Chicken Parmesan Sub

You may disagree on whether the chicken parm sandwich should be known as a "sub," "hoagie" or "grinder," but who doesn’t love this neighborhood-deli classic? We’ve added some spinach and done away with all the greasy breading to make it more healthy. Make it a meal: The sandwich is filling and complete on its own, but add some crunch with carrots, celery and cucumbers on the side.

SERVINGS: 4

Ingredients

1/2 cup(s) flour, all-purpose

1/2 teaspoon salt, Kosher

1/2 teaspoon pepper, black ground

1 pounds chicken, breast, boneless, skinless

2 large breasts cut into 4 portions or 4 small breasts

4 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

Divided

2 bag spinach, baby

6-ounce bags

1 cup(s) marinara sauce

Preferably low-sodium

1/4 cup(s) cheese, grated Parmesan

1/2 cup(s) cheese, mozzarella, part-skim, shredded

4 roll, 100% whole-wheat

Instructions

1. Position oven rack in top position; preheat broiler.

2. Combine flour, salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Place chicken between 2 large pieces of plastic wrap. Pound with the smooth side of a meat mallet or a heavy saucepan until the chicken is an even 1/4-inch thickness. Dip the chicken in the flour mixture and turn to coat.

3. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add spinach and cook, stirring often, until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl.

4. Add 1 teaspoon oil to the pan. Add half the chicken and cook until golden, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a large baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and chicken; transfer to the baking sheet.

5. Top each piece of chicken with the wilted spinach, marinara sauce and Parmesan. Sprinkle with mozzarella. Broil until the cheese is melted and the chicken is cooked through, about 3 minutes. Serve on rolls.

Nutrition Details

per serving

Calories 467, Fat 13g, Cholesterol 78mg, Sodium 762mg, Saturated Fat 4g, Protein 42g, Fiber 5g, Carbohydrates 48g

source:http://www.everydayhealth.com/

Type 1 Diabetics Have “Sleeping” Insulin Cells?

Are the insulin-producing islet cells simply dormant, not dead? That’s what some scientists now believe.

Researchers at the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom believe that islet cells are only dead for those who were diagnosed very young. Those who were diagnosed after age six may still have some islet cells still present, just dormant.



“It was previously thought that teenagers with type 1 diabetes had lost around 90 per cent of their beta cells but, by looking in their pancreas, we have discovered that this is not true,” Professor Noel Morgan of Exeter University Medical School told the UK Telegraph. His team believes it may be possible to reawaken those islet cells.

Researchers at the University of Exeter believe it may be possible to awaken the dormant cells and reverse the disease.

“In fact, those diagnosed in their teens still have many beta cells left – this suggests that the cells are dormant, but not dead. If we can find a way to reactivate these cells so that they resume insulin release, we may be able to slow or even reverse progression of this terrible disease,” Morgan says.

Collaborating with scientists at the University of Oslo, the team looked at nearly 400 pancreas samples. The samples showed that those diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age six or younger developed a more aggressive form of the disease. That’s because the children had a condition called insulitis, or an inflammatory process that killed off nearly all the beta cells, the type of islet cells that make insulin. But those diagnosed older — teens and beyond — have a surprising amount of beta cells still around, but they just aren’t working.

But they still don’t know how to turn those cells back on.

“Quite simply, and sadly, I don’t know,” Morgan told the Telegraph. “However there is evidence that this can happen when the (cells) are kept outside the body for a few days, so understanding how to achieve this is not a complete pipe dream.

“Our next step is to investigate why diabetes progresses differently in younger and older children, with a view to understanding how we could treat both groups more effectively,” explained Dr Sarah Richardson, a co-author on the study,
source:www.diabetesdaily.com

Life With Type 1 Diabetes

Whether you are living with someone who has it or not, you are most likely going to come across someone in your lifetime that has Type 1 Diabetes. There are so many common misconceptions about this disease including people's confusion between Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes. To quickly clear the air I will give you a few differences: You do not get Type 1 Diabetes from eating too much sugar or from being "fat." There's nothing you can do to cause you to get this unfortunate disease and nothing you can do to  it.


