WHY YOU NEED THAT PROTEIN SHAKE IN THE MORNING

I understand that many people just can't eat in the morning right after they get up. If they only knew that this is a symptom of the wrong eating patterns, and that it contributes to the weight problem, I am sure they would go for a delicious protein shake! It is easy to make, takes only a minute or two in the blender, and it does many things to improve glucose control. Let me show you!

Most diabetics have a problem with high blood sugar in the morning. Their liver has dumped glucose into their bloodstream overnight, and unless they eat SOMETHING, which starts calorie burning, that blood sugar will continue to climb. Your body relies on the stimulus of food to actually start burning calories. So, if you don't eat in the morning, you are contributing to your high blood sugar problems.

The first thing to do is to make a high protein, moderate carb shake. You can find many brands of whey protein that are natural, with no artificial sweeteners. I have experimented with this for all the time I have spent losing weight, and the Reese's Shake is my alltime favorite. But here is another winner:

ORANGE JULIUS SHAKE

1/2 cup 2% cottage cheese

1 cup water

15gm serving whey protein, orange pineapple or any other flavor

1 tbs chia seed

Blend all in blender. Add one cup ice and blend again.

Fat 4gm, Carbs 13gm, Protein 27 gm

This will keep you going all morning, start your calorie burning engine, and keep your blood sugar low. It tastes great! The chia adds fiber, protein, and a very few low glycemic carbs, along with omega 3 fats.

The wonderful thing about whey protein in the morning, according to Dr. John Gray (of Mars and Venus fame) - is that for women, your mood is set at "good" for the entire day if you get up and have a whey protein shake within two hours of waking. The amino acids tyrosine, tryptophan, and others in whey protein are precursors to serotonin, the feel good brain chemical.

And I have found that if I have the same number of carbs, protein, and fat in any other form than a protein shake, my blood glucose control is not as good. The whey protein has a low glycemic index, and you can use that to help control your blood sugar for hours.

If you are on a low fat diet, be sure to add some coconut oil to your shake.  A low fat diet can trigger gallstones, and the coconut oil will keep your gall bladder flushing to prevent them.  Use up to 2 tbs coconut oil daily for women, and up to 3 tbs coconut oil for men.  Coconut oil also raises your metabolic rate, so don't be afraid to use it, even in a low fat diet.

The best bonus is it tastes good!

GALLSTONES AND MORBID OBESITY

If you are over forty, obese, and female, your risk for gallstones is high.  In my case, I ended up in the hospital for six months with gallstone pancreatitis.

But, if you are losing weight with a low fat diet, the diet itself can increase your risk for gallstones.  This is because the gall bladder needs to flush each and every day, and if you are not eating enough fat, it does not do that.  When combined with all the debris coming out of your cells as you lose weight, it is a recipe for gallstones.  The gall bladder never flushes and the gallstones are much more prone to develop.

So, if you are using the daily log sheet, add 2 tbs coconut oil daily to your low fat diet.  The coconut oil not only keeps the gall bladder flushing, but will improve your metabolic rate as well.  The more weight you need to lose, the more coconut oil pushes up the number of calories burned.

You can use coconut oil in many foods.  Fry with it, put it in your protein cocoa, put it in hot oatmeal, and in your shakes.  Use it up to 2 tbs daily for women and up to 3 tbs daily for men.  It is delicious and will keep you full, as well.

BERBERINE HELPS BOTH GLUCOSE AND CHOLESTEROL

In my many searches on the net for what helps with glucose, I ran on to a reference (more than one, actually) that says berberine may help.  I tried it, and it knocked my glucose down by about 20 points.  The dosage will vary according to your weight and degree of insulin resistance, so work with your doctor to establish how much to take.

The other benefit for berberine is that it also helps with cholesterol.

You may want to consider taking alpha lipoic acid along with berberine to prevent the berberine from taking glucose from skeletal muscles.

Berberine has been in use for centuries in China and Middle Eastern countries with no bad side effects.

EARTHING REDUCES BLOOD GLUCOSE

If you have not heard about earthing yet, get ready for a revolution. This simple practice took my blood sugar down by about 30 points the first day on my earthing mat. You can buy earthing products for just a small amount of money and there are no ongoing expenses.

This is something you can do for free by going outside, barefoot, and placing your feet right on the earth. This produces a stream of electrons from the earth, which act as antioxidants in the body. Diabetes is a disease of inflammation, and the electron stream from the earth goes right to the points of inflammation in the body and puts the fire out.

In addition to normalizing blood sugar, earthing reduces pain and also normalizes cortisol, the stress hormone. There are too many benefits to mention here. So, check out youtube, google, and all other sources for earthing. It is real and it works.

DR BRUCE FIFE AND THE COCONUT OIL MIRACLE

By now, you have no doubt seen on the net that coconut oil is very beneficial for diabetics.

Dr. Bruce Fife, author of "The Coconut Oil Miracle" explains these mechanisms of action for opening up circulation and healing wounds.

See the video at:

http://www.ihealthtube.com/aspx/viewvideo.aspx?v=859c271425140a40

I am now taking 2 to 3 tbs coconut oil daily, in my morning protein cocoa and in my shake.

I have been away from the blog, helping others in the real world. I am glad to help, but the real work is done by the people who are losing weight and regaining control of their blood sugar.
Best wishes to all,
Martha

RASPBERRY COCOA SHAKE

Raspberry Cocoa shake is a wonderful way to start the day. Add a 15 carb oat bran muffin or other carbs, like fruit, to balance protein and carbs.

RASPBERRY COCOA SHAKE

1/2 cup 2% cottage cheese
1 cup water
1 scoop (15gm) chocolate whey protein
sugar free raspberry syrup to taste
stevia to taste

Blend all ingredients in a blender. Add one cup ice and blend again.

Fat 3gm, Carbs 8gm, Protein 30gm, Calories 178

D-CHIRO-INOSITOL AND DIABETES

I found another supplement which may help Type II diabetics. It is called d-chiro-inositol. You may have heard of inositol, a member of the B vitamin family. The two are not the same, but related.

D-chiro-inositol helps insulin across cell membranes and assists with ATP production. It is a part of the carbohydrate energy cycle.

In several clinical trials, both with mice and with humans, d-chiro-inositol lowered insulin resistance, fasting glucose, and A1C.

Food sources include buckwheat farinetta, cantaloupes, and soybean lecithin.

The amount needed to help diabetics is about 1200mg daily. It is a fairly expensive supplement, but the lowest price I found was located at http://d-chiro-inositol.com/

I am testing this over the next few weeks. My diet is stabilized, I eat balanced protein and carb and I can see on my glucose meter what happens with supplements. I will file a report!

*REPORT*
The D-chiro-inositol did not do much for me. It did not affect my blood glucose, although I did feel very full on the food I eat. So the effect, for me at least, was minimal. But it might be something that will help you, so be sure to try it out.