# Diabetes



## Constance

My 33 year old daughter just came from the doctor, and announced that she has been diagnosed with diabetes. 
I've been worried about this possibility for some time. It runs in her dad's family, and she loves sweets and fattening foods. She has let herself go since she had a child, and weighs close to 400 lbs. 
I hate the fact that she has diabetes, but I have been worried about her weight for a long time. The doctor has impressed on her the importance of sticking to her diet, so perhaps if she gets some of that weight off, her sugar will go down.

She was quite depressed about the news, moaning about how she's going to miss her sweets, but I promised her I would gather up recipes for some sweets that she could eat. 

Sooooo...if any of you all have some yummy recipes for diabetics, I'd appreciate your sharing. I really want to see my little girl all trimmed down and healthy.


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## Lady C

She can substitute any sugars in cooking with splenda.  Her real issue is she needs to control her intake (not just sweets).  

I suggest she switch to 6 smaller meals per day, 2-3 hours apart and take 30 min or more walks daily.  Her intake should be reduced to have a caloric intake defecit and she will start to drop weight.

Diabetes is all about controlling your blood sugars.  If she mixes some fats or proteins with her carbohydrates it will slow down the insulin reponse to those carbohydrates.  Have her work with her doctor to design a diet that will work for her.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North

Having been diabetic for about ten years now, I have done considerable research and find that I still know too little.  But what I know, I will share.

First, starches are not good.  And I can't stress that enough.  Carbohydrates of all kinds must be controlled.  They are sugars and raise glucose levels in the blood fast and dramatically.  But they are also necessary in the diet.  large intakes of red meat can increase the risk of developing type-2 diabetes.  Soda pop is so full of sugars that a diabetic should abstain completely from regular pop.  Carbonated beverages are ok as long as they are carb-free drinks.  Too much dietary fat increases triglycerides levels, which create cirulatory problems.  Going without food triggers the liver to pump stored glucose (blood sugar) into the blood, again creating problems with blood glucose levels in diabetics.  High sugar levels in the blood destroy the cappilaries that nourish every cell and nerve in the body.  It is the destruction of those capplary blood vessels that cause nerve damage, diabetic blindness, kidey failure, and can lead to stroke or heart damage or failure.  Obesity stresses the body in so many ways and is a factore in the cause of type-2 diabetes.  Diabetes is not curable.  It is progressive over time.  It is controllable.

Now for the good news.  Food is not the enemy.  Improper food intake and lack of exercise are the enemy.  Stay away from all potato products, and highly processed flour and grain products (white flour, white rice, etc) as they are so-called empty calories.  That is, they are full of starches, which are turned into sugar and enter the blood stream nearly as quickly as straight table sugar (sucrose).  And corn syrup is even worse for your body.

But you can eat sweet potatoes and whole grain prducts as they are rich in the nutrients your body requires.  They also contain soluble fiber.  Soluble fiber is important for the diabetic in that it slows the absorption of sugar into the blood.  This puts less strain on the pancrease (the organ responsible for producing insulin and pumping it inot the blood stream), allowing it to do its job for a longer period of time (adds years to successful dietary control).  Eat a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, herbs, grains, and meats.  Avoid the high sugar fruits such as grapes, and dried fruits of all kinds.  These have concentrated levels of sugar in them.  Stay away from fruit juices as again, they have concentrated levels of sugars.  Think of it this way, if it takes 5 oranges to produce 8 ounces of orange juice, then by drinking an 8 ounce glass of orange juice, you might as well eat 5 oranges at one sitting.  Apple and grape juices are especially high in carbohydrates (sugars).

And move the body.  By moving, you force the muscles to use some of that blood sugar, reducing it.  You also strengthen the muscle, creating denser muscle mass.  And muscle burns far more energy (supplied by metabolising blood sugar) than does any other tissure in the body, except maybe the brain.  

Get to know the glycemic index.  It will show you how various foods affect your blood sugar levels.  You will be surprised what you find you can eat, and what you thought would be good for you that isn't.

I have a brother-in-law and a best freind who didn't control their eating habits.  The former lsot his right leg to the knee while the latter has had three heart attacks and is legally blind from diabetes.  And both of these men were enourmously strong and in great shape as young men.  Myself, I'm in fairly good shape and have lost nothing yet from diabetes.  But I take my meds, am active, and watch what I put into my mouth, and how much of it I put there.  And I don't eat a boring diet.  Anybody who knows me knows that I eat well.  But then, I learned to cook well, and so can prepare anything I could want to eat, and still keep it healthy, including deserts, pancakes, lasagna, etc.

It takes some study.  But knowledge is the best freind a diabetic can have.  There is an avalanch of info on the internet about diabetic menus that include anyting and everything she could ever want.  But she'll have to learn to substitue quality food for junk food.  Instead of eating a Twinkie, have a great peice of Havarti with a couple strawberries.

It is absolutely essential that she wraps her mind around this concept.  If not, her lifespan, and quality of life will be significantly diminished.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


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## Constance

Thank you so much for that information, GoodWeed. I'm going to print that off for her. She is a very intelligent young women, and once she faces the facts and gets her mind made up to deal with this disease, I know she'll be OK.