Type 1 Diabetes is a fluctuating disease that causes symptoms that you have to watch almost every second of the day. Your pancreas suddenly decides to stop producing its precious insulin that keeps your endocrine system and entire body functioning. It isn't easy to deal with; not only physically, but emotionally. There are times where you feel like you can't deal with it anymore whether you're the one with the disease or the one watching it happen to someone you love and care about.

The amount of times my younger sister (who has Type 1 Diabetes) has come home and told me what horrible things kids had said to her just because she had to monitor her glucose levels in class and treat her highs or lows in front of her classmates have made me realize how cruel kids could really be. There was a time when a child told my sisters friend to "tell her little shaky friend to stop faking it." Faking it? No one is faking it when their blood sugar drops so low that they can't talk or walk, let alone perform any other everyday function.

As a role model for my younger sister, it has been hard not to beat up some of the kids up who thought it was okay to say some of these nasty comments, or at least, give them a piece of my mind. Knowing that my sister will be looking up to me and my actions for the rest of her life has made me realize that all I can really do is remain by her side and continue to make sure she's healthy.


In case you were wondering what it's like to survive even just a few hours in the presence of a Type 1 Diabetic or to have it yourself, I'll tell you a little bit about it. There's nothing that is easy. Just because it becomes a part of your everyday routine because it has to be in order for you to survive does not mean that it isn't difficult. You learn how to manage your symptoms and prevent the worst from happening.

A Type 1 Diabetics day starts before the previous one even ends. The risk of someone's blood sugar dropping too low or rising too high while they are asleep at night can be fatal. With today's technology, there are so many ways to monitor your glucose levels. Aside from having a glucose monitor, many Type 1 Diabetics have continuous glucose monitors that show a generic estimate of where that person's blood sugar numbers are ranging. This is usually hooked up to the person's pump. The pump is one of the most important parts. It supplies the insulin to the body that the pancreas is unable to produce through a nifty little tube. That tube is constantly attached to the person through a pump site that they have to change for cleanliness and anti-infectious purposes. And if you aren't on a pump? Then you have to inject insulin into your body as needed. Now does that sound easy to handle? Didn't think so. So, enough with the tools needed and onto a simple daily run-through.


The first thing a Type 1 Diabetic should do when they wake up is check their blood sugar. Knowing where your blood sugar is ranging is super important when trying to figure out what you are going to simply eat for breakfast. Having an insulin pump means you can enter the amount of carbohydrates you will be eating into the pumps system so that it distributes the correct amount of insulin to keep your body stable. Entering carbohydrate counts into your pump means that you have to constantly be aware of the amount you are taking in. Putting those carbs into your pump is called bolusing. That has to happen before every, single meal. And what happens if you don't? Then you better be ready to treat your high with some extra insulin intake or you're low with some glucose tabs. Throughout the day, it's important to keep track of your diabetes and keep yourself healthy because the risks you may face if you don't can be deadly.

There's so much more to Type 1 Diabetes than what I've said already, but I don't want to bore you with a History Of Type 1 Diabetes lesson. Everything you should know about it is what you are about to hear next.

1. Just because this disease isn't one that is completely apparent to the naked eye does not mean that the person with the disease isn't extremely affected by it.

2. Whoever has Type 1 isn't "faking" their symptoms for attention (yeah little kid in my sister's class back when she was in fifth grade, this one's for you).

3. Type 1 Diabetics are allowed to eat sugar!!! (this one really gets me going) They actually need that sugar especially when their blood sugar is too low for them to function properly.


4. Although it probably isn't necessarily the nicest thing to do, yes, Type 1 Diabetics are allowed to move to the front of the lines at Disney World, Six Flags, and Lake Compounce because it is considered a medical handicap (apparently waiting in the lines too long can result in dangerously low blood sugar, so why not get the ride over with sooner?).

5. Type 1 Diabetes takes a huge toll on the person with the disease and the people who care for the person with the disease.

