Diabetes Education - Uintah Basin Healthcare

08/20/2025

5g Carbohydrates
Baked Chicken Fingers
Makes 4 servings
|
25 minutes hands on time
|
45 minutes total time

58 readers recommended
Poultry

If your kids (or you) are chicken-finger lovers, these will hit that spot – but in a more wholesome way. Unlike breadcrumbs, almond flour adds protein and crunch without a big carb investment.

If your kids – or the grown-ups in your family – are chicken finger lovers, my recipe for these will hit the spot, but in a more wholesome way, since they’re oven-baked and have an especially nutritious breading. Unlike carb-centric breadcrumbs, which are traditionally used in chicken fingers, the almond meal in this recipe adds protein and crunch without any big carbohydrate investment.

Overhead shot of baked chicken fingers recipe

For this recipe I prefer to use almond meal, which can be a bit coarse and is made from unpeeled almonds; the brown-flecked skin-on texture offers more fiber. But you can use almond flour, which is made from blanched almonds and has a finer texture, too.

One tip that helps the whole thing to be less messy and chaotic: I suggest using one hand to coat the chicken with the egg mixture, and the other hand to coat the chicken with the almond meal.

I’m actually such a fan of this almond coating that I’m now wondering about breading and baking cheese sticks this way since my family and I are such fans of fried mozzarella. If we try it, I’ll let you know how it goes.

Recipe Details: Baked Chicken Fingers
Close-up of baked chicken fingers

From Catherine Newman

Active time: 15 minutes

Total time: 45 minutes

Makes: 2 servings

Total carbohydrates: 12 grams per serving

Recipe Notes
While the buttermilk adds a nice tang, you don’t have to include it if you don’t have it on hand. You can also substitute it with the same amount of plain yogurt.

While chicken tenders are convenient, they tend to cost more, so you can also cut up a pound of boneless skinless chicken breasts into finger-sized portions for this recipe.

Ingredients
1 egg
1 tablespoon buttermilk
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
3/4 cup/105 g almond meal
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder (optional; if no one will freak out)
1 pound chicken tenders
2 tablespoons olive oil
Olive oil cooking spray
Ketchup, ranch dressing, and/or buffalo sauce, for serving
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
In a shallow dish or pie plate, beat the egg with buttermilk and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt.
In another shallow dish, combine the almond meal, garlic powder, cayenne pepper (if using), and 1 teaspoon kosher salt until well combined.
Dip chicken tenders one at a time, first in the egg mixture, turning to coat, and then in the almond meal mixture, until fully coated. If you have one, transfer the tenders to a sheet pan rack as you finish coating them.
Drizzle the oil across a rimmed baking sheet, and put the sheet in the oven to heat for 3 minutes.
Remove the hot sheet pan from the oven; carefully move the tenders from the rack into the hot pan, and spray them generously with olive oil spray.
Bake for 10 minutes, then flip the tenders over with a spatula and bake for 10-15 more minutes, until the tenders are browned and crisped and cooked through. Cool briefly before serving with ketchup, ranch dressing, or buffalo sauce.
Photo credit: Catherine Newman

08/18/2025

These are the four times that the American Diabetes Association recommends that people with diabetes visit their accredited diabetes educators. We can provide these opportunities at Uintah Basin Health Care:

At diagnosis
Annually
With new complications or care transitions
When life changes impact self-management

Have your doctor submit a referral for you, so your insurance can cover these services. Cash pay is also available.

We care about your health!!
Jacqueline Humpherys, RD, CDCES
Channa Jenkins, RN, CDCES

(CDCES = certified diabetes care and education specialist)

08/05/2025

Swimming and Water Aerobics: Fun Ways To Manage Your Glucose Levels
5 Minute Read

72 readers recommended

Key takeaways:

Swimming is a great exercise for diabetes management as it can lower blood sugar levels, improve insulin resistance, and reduce the risk of diabetes-related complications like heart disease.
Swimming is a low-impact physical activity, making it ideal for people with chronic pain, injuries, arthritis, or other joint problems.
Regular swimming, water aerobics, and even just walking in water offer numerous health benefits, including giving you more energy, strengthening muscles, and improving coordination.
Exercising in water can be a fun and effective way to stay active and manage your glucose levels. Different forms of water exercises can also make it easier to deal with stiff joints or other chronic pain while exercising.