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## Aurora

Diabetes is not just a disease of high blood sugar. Unfortunately, diabetes brings with it concerns for the entire body. Diabetics have increased risk of heart disease and have the same risk of heart attack as someone who has already suffered a heart attack. The risk of heart disease is 2 to 4 times the risk for a non-diabetic. Diabetics also have increased risk for stroke. In fact, 2 of 3 people with diabetes die of heart disease or stroke.

It is very important to restrict the intake of sugar and carbohydrates, but it is equally important to go on a heart healthy diet restricting intake of fat and salt and reducing cholesterol and triglycerides.

I would suggest that your daughter ask her physician to refer her to a registered diatician and send her to diabetes education classes. I would also suggest that you attend a diabetes education class to support and assist her in her managing her disease. Support is very important for diabetics and heart patients since depression is common in patients with those affilictions.

God bless you for wanting to learn what to do to help her. Keeping her motivated to help herself is the best thing you can do.


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## Constance

That's a good suggestion, Aurora. 
I have a shirtail sorta cousin, very sweet gal, who is the dietician for our local hospital. I believe she holds evening classes for diabetics from time to time, and I'm sure she could also provide my daughter with all sorts of information and recipes. 

My daughter is terribly depressed. In one week's time, her beloved grandfather passed, she found out she had diabetes, and then, yesterday, found out that her lifelong best friend had been found beaten and murdered. 
If any of you pray, please say one for my Kerrie. She is devastated.


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## Corey123

Constance said:
			
		

> My 33 year old daughter just came from the doctor, and announced that she has been diagnosed with diabetes.
> I've been worried about this possibility for some time. It runs in her dad's family, and she loves sweets and fattening foods. She has let herself go since she had a child, and weighs close to 400 lbs.
> I hate the fact that she has diabetes, but I have been worried about her weight for a long time. The doctor has impressed on her the importance of sticking to her diet, so perhaps if she gets some of that weight off, her sugar will go down.
> 
> She was quite depressed about the news, moaning about how she's going to miss her sweets, but I promised her I would gather up recipes for some sweets that she could eat.
> 
> Sooooo...if any of you all have some yummy recipes for diabetics, I'd appreciate your sharing. I really want to see my little girl all trimmed down and healthy.


 


OMG!!! 

As much as I would hate to say it, she's morbidly obese as well. There are also some cookbooks though out for diabetics. Please try to help her. She'll need all your support, and I truly hope that things work out well for her!

My closest brother was a diabetic. Sadly, he died from the disease. But he was also an alcoholic which partly contributed to his sadly shortened life. And his first wife treated him so badly that it drove him to drink! 

He was the opposite of your daughter - he didn't have enough insulin in his pancreas.

I have one of the symptoms of the disease, but haven't been diagnosed with it so far. One of the secs. at the doctor's office told me to just eat one or two pieces of candy when I feel sick and weak.

Yes, the disease also runs in MY family as well. Ever since my brother toild me that he had it, I've been making sure that my blood sugar level is stable.
My oldest brother has been diagnosed with the disease as well.


~Corey123.


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## Barbara L

Constance,

Has your daughter's doctor referred her to a diabetes counselor? That really helped me. My diabetes counselor was very understanding and helpful. Also, I have joined a yahoo group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/diabetes/) which has been helpful. There are other groups too--just go to yahoo groups and type "diabetes" in search. The people who belong to the group are also diabetics (or married to or parent to one), so they know the concerns we have. 

 Barbara


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## Silver

Goodweed of the North said:
			
		

> Get to know the glycemic index.  It will show you how various foods affect your blood sugar levels.  You will be surprised what you find you can eat, and what you thought would be good for you that isn't.
> 
> Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North




http://www.carbs-information.com/glycemic-index-food-chart.htm

This page has some of the GI info for many common foods.  100 is sucrose (or is it glucose?) - either way - it's the "standard" by which the GI is set.  Higher means a faster insulin response (or at least that's how I understand it).  Lower means better, especially in the case of a diabetic watching blood sugar.

Although, I'm not a doctor, so that's just my understanding of it.


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## lulu

I do not have diabetes, but I have something called syndrome x which is a pre indicator of diabetes.  I developed it while I had encephalitis and my body weight more than doubled and I went from being very very fit to having a body that I am ashamed of.  What I do know is that "almost" eliminate the rubbish carbs and eating good ones in moderation, replacing the bulk in my diet which more stuff that I should be eating helps me.  I also know that for me exercise is the key.  The more I do the better I feel.  I have a firend who weighed a similar amount to your daughetr who lost over four stone last year simply by walking for 30 mins twice a day on a treadmill.  I find that when my taste buds are givin a break from rubbish they cease to want it even and what I crave most is good food.  I also think it is important to cook properly, from scratch and bann all preprepared foods.  They hide rubbish in them and the calories you burn cooking from scratch are significantly increased to opening a packet, adding something and applying heat!

I wish your daughter all the luck in the world.  I too have been scouring hear for good recipes for me, so she has my sympathy.


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## gary b

Constance said:
			
		

> My daughter is terribly depressed. In one week's time, her beloved grandfather passed, she found out she had diabetes, and then, yesterday, found out that her lifelong best friend had been found beaten and murdered.
> If any of you pray, please say one for my Kerrie. She is devastated.


 
Constance, 
Sorry to hear about Kerrie's health, I will say a prayer for her. Keep an eye on her depression, because like you said, she is dealing with alot at one time.
My 18 year old son is about 30-40 pounds overweight and doesn't have type 2 diabetes yet, but he is insulin resistant, and at 18 years old, his health and diet is the last thing on his mind. Best wishes for Kerrie's health.

