You’re Hired!

Somewhere mid-season, I got involved in watching Celebrity Apprentice.  I always seem to have a bias towards the rock stars, and quickly found myself liking both Cindi Lauper and Brett Michaels.  I knew Cindi did not have what it took to become the Apprentice, but I did wonder about Brett.  Any of us that watched, became immediately concerned when he first had his appendix out and then ended up in the hospital again, this time as the result of a brain aneurysm.

In the end it would come down to just two.  Holly Robinson Pete, playing for a quarter of a million dollars for her foundation that supports Autism, on behalf of one of her sons who is afflicted and the often wacky, scattered, Brett Michaels, who was playing for The Diabetes Foundation.  He is not only a diabetic, but his young daughter, he recently learned, is borderline.  Before hiring one of them as his next Celebrity Apprentice, the Donald announced that they both played so well and both did such a great job with their final task (creating a new flavor for Snapple and producing a commercial for that flavor) that Snapple agreed to award them each the quarter of a million dollars towards their charities.  He then told Holly what an outstanding job she did, but appointed the title to Brett, who was there looking pretty good after all he has been through, but definitely walking with a very pronounced limp.

This morning, I woke up wondering what I would blog about.  As fate would have it, I opened up Diet for a New America and ironically (or not) the page said AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION and then went on to talk about Diabetes.  In honor of Brett, his daughter and the MILLIONS of Americans suffering from this disease, I knew I had found my topic.  Turns out it is not a big coincidence that Mr. Michaels would suffer the way he does.  In the very first paragraph, I read that diabetics are “extremely vulnerable to atherosclerosis, are highly prone to heart attacks and strokes and have shortened life expectancies.”  The damage the atherosclerosis does to their cardiovascular systems has a profound negative effect on the quality of their lives.  Lack of circulation often leads to blindness as well as kidney malfunction or failure.  Lack of circulation to the extremities causes minor infections to often lead to amputations and can be life-threatening.

With all of this knowledge, many diabetics still do not know which “diets” are best for them to follow.  Most still eat the “standard American” diet, which is clearly NOT in their best health interest.  Both type-1 and type 2 diabetics will benefit from a low fat diet. Particularly those without any saturated fat, have shown a fantastic success rate in improving their health.  Sometimes, type-2 diabetics can even get rid of the pills, shots and pumps by following this type of diet.  Even in type-1 patients, a studies show that those who omit meat and other high-fat, low fiber foods, need 30% less insulin and have more stable blood sugar levels.

It seems that the very same diets that can help treat diabetes, are the same diets that can prevent it!  They are also the same diets that promote cardio-vascular wellness.  Worldwide, the disease is rare, sometimes even non-existent, in places where people diets are rich in grains, vegetables and fruits.

I hope you will think about this as you prepare or order your meals today.  If you know someone that can benefit from this information, pass it on.  Diabetes is one of the top killers in America, but…it doesn’t HAVE to be!  Make low fat choices, eat high-fiber foods and get some exercise every single day.  Worship your “temple”.