I was planning to write about whole grains and diabetes even before Food Network’s Southern Belle, Paula Deen, made her diagnosis public and caused a media frenzy.  I was planning to write about it because my father was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes about a month ago.

The news did not come as a big surprise in either case.  We knew the kind of fare Paula promotes is the leading cause of diabetes – and we knew that, genetically, my Dad’s family is prone to diabetes even if we eat wisely and keep our weight under control. That’s why everyone in our family has to be careful and make nutrition a priority.  We know that the best defense is diet and exercise, and I’m pleased to report that Dad’s doctors and his dietitian are aligned with his goal of managing it without medication.  A lucky guy, he has me sharing all kinds of great whole grain cooking and recipe ideas, and he is really enjoying all the new flavors and textures.

With Paula, I’m hoping she will take advantage of her star-chef status to encourage healthy eating as the first step toward overall wellbeing.  I did see that she has begun re-creating family and fan favorites into healthier dishes.  “When we were choosin’ recipes to lighten up, I just knew I had to start with this one.” referring to her Lady and Sons Lasagna, which now features whole wheat noodles and about half of the beef and cheese that was in her original recipe.  It’s a good start, but I hope she keeps it going – the type and quantity of fats you eat can affect your risk for, and management of, diabetes too! It’s not just a “carb thang.”

It’s estimated that 26 million Americans have diabetes and – even more frightening – 6 million of these with the disease, don’t even know they have it.  If you or someone you love has recently been diagnosed, visit American Diabetes Association for support.  And visit the other sections of our website, where you can also learn about health studies that document the benefits of whole grains’ for those with diabetes.  (Karen)