Gary


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## Constance

Thank you, Gary. I will keep an eye on her...Kerrie's my only child, since her sister died 14 years ago. I see her often, as she lives just down the lane from me and I keep her little boy 2-3 days a week. 
Every once in a while, I make a casserole and send down to her so she won't have to cook. I'm going to find some healthy recipes, and try to cook for her more often.


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## kimbaby

Lady C said:
			
		

> She can substitute any sugars in cooking with splenda. Her real issue is she needs to control her intake (not just sweets).
> 
> I suggest she switch to 6 smaller meals per day, 2-3 hours apart and take 30 min or more walks daily. Her intake should be reduced to have a caloric intake defecit and she will start to drop weight.
> 
> Diabetes is all about controlling your blood sugars. If she mixes some fats or proteins with her carbohydrates it will slow down the insulin reponse to those carbohydrates. Have her work with her doctor to design a diet that will work for her.


 
my mom is a diabetic, and she too says splenda is a great sub for sugar, I will talk to her and get any recipes she may have and pass them dpwn to you 
by the way sorry to learn of your daughters diagnosises...


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## Corey123

But Splenda is ridiculously expensive though! Who can afford it?


~Corey123.


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## lulu

Corey123 said:
			
		

> But Splenda is ridiculously expensive though! Who can afford it?
> 
> 
> ~Corey123.



My guess is any one diabetic who is desperately craving sweet food would be better to spend the money on Splenda and squander their health on sugar.  I think its a whole attitude thing, that sweet food tastes better when we have much less of it.


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## kadesma

lulu said:
			
		

> My guess is any one diabetic who is desperately craving sweet food would be better to spend the money on Splenda and squander their health on sugar. I think its a whole attitude thing, that sweet food tastes better when we have much less of it.


Lulu,
Splenda is great for some things, but sugar can be used by diabetics..Yes I know it raises blood glucose, but since it is a carb, it can be exchanged in your meal plan so that you can have that cookie or small piece of pie..I do it sometimes. I'm fortunate not to be a sweet eater, but at times I do like something sweet. In that case, I cut carbs from my meal, eating salad,veggie and a small portion of meat, fish or chicken, then after will have let's say a piece of pie. I take a normal size piece and halve it, saving half for another day. I feel many diabetics get into trouble because they are given the feeling that diabetes is a disease of YOU can never have, or do this again. And they get very tired of the looks and comments about what they are eating!!!   We don't need diabetes police, just family and friends who care, but don't pick at us.We need to read, learn, , getting to know what your body can handle is giving you the opportunity to stay on top of diabetes. 
I have to agree that many or any of us feel that sweet tastes better, thankfully I'll take savory Plus, when your life is the issue, what something costs that will help you, is unimportant, corners can be cut on other things and you can go on living and be healthy.

kadesma


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## lulu

I just re read what I wrote and realise that it looks a bit stroppy, taken out of context with my previous post on this thread!  I use Splenda in food that I know I will want to eat a more than a morsel of, because I have syndrome X so have to be careful to avoid developing diabetes.  I do have a sweet tooth, and I don't think splenda really hits the spot for me as sugar does, but if its that or nithing, well I take that 95% of the time.  When I do want sugar then I do have it, and love it and indulge in it.  Generally I thhink things taste better now I really have to decide to have them, rather than because I made it or its there so I will eat it!  LOL.  Even though I have a really sweet tooth the thing I miss most, and I have it very very rarely now, maybe twice a year is mashed potato.  I never knew how much I loved that!


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## Claire

Goodweed, this isn't the first time I've said this, but Bravo!  Luckily when hubby was diagnosed he was only somewhat overweight, and we happen to like good food.  We weren't "addicted" to sweets (as a matter of fact neither of us could care less), but we do love our pastas, rice, and potatoes.  Now we use a measuring cup as a serving utensil.  Husband has lost 25 or so pounds (he could still lose 20 or so more), gradually.  I really haven't had to change my cooking methods.  But for someone morbidly obese it is going to be a drastic change no matter how you look at it.  Thank you mom & dad!  

I reallly feel for her, but the fact is that it is going to take a real major change for someone at her weight.  Getting up and walking every day really helps the diabetics I know.  Even if you just start with around the block.  

If the changes are too severe, to quickly, it will be harder to keep them up.


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## Constance

Claire, Kerrie is walking, and taking her 8 year old boy with her. He's pretty chubby, too. She lost a bunch of weight when she was in her early 20's, but after her child was born, she never did take off her baby fat. She's been unhappy for a long time, and just let herself go.
By the way, my husband says I guessed high on her weight. It's more like 300-350 lbs. She's 5' 8", like me, but built chunkier, and 150-175 would probably be fine for her. 
Thank you all so much for your input and good thoughts.


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## BrianMorin

Barbara L said:
			
		

> Constance,
> 
> Has your daughter's doctor referred her to a diabetes counselor?  That really helped me.  My diabetes counselor was very understanding and helpful.  Also, I have joined a yahoo group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/diabetes/) which has been helpful.  There are other groups too--just go to yahoo groups and type "diabetes" in search. The people who belong to the group are also diabetics (or married to or parent to one), so they know the concerns we have.
> 
> Barbara




I think your link sould be changed. I have changed it in the exaple in your quote. It should work now...


