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Winter Back Pain from Cold Temperatures and Shoveling Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND If you are in New York and look out the window or go for a walk you will notice the snow. While snow may look pretty when it falls after the snowfall is …
Managing Diabetes during the Holidays
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
Managing diabetes during the holiday time may seem to be an insurmountable task. But with a little twist to some classic recipes and a little help from classic invite supplements, eating healthy during the holiday is not quite as insurmountable as you might expect! Let us get into it, shall we?
While there are several forms of diabetes in this blog, I will be concentrating on type 2 because it is the most common form that people call to talk about. Type 2 diabetes is a condition where your blood sugar is higher than normal. This can occur either because your body is not making enough insulin or it is not properly using it and glucose is building up in your blood. Diabetes is much more common than you might expect. In fact, approximately 11% of the US population has diabetes.
What is the most common symptom of diabetes? Well, there may be an increase in thirst, a feeling of dry mouth and even more frequent urination. There may be weight loss without any diet changes. You may find yourself feeling more tired than usual. Your vision may be blurry. Any sores or cuts may take longer to heal. There may be an increase in yeast infections. In some case’s there can be numbness or tingling in the hands and feet. (1) Diabetes can have dangerous complications. Please see my blogs on diabetes for more information on complications.
How does this relate to the holidays? As we all know, holiday time is a time that can be incredibly stressful. Stress can affect our blood sugar. Cortisol, the hormone that our body makes when we are under stress, can make it harder for insulin to work. That is because cortisol wants your body to have enough sugar or in other words fuel to “run away” from your stress. That is why the higher the stress, which triggers higher cortisol or stress hormone, the higher your blood sugar! (2)
Travel, another aspect of holiday time, can also impact blood sugar. I know what you are thinking, Dr. Claire HOW can travel impact my blood sugar? Well travel can be stressful and that stress can affect blood sugar. Travel can often lead to motion sickness and motion sickness can affect your blood sugar. (3) Lastly very often it can be difficult to find diabetic friendly options when traveling. Eating foods higher in sugar than you normally do can obviously affect blood sugar.
Alcohol is another common aspect of holidays. However, alcohol can be a concern for those with diabetes because it can raise or in some cases lower blood sugar! This can be dangerous since the symptoms of low blood sugar can be mistaken for those of alcohol or in other words you may think you are just tipsy but you are actually having an episode of very low blood sugar. (4)
Another aspect of the holidays is the sleep disruption. This can happen for a number of reasons. Are you having trouble sleeping in a different space? Is it too quiet or too noisy? If you have company, are you staying up late talking or cooking for them? As you can see, the holidays can wreak havoc on your sleep. Sleep is especially important for blood sugar control. In fact, studies have found that just 1 night of poor sleep can increase insulin resistance. (4)
Last but not least, is the food aspect of the holidays. Some people skip meals to have “space” for later. Then there is the idea that just a little is ok. In my experience a little tends to add up fast and in the case of many holiday foods this can involve much more sugar than you are used to eating. Many people find that after the holidays their treats have led them to having higher blood sugar readings than they usually have.
So, what can you do at this time of year?
Recipes for the holidays!
Cranberry goodness
Take 1 package of cranberries and cook them in water that has 2 scoops Reds Hx and 3 scoops Ribose complex mixed in. (Basically, mix the powders in water and use that water to cook the cranberries.). If it is not as sweet as you like you can add more Ribose complex. Feel free to add some nuts for a fun texture.
Blender muffins of health (lol)
With this recipe feel free to have fun! Take 2 eggs, 2 scoops of Invite Whey protein, 1 scoop Cocoa Hx, and 1 cup instant oats. As you blend add enough water so that it is a muffin like consistency. Generally, between 1/8 cup to 1/4 cup. Scoop into a muffin pan and cook at 350 for 20 min checking to see if they are done. Variations to this include using almond milk instead of water. You can also add fruit and nuts for texture! As I said it is not exact and you can have fun changing things up!
Green bean casserole
Take 16 oz. of green beans and steam until fork tender and put in a baking pan. In a separate bowl add 2 scoops of Greens Hx to 1 can of Cream of mushroom soup. Add ½ can of water (or at least enough water that you can easily pore the mix). Add spices of choice and mix. Place over the green beans. Add a liberal amount of dried onions or shallot. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.
Spaghetti squash? Yes, Spaghetti squash can be a fun food for the Holidays!
Cook your spaghetti squash as normal and then add the following sauce. To a mixing bowl add precooked onions, peppers, and mushrooms. Add some tomato sauce and the contents of 3 Probiotic Hx, 3 scoops of Greens Hx and 1 scoop of Beets Hx. Add in any spices you like! Mix till well combined and then add to your spaghetti squash.
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IBS and IBD
Written by Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
A question I am often asked is, “what is the difference between Irritable Bowel Disease and Irritable Bowel Syndrome?” Aren’t they the same? Well not really. While both are digestive conditions involving irritation in our digestive system they are in fact different! It is a lot to cover so let us get into it, shall we?
Irritable Bowel Disease is more destructive than Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Irritable Bowel Disease causes inflammation that can lead to permanent damage to the intestines. It has diagnosed using tests such as colonoscopy. Irritable Bowel Syndrome in contrast for most people does not cause permanent damage to the intestines. It is diagnosed by excluding other causes of your symptoms. Irritable Bowel Disease increases your risk for colon cancer in a way that Irritable Bowel Syndrome does not. Irritable Bowel Disease also is more likely to cause systemic health concerns. (1)
IBD VS. IBS
Irritable Bowel Disease (IBD), unlike Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) breaks down into two sub-types, Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease. Ulcerative Colitis involves ulcers and inflammation along the lining of the large intestine and rectum. Crohn’s Disease involves just the inflammation of the digestive tract in the small intestine but can extend to the large intestine. (2)
Symptoms of both forms of IBD include diarrhea, fatigue, blood in the stool as well as abdominal pain and cramping. Both forms of IBD can cause a decrease in hunger as well as weight loss. While Irritable Bowel Syndrome has similar symptoms, there are some differences. For example, in both IBD and IBS there is often cramping, abdominal pain, gas, bloating and diarrhea. However, IBS can also cause constipation or it can cause both diarrhea and constipation. From a holistic perspective, we know that both these conditions are associated with leaky gut syndrome. As mentioned earlier, IBD is also associated with systemic symptoms such as joint pain, not typically seen in IBS. (3)
IBD and IBS are both triggered by similar conditions. While the exact causes for both are not known, there are some triggers. An immune system malfunction is an example of one possible trigger, because of a pathogen. Other triggers include dietary triggers such as food sensitivity. It is well documented that stress can make IBD and IBS worse. It is also well known that if you have one autoimmune disease, there is a propensity to develop other autoimmune issues. Certain medications can increase the risk of both syndromes. (4)
Both IBD and IBS can cause consequences if not properly treated. They can lead to a person being anemic. If the inflammation extends through the intestinal wall, it can lead to things such as fistulas, fissures, and toxic megacolon. IBD can affect other parts of the body including the joints, liver, gallbladder as well as the eyes. (5)
HOW TO HELP SYMPTOMS
For more information on this topic please contact an Invite Health nutritionist for a free consultation about your lifestyle
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