Diabetics Rejoice!: Cherry Limeade & Homemade Lemonades

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Cherry Limeade & Homemade Lemonades

While growing up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, there used to be a drive-in restaurant on Peoria that I would frequent during my high school years. Pennington's was the hangout and whenever I'd go, there would most always be someone from my high school munching a burger or sipping a fountain drink nearby. It was the place to be seen and to check out everyone else! I will always remember fondly their Cherry Limeade customized to my order and made with plain water.

Recently, I purchased an inexpensive citrus juicer to recreate this refreshing drink. Of course, I didn't need a machine, but it makes it easier and opened the door to lots of other delicious recipes using nutritious, sunny citrus fruits, especially lemons!

Cherry Limeade (Makes 1 serving)

Mix together:

the juice of one lime

1 1/4 cups of water (substitute carbonated water, if you like it fizzy)

2 tablespoons of sugar-free Cherry syrup

2 tablespoons of Splenda granular (or to taste)

Mint garnish, if desired

Nutritional Information: 19 calories, 6 g carbs

Homemade Lemonade: Follow the recipe above, except omit sugar-free syrup and adjust Splenda to taste. You may need to add more water, if too tart.

Raspberry Lemonade: Follow the recipe for limeade, except substitute sugar-free Raspberry syrup for the cherry flavor. Adjust Splenda to taste. You may need to add more water, if too tart.

How does this recipe compare with a regular Cherry Limeade? The difference is shocking! My recipe is far lower in calories and carbohydrates. For comparision, the average nutritional information for a Cherry Limeade purchased at a restaurant is 240 calories, 62 g carbohydrates.

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More about my experience with Type 2 diabetes:

After experiencing gestational diabetes while pregnant in 1988, it wasn't long before a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes was made, and then, much later, I was correctly diagnosed with autoimmune Type 1.5 (Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults, also known as LADA).

Like many people newly diagnosed, I had to read and learn what diabetes was all about. I did everything my doctor told me to do, took my medication exactly as prescribed, began to exercise more, I consulted with a diabetic nutritionist, I changed my carb-loving lifestyle to within the dietary guideline of my nutritionist and lost some weight. For many years, following the advice of the experts, I managed the disease fairly well. Yet, it concerned me that my need for medication continued to rise steadily, but I was told by my doctor that diabetes is a progressive disease and that what I was experiencing was normal. In a few years of trying diet change, exercise and oral medication alone, I was prescribed insulin to go along with the oral meds. My blood sugars stabilized, but my need for more and more insulin over time to manage good control continued to go slowly and steadily upward, along with my weight. With the larger and larger amounts of insulin (the fat storage hormone), it didn’t take long for me to become obese! I was not pleased because at the rate my need for meds was growing, it appeared that it wouldn't be long before my condition would be too difficult to control.

Finally, I said "enough!" Something had to change! I read The Diet Cure by Julia Ross and began a diet overhaul unlike anything ever suggested by my diabetic team. Two other books I highly recommend are The Blood Sugar Solution by Dr. Mark Hyman for a T2 diabetic and Dr. Bernstein’s Diabetes Solution by Dr. Richard Bernstein for a T1 or any diabetic on insulin. I cut out all white starches and grains from my diet and went 100% sugar free. (No expert had ever suggested I look at the sugar grams in the foods I ate before and I was shocked to discover large amounts hidden in most processed foods, even items not meant to be sweet!) I began to eat mainly fresh vegetables, very small amounts of fruit and only when it's in season (I love summer berries!), plenty of healthy fats and a moderate amount of high-quality protein. I now follow a Ketogenic diet which allows about 20-30 grams of good carbs per day, mainly in the form of non-starchy vegetables. I don't go out often but, when I do, I go to a restaurant where I know I can eat within my diet. By living this lifestyle, I lost over 65 pounds but, more than that, my need for medication grew less and less. I now need only very small amounts of insulin at meals and 4 units of long-acting insulin at bedtime (down from over 25 units when I was eating higher carb). The best part is that I’ve been able to stop all other oral prescription medications, as well! My blood glucose is always steady, in a normal range and hardly ever goes above 100 mg/dl. My A1c is consistently 4.9 or lower. These excellent health outcomes keep me motivated to stick with a keto lifestyle, plus I really enjoy the food!

I am now at my ideal weight and have kept it steady for over six years. My cravings for carbohydrates and my voracious "sweet tooth" are well controlled. I am motivated to cook and have made cooking healthy my #1 hobby. I'm excited about incorporating the alternative flours into my baking so I can occasionally still enjoy a dessert or bread product in my diet. The outlook of managing my diabetes and the future of my health is extremely positive.

If you're reading this and dealing with similar issues, take heart! You can make the necessary changes to your diet and lifestyle to share in this positive outlook, too. Just take it one day at a time, be good to yourself, and do not depend solely on medication. I had to face the fact: There is no "magic pill" out there! Instead, I needed to commit to eating well to heal myself from within. Remember, it's your future and your health; no one can do this for you! You owe it to yourself and your loved ones!

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Cherry Limeade & Homemade Lemonades

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Diabetics Rejoice!