Coconut Curry Trail Mix - Quick Recipe

This Recipe Serves 24

Ingredients

1 cup whole roasted almonds
1½ cups unsalted peanuts
¼ cup chocolate chips
¼ cup sunflower seeds
3 tablespoons sweetened coconut flakes
Cooking spray
¼ teaspoon curry powder

Instructions

1. In a medium plastic container place almonds, peanuts, chocolate chips, sunflower seeds and coconut. Spray mixture evenly with cooking spray and then sprinkle on curry powder. Place lid on plastic container and gently shake contents to mix well.

Dietitian Tip: If you prefer a stronger curry flavor, increase portion size to ½ teaspoon or just leave out if you don’t like curry flavor.

MAKE IT GLUTEN-FREE: Confirm your ingredients are gluten-free and this recipe can be made gluten-free.

Photo: Coconut Curry Trail Mix. PNC Photography: Photographer: Peter Papoulakos

Nutritional Facts

Serving Size: 2 tablespoons

• Calories110
• Carbohydrate5 g
• Protein4 g
• Fat9 g
• Saturated Fat1.5 g

• Dietary Fiber2 g
• Cholesterol0 mg
• Sodium0 mg

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Gluten-Free Parmesan Biscuits - Quick Recipe

This Recipe Serves 12

Ingredients

1 cup gluten-free baking mix (such as Pamela’s)
3 tablespoons trans-fat free margarine
2 tablspoons freshly grated Parmesan
1/3 cup skim milk

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together baking mix and margarine. Use a fork and hands to mix into course crumbs.
3. Add milk to mixture and stir with a fork. Add Parmesan cheese and incorporate into mixture.
4. Drop about 1 tablespoon at a time of dough mixture on baking sheet for each biscuit.  Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown on top.

5. Nutritional Facts

   Serving Size: 1 biscuit

   • Calories65
   • Carbohydrate7 g
   • Protein2 g
   • Fat3.5 g
   • Saturated Fat0.9 g

   • Sugar1 g
   • Dietary Fiber0 g
   • Cholesterol0 mg
   • Sodium135 mg
   • Potassium40 mg

3 Reasons to Focus on Diabetes

This week saw the release of positive news flow for AstraZeneca (NYSE: AZN  ) andBristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY  ) , with the two global pharmaceutical majors announcing the marketing authorization for diabetes drug Xigduo by the European Commission.

The drug in question, Xigduo, is a combination of Forxiga, a selective and reversible inhibitor of SGLT2, and metformin hydrochloride. The former works by inhibiting the reabsorption of excess glucose in the kidney, inhibiting SGLT2 (a sodium-glucose cotransporter found predominantly in the kidney), which is responsible for the majority of glucose reabsorption. Meanwhile, the latter works through suppressing glucose production by the liver.

The combination of the two drugs is the first regulatory approval for a fixed-dose combination of an SGLT2 inhibitor and metformin.

This is an important step for both companies, with it potentially being more significant for AstraZeneca, as it recently agreed to take over Bristol-Myers Squibb's share of the two companies' diabetes alliance joint venture. However, Bristol-Myers Squibb should still benefit from further upbeat news (and profits) as it agreed to take milestone payments and a cut of future royalties from the diabetes drugs developed through the alliance.

Even so, shares in both companies didn't react strongly to the news, with share prices being only marginally firmer following the news, before tailing off at the end of the week, in line with the wider market.

The news, though, highlights the opportunity for both companies to benefit from further positive developments in the diabetes space. Indeed, in 2013 type 2 diabetes was estimated to affect more than 380 million people worldwide, with this figure expected to reach close to 600 million over the next two decades.

Furthermore, both AstraZeneca and Bristol-Myers Squibb, as well as sector peer Pfizer(NYSE: PFE  ) , appear to be well positioned in terms of the strength of their fundamentals, enabling them to benefit from long-term growth in demand for diabetes drugs (Pfizer is also developing treatments for type 2 diabetes).

Indeed, all three companies have strong balance sheets, as evidenced by the moderate levels of debt being held.

For example, AstraZeneca's debt-to-equity ratio is currently 43%, while the corresponding figures for Bristol-Myers Squibb and Pfizer are 54% and 46%, respectively.

Such moderate levels of debt compared with net assets could prove to be crucial for the long-term health of the three companies, since, when interest rates do eventually rise, they are more likely to be able to afford the interest charged on their debt. In other words, all three companies appear to be running balance sheets that are not overly leveraged, which puts them on a sound footing to benefit from further positive news flow.

