When it comes to diabetes, is ignorance really bliss?
PHOTO CREDIT: Ward Alper
I come from a long line of type two diabetics -- my father, my brother and my sister. Still, when I was diagnosed I didn’t understand the way a diabetic should eat. The sad thing is they were ignorant of this, too!
When my brother came to visit us, his only instruction to me was no sugar. He made no mention of any other foods high in carbohydrates, just sugar in any of its forms. It is important to note that my brother was a medical scientist. So, I made him and his family a dinner of roasted salmon. On the side was a huge bowl of rice. Our dessert was fresh fruits with a yogurt sauce sweetened with a sugar substitute. He ate every bit of it. If he knew that carbohydrates were a problem, he did not tell me. We went to brunch that Sunday and he ate anything he wanted, including French toast, but not a dessert.
He did not die at my table that night or the next day, nor did he go into a coma. His death came a few years later after having a toe removed. It never healed and he died from an infection in his blood. Robert was not yet 70 years old.
My sister’s choice was pretty much to ignore what she ate. Or worse yet, eating non-sugared foods, only when somebody was looking. Upon my diagnosis, I was gung ho on showing her all that I had learned when she came to visit. I may have just as well been speaking with her in another language. She claimed that she had never been told to limit her intake of carbohydrates. Martha was diagnosed in the late 1980’s. In the twenty plus years that she was diabetic, she claimed that no doctor, no dietician, no nutritionist, had ever explained to her about carbohydrates. Her attitude was if she had a medication, or she put “magic” cinnamon on something, she could do and eat anything she wanted. Was she lying to me? Was she lying to herself?
The day I was diagnosed, I was handed three pamphlets with some instruction on what to eat and what to limit. It was really clear what I had to do with my diet. What was less clear was the suggestion for total number of carbohydrates per meal and for a snack. Yes, the numbers were there. They added up to about 180 grams of carbohydrates a day. No suggestion was made that the number is not fixed in stone and can vary depending on age and activity. No suggestion indicated that for many diabetics it was far too much and for others too little.
How much is too much? How much is too little? Can there be too little? There are dozens of diets out there with no carbohydrates. Is that safe? If we want our bodies to work at their peak, how much is enough?
The answer differs with each individual patient. I figured out what works for me, but that might not work for others. Some find that their blood glucose spikes with any more than just a few grams of carbohydrates. Some find that the carbohydrates in fruits and vegetables are ok for them but the grains are their problem. All we can do is keep testing our blood sugar levels and checking how foods affect us. It may be boring, but our body will tell us what we should do.
For me, it is a huge spread between 60 and 100 grams of carbohydrates a day. What I discovered is that this allows me to vary my menu. For example: if I chose to have a small amount of potatoes on one day, the next day I need to eat fewer grams of carbohydrates. That next day might be salad and protein for two meals, or low carbohydrate bread for a sandwich (Joseph’s Lavash or Tortilla Factory rye Tortillas). What works for me is to make the small serving of potato so rich and delicious, I am really happy for what I can have and do not leave the table angry at the world and myself. What works for me is to find low carbohydrate items that are so well flavored, that I don’t yearn for what I should not eat.
In the world of instant gratification, all the testing and experimentation may seem never ending. My choice was to find what works for me. I achieved that goal for now, and I am happier and healthier for it. I choose to share what I do and my recipes for living and eating with any diabetic that is interested. My sister, my brother, my father, and countless others, choose not to work at being the healthiest diabetic possible. For them, that is what works.
As for potatoes, give this recipe a shot. I think that like me you will enjoy it and that the “little” really is a satisfying lot!
Mashed Red Bliss Potatoes
(Smashed Spuds)
2 Servings
net carbohydrates 16g.
Note: In order to keep the carbohydrate grams down, I cook these potatoes a little longer to increase the volume. I keep the skins on and flavor them very well so that the small portion is satisfying enough I don’t feel cheated.
This recipe comes out so smooth that I keep the skins on to prove to my friends that I did not use instant potatoes.
2/3– pound red bliss or Yukon gold potatoes (about 3 small potatoes a little larger than an egg)
1 – Tsp. salt to flavor the water
2 – cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
2 – medium shallots, diced
Salt and pepper to taste
3 – Tbsp. butter + one Tbsp. butter for mashing
3 – Tbsp. Sour cream
½ - tsp. dry dill (optional)
2 – tsp. chopped fresh parsley
3 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese
HOW TO PREPARE THE RECIPE:
Place salt and garlic slices in 2 Quarts of cold water. Bring to a boil.
Leaving the skin on, slice the potato into 1 inch pieces. Carefully drop into boiling water. Boil for 9-10 minutes.
While the potatoes are cooking, sauté the shallots in 3 Tbsp of butter. Add the salt and pepper. Allow to cool slightly.
Drain the water from the potatoes and garlic. Return the potatoes and garlic to the pot and cook for 30 seconds or so to dry up excess moisture.
Place potatoes and garlic in a bowl with 1 Tbsp. of butter. Mash. Add the sour cream and continue to mash until smooth. Add the onions, herbs and parmesan cheese. Stir to combine.