Author: shared

English, Healthy Mexican Food, Recipes

Black Bean Salsa with Tortilla Chips

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Refreshing bean salsa to serve with homemade tortilla chips. Make the tortilla chips after preparing the salsa and serve them warm.

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a medium bowl, toss together beans, tomatoes, roasted poblanos, corn, onion, cilantro, lime juice and cumin. Season with ¼ teaspoon salt and black pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow flavors to set.
  3. Brush a small amount of oil on a baking sheet; arrange tortilla wedges in a single layer. Brush oil on tortillas. Sprinkle the remaining sea salt. Bake for about 10 minutes until crispy.
  4. Serve black bean salsa with warm tortilla chips.
  5. Note: To roast poblano chiles, place over your gas stove on medium heat or on a baking sheet under a broiler and roast chiles until they are blackened. Remove from heat, place in a plastic bag to sweat. After they are cooled off, remove seeds and skin and use in your recipe.
easy Level | 30 minutes Total time | 100 Calories

Ingredients:

  • 1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 c chopped Roma tomatoes (about 4 Roma tomatoes)
  • 2 poblano chiles, roasted, seeded and diced
  • 1 c fresh roasted or frozen whole kernel corn
  • c finely chopped red onion
  • c finely chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 T freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1 t cumin
  • 4 corn tortillas, each tortilla cut into 6 wedges
  • 1 t oil
  • t sea salt, divided
  • t black pepper

Nutrition Information:

Total fat: 1.5 g; Saturated fat: 0 g; Trans fat: 0 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 320 mg; Carbohydrates: 19 g; Fiber: 5 g; Sugars: 3 g; Protein: 4 g; Vitamin D: 0 mcg; Calcium: 22 mg; Iron: 1 mg; Potassium: 316 mg

English, Healthy Mexican Food, Recipes

Chicken Sabroso with Lemon and Spices

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Sabroso y fácil!

  1. In a large mixing bowl, mix olive oil, lemon juice, cilantro, oregano, garlic, paprika, salt and black pepper.
  2. Place chicken pieces in the bowl and combine to marinade.
  3. Place in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
  4. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
  5. Remove chicken from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. Discard the marinade.
  6. Place chicken, diced onion and sliced bell peppers in a baking pan and cover with aluminum foil.
  7. Bake for 30 minutes; check for doneness with a meat thermometer until it reads 160 to 165 degrees F.
intermediate Level | 180 minutes Total time | 130 Calories

Ingredients:

  • 1 T extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 T lemon juice
  • c chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2 t dried oregano
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 t paprika
  • 1 t salt
  • 1 t black pepper
  • c diced onion
  • 4 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut horizontally in half to create 2 thinner pieces
  • 1 c seeded and sliced, mixed bell peppers (medley of small, colorful peppers)

Nutrition Information:

Total fat: 4.5 g; Saturated fat: 1 g; Trans fat: 0 g; Cholesterol: 55 mg; Sodium: 430 mg; Carbohydrates: 4 g; Fiber: 1 g; Sugars: 2 g; Protein: 18 g; Vitamin D: 0 mcg; Calcium: 23 mg; Iron: 1 mg; Potassium: 367 mg

English, Healthy Mexican Food, Recipes

Lori’s Marinated Pork Tenderloin

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Delicious and lean, great for taquitos too!

  1. Trim fat from pork and place pork in a baking dish.
  2. Combine lime juice, black pepper, oregano, chipotle, salt, garlic and olive oil in a dish and stir well. Rub pork with this seasoning over all sides and cover with plastic. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
  3. Prepare grill.
  4. Remove pork from dish. Discard marinade. Grill pork for 40-45 minutes or until done.
  5. Cut pork into 1/4-inch thick slices. Sprinkle cilantro and green onions on top.
  6. Serve with warm corn tortillas and slices of avocado.
advanced Level | 135 minutes Total time | 410 Calories

Ingredients:

