May 29, 2019
Good Morning,
Before the end of May I had to let you know that I'm celebrating my 30th anniversary of living with diabetes.
I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 9 and now, 30 years later, I'm still hanging in there.
I can't believe that it has been 30 years. It seems like I was just a kid who was terrified out of his mind upon hearing that he was afflicted with a disease that he'd have to endure for his entire life. Don't worry. I've gotten used to it over the years.
Diabetes is a tricky one, but I've done my best over three decades to stay the healthiest I can, but I'm only human. I have my bad days and good days - significantly more good days than bad, I assure you.
Over the years it's become part of me, my personality, and how I live my life. I'm not sure if I'd be who I am today without it. I've got to think that being diagnosed was the best thing that could have happened to me - well, besides marrying my lovely wife Stacy. You can read about all about that in the latest Daily Groaner:
Ten Years and Counting.
Now, to celebrate my three decade decathalon with diabetes, just for today, I have altered Healthy Living to resemble its former self - the Diabetic Digest. I've got a health article about diabetes, plus a delicious recipe for Balsamic Chicken and Broccoli. Tasty stuff here, folks!
Please enjoy and take care of yourself! Thanks so much for reading and let me know if you try the recipe.
Regards,
Steve
Questions? Comments?
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*-- Intensive blood pressure therapy for type 2 diabetes reduces cardiovascular risk --*
Receiving intensive blood pressure therapy may help type 2 diabetics fight off cardiovascular disease, new findings show.
Death rates among people with type 2 diabetes treated with perindopril and indapamide fell by 14 percent compared to those who didn't get the treatment, according to research published Monday in the journal Hypertension. People with type 2 diabetes treated with the intensive blood pressure therapy also had 8 percent fewer heart attacks, strokes and other diabetic complications.
"Our findings demonstrate a benefit of more intensive therapy aiming for blood pressure thresholds at 130/80 or below and should help resolve some ongoing confusion over optimal blood pressure targets for people with diabetes," J. Bill McEvoy, a researcher at the Irish National Institute for Preventive Cardiology and study senior investigator, said in a news release.
The study included the health data of close to 11,000 type 2 diabetics gathered over four years from 20 countries.
The researchers say this work is important because having both hypertension and diabetes raises the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Although the trial showed overall effectiveness in reducing cardiovascular risk, it wasn't clear whether the intensive treatment helped patients who already had blood pressure readings below 140/80 mmHg.
Among adults with diabetes and hypertension, current guidelines say a person should begin anti-hypertensive treatment to lower blood pressure at 130/80 mmHg or higher, according to the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association.
More than 100 million adults in the United States has prediabetes or diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease and Prevention. Also, roughly 75 million people have high blood pressure.
"Patients, including those with diabetes, with blood pressure levels above 130/80 on two consecutive checks should discuss with their physicians whether they need a change in treatment to get to a lower number," McEvoy said.
*-- Diabetic Recipe --*
BALSAMIC CHICKEN & BROCCOLI
INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon olive oil shopping list
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 small white onion thinly sliced and cut into thirds
2 tablespoons shallots
1/4 cup white wine
2 chicken breasts cut into strips
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 cups broccoli spears
1 cup mushrooms sliced thick
1/3 cup chicken stock
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS:
Heat the oil in a heavy pot. Add the garlic, onion, and shallots, and cook until light golden.
Keep the pot covered between stirrings and use a tablespoon or so of the wine if more liquid is needed.
Add the strips of chicken and enough of the wine to keep the meat from sticking to the pot.
Cook until the chicken is white all the way through, about 5 to 7 minutes (use more wine, if needed).
Remove the chicken and sauteed vegetables with a slotted spoon.
Add the vinegar to the pot, increase the heat, and stir with a wooden spoon, scraping bits from the bottom, until the liquid is reduced to about half its volume.
Reduce the heat.
Return the chicken and sauteed vegetables to the pot, add the broccoli, mushrooms, stock, remaining wine, and salt.
Cook at a gentle simmer until the broccoli turn bright green.
Serve over pasta or rice.
Category: Chicken, Main Dishes
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