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	Tuesday August 16, 2011
Organize Your Way to Better Health Have you ever needed a specific tool, say, pair of needle-nose pliers, but the tool chest is hopelessly disorganized? Or does one of your co-workers have an office so cluttered that it's nearly impossible to find anything? That kind of lack organization leads to time-consuming frustration. On the other hand, a well-organized workshop or desk makes everything run more smoothly. Your health is too important to be messy. Follow this handy checklist to clean up, reorganize, and streamline your household to help you manage your diabetes. Consolidate supplies. Most of us just leave things where we last used them—which drove our moms crazy, plus no one could ever find the remote. To ensure your diabetes supplies are where you need them and properly stored, designated a special area in an easily accessible area. Because you'll store your test strips here, be sure the space is cool and dry, which is why the bathroom is not the best supply area. Also, make sure all family members know where the supplies are in case they need to access them for you. Partition your pantry. It's a good idea to have a stash of snack bars for emergencies, so you're not caught without something to keep up your blood-sugar level if needed. Create a special section in your pantry that is only for such snacks. Make a strict hands-off policy for other family members. Buy a pill caddy. Many folks who have diabetes take eight to 12 different medications, vitamins, and other supplements. Keeping track of that many pills is difficult, as is remembering which ones to take when. Pill organizers with flip-top compartments will help you wrangle your medications. You'll be able to tell at a glance which you have taken and which you have not. Use a sharps container. These inexpensive puncture-proof containers have openings designed to let you drop in used lancets, insulin syringes, and pen needles without touching any of the unsanitary parts. They also lock for safety. Check on disposal, though, with your local refuse department. You may be able to take your sharps containers to a local hospital, too. Give your fridge a makeover. We all do it—unthinkingly open the refrigerator and grab a snack. Reorganizing your fridge so those easy-to-grab snacks are a little harder can prevent unnecessary munching. Always keep a big pitcher of water in your fridge, so that'll be the first thing you see and want to grab. Make it more enticing with some lemon or lime slices. Another plus: Drinking lots of water guards against water retention and flushes impurities from your body, which is very important for those with diabetes. Go to the big board. Buy a dry-erase board or calendar from an office supply store and put it in a very noticeable place in your home. By using a very simple system of hash marks or Xs, you can keep track of days you exercise and track servings of fiber-rich foods you're eating. Aim for at least eight servings a day. That organized, visual reminder is a simple way to help motivate you to eat better and exercise. Relocate the television. When your television is in the kitchen or dining room, it's easy to mindlessly eat. Plus, studies have shown that the more time people spend in front of the TV, the more likely they are to be obese. If you can, pair your TV with a treadmill or stationary bike. If you're gonna watch, watch while working out. Chicken Breasts with Peaches & Ginger Squeezing more fruit into your diet has never been simpler or more delicious. Here, sweet peaches, accented with fresh ginger, dress up a simple chicken sauté. Vinegar in the sauce balances the flavors and helps lower your blood-sugar response to the meal. Serves 4 Ingredients: 1 bunch scallions, trimmed 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast halves, trimmed 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste Freshly ground pepper to taste 2 teaspoons canola oil 3 tablespoons apple-cider vinegar 2 tablespoons sugar 1/2 cup no-sugar-added peach juice or nectar, or apple juice 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger 1 1/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth 1 large peach, peeled and sliced (1/2-inch wedges) 2 teaspoons cornstarch 2 teaspoons water Preparation: 1 Chop the scallions, keeping all of the white portions and 1/4 cup of the green portions separately. 2 If the chicken pieces are large, cut them in half lengthwise so that you have at least 4 pieces. Place the chicken between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and pound with a rolling pin or meat mallet into a 1/2-inch thickness. Season with salt and pepper. 3 Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned and no longer pink in the center, 3 to 3 1/2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. 4 Add the vinegar and sugar to the skillet. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Cook, swirling the skillet, until the syrup turns dark amber, 30 to 60 seconds. Add the scallion whites, peach juice, and ginger. Bring to a boil, stirring to scrape up any caramelized bits in the skillet. Cook for 1 minute. Add the broth and peaches. Return to a boil. Cook, turning the peaches from time to time, until tender, 2 to 4 minutes. Mix the cornstarch and water. Add to sauce. Cook, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 30 seconds. Reduce the heat to low and return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Simmer gently until the chicken is heated through, about 1 minute. Garnish with the remaining scallions. Per serving: 223 cal, 4 g fat (1 g sat), 17 g carbs, 28 g protein, 1 g fiber, 67 mg chol, 275 mg sodium 4 Dangers of "Sugar-Free" Snacks Can you eat "sugar-free," "low-carb," and "diabetic" candies, cookies, and desserts to your heart's content? The surprising answer is no. You'd think sugar-free foods like candy and soft drinks would have less impact on blood-glucose levels and waistlines than regular candy or soft drinks. But it's not that simple. Here's why. There's still "sugar" in 'em. The sweeteners they contain—called sugar alcohols—have half the calories of sugar. Under food-labeling laws, products containing sugar alcohols are permitted to call themselves sugar-free. Carbs raise blood sugar, too. While sweeteners like maltitol, mannitol, sorbitol, and xylitol may not be sucrose (the technical name for regular sugar), they do contain carbohydrates, each gram of which can raise blood glucose just as much as sugar does. Beware the bloat. Those sweet treats can also cause intestinal distress—from bloating and gassy rumbling to diarrhea. Calories still count. The products they're in often have just as many calories as regular treats. Our advice: Pay no attention to "sugar-free" claims on the packaging. Look instead at a product's total carbohydrate count and calories. Then go enjoy a piece of fresh fruit! Until next issue, here's to good health! Neil Wertheimer Editor in Chief, Reverse Diabetes	Advertisement Massage Mat Relieve tension, fight depression & relax your way to better blood sugar. Kitchen Cabinet Cures Find hundreds of the absolute best home remedies. 759 breakthrough tips that could save your life. -- 759 Secrets for Beating Diabetes
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