Swimming and water aerobics can be an enjoyable exercise, from very gentle to an intense fat-burning and muscle-building workout that can push your heart and lungs into overdrive.

The buoyancy of water makes aquatic exercise low-impact, so it’s almost impossible to injure yourself. Regardless of your fitness level, swimming, walking in water, or water aerobics might be the perfect exercise for you – especially if you have arthritis, chronic pain, or other health issues. It's a great way to manage your diabetes, reduce stress, and have fun at the same time.

Swimming as exercise
For people with diabetes, exercising in water can be just as effective at improving blood sugar levels as land-based workouts.

Swimming has been shown to improve cardiovascular health by boosting your heart rate, which in turn helps to lower blood pressure, strengthens your heart muscle, and improves circulation. Swimming is also good for managing blood sugar; during exercise, muscle cells absorb glucose more efficiently, removing it quickly from the bloodstream.

The buoyancy of water is easy on your joints, so that makes water aerobics a good choice if you have joint problems, chronic pain, or are recovering from an injury. It's also popular among older people and pregnant women.

Though almost any type of exercise in a pool is low impact, you can easily make the workout more challenging by doing more repetitions of each move, moving faster during the workout, or using special water-resistant weights, gloves, or other water aerobics tools.

Water exercise lowers glucose levels
Exercise, on land or in water, helps you to keep your blood glucose in the normal range for a greater percentage of time, independent of insulin. This decreases your risk for heart disease and other diabetes-related complications.

Regular exercise, including water-based activities, is also crucial for weight management as it helps reduce body fat and increase lean muscle. Lean muscle burns more calories and more blood sugar than fat does, even when you are sitting or at rest.

Walking in water
Even if you can’t swim, walking in waist-deep water or doing a water aerobics class are effective ways to better manage blood sugar levels.

In a review of studies examining aquatic exercises and blood glucose levels in people with type 2 diabetes, people who exercised in water reduced their A1C by the same amount as those doing land-based exercise. The water-based exercises included walking or running in a pool, water cycling, and various types of water-based fitness classes.

Being active in water is also a great way to reduce stress and can help you to sleep better, too.

Exercising in water is more gentle
Swimming, walking in deep water, and water aerobics all put virtually no stress on your feet and joints while activating all the body's major muscles.

In fact, when you’re standing in waist-deep water, you only have to support 50% of your body weight. When you move to neck-deep water, 90% of your body weight is supported by the water.

Many people find that they can do exercises in water that they can’t do on land due to pain in their joints, lack of flexibility, or muscle weakness. This is important because running on land and other land-based exercises may cause foot injuries like blisters that can be slow to heal and prone to infection if you have diabetes.

These are just some of the benefits of water-based exercise. While no exercise is perfect, swimming or water aerobics is easy to adjust based on your needs, restrictions, and abilities.

You can make any water-based activity or exercise easier (or more strenuous) by adjusting the size and speed of your movements, adding or reducing weights, wearing aquatic gloves, or wearing a flotation device and running in deeper water. Water exercise while listening to music or participating in a group class can be a lot of fun and a way to meet new friends.

As with any new exercise program, unless you are already used to the activity, start with short swim sessions and gradually increase your time to 30-60 minute sessions as your endurance improves.

Don't be discouraged if you need to take a short rest every few minutes. These quick breaks won't reduce the effectiveness of swimming; in fact, they will enable you to stay active in the water for longer periods overall.

Safety precautions
While swimming is generally a safe activity for people with diabetes, here are some tips if you're just getting started:

Remember to always check your blood sugar levels before, during, and after you exercise.
Take your medication as your doctor recommends.
Always have snacks, juice, and a glucose meter and test strips available in a waterproof container.
Don’t swim or exercise in a pool alone. Ideally, have an exercise buddy or do a water aerobics class with others who know how to help in case of a sudden drop in your blood sugar.
If there is a lifeguard, let him or her know that you have diabetes.
Wear a diabetes medical ID bracelet while you are in the water.
To protect your feet, you may want to wear lightweight water shoes in the pool and shower sandals in the locker room to lower the risk of bruising or cutting your feet, or getting athlete’s foot. Examine your feet after you leave the pool to check for cuts, bruises, or abrasions.
Make sure that your continuous glucose monitor, insulin pump, and any other diabetes wearable are water (and chlorine) resistant. Check with the manufacturer to be sure. If you use an insulin pump, ask your doctor or healthcare provider if it’s safe for you to disconnect while swimming or doing water aerobics.
Diatribe.org

08/05/2025

What to Eat With Diabetes

How can people with diabetes approach nutrition? What kinds of food can help you keep your blood sugar levels in range?

