Diabetic Meals & World Food Day

© Jacquelyn Johnston, M.Ed., Diabesity Coach

Now, suppose, just suppose, with World Food Day just round the corner all my friends with diabesity—and that includes you, would make a pledge to pass up all processed food and cook from scratch. Especially for those who are trying to make diabesity history.

Cook and freeze, then you have exactly what you want after the 5 pm commute. I just froze some chicken soup packed with a selection of healing herbs.

Now, what’s this cooking from scratch thing all about? It’s about you. And your long-term wellness. At least 60% of the food you get from the supermarket is processed. And this is a conservative estimate. If they are a habitual part of your diet you are getting too much salt and sugar, sugar substitutes, and a significantly higher amount of salt than you need. Each of these items has an effect on your weight, and hence on your diabetes, your heart, your lungs, your skin, and …well, you fill in the blanks.

Let’s go shopping, shall we?.

Processed snack foods will overload you with sugar. I’m not just talking about the sugar you buy in bags. Be aware of hidden sugars disguised as high fructose corn syrup, and anything ending with “ose”. Pick up a box of cookies and check that. Also excitotoxins like MSG. These are toxic substances that have an immediate as well as long-term effect on your nervous system.

Take a look at the sauces, pasta and otherwise. As you read the labels look for the word “hydrolyzed” –another disguise for MSG. Then the soft drinks—juices and sodas. Oh dear! What are they? High fructose corn syrup plus carbon dioxide plus artificial flavouring. Is there any particular reason you want that in your system?

The lady in from of me in the supermarket line-up today had organic chicken, organic milk, organic pasta sauce and organic cookies (expensive!) in environmentally-sound brown paper bags. She had brought 2 enviro-bags and asked not to be given plastic bags. The last item she had was a 20-pack of ginger ale.

I assure you there was no ginger and less ale in those cans. She mentioned to the cashier that her husband had been having an upset stomach recently, so she wanted to make sure he had something to settle him. I wanted to say “grate some fresh ginger and pour some boiling water in it for him”!!!

But I behaved myself.

Thursday October 6 is World Food Day. I’d love to know what you cooked from scratch without processed ingredients! Tell me in the comments section, OK?

See you there.

Jacquelyn

Jacquelyn Johnston M.Ed.
Professional Health Coach and Educator,
Solutions and Support for Optimal Health
Richmond, B.C. Canada