In my impression, my grandma is a traditional woman. She spent her whole life revolving around the family. What I admire most about her is her regular routine; she wakes up at four in the morning and goes to bed by seven or eight in the evening. She pays great attention to her diet, making sure there’s a balance of meat, vegetables, and soup on the table. But precisely because of this regular schedule and balanced diet, my grandma was diagnosed with diabetes two years ago.
Currently, the incidence of diabetes is very high, mostly affecting middle-aged people over 40. However, with the improvement in quality of life, even some teenagers and children are at risk of developing diabetes. Symptoms of diabetes include dry mouth, hunger, frequent urination, and weight loss. All these symptoms were fully manifested in my grandma; at first, she just felt thirstier than usual, always needing to drink a large bowl of soup with every meal. She often complained of a dry mouth, but we didn’t pay much attention, thinking it was just a personal preference. To our surprise, when she went for a medical check-up, diabetes was diagnosed. The whole family was shocked, and after being diagnosed with diabetes, my grandma had to significantly reduce her food intake. Sweet foods were strictly avoided, and the doctor prescribed some anti-diabetic medication.
It’s commonly said that diabetes is challenging to cure and can lead to various complications later on. This has been the case for my grandma, as diabetes has led to unbearable high blood pressure and heart disease for her. Taking too many medications made her resentful from the bottom of her heart. Who would willingly consume a bunch of pills! For my grandma’s illness, the family tried every possible method. Whenever they heard of a folk remedy, they were willing to give it a try. However, the results often turned out quite the opposite, and the so-called remedies my grandma tried caused her even more suffering. After a medical examination, the doctor warned her not to misuse medications, as her blood pressure had actually increased.
The most important thing to pay attention to with diabetes is diet, so here are two home-cooked dishes specifically suitable for diabetes patients!
First dish: Mushroom and Winter Melon
Prepare 100g of winter melon and 20g of mushrooms. Peel and slice the winter melon. Wash and slice the mushrooms. Heat 5g of oil in a pan, stir-fry the onions and ginger, add a little clear soup and salt, and bring to a boil. Finally, add the winter melon, mushrooms, and monosodium glutamate, cook until done, and serve.
Second dish: Pickled Vegetables and Tofu
Prepare 100g tofu, 20g pickled vegetables, and 5g oil. Cut the tofu into small pieces, blanch in boiling water for 3 minutes, then set aside. Dice the pickled vegetables, heat oil in a pan, add onions and ginger, stir-fry the pickled vegetables, then add the tofu, salt, and a small amount of clear soup, and bring to a boil.
Both dishes should not be too salty or contain too much oil. Initially, when I showed these dishes to my mom, she thought they were not fancy enough. Home-cooked dishes just need to be healthy and contribute to good health. Since my grandma got sick, she has been complaining that there’s nothing she can eat, sometimes feeling envious when she sees others eating and drinking heartily. I understand that kind of suffering; it’s like having a toothache and watching others enjoy their meat while you have to hold back. So, “having the ability to eat is a blessing” makes sense. These two home-cooked dishes have been frequently served on my grandma’s table, and so far, her blood sugar levels have been quite stable. Nevertheless, she doesn’t dare to relax and remains very cautious about her diet. After the winter melon goes out of season, she includes Pickled Vegetables and Tofu in her balanced meals.
