Happy Halloween from NutritiousFamily.com,

Trick or Treat! Can you believe it is already October? Wow time flies! So it is Halloween time and as a holistic nutrition coach it is tough for me to hand candy out to the cute trick or treaters! I dont want to be the lady who hands out apples and gets my house covered in toilet paper either! Every year I take my girls around the neighborhood to collect gobs of candy that I dont let them eat. We came up with a "candy day" in my house. All of the candy from holidays and birthdays etc, goes into a big zip lock bag and every Sunday the girls get to pick one candy to have. Sugar compromises the immune system and makes my children act like monsters, so it is not something I allow on a regular basis! The Immune system part is very important to remember for all the parents reading this! Kids are faced with germs every second of every day and if their immune systems are not strong and ready to fight off infection they will get the cold going around school. So limit the amount of sugar they get on a daily basis and keep up with the vitamins and healthy food choices so that they have a fighting chance when cold and flu season comes around! Speaking of Sugar, sugar, sugar, my topic this month is Diabetes! Please enjoy the information and pass it on! Diabetes Today 17 million people have diabetes and one million more are diagnosed each year. Appoximately 6 million people have it and dont know it. With its complications diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death in the U.S. Diabetes is increasingly being diagnosed in over weight children and adolescents who get little excercise and live on fast foods. Diabetes is a degenerative disease , strongly linked to long term diet over load and highly processed carbohydrates and sugar, and lack of fiber. It is a vicious circle disease, in which poor fat and sugar metabolism lead to obesity, which then leads to diabetes. The cycle keeps going because diabetes makes you want to eat more so symptoms are aggrivated. This type of diet over works and damages the pancreas so your body can no longer produce insulin correctly. Type 2 diabetics produce insulin but it is not used properly. Know the signs of Diabetes: Type 2: Largly non insulin Dependant -Always thirsty, urinate too often -Cuts and bruises heal slowly. Frequent infections -Loss of weight. constantly tired or drowsy -Blurry vision. mantal fogginess -leg cramps, prickly fingers and toes - episodes of impotence Type 1: Insulin Dependant -Thirsty and urinates often -Extremely hungry, unusually wanting to eat -Tired, lethargic, drowsy, irritable -Unusual trouble learning -loss of weight for no reason -Cuts and bruises heal slowly Controlling complications associated with diabetes Diabetic cataracts, glaucoma and retinitis: The leading cause of new blindness in the US is caused by diabetes. Ginko biloba extract will help blood vessel circulation to the eyes. Bilberry extract twice a day for effective flavanoids. Centella Asiatica for optic nerve support. Avoid foods sweetened with aspartame. A diabetic retinopothy diagnosis may often really be aspartame toxicity in the eye. Diabetic circulatory problems: Consider chelation therapy. Drink aloe vera juice each morning. Take zinc/methionine to improve zinc status without affecting copper levels. Diabetic obesity: Obesity is a risk factor for heart disease and obesity is a rsk factor for diabetes, thus diabetes is a risk factor for hear disease. Good diabetic meals are small, frequent (6 mini meals a day) largely vegetarian, and low in fats. whole grains, beans and vegetables reduce insulin requirements. Take chromium picolinate 200mcg daily. Acetyl-carnitine (1000mg), magnesium (800mg) and vitamin E (400IU) daily help over come insulin resistance. Diabetic neuropothy: Numbness, pain, tingling and cramping in the hands and feet. Follow a vegetarian diet. take 600 mg Alpha lipoic acid daily to lower blood sugar levels and reduce severity of symptoms.Quercetin with bromelain 2x daily to strengthen nerves. -Diet and lifestyle support therapy: eliminate sugars, alcohol, fried fatty refined carbohydrates,avoid cows milk and all fatty dairy foods. -Avoid caffeine and caffeine foods, hard liquor, food coloring and sodas. Even diet sodas effect blood sugar and the "fake sugar is dangerous. -Use Stevia as a natural alternative to sugar. -High fiber foods are a must. Fiber improves control of glucose metabolism, lowers cholesterol levels and promotes weight loss. -Chromium rich foods are key: whole grains, nutritional yeast, string beans, eggs, cucumbers, liver, onions, garlic, shitake mushrooms and wheat germ. -A daily green salad with flax oil dressing and salmon twice a week. Body work and lifestyle support DONT SMOKE. Nicotine increases desire for sugary foods EXERCISE. Insulin resistance drops by 2% for every 200 calories burned. Deep therapy massage helps regulate blood sugar use. Avoid phenylalanine. NO nutra-sweet or aspartame products. Check labels on drinks. Get 8 hours of sleep a night. Living life with Diabetes is a very tough and consuming road. When proper nutrition and disipline are included it can be a very long, healthy and fullfilling life as well! Some of the above information from "Healthy Healing" by Linda Page, Ph.D. Food Facts In this section I will talk about certain foods usually pertaining to the topic of the month. The first amazing food this month is oatmeal! So what is it about oatmeal that is so healthy? Oats are simply a great source of fiber and also the most protein amongst cereals. Oatmeal has a very low glycemic load, meaning it has a very modest effect on blood sugar. Type 2 diabetics benifit greatly from the beta-glucan found in oatmeal. It appears to be helpful in stabalizing blood sugar. Oatmeal also contain a polyphenol antioxidant unique to oatmeal and believed to have anti-inflammatory and heart healthy properties! Forget about the instant oatmeal packs though, they are high in sugar (which the benefits for diabetics disappear) and are processed and lose most health benefits. So stick with steel cut oats or rolled oats. Next super food is Almonds. Eaten in moderation Almonds are excellent for you, containing protein,fiber, are low in saturated fat and cholesterol, and may reduce the risk of heart disease. Almonds are a diabetic safe food since they contain virtually no carbohydrates. Almond butter and celery or apple slices makes a great pre -workout snack. Be sure to eat raw almonds, roasted or processed almonds contain less of the health benefits. Last food I want to talk about is Beans and legumes. Beans are loaded with protein and fiber and they digest very slowly, providing sustained energy and making them an ideal food for diabetics. To top it off they lower cholesterol and they are loaded with protective phytochemicals, anatioxidants and vitamins. Recipes Please visit www.NutritiousFamily.com for this months recipes! Mixed Apple Salad over Mixed Greens Butternut Squash Soup Chicken with pecan cream and mushrooms Pumpkin bread Ending Note! Thanks to all of my subscribers! I hope you continue to enjoy the information I share every month! I wish you all a Happy Healthy October. The year will soon be over so take time to reflect on all that you have accomplished this year and keep pushing towards all of the goals you have set for yourself. Please email me with any questions you may have about this or any of my past newsletters. Staci stacismith7@yahoo.com www.NutritiousFamily.com