Food – and good nutrition – is a tricky and essential component of diabetes management. It can be hard to make food choices that keep your blood sugar levels in range. Wherever you are in your diabetes journey, and regardless of your current eating habits, we’re here to shed light on what healthy eating can look like for people with diabetes.

What is nutrition?
At diaTribe, we use nutrition to talk about all of our individual food habits. Think about this as the difference between what you eat for a single meal and your overall eating patterns. For example, someone might usually have healthy eating patterns (centered on vegetables and good-for-you fats) but occasionally they might eat a meal that is less healthy (for example, spaghetti and brownies). “Good nutrition” means regularly eating a combination of foods that have positive effects on health.

Why is good nutrition important?
Nutrition is important for everyone, with or without diabetes. But for people with diabetes, what you eat greatly affects your blood sugar levels, Time in Range, long-term health outcomes, and your potential for weight gain. Positive eating habits can help lead to positive outcomes and wellness in these areas and beyond.

What should people with diabetes eat?
There are many perspectives on nutrition. The most important part of good nutrition is finding an eating pattern that is healthy for you and that fits your needs, circumstances, and lifestyle. To help you navigate nutrition information, here is diaTribe’s advice based on both scientific research and personal experiences with diabetes:

Reduce “spiky carbs.” Spiky carbs are foods that cause blood sugar levels to quickly increase and can create unpredictable swings in your glucose levels. Some examples of spiky carbs include cookies, cakes, ice cream, candy, bread, crackers, chips, breakfast cereal, rice, pasta, soda, and fruit juice. Many of these items are processed and include added sugars – which can spike your blood sugar even more.

Spiky carbs make it much harder to manage your day-to-day blood glucose levels. In the long-term, they are linked to hyperglycemia (high blood sugar levels) that can lead to heart disease and type 2 diabetes progression as well as other health complications.

“Slow carbs,” on the other hand, are broken down more slowly in the body and have a more predictable effect on blood sugar levels. Slow carbs include veggies that grow above the ground (like leafy greens, broccoli, tomatoes, and cabbage), beans, and fruit (in moderation).

Finally, low-carb foods are those which usually have little effect on blood sugar. Foods that are low in carbs – such as nuts and dairy products – often contain protein and healthy fats. Some foods have no carbs, because they are primarily made of protein (meats, fish, or eggs) or fat (butter or oils).

When it comes to carbs, how much is too much?
Nutrition guidelines generally recommend 130 grams of carbohydrates per day for adults without diabetes, but there’s no consensus for people with diabetes. diaTribe recommends 100-150 grams per day, which is about 25-30% of a person’s daily calories that should come from carbs. This means that if you aim to eat 2,000 calories per day, then about 550 of those calories should come from carbs. We’ve found that it’s easier to stay in range if we limit carbs to 30 grams per meal or snack. You’ll have to experiment and find what’s right for you and your lifestyle. Counting carbs is the only way to have some idea of how many carbs you consume at each meal.

How can you make nutrition changes?
It’s hard to make big changes to what you eat and get those changes to stick in the long run. That’s why we recommend starting with small changes. Think about your eating patterns and read the nutrition labels on the foods you eat frequently. This can help you figure out where you want to start. You can also find our list of foods to eat more of and foods to avoid below.

Pick a key food habit that you want to modify.
Commit to making that change for two months (that’ll help it stick!).
Then make another small change and repeat.
To gradually reduce spiky carbs, try cutting out foods one at a time. For example, give up juice or soda, or limit eating ice cream to once per week. Be sure to read food labels to see how many carbohydrates and added sugars different food items contain. You’ll want to replace spiky carbs with other food sources that contain slow carbs or few carbs.

What about fat?
It’s okay for people with diabetes to eat fat, and to replace spiky carbs with foods that contain fat. That said, some types of fat are healthier than others. We recommend limiting saturated fats and replacing them with unsaturated fats, such as those found in the Mediterranean diet. In practice, this means eating more olive oil, nuts, seeds, avocado, and oily fish, and moderating the amounts of red meat and dairy.

