March 2023

Type 2 Diabetes – How Can Type 2 Diabetics Avoid the Medication Merry-Go-Round?

According to the American Diabetes Association, there are approximately 28.5 million people in the United States known to be suffering from diabetes and around 1.9 million new diabetics are diagnosed every year.

Diabetes is one of the top causes of morbidity and mortality in this United Stated. In this nation where freedom abounds, many diabetics become slaves of their blood sugar levels. Most diabetics become trapped in the anti-diabetic medication merry-go-round that simply ends with long-term complications. And so, for most of these people, one question keeps popping inside their heads: “can Type 2 diabetics really avoid the medication merry-go-round? “

The good news is: there is a way to free yourself from anti-diabetic medications and escape unscathed. Type 2 diabetes is a lifestyle disease. It is the end result of being inactive and being overweight or obese. And because it results from an unhealthy lifestyle, changing your ways can give a real solution to your ongoing metabolic problem.

Your activity: Believe it or not, your regular physical activities serve as a great contributor to better control of your blood sugar levels. Being physically active makes your large muscles contract more. And with more muscle contractions, more sugar is converted to energy resulting in a lower blood sugar level. Remember the days when you were quite young? Did you ride around your local streets on your bicycle with your friends, or play team sports? But as you grew older and took on the responsibilities of earning an income, even building your own business, exercise became a neglected activity. And with decreased physical activity, you became overweight and obese and maybe developed Type 2 diabetes. To prevent this from happening, or to help reverse your condition, why not add more physical activity to your life; you will become more physically fit. As your become more physically active, the muscles firm, and your body becomes slender and fit.

Your diet: Diet is another important cornerstone in the management of Type 2 diabetes. With a healthier well-balanced diet, much better blood sugar control can be achieved.

According to the American Family Physician, eating a healthy high fiber diet is a great help for anyone with Type 2 diabetes. A high fiber intake also helps you to lower your blood cholesterol levels. Furthermore, it adds bulk to your food helping you feel full for longer with a lower number of calories or kilojoules.

And don’t forget, a high intake of soluble fibers gives you better blood sugar control by delaying the absorption of glucose.

Type 2 diabetics should never rely only on their anti-diabetic medications to have control of their blood sugar. If you are tired of the endless cycle of oral anti-diabetic medications… then insulin injections… then oral anti-diabetic medications again, changes need to be made in your lifestyle. After all, Type 2 diabetes is a lifestyle disease and so, lifestyle modification plays an important role in controlling it.…

Raspberry Tips and Tricks

The small amount of work you put into your raspberry patch is well rewarded. Have you seen the cost of raspberries in the grocery store? You can go big if you like, or keep your patch small by starting with half a dozen strong cultivars from the greenhouse. A small garden is easier to care for than a great big one, and so worth your time.

Site and Soil

Almost any soil is satisfactory for growing raspberry plants. It should be well drained but not too sandy unless irrigation is available.

Select a gently sloping area with good drainage. Poor drainage often increases the chance of late spring frost injury and the occurrence of diseases such as anthracnose and spur blight.

Planting

Plant raspberries in the early spring as soon as the soil can be worked. Work liberal amounts of well-rotted manure or good compost into the soil.

Plant 3 to 5 feet apart in rows 6 feet apart. Spade a deep slit in the soil, place the root ball inside, and carefully fan out the roots. Be sure to water thoroughly. Firmly press the soil around the roots.

Cut back the tops to about 6 inches in height (if needed) to encourage the production of vigorous new canes.

Watering

Mulch is your friend! Raspberries like moisture and lots of water without being boggy. Mulch between rows and around plants, 3-4 inches deep with straw or leaves.

Keep your raspberry patch watered, both to start and continuing on throughout its life.

Fertilizer

For maximum yields, fertilize your raspberry patch every year in the spring (around the middle of May), using about 1 pound of balanced fertilizer for every 20 feet of rows, or 1/2 cup around each plant. Broadcast the fertilizer between rows and work into the top few inches of soil.

Thinning

Raspberry canes grow the first year and produce fruit the next year. Do not allow any fruit to set on the canes the first year after transplanting. Old canes die out and new ones take their place.

Remove old canes as soon as the fruit is harvested. New canes and suckers should be thinned, leaving 6 to 8 strong canes per foot of row or about 7 strong canes per hill, depending on your layout. Trim all remaining canes to about 24 inches high.

Winter Protection

In colder climates like Minnesota, raspberries need protection from alternating cold and warm periods in the late winter. Follow these steps in the fall, around October, before the ground freezes:

After your raspberries are properly thinned, bend remaining canes over close to the ground and secure with dirt or stakes.

Pile straw or leaf mulch 4-6 inches deep over the canes.

Don’t forget to uncover the plants after all danger of frost is past!

Disease Control

Several diseases, the most common of which are viral or fungal in origin, can afflict raspberries. Stop disease in its tracks by planting certified stock from a trusted greenhouse, destroying old canes after harvest, thinning new canes properly, and cultivating carefully.

If you have a disease outbreak, contact your local extension service for help identifying and treating insects or fungal problems.

That’s it. Keep them watered, thin the patch as directed, protect in the winter, and enjoy your sun-warmed raspberries fresh from your very own garden.…

How to Brew Delicious Tea

Everyone knows that there are all kinds of tea on the market. What you may not know is that you need to use specific brewing techniques for each type. If you don’t use the right technique with the right type, you may end up brewing yourself a cup of BLEH instead of a cup of AAAAH!

