Day 24-Add a Support System

Lean on me. You can't do this all alone. You need a support system. A support group, trusted friends, a skilled therapist, or your family. You choose, but you are going to need help.

Support groups have value for a number of reasons.

• Ends isolation. Nobody wants to be alone when faced with a problem. People who go to self-help support groups find real strength and insight that helps them deal with challenges.
• Boosting motivation: Groups can be "infectious" in success sharing. Hearing others describe how they're managing sugar cravings can motivate you to do the same.
• Shared understanding: While friends and relatives may offer well-intended support, they just can't know the struggles you face. A support group provides compassion, empathy, real-life wisdom and  informed support from people who've "been there."
• An accepting environment: You can talk about virtually anything in a support group without the fear of being judged or embarrassment.
• "Living the solution, not the problem:" The best meetings follow this credo. Rather than a pity party or complaint session, support groups are energized by creative ideas and shared solutions. 
• Peer support: Well-run groups share personal experiences and practical strategies, instead of being told what you should do. Newcomers are welcomed warmly. Don't be shy. 
• New trusted friends: Rock-solid relationships can sprout from these groups, often extending beyond official meetings to coffee talks, lunches, and dinner---even phone calls for emergency advice.
• Low cost anonymity: Many groups are offered at low or no cost. Members use first names to ensure privacy.
• The salt of the year: Some of the best-adjusted and friendliest folks on earth attend support groups regularly. 

A footnote on support groups. Experienced members tend to recommend you "take what you need and leave the rest." Meaning everything you hear won't immediately apply to you. Listen and keep the knowledge for later use. Some diabetes groups function under the premise that it's incurable. You know better and maybe you'll share what you know. Choose well when you select a group. Look for balance of newcomers and veterans coping with diabetes. Different perspectives add to the mix. Empathy is essential--it's why you're there. Steer clear of groups that charge a lot of money, push up to abandon your medical treatment or promise fast solutions and quick cures. Diabetes support groups come in all shapes and sizes, including those for children, teens, adults, couples, families, and women only. On-line support groups can be an immediate help. Use good judgment when browsing on-line groups. Be especially on guard for depression.

Set up a Wisdom Council on your own. What you don't think you can do that? Not everyone in your life can be supportive. But all you really need are just a couple of people you can always count on. It's essential to to differentiate between those who will support you and those who will make it easy to have a piece of cake. Here are some pointers on setting up a support group for yourself:

• Like any healthy relationship tell your friends what you need. Educate them about diabetes and the 30 day plan you're following. Let them know you're asking for their support and be specific about how they can give it.
• Talk to your core group honestly and directly about your condition. Share your real feelings about the disease, and let them know how much you value their assistance and their support. 
• Tell them  up front that there might be times when you're going to need their help, and make sure it's okay to call upon them.
• Share your intention to take control over your health and body. Explain what you've learned about foods that contribute to health and well-being---and the ones that don't. Talk to them openly about what's working for you and what isn't. This will help them support you when they see you're slipping.
• Invite them over for a potluck of dishes containing your favorite diabetes healing super foods. Share you knowledge about how these foods heal diabetes.
• Confess how hard it is to ask for help sometimes. You;ll be breaking down barriers that keep you isolated, and you'll be marshalling the support you need just by letting them know that, in fact, you do need them.
• You could be saving their life in the process. While none of your friends or family may have diabetes now, it's entirely possible they eventually may develop it. Get a pal to walk with you and to start eating better. By sharing your experience with your friends, you could be saving a life.

If none of this sounds possible for you, consider professional counseling. 

• Look for someone trained in cognitive behavioral therapy.
• Start by asking your doctor or diabetes educator.
• Ask your support group for recommendations.
• Don't hesitate to ask the therapist about his/her qualifications and familiarity or experience in dealing with diabetes and the costs involve.

