The hardest part of switching to a more healthy diet is giving up the foods that we grew up with and love to eat. Breads, Pasta, Cheeseburgers and Pizza are many people’s staples. However they are not the healthiest foods you can eat but there are ways to prepare a healthy meal using the same ingredients.

Take breads, for instance; white bread is high in carbs and usually low in nutritional value while whole grain bread or breads made with flax meal is a healthier option. Some of these breads sell extra thin sliced bread which cuts your carbs and calories while still enjoying a sandwich.  Making an incredible sandwich that is healthy and satisfying isn’t difficult.  Select your favorite low fat meat such as turkey, roast beef, chicken, or go vegetarian and start out with a slice avocado. Add some lettuce, tomato and a pickle and you have a delicious healthier sandwich option.

Pasta is a staple in millions of homes, it’s cheap to buy and there are thousands of ways to prepare it. Regular pasta has a lot of carbs, and can raise your glucose level. There are whole grain pastas and pastas that are high in fiber for healthier options. There are many different types of tomato based pasta sauces on the market, and all of them contain Licopene, which is very good for you, however choosing a pasta sauce that is low in sugar, sodium, and fat is a much healthier option. Another way that you can make your pasta healthy is to eliminate the meat and add mushroom and vegetables such as zucchini and summer squash.  It will still taste great!

If you enjoy pizza, you can still eat it; you just have to change the ingredients a little bit. Use whole grain dough and or, make the dough extra thin. Use a pizza sauce that is in low fat, low in sugar and sodium, also, instead of the greasy toppings, add vegetable, chicken or even tofu and low fat mozzarella cheese and you have an incredible, healthy pizza.

There are times when nothing satisfies you like a big fat cheeseburger; one option that you can choose is to use ground turkey instead of ground beef; ground turkey is lean, is very low in fat and is extremely healthy. You’ll never taste the difference but the health benefits are great.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day meal; if you enjoy a hot breakfast, believe it not, you can make a hot bowl of ricotta mixed with pumpkin puree and a little agave or honey; this is a delicious low carb way to start a cold day.

Having a good attitude about healthy foods is important, if you have a negative one, you’ll most likely not stick to your new diet plan. It’s all depends on how you look at it. If you get creative in your meal preparations then you will enjoy the meal even more; if you show your family how enthusiastic you are about the meal you prepared, they will most likely enjoy it also.

Throughout the US, people look forward to the holidays all year; whether you’re hosting the feast or are a guest, it is a great time to get together with friend and family and just relax and catch up with what going on in each other’s lives.

The day usually starts out with a big breakfast, and throughout the day, guests come and go, the snack table is replenished to keep up. There is a reason why people gain more weight around the holidays then any other time of the year.

The feast is probably the most anticipate meal; even though there are treats and snacks, the dinner is usually phenomenal, Golden browned turkey and mashed potatoes with lots of butter, breads and cakes, sauces and gravies, the food looks and smells so good that you don’t realize that it could be a road to many different health issues.

It is important to enjoy yourself on the holidays; however it is also important to eat healthy. It may be difficult when you are a guest at someone else’s home.

One way that you can eat healthy on the holidays is to offer to bring a dish. You can choose the dish, and the ingredients to make a healthy dish that everyone will love.

Heart healthy food does not have to be dull; by choosing the right ingredients, you can be creative and with the right use of ingredients, you can come up with a signature dish that will be requested year after year.

Bringing a salad seems kind of boring, however when you bring a veggie salad filled with arugula tossed with cucumber, asparagus, and for a little color yellow bell peppers, shredded carrots and cherry tomatoes, you will present a wonderfully tasty dish and the best part is everyone of these vegetables is healthy.  For the dressing mix ¾ lime juice, ¼ olive oil, 3 cloves of crushed garlic.  It is very flavorful and healthy too.

Mashed potatoes are the heart of everyone’s meal. The creamy buttery texture is something that no one can resist. Now we all know that mashed potatoes are very high in fat and calories, but no one seems to care they gobble them up faster then any other food.

Cutting the fat and calories in mashed potatoes is really pretty basic; instead of cream or milk use half and half, you can also substitute half of the potatoes’ with turnip, believe it or not, it is very tasty.

If you do not want to bring a dish for the meal, consider bringing snacks for the snack table; low glycemic and calorie snacks.

The holidays are a great time to relax with friends, family and good food. Lots of high calorie high fat foods have traditionally been the foods of choice. Cakes and pies, cookies and pastries, the decadence of it all is too much to resist.

