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30 March · 19:30 – 21:00
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Historic Joy Kogawa House
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In
his role as Canadian playwright, radio writer, television story editor, and young adult author, Marty Chan explores the tensions between opposing forces of assimilation and the search for heritage and cultural roots. His new play, The Forbidden Phoenix, combines adventure, Please join us in the living room Ticket price $65 To purchase tickets, email kogawahouse@yahoo.ca
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Every year the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival blooms!
I first met VCBF founder Linda Poole in 2005 at the planting of a Kogawa House cherry tree grafting at the City of Vancouver. Since then the VCBF has grown with its events and partners. It was wonderful to see Linda at the yarn bombing event of the Kogawa House cherry tree on Sunday.
Ricepaper Magazine publishes the winner of the Haiku Invitational poetry contest. Personally, I have always thought it would be cool to have a haiku contest with a dragonboat theme, for all the paddlers in the city. But until then… VCBF has a contest that attracts submissions from around the world.
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Linda |
Visit our website at vcbf.ca
“Celebrate
Vancouver's 125th birthday and order your Birthday Blossom Cherry Tree
at: http://www.vcbf.ca/birthdayblossom/birthday-blossoms.
Seattle Met magazine features a story
about Toddish McWong
and Gung Haggis Fat Choy Dinner in Seattle!
Check out this story in the Seattle Met magazine, about Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner history, Toddish McWong origins and the upcoming Gung Haggis Fat Choy Robbie Burns Chinese New Year dinner in Seattle.
A Vancouverite brings his Chinese and Scottish mash-up to Rain City.
WHAT DO ROBERT BURNS,
haggis, lion dancers, and the Chinese New Year have in common? That
would be Toddish McWong, aka Todd Wong, a fifth-generation Chinese
Canadian. Wong created Gung Haggis Fat Choy, a Scottish and Chinese
cross-cultural holiday that has spread from Canada to China and
Scotland, and earned him an introduction to the Scottish First Minister.
In 1993, as a student at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia,
Wong was asked to slip on a kilt and help out with a campus Robert Burns
supper, a nod to the eighteenth-century Scottish poet.
Wong took a shine to the poetry recitations—including Burns’s
“Address to a Haggis”—but not to the music (bagpipes) or the food
(haggis: sheep innards minced with oatmeal and simmered in the animal’s
stomach). He donned the tartan, but complemented his costume with
elements of the Lunar Chinese New Year—he covered his face with a lion
mask and carried Chinese food instead of haggis. “I thought, This is a
really interesting way to look at multiculturalism—to flip stereotypes.
So I called myself Toddish McWong.”
He hosted the first public Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner in Vancouver,
BC, in 1999, celebrating Scottish and Chinese cultures. And people from
all over the region have flocked to it, including Bill McFadden of
Seattle’s Caledonian and St. Andrew’s Society (he’s Clan MacLaren).
McFadden convinced Wong to bring the event to Western Washington in
2007. Since then hundreds of Seattleites have showed up to devour
deep-fried haggis wontons, sing along to “My Haggis-Chow Mein Lies Over
the Ocean,” and hear McWong perform his “Address to a Haggis” rap,
surely the way the Scottish bard intended.
Co-hosts were actor Patrick Gallagher (Glee, Men of a Certain Age, Night at the Museum), Jenna Choy (CBC Radio), writer/comedian Tetsuro Shigematsu, and creator of the event Todd Wong aka “Toddish McWong”Featured performers were: Jocelyn Pettit and her band – Siew & Joel Pettit + Bob Collins
Joe McDonald on pipes, accordion, Address to the Haggis, and Highland Fling.