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## Claire

By the way, my husband DID go to a diabetes counsellor -- a nurse practicioner dietician.  I could-have-should-have gone as well, but when he was diagnosed with high cholesterol I went to a dietician for him and she didn't know as much about nutrition as I did, was more overweight than both of us put togehter, and simply dismised any questions I had about new products on the market.  So this time I passed on it.  I say 'thank you mom & dad" because I was raised with good nutrition.  My husband's diabetes has been very easily (at this point) controlled by diet and exercise .... because I was already cooking healthy food.  He's just had to control how much of it he eats and when he eats it.  Wine and beer have all but disappeared (it counts as carbs) but his beloved scotch is OK.  When he wants beer or wine, it counts and he counts it.  Also he'll carefuly measure out a bloody mary, and count THAT as his afternoon snack occaisionally.  We both realize that diabetes is a snowball going downhill.  We're putting off insulin for as long as we possibly can.

I heard on the radio that they are doing tests for athsmetic diabetics for an inhaler that also delivers insulin.  Interesting.  Anyone know anything about it?  (Yes, hubby is also athsmatic).


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## Corey123

Some more bad news;

Last week I went to the doctor's office for my annual physical exam. The blood test results came in the mail yesterday, and it says that my blood sugar level is high.

The doc wrote on the bottom of the letter saying that I've been diagnosed with early diabetes.

Does anyone know what the treatment is for having too much sugar in the blood? I know that insulin shots or pills is taken for people who don't have enough sugar in the blood system. What is the treatment for those who have too much? 

I made an appointment to see him (tomorrow) as he suggests.


~Corey123.


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## Lady C

_*The role of insulin in the body*_
The main job of insulin is to keep the amount of sugar in the bloodstream within a normal range. Here's what happens during digestion:
- After eating a snack or a meal, sugar and other nutrients enter the bloodstream as the body digests food. 
- Carbohydrates, protein and fats are three types of nutrients found in food. Although all three affect the amount of sugar in the bloodstream, carbohydrates affect it the most. 

Protein is essential for building and maintaining your muscles, bones, organs and other tissues and to keep your body functioning.

Fat is important for vital body functions such as making hormones, building cell walls and storing energy.

Carbohydrates provide the quickest form of energy--they are converted into glucose, or blood sugar, when they reach your bloodstream.
- During digestion, carbohydrates break down into sugar and enter the bloodstream in the form of glucose, a simple sugar.

- The pancreas responds to this rise in the amount of sugar in the bloodstream by producing insulin.

- Insulin must be present in the bloodstream to allow sugar — the body's main energy supply — into the body's tissues.

Insulin also influences the liver, which plays a key role in maintaining normal blood sugar levels. After eating, when insulin levels are high, the liver accepts and stores extra sugar in the form of glycogen. Between meals, when insulin levels are low, the liver releases glycogen into the bloodstream in the form of sugar, keeping blood sugar levels within a narrow and normal range.

When your body notices that the sugar level is elevated, it is a sign that you have more sugar than you need right now, your body is not burning it and therefore it is accumulating in your blood. So insulin is released to take that sugar and store it. How does it store it? Glycogen? Your body stores very little glycogen at any one time. All the glycogen stored in your liver and muscles would not last you through 1 active day. Once you have filled up your glycogen stores, that sugar is stored as saturated fat. 

So the idea of medical professionals recommending a high complex-carbohydrate, low-saturated-fat diet is absolutely a mistake. A high complex-carbohydrate diet is nothing more than a high-glucose diet, or a high-sugar diet. Your body is just going to store it as saturated fat, and the body makes it into saturated fat quite readily. Insulin normally allows body tissues, such as the muscles, to take up the blood sugar glucose, the body's prime energy source. In those with diabetes due to a lack of normal insulin or insulin resistance, blood sugar rises, a condition that can lead to tissue damage. 

Your body's principal way of getting rid of sugar, because it is toxic, is to burn it. The sugar which your body can't burn will be rid of by storing it as glycogen, and when those glycogen reserves are full, sugar gets stored as fat. If you eat sugar your body will burn it and you stop burning fat. Another major effect of insulin on fat is it prevents you from burning it. What happens when you are insulin resistant and you have all this insulin floating around all the time? You wake up in the morning with an insulin level of 90.

Treatment at this stage is to improve your diet to include more fresh fruits and veggies, more whole grains and lean proteins & less sugary foods and highly processed carbohydrates. Exercise daily will help keep your body and muscles active.


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## Corey123

Thanks for the heads-up.

This ia all new to me. Like I said in an earlier post in this thread, two of my brothers had developed the disease. One of them died and the other is still alive.

So now, I gotta try to set an example for him. I should know a little bit more on this when I see my doctor tomorrow.


~Corey123.


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## Alix

Corey, it was my understanding that you need the insulin to help get rid of the sugar in your blood. So you would need to have insulin. 

The good news is that if you regulate your diet and exercise, often you can minimize the amount of insulin you need. Some folks can even do without insulin when they are very strict with their diet and exercise. 

Forgive me if I am repeating info you already have. I tend to skim very long posts when I am short of time and go back to read them all later. Best of luck.


