Diabetes can occur due to an increase in the blood glucose, which alters the potassium levels in the body.

Fold the rice gently in the brown sugar. Pour in ½ cup of warm milk mixture (which you had set aside) and cook for 2 - 3 minutes until most of the milk is absorbed. Do not mix briskly or the rice will break. Repeat the above procedure with ½ cup of milk at a time until the rice is tender and the risotto has a creamy consistency. At the end remove the pan from the heat and discard the cinnamon stick. Drain the water from the soaked strawberries and then gently stir it into the risotto along with the vanilla extract. Cool it for 10 minutes before serving warm. Apple Crisp Ingredients (Serves 6) 4 cups peeled and sliced apple 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ cup sugar substitute Allspice and mace as per taste Topping ½ cup all-purpose flour ½ cup oatmeal ¼ cup margarine 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon baking soda Procedure In a mixing bowl, combine together the ingredients - apple, flour, sugar substitute, cinnamon, allspice and mace - in order to make an apple filling. Toss well and transfer it on a 9-inch square cake pan. Meanwhile preheat the oven at 400° F. In another bowl, mix well the topping ingredients - flour, oatmeal, margarine, cinnamon and baking soda. Add this on top of the apple filling. Bake at 400° F for about 15 minutes. Then, reduce the temperature to 325° F for another 14 - 50 minutes or till the topping turns light brown. It tastes better when served warm. Cranberry Apple Crisp Ingredients (Serves 7) 3 cups peeled and sliced apple 2 cups fresh cranberries ⅓ cup all-purpose flour 1½ cup sugar substitute ¼ cup chopped pecans ¼ cup unsalted butter (melted) Procedure Preheat the oven at 350° F. 

First of all, combine together the following HL12 Diabetes  ingredients - apple, cranberry and 1 cup sugar substitute. Transfer this mixture into the greased 10-inch pie plate and keep it aside. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, pecans, remaining ½ cup sugar substitute and melted butter. Blend it well and spread over the apple and cranberry mixture. Bake it in the preheated oven for about 55 - 60 minutes. Serve warm with dried fruits. Apple and Peanut Butter Chips Ingredients (Serves 7) 3 cups peeled and sliced apples ⅓ cup peanut butter chips 1 cup sugar substitute ½ cup white all-purpose flour 1 cup cooking rolled oats ¼ cup margarine ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon Procedure Preheat oven to 375° F. Lightly spray a 9-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the following ingredients - apple, peanut butter chips and 2 tablespoons flour. Transfer this mixture into the baking pan. Take another bowl and combine oats, sugar substitute, remaining flour, margarine and cinnamon. Mix the ingredients well and add it on top of the apple layer. Bake for about 45 - 50 minutes, until the apple slices turn tender and soft. Remove and serve warm. Instead of a sugar substitute, you can use applesauce. Also, make sure that the margarine is free of skim milk and trans fats. You can prepare different apple dessert recipes by substituting the ingredients. Apple crisp recipe prepared with chocolate chips also tastes good. Individuals who are suffering from diabetes may also be susceptible to kidney problems. Both these disorders can affect the proper functioning of the body. It can, in turn, affect the function of the kidneys, that may lead to organ damage, Kidney failure can be life-threatening and fatal in some cases. To avoid this, you need to follow a low potassium diabetic diet, specially designed for this condition. 

The foods in this special diet should be low in potassium and sodium, such that the blood sugar is kept under control and the body is kept in good health. Low Potassium Diet for Diabetics According to a research, there is a relationship between potassium levels and diabetes. Both hyperkalemia (high potassium) and diabetes can cause some unwanted complications in the body. One must follow a low potassium diet for kidney disease as well as for diabetes. Make sure that these low potassium foods for diabetes and kidney disorders are rich in proteins to supplement energy. Choose fruits, vegetables and other foods that provide the necessary nutrients to the body, without increasing glucose levels in the blood. Include healthy portions of natural, cooked foods rather than gorging on processed foods. Here is a list of foods that can be included in the daily low potassium diet for diabetes and kidney disorders. The recommended portion for each of the food item is approximately 100 g per day. The protein intake should also be about 65 to 75 g each day. Alfalfa sprouts (1 cup) Apple (1 medium) Asparagus (100 g) Apricots (2 small or 1 medium) Blackberries (6 to 7) Beans, cooked (1 cup) Blueberries (8 to 10) Bread, brown, (2 to 3 slices) Cabbage, steamed, (75 g) Carrots, cooked (1 cup) Cauliflower (50 g) Celery (1 stalk) Corn, fresh (½ ear) Cucumber (whole) Cherries (1 small bowl) Cranberries (Half cup) Fruit Cocktail (1 glass) Grapes, either black or green (1 cup) Grape juice (Half glass) Grapefruit (Half or whole) Eggplant, baked (60 g) Kale (1 cup) Lettuce (2 stalks) Mushrooms (80 g) Noodles (1 cup) Okra, cooked (1 cup) Green onions (50 g) Parsley (50 g) Pasta (1 cup) Peas, green, boiled (100 g) Rice (2 cups) Mandarin Oranges (1 fruit) Peaches, fresh (1 small) Pears, fresh (1 small) Pineapple (2 slices) Pineapple Juice (1 glass) Plums (1 whole) Raspberries or strawberries (1 cup) Tangerine (1 whole) Watermelon (limit to 1 cup) Water cress (50 g) Yellow Squash (½ cup) Zucchini Squash (½ cup) Foods to Avoid Certain food restrictions need to be followed in case you are suffering from both diabetes and kidney problems. 