  • lbs lean pork tenderloin
  • 3 large fresh limes, juiced
  • 2 t black pepper
  • 2 t dried oregano
  • t canned chipotle
  • t salt
  • 6 crushed garlic cloves
  • t olive oil
  • c coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2 T finely chopped green onions
  • cilantro sprigs
  • 1 avocado, peeled, pitted, sliced
  • 8 small corn tortillas

Nutrition Information:

Total fat: 14 g; Saturated fat: 2.5 g; Trans fat: 0 g; Cholesterol: 80 mg; Sodium: 1320 mg; Carbohydrates: 31 g; Fiber: 7 g; Sugars: 3 g; Protein: 39 g; Vitamin D: 0 mcg; Calcium: 37 mg; Iron: 2 mg; Potassium: 1207 mg

English, Healthy Mexican Food, Recipes

Spanish “Tortilla”

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In Spain they call this Spanish-style omlet a “tortilla.” You can eat it for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or as a tapa.

  1. In a nonstick pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil on medium low.
  2. Add sliced onions and potatoes to the pan, sauté and cover pan. Cook on low heat for 10 minutes or until potatoes are soft. Stir frequently. Add 1-2 tablespoon of water to the pan if pan gets too dry. Remove from heat to cool.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk 6 eggs, add spinach and the sautéed onion and potato slices.
  4. In a clean frying pan, heat the remaining oil, coating the whole pan. Pour in the egg-potato mixture.
  5. Cook on low for 10 minutes. Tilt the pan to let the egg mixture run towards all edges and underneath. Shake pan to prevent sticking once eggs are set.
  6. Slide the cooked side of the set egg mixture onto a plate. Hold the pan upside down over the uncooked side of the egg mixture and flip the plate and pan together, returning the uncooked side to the pan. Allow to cook for another 2 minutes. Serve warm or cold.
intermediate Level | 40 minutes Total time | 170 Calories

Ingredients:

  • 3 T olive oil, divided
  • small white onion, sliced
  • 1 medium potato, peeled and thinly sliced
  • c thinly sliced green or yellow or red bell peppers
  • 1 c chopped baby spinach
  • 6 eggs
  • salt & black pepper to taste

Nutrition Information:

Total fat: 11 g; Saturated fat: 2.5 g; Trans fat: 0 g; Cholesterol: 165 mg; Sodium: 70 mg; Carbohydrates: 10 g; Fiber: 1 g; Sugars: 1 g; Protein: 6 g; Vitamin D: .8 mcg; Calcium: 32 mg; Iron: 1 mg; Potassium: 222 mg

English, Healthy Mexican Food, Recipes

Spicy Cauliflower

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This smoky and spicy cauliflower dish is easy for weeknights.

  1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add olive oil. Add onions and sauté for 2 minutes or until translucent.
  2. Add tomatoes and red bell peppers and cook for 3 minutes on medium heat.
  3. Add cauliflower and sauté for 5 minutes.
  4. Add chipotles, chicken broth and cilantro. Combine and reduce heat. Cover and cook on low heat for 15 minutes.
  5. Add salt and pepper to taste if desired.
easy Level | 40 minutes Total time | 60 Calories

Ingredients:

  • 1 t olive oil
  • c chopped onion
  • 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 large head of cauliflower, cut up in florets
  • red bell pepper, sliced
  • minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
  • 1 c low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 T chopped fresh cilantro
  • salt and pepper, as desired

Nutrition Information:

Total fat: 1.5 g; Saturated fat: 0 g; Trans fat: 0 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 150 mg; Carbohydrates: 10 g; Fiber: 3 g; Sugars: 4 g; Protein: 3 g; Vitamin D: 0 mcg; Calcium: 36 mg; Iron: .7 mg; Potassium: 501 mg

English, Healthy Mexican Food, Recipes

Stuffed Anaheim Chiles

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Veggie rich and delicious as an appetizer.

