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Give Thanks This November
In This Issue
Healthy Habits
Spice Spotlight: Sage
Hormone Highlight: Progesterone
Do you suffer from neuropathy?
Resolution #11: I am thankful for...
Diabetic but not taking medication?
Recipe Round Up: What do with those Thanksgiving leftovers
Volunteers Needed for Vaccine Studies
In the News
New Type 2 Diabetes study


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Healthy Habits from Fellow Patients
In October, we asked our loyal Advancing Health readers "What are your tips for taking care of your teeth and gums?"  Here's what our readers had to share:
  • Sue M: "Every morning, I brush and floss after breakfast. At night, before I go to bed, I brush, floss and rinse with mouthwash. It's definitely become part of my daily routine." 
  • Joyce B: "Whenever I go out to eat, I always bring a curved plastic toothpick. It's more discrete than dental floss."
  • John T: "I avoid soda. It's very acidic and can wear down tooth enamel."
  • Bob A: " I set a 2 minute timer on my cell phone. It helps ensure that I spend enough time brushing my teeth." 
Spice Spotlight: Sage
  


Characteristics:  sweet, savory, woody,  fragrant with an astringent yet warm flavor.

Foods commonly used in:  turkey stuffing, tomato sauce, chicken dishes

 

Possible health benefits:  digestive aid; anti-inflammatory properties; improves cognitive (brain) function; antiperspirant; 

Sage is a good source of: vitamin K

How to use and store: 
  • Choose fresh sage leaves that are green-grayish in color. Avoid leaves with dark spots or yellow edges. Wrap fresh sage leaves in a damp paper towel and place inside a loosely closed plastic bag. Store in the refrigerator. 
  • Dried sage should be kept in a tightly sealed glass container in a cool, dark and dry place where it will keep fresh for about six months.
  • Add sage leaves at the end of the cooking process to preserve the flavor.  

Recipes:

Fun Facts:

  • Sage (known as Salvia officinalis) is part of the mint family.
  • Sage is native to the Mediterranean.
  • The Greeks and Romans used sage as a preservative for meat.
Hormone Highlight:  Progesterone


AKA:  the reproductive hormone

Location: Progesterone is produced by the ovaries, the adrenal glands and placenta (during pregnancy). It is also stored in adipose (fat) tissue.

Function(s): 
  • Prepares the female body for conception and pregnancy 
  • Regulates menstrual cycle
  • Controls sex drive (libido)  
  • Signals insulin release from the pancreas and may play a role in susceptibility to diabetes
  • anti-inflammatory; regulates immune response    
Further reading: 
Advancing Health Newsletter
November 2013
 
Hello! Here's what we have going on at DCR throughout the month of November:
  • November is American Diabetes Month!  Throughout November and December, we will be offering free fasting blood glucose checks to people who think they may be at risk for pre-diabetes or diabetes. If you have a friend or family member who is unsure if they have diabetes, please let them know of this great offer! They can call 925-930-7267 and ask for the Recruiting Department to schedule their free test. 
  • Thanks to all those who submitted recipes for our Healthy Fall Recipe contest.  Our winner, Gail, gave us a delicious soup recipe that will keep you warm and protect your kidneys. You can find her recipe on our website.   
  • On November 14th, we will be going to Valley Care Hospital in Pleasanton for their annual health fair. We will be offering free bone heel scans and glucose checks. For more information about the event, please call Valley Care at (925) 416-6710.   
  • We're always looking for people for our studies! If you have a friend, co-worker or family member who you think could benefit from medical research, let us know! They can fill out a Contact Form on our website or they can call (925) 930-7267 and ask for Recruiting at extension #201. 
 

Do You Have Diabetic Neuropathy?



Do you have pain, tingling or numbness in your feet?

  

If so, you may have nerve damage caused by diabetes.

  

Has this pain been occurring for at least 3 months?

  

Diablo Clinical Research is conducting a study to determine if an investigational medication can protect and repair nerves damaged by Diabetes.

  

Call 925-930-7267 to see if you qualify.

Qualified participants will receive study medication and exams at No Cost.

  

Call: 925-930-7267

Resolution #11: Give Thanks and Show Gratitude

At the start of every year, millions of people make New Year's resolutions, yet a majority of these resolutions have fizzled out by February. Engaging in goal setting (such as S.M.A.R.T. goals) or making your goals known to friends and family are just two of many sure-fire ways to help those resolutions stick. And Diablo Clinical Research is here to help! Each month we'll be highlighting a resolution or goal and ways to help you achieve it. Read on for this month's resolution...  
  
