Diabetics Rejoice!: November 2018

Monday, November 19, 2018

What’s on my Low Carb Thanksgiving dinner plate?

For me, being diabetic means I never get a free-for-all food holiday. Just because it’s soon to be Thanksgiving doesn’t mean I’m going to ignore my dietary restrictions and “blow it” for the day. I might eat more food than I usually do on an ordinary day, but all of it will be low carb/keto, so my blood glucose doesn’t fly out of control. I’ve planned ahead, have gathered the ingredients and already know exactly what will be on my Thanksgiving dinner plate. Below is a list of my favorite holiday recipes I’d like to share with you. This entire meal, including dessert, is only 17.3 total carbs, not subtracting fiber, so net carbs would be even less!! The best part about this menu is that the mashed cauliflower, cranberry sauce, creamy gravy and herb cauliflower stuffing can be made ahead, so there’s less chaos in the kitchen on Thanksgiving day. Now, this is how you have a happy and healthy Thanksgiving, keto-style!

1. Roasted Turkey (3 oz.) = 0 g carbs, 25 g protein

Note: Use any favorite method of cooking your turkey. The nutritional count provided is for 3 ounces of roasted meat only.

2. Perfect Mashed Cauliflower (1/2 cup) = 1 g carb, 2 g protein. Click here for Recipe: http://diabeticsrejoice.blogspot.com/2016/06/perfect-mashed-mashed-cauliflower.html

3. Creamy Spinach and Parmesan Soufflé (1/2 cup) = 3 g carb, 5 g protein. Click here for Recipe: https://www.atkins.com/recipes/creamy-spinach-and-parmesan-puff/2180

4. Homemade Sugar Free Cranberry Sauce (1/4 cup) = 4 g carb, 0 g protein. Click here for Recipe: https://www.ketoconnect.net/healthy-cranberry-sauce/

5. Low Carb Cauliflower Stuffing (1/2 cup) = 5 g carb, 2 g protein. Click here for Recipe: https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a50127/cauliflower-stuffing-recipe/

6. Keto Giblet Gravy (about 3 tablespoons) = 0.3 g carb, 2 g protein. Click here for Recipe: http://cavemanketo.com/keto-giblet-gravy/

Note: In this recipe, I sauté a mixture of vegetables (carrot, onion and celery) until golden in color, add the liquid and simmer until thickened. Then I strain out the vegetables to make a smooth, creamy gravy before adding the cooked giblets.

7. And for dessert: Low Carb Pumpkin Custard baked in a crock pot while the dinner is cooking, topped with whipped cream! (1/2 cup with 2 tablespoons of whipped cream) = 4 g carb, 5 g protein. Click here for Recipe: https://simplysohealthy.com/low-carb-slow-cooker-pumpkin-custard/

Note: I love this slow cooker recipe because it frees up the stove for the turkey and other dishes!

Links to recipes provided and are subject to copyright. Please do not duplicate without the author’s permission.

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!

Monday, November 19, 2018

What’s on my Low Carb Thanksgiving dinner plate?

Diabetics Rejoice!