On a personal note, I'm not a group kind of person. I think that's the nature of a creative person. My parents are both diabetic and I have my Dad following this program. However, I am likely to be derailed when I am with them. My brother is the guy who sends me everything he finds of healthy living. I appreciate that he cares. My daughter has asked for a list of the things I can eat so when I visit she will have them on hand.  I have friends who are a great support system and have watched me struggle with this for years. They are my biggest cheering section. One day I will try to find a before photo of me so that I can take an after and let you see my progress.

TTFN

Day 23- Eliminate Self-Sabotage

Being a diabetic is like being on a roller coaster. Self-defeating behaviors and negative thinking hurt your progress.

Did you think that the 30 Day Diabetes Cure was like a diet, you'd go on it, get well, and then discard it and go back to your old ways? If you did go back to day one and start again.

Pay attention to your eating plan. This is going to become your life style...forever. Don't ignore your blood sugar in favor of cookies. If you did, get back on and start again. Starting with the first ten days will get you back on track again.

Don't be discouraged. None of us are perfect. Trial and error is one of the most effective methods of learning. And like it or not you are learning to retrain your body to eat differently.

Top 10 Commitment Busters:

1. Keeping junk food in your home or office so you can "sneak" a treat.
2. Creating "special food rules" that let you slip into old habits on various occasions, like holidays, birthdays, or celebration dinners. 
3. Letting others sway your eating or activity schedule. Just because your mother-in-law wants you to eat her coffee cake doesn't mean you have to.
4. Giving in to "stress eating." After a hard day, it's easy to reach for a junky snack (especially if it's around the house).
5. Not recognizing that judgmental comments from family or friends over your new approach to diabetes are based in ignorance or their own insecurities.
6. Skipping your 30 minutes of daily walking because you "don't have enough time."
7. Not reminding your family that you need their support to succeed.
8. Forgetting to snack regularly(and healthfully) twice a day.
9. Still eating or drinking anything with sugar in it.
10. Skimping on sleep (one of the most healing aspects of your life).

Aristotle said, "Excellence is not an act, but a habit." Make your new way of eating a habit.

How to get back on track:

• Recognize your motivation: look at the reports on the toll diabetes takes on your health and life.
• Write it down: Create a week of diabetes healing menus
• Declare your intentions: Tell everyone you know that you are going to follow the 30 Day Diabetes Cure. Declaring your intentions ups the odds you will follow through.
• Get cooking: Block out an hour to make a double batch of vegetable soup, three bean chili, or a week's worth of Irish oatmeal.  Portion it into meal size containers and freeze for later.
• Find a sponsor: A mentor who understands having your plan derailed and knows how to help you get back on track. 
• Log it in: Keeping a daily journal of your meals, emotions, and activities can help jump-start new habits and keep you consistent.
• Recognize triggers: The doughnut in the office? The smell of French fries? Dessert after dinner? The stronger the trigger the more powerful it is. To break them, you have to recognize them.
• Be mindful: Old habits haunt us. Being mindful forces you to focus on the present. Use the one meal at a time approach and make a healing choice right NOW.
• Replace: Arm yourself with a replacement for your old habit. If munching on pretzels while watching TV was a habit, munch on fresh veggies instead.

Reject negative self-talk. Turn all your negative thoughts to positive ones.
Are you like me? Are you your own worst enemy? You can still reverse diabetes. You can get off your medications. You can reduce your insulin. You can avoid the deadly complications of diabetes. Most important is whether or not you believe it.

More tips to succeed:

• Exercise to curb your appetite. Regular physical activity is important.
• Eat green. You have permission to "pig out" on broccoli, greens, oranges, and beans--all great sources of folate. Stay on your healing path and you'll conquer cancer at the same time!
• Don't dine with overweight friends: Studies show that hanging out with people who are overweight makes you heavier. Choose your friends wisely. If you have overweight friends, drag them along when you are walking.

Finally step away from negative people who stand in your way to your goals.