Number 5 has been something I have noticed significantly in my own family. When my sister was first diagnosed, everyone in my family was distraught. Type 1 Diabetes is life-threatening and completely alters someone's life! Everyone has to quickly learn how to take care of this disease in a matter of days in order to keep their loved one healthy. We spent a few days with my sister in the hospital while learning from many specialists how we would help my sister monitor her new disease once we were back at home. Although the news of this disease was so negative, there has been so many great events that have come of Type 1 Diabetes in our family. Our family has grown through the amazing JDRF program (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation). Their program supports families and individuals with Type 1 Diabetes in order to make their life with the disease more manageable. Our family has met so many great people because of the program and the disease.
com/ Type 1 Diabetes isn't something I would wish on anyone. It completely alters life as you once knew it. Overall, I'm thankful that the experience my family has had with it has been so positive from the start.
source:http://theodysseyonline.com/

Risk for Diabetes to Slash Your Risk for Diabetes

Nine percent of Americans have diabetes. That's 29.1 million people. It's the seventh leading cause of death and costs the U.S. $245 billion annually. Fortunately, you're not powerless against this condition. Plenty of research suggests that there are easy lifestyle steps you can take to reduce your risk of developing diabetes—and this goes beyond the standard recommendations of just lose weight and exercise.



Here are 8 things to incorporate into your life to keep diabetes away.

Eat a Cactus
Yep, there are edible cacti and they can help reduce your risk for diabetes. Mexican researchers found that eating cooked (250 grams, cooked for no longer than 10 minutes) or raw (300 grams) prickly pear cactus pads helped lower glucose peaks. To prepare the prickly pear pad, remove the spines on the flat side with a knife and cut or peel around the narrow edges. This can then be boiled, grilled, or eaten raw.

Cactus plants are also a prebiotic, meaning they help feed the good bacteria in your gut.

Take a Cold Shower

Taking a cold shower isn't just a good way to wake up in the morning, it will also do the same work that insulin does. " That small bit of cold exposure will use up calories and transform your white fat into brown fat—the kind that helps you lose weight," says Alexa Fleckstein, MD author of The Diabetes Cure. "With the help of a protein called FGF21, which pulls sugars into white cells, where they are turned into energy (instead of just stored, as usual). In effect, FGF21 does the work of insulin—without insulin."


Cut Out Artificial Sugars

Sugar substitutes give you the same sweet taste without the sugar, so they should be good for preventing diabetes, right? Not the case. Research has found that artificial sweeteners may trigger diabetes, because of your gut. In a mouse model, they discovered that artificial sweeteners upset the careful balance of gut bacteria, leading to glucose intolerance.

Spice Up Your Health

Sugar is tasty, but there are so many delicious herbs and spices that can fight diabetes. Dr. Fleckenstein recommends herbs and spices like basil, cinnamon, fennel, and garlic.


Replace One Sugary Beverage

Drinking your sugar is a fast track to diabetes. Research from the Unviersity of Cambridge found that swapping out one sugary drink with water or unsweetened tea or coffee can reduce the incidence of diabetes by 14 percent. The researchers recommend reducing sweetened beverages to 2 percent of your daily calories, or ½ cup of soda per day to prevent 15 percent of new diabetes cases.

Eat Chocolate (for Some)

A study of 18,000 men found that, in those under 65 with a BMI less than 25, eatinc chocolate was linked to lower incidence of developing diabetes over a 9-year period. However, in men with BMI greater than 25, the risk actually increased.

Before you run out and buy a candy bar, keep in mind that sugar has the opposite effect for diabetes, so make sure you pick up dark chocolate without a lot of added sugar.

Go Vegetarian

Giving up meat is as powerful as any oral diabetes medication, says Neal Barnard, MD, researcher and author of Dr. Neal Barnard's Program for Reversing Diabetes. "Medications are virtually always used for the treatment of diabetes and increasingly for the treatment of pre-diabetes," he says. "You can take one medicine for your blood sugar, another one for your blood pressure, another one for your cholesterol, and yet a plant-based diet seems to tackle all of those problems at the same time."