Jay MacDonald, performing Loch Lomand and “Ring of Burns”
Jaime Foster singing Ae Fond Kiss
Vancouver Poet Laureate: Brad Cran
Dr. Leith Davis: Immortal Memory
Gung Haggis Pipes & Drums: led by Pipe Major Bob Wilkins with: Allan McMordie, Trish McMoride, Brenda McNair, Don Scobie, Danny Graham, drummers were: Casandra Lihn, Bill Burr and Tracey Morris
All photos below from our official photographer Lydia Nagai.
www.lydianagai.com
CNN reporter Percy Von Lipinski and his cameraman film Jocelyn Pettit as she performs! – photo Lydia Nagai
Actor Patrick Gallagher was our co-host, while our Bearded Scottish Lady roamed, and all posed for a picture with Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson and host and Gung Haggis creator Todd Wong – photo Lydia Nagai
Co-hosts 3 = 2 1/2 Asians…. Todd Wong, writer/comedian Tetsuro Shigematsu and Jenna Chow (CBC Radio). – photo Lydia Nagai
Todd Wong and Jenna Chow read the poem “Recipe For Tea”, written by Jim Wong-Chu, which describes how tea first traveled from China to the UK, via Scottish traders. – photo Lydia Nagai
Floata manager Antonio Hung carries the haggis during the Piping of the Haggis – photo Lydia Nagai
Film maker Jeff Chiba Stearns explains the meaning of “Hapa” as a word to describe people of Mixed ancestry with Asian heritage. His film “One Big Hapa Family” was featured at the 2011 Gung Haggis Fat Choy Dinner. Co-host Patrick Gallagher, of Irish and Chinese Ancestry, looks on. – photo Lydia Nagai
Dr. Leith Davis, gives the Immortal Memory – talking about the “Life of Robbie Burns” and the connections of Todd Wong – photo Lydia Nagai
Trish & Allan McMordie, with guitarists Jay MacDonald and Bob Collins, join in the singing of “I Went to a Robbie Burns Dinner” – Burns lyrics set to the tune of Johnny Cash’s famous song – “Ring of Fire” – photo Lydia Nagai
Members of the audience joined performers on stage to sing Auld Lang Syne for the closing song.
(l-r Siew Pettit, Jocelyn Pettit, Todd Wong, Trish McMordie, Allan McMordie + 3 members of the audience) – photo Lydia Nagai
After the singing was over, a posed picture of kilts and legs, was taken!
(l-r: bearded Scots Lady, Bruce Clark, Todd Wong, Adam Todd, Don Harder and Allan McMordie – photo Lydia Nagai
You are invited to the exciting World Poetry evening,
Gung Haggis Fat Choy, at the Vancouver Public Library.
Click to view/print the poster…
Hosts: Todd Wong, Ariadne Sawyer and Alejandro Mujica-Olea
Special guests:
Steve Duncan- host of Co-Op Radio Wax Poetic
Stephanie Chou
Dr. Ray Hsu – author of Anthropy, Cold Sleep Permanent Afternoon
Cara Kauhane
Joe McDonald – bagpiper
Michael Morris
A special blend of contemporary Scottish-Canadian and Chinese-Canadian poets,
mixed with ancient Scottish and Chinese traditions
of Robbie Burns Day and Chinese New Year.
Expect bagpipes, a Chinese dragon, and verbal fireworks!
For origins of Gung Haggis Fat Choy Robbie Burns Chinese New Year celebrations – click here
https://www.gunghaggis.com/blog/OriginsofGungHaggisFatChoy/_archives/2004/1/16/14225.html
Patron Saint of Stanley Park, written by
Hiro Kanagawa, is welcome addition to Arts Club Theatre's Vancouver's Holiday Theatre repertoire
The Patron Saint of Stanley Park
Arts Club Revue Theatre
written by Hiro Kanagawa
Starring Jillian Fargey, Brian
Linds, Derek Metz, introducing
Valsy Bergeron and Joseph Gustafson
Director Stephen Drover
Think of Christmas in Stanley Park, and we normally think Bright Lights Christmas Train… but if it was December 2006, there was an ice storm that destroyed many trees in Stanley Park.
Now imagine that a teen-aged girl and her techno-geek younger brother are going to Stanley Park to lay some flowers in memory of their father who mysteriously disappeared on Christmas Eve last year, while flying his seaplane to Vancouver Island while dressed in a Santa suit. They are supposed to be taking the bus to their Uncle's Christmas Dinner on the North Shore. But their mother is pre-occupied working two jobs. They are each working out their grief in different ways, acknowledgement, denial and false hope.