On a personal note. My blood sugar this morning was 67...a bit low. My blood pressure was 111/56. On the low side.  Yes, this really works. Am I hungry? Only if I forget to snack or eat my lunch. Habits I'm working to fix.

TTFN

Day 22-Add Restaurants, Parties, and Travel

We are heading into the graduation open houses, weddings, and family gatherings that summer brings. If you've been following me you know these could quickly derail all the good work you've done.


So, dine out with savvy. Skip the bread basket. If you're having wine, ask that it be delivered with your meal and sip it. Start with a soup that doesn't have a cream base. Follow it with a salad and extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar on the side so you can control the amount. Pick an entree' of either fish, poultry or lean meat surrounded by lots of vegetables. If you must have a potato, request a small one without the sour cream and  bacon bits. Just add a small pat of butter and eat it skin and all. If you're at a restaurant that serves exceptionally large portions, ask the waiter for a doggie bag so you won't be tempted.

What about dessert? You just ate a lot of food (volume-wise not calories) you should be full. If you still have room for dessert, pick something simple and split it with your companions. One or two spoonfuls should satisfy you.

The Most important decision is where to eat. You already know fast-food restaurants are unhealthy. National chains also tend to be unhealthy, although if you're skillful you can navigate your way through one. You might have to ask the waiter for a side salad instead of French fries, but a good meal is possible. Olive Garden menu items are notoriously sodium saturated, so you need to ask that the chef use no salt.  When ordering Chinese stir-fries, request minimum oil and no MSG. Don't be afraid to stick up for yourself. Most restaurants are happy to accommodate special needs.

Seafood specialists, it's hard to go wrong with a fresh fish or a pile of seafood surrounded by veggies. Just don't order anything fried.

Thai food is always a good choice because it's loaded with veggies, while featuring seafood, lean meat, and poultry. Stay away from Pad Thai (which is fried noodles.). Most restaurants offer brown rice.

Asian cuisine not the Chinese buffet, with its chemically fluorescent sweet and sour sauces and oil-drenched veggies and meats. Stick to smaller Korean, Chinese, and Vietnamese restaurants offering homestyle meals. Go for brightly colored vegetable stir-fries loaded on brown rice.

Mediterranean, again probably not Olive Garden, feature fish, lean meat, lots of veggies, and salads are a good choice. Italian-theme restaurants are hit and miss because they usually feature pizza and pasta.

Japanese, hits high on the Doctor's list of diabetes healing foods. There's always fish, raw and cooked, and there may be brown rice. Nibbling steamed edamame (green soy beans) as a appetizer is a sure hit. You can usually get grilled wild salmon and a beautiful choice of vegetables.

Diners believe it or not most diners offer a wide array of real foods, starting with the  omelet. Eggs are your friend any time and can be accompanied by a variety of healing foods. Feel free to order green beans, baked beans, and salad in place of toast or potatoes.

Surviving the Holidays:

Eat before you go. Silly as you're going to a party where there will be lots of food. Exactly why you need to eat a filling, balanced meal with plenty of protein and veggies shortly before you go. You'll be less tempted to snack.

But I'm going to a party right after work. The secret of living a diabetes healing life in the outside world is planning ahead. Plan the night before to take some leftovers you can microwave and eat before you leave work. Or put together a heftier snack pack than usual. Include veggies, protein (hard boiled eggs or turkey slices with cheese) plus some low carbs (raw veggies and hummus, a half-cup kidney bean salad with bean dip) and don't forget to take a small bag of nuts.

Potluck jackpot: Someone always brings a big salad. Someone (you?) ensures there's a colorful raw veggie tray filled with freshly cut carrots, celery, chopped broccoli, and cherry tomatoes. "Someone" might make a tangy dip with garlicky Greek yogurt and herbs. The possibilities are endless. Cook up a pot of chili from grass fed beef or bison and two or three varieties of beans. Bring diabetes friendly dishes that you can enjoy.

