Archive for category Health and Wellness

How to Raise Healthy Kids

This one is for the parents, the aunts & uncles, and even the grandparents who want to help the children in their lives develop and enjoy healthy eating habits. We all know that old saying, “You are what you eat.” Think about this… if you don’t want to put that cookie in your mouth because it is loaded with sugar (and you know that it will only end up cushioning your bottom) why would you give it to your child(ren) day after day? It makes them hyper, cranky, and craving more, and most of all does nothing for the fact that they were hungry and needed some nourishment! I can tell you from talking to many parents that the cookie is right there and they just don’t know what else to give them. When asked most children will take the cookie over a bowl of spinach (my son included) however, my goal is to help give you some tips so that you can offer something a bit more appealing than spinach instead of that cookie – - – perhaps even a healthier version of that cookie.

Check out my suggestions below and as always give me feedback or share some of your ideas.

Eat Healthy. Live Happy,
Yvonne


Top 5 Snacks my kids LOVE

  • Baked tortilla chips (buy the kind without the transfats or flavors) with Shredded Cheddar Cheese melted on top. These are so much better for your kids than the kind with the powder cheese on top and no artificial anything! (By the way if you are lactose intolerant, cheddar cheese does not contain lactose like other cheeses do.) Add a few cucumber slice to the place or a sliced tomato and you have a great snack to hold the kids over until dinner (not a bad breakfast either… and your kids will think your are super cool for letting them have it!).
  • Yogurt sticks- Horizon and Stoneyfield make yogurt in a tube (refrigerator section) that are low in sugar and high in nutrition. I put mine in the freezer for a special frozen yogurt treat. The kids love them.
  • Chocolate Almonds“- Emerald nut company makes something called Cocoa Almonds. My son loves them and always ‘asks permission‘ to have them. I play along… I think for a second and then say, “OK”. They are a better choice over a candy bar or chocolate dipped almonds.
  • Try celery, carrots or apples dipped in nut butter (skip the honey, too much sugar). There are a variety of nut butters to choose from: Peanut, almond, cashew, soy, or sunflower seed. Make the food look fun and appealing.
  • Cinnamon Toast- I use gluten free bread, but you can use any WHOLE GRAIN BREAD. “Wheat bread” is only white bread with coloring and some vitamins stuck in it. Make sure it says whole grain. I use coconut oil or earth balance lightly spread on the bread and then sweeten with agave nectar. Agave nectar is from the cactus plant and tastes sweeter than sugar but doesn’t give your child that sugar rush. And of course a small or large sprinkle of Cinnamon.

Bonus Tip

Have a healthy snack ready for when the kids come home. This could be in the fridge all prepared (like the Cinnamon toast or the Cheesy Chips) and they can heat it up when they walk in the door. If your child stays after school pack a separate snack bag with one of the healthy choices.

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Stay in shape while having fun

At least one third of Americans today are considered obese. Imagine, with all of our advancements in technology, we are less physically fit as a nation than we have ever been before. The Atkins diets, and the Jenny Craigs, and the Weight Watchers just don’t seem to be doing the trick. Not that it is their fault, because it is not. They really are trying to help. The thing is, we just don’t move our bodies anymore. Let’s face it, it is boring as hell to go to the gym. Of course, this would be the perfect place to plug my kickboxing classes at Family Martial Arts Academy, or my personal training services, but that is not the point of this post.

Back when I was in college, I became fascinated with the world of dance. At first I took classes to supplement my martial arts training, but eventually I fell in love with it for its own sake. I studied everything from ballet, to modern, to jazz, to African, to tap. Baryshnikov and Gene Kelly became heroes of mine along with Gregory Hines, the Nicholas brothers, and Bill Bojangles Robinson. One thing all of these men had in common, aside from being incredible dancers, was that they were all in incredible physical shape. It didn’t seem to matter how old they got, when they took to the stage, they were always magical, and they moved with grace and ease.

At one point I was taking so many dance classes, and rehearsing for so many shows, that I was dancing for about eight hours a day. Talk about being lean and fit! My body did whatever I wanted it to do, and I was constantly exploring new physical challenges. It also made my martial arts ability far better than it had ever been before.