Of course, while interest rates are low, it does make sense to refinance and to take advantage of the low cost of servicing debt. This is exactly what Pfizer has done, with the company increasing its debt-to-equity ratio from 30% in 2008 to the aforementioned 46% in 2012. This has enabled the company to increase returns to shareholders through the capital structure being made up of a greater amount of debt over the past five years, but it still remains at a sensible level to safeguard the long-term health of the company.

Indeed, the moderate debt levels of AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Pfizer seem likely to put the companies on a sustainable long-term footing with which to benefit from the expected increased demand for diabetes drugs. With the number of people affected by type 2 diabetes expected to increase by over 50% over the next 20 years, this could prove to be a highly lucrative space for the trio.

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http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/01/26/3-reasons-to-focus-on-diabetes.aspx

Antipasto Salad

This Recipe Serves 4

Ingredients

Salad
1 10-ounce bag romaine lettuce
8 ounces low-sodium deli style turkey, cut into strips
2 slices reduced-fat provolone cheese, cut into ½-inch strips
1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup green olives, pitted and chopped
¼ cup sundried tomatoes
2 jarred roasted red peppers, cut into ½-inch strips

Dressing
¼ cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 shallot, minced

Instructions

1. In a salad bowl, mix together all salad ingredients
2. In a small bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients. Pour over salad and toss to coat.

MAKE IT GLUTEN-FREE: Confirm ingredients are gluten-free and this recipe can be made gluten-free.

Nutritional Facts

Serving Size: 2 cups

• Calories210
• Carbohydrate9 g
• Protein19 g
• Fat11.0 g
• Saturated Fat2.5 g

• Sugar5 g
• Dietary Fiber3 g
• Cholesterol40 mg
• Sodium395 mg
• Potassium550 mg

Chocolate, Tea, Berries May Cut Diabetes Risk

Substances found in some people's favorite foods appear to benefit blood sugar, inflammation levels

TUESDAY, Jan. 21, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A diet that includes substances found in chocolate, tea and berries could help protect people against diabetes and other diseases, new research shows.

The study included nearly 2,000 healthy women in the United Kingdom who completed a food questionnaire and were tested for blood sugar (glucose) regulation, inflammation and insulin resistance.

"Our research looked at the benefits of eating certain sub-groups of flavanoids. We focused on flavones, which are found in herbs and vegetables such as parsley, thyme and celery, and anthocyanins, found in berries, red grapes, wine and other red or blue-colored fruits and vegetables," study leader Aedin Cassidy, of the University of East Anglia in England, said in a university news release.

The investigators found that consuming high levels of flavones and anthocyanins was associated with lower insulin resistance, better blood sugar regulation and lower levels of inflammation. Chronic inflammation is associated with diabetes,obesity, cardiovascular disease and cancer.

The study was published Jan. 19 in the Journal of Nutrition.

"This is one of the first large-scale human studies to look at how these powerful bioactive compounds might reduce the risk of diabetes," Cassidy said.

Earlier research that took place in laboratories suggested that these types of foods might affect blood sugar, which plays a role in type 2 diabetes risk, she noted. However, it was unknown how regular consumption of these ingredients might affect a person's blood glucose and inflammation levels and insulin resistance, Cassidy said in the news release.

What remains unclear is exactly what amounts of these compounds are needed to reduce the risk of diabetes, the study authors added. Also unclear is how much of a health benefit the compounds really carry -- the study found an association between consumption and seemingly better health but not cause-and-effect.

According to study co-author Tim Spector, of King's College London, "This is an exciting finding that shows that some components of foods that we consider unhealthy like chocolate or wine may contain some beneficial substances. If we can start to identify and separate these substances we can potentially improve healthy eating," he said in the news release.

http://www.webmd.com/diabetes/news/20140121/chocolate-tea-berries-may-cut-diabetes-risk-study

Spicy Lentil Stew - Foodie Recipe

This Recipe Serves 9

Ingredients

Cooking Spray
14 ounces spicy chicken sausage (jalapeno or andouille)
2 stalks celery, medium dice
1 medium onion, medium dice
2 carrots, medium dice
1 red bell pepper, medium dice
3 cups water
1 (14.5-ounce) can reduced-sodium, fat-free chicken broth
1 cup dried lentils
½ teaspoon salt (optional)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 Bay leaf
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

1. Coat a large soup pot with cooking spray. Over medium-high heat sauté sausage until lightly brown.
2. Add celery, onions, carrots and red bell pepper to pot and sauté over medium-high heat for approximately 4 minutes or until onions begin to turn clear.
3. Add the water, broth, lentils, salt, pepper and bay leaf. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and low simmer for 1 hour.
4. Remove bay leaf, add parsley and serve.

