(This story is from our archives of NextStep Magazine. The Magazine has since been renamed to AIC With You)

Stephanie, 48, has been taking care of Lily since 2003. Besides diabetes, Lily also has hepatitis B, and was recently diagnosed with vasovagal syncope, a condition that causes fainting. Over the years, Stephanie has been studying, testing and modifying her mother’s eating habits to keep her diabetes under control.

Introducting a New Diet

Changing Lily’s diet has been an uphill task. She loves Coke, snacks and fried food, as well as carbohydrates-laden fare such as bread and rice. Stephanie introduced a new diet in different stages. She cut out grains gradually, and slowly reduced the meats and worked in more vegetables.

Breaking old Habits

Lily used to eat more than three meals a day, but now Stephanie cuts it down to three. She also shifted dinner time from 7pm to 5.30pm, so Lily can retire to bed earlier. Stephanie has observed positive changes in her mother after improving her diet. “She has slimmed down quite a bit, sleeps better, and is more alert.” Lily has become better-tempered, and the numbness in her toes went away.

Keeping Things Interesting

Getting Lily on board the new diet was only the start, staying on it was the challenge. One way was to introduce new dishes. Stephanie shares, “I love to cook. One of the dishes I came up with, which my mother loves, was inspired by celebrity chef Tetsuya Wakuda’s grilled miso marinated salmon recipe. I used saba instead, because it’s more affordable, and contains the same Omega-3 fatty acids as the more expensive salmon. Miso is great because, being fermented, it’s high in anti-oxidants.”

Being Actively Engaged

“I believe my mother’s condition is stable in part because I’m interested in her well-being. I’m an active caregiver - constantly observing, changing and testing what works for her diet and what doesn’t. By eating well, she is physically better.”

Miso Grilled Soba Fish
Two portions | Preparation time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

2 pcs Saba Fish (fillet) Marinade
1 tbsp Grated fresh ginger
2 tpsps Rice vinegar 1 tbsp Soya Sauce
30 gm White miso
To taste White pepper powder
40 ml Japanese rice wine (mirin) – Optional

Salad

100 gm Carrot (finely sliced)
50 ml Japanese sesame salad dressing (goma sauce)
80 gm Red cabbage (finely sliced)
80 gm White cabbage (finely sliced)
2 gm White sesame seeds (lightly toasted)