Category Archives: Uncategorized

These are Hass or California avocados (the other common one in the U.S is the Florida avocado)

Here’s a recipe from The Low Carb Diabetic blog, one of my favorites. No carb count is provided but I bet it’s relatively low. If you know the carb count per serving, share in the comments. Calculate the carbs yourself at FitDay. Click the link below for the recipe. It’s paleo-diet compliant, if you don’t mind vinegar. A snippet:

“Gazpacho is a soup made of raw vegetables and served cold, usually with a tomato base, originating in the southern Spanish region of Andalucia, which some spell with a c, while others use an s! This soup can be great for a hot day when making a lunch that takes just a few minutes is exactly what you want. In our version of this Andalusian peasant dish we leave out the soaked bread and instead use a creamy avocado to give it substance.”

Source: The Low Carb Diabetic: Gazpacho – A taste of Andalucia

Larry Husten covers the issue at his blog. Click the link below for details. I’m in the endocrinology camp on this one. A quote from Mr. Husten’s post:

“An observer came away from the meeting with the strong impression that the endocrinologists did not want to accept any evidence that empagliflozin could reduce the risk of cardiovascular death; were not prepared to acknowledge that drugs might work in diabetes by effects that were independent of blood glucose; and wanted to be left in peace to be allowed to micromanage hemoglobin A1c without being reminded that doing so does not change the cardiovascular risk of patients with diabetes.”

Source: Prominent Cardiologists Decry Tepid Support For Empagliflozin By Endocrinologists

Try growing your own…

Tomatoes are a time-honored component of the Mediterranean diet. Their lycopenes and other phytonutrients may help preserve prostate health. Heres a recipe, with carb counts provided, from The Low Carb Diabetic:

“These tomatoes, when topped with a herby breadcrumb mixture, make a very nice starter or side dish. If you do not wish to use breadcrumbs, a substitute such as toasted pine nuts could be used instead…”

Source: The Low Carb Diabetic: Roasted Jubilee tomatoes with a fresh herb crust

Exercise your brain

I saw a patient at the hospital a couple years ago who had been brought in by ambulance after suffering some trauma (not to his brain). He couldn’t call any friends or relatives to let them know what was going on because he didn’t have his cellphone. His phone had all his contact numbers so he had no reason to memorize any. Would you be in the same boat?

DailyMail has an interesting article on whether our use of technology is making us dumber. If we turn over mental tasks like navigation and math to computers, do our brains waste away? Is this how the robots take over? Will we be seeing more and earlier cases of age-related dementia? E-mentia?

This is worth keeping an eye on.

Steve Parker, M.D.

PS: The five other members of my household all have cellphones. The only number I’ve memorized is my wife’s.

Front cover of book