Buffet survival skills: Cruise the offerings for those with maximum protein. Choose meatballs over pasta salad. Skip the mac and cheese, choose chili. Load up on salad and veggies. Nibble from the cheese tray but leave the crackers behind. If you're having a cocktail, go for a Bloody Mary or white wine spritzer and nurse it to the max.

Tips for Travel:

Get a map: If you arrive at an airport of train station without food, may the force be with you. Your only real option is to check a map, locate all nearby restaurants and choose places that at least offer a salad and fresh fruit.  At breakfast skip the fast carb bagels and choose scrambled eggs. Ask for a fresh tomato slice or fruit instead of potatoes. Pass on processed breakfast meats.

Pack your snacks: Never leave home without a personal supply of food. Yes, you have to do a little more pre-packing, but given flight delays you'll be glad you did. Some people even pack small coolers with diabetes healing foods.

A cooler for your car or a train trip is a must. Pack veggies, dips, hard boiled eggs, canned tuna and sardines, plus artisan cheeses. Be sure you include lean meats, tomato, lettuce (if you can eat it). plus condiments for making sandwiches on whole grain bread. Take a blanket so you can stop and relax at rest areas.

Other food cultures: Other cultures take food much more seriously than we do in the US, meaning in other countries it might be easier to make healthy choices. Avoid all fast foods period.

At a friend's home: Honor your hosts by enjoying what they prepare. Be vigilant about  portions, choosing mostly veggies and lean protein. Of course you'll try a small spoonful of any special dishes the host slaved over and you'll relish every bite. If it's a close friend, be sure to confide in your host about your condition. Most will be more than willing to accommodate you.

TTFN

Happy Memorial Day

Do not look for blog posts again until Tuesday. I will be honoring our fallen veterans with my family. I'm not necessarily reverting back to all my bad eating habits, but I will not be plugged into my computer.
To all our veterans still living I thank you. To those who have fallen, I hold you in deepest regard. To those still serving, thank you for what you are giving.

TTFN

Day 21-Eliminate Bad Eating Habits

Distracted eating is a bad habit. That's eating when you are watching TV, having drinks, or just random eating. You make bad choices and add extra calories you don't need.

Slow the pace of your eating so you get to feel the full sensation. The faster you eat the more calories you pack in. Savor what you are eating.

Eating as an emotional band-aid helps no one. You get angry with yourself. You grab bad foods. It's pointless to do. It just creates another cycle  you need to break. Learn to recognize the warning signals to emotional eating. Joining a support group, especially one for diabetics can help. If you eating habits are out of control because of emotions, now is the time to get help.

Yes, you can free yourself. Find a new definition of comfort foods. If it's sugar you crave, then make something with fruit in it and fill your sugar craving in a healthy way. Get distracted. If you are a bored emotional eater, make a deal with yourself. Instead of eating the next time, drink a large glass of water and get outside for 20 minutes. Still want to eat? Choose celery with peanut butter. Work with your hands. One of the most popular boredom eating foods is potato chips. Do two things I've done to get over that one. First don't buy them. Second learn to knit or crochet. I make baby layettes. I know some of the best dressed babies on the planet. Work with your hands if you are doing something, you can't eat. Finally try meditation or yoga.

Develop positive eating habits.

• Eat well all day long. By eating three meals and two snacks a day you'll be stopping the sugar plunges and that rollercoaster will end.
• Choose healthy snacks you love. For me an apple is a good one. Celery with peanut butter helps. Sometimes just a handful of nuts. 
• Drink water. I will be the first to admit I am not drinking enough water. Water helps your body process the sugars in it.
• Eliminate cocktail snacking. It's recommended that you only have your alcohol with your dinner meal. Not before and not after.

