Reversing Diabetes while on the Road

March 23, 2020

One month later

Reversing Diabetes, NAFLD, Peripheral Neuropathy and Degenerative Arthritis

Thanks to those of you who commented on the inaugural post to my new blog one month ago today. I intended to blog once per week and COVID-19 asserted itself into my schedule.  We’ve managed to reestablish some routine today albeit quite different from one month ago, so, I am ready to write again.

Sue and I are well.  My daughter, Hannah, has been diagnosed with gestational diabetes since I last wrote and Leah’s dad passed away.  Joshua and Joe are well although Joe had to close his salon Friday in compliance with the new regulatory restrictions. My sister, nephews, Victoria and Mia Marie are ok and our friends and co-workers are ok in terms of health.  Two lost their jobs though and we are all working our networks to help them find something new. We are sequestered at our house but still able to take solo walks with Buddy early when no one is on the beach. We are able to get the groceries we need through our usual sources—local farmers, HEB and FarmFresh delivery.  We had a good laugh when we realized all of the cheese was gone one day at HEB except the vegan cheese.  No one wanted it so we had more than enough.  Ditto Cauliflower Pizzas and most of the organic produce and tomato sauces.

We had to postpone our O4U Business Conference and our team did a fabulous job reorienting.  It’s been a whirlwind.  I’ve managed to stay on my program with an occasional extra carb or two (my go to stress food).  My blood sugar is still in the normal range.  I do see more fluctuations if I am not careful about how I internalize stress.  

I am used to writing about human rights and advocacy, management, leadership and religion/spirituality, but my physical health and well-being is new territory, so your encouragement is deeply appreciated.  Please overlook any early mishaps.  My writing is best with a good editor and they are likely not to be found in the hours of the night or my lunch break when I feel inspired to blog.J

Journaling in this blog is my own form of self-accountability.  It gives me the opportunity for self-reflection and discovery of when I am trying to fool myself into believing I am doing something constructive when I am really not.  Like the Big Book in AA instructs, one day at a time.:) 

I’ve been thinking about a structure for these blogs and they will probably be more stream of consciousness since that is how my mind seems to work.  I think I want to share:

·      Reflections, discoveries and reality checks (internal and external)

·      Resources and tools

·      Recommendations of research and “self-help” programs aligned with the goals of reversing the headliner diseases in this blog

·      Recipes (and particularly adaptations to plant-based or vegan prep)

Reflections

In my morning meditations, I have always been focused on my spiritual well-being, but did not integrate physical well-being very much.  I live “in my head” so much, a trait that emerged early in life.  I got lots of positive reinforcement for being “smart” and I struggled with “childhood rheumatism” and my vision challenges.  I remember so clearly my dad’s admonitions—“Don’t run, you’ll fall” or “Watch out, you didn’t see that (fill in the blank) and it could have hurt you.” 

He was trying to protect me from myself and I appreciate that very much.  I have the scars to show when I did not listen to him.  And, as I matured, he encouraged cool activities like water skiing and horseback riding. He adapted snow skiing goggles to cover my very thick eyeglasses so I could see to water ski.  He developed a system of towing me around the lakes that let me stretch myself even into some competitive play.  He was a great swimmer but I did not get that gene and still haven’t pushed myself to improve beyond a survival dog paddle.:)  

I am struggling each day to fit in the integration of physical exercise.  It does not come naturally. Picking up a book, walking into the airport and to my gate and into conferences and meetings have been the extent of physical exercise, so this is the area where I need to spend more time.

Resources and Tools

I mentioned the Vitamix in my first blog.  We’ve had one of these for 25 years at home and in the natural food center we owned at one time. Vitamix refurbishes and supplies new parts readily https://www.vitamix.com/us/en_us/ and you can buy them refurbished or new on Amazon.  You can also get them at Macy’s, Sam’s, etc.   I use the Vitamix exclusively to chop, grind and blend everything.

We also use the Chef Buddy 49 Piece Storage Kit. It takes up very little room in our cabinet and allows us to store all of our beautiful veggies and fruit in the refrigerator, freezer or cabinet.  It washes easily in a dishwasher or by hand and cuts down on our use of disposable storage bags. If you want to really reduce your environmental footprint, use small, medium or large mason jars.  They take up more space and are a bit difficult for arthritic hands to grasp.https://www.amazon.com/Chef-Buddy-Around-Storage-Organizer/dp/B01MY09ZJK/ref=pd_sbs_201_1/137-1148909-9954723?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B01MY09ZJK&pd_rd_r=8b4bf19b-721a-4f6f-a885-18401a60907d&pd_rd_w=un1Kb&pd_rd_wg=0LbBt&pf_rd_p=7cd8f929-4345-4bf2-a554-7d7588b3dd5f&pf_rd_r=TW7W8YRE3ZJ03M29KBGM&psc=1&refRID=TW7W8YRE3ZJ03M29KBGM

We have a good set of chopping knives with large and small chopping blocks. Our daughter, Hannah, has generously provided me with almost every arthritis-adapted kitchen utensil, all available at Bed, Bath and Beyond or Amazon.  The peeler is a must for me.