We are introduced to Skookum Pete, a homeless man in Stanley Park, who speaks to the audience, breaking down the fourth wall. Pete talks about the park, the weather, and about the voices he hears – through his fillings! Brian Linds does a wonderful job playing Pete. He is friendly and the audience quickly builds trust, while laughing with Pete at his distorted yet perceptive view of society. Pete pushes a shopping cart and carries a torch with a cheese grater to protect his lantern.
Valsy Bergeron wonderfully plays the older sister Jennifer, on the brink of womanhood, looking out for her brother Josh, played by a young Joseph Gustafson. They easily capture the family dynamics of push and pull, caught between Jennifer's rebellion against her mother, and her wish to memorialize her father. Meanwhile Josh continually asserts that he believes that their father will turn up somehow, while recognizing that their mother is spending lots of her time at work.
The Arts Club has really developed a Christmas theatre repertoire for Vancouver. “It's a Wonderful Life” and “White Christmas” are currently playing at the Granville Island Stage and the Stanley Industrial Arts Alliance Stage. They have also brought original theatre to Vancouver for Christmas with Nicola Cavendish's “It's Snowing on Saltspring” and Ann Mortifee's “Reflections of Crooked Walking”, as well as “Beauty and the Beast” in past years.
“The Patron Saint of Stanley Park” was commissioned to Vancouver area playwright/actor Hiro Kanagawa as part of the Silver Commission, helping to develop new work. Kanagawa is probably more familiar to Vancouver television audiences on many Vancouver filmed shows such as Caprica, X-Files, Highlander, Smallville (as Principal Kwan), and Mitch Albom's The Five People You Meet In Heaven. Kanagawa often appears on stage, and was recently in “After the Quake” at the Vancouver East Cultural Centre. His past work has also included “White Balance” and he wrote “Tiger of Malaya.”
This family Christmas tale fantastically integrates Science Fiction, mythology and Stanley Park icons. It is amazing to think there once really was a signal tower and bunker on Prospect Point, as there houses along Brockton Point. Kangawa wanted to incorporate elements of Vancouver such as seaplanes into the play, to help build Vancouver's own theatrical references and recognizability. And the audience loves it! People can relate to the huge trees in Stanley Park and imagine the trees crashing down during the infamous 2006 windstorm that dramatically re-arranged the landscape of the park.
The multi-leveled stage is plain, covered with grays. At first it appears boring. But it soon comes to life, full of surprises as “trees” drop from the ceiling, darkness envelopes the theatre during the storm sequence, and bright lights appear in unexpected places. Stage direction is clever and inventive, making good use of the levels, and the projections into the audience. I am also pleased to note that music is by Noah Drew, whom I've known since he was a child 24 years ago. Drew has matured into one of the city's finest theatre sound composers. His work is subtle and unobtrusive, while being ambient and enhancing to the action on stage.
The play development is good. At the end of the first act, the children have been rescued during the storm by Skookum Pete, meanwhile their mother is frantic and trying to reach her children by phone. This perfectly sets up the second act for revelations for each of the characters, as well as resolutions to their issues. There are some wonderful surprises in the second act which I won't reveal. This play is definitely suitable for families, as the young characters carry the play along with Skookum Pete. But as expected of a Christmas play, we are encouraged to empathetically share emotions with the characters, and discover what makes Christmas meaningful for each of us, while recognizing what is also meaningful for others.
Poets George McWhirter, Christine Lowther
and Joy Kogawa give a special reading
at Kogawa House
It was a special Christmas present for supporters of Kogawa House, when author/poet Joy Kogawa spoke to Christine and Beth, the daughters of her long deceased friend and fellow poet, Pat Lowther. Joy spoke of light and dark, ugliness and beauty, of carrying things in our lives that won't go away, and how we become stronger through our transitions.
