Jennifer's advice to newbies with some notes from Evelyn

Welcome to the club nobody wants to join....

Read on if you want to live and be healthy!



This is Jennifer's advice for new diabetics. Refer to it often. Everyone
has an
individual carb "threshold", and there is only one way to determine what
yours is... eat to your meter.

If you don't have a meter, get one. ( VERY important!)

I, and many others here know first hand the devastating side effects of
uncontrolled bgs - you don't want to find yourself there.




We decide how to eat by testing our blood.

How are your BGs on your amount of carbs?

How are your A1cs? (blood test given by Dr)

If they're good... then keep doing what you're doing.

If they're not... then experiment.

Here's the advice I give all newbies:

What you are looking to discover is how different foods affect you. As I'm
sure you've read, carbohydrates (sugars, wheat, rice... the things our
Grandmas called "starches") raise blood sugars the most rapidly. Protein
and fat do raise them, but not as high and much more slowly... so if you're
a T2, generally the insulin your body still makes may take care of the
rise.

You might want to try some experiments.

First: Eat whatever you've been currently eating... but write it all down.
Test yourself at the following times:

Upon waking (fasting)
1 hour after each meal
2 hours after each meal
At bedtime

That means 8 x each day. What you will discover by this is how long after
a meal your highest reading comes... and how fast you return to "normal".
Also, you may see that a meal that included bread, fruit or other carbs
gives you a higher reading.

Then for the next few days, try to curb your carbs. Eliminate breads,
cereals, rices, beans, any wheat products, potato, corn, fruit... get all
your carbs from veggies. Test at the same schedule above.


If you try this for a few days, you may find some pretty damn good
readings. It's worth a few days to discover.

Eventually you can slowly add back carbs until you see them affecting your
meter.

The thing about this disease... though we share much in common and we need
to
follow certain guidelines... in the end, each of our bodies dictate our
treatment and our success.

The closer we get to non-diabetic numbers, the greater chance we have of
avoiding horrible complications. The key here is AIM... I know that
everyone is at a different point in their disease... and it is progressive.


But, if we aim for the best numbers and do our best, we give ourselves the
best shot at heath we've got.

That's all we can do.

Here's my opinion on what numbers to aim for.

They are non-diabetic numbers.

Fasting BG under 110
One hour after meals under 140
Two hours after meals under 120

Recent studies have indicated that the most important numbers are your
"after meal" numbers. They may be the most indicative of future
complications, especially heart problems.

Listen to your doctor, but YOU are the leader of your diabetic
care team. While his /her advice is learned, it is not absolute. You
will end up knowing much more about your body and how it's handling
diabetes than your doctor will. Your meter is your best weapon.

Just remember, we're not in a race or a competition with anyone but
ourselves... Play around with your food plan...



TEST TEST TEST.

Learn what foods cause spikes, what foods cause cravings...

Use your body as a science experiment.

You'll read about a lot of different ways people use to control their
diabetes... Many are diametrically opposed. After awhile you'll learn that
there is no one size fits all around here. Take some time to experiment
and you'll soon discover the plan that works for you.

Best of luck!

Take Diabetes VERY SERIOUSLY. It is deadly.



Diabetes can kill the nerves in your body, destroy your kidneys and you die
of your own body's poisons, after enduring dialysis till it doesn't work
anymore.



It can make you lose your feet, suffer wounds that won't heal, make your
insides quit working (neuropathy).



You can go blind.



High blood glucose spikes can cause terrible damage in your body, so the
best way to avoid them is to limit the amount of carbohydrates you eat to
under 60 grams a day. Carbohydrates are the enemy of the diabetic, not
fats or vegetables or even meats. Fruits and juices are high, so are
pasta, rice, potatoes, flour, bread. These are essentially no-no's.



Books to get: Type 2 Diabetes the first year (Gretchen Becker)

The complete book of food counts (Netzer)



Remember that Diabetes is progressive and usually it continues to get worse
as you go along. Minding your meter is the only way to go.



Nobody can ever get rid of diabetes, but serious weight loss and a good
dietary plan will make it inactive.



Exercise is your best friend. Hard physical activity can bring a spike down
in no time!



Treating your diabetes is like a three legged stool. Exercise, medication
and diet are the three legs. Any one that is neglected can cause you to
fall.



There are glycemic indexes on line that can tell you the values of various
foods. The complete book of food counts is best. You can look up
anything you eat and you should keep count of the carbohydrate grams you eat
each day.



Many diabetics like the Atkins or Bernstein low carb diets because they can
eat to their heart's content, without spiking the blood glucose by limiting
carbs. Even alcohol is OK if it is a low carb alcohol like scotch.



Whatever you do aim for NORMAL numbers, not good "diabetic" numbers.
Higher than normal numbers means your body is being harmed even though you
don't feel it.



Type 2 diabetes is often called "insulin resistance" because you can have
plenty of sugar and plenty of insulin both in your bloodstream but your body
cannot use any of it, because your cells don't recognize the insulin. When
you neglect your diabetes your body sustains damage that can eventually kill
you.



There are some good low carb breads on the market. One staple is WASA
Golden Rye crackers. They are wonderful.



Splenda is a wonderful sweetener.



Crystal Light is a very delicious drink and you mix it up yourself at home.
Sugar free!



Microwave some apple sliced up with a dash of cinnamon and a splenda and you
will think you are eating apple pie!



Take diet soda and add a dash of heavy cream. Instant creamsicle, instant
root beer float, delicious.



Stay away from the diet chocolates containing MALITOL they cause diarrhea
and horrible gas.



Sample menus.



Breakfasts. 1 hamburger pattie with cheese and onion

3 egg omelet with ham, cheese, peppers and onions

low carb pancakes made with ground flax seeds and egg
etc.

I have the recipe



Lunches: Salad with lots of cheese and cold cuts and loaded with blue
cheese dressing. - watch out for the carbs in salad dressings. read labels.



cold cut and cheese roll ups with a pickle or cucumber
inside.



meat and veggies (but no bread).



Dinners; Any kind of meat with two veggies drenched in butter and
sprinkled with chives.

side salads OK. Only veggies to avoid are peas and corn
(high carb)



Desserts; Go to Wal Mart and buy Blue Bunny NO SUGAR ADDED ice cream.

It is awesome.



Go to your local health food store and look into the low carb section. You
may find some goodies there that can help.



There are so many things you CAN eat that believe me, this is the best diet
you could possibly ever go on. You will feel good, lose weight and control
your diabetes at the same time.










--

Evelyn

The fool thinks he has won a battle when he bullies with harsh speech, but
knowing how to be forbearing alone makes one victorious.
Samyutta Nikaya I, 163