Take a look at this video of Shirley Temple and Bill Bojangles Robinson. He is well beyond his youth at this time, but look at how fit he was. He not only dances up and down a flight of stairs, but does it while singing and humming a tune, and never gets out of breath. He feet are fast, his legs are youthful, and his body is agile, trim, and fit. He also looks like he loves to dance and move.

Want to stay in shape? Find a physical activity that you love to do, and you will never stop doing it. It won’t feel like working out, it will just feel like fun. Bet you never thought of tap dancing as a workout, but then again, maybe you never tried it.

And if you happen to be in the Highland Park, NJ area, and you want another fun way to stay in shape, come check out one of my kickboxing classes, or call me for personal training. Never know, it might change your life.

Now, enjoy the video, and get inspired!!

Photo: laurenatclemson

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Super Post-Workout Meals

Most people who know me (Yvonne) know how much I love to create in the kitchen. I spend a great deal of time reading about how foods can make us feel better, give us energy, and recover from an intense (or even not so intense) workout.

Last week I posted my pre-workout meal suggestions, now let’s look at the post-workout meal. Just as it is important to fuel your body before a workout it is equally important to feed your body the right foods after your workout. We want to keep those blood sugars level by eating high fiber foods, complex carbohydrates, and protein to help our muscles to get stronger. The key is to not over eat. I will show you that it is easy to get all of your nutrients in each meal while either maintaining your weight or losing weight – whichever you need. I hope you find my suggestions helpful and as always I would love to hear from you letting me know what worked for you and what didn’t, so post your comments below.


Post-Workout Meals

Post work out is a bit different from Pre Workout Meals. Now is the time to nourish your body so your muscles get the nutrients they need to get stronger and recover. The important thing is to get food into your system within 20 minutes of completing your work-out. This will help you to avoid those blood sugar lows which will make you feel yucky (and you deserve to feel great since you just treated yourself to a healthy workout)and if your goal is to lose weight not eating will actually make it more difficult by slowing down your metabolism. Be sure to replenish fluids as well. Consider waters that will replenish your electrolytes, but not add any sugar (smartwater, OWATER, or SoBe is sweetened with Purevia).

In the a.m. your body will tolerate a different foods than in the p.m., so try:

  • Omelet- I go a bit crazy with this category; you should too. Have fun… throw in veggies, have it in a wrap, or add some meat or cheese. If you don’t like your veggies hot make a small salad of tomatoes, cucumbers and avocado dress it with olive oil and some sea salt… YUM!
  • No time for the prep, no problem. Try some cottage cheese with slivered almonds and some agave nectar. Add some whole grain toast or rice cakes and you’re good to go. Shihan actually prefers his cottage cheese with olive oil, tomatoes, and za’atar (Mediterranean herb mix) on a corn cake (like a rice cake, but made from corn).
  • Really no time at all. I hope this is not always the case since your body does need to be fueled with 3 good meals per day and small snacks in between to keep those blood sugars level. BUT if you need to cover yourself until lunch and you ate a good pre-workout meal then go for the homemade trail mix- simply toss some almonds, seeds, a bit of dried fruit, and a handful of store bought granola in a bag and munch on your way to work or whatever.

You may be eating late at night, in that case you have to consider that the post workout meal must also be gentle on the digestive system.

  • The other half of the sandwich. Now you can eat that other half that you left behind. Remember the salad and to satisfy the sweet tooth afterward make yourself a cup of herbal tea sweetened with stevia (no calories).
  • Baked or roasted sweet potato- Wash well and keep the skin on. Either bake whole on a lined baking sheet or cut up into strips and bake. Prepare this in advance so you can enjoy as soon as you get home. After they are cooked they stay well in the fridge for a few days so make extra. Sprinkle with some olive oil and sea salt…Super Yummy! Add some raw nuts and a cup of tea and you have a great late night post workout meal.