In the past, people with Diabetes and other diseases that need to control their sugar, fat and caloric intake would have to pass up all these delectable treats and just watch others enjoying them. Today, more can enjoy holiday treats without the risk of harm; with foods that are low in fat, sugar, sodium and calories loaded with a lot of great taste.  These foods have made it possible for most to indulge in holiday desserts.

Wonderful decadent desserts that melt in your mouth are not out of the question; it is all in the preparation. There is a plethora of recipes that contain low glycemic ingredients that are perfect for the holidays and you would never know the difference. Even though the holidays are traditionally a time for overindulging ourselves, it is possible to do so and still eat low calorie, healthy desserts.

A healthy diet does not mean that you have to sacrifice taste. It is in your attitude; keeping a positive attitude and an open mind is the key to eating healthy desserts during the holiday season and actually enjoying them.

When you’re trying to create a wonderful dessert menu for the holidays, the decadent desserts will always take precedents. However your guests may want something a little lighter after a full heavy meal. A fruit platter is the perfect ending to a great meal; it is light and tasty and can make the holiday meal complete. Or better yet to offer some delicious options that are healthy and scrumptious you can create a really elegant platter; place all natural delicious energy bars from Granola Gourmet (great variety of flavors to choose from) on a platter and add fruit and berries, presenting this type of platter will have the extreme ‘WOW’ factor!   Your guests will love it and be thrilled to have something that satisfy’s their sweet craving that is healthy.

Whether you’re hosting the holiday meal or bring treats when visiting friends and family, these natural low glycemic treats will be the hit of the season; and the best part is, everyone will be surprised they are good for you!

Around the holidays, chaos reigns; planning the holiday meal, getting your home ready for guests and preparing the holiday menu. You do the shopping and the decorating and everything else that holiday preparations entail and all of this added to your normal daily routine of home, work and children; it can be very stressful.

When you’re invited to a friend of family’s home for the holiday, it is a bonus; you don’t have to worry about the chaos; someone else handles all the preparations. You know what they are about to undertake and most people want to reciprocate. One way you can say thank you is to create a hostess gift basket.

Creating a hostess gift basket is an excellent way to say thank you and that you appreciate everything that was done to create a wonderful, inviting experience. What you add to your hostess gift basket is entirely up to you.

The holidays bring with them a lot of food; foods that are high in fat, calories and sugar are the cause for more weight gain then during any other time of the year. Creating a healthy gift basket is an excellent alternative to more decadent treats.

Take time to really think about what you want to add to your gift basket. Do you want to create a hostess gift basket that is ordinary or would you like to create one that is spectacular and will be remembered? Creating a healthy hostess gift basket will have a dramatic effect!

A healthy hostess gift basket should contain foods such as fresh fruit, nuts and to add the sweet and healthy treat add Granola Gourmet energy bars.  .

The holidays are just around the corner and with them come visits from family and friends and out of town relatives.  Getting ready for them can take some time and thought; especially when it comes to meals.

Preparing for the holiday meal is a exciting time for millions of people; planning dinner menu’s creating incredible appetizers and wonderful tasty treats for family and friends and spending time together is what the holidays are all about.

There are however, times when planning a holiday menu can be stressful; when one or more of your family has specific health requirements it can be very nerve-racking planning the menu.

Traditionally, holiday meals and desserts have a lot of fat and a lot of calories and everyone eats in abundance.  You sit around and laugh about loosening your belt, however serious health issues can arise from high fat and high calorie foods.

For those who want to eat a more healthy, it can be very challenging for the person preparing the menu however once you get on track, planning a menu that everyone can enjoy will be a breeze.

Planning a holiday meal that is both delicious and healthy is not difficult; there are so many different kinds of foods that can be prepared in a variety of ways.

The dreaded snack table is where most of your company will congregate; cakes, pies, cookies, high fat and high calorie dips and spreads are enticing for everyone.

There is an alternative; you can create an incredible snack or dessert table using delicious healthy foods like healthy &  natural energy bars. They are an excellent alternative to chips, dips, brownies, cookies and other high calorie snacks. There are so many different ways to present healthy foods for the holidays.

Healthy foods are not alien; they are normal everyday foods that many of us already eat. The fun is in preparing them. Experimenting a little bit will produce new healthy and tasty dishes that everyone will rave about.

You can also take the foods that you’ve always eaten and put a healthy twist on them; switch the ingredients around and you may come up with a new dish that everyone will request.

By simply making healthy ingredient choices, you can turn your holiday meal into a healthy meal that everyone will love. Your guests will appreciate the fact that you went through the trouble of preparing foods that they are able to eat.

