Diabetic Digest - Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Readers:

When I see that Halloween is only a short time away I always feel the need to share this story with you.

When I was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 9, I was devastated when Halloween came around. Before then it was the only time of year that I ever really ate candy (I wasn't a big candy person). That year I still dressed in costume and went from house to house with my brother to get him more candy, but I got to keep the pennies and dimes that the old ladies in the neighborhood would give us.

When I went to our neighbor's house to trick-or-treat I discovered that they had gone out and found some sugar-free candy just for me. Diabetes was still new to my family and we had no idea that sugar-free candy was even available (Remember this was over 20 years ago). It was the greatest feeling to be able to enjoy Halloween and trick-or-treating like in the past.

Today, kids with diabetes can enjoy candy on Halloween just the same. I recently went to pick myself up some sugar-free candy and I just can't believe the variety that's available for diabetics to enjoy on Halloween or any other time.

Halloween is just as fun as it ever was and I was glad, I am glad. We all know what a little treat can do for your spirits.

But be warned... too much sugar-free candy can have a laxative effect so go easy on the stuff. Have a safe and happy Halloween.

Regards,
Steve

Questions? Comments? Email Steve

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*-- Diabetic Study --*
Badly controlled diabetes found to affect bones
from: Diabetes.co.uk

Research by scientists in the United States and Japan has found that diabetic nerve pain and degeneration starts because of a fusion between bone marrow and nerve cells that can lead to nerve death and dysfunction.

The study showed that too much blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes could mean bone marrow cells to start moving next to nerve and other tissue cells and fusing into them. As bone marrow cells fuse into nerve cells and cells of the nervous system, it results in the cells dying off early and malfunctioning.

The activation of a specific enzyme is known to be a major determinant for the development of diabetic neuropathy, and the team examined bone marrow from normal mice that were susceptible to diabetic neuropathy and transplanted it into mice resistant to the neuropathy, finding that the transplanted marrow made the mice susceptible to the diabetic neuropathy.

However, when they transplanted marrow from mice that were not susceptible to diabetic neuropathy was transplanted into those that were susceptible, the mice that got the transplant were seen to be protected from the problem.

Researcher Lawrence Chan commented on the study, which was published in the FASEB Journal, "Diabetic neuropathy is one of the most common and most devastating complications of diabetes."

He added "These experiments show the relationship between neuropathy and bone marrow cells in this disease, demonstrating that uncontrolled diabetes is, indeed, bad to the bone."

Original Article: Badly controlled diabetes found to affect bones

*-- Diabetic Recipe --*
Pumpkin Muffins
Servings: 5
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Total: 55 minutes

Ingredients
cooking spray
1/2 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
1 small ripe banana
1/2 cup 1% milk
1 tablespoon granulated brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg yolk
2 tablespoons raisins

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 300°F. Lightly spray 5 cups of a standard muffin tin with cooking spray. Fill the 6th cup halfway with water
2. In a food processor or blender, combine all ingredients except raisins until mixture is smooth. (if you don't have a food processor or blender, you can also use your hand-mixer.)
3. Stir in the raisins.
4. Spoon the mixture into the 5 prepared muffin cups.
5. Bake for 45 minutes.
6. Unmold and serve when cool enough to eat by hand or refrigerate for up to 1 week and serve cold.

Nutrition Information
Per serving: 75 calories (17% calories from fat), 2 g protein, 2 g total fat (0.5 g saturated fat), 15 g carbohydrate, 1 g dietary fiber, 44 g cholesterol, 133 g sodium
Exchanges: 1 carbohydrate (1 fruit)

Original Recipe: Pumpkin Muffins Recipe


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