Hi everyone and welcome to my November newsletter.
I hope that you are all well and are also enjoying the rain that we are getting here in Wauchope. It’s not often that I could say that I enjoy listening to the rain, but given the long dry spell that many of us have been affected by it really is good to get an excellent fall of rain, especially as it’s what I call “good rain” in that it’s a steady rain and not too heavy so that the ground has a chance to soak it all up and not so heavy that it all just runs away. I was looking at my lawn only this morning and I don’t know if it’s my imagination, but it already seems greener than it did a couple of days ago. I suppose that the downside of all this is that I will need to break out my lawn mower sooner rather than later. Given that I have been here in Wauchope for just over 3 months I have only had to mow the lawn once, there are pros and cons to everything. I know that many of my friends who are on tank water will be very happy with all this rain as will all the gardeners and farmers of course.
The other thing that makes this week special is that my daughter Lexi, is up for a few days visit. It’s always good to see her, as although we frequently talk on the phone, because she lives down near Melbourne, I don’t get to see her as often as I would like. So, rain + Lexi makes it a wonderful week. Any of you who are going to the Tuncurry market will get to see her as she is going to come along to help me. The rain is forecast to have eased considerably by Saturday, so if you are in the Forster/Tuncurry area do come along to say Hi. Edit: As the Tuncurry market was cancelled we went to Beach Bums for breakfast!!
November is Diabetes Awareness month. I did put an article on the benefits of turmeric/curcumin for sufferers of diabetes in my April 2023 newsletter – please email me if you would like a copy – but I also found a very interesting study on the benefits of turmeric for those with pre-diabetes, so I have put that in this month’s newsletter.
CURCUMIN FOR PRE-DIABETES
An extraordinary study was published in the Journal of the American Diabetes Association.
Curcumin extract for prevention of type 2 diabetes. A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial of 240 people diagnosed with prediabetes. Half got supplements of curcumin, the yellow pigment in the spice turmeric, and the other half got identical looking placebos, and they just followed them for nine months to see who ended up with diabetes.
After nine months of treatment, 16% of subjects in the placebo group went on to get full-blown diabetes.
How many in the curcumin group? None. The curcumin group saw a significant improvement in fasting blood sugars, glucose tolerance, haemoglobin A1C, insulin sensitivity, pancreatic insulin-producing beta cell function (measured two different ways), and insulin sensitivity.
What if you already have diabetes? Curcumin has the same beneficial effects, and at a fraction of the dose. The prediabetes study used the equivalent of like a quarter cup of turmeric a day, whereas this used only about a teaspoon’s worth, which is doable. Also, what’s interesting here is the purported mechanism. Free Fat Acids (FFAs) in the bloodstream play an important role in the development of insulin resistance and ultimately, type 2 diabetes. FFAs result in the build-up of various lipid (fat) metabolites in the liver and inside your muscle cells and gums up the works, interfering with insulin signalling and by inhibiting insulin stimulated glucose update and glycogen synthesis. They looked at what curcumin was able to do to fat levels in the blood and discovered that curcumin reduced the levels of FFAs by up to 25% with an average reduction of ~13%.
This is the first study to show that these turmeric spice compounds may have an anti-diabetic effect by decreasing fats in the blood, and possibly through the promotion of FFA oxidation and utilization.
So, if you are pre-diabetic, it might be a good idea to add turmeric to your diet, but it’s important to recognize that prediabetes is a disease in itself, increasing the risk of death (by up to 40%), cancer, heart disease, and vision loss. So, it’s not enough to just prevent progression to full-blown diabetes; prediabetes may be cured completely, with the addition of curcumin and the introduction of a healthy plant-based diet.
It’s not just those with pre-diabetes or diabetes, itself who can benefit from the lowering of FFAs in the blood stream. We are all susceptible to the problems associated with a fatty liver, as I mentioned in my January newsletter and build-up of fats within our muscles. So, whether or not you have diabetes, curcumin is helping to reduce FFAs, detox your liver and prevent fat build up in your muscles, all of which will improve your overall health.
Taken from NutritionFacts by Dr Michael Greger
LENTIL AND BACON SOUP WITH TURMERIC
Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 x 70g packs pancetta cubes
1 carrot (about 120g), finely diced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 – 2 tsp turmeric
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 chilli, sliced (optional)
2 low-salt vegetable stock cubes
250g red lentils, rinsed
Method:
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion, 1 pack of pancetta and the carrot. Cook on a low to medium heat for 10 minutes until the onions are soft.
Add the cumin, garlic and chilli and cook for a further 1 – 2 minutes until the aromas are released.
Pour in 1.25 litres of boiling water, crumble in the stock cubes and add the lentils. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 mins, stirring occasionally to ensure the lentils aren’t sticking.
Meanwhile, fry the remaining lardons in a small frying pan for about 10 minutes until crispy. You don’t need to add any oil as plenty will run from the pancetta.
Just before serving stir the Turmeric through the soup.
Serve the soup with a sprinkle of crispy lardons on top.
Recipe adapted from bbcgoodfood.com, March 2012
THIS MONTH’S EVENTS AND MARKETS
You know that you are getting close to Christmas when the Christmas markets start. So I will be at the Gloucester Twilight Christmas market on the 25th Nov. So yes, we are getting very close. Hope to see you out and about this month.
Saturday 4th Nov - Kempsey Market – 8am – 1pm. Held down by the river. Fun, food, music and me!!
Sunday 5th Nov – Blackhead Bazaar - 8am – 1pm. Great market for all the family, I will be along the top row as before, and I shouldn’t be too hard to find with my bright orange gazebo.
Saturday 11th Nov - Gloucester Farmers Market - 9am – 1pm. Held at Billabong Park. Lots of great local produce and wines so, something for everyone.
Sunday 12th Nov – Forster Town Market - 8 am – 1pm. Near the campsite on Head Street.
Saturday 18th Nov - Forster Farmers Market – 7am – 12pm By the Visitors Centre.I was away in October at the Karuah Oyster and Timber Festival, but I will be back this month at this great little market.
Sunday 19th Nov – Laurieton Market - 8am – 1pm down by the river on Short and Tunis Streets. Great market, well worth a visit.
Saturday 25th Nov – Tuncurry Market – 8 am – 1pm See you over the bridge at the John Whiley Park. All the fun of the market plus great cakes and biscuits, do come along, your taste buds will thank you.
Saturday 25th Nov - Gloucester Twilight Market 5pm – 8pm No this is not a typo; I really do have two markets on the same day Held at the Bowling Club in Gloucester. Come on down for your Christmas shopping and gift ideas.
Sunday 26th Nov – Pacific Palms Market - 8am – 1pm. At Elizabeth Beach, another great market for all the family and dog friendly, so come along for a fun day out.
For those of you who can’t get to those markets all you need to do is ring me on 0406 036 845 or you can now go to my website – https://www.achealthysolutions.com/shop and order from there, and I will arrange for it to be posted or delivered to you. The cost is the same as at the market and postage/delivery is free on all orders over $100 with a flat rate of $8 below that.
Relax with a cup of organic turmeric chai! Rich in flavour, deliciously spicy and when added to your favourite milk, it’s deliciously creamy!
Yours in Health and Happiness
Alison Carroll
aka The Turmeric Lady
AC Healthy Solutions