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Sweet Potato Chips with Fresh Tomato Salsa

Ingredients Sweet Potato Chips  1 canola cooking spray 3 sweet potatoes , peeled 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 1 pinch salt (to taste) Fresh Tomato Salsa  3 large tomato , chopped 1/2 cup fresh chopped red onion 1/4 cup fresh cilantro , minced (or to taste) 1 pinch salt (to taste)

Directions Sweet Potato Chips 1 Cut sweet potatoes in half. 2 Fill large saucepan with water. Add potatoes. 3 Bring water to boil, reduce heat to medium, cook for 15 to 20 minutes until potatoes are fork tender but still firm. Drain and cool. 4 Slice sweet potatoes paper thin and transfer to a plate. 5 Spray potatoes with cooking spray, sprinkle with garlic powder, cinnamon, and salt. 6 Coat a nonstick frying pan with cooking spray. 7 Sauté sweet potatoes for 3 minutes, turning as needed, until potatoes are warm on the inside and crisp on the outside. 8 Remove from skillet and serve with fresh tomato salsa. Fresh Tomato Salsa 1 In a large bowl, toss tomatoes, onions, and cilantro. Season with salt, to taste. 2 Cover bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Korean Research Team Found Two Genetic Variants Closely Linked to Gestational Diabetes

http://www.arirang.co.kr/News/News_View.asp?nseq=124708&code=Ne2&category=2

Pregnancy is a blessing not only for women, but also for their family members. However, pregnant women need to be extra cautious about their health.

Many pregnancy-related diseases can develop easily during pregnancy, and one of the threats is gestational diabetes mellitus, or GDM. [Interview : Kwak Soo-heon, Assistant Professor Seoul National University Hospital] "Gestational diabetes mellitus is defined as diabetes first diagnosed during pregnancy. Its significance is that women with gestational diabetes have a higher chance of poor perinatal outcome." [Reporter : Park Ji-won jiwonpark@arirang.co.kr]

 "Experts say two to five percent of pregnant women are affected by gestational diabetes. And although their glucose levels normalize after giving birth, data show half of them develop type two diabetes within 10 years." And according to Seoul National University Hospital, Dr. Kwak Soo-heon, along with corresponding authors Dr. Jang Hak-chul and Dr. Park Kyong-soo, found for the first time in the world that two genetic variants are closely linked to the development of the disease. [Interview : Kwak Soo-heon, Assistant Professor Seoul National University Hospital]

"In this study, we investigated more than 2 million genetic variants in 14-hundred gestational diabetes mallitus women and 2-thousand normal controls, and found that two variants near MTNR1B and another variant in CDKAL1 gene was significantly associated with increased risk of gestational diabetes mallitus." The research team hopes the findings could further research in advancing a cure for the disease. [Interview : Kwak Soo-heon, Assistant Professor Seoul National University Hospital] "The significance of this study is that first the genetic information discovered from the study would be used to predict women at risk of gestational diabetes mallitus. And second, the genes that are discovered could be used as novel therapeutic targets and also targets for preventive strategies." The results will be published in the February edition of "Diabetes," a prestigious academic journal by the American Diabetes Association. Park Ji-won, Arirang News. JAN 13, 2012

Coffee drinkers less likely to have Type 2 diabetes

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Lifestyle/Wellness/Coffee-drinkers-less-likely-to-have-Type-2-diabetes/Article1-796123.aspx Experts have finally solved the long-standing mystery of coffee’s beneficial effects against Type 2 diabetes. Previous studies found that coffee drinkers are at a lower risk for developing Type 2 diabetes, which accounts for 90-95 percent of diabetes cases in the world. Those studies said that people who drink four or more cups of coffee daily have a 50 percent lower risk of Type 2 diabetes. And every additional cup of coffee brings another decrease in risk of almost 7 percent. Also scientists have implicated the misfolding of a substance called human islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP) in causing Type 2 diabetes, and some are seeking ways to block that process. Ling Zheng, Kun Huang and colleagues decided to see if coffee’s beneficial effects might be due to substances that block hIAPP. And they indeed identified two categories of compounds in coffee that significantly inhibited hIAPP. They suggest that this effect explains why coffee drinkers show a lower risk for developing diabetes. “A beneficial effect may thus be expected for a regular coffee drinker,” the researchers conclude,” the researchers concluded. The finding was reported in a report in ACS’ Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Angelic Deviled Eggs

Ingredients 6 eggs , large 1/4 cup cottage cheese 3 tbsp ranch salad dressing 2 tsp dijon mustard 2 tbsp fresh chives , minced (or dill) 1 tbsp pimento peppers , well-drained and diced (or roasted red pepper) 4 cup cold water , divided Directions 1 Place eggs in medium saucepan. Add water until eggs are completely covered. Bring to boil, uncovered, over medium. 2 Remove from heat, cover and allow to stand for 15 minutes. 3 Drain hot water from saucepan, add cold water to cool eggs. 4 Drain water from saucepan, remove and discard egg shells. 5 Cut eggs in half lengthwise and remove yolks, reserving 3 yolk halves. 6 Discard remaining yokes, or save for later use, and place sliced egg whites on serving platter, cut sides up. 7 Cover egg whites with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator while preparing filling. 8 In food processor, combine cottage cheese, dressing, mustard, and reserved egg yolk halves. Process until mixture is smooth. 9 In small bowl, place cottage cheese mixture and blend in chives and pimiento. Spoon mixture into egg white halves, cover and chill at least 1 hour.

Type 2 Diabetes – The Importance Of Using A Blood Sugar Meter

The device necessary for calculating blood sugar levels is known as a blood glucose meter, a glucometer or monitor. Using a glucometer is a simple process and this convenient device provides reliable results in only a few seconds. It makes sense for almost everyone with diabetes to have a monitor on hand. This is the fastest and simplest way to detect whether you have higher or lower than normal blood sugar levels. They’re quick… you’ll know your numbers within seconds. By helping you keep your blood sugar in line, your monitor can help you ward off diabetes-associated conditions such as heart disease and neuropathy. Until manufacturers come up with a needle-less lancet device that is affordable, a blood sugar check will involve a needle prick. Finger-prick testing is usually performed on the four fingers, not the thumb. When using a glucometer, the blood is dribbled onto a special paper test strip and then inserted into a convenient opening in the monitor. As technology has advanced, so have the requirements for blood sampling. Now, only a tiny speck of blood is required. It is important to consult with your health care provider to determine what an accurate reading is for you. As individuals differ, so does diabetes itself. What is a comfortable level for one person might not be accurate for another. Appropriate target blood sugar levels are often determined on a case-by-case basis. The acceptable range two hours after the start of a meal is usually less than 180 mg/dL or 10 mmol/L. Read More