Controling dibetes with diet - need help

[CityGirlintheCountry]

There are a number of books out there about the Glycemic Index diet (although it is less a diet and more just a way of eating). I got one off Amazon called Glycemic Index for Dummies. The Glycemic index deals with how your body digests sugars, etc and was developed for diabetics.

Both of my parents are diabetic. I am genetically screwed on this one.

Mom got one of these books and has been trying to adjust their eating along the guidelines. It has done wonderful things for their sugar levels. I got the book and am working my way through it as a preventative. Clearly diabetes runs in the family and I already have weight issues.

See if your local library has one and just see what you think.
Good luck!

 

[Rusty Hills Farm]

I struggled for a long time with mine until I learned to listen to my body more than the doctor. Eventually he stopped bugging me and said to do what works BECAUSE my numbers finally came down eating my way. Carbs have always given me grief unless I pair them with protein. Typically I have a 4-egg omlette (usually with cheese) and a homemade corn muffin for breakfast, a HUGE salad with everything but the kitchen sink in it for lunch , and meat, a couple of veggies, a fruit, and maybe half a potato or small pasta for supper. My desserts are sugarfree Jello or pudding, or an apple, peach, or pear off the tree. I stay away from the grapes, though.

I can without sugar or salt, and I allow myself to eat free choice of veggies--cooked, canned, or raw--whenever I feel like having a snack. I have a weak spot for ice cream, so I bought myself some tiny custard cups and that is the size of the serving I allow myself. I do the same when I get a yen for mashed potatoes. My salads tend to be a little bit of everything--several kinds of lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, celery, carrots, onions, cucumbers, broccoli, cauliflower, snap beans, diced meat, grated cheese, hard-boiled egg, and my own homemade vinegar/olive oil/spices dressing (I make my salad in the largest mixing bowl I have [about 6 cups all told] and munch for about an hour). My all-time favorite salad is diced tomatoes with onions and my dressing, which I allow to "steep" for a few hours before eating--very tangy!

I learned the hard way that the so-called sugarfree cookies, candy, and the like just shot my readings through the roof.

It really takes experimenting to see what works for your particular body. I've learned that--for me anyhow--bread is a no-no on a regular basis, altho I can get away with a pizza once in awhile if I don't make a hog of myself with it and only eat 1-2 slices--but it certainly isn't anything I can do on a weekly basis and keep good readings. For me the carbs have to come as fruits and veggies and NOT as flour-based items.

HTH


Rusty


edited to add that the Mayo Clinic site has the exchange lists I used to get started.

 

[Imp]

Cackle,
The advice from Rusty Hills farm is good advice, as well as the rest of the advice on this thread. But the best advice is that you need to find out what works for your husband. Now there are different meds that act differently then most of the meds given even just a couple years ago. I'm on Januvia and don't have to eat with it. Don't be afraid to have him test his blood glucose more often than 2x per day. It can fluctuate a lot. I've been diagnosed for 2 years now and I always have high BG levels, especially in the mornings(200). But my A1C levels are always about 6.0.(very good) So the doctor is happy with me. Be careful with any eating plan that offers miracles. I work with a bunch of Registered Dieticians, who scoffed at me when I asked them about the Glycemic Index. Said they had problems with any plan that rated jelly beans as a healthier choice than carrots. The information is OK, but remember that Nutrition Science is about a reliable as astrology. Also just about everything you eat is converted to sugars. It's about the only way the body can use it. Get some good information about generally accepted low carb eating. A good book, although a little dry, is the American Diabetes Associations Complete Guide to Diabetes. Patients at the hospital where I work are usually put on a diet consisting of 5 CARBS servings per meal (Thats about 75grams). We don't differentiate much between where the carbs come from. the latest thinking is that a carb is a carb is a carb. But we get a little excited if someone is trying to eat nothing but simple carbs. We also encourage diabetics to eat a healthy balanced diet. To decrease blood sugar spikes we encourage eating the more complex carbs like whole grains, vegetables, small amounts of fruits, and lean proteins. It OK to eat simple carbs, but the amounts are so small why bother. I find that I cannot eat potatoes, white breads, or rice, but pasta doesn't seem to effect my BG. Also you will hear that that particular foods are OK or good. Classic examples are brown rice or yams are OK. They are a little better than white rice or Russets, but not a whole lot better. Also be careful about some of the hype about beating diabetes with "magic foods" and "natural herbs" There are no magic foods. Think supermarket checkout books. Although I'm hearing a lot about cinnamon lately. Time for some research. If you husband needs motivation remind him that diabetes is a fatal disease that if not controlled leads to blindness, amputation, and kidney failure. I doubt he wants to spend the last 10 years of his life tied to a bed in a nursing home. Virtually every diabetic admitted to the hospital here is there with multiple complications. None of them ever say "the french fries were so worth it". If I can help in any way feel free to PM me. If you would like the info we send home with new diabetics PM me an address.