  1. Place the sliced onion in ice water for 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
  2. Bring a pot of water to boil and parboil the carrots until tender but not soft, about 10 minutes; rinse in cold water immediately and set aside.
  3. Heat a skillet with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and sauté the zucchini slices until tender but not soft; season with salt and pepper.
  4. Place all vegetable ingredients, the vinegar and the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil in a large bowl and gently toss; let the mixture sit for 15 minutes.
  5. Take the Anaheim chiles, cut them in half lengthwise, and add a cheese slice to each chile half.
  6. Place the cheese-filled peppers in a serving dish and spread the vegetables on top.
  7. Serve with warm corn tortillas.
advanced Level | 45 minutes Total time | 80 Calories

Ingredients:

  • 1 onion, peeled and sliced
  • 4 carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 2 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled and seeded, sliced
  • 2 yellow peppers, roasted and seeded, sliced
  • 2 zucchini, sliced
  • 4 Anaheim chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded, top removed
  • 8 slices queso fresco (about 1/2 oz. each slice)
  • 1 t salt
  • T cider vinegar
  • 1 T olive oil, divided

Nutrition Information:

Total fat: 3 g; Saturated fat: 1 g; Trans fat: 0 g; Cholesterol: 5 mg; Sodium: 330 mg; Carbohydrates: 11 g; Fiber: 2 g; Sugars: 6 g; Protein: 3 g; Vitamin D: 0 mcg; Calcium: 65 mg; Iron: .7 mg; Potassium: 316 mg

English, Healthy Mexican Food, Recipes

Tuna Tacos

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This is an easy lunch to prepare ahead of time and take to work.

  1. Combine the tomato, onion, celery and cilantro in a bowl. Squeeze the juice of the lime and mix in gently. Add the already drained tuna and blend.
  2. Add diced jalapeño (optional). Season lightly with salt and sprinkle more lime juice if needed. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
  3. Warm corn tortillas in a hot skillet or comal. Divide the tuna salad among three tortillas and roll up.
easy Level | 30 minutes Total time | 330 Calories

Ingredients:

  • 1 small tomato, chopped
  • c finely chopped red onion
  • 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
  • 1 T chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 fresh lime
  • 1 5-ounce can of tuna packed in water, drained
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded, finely diced (optional)
  • t salt
  • 3 small (4-inch) corn tortillas, warmed

Nutrition Information:

Total fat: 5 g; Saturated fat: 1 g; Trans fat: 0 g; Cholesterol: 40 mg; Sodium: 80 mg; Carbohydrates: 43 g; Fiber: 7 g; Sugars: 8 g; Protein: 28 g; Potassium: 577 g

¡Hola, Guapa!, English, Healthy Body

Should I Lose Weight?

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Should I Lose Weight? 

How many times have you asked yourself this question? At De Las Mías, we would like you to rephrase the question and ask yourself, “Should I be taking better care of myself?” If you haven’t already done so, read my story, Avoiding the Thin Trap: A Letter From De Las Mías Founder. This is a personal story about how being raised to be “Sobre todo delgada,” can leave you feeling bad about yourself with the extra bonus of an eating disorder.

How Did We Get Here?

Maybe your doctor has told you that you need to lose a few pounds to get you out of the danger zone.  (Diabetes, Heart Disease, High Blood Pressure, Some Cancers) Maybe you already have prediabetes. Maybe your mom and abuela already have diabetes and you don’t want it. Maybe your boyfriend makes comments about another woman’s hot body and she weighs 30 pounds less than you do. Maybe your jeans are too tight and it doesn’t feel good. Maybe you want to look like J. Lo Maybe you looked at your BMI.

Moving on to a Healthier and More Natural Weight

There are many reasons, and some of them are good reasons, why it’s important to get to a healthier and more natural weight, but labeling yourself, comparing your body to others’, and going on some crazy deprivation diet is not going to get you there. That’s one of the reasons why we are abandoning the use of BMI as a measure of healthy weight.