We all know that Diabetes is a horrible disease, which goes without saying. Yet in the United States today over twenty six million people have it and either don’t take it as seriously as they should or they just don’t understand the ramifications. Diabetes is insidious; it adds so much stress to the body that resistance is lowered and you can develop serious chronic diseases.

Taking proper care of yourself is crucial to your overall health; people with diabetes know that diet is a major part of managing your disease. A low GI diet is essential in managing your diabetes and warding off chronic diseases.

Gaining weight happens to everyone; you gain it and then diet and lose it. For those with diabetes, it not that simple even though weight management is imperative to staying healthy. When a diabetic consumes foods that are high on the GI, their bodies react differently then non-diabetics; the risk of developing chronic diseases increase substantially.

The glucose in fats and carbohydrates absorb into the blood at a faster rate then low GI foods and raise the blood sugar level. This in turn requires them to take more insulin. If their blood sugar level gets too high, it could cause a number of different affects; dizziness and lightheaded, which can lead to falling and getting hurt and more serious effects such as heart disease, coma or even death.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), seventy nine million Americans are at risk of developing type 2 Diabetes. This condition is called pre-diabetes. There are a number of factors that are used to test for this.

• Blood glucose levels are higher then normal
• Poor eating habits
• Poor coping skills
• Minimal physical activity

By changing these four things in your life, it has been proven that the risk of developing Diabetes is lowered and so is the risk of developing one or more chronic diseases.

Studies show that people with pre-diabetes that lose up to seven percent of their body weight and exercise two and a half hours per week can lower their chance of developing type 2 diabetes by up to fifty eight percent.

Changing your dietary habits is perhaps the most important beginning; when you change your diet you will begin to lose weight and everything else falls into place.

Changing your diet sounds disconcerting; your used to eating certain foods and don’t want to give them up. While it’s true that some things will do more harm then good, it doesn’t mean that your diet will consist of boring tasteless food. Nothing could be farther from the truth. It is simply a matter of substitution and moderation.  Instead of grabbing a candy bar or a greasy bag of potato chips substitute with a low glycemic all natural energy bar.

Disclaimer: This information is provided for general informational purposes only. Granola Gourmet does not treat, cure or prevent diabetes or any disease, and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Diabetes Education and Prevention is the World Diabetes Day theme. For people with diabetes, this is a message about empowerment through education. For governments, it is a call to implement effective strategies and policies for the prevention and management of diabetes to safeguard the health of their citizens with and at risk of diabetes. For healthcare professionals, it is a call to improve knowledge so that evidence-based recommendations are put into practice. For the general public, it is a call to understand the serious impact of diabetes and know, where possible, how to avoid or delay diabetes and its complications. The key messages of the campaign are:

Know the diabetes risks and know the warning signs
Know how to respond to diabetes and who to turn to
Know how to manage diabetes and take control

Diabetes is an insidious disease it wreaks havoc on the bodies of people afflicted with it; unlike other diseases, Diabetes can affect different parts of your body in different ways.

In the United States today, there are more then twenty six million people that suffer from Diabetes, it is crucial that they understand what the devastating effect it has on their bodies. Despite the alarming number of people that suffer with this affliction, there are facts about Diabetes that they do not know.

• 27% of people ages 65 or older are diagnosed with Diabetes
• Diabetes kills more people every year then Breast Cancer and Aids Combined
• Recent estimates project that as many as 1 in 3 American adults will have diabetes in 2050 (if it keeps increasing at this pace)
• Every 17 seconds, someone is diagnosed with diabetes

One of the deadliest effects of Diabetes is heart disease; Heart disease involves a number of different disorders, all of which effect heart function. Heart disease includes conditions such as hardening of the arteries, also known as arteriosclerosis, heart palpitations, heart attacks, high blood pressure and hypertension.

Another life threatening effect of diabetes is kidney problems. Renal failure occurs quite often in diabetic patients. People develop of number of symptoms that indicate there may be a problem with the kidneys.

One of the more common signs of kidney problems as associated with diabetes is swelling of the extremities particularly the legs and the feet. This is known as edema it an indication that the body is retaining fluid. In many ways kidney disease becomes gradually worse until it is necessary for a person to undergo dialysis on a regular basis.

Nerve damage is another result of diabetes; it is estimated that nearly half of the people that develop diabetes will experience some form of nerve damage. Nerve damage that is caused by diabetes is called diabetic neuropathy.

Nerve damage occurs when glucose or sugar destroys the nerves that line the blood vessels. This can initially result in tingling or numbness in the finger or toes and eventually it will spread to other areas of the body.