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## kadesma

Alix said:
			
		

> Corey, it was my understanding that you need the insulin to help get rid of the sugar in your blood. So you would need to have insulin.
> 
> The good news is that if you regulate your diet and exercise, often you can minimize the amount of insulin you need. Some folks can even do without insulin when they are very strict with their diet and exercise.
> 
> Forgive me if I am repeating info you already have. I tend to skim very long posts when I am short of time and go back to read them all later. Best of luck.


Alix,
Corey, might not need insulin if he is still producing his own. What happens is the cells become insulin resistant and don't do their job. We now have drugs that help increase the insulin our cells use. This along with a insulin stimulator such as amaryl which forces the pancreas to produce insulin usually get the job done. If Corey's doc is up on these meds he might suggest them, as time goes on the stimulator somethines can be lowered or dropped, once under tight control some are able to control with diet and exercise alone.
Hang in there Corey, read, read, read,!!! And get a meter and strips and test for all your worth.

kadesma


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## Barbara L

BrianMorin said:
			
		

> I think your link sould be changed. I have changed it in the exaple in your quote. It should work now...


Thanks.  How odd.  I had copied and pasted that link from an email I had from the group, and it worked when I first posted it.  I retyped it in now (exactly the same as what was there), and it works again now.  Weird.

 Barbara


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## Constance

Lady C, that was quite informative. 

Thing with my daughter is, that she was eating so many sweets and starches, that even a normal insulin level wouldn't have been able to handle it.

But she wasn't normal. Diabetes runs in her dad's family. 

Don't get me wrong...I'm not glad she's been diagnosed with this disease. But I have been so worried about her health, because of her size and mental attitude, that I am glad that something has finally happened to call her attention to taking care of herself.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North

Constance said:
			
		

> Lady C, that was quite informative.
> 
> Thing with my daughter is, that she was eating so many sweets and starches, that even a normal insulin level wouldn't have been able to handle it.
> 
> But she wasn't normal. Diabetes runs in her dad's family.
> 
> Don't get me wrong...I'm not glad she's been diagnosed with this disease. But I have been so worried about her health, because of her size and mental attitude, that I am glad that something has finally happened to call her attention to taking care of herself.


 
Ignorance may be bliss, but it is not healthy. Before I knew I was diabetic, I used to drink full-sugar soda, especially root beer. When somone near me would opt for a sugar free version, I would look at the foam disapearing on the top and state; "This is my version of diet pop. When the foam is gone, I'll have less to drink than a full glass, and it tastes a lot better than your diet pop."

Just before I was diagnosed, I did something unusual for me. I purchased a quart container of chocolate milk, intending to take it home. But before leaving the store parking lot, I opened the carton and took a sip. It tasted soooo good. And then, before I left the parking lot, there was no chocolate milk left in the carton. I bought another carton and took it home for the family.

I was never one to eat a lot of sweets, or drink a lot of pop. But occasionally, I'd indulge. Coupe those occasional indulgences with starchy potatoes, processed grains, etc., etc... There is no doubt in my mind that my ignorance about sound nutrition had a major role in my becoming a type-2 diabetic at age 40.

That is why I rarely make rich, starchy or sweet foods, though I know how to make them way too well. I have found that I enjoy healthier foods just as much, and now prefer the flavors of whole grains, nuts, and fresh fruits and veggies over the highly porcessed versions that I consumed for forty years of my life. But I still enjoy the flavor of cooked animal fat more than I should. That fat on the outside of a charcoal grilled steak has amazing flavor. But I gridgingly give it to the dog  .

For anyone reading this thread, remember, teaching children to enjoy wholesome foods starts in the womb. What you eat is tasted by your child, through the flavors secreted in the amniotic fluid. That child develops memories in the womb that is carried into life at birth. 

Teaching and giving your kids sound nutrition will help them throughout their lives. And as always, example is the best teacher. If you want your kids to enjoy better health, eat healthy foods yourself. If you don't give them that knowledge , and help them develop a taste for a wide variety of foods, you are cheating them, and actually doing them harm.  And I suspect from the caliber of people on this site, that there is not a parent or grandparent in the group that wouldn't give their children and grandchildren every advantage in life that they could.

I wish I'd known what I know now, twenty years ago. I might not be diabetic if I had.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


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## licia

Don't we all wish we had known earlier.  Diabetes is on my side of the family, but I haven't been diagnosed even though I do have neuropathy in my feet. My dh was diagnosed a few months ago even tho he is not overweight nor does his family have any history of diabetes. We are both doing the carb counting as directed by his educator and exercising a lot.  I have lost 14 lbs and my bp was 116/60 which is down but I'm hoping to lose a few more lbs.


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## Erik

I am a type 2 diabetic with a weight problem...but I have lost nearly 60 lbs by exercising, and controlling what I eat. I take a medicine called Actos, and keep track of anything I eat.

I exercise 5 times a week using a dvd of "The Biggest Loser" work out. You can use a low impact workout available on there, it has done wonders for me...check it out.

I stay away from carbs if I can.


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## Corey123

kadesma said:
			
		

> Alix,
> Corey, might not need insulin if he is still producing his own. What happens is the cells become insulin resistant and don't do their job. We now have drugs that help increase the insulin our cells use. This along with a insulin stimulator such as amaryl which forces the pancreas to produce insulin usually get the job done. If Corey's doc is up on these meds he might suggest them, as time goes on the stimulator somethines can be lowered or dropped, once under tight control some are able to control with diet and exercise alone.
> Hang in there Corey, read, read, read,!!! And get a meter and strips and test for all your worth.
> 
> kadesma


 


Thanks for the help, guys!!