Abandoning the BMI

Traditionally, the BMI was developed as one way of assessing if someone needed to lose weight. It has been used as a way to help assess if people are in the “healthy weight” category for over 100 years.   The Body Mass Index is simply a number based on your weight and height.  So for over 100 years, the general premise of the BMI has been that the higher your BMI is the more fat you have in your body. But as time has gone by, scientists have realized that the BMI does not actually measure the percentage of fat, muscle or bone in your body. A recent article, Is B.M.I. a Scam? – The New York Times does a great job at explaining how the BMI has been used in the past and how it can be helpful, or harmful.  For example, it states that BMI measures are sometimes useful in researching weight health.  And in fact, we used BMI measures in our own NIH funded research, in looking at data related to weight health and building healthy habits. Through our journey to help Latinas lead healthier lives, we have come to recognize how distressing and not helpful BMI labels can be, and we have decided not to use the BMI as a tool to assess if women are at a healthy weight. At De Las Mías we believe that if we foster self-love and practice self-care we will arrive at a healthier, more balanced life. We believe that eventually this will lead to a healthier more natural weight for our unique and beautiful bodies. We encourage you to take better care of yourself and build up healthy habits over time because this is the surest way to arrive at a healthier place. We are validated by more and more research that demonstrates the effectiveness of this approach. Happily we are not alone.  We love the work of Dr. Linda Bacon, author of Health at Any Size.  Her groundbreaking work in the field of weight health is very closely aligned with ours.  Dr. Bacon and her colleagues have conducted several well-designed research projects that come to this same conclusion: If you want to reach a healthy and natural weight, your best bet is to focus on self-acceptance and self-care. Dr. Bacon’s work, like the work of De Las Mías is to get you out of the “weight-loss mentality” and into the “embrace the health and happiness mentality.”  (1)

With that philosophy in mind, we developed the De Las Mías Tools for Healthy Living

We invite you to explore the De Las Mías App for great tools for healthy living.  One of the recommended tools for healthy eating is the De Las Mías Eating Plan.

What is a Healthy Eating Plan?

Whenever you want to get something done, and you want it to last, you need a plan. Eating healthfully and taking care of yourself is no exception.  That is why our Mera Mera Nutritionist, Malena Perdomo has developed a great 9-Step Healthy Eating Plan for Better Nutrition for you to consider. As Latinas, we know that good food doesn’t just feed your body, it feeds your soul. We have a great library of healthy Mexican, New Mexican, and Southwestern dishes from Madrina Lori’s test kitchen. Lori and Malena are our dynamic duo—we call them Las Madrinas en La Cocina! You are going to love preparing and enjoying these delicious, nutritious, and culture-affirming foods.

The De Las Mías Healthy Lifestyle Checklist –

We have developed a great healthy lifestyle checklist you can use on our free App.  This easy-to-use checklist helps you monitor your healthy lifestyle goals. We find that if you make a habit of using the De Las Mías Healthy Lifestyle Checklist, you will be well on your way to leading a healthier and more balanced life. In time, you will arrive at a healthy and natural weight for you.

What about physical activity?

Yes! Find a physical activity that you love and move your body at least 30 minutes every day.  This is in keeping with the NIH recommendation to do moderate to vigorous activity for at least 30 minutes a day, five days a week. Moderate means: Walking, cycling less than 10 miles per hour, gardening (such as raking, digging, or trimming shrubs), dancing, water aerobics or playing in the park with your kids or grandkids. Vigorous means: Running or jogging, walking fast, cycling fast, heavy yard work (such as chopping wood or shoveling snow), swimming laps or playing a sport like basketball or fútbol. At De Las Mías, we want you to LOVE YOUR BODY! Move it! Dance it! Walk it. Bike it. Run it. Grow a garden with it. Please it. Be proud of it. Stop comparing it. Move it as much as you can, at least five days a week for 30 minutes a day and give yourself a big ¡Eso! Move your body in a way that affirms the love you have for yourself and your desire to be healthy and strong. The De Las Mías journey to a healthy life is a fun, and affirming way for Latinas ¡Unidas for a Healthy Life! The De Las Mías app is free and ready for download in the Google Play Store. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @delasmiaslife.   Ref:  Bacon, Linda. Healthy at Any Size:  The Surprising Truth About Your Weight. BenBella Books, Inc.  Dallas, Texas. 2008 Callahan, Alice. Is BMI a Scam?  https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/18/style/is-bmi-a-scam.html.