Nerve damage can be one of the most serious effects of diabetes because it can eventually make it difficult for people to feel when they have an injury.

This is especially true with the feet, which are prone to nerve damage as a result of the disease. Therefore, it is very important for people with diabetes to talk to their doctor and make him or her aware of any issues they may have with their nerves in order to combat the problem and prevent the spread of the nerve damage.

Eating foods that are high in fats and carbohydrates increase blood sugars and the fats may also coat the arteries causing high blood pressure and heart attacks. More people die of heart disease than other diseases each year and part of this is linked directly to Diabetes.

It is important diabetics have a proper diet that consists of low GI foods. Because most type 2 diabetics contract the disease later in life, they can control it through diet, exercise and medication. All three work together to keep you healthy however diet is extremely important when treating Diabetes.

Foods that are high on the Glycemic Index release glucose quickly into your blood and raise your glucose level and if it gets too high, shock, coma or even death can occur.

If you are unsure of which foods to choose, a dietitian who has specific credentials to work with people with diabetes – CDE- certified diabetes educator can create a menu that is low GI; there are many foods that are good for you and tasty too.

Disclaimer: This information is provided for general informational purposes only. Granola Gourmet does not treat, cure or prevent diabetes or any disease, and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Join Us at WALK TO CURE with JUVENILE DIABETES RESEARCH FOUNDATION this Sunday, November 6 at Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, walk and sample Granola Gourmet energy bars.

For more information to participate in the L.A. walk, or to join a walk in a city near you: www.walk.jdrf.org

The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) has built a nationwide network of Advocates who are dedicated to finding a cure for type 1 diabetes.  For more information or to become involved go to:  www.jdrf.org

Diabetes is a devastating disease; it is insidious in its ability to upend the lives of all it affects. For those who have diabetes or are at risk of developing it it’s important to understand what devastating complications are associated with it. Diabetes brings a host of related complications, including neuropathy, cardiovascular disease, vision problems (can lead to blindness) and kidney disease. Understanding how to prevent and treat them is a vital part of managing diabetes.  Having proper medical care is very important.

For those whose lives are not affected by diabetes, it may be difficult to understand the effects of diabetes and how it completely changes lives. For instance, diabetes cause poor blood circulation causing even minor wounds to heal more slowly. Therefore, people with diabetes have to visit a podiatrist to have their toenails cut. They cannot do it themselves, if they try to and knick themselves; there is a real possibility of infection which can lead to gangrene and amputation.

In the United States alone, Diabetes affects more the twenty six million people.

According to the CDC, Diabetes kills more people every year then breast cancer and aids combined.

According to the American Diabetes Association, type 1, diagnosed in children and young adults, is a condition in which the pancreas does not produce insulin; the hormone people need to convert sugar and other foods into energy. Five to 10 percent of those impacted by the disease have type 1 diabetes.

The more common form is type 2 diabetes. Older adults, as well as African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, Asians, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islander populations have a higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes.

Many pregnant women are diagnosed with gestational diabetes, according to the ADA. If untreated or poorly managed, it can lead to health problems for the baby later on, such as obesity and a risk for type 2 diabetes. The baby may grow to be too big, risking injury to the child during birth.

People who are overweight or obese are more susceptible to developing type 2 diabetes and with three quarters of residents of the United States falling into this category; the risk of developing Diabetes is great; something needs to be done now to stop this terrible disease.

November is Diabetes awareness month and many organizations are holding events that will bring attention to this devastating disease. The American Diabetes Association is holding events in every state. They also ask everyone to take the pledge to end Diabetes by joining the cause on Facebook under the American Diabetes Association.

To find out what event is being held in your state visit http://www.diabetes.org/inmycommunity/programs/american-diabetes-month/

TheJuvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF)has built a nationwide network of Advocates who are dedicated to finding a cure for type 1 diabetes. To find out how to participate in JDRF’s Walk to Cure this month, or more information to become involved go to: www.jdrf.org

The National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) is offering educational material to the public on managing, risks, diet and nutrition for Diabetics, as well as the latest news and research to help combat this devastating disease. http://ndep.nih.gov/partners-community-organization/national-diabetes-month/index.aspx

Diabetes wreaks havoc on its victims; the emotional, physical and financial devastation that it causes is horrendous. Researchers are so close to finding a cure however they need the support of the community to bring it to fruition. Join the fight to end diabetes, show your support in your community to help end this horrible disease.  Granola Gourmet supports the fight to end diabetes!

Disclaimer: This information is provided for general informational purposes only. Granola Gourmet does not treat, cure or prevent diabetes or any disease, and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.