We use Royal Core cookware so we need almost no oil of any kind, but this is not essential. If you do decide to acquire (it’s expensive), I only use the skillet and the large cooking pot. https://www.kitchencharmcookware.com/Products/Cookware/Premiums/RoyalCoreElectricSkillet/

I also have a cast iron Dutch oven for roasting veggies. Not essential, but the caramelization is best in it.

I mentioned my elliptical routine (still tiny, only up to 10 minutes, but better every day). I ordered a Deskcycle Ellipse https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MBQ19Z2?tag=sa-b2c-new-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1  There are many units that are cheaper and easier to carry around.  I like the adjustments on this one because I can do them with my hands without any help.  I also like the width and length of the foot placement.  My ankles don’t bend in all of the typical ways so this is helpful.  Even better is a great walk outside, but the amount of time that I spend on the phone and computer for work suggests that I can benefit from something readily available while I work.  

Recommendations

I’ve read many books about many approaches to reversing or helping the four headliner conditions that I am tackling (Amazon should invest in us!:)) I have narrowed those to two that I return to again and again.  The first one that helped me land on my current approach was Skinny Liver: A Proven Program to Prevent and Reverse the New Silent Epidemic—Fatty Liver Disease by Kristin Kirkpatrick, MS, RD, LD with Ibrahim Hanounch, MD. Kristin offers a chair yoga program specifically designed for the liver (p. 95) and cites a 2014 study in the European Scientific Journal that examined the effects of one and one-half months of yoga therapy on adults with NAFLD. Their ALP (alkaline phosphates e) levels dropped and they lost weight.

Kirkpatrick also shares a 2009 study from the University of Washington in Seattle that found that the regular practice of yoga improves our ability to practice mindful eating (slowing down, being aware of the nourishing and enjoyable properties of food, recognizing and honoring physical hunger and signs of satiety.  Plus, yoga’s mindfulness component can help relieve stress, improve sleep and help you feel better and function better 24/7.  

I started with Kirkpatrick’s home program.  I still have some anxiety about doing yoga in a group because I have to use a chair.  My reconstructed ankles do not bend well enough to lower myself or rise from the floor easily.  Over time, perhaps!  The four movements are:

·      Wide-legged forward fold in chair

·      Face forward twist

·      Seated side twist in chair

·      Child’s pose in chair

If you don’t like to read or don’t have the time, here is what I found most helpful in Julissa Clay’s text The Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Solution (pages 61-63 in printed version)

There are thousands of books and research publications about the headliner diseases.  A common denominator in all is healthy liver. So, I combined everything I read into a simple, manageable approach: Plan, Purchase, Prepare

1.     Set up a weekly time table. Block out when you are busy (at work or family and friends) and when you are free and have energy. Use this time to focus on learning and prepping foods or shopping for your food. My days are consumed by work and I have regular calls on Sunday and Monday night for work, so I block these out.  I started on Sunday because this is a day that I am mostly off from work. I knew I had to get my routine and everything I needed down to one page or I would never be successful, so that was my focus. It looks like this:

            Food

            Greens and beans (1.5 pounds/2 cups daily) 

            Use ¾’s of pound of these greens in a smoothie with Almond, Hemp, Coconut or Soy Milk,         pea protein powder, 1 or 2 fruits or cups of fruit). 

            Add plant based DHA/EPA supplement liquid (I like Barlean’s)

            I take my other supplements with the smoothie in the AM.

            Cruciferous and carbie veggies (squashes, sweet potatoes, beets, carrots) 1 pound daily

            Filtered water 48 ounces

            Fresh fruit (4 or 4 cups if I didn’t use two in smoothie)

            Permitted grains (1 cup)

            Chia or flax seeds (1 oz)

            Nuts (1 oz)

Sleep and Exercise

·      Eight Hours

·      Exercise 10-30 minutes (walking or elliptical)

·      I also have a quiet, meditative and/or prayerful time for myself in the morning. Buddy often accompanies me to the beach for this time or sits with me on the deck while I read

More About Food

When I am away from home for work, I find the local outlets and get what I need.  I am very fortunate to work in New York and the Bay area or Minneapolis and all have well-developed vegan restaurants with fabulous food.  Green smoothies are ubiquitous in these locales.:)  In visiting with friends who are sheltered in there for COVID-19, it sounds like delivery is still working so that’s good.

For variety in cuisine, I also use Green Chef (Ditto). To get a visual, the entire top shelf of our refrigerator is filled with:

·      Plant-substitute milks (almond, hemp, macadamia nut, soy, coconut)

·      Vegan butter, mayo, salad dressings and tofu

The second shelf holds:

·      Rougher greens (kales, swiss chard, arugula, romaine, collard greens, spinach) carrots, watermelon radishes, celery and berries

The crisper drawers hold:

·      More delicate greens like cilantro, garlic and onion chives, onions, shallots and mushrooms.  

·      Organic apples, oranges (get some blood oranges for great color), grapefruit, pears, avocados, lemons, limes and bananas are in the other drawer or out on the counter

Our pantry is filled with:

·      Non-gluten flours, nuts, amino acids, balsamic (limit these unless organic), Thrive oil, canned organic beans of every type, dried beans and peas of all kinds, canned organic tomatoes, soy sauce, Tahini, Tamari, Apple Cider Vinegar and, of course, Buddy’s food.  