The doctor prescribed some Metformin, if any of you are familiar with that
kind.
Since he said that I'm just borderline (type 2) right now, this medicine should help keep the excess blood sugar under control.

No insulin shots are needed, nor do I need to check my blood sugar level on a daily basis. That will be done during office visits. 

He did however, recommend that I make an appointment to visit a Diabetes Center that's located near my hospital to get some curriculum on the disease and to find out about a diet and exercise program to lose weight and keep the sugar level under control. They may recommend a detection device themselves.

I can still drink alcohol he said, but only two drinks a day. Don't indulge too much into that, because alcohol has a very high sugar content - especially vodka, which is my favorite liquor.

I shudder to think about it, but I might have to drink diet soda as an alternative to regular soda. I'll know more as I go along. I DID buy a scale today to help keep track of my weight.


~Corey123.


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## kadesma

Corey123 said:
			
		

> Thanks for the help, guys!!
> 
> The doctor prescribed some Metformin, if any of you are familiar with that
> kind.
> Since he said that I'm just borderline (type 2) right now, this medicine should help keep the excess blood sugar under control.
> 
> No insulin shots are needed, nor do I need to check my blood sugar level on a daily basis. That will be done during office visits.
> 
> He did however, recommend that I make an appointment to visit a Diabetes Center that's located near my hospital to get some curriculum on the disease and to find out about a diet and exercise program to lose weight and keep the sugar level under control. They may recommend a detection device themselves.
> 
> I can still drink alcohol he said, but only two drinks a day. Don't indulge too much into that, because alcohol has a very high sugar content - especially vodka, which is my favorite liquor.
> 
> I shudder to think about it, but I might have to drink diet soda as an alternative to regular soda. I'll know more as I go along. I DID buy a scale today to help keep track of my weight.
> 
> 
> ~Corey123.


Corey,
I use to use metformin/glucophage, it worked really well after I was taken of Rezulin a cell enhancer that caused problems for some. The metformin works by slowing down the secretion of glucose into the blood stream from the liver. It can cause a tummy ache off and on for a week or two but it will cease and things will return to normal. It also can cause gas, but not bad, and it's well worth it as it does a great job. But I have to say this that testing your b/g levels is so important, that is how we learn about our bodies and how they react to meds and carbs, protiens in our diet..Leaving it to doctor visits only is not enough, how can we know where our levels are this way? How do we learn how much bread or rice to eat without testing? I really feel you need to talk to a diabetes educator about it..Course I'm a nut about it, but I've had wonderful HBA1c's the past 15 years and my endocrinologist had to admit it was all the testing that I've done..Sorry to get on the old soap box, but like I said I'm a nut about my blood pressure and testing   Good luck..I'm happy to help anyway I can.
kadesma


----------



## licia

DH has been testing his blood sugar daily at least and sometimes more. We are both doing the plan the diabetic educator gave us, he with 55 carbs or less a meal, me with 45 or less. I am still doing the water class and have lost 14 pounds since I've been going, but am planning to drop Curves and do the water class 5 days a week. I go early and get more exercise and swim some. I also have been swimming at home since the water got warm. I want to lose 20 pounds more, but it certainly isn't coming off as soon as I wanted. My bp has dropped to 116/60, so I'm hoping to come off the bp medication when I've made a little more progress. Will see.


----------



## Claire

I'm appreciating this thread ... hubby at this time has problems with wine and beer, but not distilled booze (look at the carb counts).  I think my biggest problem was addressed by a cousin of mine who I hadn't been in touch with for years.  She calls it "the diabetes uglies".  Anyone supportive of diabetics but not one themselves want to chime in there?


----------



## Corey123

kadesma said:
			
		

> Corey,
> I use to use metformin/glucophage, it worked really well after I was taken of Rezulin a cell enhancer that caused problems for some. The metformin works by slowing down the secretion of glucose into the blood stream from the liver. It can cause a tummy ache off and on for a week or two but it will cease and things will return to normal. It also can cause gas, but not bad, and it's well worth it as it does a great job. But I have to say this that testing your b/g levels is so important, that is how we learn about our bodies and how they react to meds and carbs, protiens in our diet..Leaving it to doctor visits only is not enough, how can we know where our levels are this way? How do we learn how much bread or rice to eat without testing? I really feel you need to talk to a diabetes educator about it..Course I'm a nut about it, but I've had wonderful HBA1c's the past 15 years and my endocrinologist had to admit it was all the testing that I've done..Sorry to get on the old soap box, but like I said I'm a nut about my blood pressure and testing Good luck..I'm happy to help anyway I can.
> kadesma


 


Thanks, but I DID mentioned that the doc told me to make an appointment to visit the Diabetes Center to try to learn more on what to eat in what amounts, what not to eat, diet and exercise, as well as keeping track of the glucose level in the blood.

The medicine alone is NOT enough, as you said. It's a start toward trying to bring the sugar level back down to mormal or near normal. But other stuff must follow.

Claire, my dear late brother had a similar problem like that, but it was beer & liquor. He had plenty of beer at home, but while he was out during the day, he would buy more beer and a 1/2 pint or pint of vodka or brandy.

He would then leave empty beer cans and small liquor bottles in just about every room in the house. His wife, his two sons, his brothers and sisters had lost him to a sad painful addiction of alcohol! The the medicine he was taking to supposed to bring the disease (diabetes) under control.

