July is National Grilling/Picnic Month

Picnics hearken back to mid-18th-century al fresco French dining.

July is an excellent time for National Picnic Month and summer is the best time of the year for outdoor cooking. The fresh air stirs the appetite, and garden vegetables and fruits make outdoor eating easier.

Remember to keep the meals simple and focus on the company. Sandwiches, finger foods, and beverages may seem plain, but it’s more about spending time with each other and being in nature.

Grilled foods can be healthy if you pay attention to the foods you grill and the way they are grilled. Healthy food options and activity are important parts of managing your diabetes. Making your picnic “diabetic friendly” is not as hard as you might think. Use these tips to make it easy.

• Choose wholegrain varieties of starchy carbs such as couscous or pasta in salads, potato salads with the skins left on, and wholegrain bread for sandwiches.
• For cold meats, try leaner options such as chicken or turkey breast rather than salami or ham.
• Add crunch to sandwiches with extra veggies such as pepper, carrot, cucumber and lettuce.
• Use beans in a salad to up the protein content and to make it more filling.
• Swap sugary and fatty treats such as cake and cookies for healthier alternatives – mixed nuts, fruit, unsalted rice cakes and low-fat fruit yoghurts make great replacements.
• Sip on water, no-added sugar fruit drinks or diet drinks to stay hydrated.
• Make your own dips, dressings and marinades from scratch at home to avoid the high fat, sugar and salt content from store-bought varieties.
• From playing games to going for a walk, combine your picnic with some physical activity to maximize the health benefits.

So who’s ready to grill!  And whose ready to try something a little different on the grill. July is not just for picnics and grilling. It’s also a month to celebrate fresh, ripe peaches. Try combining the peaches with the grilling for a dish that will make your taste buds celebrate!

Ingredients:

• 4 bone-in pork loin or end-loin chops, each about 9 oz. and 3/4 inch thick, trimmed of excess fat
• Olive oil for brushing, plus 2 tsp.
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 2 peaches, quartered and pitted
• 2 to 3 tsp. balsamic vinegar
• Small fresh basil leaves for garnish

Directions:

Remove the pork chops from the refrigerator and let stand for 30 minutes.

Brush the chops very lightly with olive oil, and season generously on both sides with salt and pepper. In a bowl, combine the peaches and the 2 tsp. olive oil. Season with pepper and toss to coat evenly. Set aside.

Prepare a medium-hot fire in a grill, or preheat a cast-iron grill pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat.

Place the chops on the grill rack over the hottest part of the fire or in the grill pan and cook until golden, about 2 minutes. Move the chops to a cooler part of the grill or reduce the heat and cook until the pork is firm and cooked through but not dry, 3 to 4 minutes more per side. Place the peaches over direct heat and sear, turning with tongs, until the cut sides are golden, 30 to 60 seconds total.

Transfer the chops and peaches to a platter and drizzle sparingly with the vinegar. Garnish with basil leaves and serve immediately. Serves 4.

Community offerings: *

* Many community offering have been postponed, changed or canceled as a result of the coronavirus/COVID 19.  Please call the number listed for the event to verify availability, dates and times.

If you have questions regarding Coronavirus/COVID-19 please call 1-833-4-ASK-ODH (1-833-427-5634)

Or, go to https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html or https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/.

Diabetes Empowerment Education Program (DEEP) –Erie County Senior Center

COST:

Free

CONTACT:

Tina Elmlinger
419-624-1856

The Diabetes Empowerment Education Program [DEEP] is offered every Wednesday for six weeks. Good attendance is important. This free program is for diabetics, pre-diabetics, and spouses or caregivers of a diabetic.  Residents of Erie County, aged 60 or older, please call 419-624-1856 to register.

Diabetes Support Group – Firelands Regional Medical Center

The Diabetes Support Group presented by Jean Feick CNP,CDE, meets the third Wednesday of each month Sept–November and January-May from 12:00pm –1:00pm.  This meeting is free to the public and no registration is required. Attendees are welcome to purchase lunch in the hospital cafeteria and come to the adjacent Cafeteria Meeting #1.  A different topic will be reviewed each month. If you have questions, please contact the Diabetes Education Department at 419-557-6992.

HEALTH & WELLNESS SCREENING – offered by Firelands Regional Medical Center

You must Pre-register for all Lab Work at 419-557-7840.

Norwalk Health & Wellness Screening

Dr. Ruggles
348 Milan Ave
Norwalk, OH

Saturday, July 11
7:30 AM – 9:30 AM

Port Clinton Health & Wellness Screening

Dr. Braniecki and Widmer
3960 East Harbor Road
Port Clinton, OH

Saturday, August 15
7:30 AM – 9:30 AM

Sandusky Health & Wellness Screening

Firelands Main Campus
1111 Hayes Ave
Sandusky, OH

Saturday, September 12
7:10 AM – 9:30 AM

Health & Wellness Screenings include:

• Complete Blood Count with Metabolic & Lipid Panel (No Eating or Drinking for 12 Hours – Water Allowed – includes liver and kidney function studies, fasting blood sugar, thyroid, cholesterol, HDL/LDL and triglyceride levels along with a complete blood count.) – $45;
• Hemoglobin A1C (A three month report card on how well your blood sugars have been running. A test used to diagnose diabetes and/or to evaluate how well your treatment plan is working.) – $25;
• PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen)- $30;
• Vitamin D – $35;
• TSH – $25

Diet and exercise are an essential part of diabetes management, but so is routine testing.

The A1C test—also known as the hemoglobin A1C or HbA1c test—is a simple blood test that measures your average blood sugar levels over the past 3 months. It’s one of the commonly used tests to diagnose prediabetes and diabetes, and is also the main test to help you and your health care team manage your diabetes. Higher A1C levels are linked to diabetes complications, so reaching and maintaining your individual A1C goal is really important if you have diabetes.

Last quarter, 71% of our diabetic patients had an A1C of less than 9%. Talk with your provider to discuss the right options for you.