Sunday, November 7, 2010
Quicksand
Have you everr noticed that the Standard American Diet (SAD) is like quicksand? After decades of programming about what is healthy- it is very easy to get sucked back in again and again and eat "healthy" things which will jack up your blood sugar.
I just prepared some Vitamix bran muffins for breakfast. Each muffin (when you divide the batter into 12 small muffins) has 100 calories, 6 grams of fiber, and 3 grams of protein. I added 1 cup of blueberries into the bowl, and it made 9 medium sized muffins. I had half of one.
Today is going to be an especially busy day. I wish I had drank some green juice instead and now I would feel great. Instead my blood sugar is elevated. I imagine this must be a super common experience for (non-medicated) diabetics: taking the position that you will eat healthy food- only to notice that food jack your blood sugar. It is a very unpopular topic on "curing diabetes naturally" type boards. If you mention a slip- there is always someone ready to lecture you. But of course it must be common, or else everyone would easily heal their diabetes. I am going to keep telling the truth of my experience. We can never change, without looking at what is actually happening.
Anyway- I am returning to the practice of blogging at perfectbloodsugar.blogspot because it helps me stay focused on managing my health.
Last night I reviewed the 100 things to do before 2016. I had forgotten even making the list. It was appropriate because tonight I am going to a party where we will talk about what is yet to come. Today I begin again- taking a few resources with me. One will be this blog.
I just prepared some Vitamix bran muffins for breakfast. Each muffin (when you divide the batter into 12 small muffins) has 100 calories, 6 grams of fiber, and 3 grams of protein. I added 1 cup of blueberries into the bowl, and it made 9 medium sized muffins. I had half of one.
Today is going to be an especially busy day. I wish I had drank some green juice instead and now I would feel great. Instead my blood sugar is elevated. I imagine this must be a super common experience for (non-medicated) diabetics: taking the position that you will eat healthy food- only to notice that food jack your blood sugar. It is a very unpopular topic on "curing diabetes naturally" type boards. If you mention a slip- there is always someone ready to lecture you. But of course it must be common, or else everyone would easily heal their diabetes. I am going to keep telling the truth of my experience. We can never change, without looking at what is actually happening.
Anyway- I am returning to the practice of blogging at perfectbloodsugar.blogspot because it helps me stay focused on managing my health.
Last night I reviewed the 100 things to do before 2016. I had forgotten even making the list. It was appropriate because tonight I am going to a party where we will talk about what is yet to come. Today I begin again- taking a few resources with me. One will be this blog.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Berenstein Solution vs. Rainbow Green Healing
I see a lot of overlap between what these doctors are saying about how to help your diabetes through diet. Yet one is a vegan rabbi and the other is an advocate of meat eating. They both say eat tons of vegetables, avoid most fruits and starches. Coffee is bad. You need to exercise to control blood sugar and build muscle. Those fake sugars are very bad. Berenstein says most of them don’t work to control blood sugar, and Cousins sees them as toxic.
Berenstein says eat enough meat to feel satisfied. But Dr Cousins program brings in a spiritual dimension. He feels that you will not only be physically healthier if you don’t eat meat, you will be doing the ethical thing.
Both of these doctors will tell you that as a diabetic you cannot consume the starches, sweet fruits, sugar-free drinks and candies, coffee, etc that the American Diabetes Association recommends. Both will tell you there is big business profiteering on your diabetes. Both will tell you the standard medical approaches to diabetes care usually do more hard than good.
Berenstein says eat enough meat to feel satisfied. But Dr Cousins program brings in a spiritual dimension. He feels that you will not only be physically healthier if you don’t eat meat, you will be doing the ethical thing.
Both of these doctors will tell you that as a diabetic you cannot consume the starches, sweet fruits, sugar-free drinks and candies, coffee, etc that the American Diabetes Association recommends. Both will tell you there is big business profiteering on your diabetes. Both will tell you the standard medical approaches to diabetes care usually do more hard than good.
Rainbow Green Raw Food Cuisine / Diabetes Cure
I find it amazing that of the reviewers that say they have diabetes- every single one said this program lowered their blood sugars and it works. Yet, people give the program a lukewarm review because it is too hard, or there aren’t enough recipes, nor an exact diet given. Do you want a program that will help you cure your diabetes or not? This program gets you perfect blood sugar.
OK- the program is hard. Follow it only if you want to live a long healthy life.
As for not giving a specific program: he gives you formulas and patterns because then you can create endless menus and variety in your meals. He tells you which foods to eat, and which to avoid. He tells you how to juice-feast, four ways to get more greens, how to make green soups, how to make crackers and pates and wraps. He gives some recipes. There are tons of recipes online once you have these guidelines.
If your friends think this diet is too “extreme” then please consider that you deserve more support from the people you love. (My friends and family have given me complete support.)
This book is NOT an ad for his workshops. There are about 450 pages and only 10 describing the workshops. Those ten pages explain something that I think is very true- to live on a raw vegan diet, you need to learn about more than just food. (Honestly, to commit to curing your diabetes through any diet, one would probably need to learn about a lot more than food. It is a spiritual journey.)
