Recipe of the Week

Sweet Potato and Leek Soup (v)

As leeks are in abundance at this time of year it is an ideal time to try this great soup. The combination of leeks and sweet potatoes gives you a perfect serving of immunity-boosting food that will also keep you feeling fuller for longer.
If intending to freeze, do so before adding the milk.


Serves 2
Per serving: 244 kcal, 1% fat
Prep time 10 mins
Cooking time 25 - 40 mins

300g sweet potato, peeled and diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
750ml - 1 litre vegetable stock (add a Vegetable Stock Pot if possible)
200ml semi-skimmed milk
fresh chives, to garnish (optional)

Fun, Facts & Fitness from Mary Morris MSc.

I recently heard an expression that was new to me, and it is one which I think marks a significant step to stemming a tide of ill-health, and that is the term ‘pre-diabetic’.  It appears that anyone who has elevated glucose (sugar) levels in their blood is now being warned that they are on the way to becoming a fully-blown Type 2 diabetic unless they do something about it!

There are around 13.6 million people in the UK currently at risk of being Type 2 diabetic, largely due to carrying excess weight and also possibly due to genetic factors where it runs in the family.  Rosemary and I discuss the whole issue of Diabetes on the website and it is well worth a listen if you or any member of your family is either already diabetic or heading in that direction.  Sadly, the consequences to our health through being diabetic are numerous and very serious such as eyesight failure, foot problems and heart conditions. 

The good news is that by losing just 5% of your weight you can significantly reduce the risk and yes, you guessed it - by also being more active! 

Moving regularly throughout the day uses energy in the form of glucose so we are better able to control the levels of glucose in the blood.  Modern treatments also enable us to be able to keep a strict check on how our levels fluctuate throughout the day, keeping us safe.

Every step you take to becoming more active can help you manage the condition and there have been some amazing results from targeting those pre-diabetics who, by following a few simple guidelines, have avoided becoming fully Type 2 diabetic.  And even more importantly, those already diagnosed as being diabetic can turn that diagnosis on its head just by changing their lifestyle, resulting in them actually going into remission!

Let's get Moving More!

• Most of us can walk - however short a distance it may be or however slow.  Just try to up-your-game a little and think about how you can do more of it - and more often.
• Park further away from where you need to be so that you can add more steps to your daily total.  A step monitor (eg FitBit or pedometer) is invaluable as a motivator to move more.
• When you hear a favourite track on the radio, dance around the room to it!
• Try on-the-spot walking or marching during TV ads.
• When talking on the phone, get up and walk around.
• Desk-bound?  Every 30 minutes get up and move around.  The boss should be impressed!
• Do the seated workouts on the website particularly if you have foot problems and find weight-bearing difficult.  Try the Seated Strength Workout or Seated Aerobics.

The NHS offers a lot of support whether you are pre-diabetic or have been fully diagnosed as Type 2 diabetic.  It is vitally important that you follow their guidelines as well as being regularly checked and monitored.  In my family my Aunt Muriel chose not to do as she was advised and, sadly, she went blind, had to have a leg amputated and died of a heart attack on her way back home in an ambulance.  She was of the older generation who possibly lacked true awareness of the risks of the condition.  But that is how serious it can be folks!