During Week 1 of my new approach, I shifted everything I could to organic. We already had a lot, so this was not too difficult. I then added a green smoothie in the morning and two servings of cruciferous veggies every day.  I don’t like to buy at Walmart, but it also has a large organic inventory if you need it.

I keep a food diary by using Carb Manager on my phone. I focus on getting a good sleep routine and getting 8 hours of sleep per night. I now leave my cell phone outside our bedroom (almost harder than the food planningJ).

I started adding some exercise, even if just 5 minutes in the morning or evening.  A 30-minute walk at night with Buddy and Sue is my ultimate goal.  

In Week 2, I started thinking differently, about everything I could now eat and filling our refrigerator and pantry with these items.  Yes, we were removing certain foods from our life, but we were replacing them with others that support and nourish our bodies and, most particularly, our livers, rather than stress them out.

Certain foods boost the fat content in your liver, increase inflammation and damage your gut.  Get rid of these.

·      Non-plant based (non-vegan) foods with any added sugars (biscuits, cakes, ready meals, fizzy drinks, chilled desserts, ice creams (milk based) 

·      Non-plant based (non-vegan) foods with gluten (bread, pasta, crackers, wheat flour)

·      Non-plant based (non-vegan) foods with artificial ingredients (if you cannot pronounce it or don’t know what it is, don’t eat it out of a box, bag or package)

·      Non-plant based (non-vegan) foods with trans fats (processed foods, meat, desserts, ready-to-bake foods, crisps, chips, donuts)

In Week 3, I focused on hydration.  If feasible, I suggest that you obtain a good water filter.  Drink at least 48 ounces of water per day.  For reasons I do not fully understand, this felt impossible in the first two weeks and now I crave the water.

Clay’s book will describe other ways to remove toxins from your home with regard to cleaning products and air quality. I have used an Ozone Generator in our home for years.  We started this after I had Lyme Disease.  The researchers who work on toxic loads for the liver seem to all recommend one.  No one else in our family seems to notice when our unit is running or not, but I smell mold when it is not.  Maybe I am just hypersensitive, but it can’t hurt to try one.

Recipes

In closing today, I offer some of our new fav recipes.

Plant-based Truffles (TRUFFY)

1 cup organic desiccated coconut (flakes)

2 tsp. pea protein powder or hemp protein powder

½ cup organic prunes or dates, pitted

2 tbsp melted virgin organic coconut oil

½ cup organic freeze-dried raspberries or strawberries or tbsp of matcha green tea powder or 1 tsp turmeric powder and a pinch of black pepper

Blend the coconut, protein powder and your choice of flavor and pulse to combine.

Add the prunes or dates one at a time with blades running on low and then the coconut oil.

When the mixture is crumbly and sticks together, spoon out in teaspoons, roll into balls, set in fridge.  These will keep three weeks in an airtight container.  Great with coffee.

Cruciferous Veggie Salad (CRUFFY)

2 cups of organic raw broccoli broken into bite sizes

2 cups of organic raw cauliflower broken into bite sizes

5 Medjool dates cut into bite sizes

2 fresh figs (or freeze-dried no sugar added) cut into bite sizes

½ cup raw organic red onion chopped (or scallions)

½ cup raw organic unsalted sunflower seeds or chopped walnuts or pecans

Toss together thoroughly.

Dressing

3 tbsp organic red wine vinegar 

1 cup vegan mayonnaise

1 tbsp Hunny substitute

1 tbsp Bragg’s Amino Acids

Cracked Black Pepper

Whisk together thoroughly.

Toss the salad with the dressing and chill for ten minutes.  This will keep well overnight.

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili

2 cloves chopped garlic

2 tbsp Thrive Oil (algae based)

1 large sweet potato (or purple yam) pre-baked

2 organic carrots chopped

1 cup organic vegetable broth (gluten-free)

1 tbsp organic chili powder or paste

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp paprika

1 tbsp Bragg’s Amino Acids

1 tbsp Black cracked pepper

1 tbsp chia seeds (soak in the vegetable broth for 5 minutes)

½ cup chopped artichokes (optional)

1 can organic black beans

½ cup chopped onion

1 can organic fire roasted tomatoes

Stir everything together, bring to a bubble and turn down to simmer until you are ready to eat. This can be reheated the next day or double up the recipe and freeze.  

Squash and Carrot Roast

3 yellow squash chopped to ½ moons (about ¼ inch thick)

2 cups rainbow carrots (chopped in ½ inch pieces)

1 red or yellow onion or shallots (chopped)

Toss all ingredients in ¼ cup Thrive Oil, cracked black pepper, sea salt or Bragg’s Amino Acids, oregano, thyme, rosemary.

Roast on a cookie sheet or in a Dutch oven until tender.

Stay well and safe and let me know how you are doing.  I wish one of you who isstuck at home could be my personal trainer on line.  I need one!

Talk soon. J

Cindi