Here are 11 ways to curb overeating:

1. Eat on a regular schedule. I fail at this. I am working on it though.
2. Go grocery shopping, you can't make healthy healing meals if you don't have healthy foods.
3. Trash the junk. Get rid of the junk food snacks. 
4. Enlist family support. I have done this. My father is following this diet. I am hoping to get a couple other family members involved in it. 
5. Learn to cook with whole foods. Get rid of the processed stuff. Not a cook, time to learn.
6. Set a pleasant table and eat all your meals there. No eating in the living room on the couch...that's for bad habits. 
7. Create a food journal. Keep a notebook handy and write down everything you eat and the time you ate it. In just a few days, you'll have black and white evidence of the choices you've made that don't serve your quest for health. 
8. Eat when you're hungry...this is the reason I have trouble eating on a schedule. I'm not always hungry at the time I should be eating.
9. Become a unitasker. When you are ready to eat stop whatever else you are doing and concentrate on your food. 
10. Trust your feelings. When you find yourself reaching for comfort food in times of distress, recognize that your feelings need attention not your stomach.
11. Enjoy eating. Pay attention to your food. I did something totally crazy. I sliced up two parsnips and threw them and some fresh mushrooms in butter over medium heat and let them cook until the parsnips were done. I added a little sea salt and called it lunch. It was very filling. Not something I'd have normally made. Experiment, try new foods, just make sure they are healthy ones. 

TTFN
PS Today I fell off the food wagon. I don't feel bad as yesterday I was having trouble keeping my blood sugars above 70. My sugars were 45 when I awoke. By dinner they were 72. At midnight I was feeling funny and took my blood sugar it was 46. I am so glad I keep glucose tablets in my house as well as my purse. I ate a teaspoon of peanut butter for protein and took six glucose tablets. I read for an hour and took my blood sugar again. It was up to 71, but mine tends to go down at night, so I took two more glucose tablets. This morning it was 101. I don't mind that it was just over normal. I knew why. Tomorrow I will be back on course.

Day 20- Add More Physical Activity

We have walking and yoga now it's time to add more. Yes, I said more. Take your walking to a new level. Add trekking poles. They help to give you a more vigorous workout. Before you race out to buy them, try using ski poles.

Trekking poles give you a total body workout. They help propel you which means you are working harder. They also assist with balance and pace. Believe it or not they relieve the stress on your knees, hips, and other weight-bearing joints.


Add a pedometer. Ideally you should walk 10,000 steps a day. Park in the farthest corner of the lot for work, shopping or other appointments. Add a brief walk to your break or lunch at work. Fresh air will improve your mood and increase your attention as well as metabolize glucose. Ask a friend to walk with you. Give your dog an extra daily walk. Be a little less efficient at home and make several trips up and down the stairs. Be creative!

Keep a walking log. See how far across the United States you can walk. 

Step out with a group. Set a regular time to walk as a group. Regardless of who shows up....walk!

Establish group goals and make time for everyone to announce how they are doing. Periodically meet to cook/share healthy recipes. Check out www.myhealingkitchen.com for ideas. Share articles and books on walking. Remind each other that walking can reduce stress. Invite a speaker or personal trainer to teach you more about the relationship between diabetes and fitness. Share ideas for interesting new walk routes.

Get off the sofa!!!!

TTFN

Day 19- Add Better Sleep

Women listen up. If you are getting only five hours of sleep a night you are 250% more likely to get diabetes. Research shows that women who get seven or eight hours of sleep are less likely to get diabetes. So, let's find a way to get at least seven hours of sleep every night.

A well regulated appetite will allow you to get better sleep. Snacking before bedtime will not. Also less sleep=more weight.

Stay away from prescription sleeping pills. These drugs disrupt your natural metabolism and can lead to unwanted side effects, including the very real possibility of addiction.

Be aware of your sleep habits. Keep a journal. Just keeping track of how many hours you sleep or don't sleep and how you spend the last few hours of the day can help you make important changes. Even keep track of whether or not you had alcohol.

Stress--again. Find a way to reduce your stress so that you can get a restful night of sleep. Meditate if it helps.