More healthy eating tips
There are many different strategies for healthy eating. Here are some of the basics that you may find helpful.

Learn to read food nutrition labels so you know what’s in your food and how it could affect your blood sugar.
Foods high in fiber can help prevent glucose spikes. Fiber is a helpful nutrient found in plant foods (vegetables, fruits, beans, and whole grains) that can slow carbohydrate digestion and help manage blood sugar levels.
Understanding portion size is important for all types of food and can help you make sure you are eating a balanced diet.
Build colorful meals to make sure you are getting a wide variety of nutrients. Filling your plate with foods of different colors means a focus on eating lots of veggies and some fruit.
Drink water to keep your body hydrated.
Our List: Foods to Eat More Of, Foods to Eat Mindfully, and Foods to Eat Less Of

Eat more: Nutritious foods that often won’t affect blood sugar levels

Nuts and seeds

Beans, hummus

Soy beans and tofu

Eggs

Lean protein – chicken and fish

Olive oil

Avocado

Whole grains (such as quinoa, brown rice, and wild rice)....................

Eat mindfully: Nutritious foods that may affect your blood sugar and other markers of health

Fruit, especially berries

Red meat

Plain yogurt or kefir

Dairy products: milk, cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, and butter

Steel cut oatmeal

Sweet potato

Carrots

Sweet corn

Whole wheat pasta

Low-carb bread products................................

Eat less: Foods that can spike your blood sugar and harm your health


Sugar and honey

Cakes, cookies, ice cream

Candy

Sweetened yogurts

Regular soda (avoid)

Fruit juice (avoid)

White rice

Bread

Potatoes

Crackers

Breakfast cereal

Chips

Dried fruits

Processed foods

Packaged foods with long ingredient lists

Alcohol

08/05/2025

Salt and Diabetes: Does Sodium Affect Blood Sugar?
8 Minute Read

9 readers recommended
A bowl of salt
Salt is essential for regulating important body functions, but too much can be harmful. Here are some strategies to reduce sodium in your diet.

If you live with a chronic condition like diabetes, high blood pressure, or kidney disease, watching your salt intake is essential.

While salt is necessary to sustain healthy functioning of the human body, too much can cause damage.

“Salt is important for water balance in the body. We all need at least a little bit of salt. However, many people eat too much salt,” said Dr. Absalon Gutierrez, an associate professor of endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism at the McGovern Medical School in Houston, Texas.

The World Health Organization estimates most adults take in an average of 9-12 grams of sodium daily, which is well above the recommended 5 grams (roughly 1 teaspoon) per day. Because so much sodium is found in processed and prepackaged foods, many people have no idea how much they’re consuming.

This can be especially concerning for people with diabetes, who are already at a higher risk for other health complications like heart disease and obesity.

How can salt harm health?
High sodium intake is a known contributor to high blood pressure or hypertension. Over time, high blood pressure damages arteries and can eventually lead to heart disease. Too much salt over time could also be a risk factor for health conditions like diabetes.

“Emerging evidence suggests that high intake of ultra-processed foods rich in salt, starches, and carbohydrates is strongly associated with the development of type 2 diabetes,” said Dr. Yvonne Covin, a practicing internal medicine physician in Dallas, Texas.

While salt intake doesn’t directly affect blood glucose levels, too much sodium could indirectly impact glucose metabolism down the road.

Certain populations are also more sensitive to salt, including people who are Black, have obesity, are older, or who already have pre-existing conditions like high blood pressure. This means that depending on your biology, age, and overall health, what’s deemed a “healthy” sodium intake may not be the same for you as someone else.

Benefits of a low-sodium diet
Evidence shows that decreasing salt consumption can have significant positive effects. Low sodium maintains healthy blood pressure levels, which in turn helps keep blood glucose under control. Consuming less salt can also prevent fluid from building up in the legs and stomach, which is significant for people with kidney or heart disease, as excess fluid leads to swelling and increased blood pressure.

One clinical trial found that adults with type 2 diabetes who followed a DASH-style diet (a food plan specifically designed to promote heart health) with lower sodium had a significant drop in blood pressure. Most of the benefit came from cutting sodium intake, even for those already on blood pressure medication.

How to lower your salt intake
Limiting the amount of salt in your diet can be challenging. However, a few simple changes are all that you need to do to help prevent disease and improve overall health.