The atmosphere sparkled with anticipation and friendly greetings. Kogawa House board members came early to set up food and drinks. Supporters of Kogawa House came to witness a special event, and to come see a rare appearance of the house by Joy Kogawa. Friends of Christine Lowther came as she launched her new book MY NATURE, and read poems from the book for the first time in Vancouver. George McWhirter and his wife came because they love Kogawa House, and we love them.
Greetings and introductions were made by Todd Wong, president of Historic Kogawa House Society, he introduced the board members and thanked them for helping to create this special event, especially Ann-Marie Metten, the executive director, and chief volunteer. Todd explained that this was a special one-of-a-kind event, because reunions were happening, new friendships were being made and first time events were going to happen.
Tamsin Baker, the Vancouver Area Manager for The Land Conservancy of BC spoke about the next stage for the house restorations. She explained that heritage assessments had been done by Donald Luxton and Associates, and we were ready to move towards a restoration of the main floor. The idea is to re-create and restore features of the house to what it was like when a 6 year old Joy Kogawa lived in the house with her older brother and parents, before they were sent off to internment camps in the BC Interior during WW2. Tamsin also shared with the audience that City of Vancouver has agreed to a grant for $25,000 if we can secure matching funds. 2011 will be exciting, as we have waited four years since the purchase of Kogawa House, to be able to take out the added bathroom to restore the size of the living room, and to return the French doors to the Music Room, also to help enhance event space, and to restore the house, prior to renovations by the last owner.
George McWhirter was the first poet to read. Todd and George spoke about the first time they met, right after George had been named Poet Laureate of Vancouver in 2007, and Todd had invited him to speak at the 2007 Gung Haggis Fat Choy Robbie Burns Dinner, that Todd organizes each year as a shared fundraiser for Kogawa House.
George read two poems from The Anachronicles, a collection that moves backwards and forwards through time. reimagining the West Coast, from the view of the Spanish explorers as they explore and see the future simultaneously. McWhirter prefaced his reading by talking about the magnificent sockeye salmon that happened in the fall, and how life must have been like for the First Nations with such bounty. The poem is also cheeky, because it imagines that the Spaniards comment on the the beach where the movie 10 was filmed, and also about Bo Derek.
Christine Lowther explained that she lives outside of Tofino, on a float home, and so she writes about Nature a lot. She described the beauty of the last unpaved road in Tofino, and the sealife and beaches.
Joy read a poem from the anthology Verse Map of Vancouver, edited by George McWhirter. George explained that after the house had been saved. Joy sent out an email expressing her happiness. McWhirter saw the poetic potential of the words… and arranged it by lines. This was the first time that Joy had read this poem in public. A magic moment. Happy Birthday House!
ACWW Community Builder Awards
to Evelyn Lau and Tradewind Books
at the 15th Anniversary Ricepaper Dinner
December 11th
Foo's Ho Ho Restaurant
Vancouver Chinatow
It was a successful evening, when somebody tells you that they can hear people laughing from down the hall. Co-hosts Tetsuro Shigematsu and Todd Wong had the audience laughing and feeling they were all part of the Ricepaper community. From their opening welcomes, they acknowledged all the writers in the room: Sean Gunn, Faye Leung, Charlie Cho, Lee Su-Feh, Larry Wong, Jim Wong-Chu, Evelyn Lau, Jenny Uechi, Bob Sung, Gail Yip, Ken Yip. They introduced the Ricepaper editors, Eury Chang and Patricia Lim + Ricepaper volunteers, ACWW Board members, Allan Cho, Ray Hsu, Tetsuro and Todd, as well as the members of the Friend's of Foo's Ho Ho Committee that had helped to organize the event with ACWW, and Ricepaper.
Tetsuro worked the crowd talking about the role that Ricepaper Magazine plays, while Todd playfully held up a cover of Ricepaper Magazine with Tetsuro's picture on it – “The Icon Issue”. Todd gave a very quick history of Ricepaper Magazine from it's humble beginnings as a newletter, acknowledging some of it's founders in the room, Jim Wong-Chu, Sean Gunn and Sid Tan, opening up the 15th Anniversary issue, to the Ricepaper origins stories Jim and Sean had written. Todd also pointed out the people that had been profiled in Ricepaper such as writers Wayson Choy, Joy Kogawa, Denise Chong, environmentalist David Suzuki, dancer/choreographer Andrea Nann, and many others.