I hope you have found these tips helpful. Please post your questions or suggestions for future tips below. May your workouts build you strength and give you a longer, healthier life!


Recipe

OK here is a new family favorite: Turkey Burgers

2 lbs ground turkey
1 large onion
3 cloves garlic
1 green pepper
1/2 cup fresh cilantro or parsley
1 potato-washed skin left on
1/2 cup cooked rice (I prefer brown)
salt, pepper

Chop the vegetables in your food processor until fine but not mush. Mix veggies with ground meat and spices. Ground turkey tends to be a bit soft. If your mixture is too soft to form burgers add bread crumbs 1 tablespoon at a time. Shape your burgers and grill on an indoor or outdoor grill (a good not stick pan will work in a pinch). Make a salad and ENJOY!

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Super Pre-Workout Snacks

Greetings!

Most people who know me (Yvonne) know how much I love to create in the kitchen. I spend a great deal of time reading about how foods can make us feel better, give us energy, and recover from an intense (or even not so intense) workout.

Much of my knowledge is based on my research and experiences in preparing food for an insulin-dependent diabetic for over 15 years (in case you don’t know, it’s Joel). Everything that goes in a diabetic’s mouth affects them. We know this by how much insulin is needed and how each food effects Joel’s blood sugars (optimally we want our blood sugars to stay even throughout the day; no sudden spikes or drops).

So, I am going to “guest blog” here some of my ideas on how to effectively help fuel your body for a workout. If you have any allergies or further questions, feel free to post comments below.

Eat healthy, Feel great!

Update: More ideas/tips added!


Pre-Workout Snacks

Pre-workout you need to fuel the body with foods that will energize you for an hour (or longer) workout… complex carbs fit that bill. Why complex carbs? They help to keep the blood sugars level so you don’t get that instant surge of energy and then bottom out just before Shihan’s last conditioning set.

Be sure to get your calories in between 30-60 minutes prior to working out.

In the am your body may not be ready for a big meal, so try:

  • Yogurt- Greek yogurt tends to be lower in sugar than most others; or sweeten plain yogurt with stevia (try Purevia) or some agave nectar.
  • Small bowl of whole grain cereal. Check sugar content though. Stay away from cereals that have more than 6 grams of sugar per serving. Choose your milk carefully. Whole milk is heavy on the system so consider skim milk, rice milk, almond milk (unsweetened), or my new fav, coconut milk (unsweetend).
  • Whole grain bread with 1 tablespoon of nut butter- I bake gluten free breads and add things like flax seed and oat bran to increase the fiber content

For a workout later in the day you can have what I call a “half-meal”. I do this often with my kids. They get the carb and veggies and only some protein from dinner. After their class they are usually pretty hungry and will eat some more protein (more about post workout meals in the next email) and their “dessert”.

  • Pasta- read your packages… one serving is a lot less than you may realize and is all you need before a workout. I prefer whole grain pastas such as brown rice or corn (especially because my family are all gluten intolerant). When cooking any whole grain pasta make sure to use plenty of water and put 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the water and 1/2 tsp of sea salt. Rinse under cool water when the pasta is al dente. Combine the pasta with a salad or 1 cup of cooked green veggies like spinach or broccoli.
  • Half of a sandwich- choose your meat (not processed stuff, please), add some lettuce and tomato (on quality whole grain bread or pita) or a salad on the side and you have a good pre-workout meal.
  • Soup- Now I’m not talking about a brothy soup; I mean something with veggies, some beans, maybe even some rice or pasta tossed in for texture. (I’ll pass along some recipes in the next email)

Update: BONUS TIPS:

  • Before you go to bed, prepare for tomorrow by making your own mini bags of carrots, celery, popcorn, nuts. In the morning toss one in the kids’ lunch boxes and in your bag so no matter where you are you have a healthy snack.
  • Keep a bag of veggie sticks near-by (like on your desk at work or in an attractive bowl on your counter if you’re home during the day. Cut up cucumbers, carrots, celery, peppers or any other veggie that you will eat without dip. This is a great way to get your veggies in, and most of us do not get enough veggies each day (a salad at dinner is great, just not enough).
  • Eat Avocados. Add a little sea salt and lemon, Yummy! Avocados help keep your blood sugar level, help keep you feeling full, they contain lutein (great for the eyes), and pack in so many minerals and vitamins that could help keep your cholesterol in check.