¡Hola, Guapa!, ¡Hola, Sabrosa!, Edición No. 3: Stay On Track, Healthy Body, Healthy Comadres, Spanish

Cinco pasos para vivir una vida con Ganas y Salud

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Así que tienes diabetes, Comadre…

En primer lugar, recuerda: Eres fuerte, eres poderosa y eres latina.  Con toda la diabetes que es aparente en nuestras familias y comunidades, las latinas vivimos vidas más largas que la demás de la población en los EEUU. Estamos bien hechas. Así que a pesar de que tenemos diabetes, todavía vivimos más tiempo que nadie.  ¡Ahora vamos a vivir, no sólo más tiempo, sino también más una vida más saludable! ¡Sí se puede! ¡Cuidémonos con Ganas y Salud!

Cuando se trata de diabetes, cuidarnos a nosotros mismas se quiere decir tomar estos cinco pasos:

  1. Consulta a un educador certificado en diabetes.
  2. Come sano.
  3. ¡Actívate, Ya!
  4. Maneja tu estrés.
  5. Busca y encuentra apoyo.

  1. Consulta con un educador certificado en diabetes. El primer paso para cuidar de tu diabetes es obtener buenos consejos de un experto.  Si tienes seguro, perfecto.  Si tienes Medicare o Medicaid,busca más información sobre DSMES.

El DSMES es el Programa de Educación y Apoyo para el Autocontrol de la Diabetes.  Este programa ofrece educación especial  sobre la diabetes y servicios de control a las personas con diabetes.  Estos son educadores certificados que son expertos en diabetes.  Ellos te pueden ayudar a encontrar un plan que se adapta a tus necesidades.  Aprovéchalo, si puedes. Si tienes Medicare o Medicaid, DSMES puede ser gratis.  Pide más información. Hay otros recursos muy buenos en los Estados Unidos para personas con diabetes.  Hay un programa llamado programa de autocontrol de la diabetes y el programa de autocontrol de enfermedades crónicas.  Ofrecen clases gratuitas.  ¡Aprenderás mucho sobre el autocuidado de la diabetes yencontrarás amigas! Comunícate con el departamento de salud local para obtener información sobre estas clases gratuitas.    A veces están disponibles en español.

  1. Come sano. ¿Qué significa eso?  Vamos a darte unos tips muy sencillos de parte del CDC.  Esta es una manera fácil de comer más sano cuando uno tiene diabetes.

El método del Plato.

Comer sano cuando tienes diabetes se trata de controlar tus niveles de azúcar en la sangre.  Las verduras con almidón y los granos procesados como la harina blanca, el arroz blanco, las tortillas de harina blanca y el pan blanco son solo algunos de los alimentos que te suben el azúcar en la sangre.  Este tipo de alimento te puede causar problemas. Puedes comer estos alimentos, pero con medida.  Tu cuerpo te lo agradecerá.  No quiere decir que nunca podrás comer pastel o bizcochitos o empanadas. Sólo significa que te tienes que cuidar a ti misma, y ser medida.  Nada de malo en ser  medida. (¿Te acuerdas de los consejos de mamá o de la tía?) El método del plato es una forma simple y visual de asegurarte que estás comiendo suficientes verduras, frutas y proteínas bajas en grasa.  Esto te ayuda a limitar comer alimentos con muchos carbohidratos.