MAKE IT GLUTEN-FREE: Verify that broth and sausage that you are using are gluten-free and this dish can be gluten-free.

Nutritional Facts

Serving Size: 1 cup

• Calories155
• Carbohydrate18 g
• Protein13 g
• Fat4 g
• Saturated Fat1.1 g

• Dietary Fiber6 g
• Cholesterol40 mg
• Sodium390 mg

Parkinson's drugs could provide new avenue to treat diabetes-related vision problems

Dopamine-restoring drugs already used to treat Parkinson’s disease may also be beneficial for the treatment of diabetic retinopathy, a leading cause of blindness in adults, researchers have discovered. The results were published recently in Journal of Neuroscience.

Diabetic retinopathy affects more than a quarter of adults with diabetes and threatens the vision of more than 600,000 people in the United States. Doctors had previously thought most of the impairment of vision in diabetic retinopathy came from damage to the blood vessels induced by high blood sugar, but had known that dopamine, a vital neurotransmitter in the brain, was also important in the retina.

"There was some evidence already that dopamine levels were reduced in diabetic retinopathy, but what’s new here is: we can restore dopamine levels and improve visual function in an animal model of diabetes," says Machelle Pardue, PhD, associate professor of ophthalmology at Emory University School of Medicine and research career scientist at the Atlanta VA Medical Center.

The first author of the paper is MD/PhD student Moe Aung. Senior authors are Pardue and P. Michael Iuvone, PhD, professor of ophthalmology and pharmacology and director of vision research at Emory Eye Center.

Aung and his colleagues examined mice that were made diabetic by treating them with streptozocin, which is toxic to insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. By injecting the mice with L-DOPA after they received streptozocin, the researchers could delay the appearance of visual problems by weeks and lessen the severity of the visual defects. Researchers also found that the visual benefits of L-DOPA originated from the retinas, since treatment improved retinal responses, as measured by electroretinography, to levels similar to control animals.

Vision was assessed by putting mice on a platform and measuring whether they moved their heads in response to a rotating pattern of vertical lines projected on a cylinder around the mouse. The fineness and contrast of the lines can be modulated to test the mouse’s vision.

L-DOPA, a precursor to dopamine, is part of the most common drug treatment for Parkinson’s disease. The symptoms of Parkinson’s (tremors and movement difficulties, as well as disturbances in sleep, digestion and cognition) are caused by the death of dopamine-producing cells in the brain. L-DOPA is usually combined with carbidopa to combat side effects and increase uptake in the brain.

The researchers also measured the effects of other dopamine-related treatments on visual function. Dopamine receptor agonists – drugs that mimic the action of dopamine – are sometimes prescribed for Parkinson’s patients who do not respond to L-DOPA. Neurons and retinal cells have several molecules that enable them to respond to dopamine, and individual drugs affect them to varying degrees. Working with Iuvone, MSP graduate student Chad Jackson, now at Vanderbilt, found that giving diabetic mice dopamine receptor agonists that acted on the receptor D1R improved the ability to see fine lines (acuity), while drugs that act on D4R improve contrast sensitivity.

"This is important because it shows that treatments targeting dopamine could be beneficial to patients with established diabetes," says Iuvone. "It should be straightforward to try L-DOPA or dopamine receptor agonist treatment in adults, although L-DOPA could have complications in children. Bromocriptine, a dopamine receptor agonist, is already FDA-approved to treat type 2 diabetes.  It will be important to determine if the same dopamine receptors modulate acuity and contrast sensitivity in humans."

The research was supported by the National Eye Institute (P30 EY006360 and R01 EY004864), the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (DK07601-01), the Department of Veterans Affairs, Research to Prevent Blindness, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.

Reference: M.H. Aung et al. Dopamine Deficiency Contributes to Early Visual Dysfunction in a Rodent Model of Type 1 Diabetes. J. Neurosci. 34: 726-736 (2014).

