Diabetic Digest - June 25, 2014

Readers:

Here's something that really surprised me. Dogs are being trained to alert those with diabetes to the fluctuations of blood sugars so they can take measures to get it under control. Can you believe that?

To learn more about this amazing story take a look at the article below and visit the Original Article page that features a video.

And if you're hungry make sure that you take the time to enjoy a couple of Cheesy Tuna Dogs this summer. Just typing the name makes me hungry. Cheesy Tuna Dogs. That sounds so good.

Enjoy!

Regards,
Steve

P.S. Did you miss an issue? You can read every issue from the Gophercentral library of newsletters on our exhaustive archives page. Thousands of issues, all of your favorite publications in chronological order. You can read AND comment. Just click GopherArchives

Comments? Questions? Email Steve


*-- Diabetic News --*
Service dogs help detect diabetes
From: America Now

"Jagger" is the newest member of Brittany Forster's household, arriving from the Guardian Angel Service Dog program. His trainer, James Faulkner, is from Virginia.

"We train the dogs to alert to the fluctuations of blood sugars. What will happen is when a diabetic's blood sugar will get high or low, they will either bark, whine or let the diabetic or family member know," said Faulkner.

He said the dog can literally smell the change.

"They can actually pick up on the scent 20 to 45 minutes before the meter can actually detect it," said Faulkner.

As Brittany bonds with Jagger, her family remembers a day when Brittany had a close call when her sugar number skyrocketed. She was in the hospital for a while. Her mom, Alisha Acuna, still checks her throughout the night, fearing the worst.

"Nightly I still get up at 2:00 in the morning to test her, because I'm scared that she could drop and go into a diabetic coma or have a seizure," said Acuna.

But with the addition of Jagger, she hopes for the best.

"I expect the dog to save her life," she said.

Brittany said she's afraid of dying, but she is also hopeful Jagger will be her lifeline to her future.

"He's with me all day and I already love him," said Brittany.

Because Jagger is only 12 weeks old, he'll still be in fine shape by the time she goes off to college.

Brittany's parents said another fear is when their daughter gets old enough to drive. But with Jagger's early diagnostic nose, they'll be able to breathe a little easier.

Faulkner said they will talk with the family every week and visit periodically to make sure Jagger stays on point.

Original Article: Service dogs help detect diabetes


*- Diabetic Recipe -*
Cheesy Tuna Dogs
Servings: 2
Prep time: 5 minutes

Ingredients
1 2-ounce can water-packed tuna, drained
1 tablespoon dill pickle relish
2 scallions, white part only, chopped
2 tablespoons shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
1 shredded lettuce leaf
1 tablespoon reduced-fat mayonnaise
1 medium tomato, diced
2 hot dog buns

Directions
1. In a small bowl, flake tuna with a fork. Stir in dill pickle relish, scallion, cheese, lettuce, and mayonnaise.
2. Partially open hot dog buns and fill each with half of the tuna mixture.
3. Wrap each filled bun with microwave-safe plastic wrap or waxed paper.
4. Microwave on MEDIUM (50% power) for 90 seconds or until cheese melts.
5. Carefully unwrap the buns and cut in half or leave whole. Sprinkle with diced tomatoes.

Nutrition Information
Per serving: 187 calories (29% calories from fat), 11 g protein, 6 g total fat (1.9 g saturated fat), 21 g carbohydrate, 1 g dietary fiber, 14 mg cholesterol, 500 mg sodium
Diabetic exchanges: 1 lean meat, 1 1/2 carbohydrate (1 1/2 starch)

Original Recipe: Cheesy Tuna Dogs

***
Missed an Issue? Visit the Diabetic Digest Archives