Black tea is the standard coffee-alternative you find in the United States. It’s bold, rich, and astringent. You can find flavored black-teas, such as Earl Grey, or go for the more traditional English or Irish Breakfast. These are usually caffeinated (about half the caffeine of coffee), but you can find non-caffeine options.

Black-teas are dried and cured leaves, so it takes boiling water and time (three to six minutes steeping time) to unlock the optimal flavor. Be patient when steeping it: if you are using loose leaf, wait until you see the leaves uncurl. If you’re using the bagged sort, wait until the water turns a uniform color without stirring.

Green tea is a wonderful option that has gained popularity in recent years. Flavors range from the bold and smoky Gunpowder to the sweetly subtle jasmines. The caffeine content of most green-teas is less than black-teas, but can vary greatly.

Most people automatically ruin green tea by brewing it in water that is too hot. Water should be 160 degrees Fahrenheit or less, in order to preserve the green color and delicate flavor. Green-teas are often good for brewing multiple pots, but watch carefully and beware of over-steeping: three to four minutes is the maximum steeping time for green teas.

White tea is an option that is relatively new to the market, but the flavors are even more delicate than green-tea, with even less caffeine. It should be steeped in water just below boiling, for four to six minutes.

There are hundreds of varieties of herbal teas. Not only are herbal-teas delicious, but many of them claim to have healing properties. Chamomile has a light floral or grassy flavor and is said to be relaxing. Mint kinds supposedly calm the stomach. Fruity varieties like lemon and orange wake you up (without caffeine) and are a source of vitamin C. Generally speaking, herbal teas should be brewed at a lower temperature than black (slightly less than boiling), but longer than green (four to five minutes).

Tea is a wonderful way to relax and enjoy something that is good for you. Brewing it yourself takes time and a little practice, but it is a great way to connect with a slower and simpler era.…

Tea Of the Month is a Great Way to Bring More Tea Into Your Life

Did you know that tea is the second most popular drink on the planet? Only water comes first! In most of Asia, people drink tea each and every day. In Britain, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia, it is often the number one choice of beverage. In fact it is becoming more popular every day. If you’re not an avid drinker of this beverage (yet) then the tea of the month idea is a great way to start.

If you are a newbie or not yet into trying any different varieties than your usual cup, then this is a good way to bring more tea into your life. So how does this work? There are hundreds of websites selling every sort and variety of this delectable beverage imaginable. Some websites have a ‘tea of the month’ club. This means that they will send you a different sort every month to try. Leave the choice to them.

Not only that but there are ‘tea of the month’ clubs where you can choose to have a tea every month, whether it’s black, green, herbal or white. Some tea of the month clubs give you a random selection so one month you might receive a black variety and the next an herbal or tisane. Some clubs deliver it loose and others in bags.

Every tea connoisseur will tell you that loose is best. Today it’s also easy to handle. Many teapots come with a built in strainer. But you can even buy empty disposable tea bags and fill them yourself.

Many people make the mistake of packing too much in a bag – in fact many tea bags in supermarkets are like this and they mainly contain inferior low grade chopped leaves, including the twigs. Loose tea leaves need to unfurl and the hot water makes the leaves plump up as well. This is why you only need to fill your bag one-third full – to make room for this expansion. As a general rule, let the tea steep in the hot water for three to five minutes and then it’s ready to drink.

This is a wonderful drink and it’s so very diverse. Not only are there hundreds of varieties of green and black teas but herbal (often known as tisanes) ones as well. These are not strictly teas as they don’t come from the actual plant, camilla sinensis. They come from herbs and flowers – sometimes even the roots. They contain no caffeine and are very good for your body. You can also drink it cold. Let it cool down and serve over ice with lemon, for example. In the summer I keep a jug of herbal tisane in my fridge, ready to ‘dress up’ with fruit and/or herbs and ice cubes.

Now you have an idea what the ‘tea of the month’ means, I do hope you give it a try. It is good for you and your health.…

White Tea – Health Benefits and Purity of Taste

Tea is becoming more and more popular in North America but few of us here have heard of white tea, which is a shame but it too is gaining a foothold on our continent. It isn’t black tea which has had milk added! It is a very special variety which comes to us from camillia sinensis, which is simply the Latin name for the tea plant. Whereas most teas are harvested for their leaves, this special variety is actually the fine white hairs that surround the unopened bud of the tea plant! As you can imagine, plucking these tiny buds is a delicate undertaking. Not only does it taste really good but there are many white tea health benefits.

Most of this variety comes from China, the home of tea. It has a very long history which dates back to the Sung Dynasty (900 AD to 1200 AD), where it was a firm favorite. It has a remarkable appearance and its flavor is delicate and has a faintly sweet taste, which is very pleasant. This tea is pure and is not fermented, but is simply plucked and dried. Some varieties include White Peony and the ultra special Silver Needles.

Here are some white tea health benefits:

It can lower cholesterol

It can also reduce blood pressure

It may also reduce blood sugar

It is good for the health of your bones

It contains more polyphenols than green or black tea

It is rich in antioxidants which helps your immune system

It has antibacterial and antiviral properties

It’s good for the skin

It’s also good for teeth and gum health

It can help prevent the growth of plaque on your teeth

It is used in some brands of toothpaste

So you can understand that not only is this tea very special, has a unique flavor but it’s very good for you as well – what a great combination! Remember the many white tea health benefits. You can even go to tea websites on the internet and find out more, but also purchase it online. This is an easy process and you can have it delivered to your home.…