A continuación, se explica cómo utilizar el método del Plato: También se conoce cómo My Plate o Mi Plato:

  • Comienza con un plato de cena de 9 pulgadas.
  • Llena la mitad con verduras no frescas y verdes como ensalada, judías verdes, brócoli, coliflor, repollo, pimientos, verdolagas, pepinos y
  • Llene una cuarta parte de tu plato con una proteína magra, como pollo, pescado, pavo, frijoles o huevos.
  • Llene una cuarta parte del plato con alimentos con carbohidratos. Los alimentos que son más altos en carbohidratos incluyen granos procesados, verduras con almidón (como papa), arroz, pasta, frutas y yogur. Una taza de leche también cuenta como alimento con carbohidratos.
  • Bebe agua o té sin azúcar.
  • Busca más recetas con verduras en nuestra Cocina. Hay recetas “Diabetes Friendly.”
  • Aprende a hacer más platillos vegetarianos.
  • Para merendar, come verduras como zanahorias, pepino con chilito, judías verdes, apio y jícama, también con chilito y limón.

  1. ¡Actívate, Ya! Asegúrate de ser activa de 30 a 45 minutos diarios.  Se puede ir a dar a caminar 15-20 minutos por la mañana y 15-20 minutos por la tarde.  No tienes que ir a caminar.  También puedes pasearte en bici.  Trabaje en tu jardín por 15-20 minutos y luego sal a caminar.

Caminar es gratis y lo más fácil.  Encuentra un lugar seguro.  Llámale a tu Comadre y salte, ¡Chica!   Ser más activa te ayudará a controlar el azúcar en la sangre y a llegar a un peso más saludable. No te dilates. Hazlo hoy.

  1. Maneje tu estrés. El estrés no es bueno para nadie, pero es especialmente difícil para las personas con diabetes.  Aprende sobre la relajación profunda. Hay muchos recursos gratuitos en línea que pueden Incluso, hasta puedes tomar 10 respiraciones relajantes profundas cada unas cuantas horas y hasta esto te ayudará a reducir el estrés.  Ve a pararte debajo de un árbol por 5 minutos y cálmate así. Date un paseo por tu vecindario y mira las flores.   Reza el rosario.  O usa las cuentas de oración a tu manera.
  2. Obtén apoyo. El apoyo moral es muy importante para las personas con diabetes.  Evita aislarte cuando te sientas mal o con poca energía.  Llámale a tu comadre y quéjate.  Tienes que desahogar.   Únete a un grupo de apoyo.  Toma una clase de autocontrol de la diabetes y encuentra nuevas amistades que también tengan diabetes.  Ponte en contacto con tus amigas y familiares y comparte tus sentimientos.  Encuentra personas que no te juzguen cuando no puedas cumplir con tu plan de comer bien.  No te dejes sentir culpable si no cumples con tu plan.  Nada más comienza de nuevo otra vez.

Recuerda que tú puedes vivir bien con diabetes.  Eres fuerte. Eres poderosa. ¡Eres latina!  ¡Y vives más tiempo que nadie! ¡Esa es una buena noticia! Ahora vive tu vida más saludable para que puedas vivir esa larga vida con ganas y salud.

¡Hola, Guapa!, English, Healthy Body, Healthy Comadres, Healthy Family

Five Steps to Living a Life with Ganas and Salud

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So You Have Diabetes, Comadre…

First of all, remember, you are strong, you are powerful.  You are Latina.  Even with all the diabetes in our families and communities, Latinas still live longer than anyone else.

We are made of strong stuff.  So even though we have diabetes, we still live longer than anyone else.  Now let’s live, not just longer, but also healthier!  We can do it. Let’s take care of ourselves con Ganas y Salud!

When it comes to diabetes, taking care of ourselves comes down to several steps.

  1. See a Certified Diabetes Educator.
  2. Eat Healthy.
  3. ¡Actívate! Get active, already.
  4. Manage your stress.
  5. Get support.

