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Every 17 seconds, someone is diagnosed with diabetes. Mexican Americans are almost twice as likely as non-Hispanic whites to be diagnosed with diabetes by a physician, according to the Office of Minority Health. They have higher rates of end-stage renal disease, caused by diabetes, and they are 50% more likely to die from diabetes as non-Hispanic whites. Diabetes kills more each year than breast cancer and AIDS combined.
Personally, the disease has touched members of our LatinoFoodie family. The pain and anguish to see a loved one lose a leg, die of a heart attack or have a stroke because of diabetes is devastating to say the least. As we enter into the holiday season, many of us will be spending more time in our kitchens making sugar-filled sweets or traditional foods loaded with carbs. We’re going to challenge ourselves to be a little more creative this season by looking for healthier and still delicious choices in our menu planning.
Here are a few tips from the American Diabetes Association and other resources to keep you and your family’s blood sugar in check. Don’t forget to take the pledge on Facebook to help raise money and awareness for diabetes research and education. Together, we can make our community and families healthy.
- Eat smaller portion sizes
- Exercise at least 30 minutes each day
- Fill up on good carbs (fresh vegetables and fruits)
- Substitute sugar in your coffee with Agave syrup or an artificial sweetener
- Eat more legumes and whole wheat grains
- Limit or cut out flour tortillas and anything else that is made with white flour for that matter
- If you are diabetic, check your blood sugar regularly before and after meals to see how your meals are affecting your blood; adjust accordingly