Avoiding the intake of certain foods in the diet, while suffering from diabetes, will help reduce the intensity of this disorder. Here are certain foods that must be completely avoided, if you are suffering from kidney problems or diabetes, from your daily diet, if you want to prevent the disorders from becoming severe. Acorn squash Bananas Canned and processed foods Canned vegetables Dried fruits Potatoes Seasoned salt Sweetened canned fruits Carbonated beverages Caffeinated drinks Diet Plan A diet plan, regarding foods to be included for breakfast, lunch and dinner, should be followed in order to manage diabetes. You can get in touch with your physician, who will help you chalk out the recommended diet. For Breakfast One bowl ready-to-eat cereal with low fat milk Scrambled eggs or egg white omelet Whole wheat bread toast with margarine 1 bowl nonfat sugar-free yogurt One apple or orange For Lunch Turkey sandwich, made with whole wheat bread, lettuce, tomato and 1 teaspoon mayonnaise 1/2 cup unsweetened, canned pears 6 unsalted crackers 1 cup garden salad with cucumbers, carrots, lettuce or mixed greens and 1 tablespoon salad dressing Medium-sized peach 1 cup nonfat milk For Dinner Broiled salmon or grilled lean beef (beef tenderloin) with 1 cup brown rice Mashed potato (leached) with 1 teaspoon margarine (Leaching potatoes reduces their potassium content to a considerable extent.) 1/2 cup sauteed green beans 1 cup peas and mixed greens with 1 tablespoon salad dressing It is essential to manage both blood glucose and potassium levels in the body to ensure good health. 

Consulting a health care provider or a dietitian regarding the consumption of food in case one is suffering from diabetes and kidney problems is always advisable. Stay healthy! What is Diabetes? Diabetes describes a group of diseases in which the person has a high blood sugar level. What happens is that the carbohydrates that we consume from different kinds of food, produce glucose (a form of sugar) in the body after digestion. This glucose is responsible for providing the body with all the energy that it needs to carry out day-to-day activities. The role of moving the glucose from the bloodstream into fat or muscle is carried out by a hormone called insulin, which is produced by the pancreas. A person suffers from diabetes because of the body's inability to produce enough insulin or because it is unable to use the insulin that is being produced, or in some cases, both. Types of Diabetes Diabetes can be classified into three main types as follows: ▶ Type I Type I diabetes mostly occurs in children and teenagers, although it can occur at any age. 5-10% of diabetic patients in the United States suffer from Type I diabetes. In this type, the beta cells in the pancreas are destroyed by the body's immune system itself, and hence, it fails to produce insulin. Due to this, the glucose does not reach the body cells. This causes the sugar level in the blood to rise. Type I diabetes patients are given insulin on a daily basis. This is done either by injecting the insulin into the body or delivering it by using an insulin pump. 

Their blood glucose is also monitored frequently. This helps in understanding which foods, physical activities, or times of the day, increase the individual's sugar levels. ▶ Type II Type II diabetes is mostly seen in adults, and accounts for 90-95% of all diabetes. In this type, the body does produce insulin, but the fat, liver and muscle cells fail to respond to it properly. This condition is called insulin resistance. It can also be caused due to the body's inability to produce enough insulin, and is mostly caused due to lifestyle and genetic factors. Though it is most commonly found in people who are overweight, thin people have also been reported to suffer from type II diabetes, but during an elderly age.