🌟 Hiya Gut Foodies! 🌟

Well ... from those of you who wondered where I disappeared to ... I had a private practice EXPLOSION ... so many new clients ... I'm STOKED!!! But didn't even have time to do this ... or sleep for that matter.

Yes ... I'm now talking insurance ... with great success it seems. If you'd like more clarity ... and individual assistance with making whatever wellness plans you have a reality ... I'd love to help ... find out more by going HERE.

So here it is ... finally ... first in a series on a most important topic ... Diabetes. There some tried-and-true info about a diet for Diabetes ... the same advice I give to clients daily. Because it's crucial that both diet (and exercise ... and mindfulness) and medicine work hand-in-hand to control Diabetes.

Also included here are some impressive research on the link between your gut and Type 2 Diabetes ... kinda mind-blowing as leaky gut is usually connected with Tyoe 1. Along with a terrific blood-sugar-lowering supplement from my brand-new Jill's Diabetes Boosts supplement protocol.

Also ... a dynamite dessert recipe that I make all the time with one paltry gram of added sugar ... perfect for Diabetics. And another "Back to Basics" Micro-Mindful, along with a food-for-diabetic-thought funny quote.

All in this information-packed issue geared for you to learn more about how your gut influences your body. Eat it ALLLL up ...

GUT-TIP OF THE WEEK: CARBOHYDRATE COUNTING

created my own "diet instruct" for you to follow. DOWNLOAD IT HERE. And ... believe me ... I make 'em simple so people can actually follow 'em. 

And here's what I always tell my diabetes clients ... 

1. The one thing that raises blood sugars is carbohydrates ... STARCHES, MILK, FRUIT, and SWEETS.

2. The rule-of-thumb is to EAT ONLY 4 SERVINGS TOTAL OF THESE AT A MEAL and TWO AS A SNACK.

3. What's a serving? 1/2 a cup of cooked starch and an ounce of bread or dry cereal. 1 cup of milk or yogurt. 1/2 a cup of juice or cut-up fruit or a medium fruit (the size of a baseball or woman's fist). And sweets ... small.

That's really all there is to it! Oh ... and testing your blood sugars to see the effect that what you're eating has upon them. 

Easy ... not always!!! Because people have such attachments to the food they're currently eating. And doctors don't stress the importance of changing eating BECAUSE THE DON'T UNDERSTAND IT!

In reality ... if you just identify the carbs that you like to eat and then eat less of them  ... you're doing yourself a HUGE FAVOR if you're diabetic. Whaddaya think?

RESEARCH DEETS 

🌟 Hey, wellness warriors! Did you know that your belly buddies—yep, the trillions of microbes living it up in your gut—might be chatting about more than just digestion? Recent buzz suggests these tiny critters could be influencing diabetes too! 🍽️🔬

👀 Turns out, people with type 2 diabetes might have a different microbial party going on in their guts compared to their non-diabetic pals. Studies show that certain bacteria levels go up while others go down, which might just affect everything from inflammation to how your body handles sugar! 🎢🧫

🥦 So, what's on the menu to possibly tip the scales back in your favor? Probiotics, prebiotics, and even tweaking your diet could help rebalance your gut flora and support better blood sugar control. Science is still stirring the pot on this one, but it's looking like our gut microbiota might just hold some tasty secrets to managing diabetes! 🌟💡

My Gut-Take: 

This review article, "Intestinal microbiota and type 2 diabetes: From mechanism insights to therapeutic perspective" states right away that "the intestinal microbiota plays an important role in the pathogenesis of T2DM as a potential novel contributor".

The introduction begins by saying "recent estimates by the International Diabetes Federation, there are 382 million people living with diabetes worldwide, and the number is expected to rise to 592 million by 2035. Nearly 85%-95% of people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes (T2DM)."

That's some scary statistics!!! Every time I read this research it becomes totally clear ... just as I keep saying ... that the condition of the gut has a hand in EVERYTHING to do with your health.

We do know that the gut has a hand in Type I Diabetes ... which is now considered an autoimmune disease. But Type 2 ... also called adult-onset diabetes ... this is the first article I've read linking the two.

This review digs deep into how the gut may cause it ... from influencing body weight, bile acid metabolism, insulin resistance, and non-alcohol fatty liver disease. To exploring how gut hormones reduce dysbiosis in several ways ... including making short-chain fatty acids that improve metabolism, increase cell growth, and therefore reduce permeability.

The solution ... increase probiotics and prebiotics and fecal transplants ... which I'm hearing about more and more. Yes ... it's actually what you think ... putting the poop of someone with a healthy microbiome inside to regenerate yours. 

I know it sounds gross but it works! So stay tuned for more info ... I think we'll be hearing a lot more in the future. So Type 2's ... listen up ... mind your microbiome to manage ... and even do away with ... your diabetes.

SUPPLEMENT TAKES: GLUCOSE CARE

My Gut-Take: 

This supplement contains many of the ingredients touted to lower blood sugar, such as cinnamon, chromium, manganese, zinc, and B vitamins. All in one ... 

Years ago I visited The Association for Research and Enlightenment ... AKA The Edgar Cayce Foundation ... with my college roommate, Donna (she still calls me "roomie"). Cayce was known as "The Sleeping Prophet" and a famous clairvoyant in the 20th century. 

Cayce would go to into a trance and have whatever information he imparted written down. It's all there for purchase ... and I bought the ones he did on diabetes. Sure enough ... many of the ingredients he cited to help with diabetes are listed in these documents. And are contained in this particular supplement ... especially an active form of cinnamon.

So ... even the Universe seems to know that these ingredients are good for diabetes ... not to mention the scientific community. They're all well-researched to lower blood sugar ... or are deficient in diabetics.