Also, his widow just told me over the weekend that he had superindulged in eating starchy foods and sweets!! 

We went through a lot of pain, sorrow & suffering being forced to lose him so tragically like that. We knew deep down that he was never going to stop. We just wanted him to cut back on his drinking, hoping that he would and things would be ok with him.

I don't think anyone cried more than his wife, his two sons from a previous marriage and myself. But at least he's not suffering now. He had a stroke, but I think it was when he went into a cardiac arrest that nailed him. Plus his liver was gone either from the excessive alcohol, the diabetes itself or a combination of the two.

He and our youngest brother were the only two brothers who were real close to me. I took care of them both when they were little. Just like my late broter's two boys. They remembered me for that and they never forgot it and they thanked me for it. I told them that their dad's passing is a lesson for everyone to try to keep themselves in check and to see their physicians on a reguar basis to make sure that everything is alright with them.


~Corey123.


----------



## licia

Claire, I don't know what you mean by the "diabetes uglies". I know there are some who are diabetic that think the rest of the world should change because they've been diagnosed.  My mother is an example of that. After she was diagnosed she seemed to think the rest of the family should always eat as she was supposed to (but even she didn't). If we had a family dinner and a dessert was taken, she asked if it was made with sugar. She hasn't followed her meal plans but is quite verbal about the fact that she is diabetic to everyone.  We've tried to keep our food much the same but eliminating the excess and really watching the carbs.  It is probably easier now than in the past since so many others are watching the carbs.


----------



## Corey123

Have you decided to cut back on starchy or floury foods like pasta, rice, potatoes, dried beans and bread?

I'm wondering if a low-carb diet is in order now, since those things don't seem to help diabetics win the war in keeping the disease down to a minimum.


~Corey123.


----------



## licia

Corey, I'm not sure to whom you were addressing your remarks, BUT, in my opinion the only way to really be serious about counting the carbs is to know what each food contains and make an educated decision on each one.  We  haven't totally eliminated any of those items, but they are now considered a very small part of our diet.  There are too many other things that are better for us and don't add up the carbs as quickly. I make my meal plan much different than in the past.  If we do have pasta, rice or potatoes, or even bread, it is only a small part of the meal. Serving sizes are very small in these foods so sometimes it isn't worth the trouble, but if it is something important, I include a small amount. No more big pasta dishes with garlic bread. If we do have any of that it is rarely and certainly very small proportions.  I like the way I feel after having eaten a healthier meal also, not that I don't ever miss some of the things, but have only a bit instead of a large portion. It seems to be working!


----------



## Corey123

Actually, I was talking to you in the last post.

But I've visited the American Diabetes Association's website and found out some interesting stuff.

Sweetners such as sugar, honey, molasses and such don't have to be completely shunned from one's diet. They can still be enjoyed as long as it's done in moderation and not overindulged.

Low-cal sweeteners such as Sweet & Low, Equal Twin and Splenda whenever possible.

Reduced fat, low-fat or skim milk may be consumed in normal amounts.

Of course, black coffee with nothing in it has zero caleries.

Starchy foods can still be eaten as long as they are eaten in small portions once a day and in moderation - not every day.

Fruits and vegetables are most recommended, but corn, potatoes, peas & beans are considered a starch.

Bread can still be eaten as long as it is whole grain.

Alcohol is limited to 2 drinks a day.

Water is essential to drink. Fruit 2-0 is said to be good.

Medication for the disease is taken with the main meal, but not while drinking
alcohol.

Fatty foods are out, lean meats are good. Fried foods out.

Margerine is not good because it is made with hydrogenated fats and oils, but butter is good in moderation, not every day though.

The same measures have to be taken when eating out as well.

This is like one having to re-invented healthy eating habits all over again. And learning how to curb or drastically reduce the bad stuff. I think I'm learning a lot of things on this disease. I wish my brother had done the same thing.


~Corey123.


----------



## Constance

Quite frankly, it wouldn't hurt any of us to follow these rules.


----------



## licia

Constance, that is certainly right. Too bad we don't see much need for change until it has the almost immediate potential for harming our health. The things presented in this thread are very helpful and I appreciate all who have contributed the information.


----------



## Corey123

Also, the American Diabetes Association offers a few cookbooks for sale on makiing healthy recipes. I think some of them are what we normally eat today, but with a few miner adjustments.

For those who still dream of having eggplant parm, which I still love and used to eat over spaghetti, a slice of toasted whole-grain bread can be substituted for the pasta.

Olive or canola oil still is good for sauteing veggies band making salad dressings because it has no saturated fats that would otherwise add calories. 

Tropical and palmseed oils are a no-no.

I was talking to a friend of mine yesterday who is also a diabetic. She told me that she had just made a heart-attack breakfast!! Do you all know what a heart-attack breakfast is? I'm sure that you do. It's fried or scrambled eggs, sausages, bacon and home fries, usually with toast as well. Sometimes, pancakes and or French toast is served with it also. Heart attack city!!

As everyone knows, that stuff is loaded with animal fat with produces cholesterol, and it also has a ton of salt. Guess I'll be eating fruit and cereal for breakfast from now on.

No more subs, pizza, pasta, rice, potatoes, corn, or dried beans for a while!


~Corey123.