I hope you find this information helpful. Let me know what cooking and nutrition information would be helpful for you and your family by posting comments below.


Recipe

OK here is one of our favorite omelets.

2 large eggs
1/4 cup store bought salsa (look for ones that are organic and have no preservatives)
1 teaspoon coconut oil
1-2 corn tortillas

Heat your pan with a teaspoon of coconut oil. Beat the eggs adding the salsa. Lay your tortilla in the pan and pour the egg mixture on top. When the egg starts to solidify and the tortilla is golden brown, flip it. cook until egg is not runny. ENJOY!

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My Diabetic Mix Up

You ever have one of those moments of instant realization that you just screwed up royally?  Not only did you just screw up big time, but you can’t unscrew it, and you know you just have to ride out the consequences.  Yup, I had a night like that last night.

diabetic_needle_pen
I was at the karate school, and the last class of the evening was about to end, and my fight team was about to start their closed door training session.  It was around 9pm.  My blackberry was buzzing, and the alarm update reminded me that it was time to take my evening insulin injection.  Knowing how forgetful I can be, I had my diabetic supplies already sitting on top of my desk, ready to be put to use.

I was also in the middle of a conversation with one of my staff members, and getting offline at the same time.  I have done this routing thousands of times, so no reason at all to suspect what would happen next.

Let’s back up for just a second.  I take two kinds of insulin.  The first is  Levemir, which is my long term insulin.  It is supposed to be a once a day shot that gives you a 24 hour baseline of insulin, to mimic what a normal, healthy pancreas does.  I said mimic, because it is far from a perfect science.  Anyway, instead of taking it once a day, I divide it up into halves, and take it twice a day, about 12 hours apart for better control.

The other type of insulin I take is NovoLog, which is a short term insulin, designed to be taken with meals, according to the amount of carbohydrates I eat.  This is called a bolus, and can also be used to knock down a random high blood sugar reading.  I test my blood sugar about five or six times a day to be sure.

FlexPens
The company which manufactures the insulin makes it in a ‘disposable pen’ form, so the two different types of insulin come in the exact same shape and size.  To insure that the diabetic purchasers do not mix up their shots, they make the Levemir with a bright aqua colored label and end cap, and the NovoLog with a bright orange colored label and end cap.  Since I am only blind in one of my eyes, the other one should pick up which is which.

Now here’s the rub.  I typically take 20 units of my long term insulin twice a day.  When I take my short term insulin, either to cover a meal, or lower a high blood sugar, I usually take between 2 and 6 units.  Big difference in volume.  Do you see where I’m going here?

Taking too much of the fast acting could cause my blood sugar to drop dramatically.  In a mild case, I eat something sweet and wait to recover.  In an extreme case, a diabetic could drop so quickly and so far that they slip into a coma, or have a heart attack and die on the spot.

Here’s my big screw up.  You guessed it – when it was time to take my 20 units of the long term, slow acting Levemir, I inadvertently took 20 units of the short term, fast acting NovoLog.  To make matters worse, upon checking my blood sugar at that moment, I recognized, that it was at a reasonable level, and did not need any NovoLog at all.  Ugggghhhh!!!  Things were about to get real hairy real fast.  I also knew I needed some of the longer term insulin, so I played doctor on myself, and decided to take half; in my case 10 units.

I had done this once before, but that was about 30 years ago.  At that time, to make sure I didn’t slip away in the night, my parents and sister stayed up with me throughout the night, shoveling ice cream and canned pineapple down my throat at regular intervals.  Some things you don’t forget.  The difference is now I am a grown man in my forties, with a family of my own to look after.