By Quinn Eastmann | Woodruff Health Sciences Center | Jan. 21, 2014

http://news.emory.edu/stories/2014/01/new-avenue-to-treat-diabetes-related-vision-problems/campus.html

Roasted Potatoes, Carrots, and Parsnips

Roasted Potatoes, Carrots, and Parsnips

This Recipe Serves 10

Ingredients

5 large (2 ¾ ounces each) carrots, peeled, ends trimmed, sliced on diagonal
4 large (5 ounces each) parsnips, peeled, ends trimmed, sliced on diagonal
2 (5 ounces each) sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into medium cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons fresh herbs (thyme, oregano, sage, or rosemary)
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 450 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine the vegetables with the oil, salt, and herbs. Toss to coat.
2. Arrange vegetables on two parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Roast until soft on the inside and browned on the outside, about 20-30 minutes. Flip the vegetables halfway through the cooking. 
3. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Nutritional Facts

Serving Size: 1/2 cup

• Calories90
• Carbohydrate16 g
• Protein1 g
• Fat3 g
• Saturated Fat0.4 g

• Sugar5 g
• Dietary Fiber3 g
• Cholesterol0 mg
• Sodium230 mg

From The Diabetes Comfort Food Cookbook by Robyn Webb

Can Coffee Really Thwart Type 2 Diabetes?

 THURSDAY, Jan. 19 (HealthDay News) --

Your morning "cup of Joe" may do more than deliver the jolt you need to get going -- it may also help you stave off type 2 diabetes, a new study suggests.

But, before you pour yourself a second cup know this: The study authors said their research was done with cell cultures and there's no proof yet that coffee has any ability to keep type 2 diabetes at bay.

Past research has suggested a link between coffee and a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, and now Chinese researchers behind the new study think they may know why that may be so. They found three major compounds in coffee that may provide potentially beneficial effects: caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid and caffeine.

"These findings suggest that the beneficial effects of coffee consumption on type 2 diabetes mellitus may be partly due to the ability of the major coffee components and metabolites to inhibit the toxic aggregation of hIAPP [human islet amyloid polypeptide]," Ling Zheng, professor of cellular biology at Wuhan University in China, and colleagues wrote.

Human islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP) is a substance normally found in the pancreas, according to background information in the study. Sometimes, however, abnormal protein deposits (toxic aggregation) arise from hIAPP. These abnormal deposits (amyloid fibrils) are found in people with type 2 diabetes, the study authors said.

The researchers wondered if blocking formation of these deposits could help prevent or treat type 2 diabetes, the more common form of the blood sugar disorder. The next step would be to find a substance that might prevent these deposits.

In 2009, a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine reported that people who drank the most coffee seemed to have the lowest risk of developing type 2 diabetes. That study reported that with each cup of coffee consumed daily, the risk of type 2 diabetes dropped by 7 percent.

So, the researchers behind the new study conducted laboratory experiments to see if compounds found in coffee could inhibit the production of the abnormal protein deposits associated with hIAPP.

Caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid and caffeine -- the three most common components in coffee, the study authors said -- helped reduce the abnormal protein deposits, but caffeic acid appeared most effective.

"Our results suggest that caffeic acid had the greatest effects in the major components of coffee. The rankings for beneficial effects of coffee compounds against the toxic hIAPP aggregation are caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid and caffeine," Zheng and study co-author Kun Huang, professor of biological pharmacy at the Huazhong University of Science & Technology in Wuhan, explained in an email interview.

Because decaffeinated coffee contains even higher levels of caffeic acid and chlorogenic acid than caffeinated coffee, the beneficial effect may be even stronger for decaffeinated coffee, they added.

The investigators pointed out that this work has only been done in cells, so it's not clear if this is how coffee might help prevent diabetes in the body.

A U.S. diabetes expert was guardedly optimistic about the study's conclusions.

"Scientifically, this is a very nice paper, but it has its limitations," said Dr. Vivian Fonseca, president of medicine and science at the American Diabetes Association. "This was done in cells, not in animals or people. We also don't know if the [abnormal deposits arising from hIAPP] are the most important thing in the development of type 2 diabetes, or if it's something that develops later."

In addition, Fonseca said, the study that found a link between a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes and coffee was an epidemiological study. That means the study couldn't prove cause and effect, only that there was an association between those two factors. It could be that people who drink coffee have other habits that lower their risk of diabetes.

The bottom line, said Fonseca, is it's way too soon to make any recommendations about drinking coffee to prevent diabetes. But, he added, "if you want to prevent diabetes, there are some very straightforward things to do. You can walk for 30 minutes most days of the week, and reduce calories a little bit and reduce your weight a little."

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/diet-fitness/diabetes/articles/2012/01/19/can-coffee-really-thwart-type-2-diabetes

Life consists not in holding good cards, but in playing well those you do hold." Josh Billings