Clinic Printable Cards Portal
Customize the card sheets with your clinic or organization logo text, then print them out for waiting room desks. Fold along the dotted line to assemble.
THE GREEN FIG MYSTERY
Insulin & PotassiumQ: You want a good, cheap local carbohydrate that helps lower your blood pressure and won't send your blood sugars through the roof. What should you put in the pot?
- A) A plate of white rice with some ketchup
- B) Boiled green bananas (green figs)
- C) A couple slices of white bread
Why is this correct?
When bananas are green, they are packed with "resistant starch." This means they digest slowly, keeping your blood sugar steady instead of causing a sudden insulin spike. Even better, they are full of potassium, which acts like a natural medicine to help relax your blood vessels and lower your blood pressure!
Serve your boiled green figs with a drizzle of olive or coconut oil and some green seasonings to lock in the fiber!
THE SALTFISH TRAP
Hypertension & SodiumQ: You love boil-up with saltfish, but your blood pressure has been acting up lately. What is the safest way to prepare your saltfish to protect your heart?
- A) Just rinse it once in cold water before cooking
- B) Boil it out at least 2 or 3 times in fresh water
- C) Add a pinch of salt to the pot while it boils
Why is this correct?
Saltfish is packed with sodium to preserve it, but too much sodium acts like a sponge, pulling water into your blood vessels and forcing your pressure up. Boiling it multiple times in fresh water gets rid of the hidden salt without losing that rich local flavor you love.
Squeeze fresh lime juice, throw in plenty onions, pimento peppers, and fresh bhagi (spinach) to make up for the lost salt. Flavor doesn't have to mean high pressure!
THE CALLALOO BOOST
Magnesium & Blood VesselsQ: Dasheen bush (used to make our delicious callaloo) is considered a "superfood" in our communities. Which chronic condition does it help fight the most?
- A) It only helps with eyesight
- B) Both diabetes and high blood pressure
- C) It has no real medical benefit
Why is this correct?
Dasheen bush is loaded with potassium, calcium, and magnesium. These three minerals work together to tell your blood vessels to widen and relax, lowering high blood pressure. Its high fiber content also slows down sugar absorption, protecting you from heavy insulin spikes.
When making your callaloo, use fresh coconut milk instead of margarine or salted butter to keep the sodium levels low while keeping that rich, traditional creaminess.
THE ROTI REALITY
Portion SizingQ: You are at the local roti shop and want to manage your type 2 diabetes. Which option is the kindest to your blood sugar levels?
- A) Eat a whole Sada Roti with sweet pumpkin
- B) Order a Dhalpuri, eat half, and pack the rest
- C) Drink a sweet drink to help digest the heavy roti
Why is this correct?
White flour in roti digests very quickly, turning into glucose and spiking your insulin. However, the split peas (dhal) inside a Dhalpuri contain fiber and protein which actually slow down that sugar rush. Eating just half (and saving half for later) keeps your insulin levels steady!
Always ask for extra bhagi (spinach) or baigan choka (eggplant) inside your roti instead of sweet, sugary starch like pumpkin.