     
 
November:  Be, feel and act grateful

Why?  More often that not, we focus on the things we want and don't have instead of being thankful and appreciative for what we do have. Gratitude lets us take the idea of "being thankful" one step further by showing that we are grateful through our actions. Think of it as a way to repay kindness, not just through words but through your actions as well.

How? 
  • Keep a gratitude journal: Everyday, write down at least 1 thing that you are grateful for. You can also try writing down these moments as they currently happen. You'll be surprised at all the small, but inspiring moments that you can have in a day. 
  • Let someone know they inspire you: Reach out to people who inspire you and have shown you acts of kindness and gratitude. Showing appreciation and feeling appreciated are crucial to maintaining solid relationships. A phone call, email or letter is all it takes. Don't forget to pay it forward! 
  • Don't forget to say "thank you": Sometimes, all someone wants is for their effort to be acknowledged. Don't let kind acts go unnoticed.  
  • Write real thank you notes: While an email thank you is certainly nice, nothing quite beats receiving a card in the mail. Take the time to make a hand-written note. It won't go unnoticed.   
  • Take care of YOU: In order to take care of other people, YOU need to be healthy too! Make time for sleep, relaxation, exercise and other healthy habits. 
  • Do something for someone else:  Any act of kindness will do. It feels good to help others out without expecting something in return. Volunteer at a soup kitchen, pay for a stranger's coffee or help out a friend just because. There are many ways to show your gratitude.  Here's a great list to help you get started.   
What are some of your favorite ways that you show gratitude?

Send an email with your ideas to our
Registered Dietitian and your healthy habits will be posted in our December newsletter.
Have Type 2 diabetes but not taking medication? 
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Recipe Roundup:  

Leftover Turkey Enchiladas      


Image via Gluten-Free Goddess 
 
Tired of making sandwiches from Thanksgiving leftovers? Give these turkey enchiladas a try. Pair with a simple green salad or a side of cooked fajita vegetables.

Makes 6 servings (2 Enchiladas = 1 serving)
Recipe adapted from Gluten-Free Goddess
 
Ingredients:  
  • 3 cups of low sodium salsa (spicy or mild)
  • 4-5 cups of cooked turkey, hand torn or shredded
  • Juice from one fresh lime
  • 2-4 tablespoons sour cream (light or regular) or plain 0% Greek yogurt)
  • Ground pepper (to taste)
  • Pinch of cumin
  • 1-2 TB light olive oil, as needed
  • 12 corn tortillas
  • 1 cup diced pineapple
  • 2 4-oz. cans chopped green chiles, drained
  • 2 cups shredded Jalape�o or Pepper Jack cheese
  • Hot red pepper flakes, to taste
Directions:
  • Preheat oven to 350�F.
  • Pour about a half cup of salsa into the bottom of a large lightly oiled 10x13" baking dish (or use two smaller pans, for six enchiladas each.)
  • Place the torn turkey pieces into a bowl and squeeze lime juice all over the cooked turkey; add enough sour cream or Greek yogurt to moisten; stir; season with sea salt and pepper, and cumin; toss well to coat.
  • Heat a dash of olive oil in a skillet, and heat one corn tortilla until softened, turning it over once to coat with oil. Place the tortilla into the sauced baking dish; fill with 1/12 of the turkey pieces, and roll up seam side down, placing it at the far end of the dish. Repeat for the remaining tortillas, adding more oil, if needed.
  • Pour the remaining salsa over the rolled tortillas. Top with the diced pineapple, then the green chiles. Sprinkle with cheese and red pepper flakes.
  • Bake until the enchiladas are bubbling and heated through, about 30 minutes.
Nutrition Facts serving:  520 calories, 20g total fat (9g saturated, 8g monounsaturated,  2g polyunsaturated), 120mg cholesterol, 37g carbohydrates (3g fiber, 14g sugar), 45g protein, 575mg phosphorus, 500mg sodium, 400mg potassium, vitamin A 28%, vitamin C 42%, calcium 42%, iron 18% 
Healthy Volunteers Needed!


DIABLO CLINICAL RESEARCH IS LOOKING FOR HEALTHY VOLUNTEERS TO PARTICIPATE IN VACCINE STUDIES.  COMPENSATION UP TO $1,250  

WILL BE PROVIDED.  

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL 925-930-7267 AND ASK FOR JESSICA.

 

Visit www.diabloclinical.com 

E-mail [email protected] 

 

In the News...
New Innovative
Type 2 Diabetes Study!

Ava Paulazzo at (925) 930-7267 or send an email to [email protected]

Love healthy cooking? More recipes are available on our website at http://www.diabloclinical.com/category/recipes/