Avoid processed foods
Most processed foods contain high sodium levels as a preservative or to enhance flavor. Consider limiting your consumption of processed or cured meats, condiments, and pickled foods.

Instead, select fresh foods including vegetables and fruit, eggs, whole grains, unsalted nuts, and lean cuts of protein (fresh or frozen).

Processed or prepackaged foods high in sodium that you may want to avoid include:

Soft drinks
Potato chips
Chocolate or candy (yes, even sugary foods can contain high levels of sodium)
Sweetened breakfast cereals
Packaged soups
Fast foods like chicken nuggets, hot dogs, and fries
Read food labels
A woman reads a food label while shopping at the grocery store

It’s a bit easier to manage sodium levels if you’re cooking at home, but things can get a little tricky at the grocery store. Pay attention to the salt content listed on food labels and choose products with lower sodium levels.

And it’s not just sodium to watch out for. Food manufacturers often add sugar to products to keep items flavorful when decreasing salt content. This is especially important to keep in mind for people with diabetes.

Cook at home
When preparing food at home, you’re in control of how much salt is in a dish. A great option is to buy fresh meat or poultry and cook it using fresh herbs and spices on your day off. Then, you can store and portion it for several days for sandwiches, wraps, and stews.

If you don’t have time to cook, choose fresh or frozen options at the grocery store rather than packaged or canned goods that often have a higher salt content. Keep in mind that frozen foods and sauces still contain sodium. If you're going with canned food like beans, rinsing them first can significantly reduce the salt content.

Flavor food with herbs and spices
Instead of using salt to add taste to food, try out different herbs, spices, and other seasonings. Here are some examples you can substitute for salt:

Warm: Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, or vanilla extract
Savory: Onion, garlic, olives, sage, or vinegar
Spicy: Black pepper, cayenne pepper, chili powder, cumin, or crushed red pepper
Herbs: Basil, cilantro, dill, oregano, parsley, or rosemary
Citrus: Lemon peel zest or orange peel zest
Be careful with condiments
Condiments can often contain high amounts of salt

Many condiments and sauces, such as ketchup, soy sauce, and salad dressing, are high in sodium and sugar. Use them sparingly or seek low-sodium alternatives.

We all know a good dressing or side sauce can make a whole meal, so why not try making your own? Homemade salad dressing, for example, often only needs a few ingredients and contains a lot less salt than what you buy in a bottle.

Reduce salt consumption slowly
Salt is an acquired taste that, over time, we become accustomed to. So, make changes slowly to give your taste buds time to adjust. Your first goal should be for a 10% decrease in salt intake.

To help with the process, remove the salt shaker from your table and taste foods first to see if you actually need to add salt or are just doing it out of habit.

Take control when eating at restaurants
Often, meals from restaurants contain excessive amounts of salt. Before going, look at nutrition information online (if it's available) and select items with the least sodium.

When ordering food, request no or less added salt, choose grilled or steamed options, and ask for dressings and sauces on the side.

By making a few simple changes, you’ll be able to reduce the amount of salt you consume, allowing you to live your life to the fullest and enjoy eating without being concerned about every little bite.

08/05/2025

It is always fun to try new recipes. I hope you enjoy these. :) Jacqueline Humpherys, RD, CDCES

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07/21/2025

Registered dietitian nutritionists Amy Kimberlain, Samantha MacLeod and Sapna Peruvemba and RD Ashley Hawk recommend chickpea pasta for better blood sugar management due to its fiber and protein content, which help stabilize glucose levels. Unlike traditional pasta, chickpea pasta has a low glycemic...

07/15/2025

Diabetes affects the skin in ways people may not even realize. Read about this connection and learn how to maintain healthy skin.

07/01/2025

diaTribe is a non-profit organization providing free cutting-edge diabetes management tips from diet and exercise, to ways to avoid diabetes complications.

07/01/2025

diaTribe is a non-profit organization providing free cutting-edge diabetes management tips from diet and exercise, to ways to avoid diabetes complications.

07/01/2025

diaTribe is a non-profit organization providing free cutting-edge diabetes management tips from diet and exercise, to ways to avoid diabetes complications.

07/01/2025

diaTribe is a non-profit organization providing free cutting-edge diabetes management tips from diet and exercise, to ways to avoid diabetes complications.