Good old Cantonese Pioneer “Soul Food”, is how attendee Bob Sun described the menu. It was very fitting considering the pioneer history roots from which many of the ACWW and Ricepaper organizers have. Soup was followed by an appetizer plate of garlic ribs, pan-fried squid and deep-fried chicken wings. Pan-fried sticky rice chicken is a Foo's Ho Ho specialty. Mushrooms and Bok Choy, followed the black bean vegetables. Pan-fried prawns were followed by black bean fish, and more dishes. It was good eating all around.
During the dinner courses, volunteers sold raffle tickets, people socialized, and also checked out the many prizes such as theatre tickets to Red Letters and Rising Phoenix, bottles of wine, + more.
Co-host Todd Wong – photo Deb Martin
Tradewind books by Paul Yee, were a very successful live auction item. Todd successfully conducted the live auction taking bids from both sides of the room with Tetsuro's help. The book set contained “The Bone Collector's Son” which is the only children's book to be nominated for the Vancouver Book Prize. Also included were The Jade Necklace, What Happened This Summer, Shu-Li and Tamara, Shu-Li and Diego and also Bamboo – which was a nominee for BC Book Prizes Childrens' Literature Award. Lively bidding went between many different bidders… finally going to Vancouver City Councilor Raymond Louie.
What an introduction to Tradewind Books! Todd next gave a brief history about the ACWW Community Builder Award, citing the first recipients were Paul Yee, Wayson Choy and Roy Mah in 2002. In 2003, awards went to Roy Miki, Fred Wah, Harvey Lowe, and The Japanese Bulletin Magazine. In 2005, recipients were Joy Kogawa, Scott McIntyre publisher of Douglas MacIntyre and Gim Wong. And earlier in May 2010, ACWW had acknowledged Edmonton writer/playwright
Marty Chan as a ACWW Community Builder, while he was in Vancouver for
the book launch of Henry Chow and Other Stories.
And with that, Carol Frank was invited up to the stage to receive a certificate for the ACWW Community Builder Award. Carol gave thanks for the award and talked about working with ACWW and Ricepaper on the “Henry Chow and Other Stories” anthology which also included stories by Paul Yee and Evelyn Lau. She talked about the important role that cultural diversity makes in the books published by Tradewind Books, and acknowledged how grateful she was to Ricepaper Magazine was in helping them find writers for Henry Chow project. It was an earnest and sincere thanks that closed with her hope and promise to work with Ricepaper more in the future
Evelyn Lau was acknowledged for her trail blazing contributions to the community and significant body of work. Tetsuro talked about how her works are studied in classes, as well as inspiring to writers. Todd mentioned how as a young teenager she had first met with Jim Wong-Chu to submit her work to Jim's anthology “Many Mouthed Birds” and how she had only two weeks ago, received the City of Vancouver Mayor's Arts Award prize for Literary Arts.
Evelyn Lau gives thanks for the Community Builder Award and shares stories of being a writer – photo Deb Martin
Evelyn shared with the audience how strange it is to be considered a community builder when as a writer she spends much of her time alone writing and thinking, but it was so gratifying that her work was able to touch so many. She specifically thanked Jim Wong-Chu and Marlene Enns for sharing time and meals with her when she was a wayward youth. It was a very heart-warming acknowledgement. She next went on to read two poems: A Grain of Rice from the 15th Anniversary edition of Ricepaper; and a poem about Sidney Crosby's goal that won the Olympic Gold Medal. Evelyn joked about how her poems are mostly dark, and she wanted to read something happier for the occasion.
It was a wonderful evening, as lots of fun was made when Tetsuro led the raffle draw prizes. More than 25 prizes were shared amongst the ticket buyers. The room became smaller and friendlier as all the winners were introduced to the audience, and many of the prize donors were acknowledge. It was a great end for a small organization and small magazine to acknowledge its community, and its community builders.
