3 Easy Salad Recipes To Help Control Diabetes

diabetesJoe Martino – Diabetes is one of the most rampant diseases of our time, and when you take a look at the average North American diet you begin to see why. According to the American Diabetes Association, in 2012 29.1 million Americans, or 9.3% of the population, had diabetes. [1]

Sadly, diabetes rates are still rising steadily because we are not doing enough to adjust our diets, despite the wealth of nutritional information available to us. A study completed by the CDC & Research Triangle Institute concluded that, if recent trends in diabetes prevalence rates continue linearly over the next 50 years, future changes in the size and demographic characteristics of the U.S. population will lead to dramatic increases in the number of Americans with diagnosed diabetes. [2]

Finding The Right Foods

When you are diabetic, changes in diet are pretty well a must. Finding the right diet for some people can be a bit tricky, as we are often tempted by other foods or run out of creative ways to enjoy healthy meals. The truth is, the average person might look at something like a salad and think that it’s a healthy option for a diabetic given the low sugar content, yet many times we turn around and throw a sugar laden dressing on top of that salad, which entirely compromises our well-intentioned effort.

Below is a short list of salads which can be good for a diabetic diet. If you are adventurous and want to try an interesting fruit which can help treat diabetes, check out bitter melon. Research has shown some very promising things with this plant.

Spinach With Garlic Vinaigrette

Ingredients Continue reading

7 Little-Known Benefits Of Cucumbers

NaturalSociety  May 30 2014

“Growing cucumbers is fun, boosts self-sufficiency, and healthy. The vines are beautiful with sprawling green leaves and curling tendrils before the cucumbers form.” ~E. Renter

GrowingCucumbersmay have a high water content, but the health benefits of cucumbers should not be watered down. On the contrary, these summertime vegetables have numerous benefits that are often overlooked. Whether you like them on a salad, juiced, or eaten raw with black pepper—you’re getting health perks you may not even be aware of.

1. Lignans – Lignans are polyphenols, or beneficial plant compounds. In cucumbers you’ll find lignans like lariciresinol, pinoresinol, and secoisolariciresinol, which have been linked to reduced risk of certain types of cancer and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.

2. Hydration – Because cucumbers are about 90 percent water, they are a great source of hydration. Use them to refresh on a hot summer day or to get your water intake up.

3. Digestion – Whether you suffer from constipation or regular stomachaches, cucumbers may be able to help. The water and fiber contents pair up to help keep things running smoothly.

4. Hair and nails – Cucumbers have a high silica content, a compound great for the hair, nails, and even skin. Continue reading