Diabetes Equals...Death?

Two thirds of Americans are categorized as overweight and one third of Americans are categorized as obese.  As most of you know, this is a very scary statistic to me, and should be to you as well.
 

Every year the Center for Disease Control (CDC) analyzes data from the national population on our overall health. As you can see from the trend sheet below Americans are failing, and in a big way.

 

 

I know what you're thinking: alright, just because we are an overweight and obese country, so what?  Why do we have to stop eating our saturated-fat packed, greasy, elephant-sized burgers?  Well, take a look at another trend sheet from the CDC and you might be surprised.

 

This map portrays the same trending data from the American public, only it is following Type II Diabetes instead of Obesity.  Does it look pretty familiar?  To me, it seems there is a direct positive relationship between the obesity trends in the first maps and the diabetes trends in the second map.  Type II Diabetes has been a proven complication from having excess body weight resulting in overweight or obesity.  But again, you may be thinking: so what??  Why is this an issue?

 

As it has been bore into all of our brains over and over again, Type II Diabetes can aid in the prevalence of comorbidities such as kidney stones, hypertension, heart disease, stroke, kidney failure and even death.  But how does a disease such as Diabetes lead to all of these terrible chronic disease states?

 

Well, lets first review Type II Diabetes.  Check out my blog post from April 2012, titled Down And Dirty With Diabetes:

http://nutriliciousnutritiousmeetsdelicious.blogspot.com/2012/04/down-and-dirty-with-diabetes.html

 

Now that you have a refresher on the physiology behind Type II Diabetes, lets think about how this can affect some of our most important organs and organ systems.  All this extra glucose running though our arteries, veins, and capillaries can cause strain on them.  Think about a garden hose.  The hose can only stretch so much, but if you increase the amount of particles (water) running through that hose, it has to try and stretch more and more to accommodate that extra "stuff".  The pressure increases and there will be strain on every twist and turn of the hose.  That is the same thing that happens in our body.  The increase in glucose is just an increase in the amount of "stuff" our arteries, veins, and capillaries have to push through our body.  As that amount goes up, the pressure through the blood vessels will go up, hence one is diagnosed with hypertension, or high blood pressure.

 

When you think about a glucose molecule in our bloodstream, what do you picture?  A nice round ball rolling through a tube?  Wrong!  Glucose molecules are rough and bumpy.  These rough, bumpy edges can easily damage the vessel walls, causing cuts and abrasions.  When a cut is formed from a glucose molecule, the body responds normally: by clotting and patching up that cut.  But what is the problem with that in a blood vessel?  Well, a blood vessel is only so big in diameter.  If the clotting mechanism is too large, the vessel may become clogged or blocked by the clot.  Or the clot may break off and travel through the body and cause a clog or block a vessel in a different part of the body.  This can cause kidney stones, a heart attack, or stroke.

 

Now, a little background about one of the most amazing organs in our bodies: the kidneys.  I personally, am fascinated by these amazing little filtering systems.  Our kidneys are only as big as a fist, but they have hundreds of tiny filtering systems in each one called nephrons.  Surrounding each nephron is hundreds of capillaries, all filtering out the toxins from our bloodstream to make urine.  Think about how tiny these capillaries would have to be to fit around hundreds of nephrons making up the size of one of your fists.  Without this amazing filtering system, you will die.  In an individual with diabetes, the elevated glucose levels in the bloodstream filter into the tiny capillary beds around the nephrons of the kidney as well, and most of these capillaries are only wide enough in diameter to accommodate one molecule going through at one time.  Added particles, such as glucose, can add so much strain on the capillary, it can burst.  These bursting capillaries will cause the nephrons to shut down and eventually cause the kidney to fail.  It is the beginning of Chronic Renal Failure, which leads to Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD).  Once you have been diagnosed with CKD, you will need to begin dialysis and wait for a kidney transplant.  There is no recovery unless a transplant has been given to you, and your body accepts it. 

 

 

 

 

Scary stuff, isn't it?  Now, hopefully, you understand why the first statistic I stated in this post is so scary to me.  Maybe this week you can try to eat a bit healthier.  Or go for a walk after dinner each night.  It doesn't take much, but it could save your life.  And thousands of dollars in health care costs.  Its your choice and you life.  Is it worth it to you?