Time to wind down naturally.

• Limit coffee/tea consumption to one or two cups before noon and none after that. Limit alcohol to one or two with dinner and none later.
• Stop work related activities two hours before bedtime. This includes computer use, reading files, making calls, texting, and checking(responding to) e-mail. 
• Turn off the TV and computer and put on some quiet music. Changing your TV/computer habits might be one of the most important ways to ensure a peaceful night's sleep. 
• If you're in the habit of staying up past midnight and yet get up at dawn, it's time to reset your inner clock. Give yourself all the necessary bedtime cues much earlier: put on your pjs, brush your teeth, and pretend it's bed time a couple hours earlier.
• Find evening activities that are calming; read a book, write in your journal, or just listen to quiet music. This might be a good time for yoga or meditation.
• Get into bed close your eyes and begin breathing consciously. Count each exhale backward from 100. 
• Exercise revs up your metabolism, so do it early in the day, not in the evening. Take a warm bath in the evening to detox or destress and relax. Sip a glass of warm milk thirty minutes before going to bed. 
• If you wake up in the middle of the night and can't get back to sleep, get out of bed for a while and putter around your house. DON'T turn on the TV or computer. 

I did learn myself this winter that if you are a diabetic, Melatonin is NOT the supplement you should take. It sometimes has the opposite effect on those of us with autoimmune diseases.Yes, diabetes is an autoimmune disease.

Take some action to ensure you are getting a good seven to eight hours of sleep.
TTFN

Days 17 and 18

The photo reflects where I'd like to be. Relaxing and being lazy. While I have been lazy the past couple of days I am not at the beach.

Day 17-Eliminate Depression. For those of you with diabetes you are familiar with the fact that diabetes and depression go hand in hand. I know for me the diagnosis sent me on an eating binge. The cycle of diabetes increases the depression. You and your doctor need to be alert to it.

There is also the diet depression connection. You faithfully follow a diet but don't seem to be losing weight. You're doing everything right. Still not weight change. Check the meds you are taking. Some diabetes meds cause you to gain weight. Sugars and sweets cause your body to depress the serontin in your system causing depression. That's why eating healthy is important.

Chronic stress can lead to depression. You have to find ways to reduce your stress. Caffeine, alcohol, and smoking also work against you. If you are a smoker, there is no better time to quit.

Get out an walk. Walking helps keep the depression at bay. The activity of walking elevates serontin levels. Get off the sofa NOW!

Talk to a trusted friend or find yourself a counselor who can talk you through the issues that are bothering you. Don't let depression take you down.

Day 18- Add Yoga
    Yoga helps with stress relief. Scientific studies show that people who do yoga live longer. There are some rules of thumb for starting yoga.

• Keep it calm and gentle-leave the power yoga to others
• Avoid up and down postures if you have retinopathy.
• Diabetes with neuropathy or foot problems will want to take extra care to postion themselves near a wall so that support is readily available.
• It is wise to get a pair of thick soled shoes to protect feet and toes from injury.

Get started today. Make sure you have talked to your doctor before starting. You might have to have a change in your meds to accommodate lower blood level schedules.
TTFN
PS On an up note, I weighed in this morning I am down  8.2 pounds since starting this. So, the weight comes off just by eating better.

Days 15 & 16

Day 15- reduce stress. I'm laughing out loud at that. Yesterday was my day 15. The books for my book launch did not arrive. Only about a dozen people showed up. I had two new book pre-paid orders and one poetry book sold. Stress....none in my life. LOL

In all seriousness, high stress=high blood sugars. I know this to be true. I have learned when I am truly frustrated by things out of my control, I crochet. I am almost done with a baby layette that needs to be in the mail by Monday. Stress also triggers bad habits. It's easy to binge eat when stressed. I know that, too.

Here are the stress factors you can control. Start by making a list of the things that stress you out. You hate lists or don't have time. NOW is the time to MAKE time. Working through the list might help you learn what triggers your stress. Be honest no one else has to see this list.