Evelyn Lau recently received the City of Vancouver Mayor's Arts Award for Literary Arts.
On Saturday December 11th, Evelyn will receive the ACWW Community Builder Award. This award was first created for 2002, and awarded to Roy Mah, Wayson Choy and Paul Yee.
Lau is the youngest person to have received the Governor General's Award for poetry. She has published poetry, short stories and non-fiction. Her first memoir, Runaway: Diary of a Street Kid, set her on the national and international literary stages. It was turned into a movie Diary of Evelyn Lau, where her character was played by Sandra Oh, the award winning Korean-Canadian actor who has starred in the movie Sideways and tv series Grey's Anatomy.
Evelyn was congratulated by Todd Wong and Patricia Lim after the awards. Todd is ACWW vice-president and Patricia is Managing Editor of Ricepaper Magazine.
Ricepaper 15th Anniversary Poster
Ricepaper magazine, the Asian Canadian Writers’ Workshop
and Friends of Foo’s Ho Ho cordially invite you to participate in the
celebration of Ricepaper‘s milestone 15th anniversary at Foo’s
Ho Ho Restaurant, the oldest surviving Chinese restaurant in historic
Chinatown, for a taste of pioneer-style Chinese food.
Ricepaper is Canada’s only nationally-distributed literary
magazine devoted to showcasing Asian Canadian artists, writers,
performers and innovators. For 15 years, Ricepaper has
published important work for and about Asian Canadian community
luminaries such as David Suzuki, Fred Wah, Denise Chong, and Evelyn Lau
while also providing opportunities for new and emerging talent to
publish their work.
The evening will be co-hosted by actor Patrick Gallagher (Glee, True Blood)
and actor, radio broadcaster, and comedian Tetsuro Shigematsu and will
include an 8 course meal, special celebrity guests and a raffle draw.
Date: Saturday, December 11, 2010 at 6pm
Place: Foo’s Ho Ho Restaurant, 102 East Pender Street
View Larger Map
Price: $40 donation includes a 1-year subscription to Ricepaper magazine
For reservations and tickets please contact Friends of Foo’s Ho Ho
(Jacqueline): (604) 395-4274 or Ricepaper office (Patricia): (604)
872-3464 or reserve your spot online via paypal:
Raffle prizes include:
– A gift certificate from Ganache Patisserie
– Thai-Pantry-in-a-Box (culinary starter kit) from South China Seas Trading Co.
– Two complimentary tickets to Great Expectations – a February 2011 Gateway Theatre production.
– Vanessa Lowe (artwork). See Vanessa’s Eastside Culture Crawl profile here
– A set of books from Nikkei Place
– Two bottles Australian Yellowtail Cabernet red wine
– Two bottles Australian Black Swan Cabernet Red wine
– Two bottles Concannon (USA) Sauvignon White wine
Note: we will be contacting you for address information for the subscription included with this ticket.
There are different types of diabetes, and no two people with diabetes are the same. So there isn’t a one-size-fits-all ‘diabetes diet’ for everyone with diabetes. But we’ve come up with tips that you can use to help you make healthier food choices.
These healthy eating tips are general and can help you manage your blood glucose (sugar), blood pressure and cholesterol levels. They can also help you manage your weight and reduce the risk of diabetes complications, such as heart problems and strokes, and other health conditions including certain types of cancers.
We’ve based our tips on research involving people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. If you have a different type of diabetes, like gestational, cystic fibrosis-related diabetes or MODY, some of these tips are relevant to you. It’s important, whatever kind of diabetes you have, to see your dietitian for specific advice.
If you or someone you know is self-isolating, find out how to eat healthily whilst staying at home. And you can get even more advice about eating healthily with diabetes in our interactive Learning Zone, including simple and realistic food hacks you can make.
If you have type 1 diabetes, carb counting is really important to keep your blood glucose levels steady. This is where you estimate how many carbs are in your meal and match it with how much insulin you need to take.