Madison Food carts: Which One Is Your Favorite?

Ever since I have been living in downtown Madison, I have wanted to try the food carts for lunch.  Unfortunately, all summer I was working on the far west side and could not make the commute to come back downtown just for lunch during the weekdays.  Now that I am back in school for the semester, I have Fridays off.  Needless to say, I was incredibly pumped when my boyfriend asked me to meet him at his office on the square so we could try out some of great eats that come from the Madison downtown food carts. 

I met Tyler at noon on the dot last Friday and it was all I could do to drag him outside of his office building to check out all the good food just waiting for me (I mean us!).  I made it perfectly clear that we would need to walk around the square at least once, probably twice, for me to see all the menus prior to me making a final decision on which food cart would be the winner for that day.  Tyler, like usual, had to agree and shake his head.  "I figured." he said.  The poor guy has so much work to do, and I was not going to make this a fast decision.  But, then again, I never make fast decisions without thoroughly checking all the options. 

The first thing I noticed about the food carts, besides the mouth-watering smells, were the amazing, bright colors and originality of each cart.  For some reason, I sort of envisioned each food cart to look pretty close to all the others.  I mean, how original can a food cart be?  I was dead wrong.  Each one had its own special look and theme.  All had unique decor and eye-catching paint luring us in and tempting us to try their food that promises to be "the best food cart food in Madison!"

The Bayou, which is parked in front of Anchor Bank at the corner of West Main and South Carroll, was one of the first ones I saw.  I recognized this food cart because I have eaten at the actual restaurant, which is located just east of the capital.  I remembered the food I had at The Bayou was very tasty; a wonderfully seasoned New Orleans-themed menu that hits the spot after a drink or two.  But because I had already eaten there, I passed that one.

The next food cart is also a popular one, called the Santa Fe Trailer. Located on Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, this little blue and yellow food cart specializes the flavors of New Mexico, featuring the fiery Hatch green chiles and robust red chiles noted for their outstanding flavor. All of the food is prepared by hand and made every day using only the best ingredients available. I was on a mission to see them all before I decided, so on we went.

Blowin' Smoke Barbecue was on the corner of East Main and South Pinckney.  This food cart boasts sandwiches made from Kansas City-style barbecue: pastrami, beef, pork, chicken, turkey and occasional specials. Cole slaw and other barbecue-esque sides are on the menu as well.  As I walked by Blowin' Smoke, I had to admit, my taste buds went into overdrive and my mouth immediately started watering.  I had to keep going, to see the rest of the options, but there was a line waiting for some of Blowin' Smoke's savory sandwiches.

A taste of Mexico was next, at El Burrito Loco.  This food cart is located at the 100 block of Martin Luther King Jr Blvd.  This food cart repeatedly scores high in the ratings that take place each year, and after checking out the menu, I can see why.  This little taste of Mexico serves chicken, bean and steak tostadas, tacos, burritos and taco salads. To add a little (or a lot of) kick, mild and hot sauce are available to sprinkle on your meal.  Of course, I had to keep walking.

The next food cart was hard to pass up, not just because of the smell, but because of the long line and people all around it.  FIB's Fine Italian Beef and Sausage, parked on East Main St and Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, is "Da Taste Of Chicago".  Calling themselves da real deal, this food cart features gonnella bread, baked fresh every morning, Italian beef, sausage, meatball, and Chicago's own Maxwell St. Polish.  Not to mention Chicago's favorite pure beef Vienna hot dog, complete with neon green relish, freshly chopped onions, sport peppers, tomato slices, a kosher pickle wedge, yellow mustard, and a dash of celery salt, on a steamed poppy seed bun.  They even serve Cheli's Chili, a tasty concoction created by a University of Wisconsin great and Chicago native, Chris Chelios.  And absolutely not to exclude their neighbors to the north, they serve a "Laverne and Shirley", which is a Milwaukee dog smothered with kraut, onions, and mustard.  I was able to maneuver through the crowd around this food cart...I need to see them all before making a decision!