Well, sticking around for fight team training was definitely out, because I didn’t want to drop on the mat, and I had to get to where the food was.  Walking my dog was definitely out, because that would lower my blood sugar further – normally a good thing, but the last thing I needed at the moment.  So get someone else to walk my dog, go home, get comfortable on the couch, see what sweet things there are in the house, and what’s on TV.

Although it may sound like fun, believe me, it is not.  Try to stay up as long as possible, when every ounce of your being wants to sleep, repeatedly shove the next high carbohydrate item down your throat, which you really don’t want, and you know as a diabetic you will pay for the next day for sure.

Without going into the gory details of the crappy movies I watched, and how much food I ate, I woke up on my living room chair at around 4-something a.m.  only to realize I had conked out.  Thankfully I was still alive and coherent.  I ate one more bowl of whatever cereal was in the cabinet, and went upstairs to bed.

My wife, Yvonne, told me the night before that she would get the kids to school in the morning, which is usually my job, so I knew I would be able to sleep a little later.  By some miracle, I woke up only about an hour and a half late, and instantly checked my blood sugar.  The second miracle of the morning was that my blood sugar was actually perfect, as if nothing had gone wrong the night before.  While the rest of the day should be interesting, to say the least, I was happy that it started out well.  It is still morning as I write this.

The moral of the story?  Three morals actually.  One:  Pay attention to what you are doing.  Two: READ THE LABELS ON YOUR MEDS BEFORE YOU TAKE THEM! And three:  When you screw up in life (which you will), don’t panic.  Settle in to the idea that you are going to have to change your plans for a little while, and calmly make the necessary adjustments.

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Walking is Good for Diabetics

As a type one diabetic for over 32 years, good circulation and respiratory health are things I think about.  To keep these functions healthy, it is important to exercise in a way that is suitable to one’s lifestyle.  I believe so strongly in this fact that I own a martial arts school in Highland Park, that promotes fitness among its top goals.  In addition to staying in shape through the martial arts, one of my favorite ways to keep my circulation going is through walking.  Walking appeals to me particularly as a diabetic because it directs blood flow towards my feet, which are the furthest extremity from my heart.  It is also low impact and easy on my joints.  In the mornings my wife and I enjoy walks together with our dog.

Highland ParkLiving in a town like Highland Park, NJ is actually beneficial for someone like myself, who not only enjoys walking for time and distance, but who also does not always want to get in my car.  Because of its design, it is common to see people walking around town nearly all of the time.  I can walk to go to the supermarket, or to get my hair cut.  Goodness knows people can walk to get their nails done in town!  A great number of children walk to school in the morning.  And many of my karate and kickboxing students prefer to walk to the dojo rather than drive.

Walking as a means of transportation is a great way to get your exercise without really doing it consciously.  You don’t have to think, “now I am putting on my special exercise clothes to do my exercises, etc.”  You can just walk out of your house, lock the door, and keep walking to where ever it is you are going in town.

The fact that there are so many sidewalks also promotes the idea of walking.  Of course, it would be nice if the sidewalks were not so bumpy, but they are there to be walked on.  Because so many people in Highland Park walk, you will also find it to be socially beneficial.  There are plenty of folks who tend to walk at the same times every day.   If you do too, you may find yourself meeting new people and making new friends.

So, whether you are diabetic like me, or just looking for something new in your life, take advantage of the fact that HP is a ‘walking town’, and put the car keys down.  Begin walking to do your local errands instead.  Your circulation will improve, your cardiovascular system will thank you, and your moods will even be better from getting outdoors and releasing some endorphins into your system.  On top of that, you might even make a new friend.

Photo: kate at yr own risk

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The Inner World of a Diabetic

Blood glucose check

While I am typically known for other things, I am an insulin dependent (type 1) diabetic. I was first diagnosed at the age of ten back in 1977, although, looking back I realize that I had all the classic symptoms for years before I was ever diagnosed. I have long since taken for granted all of the things that go on inside of me in on a daily basis, and how I am constantly adjusting myself to them throughout each day. It’s just something I do automatically. However, it occurs to me that the average person really knows very little about the inner world of their diabetic friends and family members.

