Sunday, July 08, 2007

EAT PUMPKIN NOW!!

It has been reported in "Society of Chemical Industry," that Compounds found in pumpkin could potentially replace or at least reduce the amount of daily insulin injections in T1DM.
It goes on to say that the extracts found in Pumpkin which is a part of the squash Family of vegetables, "promote regeneration of damaged pancreatic cells in diabetic rats, boosting levels of insulin-producing beta cells and insulin in the blood, reports Lisa Richards in Chemistry & Industry, the magazine of the SCI."
The protective effect of pumpkin is thought to be due to both antioxidants and D-chiro-inositol, a molecule that mediates insulin activity.
The study was led by Dr. Tao Xia of the East China Normal University.

I would think that these healthy anti-oxidants would also be found in other squash plants as well. Zucchini is in season now and is very delicious.
Stop by your Farmer's Market for a large bag of fresh vegetables, one of the best Medicines for T1DM in addition to Insulin and Exercise.

7 comments:

Chrissie in Belgium said...

Yeah, I know! One thing that has me chuckle is somebody ought to put together a list of all the "good stuff" to eat.....you jnow the cinammon, pumpkin,..... and either make a recipe with all these ingredients and call it the super D-Bite. Also, sometimes I think if you eat all all the good stuff you would be so fat that you would roll. Aren't we suppose to stay thin? HAH, have a nice day Barry! You wouldn't believe it - yes you would, my insulin has gone up even now! I thought I was going to just break down and ball yesterday! I am trying a new bottle of insulin with a new batch number, but I think it is my bodies fault not the insulin! Sorry for blabbing so much! Oh, one more thing - you know that the average bg value also hides high and low bg values, so that really doesn't work better than the HbA1c either!

BetterCell said...

Hi Chrissie.........
I feel that if one's diet consisted of fresh vegetables and good sources for protein with a limited carbohydrate intake along with exercise, then a person should not be gaining extra weight unless it is from muscle development which weighs more than fat.
Because of rDNA Insulins, there might be a tendency to develop antibodies requiring a higher dose. Weather(hot/humid) and stress can also effect blood sugars.
Stay well.

Scott S said...

Anything that reduces insulin requirements for both type 1 and type 2 patients is beneficial (although we'll never hear that from big pharma). Chrissie has a good point, but I would dare say that instead of all these idiotic low-carb recipes they try to push, it would be far better for all these self-proclaimed diabetes chefs to develop dishes that combine the beneficial ingredients in a tasty manner. We know that fresh produce is far better than highly-processed ingredients (although one has to wonder why its always found on the periphery of the supermarket, could margins have anything to do with it?). Actually, the NYT ("You are what you grown", 4/22/2007) had an article on that very subject which can be found at http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/22/magazine/22wwlnlede.t.html Happy reading!

BetterCell said...

Thanks Scott for bringing that article, "You Are What You Grow" to my attention.
I did read it and it further confirmed what I already knew about price controls and the resulting influence of what appears in our Supermarkets, School Lunch programs (although that has changed according to the influence of School Moms in the neighborhood),
It comes down to the matter of choice as to what foods to buy based on price, available $$, advertising, TV commercials, supermarket placing of food items and other "Influences."
The only thing I purchase at supermarkets is Cat Litter. The rest of my Food Sources are from Farmer's Markets and other Food Friendly stores.

Minnesota Nice said...

We have a fabulous market here in Minneapolis and I haven't even been to it yet. Yes, it is a sorry excuse.
We are in the midst of a dry spell here, and on Saturday when I was out walking noticed the city had put up signs by the big trees, "we are thirsty - please water us".
Who would have thought to water a tree?
Sometimes we just need a little reminder, and the farmer's market will be on my list for this coming weekend.

BetterCell said...

Good for you Kathy. Make sure you stock up on plenty of leafy green lettuces, cucumbers, onions and more, so that you will have a wonderful (healthy) salad for the weekend.
Also have on hand agood Italian or Greek olive oil as well as a quality vinegar

Anonymous said...

Not only are pumpkins great, but have you ever thought of what combinations of foods would give you energy and lower your blood sugar at the same time. I have tried all sorts of things. Then I came across this book. I'm not a big reader but, boy did I dive into this one.

www.diabetesdoneright.com

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I do not give up my Autonomy,especially to the Medical Profession. Passionate, Creative, Able to see Beauty within Simplicity, I Am Not A Diabetic, rather I have Diabetes (there is a big difference between the two on many levels).Type 1 Diabetes since 5 years of age. Belief in G-D