates the production of White blood cells, strengthening the immune system to ward off any kind of infections or pathogens.  

Do chestnuts improve bone density? 

People with diabetes especially type 1 have poorer bone quality due to long standing disease and poorer blood sugar control which increases the risk of fractures. Chestnuts are good sources of copper and magnesium. These vital minerals increase the bone mineral density and prevents the onset of age-related bone disorders such as osteoporosis. 

Do chestnuts have Vitamin E? 

A diet low in vitamin E has been associated with the development of type 2 diabetes. Chestnuts are good sources of Vitamin E which has been shown to help insulin work more effectively in people with diabetes. 

Do chestnuts improve brain health? 

Studies have shown that diabetes reduces the cognitive functions because of the damage done to the small blood vessels in the brain overtime. Chestnuts are rich in the Vitamin B family like folate, thiamine, riboflavin etc. which are linked to neurological development and function. They help in maintaining good brain health. 

So, Chestnuts are indeed diabetic friendly!   

You must be wondering how to incorporate these amazing nuts in your diet? 

Ways to include chestnuts in your diet: 

• Simple roasting of chestnuts and snacking will be a great option as your evening or mid-morning snack. 
• Puree the nuts and use it as a substitute for peanut butter.  
• Crush the nuts over a fruit bowl or on fresh yogurt.  
• Add a mix of these crushed chestnuts to your regular stuffing’s or salads.   
• Roast chestnuts and make a flour out of it and use it as sheets, cookies and bread. It is a great option as a diabetes snack. 

Chestnuts are not only Chip and dale’s favorite, it can be your favorite too as they are amazingly delicious, mildly sweet and versatile enough to incorporate in any way you want and the most important is, it is diabetic friendly. However, since Chestnuts are considered a high carb nut it is recommended not to binge on these for people with diabetes (type 2). It is recommended to have chestnuts on a daily basis limited to 1 ounce (28g) per day which is proven to be beneficial for people with diabetes. 

Happy Munching!  

Written by Aishwarya Deepika, ENHAPP Wellness Coach & Nutritionist 

The post Are chestnuts good for diabetics? Explore the health benefits of chestnuts appeared first on ENHAPP.

“Does intuitive eating lead to weight loss ?”

Since the Paleolithic period humans have evolved to cope with controlling eating impulses that proved necessary for their survival during the era, when humans hunted and gathered, and fat, salt, and sugar were in short supply. To ensure that they ate an adequate amount of supplies, they evolved a craving for binge eating. In fact, some of the brain mechanisms involved in pleasurable response to sugar and fat correspond closely to those involved in response to opioid drugs like morphine and codeine.

Humans nowadays live in an environment with a surplus of food and drinks that satisfy these cravings and, in the process, make them overweight, cause illness, and shorten their lifespans. An adult can get by on as little as 500 milligrams (mg) of sodium a day and can certainly live without sugar (and, in fact, without any kind of carbohydrate as long as an adequate amount of fats and proteins are available).

There’s nothing natural about today’s eating habits; with agricultural and food policies and interests, both past and present, determining control over food choices, prices, and even the locations where food gets purchased. But as individuals, we must cope, choose wisely, eat less and resist the enticing temptations.

Many people have reported that adopting diets low in salt, fats, sugar, and animal products alters their eating impulses, and scientific evidence does indeed exist to support this experience. Researchers have also investigated methods to control eating habits towards more health promoting foods. In general, and as expected – the taste palate and food preferences are more flexible when in young age (or, in utero), but even adults can still work on them.

FLAVOR AND WEIGHT LOSS

In contrast to popular opinions, ‘flavor’ is not just taste, but a combination of smell, texture, and taste, which is processed by separate sensory nerves and then, quite remarkably, combined into a single stimulus in the brain.

The smell of food gets processed in two different ways, according to where it gets perceived. In the oronasal passages in the front of the nose, it’s perceived as aroma, while in the retro nasal passages in the back of the mouth, it gets accommodated into the broader perception of flavor.

Broadly, five types of tastes have been identified, out of which four are familiar to most people: sweet, salty, sour, and bitter. The fifth is umami, which is triggered by salts of glutamate – the best-known of which is monosodium glutamate – sometimes described as a meaty or savory taste.

In the light of flavor, fat is interesting. Undoubtedly, it supplies texture, giving food viscosity (thickness) and lubricity (slipperiness). But there’s also some indirect evidence that we taste fat through fat receptors that may function like those for sweet, bitter, and the other well-recognized tastes.

Taste perception was a survival skill for hunters and gatherers. All herbivores and omnivores have an inborn liking for sweetness, probably because it’s an indicator of high caloric content in plants. Additionally, there may be an inherent craving for fat (also an abundant source of calories) that promotes binge eating and surplus calorie accumulation until one’s appetite is satisfied.