Eat a Big Breakfast and Smaller Dinner

For those who already have diabetes, blood sugar spikes after meals can lead to heart problems. To prevent this, researchers from Tel Aviv University recommend eating more calories at breakfast and fewer calories as the day progresses. Those who had a big breakfast saw 23 percent lower increases in blood glucose levels after lunch than those who had a smaller breakfast.
source:http://www.rodalewellness.com/

5 Lies About Dieting With Diabetes

It's easy to assume that having diabetes drastically changes what you can eat - and in some cases, it does.

However, there are many misconceptions that have to do with eating and diabetes. The following are common myths - or flat-out lies - about what diabetics can and can't consume in their diets.



1. If you have diabetes, you can't ever indulge your cravings for sweets.

It's not possible for anyone to completely avoid food cravings - diabetics included. And it's usually very safe for people with diabetes to indulge, so long as they manage their blood sugar appropriately.

While cravings are best dealt with when they are prevented - by eating enough protein and not skipping meals - having a small portion of something sweet won't usually cause a problem.

2. Diabetics can't eat what everyone else in the family is eating.

Just because someone in the family is diabetic, that doesn't mean this person requires "special food" at meal times.

While a diabetic will have certain nutritional guidelines her or she should follow, normal, healthy foods in the right portions are usually appropriate. Most diabetes-friendly diets recommend lean proteins, vegetables and small portions of fiber-rich grains like brown rice.

3. You can't have starchy foods if you have diabetes.

Potatoes, bread or beans aren't completely off-limits for people with diabetes. Again, it's more important for diabetics to be mindful of portions sizes.

Some starchy foods are digested more slowly by the body, which means they don't affect blood sugar levels as significantly as other starches.

Consult the glycemic index scale to determine which starches are best for diabetics.

4. You can't eat salt if you have diabetes.

Having diabetes doesn't automatically exclude you from eating salt. While people with diabetes are more prone to have high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease - and they therefore should be aware of their salt intake - they can usually safely enjoy salty foods like everyone else.

5. Eating fat is bad for diabetics.

While extremely fatty foods aren't healthy for anyone, fat in and of itself isn't something diabetics have to avoid. Fat can slow down digestion and raise cholesterol, however, so it's good to avoid "bad" saturated fats like those found in butter, cheese, snack foods and red meat. Diabetics should opt for healthy sources of fat, like those that come from nuts, seeds, avocado or fish.
source:http://www.informationaboutdiabetes.com/

3 Ways the Paleo Diet Can Help Diabetes

What was once thought to be a passing trend, the Paleo diet has been shown in several studies to be an effective approach for treating and reversing diabetes.
The Paleo diet isn't just about eating healthy - it's about replacing inflammatory foods with those that help to retain muscle mass, burn fat and lower blood sugar. The diet, which is rich in meat, fish, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and some starches, excludes dairy, sweets and most grains.

While patients adhering to the Paleo diet may need to make certain adjustments for their health, here are three ways it can help reverse diabetes:



1. It improves health markers often treated by drugs.

While the medications used to treat diabetes help patients manage symptoms, they don't treat the underlying cause of disease. The Paleo diet, however, has been shown to improve blood sugar, triglycerides, blood pressure and other key markers of health. One study even found that the Paleo diet can improve insulin sensitivity, lipid profiles, and cardiovascular health in patients who don't exercise.

2. It leads to fat loss and metabolic improvements.

Several studies have shown that eating Paleo is linked to a smaller waist circumference - a health marker that is linked to lowered risk for diabetes and disease. Research has also shown that the Paleo diet outperforms a low-fat diet in overweight women in terms of fat loss and metabolic improvements. Additionally, paleolithic eating is associated with less stored fat in the liver - by up to 50 percent, one study found.

3. It encompasses lifestyle changes.

Eating a Paleo diet may also come with lifestyle changes, as the diet encourages food choices that are local, organic and sustainable (grass-fed beef, wild-caught fish, etc.). Popularized by the Crossfit movement, the paleo diet is also popular among fitness enthusiasts. Another lifestyle aspect of the Paleo diet that is beneficial for diabetics is its flexibility - dieters naturally tend to eat fewer carbohydrates on the Paleo diet, but you can increase or decrease carbs intake depending on your needs. Unlike traditional diabetes diets, the paleo diet may be a more realistic way of eating - for life.
source:Chris Kresser