Stop watching all the news shows. Pick one to watch at one time during the day and forget the rest. Things on the news that are out of our control cause stress.

Sort it out. Once you have your list work through them, what can you eliminate? Can you walk the last five blocks home and relieve some stress? Have your kids set the table and load or unload the dishwasher. It helps them have an organized life. It relieves your stress. One less thing for you to do.

Limit your drive time. Share a ride. Bundle your errands and do them in one day or one trip. Plan appointments, car repairs, grocery shopping so there are days in between so you don't feel like you're rushing all the time.

Unclutter your life. Sort your mail into three piles: Must Do Now, Do later, and Forget it. Recycle the forget it items immediately. Organize your do later pile. So you know when it you have to do it. Take care of the do now pile. Procrastination creates stress.  Clutter creates stress, because you don't know where to start.

Learn to say NO. Don't take on too many extras. You are not required to do it all. Besides if your sick you can do them anyway.

Make "me" time. You need a time out once in awhile too. Take time to cook and eat well. Take time to get enough exercise and rest. Take time to do nothing.

Find ways to destress so you can be healthy.

Day 16-Add vitamins. Quality is the key. How do you know which ones are good? Look for the GMP seal (Good Manufacturing Practices). Other things to look for are USP-DSVP (US Pharmacopoeia Dietary Supplement Verification Program), NSF(An international dietary supplement certification program) These should be on the bottles.  Go for a good multi-vitamin. Dr. Ripich does not recommend the one-a-day multis that are based on Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) which are nutritional guidelines used by the USDA and FDA. These are minimal levels. You want the best for your money.

Are the ingredients absorbable? This is a big thing. Most of your major brands the ingredients go right through you and you really aren't getting vitamins.

The one pill myth-Natural, absorbable forms of vitamins and minerals take up lots of space inside a pill. So don't be surprised if the label says "Six capsules provide." The one the doctor takes he takes three in the morning and three at night. You could take it two in the morning, two at lunch and two at night.

Get good advice on which one to take. Educate yourself before shopping. Most store clerks are heading for the big pharma products.

Avoid gimmicks like the liquid vitamins or "whole" foods vitamins. The "whole" foods is a scam. Beware of supplements sold in your doctor's office. Your doctor should not be in the business of selling.

Dr. Ripich takes and recommends Nutrient 950. If you are over 50 he suggests UltraNutrient. You need extra Vitamin D. Especially if you are diabetic. This is known as the "sunshine" vitamin.  Vitamin D actually improves your diabetes. It can prevent or delay early onset diabetes. It also lessens the complications of diabetes.

Top 10 foods with Vitamin D

• Liver and other organ meats
• Wild salmon-not farm raised.
• Shrimp
• Cod
• Anchovies
• Fish oil
• Eggs
• Milk-fortified
• Red, yellow, and orange fruits and vegetables
• Dark green, leafy vegetables. 

Become a sun worshiper. Ten to fifteen minutes in the sun daily is good for your health. Minimize exposure during peak times of sun. Walk in the early morning or early evening.

The ideal form of Vitamin D is Vitamin D3(cholecalciferal). Avoid  Vitamin D2(ergoclaciferol) it is inferior and potentially dangerous.

Take the right dose. A minimum of 1,000 to 2,000 IU on days when you cannot expose yourself to sunshine.

Attention, seniors your body's ability to produce Vitamin D decreases with age. Seniors should take 2,000 to 3,000 IUs daily.

Children need it too. Giving children Vitamin D reduces their risk of developing Type 1 diabetes.

All that being said. Take nothing without consulting your personal physician. I am NOT a doctor. I only know what I am reading. 