MODIFYING FLAVOR PREFERENCES TOWARDS WEIGHT LOSS

Several studies have shown that a baby’s taste preferences can be altered by the mother’s eating habits when she was pregnant. The children of mothers with bad cases of morning sickness have a stronger preference for salt than the children of mothers who didn’t have morning sickness. It is believed that a preference of salt might be the consequence of the mothers getting dehydrated due to vomiting.

Although it doesn’t seem likely that flavor preferences can shift at an older age, several studies have shown that people who manage to follow a low-sodium diet for several months wind up preferring lower concentrations of salt in their food.

Several experts on nutrition and behaviour change have developed a number of behavioural techniques for reducing ingestion of unhealthy calories. Brian Wansink, a Cornell University professor and author of “Mindless Eating”, has identified five situations where people are particularly at risk of ingesting large quantities of calories. He has termed them as “meal stuffing,” “snack grazing,” “restaurant indulging,” “party bingeing,” and “desktop or dashboard dining.”

To reduce Meal Stuffing, Wansink suggests using a smaller plate, and serving the meal from the stove, not from the dining table. “Our research shows you eat 22 percent less on a 10-inch than on a 12-inch plate,” he notes. To reduce Snack Grazing, keep the snacks at least six feet away from your desk or from wherever you’re sitting. The distance forces you to think before you grab another bite, and Wansink’s research shows that it can translate into a 125-calorie reduction in your daily energy intake (every little bit helps). The same distancing principle applies to Party Bingeing. You should also put no more than two items on your plate on any trip to the snack table and start with the bulky, low-calorie stuff – like raw vegetables.

Wansink also advises people not to try more than a couple of his techniques in one go. “We find that if people can maintain changes for a couple of months, they will then make a second, or third, or fourth change,” he says.

A TASTE FOR VEGETABLES PROMOTES WEIGHT LOSS

Altering our palates so we don’t incline towards unhealthy salt and sugar is one way to go. An alternative strategy is to increase our taste for food items are that certifiably health conscious, like vegetables.

Most vegetables have a low-calorie count, an asset in a high-calorie food environment, but also part of the reason why people find them unappetizing. Vegetables also contain bitter compounds – and some people have a genetic propensity to experience more bitterness from vegetables (as well as other foods) than other people do. Heightened bitterness overshadows sweetness. Vegetables tend to be more palatable to people when the bitter and sweet tastes are nicely balanced and form that sophisticated bittersweet experience.

Humans are programmed to seek variety in order to obtain all the nutrients required. Thus, eating a variety of vegetables in a single meal is another way to encourage greater intake. Conversely, this information can be used to reduce consumption of sugar and salt by limiting the number of those calorie-dense food items consumed in a single meal.

DEVELOPING A TASTE FOR WHOLE GRAINS TO LOSE WEIGHT

The genetic variations that affect one’s reaction to bitter-tasting vegetables may also influence the liking of whole grains. According to dietary guidelines, more than half of the grain-based food consumed should be made from whole grain. At least in early stages, one strategy for making whole grains more appealing is to simply mix in some refined grains. In one study, researchers estimated the consumption of buns served at lunchtime in school for children in kindergarten through sixth grade. Over the course of the school year, the proportion of whole-wheat flour included in the buns was gradually increased from nothing to 91 percent without the students’ knowledge. The kids ate similar amounts of the buns until the percentage of whole grain flour reached about 70 percent. After that, the amount of discarded bread increased.

A LITTLE INDULGENCE STILL HELPS LOSE WEIGHT

Weight-loss and other kinds of diets have a long history of poor long-term success. One possible explanation – among many – is that completely excluding certain foods, and their flavors, enhances our appetites for them. Once again, moderation is a good idea.

Research has shown that individuals under a dieting regime are more sensitive towards food cues than non-dieters – when they see an enticing food item, their ability to stop thinking about it is less than non-dieters. This holds true even if they’re consuming just as many calories as non-dieters.

To put it another way, an excessive dietary restriction can lead to binge eating. In one experiment, dieting and non-dieting females both were served either nothing, one milkshake, or two. Then they were asked to taste and rate some ice cream. Dieters who felt they’d broken their diets responded by overeating the ice cream, regardless of whether they had consumed one or two milkshakes. The non-dieters did no such thing.

CHANGING PRECONCEIVED NOTIONS OF WEIGHT LOSS

Although the sensory experience of eating probably holds the biggest influence on one’s gustatory desires, prevalent ideas about food can also shape them. When researchers told college students that they were getting an “energy drink” (even though it wasn’t), the students’ pulses rose following ingestion – which did not happen in control subjects.

In this day and age, advertising is a particularly powerful form of suggestion. This is found to be true, especially for children, and isn’t all that bad. Studies have shown that exposure to advertising makes children who are naturally wary of new foods, more receptive towards trying them out.

The post Can intuitive eating lead to weight loss? appeared first on ENHAPP.