That's why I added them to my newly created Jill's Diabetes Boosts protocol at my Fullscript apothecary. Your blood sugar will LOVE you for it!

GUT RECIPE OF THE WEEK: PALEO (& DIABETIC) "RICOTTA" PIE

Gosh ... I published this a mere 3 months ago ... but it is so appropriate now. As a matter of fact, PALEO RECIPES ARE SUPER-APPROPRIATE FOR DIABETICS, because they're sooo low in sugar and other carbs.

This one has only 1 gram of sugar, 6 grams total carbs, and 3 grams net carbs (what happens when you deduct fiber from carbs) ... in a killer dessert ... because you're using monk fruit sweetener and sugar alcohol. PERFECT FOR DIABETICS!!! So dig in!!!

One of my very fav desserts is Italian Cheesecake 🍰 ... complete with candied fruit and orange zest. For this super-easy version ... which I call Paleo "Ricotta" Pie 🥧 (because I'm using plant-based Kite Hill Ricotta) I ditched the candied fruit but kept the pine nuts and zest. And "ZESTY" it is! 🍊

I used to make the very-complicated, long-(ingredient list)winded one from Time-Life's "The Cooking of Italy". Their Foods of the World series is now out-of-print but that you can still get it on Amazon (without the spiral-bound recipe books) for $700 (????). 📚 And I saw just one of those ... same place ... for a MERE $39. 💸

I think the books cost me under $20 each (PLUS the recipes were FREE!) in the '60s and '70s. But that was a different time ... I remember my salary was $850 a MONTH compared to $400 for the average secretary ... I wore designer dresses then! 👗

OK ... enough nostalgia. The traditional pie was made in the very first springform pan I ever bought (and still have!). Also ... it had a rolled and latticed-on-top crust. This one has a super-easy one pressed into a pan. 🍽️

I did add back the orange zest and pine nuts to this recipe from lowcarbyum.com. As well as the plant-based ricotta. But the results are the same as if I had done dairy! And as Paleo as you can get! 🌿

Yes ... this is NOT technically in my Fab 'n Fast collection as it DOES have more ingredients ... and DOES cook for almost an hour. But it preps in only 10 minutes ... and is the EASIEST of its kind I've ever seen. ⏲️

So ... if you've got a sweet tooth ... and are doing Paleo ... you might want to take the time ... most of it in the oven ... to try this FAV ... ulous dessert of mine. Truly ... Eat it UP! 🍴🎉

MICRO-MINDFULS

Yet another BACK TO BASICS ...this week ... with TOUCH ... We take touching stuff so for granted ... but there's a wealth for our bodies to learn with being mindful of what you touch ... so I invite you for just a moment to touch ... YOURSELF!

Now I'm not getting fresh here ... we're merely exploring ... slowly and deeply ... how one hand feels on another. Betcha never thought that doing that would calm you and increase your awareness at the same time huh?

So just read the script below into your phone and go for it! Or ... instead ... use mine.

And don't forget these mindfulness tools ... put “breathe” signs on your mirror, kitchen cabinet, or dashboard to remind you to breathe, mindfully and deeply (and tell yourself out loud using your name ... i.e. "Breathe, Jill"). 

In stressful situations and/or emergencies ... when you find yourself starting to feel tense, anxious, or in pain, use your breathing to calm you ... take 3 to 5 mindful breaths ... but even one can make a difference. 

You'll find this on the "My Micro-Mindfuls" page of my website by clicking on the button below. I'm designing these to use anywhere you feel stressed ... even if you're standing in a long checkout line or when you feel overwhelmed at work.

So download this one (BASICS SEVEN) on your phone or other device so that you can use it whenever and wherever you’d like. I created a playlist on my phone music app and am downloading these weekly.

And … as more and more free mindfulness (and also guided imagery) snippets become available … you can pick and choose what resonates with you to create your very own playlist. So let’s begin …

Mindful Hands, Mindful Heart 💖👐

Sit comfortably in a straight-back chair with your feet flat on the floor 🪑 and your arms and legs uncrossed. Close your eyes if you’d like 🙈… or soften your gaze. You may wish to allow your eyes to shift gently between open and closed as we continue…

Now turn your focus to your breath and take three deep breaths… breathe in 🌬️… and breathe out… breathe in 🌬️… and breathe out… breathe in 🌬️… and breathe out…

Now place your hands in your lap… one on top of the other… whichever you’d like…

Bring your attention to your hands… don’t move them... Simply breathe… relax 😌… and observe them…

How are your hands positioned?… Which hand is on top?… Where is your lower hand resting?

It doesn’t matter how they’re positioned… you’re simply tuning in to how your hands are right at this moment…

As you focus on them… notice now how your hands are touching. Even if you are resting one hand on top of the other… they don’t entirely touch… there are some points of your hands touching more than others…  Can you feel where these points of touch are?

Now ask yourself… How do these points of contact feel? How are they different from the places where the skin almost connects around it?

Now narrow your attention to a single point on your top hand… perhaps at the tip of a single finger. Find an area of your finger the size of a nail tip… and keep your focus there.

Now slowly… gradually… begin to move your top hand. Lift it off of the other hand… maintaining contact at the narrow point you identified on your finger. Then, move that finger. Feel the motion of it across your other hand.

Now become aware of the feeling in that finger… and the feeling its motion creates on your other hand… explore this feeling as long as you’d like. Press it harder… then lift it slightly… play with the idea of touching… not touching… touching softly… pressing harder…

Continue this as long as you’d like… then place your hands uncrossed on your thigh… open your eyes fully 👀… stretch… and go about your day… feeling that heightened sense of touch upon your fingertips… and all over your body…

FUNNY QUOTE