Caring for a diabetic

In June 2017, my mother succombed to a stroke, most likely because of her diabetes, which she has had the past 25 years. I always trusted her to self-care, but when I look back at her diet and exercise regime, it’s more clear that she hadn’t done enough, relying on prescription drugs to level down her sugar levels.

If you are caring for an aging person with diabetes, it is imperative that you to understand their health, especially their diet.

The following is how I lowered her A1C level to 6.1 (pre-diabetic levels), approximately three months after the stroke. It is a plant-powered diet, void of any meat. Eggs and tofu provide much of the protein. No white carbs.

Might it get repetitive? It might be. It’s up to the cook to figure what the patient likes most. For my mother, copious amounts of garlic.

Breakfast

• Scrambled eggs (2) with 5-8 cherry tomatoes
• Bob’s Red Mill Scottish Oatmeal with 5-8 blueberries and one half banana
• Stash Tea Fusion Green & White Tea

Lunch and/or Dinner

Stir-fried noodles w/ vegetables

In a wok, fry diced garlic in a few teaspoons of olive oil.

• Toss in low-salt yakisoba noodles. Ignore any seasoning. Mix it up.
• Add:
  • mushrooms
  • Chinese brocolli
  • baby bok choy
  • boiled carrots (cooked from a separate pot)
  • silken tofu. Microwave it first.
• Sprinkle chopped cilantro on top.

Variations (shake things up)

• Make it a soup: add water after the noodles cook. Then a little soy sauce for taste.
• Mix in chopped basil. Healthy and flavorful.

Thai Vegetable soup (gaeng jued)

This is similar to this recipe, sans the meat.

• In a pot, boil water with some chicken bones (or broth) for flavor
• Cook and toss in Pan-fried garlic for flavor and nutrition.
• Add:
  • bok choy
  • boiled carrots
  • silken tofu
  • mushrooms
• Top with chopped green onions and cilantro
• Serve with a SMALL serving of brown rice.

Snacks