Good Food was the next food cart on the walk, located on the corner of East Main and South Pinckney.  I was excited about this particular one, not just because Tyler told me it was his favorite (I was so proud!), but also because of the menu it had on one modestly painted side.  I felt this menu spoke to me the most out of all the food carts we had seen that afternoon.  Tofu, veggie, and chicken wraps and salads were hitting center stage, and I took notice immediately.  Tyler told me at least twice that the Thai Chili Wrap is his favorite.  Like usual, I had to keep walking, just in case something else catches my fancy and trumps Good Food.

Next was the Mad City Fry Guy, which by the name says it all.  Fried, fried, and more fried!  This food cart is located on the corner of West Main and South Carroll and after looking at the menu, it lives up to its name.  This food cart features hot dogs, brats, condiments galore, and hand cut french fries and deep fried cheese curds.  The perfect lunch for a classic Wisconsinite.

Wei's Food To Go is the next one that we saw.  As you can guess, this food cart has an Asian influence and is located on East Main St and South Pinckney.  This food cart has hibachi-style dishes consisting of fried rice, noodle dishes, fragrant pork, and, of course, egg rolls.  I'm not a big Asian-food eater, and of course we have not gone all the way around the square, so I went on by.

As we ended up back at Tyler's office building with no food purchased, I knew I had to make a decision (that and Tyler had to head back to work).  Just as we got in eye-shot of his building I saw the last food cart on the square.  This particular one is called Igo Vego, featuring vegan burgers consisting of walnuts, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, and chili's.  I immediately chose that food cart and Tyler immediately said "I thought you would!" 

I picked this particular food cart, not because I am vegan, but because I love trying new, different, healthier spins on American classics.  As I looked over the menu, I was about to order the sweet and spicy bean and chili pepper burger when I saw the homemade hummus with farmer's market veggies.  I absolutely love the earthy, grainy texture of homemade hummus with the nutty flavor of tahini and the great originality of spices that are added to make each one unique. 

As I ordered my hummus plate with veggies, Tyler went back to the Good Food food cart to get his Thai Chili wrap (there was no way he was going to choke down a vegan burger!)  We sat on a bench in the lawn of the Capital and finally got to eating.  As I ate my hummus and veggies, it became evident I chose the wrong food...even after dragging Tyler around the entire Capital square.  The hummus was good, but the flavor I was hoping for just wasn't there.  No kick of spice came my way and I have to say I was disappointed.  After trying Tyler's wrap, I had to admit, he chose the winner for our food cart lunch.  The Thai Chili wrap was sweet and tangy with just the right zing of heat at the end, which made you keep wanting more.  Oh well, there's always next Friday!!

In Season: Concord Grapes

I was meandering my way through the throngs of people at the Madison Farmers Market on Saturday, and I noticed a beautiful, colorful fruit that seemed perfectly ripe entirely too early in the season: the concord grape.  I stopped at one of the stands and asked if this was an early season for them, or if I'm just way off on my grape facts.  The cheerful woman told me that the grapes are in fact early, by about a month.  "Usually early to mid October is when we harvest them", she said.  "Concord grapes love hot, dry weather; because of the extreme dryness, though, there won't be many to harvest.  But the ones we have, are of an extremely high quality."

Grape juice and grape jellies and jams are long-time favorites of children and adults alike.  America’s favorite grape juice and grape jelly come from Concord grapes. Now, let’s explore how the Concord grape, and both grape juice and grape jelly, first came to be.

FROM SEEDS
Although commercial grape production dates back to the year 1000 B.C., it was not until 1854 that the Concord variety made its debut, appropriately named after the Massachusetts village of Concord where the first of its variety was grown. The Concord grape is a robust and aromatic grape whose ancestors were wild native species found growing in the rugged New England soil.

Experimenting with seeds from some of the native species, Boston-born Ephraim Wales Bull developed the Concord grape in 1849. On his farm outside Concord, down the road from the Emerson, Thoreau, Hawthorne and Alcott homesteads, he planted some 22,000 seedlings in all, before he had produced the ideal grape. Early ripening, to escape the killing northern frosts, but with a rich, full-bodied flavor, the hardy Concord grape thrives where European cuttings had failed to survive. In 1853, Mr. Bull felt ready to put the first bunches of his Concord grapes before the public -- and won a prize at the Boston Horticultural Society Exhibition. From these early arbors, fame of Mr. Bull’s (“the father of the Concord grape”) Concord grape spread world-wide, bringing him up to $1,000 a cutting, but he died a relatively poor man. The inscription on his tombstone states, “He sowed--others reaped.”

