בס''ד

The Yom Tovim and Diabetes part 3

Time passes quickly and Rosh Hashana is this Shabbos and Sunday. And when we have a Yom Tov, there is always alot of food. All week I have been busy baking and cooking. This spells disaster for me a diabetic, now in control.

Two and half weeks ago, the doctor took me off all my medicine. I am very concerned that I will eat too much and that my blood glucose level will climb. I plan to watch every mouthful, but you know what happens when it is yom tov time and the food is just there.

Since I do not cook for myself, but for a family, I have to be extra careful about what I prepare. The first thing I did was to write a menu. Foods that are very high in calories and high on the G.I. index [Glycemic Index]* were crossed off. This way I can prepare only traditional foods that have lower calories and low on the G.I.index. I’m very happy that the doctor said that I can a little honey on my challah and apple.

I plan to serve fish which is low on the G.I. index for the entrée, our favorite soup, chicken, also low and the main meals will be either chicken or beef. Both haven’t any G.I. value. I just have to be careful about the portion size and remember no seconds. That’s where the extra calories will come from. The stuffing will be made from Kasha instead of potatoes because it is only 54 on the G.I. index where mashed potato stuffing is 70.

For side dishes, I will serve a variety of cold and hot vegetable salads, roasted sweet potatoes and quinoa with stir fried mushrooms and onions. All are low on the G.I. index and low in calories.

As with the rest of my family, dessert time is our weakness. Although I would love to have a piece of chocolate cake, yummy cookies or apple pie, I think I will stick to fruit or unsweetened applesauce, a sugarless jelly dessert and my sugarless oatmeal and applesauce cookies.

For my family I will bake different types of cakes and cookies. No reason for them to ‘suffer’ just because I can’t have any. Both my dietician and doctor told me that I can treat myself a couple of times a month to a square of dark chocolate and a piece of plain cake. I plan to start the new year with a piece of chocolate.

I have so much to be thankful for. I have my family, my diabetes is in control, we live in Israel and the ‘sun shines’ everyday.

I would like to wish you and yours Shana Tova. May you be blessed with good health, happiness and all your prayers and desires be granted.

Am YISROEL Chai!

Please feel free to comment and pass my blog around.

Miriam

* Glycemic Index?
Not all carbohydrate foods are created equal, in fact they behave quite differently in our bodies. The glycemic index or GI describes this difference by ranking carbohydrates according to their effect on our blood glucose levels. Choosing low GI carbs - the ones that produce only small fluctuations in our blood glucose and insulin levels - is the secret to long-term health reducing your risk of heart disease and diabetes and is the key to sustainable weight loss.

High G.I. 70 and above
Medium G.I. 56 to 69
Low G.I. 55 and under

http://www.glycemicindex.com/