When I wake up in the morning the first thing I do is blink my eyes a few times to make sure I can still see. Most people probably don’t wake up this way, but I have had eighteen laser surgeries on my eyes combined to fight off diabetic retinopathy. On my left eye, I have had three vitrectomies, and retina re-attachments. Unfortunately, they did not take, and I have been left completely blind in that eye since I was in my late twenties. The reality that you may lose the vision in your eyes is probably not on the minds of most people, but every diabetic knows at some level, that this is a possibility.

Before I do anything further in the morning, I change the needle heads of my two different insulin pens, and the lancet in my blood sugar meter. Then I poke myself three times. Once to test my blood sugar, then to take my long term insulin, and finally to take my short term insulin to adjust to any high blood sugars, or to cover for whatever I will eat for breakfast. Sometimes it is ok, and other times it hurts like hell, because either I hit a nerve with the needle, or I hit the exact spot I used not too long ago. Although routines will vary slightly, your diabetic friends and family probably do something similar.

Throughout the day I must continually check my blood sugar. If you eat the wrong foods, you might get fat and feel guilty. If we diabetics eat the wrong foods, it may cause any number of nasty side effects, such as coma, blindness, amputation, heart disease, etcetera. The stakes are just a little higher.

graph line downOf course we can’t let the blood sugar get too low either, because then we ‘crash’ as I call it, or experience hypoglycemia. On a low level, you eat some candy, and you are pretty much wrecked for the next hour until you fully recover. Yes, the blood sugar may be back up in fifteen or twenty minutes, but after a good crash, you are just ‘out of it’ for a while. Of course there will be a rebound high within the next twenty four hours, so you will get a nice unexplained insanely high blood sugar for no apparent reason. No biggie; take another needle, and knock that blood sugar back down. Sure, you’ll have some serious mood swings on this blood sugar rollercoaster ride, but it is all a part of our day.

crashOn the other hand, we also know that a serious enough blood sugar crash could just give us a heart attack and kill us on the spot. What? Are you serious? No, you are exaggerating, you might be thinking; but I’m not. What could cause this anyway? Well, some malfunction between the balances of the calculation of insulin to food; forgetting to eat (which does happen); sensitivity to exercise; and a number of other factors.

Remember, what your body does automatically, we must do externally, and it is never perfect. Trust me when I tell you it is on our minds all the time.

Every time we put anything in our mouth, we have to figure out if it is worth the bother of taking another needle over, and if so, how much insulin. Sometimes we just don’t bother, because we don’t feel like taking the needle. Or we eat and don’t take it, and just deal with the rotten mood and personal ineffectiveness that comes with high blood sugar.

Most diabetics can guesstimate the amount of carbs in just about anything. That is, of course, if we cooked it and know what is in it. Going out to a restaurant is like playing Russian roulette with the blood sugars. We don’t just look at the menu to see what’s good. We have to start doing math problems in our head to gauge how much insulin we think we need. Ready for another diabetic nightmare? You just finished ordering or even eating, and realize you forgot your insulin and tester at home, or in your other bag.

There have even been times when I was out of the country, and this has happened to me but worse. I once left my insulin, which was in a cooler pack, in a cab in Israel. If you know anything about Israel, you know that strange, unattended packages get blown up inside of a robot in case they are a bomb! In Mexico, on my honeymoon, I left it on a little cruise boat, and by the time I got back to my hotel, all the pharmacies were closed. I don’t know what magic my wife worked, but sometime that night, insulin appeared at the hotel. That was not the last time Yvonne would save my life, but we’ll save those stories for another day. Most recently, I left my insulin and tester on a restaurant table in England. One of the people I was with picked it up, and waited until I realized I had left it to tell me he had it. Of course we were already about twenty minutes away at that point, and he let me experience my temporary panic before telling me. I can only laugh.