Imp/Russ

One of the Diet Techs I work with, had her brother die of diabetes at 40 years old.

 

[CoyoteMagic]

Hi. Check this site out. (oops forgot to put in the link DUH!) http://www.ttuhsc.edu/som/fammed/wholefoods.aspx It's from Texas Tech.
It was recommended to me by my endocrinolist. I'm borderline diabetic=insulin resistant. I try to follow this diet a closely as possible. It has really brought levels down.

The Green, Yellow and Red really help in knowing what you can and can't have.

ETA The doc that developed this diet is pretty cool. You can email her and she will answer you. She wrote the Low Card Dieting for Dummies book. It's a good read. The websit gives just about the same info.

 

[dapper]

I am a diabetic. I keep my sugar at 97 day and night. My A1C is never above 5.7 I studied and studied. I have came to one conclusion. Eat natural!!!!! D not eat anything out of a box. No prepared meals.

I eat pancakes with flour. I make cake without flour. I do love pizza and I eat it about once a month. I can eat anywhere from 1800 calories a day to 3200 calories a day and keep my sugar around 97. Carbs go from 60 to 300 a day depending on how many calories I am eating. If you eat oatmeal get the plain natural oats. No oatmeal out of packets. use splenda and cinnamon and some milk. I do eat 2 processed things a day. 2 slices of Nature's Own whole wheat whole grain bread and 2 tbsp of sugar free strawberry jam. I buy Smuckers Natural Peanut Butter, stir it and put it in the frig. Remember natural peanut butter is either peanuts and salt or just peanuts. READ THE LABELS. I use real butter it is cream and salt or just cream no salt. I found out for me that at night I would eat one serving of cottage cheese with some splenda and cinnamon which helps keep the sugar down. Cottage cheese has casin protein. Casin can take a long long time up to 13 hours to digest. It basically forms a ball in your stomach and slowly digest. Since your body is being feed all night long the liver don't need to do a glucose dump. After so long long if I remember right 4 hours without eating the liver says I need energy and dumps glucose into the bloodstream for energy.

The next thing is exercise. I started out walking, but found weight lifting. I think weight lifting is the best you can do for diabetes. Also drink a lot of water. At least a half a gallon a day, better to drink a gallon especially if he is weight lifting. Good fresh clean water will keep the body flushed keep him full and if you always have a bottle of water with you, you are less likly to reach for something to eat. Also drink cold water if possible. If you drink it cold the body has to warm it up to body temp which makes your matabolism work.

A good site for weightlifting is www.bodybuilding.com Believe me you or he will not look like Arnold. It would take many years and roids. A body can only get so big. Weight lifting will help keep the sugar down hours after a trip to the gym.

By the way. I eat pretty much any thing I want as long as it is natural. Also on holidays, birthdays, stuff like that. Eat, I mean eat anything you want. If you are training and eating right one day will not hurt you. It will be hard to get everyone in the family to make something that you can eat. I remember one Thanksgiving the only thing on the table I could actually eat was creese squares and turkey. That was all I ate that day. It sucked big time and that was the last time I did that. On birthdays I eat cake and ice cream. I don't over do it. One piece of cake and a couple scoops of ice cream. On Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, 4th of July I eat whatever I want.

I hope some of this helps.

 

[chickabator]

I have diabetes insulin dependent. Cannot get my numbers below 250 tried everything. dr. has no clue to what is going on. Most of the time my meter says HI yesterday when I checked it was a mere 389 I am tired of trying to get it down 4 shots a day I feel like a pin cushion. if I drink too much water I would start pouring it out of the holes. If anyone else can figure it out let me know. cause I am so tired of this all the time.

 

[hoosier]

I have heard that cinnamon is supposed to help. I think it is 1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon a day. Mu husband eats Steel cut oats w/ cinnamon.

I just heard today that bananas can raise the blood sugar level and that strawberries are the best fruit. I have not researched this, this may just be this particular person's response to food.

Check your library for a copy of Sugarbusters.

and the dreaded exercise

 

[Imp]

Quote:
Sounds like you need a new doctor. Seek out an Endicrinologist. Having BG that high put you at great risk. Good Luck!
Imp

 

[chickabator]

They have been like that for over 5 years now.