TO JUICE
The first unfermented grape juice known to be processed in the United States was by a Vineland, New Jersey dentist, Dr. Thomas Welch in 1869. Dr. Welch, his wife and 17-year old son, Charles, gathered 40 pounds of Concord grapes from the trellis in front of their house. In their kitchen, they cooked the grapes for a few minutes, squeezed the juice out through cloth bags, and poured the world’s first processed fresh fruit juice into twelve quart bottles on the kitchen table.

To preserve the juice, Dr. Welch stoppered the bottles with cork and wax and boiled them in water hoping to kill any yeast in the juice to prevent fermentation. Dr. Welch’s process was a success, and his application of Louis Pasteur’s theory of pasteurization to preserve fresh grape juice pioneered the industry of canned and bottled fruit juices in America. This first juice was used on the Communion table in the local Methodist church for sacramental purposes, and most of the first orders for grape juice came from churches for Communion.

Charles Welch transferred the juice operations to Watkins Glen, New York in 1896, and the following year to Westfield, New York. He processed 300 tons of grapes in 1897.

AND JAM
While jam-like products have been around for centuries, Welch’s created modern jam in 1918 for World War I rations, calling it “Grapelade.” The Army bought Welch’s entire first production run and returning doughboys demanded it when they got back home. Welch’s launched retail grape jam in 1923. Jam is successful because it has the great Concord grape taste, but water has been removed so it will not spoil under normal circumstances. Grape continues to be a favorite flavor of jam/jelly.

AND THE PB & J

Three products came together in World War II to create the lunch classic, the peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Welch’s invented Grapelade in 1918. The next major product improvement was bagged, pre-sliced bread, created in 1928. The last product came from the need to get U.S. soldiers more protein during World War II. Inexpensive but nutritious, peanuts were ground into a smooth, buttery consistency, canned, and put into soldier’s rations. Somewhere, someone mixed his rations in a very new way, and we have been eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for sixty years.

In the century following the introduction of Concord grapes, more of these purple slip-skin grapes were sold than all other species combined. Today, growers harvest more than 336,000 tons in the U.S. Washington State grows the largest number, followed by New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Missouri.

As I continued meandering through the Madison Farmer's Market, munching on my concord grapes, I couldn't help but think these flavorful berries were a delicious little taste of the season.  I had them all eaten by the time I had walked the five blocks back to my apartment.

Blueberry-Concord Grape Relish:
Spread this relish on toasts topped with goat cheese or chicken, stir into yogurt or cottage cheese, spoon over roast chicken or pork, or layer on turkey sandwiches. Relish can be refrigerated, covered, up to 2 weeks.

2 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed and dried (two 1/2-pint containers)
2 cups seedless red grapes, rinsed and dried
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions
1.)  In a large skillet, combine blueberries, grapes, sugar, ginger, rosemary, and vinegar. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer gently until grapes begin to break down, 15 to 20 minutes
 2.)  Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Let cool completely before using or storing.

How Do I...?

Have you ever read a basic instruction on a recipe and wondered "How do I do that?" Then take heart! Watch some "How Do I" videos and in a few seconds you will have the answers to how to mince garlic, strip kale, seed a tomato and a myriad of other puzzles that have kept you from being the kitchen whiz you were meant to be. Astound your family and friends with your know-how!

How Do I... 

Cut A Mango?

Dice An Onion?

Mince Garlic?

Seed A Tomato?

Cut Fennel?

Maintain A Cutting Board?

Strip Kale?

Not Cry From Cutting An Onion?

Pick The Right Knife?

Well, just like me, you went back to school this week with some tutorials on kitchen how-to's.  Hopefully you learned something, and if you have any other questions about the mysteries of navigating the world of cooking, please don't hesitate to ask.  Happy cooking!!