To your diabetic loved ones, their insulin and glucose monitor are literally their lifelines. Without it, they will die. This simple fact has kept me, and I’m sure the people you know as well, from having any desire to stray too far from civilization as we know it. Not only that, but if I leave my insulin in my car or outside, and it gets too hot, it spoils, and I’m stuck. I must always be aware of where it is, and what the temperature is. We even have to remember not to leave it by the window because the sun can heat it up, and it will go bad. On the other hand, when left in the fridge, it hurts when you shoot it in cold, but it is a pain in the neck to warm it up; so you kind of try to keep it room temperature. Again, it is a delicate balance.

How then you must be asking, could a diabetic possibly leave it behind, if it is so important? Oh yes, there is another side effect of diabetes; memory loss. If you have a conversation with a diabetic, and their blood sugar is too high or too low at the time, there is a good chance they will not remember having that conversation with you. Just ask my wife or anyone else who lives with a diabetic. It must be very frustrating.

Finally before going to bed at night, we must make sure not to eat too much, because high blood sugar over time steals our health as well as our ability to heal. (In fact, we have to be more concerned about cuts and bruises than ‘normal’ people, because everything takes us about twice as long to heal as it does for a non-diabetic.) We also must not take too much insulin or overdo the exercise late at night because if our blood sugar crashes in the middle of the night, we may be too disoriented to deal with it ourselves, and our family members may not wake up with us. If it crashes really badly, we may not wake up at all.

It is not easy acknowledging all of the challenges that being diabetic presents. I am supposed to be a tough guy. Here’s what I think. Dealing with life’s challenges will either kill you or make you stronger, and I’m not dead yet. And I don’t have any such plans for a long time.

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A typical day in my life as a diabetic

I spent the entire day at my home office catching up on emails, and working on various writing projects. This is by far one of my favorite ways to spend my ‘working hours’. Laptop on my desk, mind clear, coffee, tea, water and food available, and my dog Mickey to keep me company. As a highly distractible individual, this is the perfect environment for focused, uninterrupted time – except for when I can’t sit anymore and turn into Hyper Joel. Of course, this too has its advantages as a diabetic. Impossible not to move the body.

joel and mickeyFirst order of business, take Mickey out for a late morning walk. No need to test the blood sugar, I know it’s high. Honestly, I just don’t feel like testing, so I give myself a safe amount of Novolog insulin. Not so much that my sugar crashes in the middle of my walk, but enough to knock it down a few points, so I don’t feel so crappy.

The temperature outside is about 65 degrees. It is a sunny day, and perfect for a dog walk. Something about a good 45 minute walk on a perfect day, with a well disciplined dog… it just makes you feel good. Of course the added benefit is that I know it will keep the blood sugars stabilized in the ‘normal’ zone for hours to follow, as long as I don’t eat the wrong things. Today’s first walk was definitely a good one, so I was able to quickly get back to my laptop.

AlmondsOf course, I find myself snacking throughout the day, but it’s mostly almonds, and salad type things, so no harm done. Suddenly hyper time hits me again, and I can’t concentrate on the screen for another second. I go upstairs to my bedroom, and grab my rotating pushup apparatus, and start cranking out alternating sets of pushup variations, and hindu squats (made popular by Matt Furey). Alternating between upper and lower body exercises makes the heart work a little harder, and since I am in pretty good shape, this is a good thing.

It’s hard to believe that I am approaching 42 years of age, and was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes over 30 years ago; and I still get hyper like a little kid. My remedy back then? Do lots of pushups, jump rope, hit the heavy bag. Although I have gone off the path in the past, it seems I always go back to the beginning. Now I basically do the same things to keep my mind calm and body relaxed. I guess the main difference is now I have my own home and family.

I got to wrap up my afternoon by receiving the kids off the bus. After the kids had a snack, it all really came full circle. I found myself in the front hallway with my son Moshe, giving him a boxing lesson. He borrowed his sister’s boxing gloves, and I held the mitts for him, calling out different punches and combinations. We both had a good time, and he got to get his energy out in a focused, skill building sort of way.

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Quote of the Week 4/26/2009

“True enjoyment comes from activity of the mind and exercise of the body; the two are united.”
Alexander von Humboldt

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Quote of the Week 4/19/2009

“Those who do not find time for exercise will have to find time for illness.”
Earl of Derby

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