What is Awaiting Us...?

Doesn't everybody at some point in time look to the future. Whether its looking to tomorrow or 10 years from now. Well how about 40 years from now? What does the future say for us in 2050. Will apparently, according to a new study, in 2050 the number of Americans with diabetes will triple! Especially if things continue as they are now. Triple! 31% of Alabama already have diabetes now! Think what the number would be when it triples for the entire country. Scary huh?

Well it doesn't have to be. Eat Healthier! Outside of school or the past month I've been eating only vegetarian meals, and it does make a difference! Come on healthy food taste good too sometimes! It's as simple as switching to Multi-Grain Tostitos (the ones you eat with salsa) So come on, try it. I promise you, if I can do it, so can you!

NY Mayor Tries to Ban Food Stamps for Sodas

According to this New York Times article from October 7, New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg is facing opposition in his proposed plan to keep food stamp recipients from using the government-run food program to purchase sodas or any other drink with sugar added to it. The arguments for the proposal, which is backed by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, regard soft drinks' role in causing obesity and diabetes, as well as the previous banning of sodas in school lunchrooms.

The article reminds the reader that "the food-stamp program had not changed since 1977: 'any food or food product for home consumption except alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and hot foods or hot food products ready for immediate consumption.'" Basically, right now no one may use food stamps to go out to eat, buy take-out food, or buy beer, wine, cigarettes, etc. The prohibition of these items seems like a good idea, since I don't think anyone wants a person to use food stamps for these kinds of items.

However, adding unhealthy grocery-store items to the list of taboo items will be more difficult. It still seems like a bad idea to use food stamps for Cokes, Doritos, and Twinkies, but where is the line for intervening in which foods are purchased with the vouchers? I, too, would like to believe that the government assistance should be used to buy healthy food, but the truth is that I eat a lot of junk food too, so I would be kind of a hypocrite to proclaim my support of Bloomberg's proposal, wouldn't I?

And the Winners are...

It's great to be in the top three, right? Well, apparently not always! Congratulations, Alabama, you ranked number 3 in Clinically Depressed States (Mississippi was 1). Though Alabama's diagnosis for this depression, is just being plain lazy! Yeah, we all have our lazy spells, but extreme laziness affects our health more than we know. It may not seem like much to lay on the couch and chow down on a bag of chips, but when that becomes a lifestyle, then we have a problem. 65% of people in Alabama suffer from obesity! That's over half the state! Also obesity is the second highest cause of death in the country and it can lead to diabetes!

Also Alabama also wins another prize tonight. "As expected, Alabama leads the nation in adults diagnosed with high blood pressure, 31% of people in Alabama with the disease compared to 24.9% nationally, according to Centers for Disease Control, 2002 (CDC) research. And increases in adults with diabetes, Alabama, was 10.5% higher in the U.S. more than twice the rate of 5% of the fiftieth place in Minnesota."

The prizes just keeps on coming! Now I know these obviously aren't things to be proud of, but they are what they are. Who's going to make a change? Alabama can't change itself! It's up to the people. Taking action is a choice! Obesity is a condition that needs treatment! It doesn't have to be a lifestyle.

Click here to read the article about obesity and fitness.

The Farm to School Program

This program supports efforts to provide healthier food options in school cafeterias:
http://www.ecotrust.org/farmtoschool/

The New School's "Edible Schoolyard"

I found this project via an article in The Atlantic about the Edible Schoolyard, a program at a middle school in Berkeley, California. The Atlantic article explains that a study has shown that students who grow their own food make better choices about eating. This particular program was founded by famed chef Alice Waters of Chez Panisse.

For a year or two in the past, another teacher at BTW and I have discussed the possibilities of having student-tended gardens on campus. We had in mind the unused green space by the teacher parking lot, which gets sun all day long. The soil would have to be improved, because it's basically sand and rock, but it could be done. Maybe it's time to think about something like that at BTW.

Put Down the Pen and Pick up the Chicken!

People get busy, we all know it. And what we do when we're busy sometimes conflict with our health. We'll down an energy drink or take a few pills to keep us going. We even skip meals, I know I'm guilty for this. We see eating as taking up time instead of a healthy choice. Diabetics can't make this mistake. Skipping even one meal can lower their blood sugar level to the point where it needs immediate attention! As I posted in an earlier blog, my dad is diabetic. Recently, he had to be taken to the hospital because his blood sugar was too low. Next time we think about skipping a meal, don't. At least grab something to snack on. Some people don't have the "luxury" of being able to skip meals just to be able to have more time in the day. Just something to think about.

Here's a little something I wrote on this:

You know your body,
you know your limit
don't push
step back

You don't have to be
strong.
Not for me
I can take it

Don't sacrifice
what's important--
you
Please

Yeah, its not great but its just how I felt.

Life is not over because you have diabetes. Make the most of what you have, be grateful."
Dale Evans Rodgers

Who's Hungry?

This week I got a first hand experience at what dinner is like for diabetics. My mom cooked us a homemade low carb, meal. It was he own creation that she came up with on her own. Soon we'll be using the Diabetic cook book I came across, but for now creative ideas will work. She made a chicken casserole, with white chicken breast strips as the main meat. She seasoned it with chives and basil leaves and different vegetables. She used Campbells Cream of Chicken and Cream of Celery soup for the sauce bass. Also instead of topping it with fried onions like we do with most casseroles she crumbled up crackers and topped it with that. It was delicious and good. Eating healthy doesn't always have to be tasteless. You just have to get creative! Here a few pics of our family meal.
For more suggestions and tips about eating healthier click Here. This isn't just for diabetics. It's for anyone who wishes to eat healthier a few days out of the week, or just have a healthy diet. Enjoy!

Laughter is the best medicine - unless you're diabetic, then insulin comes pretty high on the list.
Jasper Carrott

An Apple A Day Keeps The Doctors Away

The increase in the amount of people who have diabetes is increasing everyday! I personally dont understand why more people are not doing more about it. Let's be honest. How many of us actually look at the amount of calories food contains before we eat it. Being truthful, most of us don't, myself included. Just because we eat healthy maybe once or twice a week, doesn't mean we can "pig-out" the rest of the week. I mean I know you see commercials where they say "diets don't work." That might be true, I don't know, but I do know that there is absolutely nothing wrong with eating healthier, or incorporating a vegetable not smothered in cheese into our food groups.

I'm not saying you have to always eat healthy, but you don't have to always eat un-healthy either. Everyone has their weakness, and that's okay. But it is not okay to just ignore the fact that eating healtheir helps you more than eating un-healthy does. Besides, as the old saying goes "an apple a day keeps the doctors away"