HELP...Apple pie w/cinnamon is ok?????

I'm sure he knows what a bogus statement it is but it's obvious.... he wants his pie and to eat it too! The only one he's fooling is himself and on the off-chance that he actually DOES believe that cinnamon is this "miracle" spice, then it's only because he WANTS to believe it.

If cinnamon actually were so powerful as to negate carb/fat/protein consumption and its effects on blood sugars, it would've been used medicinally that way for thousands of years. While there has been some claim that it can MARGINALLY help to regulate blood sugar levels (BGLs), it doesn't work independently like some magic powder but, co-exists along with a healthy lifestyle & eating habits.

BTW - it's usually not even so much the sugar and fruit (filling) of the pie that has the most disastrous effects on BGLs.... it's the pastry. All that white flour and fat and sugar - no nutrition whatsoever, either. He's be much better off with say a small baked apple with a bit of brown sugar, some lemon and a sprinkling of crumble (flour, butter, cinnamon) - IF he HAS to have this kind of sweet. I don't recommend it - there are better desserts to be had - but I just want to illustrate that compromises can be easily made.

Be wary of the snake oil salesmen.

If your Dad buys this sales pitch, I'm sure he'd love to buy my old truck. Its a classic, 1992 Ford Ranger in PERFECT condition (yeah .... r i g h t ;-)

Seriously, I think we all go through a bargaining stage at some point or other, trying to convince ourselves that our old favourite foods are somehow OK. Just last week, my wife said to me:

"You can eat blueberry pie right? Blueberries are full of antioxidants and are good for you right?"

SHE had a craving for blueberry pie and was trying to bargain with me. She, like quite a few people I have talked to, gets mad when I suggest eating better and exercising. I think its worth a little confrontation once in a while considering the end goal -- living longer and healthier.

Phish is right -- the pastry is the bad guy. A few slices of apple (or blueberries) won't hurt.

P.S. I have a Dad just like yours but his argument usually involves healthy waffles

My mom is the healthiest person I know. She's 74 and builds picnic tables, dog houses, and at 71 SHE built from boards (not already put together panels) a 6 foot wooden fence around their 1 acre yard! It looks like it was built by pros! Last year I bought her a tool box for Mother's Day, LOL. But my dad's a different story...He's depressed but won't set foot in a counseling office.

Sometimes asking someone to give up their pie or ice cream or whatever is like ripping an orphan's security blanket right out of their tiny little hands. He's not overweight and he usually does good but he binges. And when he doesn't have the medication to take...

Yupe, ain't THAT the truth... Thank you.

Devils advocate here: If the gentleman is 78 years old and doesn't require meds for a serious diabetic condition, how much damage could the occasional piece of pie do? To my mind, a simple pleasure such as this at this stage of his life should not be denied. Cheers.

Perhaps he came across this recipe:

http://www.recipezaar.com/Diabetic-Apple-Pie-41910

Just wait till you are 78, have a spouse who runs circles around you, and have kids trying to prove you wrong about YOUR diet! Then you'll know how he feels! He's trying to remain independent in his decisions! He still can, whether his decisions are good ones or bad ones, who are we to judge? Maybe he thinks they are good ones for him? I don't know.

I make health decisions for myself that my kids might not agree with, but it's none of their business! LOL! (I'm becoming an ornery old lady too!) If they even tried telling me what to do...ohhhhh...that wouldn't be a good idea at all!

Walk in your father's shoes, BE an elderly parent for a while!