If you have type 2 and you’re overweight, finding a way to lose weight is important as it really improves diabetes management. This is because it can help to lower your blood glucose and reduce your risk of other complications. There are different ways of doing this like the low-carb, Mediterranean or very low-calorie diets. Losing weight can help you lower your blood glucose levels, and we now know that substantial weight loss can even put some people’s type 2 diabetes into remission.
Whether you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, you might need to lose, gain or maintain your current weight but it’s important to make healthier food choices while you’re doing this.
Portion sizes are important to think about whether you have type 1 or type 2. It makes calculating nutritional facts when you’re carb counting or managing your weight a lot easier. Remember, portion sizes are different for everyone, so what’s right for someone else might not be right for you.
If you feel overwhelmed about your feelings about food and diabetes, we have plenty of information to help you.
Download our top tips (PDF).
All carbs affect blood glucose levels so it’s important to know which foods contain carbohydrates. Choose the healthier foods that contain carbs and be aware of your portion sizes.
Here are some healthy sources of carbohydrate:
At the same time, it’s also important to cut down on foods low in fibre such as white bread, white rice and highly-processed cereals. You can check food labels when you’re looking for foods high in fibre if you’re unsure.
Eating lots of salt can increase your risk of high blood pressure, which in turn increases risk of heart diseases and stroke. And when you have diabetes, you’re already more at risk of all of these conditions.
Try to limit yourself to a maximum of 6g (one teaspoonful) of salt a day. Lots of pre-packaged foods already contain salt so remember to check food labels and choose those with less salt. Cooking from scratch will help you keep an eye on how much salt you’re eating. You can also get creative and swap out salt for different types of herbs and spices to add that extra flavour.
If you’re cutting down on carbs, you might start to have bigger portions of meat to fill you up. But it’s not a good idea to do this with red and processed meat, like ham, bacon, sausages, beef and lamb. These all have links with heart problems and cancers.
Try swapping red and processed meat for these:
Beans, peas and lentils are also very high in fibre and don’t affect your blood glucose levels too much – making them a great swap for processed and red meat and keeping you feeling full. Most of us know that fish is good for us, but oily fish like salmon and mackerel are even better. These are rich in something called omega-3 oil, which helps protect your heart. Try and aim to eat two portions of oily fish a week.
We know eating fruit and veg is good for you. It’s always a good thing aim to eat more at meal times and have them as snacks if you’re hungry. This can help you get the vitamins, minerals and fibre your body needs every day to help keep you healthy.
You might be wondering about fruit and if you should avoid it because it’s sugary? The answer is no. Whole fruit is good for everyone and if you have diabetes, it’s no different. Fruits do contain sugar, but it’s natural sugar. This is different to the added sugar (also known as free sugars) that are in things like chocolate, biscuits and cakes.
Products like fruit juices also count as added sugar, so go for whole fruit instead. This can be fresh, frozen, dried or tinned (in juice, not in syrup). And it’s best to eat it throughout the day instead of one bigger portion in one go.
We all need fat in our diet because it gives us energy. But different types of fat affect our health in different ways. Check out these Red boost reviews.
Healthier fats are in foods like unsalted nuts, seeds, avocados, oily fish, olive oil, rapeseed oil and sunflower oil. Some saturated fats can increase the amount of cholesterol in your blood, increasing your risk of heart problems. These are mainly found in animal products and prepared food like:
It’s still a good idea to cut down on using oils in general, so try to grill, steam or bake foods instead.
We know cutting out sugar can be really hard at the beginning, so small practical swaps are a good starting point when you’re trying to cut down on excess sugar. Swapping sugary drinks, energy drinks and fruit juices with water, plain milk, or tea and coffee without sugar can be a good start. Visit https://www.reviewjournal.com/brandpublishing/health/alpilean-review-can-you-really-get-slim-without-a-weight-loss-diet/.
You can always try low or zero-calorie sweeteners (also known as artificial sweeteners) to help you cut back. Cutting out these added sugars can help you control your blood glucose levels and help keep your weight down. If your diabetes treatment means you get hypos, and you use sugary drinks to treat them, this is still important for your diabetes management and you shouldn’t cut this out. However, if you are having regular hypos it is really important to discuss this with your diabetes team.
