blood is sweeter than water

i have had diabetes since just before turning 17, which means i've had diabetes 24 years

in many ways i'm no smarter with it than when i was first diagnosed

support at the royal women's may just help (i hope*)

when i was first diagnosed everything was about "exchanges" - i could eat so many exchanges per meal, per day and this was matched by the insulin i was to give myself

things became more free-style 5 or 6 years later, when i started using insulin pens. this meant that i no longer had to stick to an exchange regime

but i kind of missed the point - i didn't "match" food to insulin, i let them chase each other up and down, sometimes way up, way down

well, now i have to understand exchanges again, so i can understand how my body responds to certain (amounts of) food and how much insulin i need to get me in the zone of good blood control

healthy eating (diabetes vic)

Carbohydrate Counter: Traffic Light Guide to Food (carry around guide book, detailed list for shopping & eating out)

calorie king - recommended by jane at the women's as a good resource for calorie counting

low carb bikkie recipes, because who are we kidding?

winter soups

cauliflower and potato soup and bacon

1 tablespoon olive oil

250g 97% fat-free bacon, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, crushed

2 leeks, halved, washed, thinly sliced

1/4 cauliflower, trimmed, cut into small florets

500g Sebago or Desiree potatoes, peeled, diced

6 cups reduced-salt chicken stock

1/4 cup light thickened cream

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add bacon. Cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes or until crisp. Remove to a plate lined with paper towel.
Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil, garlic and leek to pan. Cook, stirring often, over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add cauliflower, potato and stock. Partially cover. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in half the bacon.
Blend soup, in batches, until smooth. Return to saucepan over low heat. Stir in cream. Heat, without boiling, until hot. Ladle into bowls. Top with remaining bacon. Sprinkle with pepper.

potato & leek soup

• 3 large leeks
• 50g butter
• 500g (about three) floury potatoes
• 1-2 parmesan rinds
• 1½ litres water
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4 slices prosciutto
• 1 cup fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped

The parmesan gives this soup a creamy, cheesy flavour. You'll never throw out the end bits of cheese again.
Cut the dark green ends from the leeks, trim the bases and discard. Slice the white part of the leek in half lengthways, then rinse well to dislodge any dirt or grit. Drain on a tea towel, then slice thinly. Heat butter in a large heavy-based pot, add the leeks and cook over low heat for 15 minutes until tender. Peel potatoes and cut into chunks. Add to pot and cook for a further five minutes, allowing them to soak up the flavours. Add cheese rind and water and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes. Remove cheese rinds and discard. Puree soup with a stick blender. Season well with salt and pepper to taste. Place prosciutto under a grill or in a pan and cook until crispy. Crumble into rough shards, scatter over the soup with parsley and serve. Makes about 1½ litres

piece of my mind/peace of mind

there's a scary similarity between the sentence structure but the two states of mind are screaming lightyears apart
(remo image only here for the "piece of (my) mind" reference)
while i've been in therapy for years (and it's given me a world of difference) there are some bits that refuse to shift, habits that are too forceful
act mindfully
all about embracing your demons / acceptance & commitment therapy
what are my demons?
*eating mindlessly distractedly desperately for comfort
*buying mindlessly distractedly desperately for comfort

*ignoring friends, allowing myself to drift from contact
*hiding from life burrowing & hibernating, and allowing myself to think it is too difficult to face
*ignoring my physical body's needs -diabetes & weight issues especially blood sugar control, exercise, good food

more-ish food

there's yummy food out there for the making,

• cuisine.com.au - linked from the age
• good enough to eat - show on channel 31
• cook & the chef
• delicious magazine - also links to other sites
• jamie oliver
• diabetes australia - other recipes ok for diabetics