OK- the program is hard. Follow it only if you want to live a long healthy life.
As for not giving a specific program: he gives you formulas and patterns because then you can create endless menus and variety in your meals. He tells you which foods to eat, and which to avoid. He tells you how to juice-feast, four ways to get more greens, how to make green soups, how to make crackers and pates and wraps. He gives some recipes. There are tons of recipes online once you have these guidelines.
If your friends think this diet is too “extreme” then please consider that you deserve more support from the people you love. (My friends and family have given me complete support.)
This book is NOT an ad for his workshops. There are about 450 pages and only 10 describing the workshops. Those ten pages explain something that I think is very true- to live on a raw vegan diet, you need to learn about more than just food. (Honestly, to commit to curing your diabetes through any diet, one would probably need to learn about a lot more than food. It is a spiritual journey.)
Richard Berenstein
The ONLY diabetes book that works long term for anyone I know is the Bernestein Solution.Yes, he has recipes using artificial sweeteners that I might prefer to avoid. Yes, he focuses on meat and eggs as a mainstay of your diet. That's a HUGE problem for anyone with an ethical dilema about meat. BUT- on this program you will not have cravings for sweets and you will maintain low blood sugars. Plus- he will break down the politics of the American Diabetes Association and American Medical Association for you so that you are educated to make your own decisions based on what works for your body and not on someone else making a profit off your illness.
Pulling Out of a Craving for Carbohydrates
I had started eating a bran muffin and a latte for breakfast- not happy for my blood sugar- but I was doing it. Then- whammo- craving sugar! And- here is exactly the way to pull out of a sugar craving:
First- forgive yourself. The guilt does not help- it makes you more likely to slip again.
Eat some protein and drink some water. Barry Sears M.D. also talks about this. You can normalize your blood sugars pretty quickly if you stop doing the things that are jacking them. Coffee/caffeine elevates blood sugar and makes you more tired in the long run, producing a vicious cycle. Drink lots of water to get hydrated. Eat protein and fiber rich green vegetables.
And, change the trigger. If you are eating at a particular time or place, so that you can identify particular habits you want to change- you need to scramble the signal. Go exercise before that class you can't stand. Exhausted after working the late shift? Jump in a hot shower and relax in bed with some new tunes instead of going to the refridgerator. It's not just being nice to yourself- it's about switching the channel on a habit.
First- forgive yourself. The guilt does not help- it makes you more likely to slip again.
Eat some protein and drink some water. Barry Sears M.D. also talks about this. You can normalize your blood sugars pretty quickly if you stop doing the things that are jacking them. Coffee/caffeine elevates blood sugar and makes you more tired in the long run, producing a vicious cycle. Drink lots of water to get hydrated. Eat protein and fiber rich green vegetables.
And, change the trigger. If you are eating at a particular time or place, so that you can identify particular habits you want to change- you need to scramble the signal. Go exercise before that class you can't stand. Exhausted after working the late shift? Jump in a hot shower and relax in bed with some new tunes instead of going to the refridgerator. It's not just being nice to yourself- it's about switching the channel on a habit.
"On" or "Off" Switch
I've met people who are either "on" or "off" raw, where "on" means doing everything perfectly and "off" means eating cheeseburgers, fries and shakes- and it doesn't make any sense. You can choose to eat reasonably healthy when you are not eating all raw.
If you find yourself either "on" or "off" raw, consider where else in your life you set yourself up to fail by either being too extremist in your expectations, or by giving up at the first set-back.
Raw is defined by many people as being 75% or 80% raw. It is nice to eat homemade hot vegetable soup in cold weather, and you will naturally eat more raw foods like salads in hot weather. Trust your own body wisdom.
If you are suddenly craving unhealthy foods- consider that it has NOTHING to do with your food choices. Maybe you are going through a very stressful time, maybe even an emotional growth period. Instead of thinking about food- maybe you should think about how to be kind to yourself. Avoid temptations for unhealthy choices by shaking up your routine and adding in things that really work for you. That could be visiting a friend or getting some exercise. What Michael Beckwith calls a "dark night of the ego" is an opportunity for your soul's growth.
If you find yourself either "on" or "off" raw, consider where else in your life you set yourself up to fail by either being too extremist in your expectations, or by giving up at the first set-back.
Raw is defined by many people as being 75% or 80% raw. It is nice to eat homemade hot vegetable soup in cold weather, and you will naturally eat more raw foods like salads in hot weather. Trust your own body wisdom.
If you are suddenly craving unhealthy foods- consider that it has NOTHING to do with your food choices. Maybe you are going through a very stressful time, maybe even an emotional growth period. Instead of thinking about food- maybe you should think about how to be kind to yourself. Avoid temptations for unhealthy choices by shaking up your routine and adding in things that really work for you. That could be visiting a friend or getting some exercise. What Michael Beckwith calls a "dark night of the ego" is an opportunity for your soul's growth.
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