As a person with diabetes, Kirstie Cotter set out to understand if there’s a connection between the paleo diet and diabetes management. Follow along as she shares her personal experience and insights on the benefits and challenges of following the paleo diet for diabetics.
Paleo Diet For Diabetics: Is It Worth Trying?
A busy mom to a 9-month-old boy and twins, Kirstie Cotter knows that sometimes life can get a little crazy, so food needs to be simple. After a serious health scare almost eight years ago, Kirstie found herself intrigued by the paleo and low-carb lifestyle.
Kirstie has had type 1 diabetes since the age of six. But it wasn’t until the mismanagement of her diabetes started to catch up with her and landed her in the hospital for a week. She realized that it was time to do something. Unfortunately, trying the high-carb, low-fat diet, doctors recommended to manage blood sugar wasn’t working, causing her to gain weight.
After researching, Kirstie decided to give the low-carb/paleo eating style a go. To her pleasant surprise, it worked. While paleo doesn’t necessarily promote “low-carb,” Kirstie feels best eating that way but doesn’t limit her recipes to solely low-carb. Most of her recipes are paleo-compliant, and others are primal!
Kirstie’s main teaching lesson from her paleo journey is that eating low-carb or paleo doesn’t have to be complicated. Instead, do your best and do what works for your body. Keep meals simple and delicious, and learn to get creative with leftovers.
Kirstie’s Classic Recipes With Paleo Twist
Kirstie’s philosophy is simple, healthy food made with natural ingredients that don’t take hours and hours to make. While Kirstie primarily follows a low-carb approach to eating because it makes her feel best, almost all of her recipes are still paleo-compliant or can be easily adapted to suit the paleo-eating style.
Kirstie’s got some doozies lined up that we know you will love. She takes classic dishes and puts a healthy paleo twist on them, and they’re sure to leave you coming back for more.
Breakfasts include excellent sweet options like coconut custard chia with refined sugar-free caramelized bananas, chocolate “noatmeal” and kiwi green smoothies. At the same time, Kirstie’s savory options include chicken bone broth with poached eggs and herbs, seed toast with avocado, and zoodle egg nests. For lunches and dinners, look forward to beetroot and pickled egg salads, cauliflower rice sushi, and mango salmon salad. She also serves Thai roasted pumpkin soup, roasted vegetable quinoa bowls with tahini mustard dressing, and simple chicken roast with veggies.
Are you looking for snack ideas too? How about chocolate peanut butter avocado pudding, acai chia with figs, or spiced sausage stuffed mini peppers?
To learn more about Kirstie and get plenty of delicious and easy recipe ideas, follow her on Facebook and Instagram @kirstieinthekitchen.