I do know that I crave sunshine. I am looking to sell my home and move to a climate that offers more sun. I have long since given up the days of lying in the sun pretending to be a beach bunny. But I do know the days I walked on the beach on January and February afternoons I felt better.  I also am very aware that the grey days of winter get me down. A few cloudy days don't bother me, but months of cloudy skies are not good for me. It goes back to knowing your own body. No one knows it better than you do. You live in it daily.
TTFN

PS. I succumbed to a cupcake today. While it tasted good, not good enough to have screwed up the work of the past 15 days. I gave a dozen to my new neighbor. My welcome to the neighborhood.

Day 14-Eat More Beans

I know those don't look like beans. They are part of three dozen cupcakes made for my book launch tomorrow night. Much as I'd like to have one, I'm going to pass. Although my step-daughter did an awesome job.

Why on earth do you want to eat more beans? They regulate your blood sugar and improve your body's insulin response. Do you need more than that?

Here are some amazing benefits to eating beans:

• Improves insulin sensitivity, whether you're using your body's own insulin or injecting it. 
• Improves glucose tolerance the following day (also known as the "second meal effect"). Slow-absorption effect even a day after you eat resistant starch foods.
• Produces more satiety (the feeling of fullness) with less food. 
• Blocks you body's ability to burn carbs and prevents the liver from using carbs as fuel. Instead your body burns absorbed fat and recently eaten fat.
• Shuts down hunger hormones. Then you end up eating less.
• Lowers cholestrol and triglyceride levels. A welcome alternative to drugs.
• Promotes helpful bacteria, while suppressing bad bacteria and their toxic by-products. Builds your immunity.
• Encourages bowel regularity and discourages constipation.

So, have beans with beef, use them as your base for making your own veggie burgers, make Garbanzo flour crepes, add bean dip to your repertoire by  pureeing cooked fava or butter beans with non-fat plain yogurt, have black beans for breakfast, have refried beans add salsa, sour cream and shredded cheese. Make bean soup. There are countless ways to enjoy beans. And the best part is they are good for you.

TTFN

Day 13-Climb off the Couch

Time to move. Turn off the TV. People with diabetes need to be aware that being a couch potato equals more weight gain, more illness, and more risk of serious complications.

Start walking today. It's the easiest form of exercise. You don't need any special equipment. Just a good pair of shoes. Walking will increase your life span. Walking increases the number of insulin receptors in your body, thus helping your body to take care of the insulin produced. It also produces energy.

If you can't walk thirty minutes, because you haven't taken a walk in ages that's okay. Start with ten minutes in the morning. Then mid-afternoon walk another ten minutes.  Finally take a ten minute walk in the early evening.

Walk with your own style. No one expects you to race walk. Start with a stroll. It get's your body used to moving. Set your personal pace. Walk with someone. You should be able to carry on a conversation while you are walking.

More important that speed is your stride. What is the length of your step? How much are you swinging your arms? These are what you need to know to turn your walking into diabetes healing. Combine a slow pace with a brisk walk and then slow down again.

Time or distance? Many people work well on a time schedule, 10 min, 15 min, 20 min, or 30 min. Others choose a distance. Say walking to the corner and back is half a mile. Then walk half way to the corner to start with your goal being to get to the corner and back. Once you hit the corner pick another distance.

Start with three or four days a week. Work until you are walking at least six days a week. Make it your routine.

Where do you walk? A local park, your neighborhood, some place you feel safe. It doesn't matter as long as you are walking.

I'll be honest, I live on a main road where the average speed is 60mph. For me to walk I need to drive three miles to town and walk in the park. They have several walking paths, some longer than others. I prefer to walk with someone as I don't have an Ipod, walkman or any other type of music device I can carry with me. Besides, company on a walk is sometimes fun. I walked on the beach all winter. Some days I talked to people, some days I didn't see a soul other than the sea gulls. Each day I walked longer. Some days I waded in the ocean, some days it was too cold to do that. Either way the thought of walking on the beach kept me coming back.  Now I have to get into walking at home.

Are you still on the couch????
TTFN