  1. See a Certified Diabetes Educator. The first step in taking care of your diabetes is to get good advice from an expert.  If you have insurance, are on Medicare or Medicaid, find out more about DSMES.

DSMES is the Diabetes Self Management Education and Support Program.  This program offers special diabetes education and management services to people with diabetes.  These are certified educators who know what they’re doing when it comes to diabetes.  They will help you figure out a plan that is tailored to  your needs.  Take advantage of it, if you can. If you are Medicare and/or Medicaid, DSMES may be free.  Find out more. There are other very good resources in the United States for other diabetes education and support.  There is a program called the Diabetes Self-Management Program and the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program that offer classes.  You will learn a lot about diabetes self-care and you will make friends! Contact your local health department for information about these free classes.  They are sometimes available in Spanish.

  1. Eat Healthy. What does that mean?  We are going to give you some simple guidelines, from the CDC.  This is an easy way to eat healthier when you have diabetes. 

The Plate Method

Eating healthy when you have diabetes is all about controlling your blood sugar levels.  Starchy vegetables and processed grains like white flour, white rice, white flour tortillas and white bread are just some of the foods that will raise  your blood sugar levels.  These kinds of foods can cause you problems. Learn to eat these kinds of foods in a more moderate way, and your body will thank you. It doesn’t mean you can never have cake or bizcochitos or empanadas.  It just means you need to take care of yourself by being careful and medida.  Nothing wrong with being medida. (Didn’t your mama always tell you that?) The plate method is a simple, visual way to make sure you get enough nonstarchy vegetables and lean protein while limiting the amount of higher-carb foods.

Here’s how to use the Plate Method:

  • Start with a 9-inch dinner plate.
  • Fill half with nonstarchy vegetables, such as salad, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, peppers, verdolagas, pepinos, and carrots.
  • Fill one quarter of your plate with a lean protein, such as chicken, fish, turkey, beans, or eggs.
  • Fill one quarter with carb foods. Foods that are higher in carbs include grains, starchy vegetables (such as potatoes and peas), rice, pasta, fruit, and yogurt. A cup of milk also counts as a carb food.
  • Choose water or a low-calorie drink such as unsweetened iced tea to go with your meal.
  • Look in our Cocina for Diabetes Friendly Recipes.
  • Learn to make more veggie dishes.
  • Snack on veggies like carrots, pepino con chilito, green beans, celery and jicama, also con chilito y limón.

  1. ¡Actívate, Ya! Get active already.  You don’t need to join the gym or get expensive equipment.  Start with 30 to 45 minutes of activity every day.  You can go for a 20 minute walk in the morning and 20 minute walk in the afternoon. You can mix up up. 

Get a bike! Ride your bike for 30 minutes. Work in your garden for 20 minutes and go for a walk for another 20 minutes. Walking is free. Find a safe place to walk. Call your Comadre and get out there, Girl! Being more active will help you control you blood sugar and may help you get to a healthier weight. Don’t delay. Do it today.

  1. Manage your stress. Stress is not good for anyone but it is especially hard on people with diabetes.  Learn about deep relaxation. There are many free resources online that can help you manage your stress.  Even taking 10 deep  relaxing breaths every few hours will help you reduce stress.  Go stand under a tree for 5 minutes and be still.  Take a walk around your neighborhood and look at the flowers. Pray the rosary. Or use prayer beads in your own way. 
  2. Get support. Moral support is very  important for people with diabetes.  Avoid isolating yourself when you feel sick or low energy.  Call a Comadre and complain.  Go for it.  Join a support group.  Take a diabetes self-management class and make new friends who also have diabetes.  Reach out to your friends and family and share your feelings.  Find people who will not judge you when you don’t stick  to your plan or eat something that makes you feel guilty. 

Remember, you can live well with diabetes.  You are strong. You are powerful. You are Latina!  And you live longer than anyone else!  That’s good news! Now live your healthiest life so  you can live that long life con ganas y salud.