Showing posts with label cholesterol. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cholesterol. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

The Diabetic Muffin Man Chronicles

Hello all you fab DOC peops!!!  I have been thinking. No seriously, I have.  About what you ask?  Well about adding a different weekly element to "Three 2 Treat"

Something we all love!

YES, it's................Sex(y) food.

Okay all silliness aside, food is a pretty important part of our lives! So I would like to share a weekly carb friendly recipe.  I'd eventually like to do a vlog of me cooking, if I can hire a cinematographer in my house full of little people.

I have gone "Baker" crazy in the past month. Like, flour, flax, food processing, mad scientist looking nut bar crazy!! Daily, in the cooking zen mode crazy! Okay I think you get the point.

Why you ask? 

Well, my wife and I have reduced our carb intake(Gasp-I know, fad diets don't work). And trust me I am monitoring my labs every 3 months, and promise to quit if my lousy (LDL) cholesterol sky-rockets. As is one of the potential side effects according to some research studies.

The first one done by Yancy Jr and company concluded the following: 
Compared with a low fat diet, a low-carbohydrate diet program had better participant retention and greater weight loss. During active weight loss, serum triglyceride levels decreased more and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level increased more with the low-carbohydrate diet than with the low-fat diet.

According to this one, I should be good. I mean my cholesterol that is. I underlined the cool thing, that is, my good cholesterol or HDL should go up and my sticky evil Triglycerides should drop. But no mention of LDL.

A second study by Nordmann and crew finds this:

Low-carbohydrate, non–energy-restricted diets appear to be at least as effective as low-fat, energy restricted diets in inducing weight loss for up to 1 year.However, potential favorable changes in triglyceride and high density lipoprotein cholesterol values should be weighed against potential unfavorable changes in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol values when low-carbohydrate diets to induce weight loss are considered.

So I shall monitor those Lipids and proceed with caution.

Now that the boring stuff is covered. Let's bring on the new muffin recipe.

Now I did not invent this. Click the embedded link below to find source.

Low Carb Flax Muffins

6 TBS Melted Butter
1/4 Cup Heavy Cream
3 Large Eggs
1/2 Cup Splenda(Granulated)
1 Tbs Maple flavouring
1 Tbs Vanilla Extract
2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
1 tsp Ground Nutmeg
3/4 tsp Baking Soda
3/4 tsp Baking Powder
1 cup flax seed meal 
1/4 cup soya flour, I substitute Coconut Flour - Find it makes for a fluffier muffin 
4 ounces chopped walnuts

Preheat Oven to 375F
Mix the wet stuff, then add spenda, mix. Then add all the rest.
Bake for 18-20 minutes.

Makes 18-20 good size muffin, moist, and yummy.
Total Carb = 4 minus 3 grams Fibre so the TOTAL = 1.  Crazy!!! 

Try em and let me know what ya think!!!

Trev

PS:  Don't tell anyone a really like to bake muffins.  ; )

Sources:
William S. Yancy Jr., MD, MHS; Maren K. Olsen, PhD; John R. Guyton, MD; Ronna P. Bakst, RD; and Eric C. Westman, MD, MHS. A Low-Carbohydrate, Ketogenic Diet versus a Low-Fat Diet To Treat Obesity and Hyperlipidemia.A Randomized, Controlled Trial. Ann Intern Med. 2004;140:769-777.


Alain J. Nordmann, MD, MSc; Abigail Nordmann, BS; Matthias Briel, MD; Ulrich Keller, MD;  Effects of Low-Carbohydrate vs Low-Fat Diets on Weight Loss and Cardiovascular Risk Factors Arch Intern Med. 2006;166:285-293




Friday, April 29, 2011

Post Lab Visit - What Ifs...

Well, I decided since I was booked to see my Physician on Monday it was time to get my blood work done.

It has been harder and harder to get this done.  Not the act of getting the blood drawn, but finding the time to get to the lab, wait, fast, etc.  I always find excuses not to get it done.

I did manage to make it to the lab, pee in a cup, get the three vials of red stuff sucked out of me, and back to work with my morning coffee in tote. 

Diabetes, and its time suckers I tell ya. Normally a trip to the lab takes 1-2 hours out of my day. Today was a good day, in and out in an hour. I am glad to get it done, but a little worried about the result. I haven't been a well behaved PWD over the winter. Oh well, we shall see in a couple of days.

It is the what ifs that haunt me while I wait for the results.

Like What if....

-I'm spilling protein in my urine, called Microalbuminuria.....
-my Lousy Cholesterol(LDL) is increased.....
-my HgA1C completely blows...
-my kidney function (tests) worsens

 I pretty much worry about every single lab result and what it means and how it could potentially effect my lifespan.

When you've had the big D for a long time, these things start to seep into the thoughts, and consciousness, as you contemplate mortality with diabetes.

One things for sure is the DOC has numerous stories and people who have been dealing with D for decades and are living proof that it is possible to live a long, complication free life.

 I know the research(DCCT Trial Info) states it is possible to reduce complications, but I want to avoid complications not just reduce.

Well until Monday the fingers are crossed. 

Have a great week-end!

On a funny,  not so serious note, check out my new VLOG below of my toddler providing music on my daily commute. Note this is on the way there and the way back.