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	Tuesday October 11, 2011
Why Family Matters More than Ever As the old saying goes: You can't choose your family. But you can choose how to involve your family with your diabetes management. You see, when your family plays a role in helping you control diabetes, everyone in the household benefits. Some folks will try to hide their diabetes, avoiding discussing it with their spouse and other family members. But the fact of the matter is that diabetes affects so many aspects of your life that you need the cooperation and understanding of everyone under your roof. The more your family knows about diabetes, the more they'll appreciate what you're going through as you manage your health and the more they'll be able to help. Another reason to rally the family behind you: Anger and stress prompt your body to release hormones that drive up blood-sugar levels. That means the more calm your household, the better chance you have to manage your diabetes. To combine family life and diabetes control, try these five tips: 1 Downsize—don't eliminate—junk food in your cupboard. Take the middle ground: Buy tempting foods in smaller sizes, such as pints of ice cream instead of half gallons and small bags of potato chips. This allows other family members to snack and provides some automatic portion control. 2 Ask loved ones to identify signs of low blood sugar. Everyone in your household should know the signs—rapid heartbeat, sweating, double vision, mental confusion—and how to take emergency measures. The first thing they should know: People who are hypoglycemic usually claim to feel fine when they're not. Be sure your family knows where you store your emergency foods and how much to give you. If you have a prescription for glucagons, train your family to inject it. 3 Create a playbook of healthful recipes. Ask each person in your household to scour cookbooks, magazines and web sites for healthful recipes that look appealing. Try them out and put the "keepers" in your recipe file. Teach family members how to make at least some of these meals so the daily cooking duties don't just fall on one person. As family members become more involved in cooking, the more fun and healthy eating will be. 4 Have everyone come to the table for meals. Experts say that families reap enormous benefits when they eat meals together. Family communication is better, people eat more nutritiously, and the behavior of children is better, too. The peaceful result: Your household has less stress. And according to researchers, the more your family eats together, the better the experience will likely be and more everyone will benefit. 5 Discover new physical activities together. When you make physical activity part of your family's culture, everyone will benefit. If you have kids in your household, remember, they'll follow your lead. Studies show that family environment is one of the strongest predictors of childhood obesity. Becoming more active can be as easy as making it a ritual to take after-dinner walks or taking other, active family-friendly outings such as roller-skating lessons or going to pick-your-own produce farms. Another good family activity is signing everyone up for a charity walk. You can train and then participate together while doing something for a good cause. Tuna and Carrot Sandwich on Rye Adding more omega-3-rich seafood to your diet can be as simple as packing a tuna sandwich for lunch. This one is boosted by a lemony grated carrot salad, adding crunch and appeal while adding a serving of vegetables to your sandwich. Rye bread, in contract to other breads, can actually help lower your blood sugar. Serves 2 Ingredients: 2/3 cup shredded carrot (1 medium) 2 teaspoons lemon juice 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon chopped scallion 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill or parsley 1/8 teaspoon salt, or to taste 1 can (3 ounces) water-packed chunk light tuna, drained and flaked 1/4 cup finely chopped celery 2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise, divided 4 slices whole-grain rye or pumpernickel bread 4 lettuce leaves, rinsed and dried Preparation: 1     Combine the carrot, lemon juice, oil, scallion, dill (or parsley), and salt in a small bowl. Toss with a fork to mix. 2     Mix the tuna, celery, and 1 tablespoon of the mayonnaise in a small bowl. Spread the remaining 1 tablespoon mayonnaise over the bread slices. Spread half of the tuna mixture over two of the bread slices. Top with the carrot salad and lettuce. Set remaining bread slices over filling. Cut each sandwich in half. Per serving: 303 cal, 9 g fat (2 g sat), 38 g carbs, 17 g protein, 5 g fiber, 13 mg chol, 758 mg sodium On the Job: 5 Tips for Eating Well at Work For lots of us, grabbing lunch at work is an afterthought. We either pick something up on the run or, worse, hit the vending machine. To help control your blood sugar and make the midday meal healthier, follow these five tips: 1 Get hot. Use a hotpot or microwave to reheat food, such as a can of low-sodium soup or last night's stew.  2 Splash fruit. Bring several sliced limes or lemons to work in a plastic bag and store then in a fridge. Add them to water for a zingy taste, and you'll avoid the temptation of sodas. 3 Stash healthy snacks. Keep handy a supply of nonperishable snacks such as high-fiber cereal, low-fat crackers, cans of fruit, or trail mix.  4 Focus on food. When eating lunch, don't browse the Internet. Concentrate on enjoying your food. Surprisingly, this can also help you de-stress. 5 Brush and floss. After your midday meal, brush and floss. Cleaning your teeth will make you less tempted to eat again later in the day. 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
This weekly newsletter is from Reverse Diabetes, a multimedia resource from Reader's Digest to help people with diabetes take control of their health. Look for Reverse Diabetes magazines at newsstands everywhere; Reverse Diabetes books wherever books are sold; and daily tips and conversation at www.Facebook.com/ReverseDiabetes. View our Privacy Policy. Unsubscribe | Subscribe | Privacy Policy Have questions, comments, or suggestions? Email the editors today. Just click here! Reader's Digest Association 750 Third Avenue, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10017 Copyright © 2011 Reader's Digest Association, Inc. All rights reserved.