----------



## Constance

I had an older friend who's husband had a really bad, hard to control type of diabetes. This was 30 years ago, and there weren't as many medications available as they are now.
Otto did well with Chinese food, though. These days, we have access to all kinds of Oriental foods, so there's an idea for you. If you go easy on portions, I don't think a little brown rice will hurt. 

There ought to be a way to make pizza for diabetics. I'm going to work on that one, as it is one of my daughters favorite foods.


----------



## Corey123

Not so much the tomato sauce on the pizza, but the crust is the main objection. I heard of a Sasarian crust (don't know if I'm pronouncing it right) pizza that supposed to have a lot less starch in the crust.

Is there any truth to that? Low-fat mozzarella can be used in place of regular
mozzarella though.


~Corey123.


----------



## Constance

Corey, I've seen pizzas with crust as thin as a cracker. I think if you go with that type, you should be OK. 
Tomato sauce does have some sugar in it. Some recipes call for spreading on tomato paste and sprinkling with your own seasonings.
Also, watch your toppings. Use ground turkey or turkey sausage for your meat. 
There are also all those wonderful California style pizzas that don't even use tomato sauce. You could just brush the top with garlic infused olive oil, top with slices of fresh tomatoes, low-fat cheese and fresh basil.


----------



## lulu

Corey123 said:
			
		

> The doctor prescribed some Metformin, if any of you are familiar with that
> kind.
> Since he said that I'm just borderline (type 2) right now, this medicine should help keep the excess blood sugar under control.
> 
> ~Corey123.



I used to take metformin for my Sydrome X and PCOS.  I thought it was excellent.  The good news for me isd that I am now able to me a little more active and control my diet more and I no longer need it, but its an ok drug.


----------



## Corey123

Actually, there IS a pizzaria in Providence on Federal Hill called Sicillia's.

And thedy do have a crispy-thin pizza crust which I like a lot. But I'm not sure of the amount of starch that's in the crust.

I've always made my own homemade tomato sauce or marinara, as it's sometimes called. So I can control what goes in it. I never did like premade spaghetti sauce. And it's shelf life is very short, so if you don't try to use it up within about six months, the taste is gone.

It doesn't spoil, it just loses it's flavor and taste, becoming very bland and tasteless!

And yes, ground chicken or turkey IS a more healthful alternative to regular hamburger. I just bought some ground beef two weeks ago, vacuum-sealed it and put it in the freezer. But I usually drain the fat from it after its cooked to cut the calories in it.

Sauce can also be made with no meat and used as a vegetarian sauce as well over spaghetti squash. I do this when I'm making veal or eggplant parm.


~Corey123.


----------



## Corey123

I went grocery shopping yesterday and picked up mainly fruits veggies, fuit-flavored water, 1% milk and diet soda.

No starches or sweets except for brown rice and low-cal sugar.
Not sure of the starch content that's in brown rice, but I heard that it's supposed to be the much healthier alternative to white rice.


~Corey123.


----------



## Lady C

Corey123 said:
			
		

> the starch content that's in brown rice, but I heard that it's supposed to be the much healthier alternative to white rice


White rice is bleached and the fiber is removed.  

Note that you will have to cook the brown rice longer and use a bit more water.  About 2-1/3 cups water to 1 cup rice.  Mine takes about 45 minutes in a rice cooker.


----------



## Corey123

That's the exact amount of cooking time the package says.

I think it's because of the hull that remains on each grain of the rice. It's kind of tough to soften, requiring a longer time to cook than with regular rice where the fiber is removed, like you said.


~Corey123.


----------



## licia

Also, fresh sliced tomatoes are great on a pizza instead of the sauce.


----------



## Corey123

Yeah, I've seen and heard that somewhere.

One thing that you want to avoid though, is stuffed pizza. Too much dough inside and it seems to raw to me!! 

I tried a baby one once and didn't like it at all!!!


~Corey123.


----------



## licia

Sorry, I didn't see all of Constance's post before posting about fresh tomatoes. My mistake! 40 lashes with a wet noodle!!!! I don't have to include that in my carbohydrate count, do I?


----------



## Corey123

Probably not.

The only discrenpancies with carbs come from starchy, fatty and sweet foods.


~Corey123.


----------



## kyles

licia said:
			
		

> Constance, that is certainly right. Too bad we don't see much need for change until it has the almost immediate potential for harming our health. The things presented in this thread are very helpful and I appreciate all who have contributed the information.



I started my healthy living thing 18 months ago because both my parents now have Type 2 diabetes. It kinda makes me laugh that I am living like a diabetic so I don't become one  , but that's what it boils down to. A diabetic eating plan should really be what we all eat, controlling our sugar and fat intake and concentrating on vegetables and fruits, and good sources of protein and carbohydrates.


----------



## licia

Tropicana has a juice that is 1/2 the sugar and 1/2 the calories.  I enjoy orange juice, but something in the diabetes papers said one cup of orange juice is like eating 8 oranges and that is a lot of sugar, even if it is natural. I picked up a carton of the reduced sugar and calorie juice and it is quite good.


----------



## Corey123

If you suddenly find yourself mistakingly indulging in that, simply drink as much water as you can immediately.

This helps to flush out the excess sugar through your urinary track before it has a chance to get into the blood stream. It will have you going to the bathroom a lot, but at least you'll get rid of unwanted sugars fast. Because the water dilutes the juice, making it less dangerous and helps to subdue the sugars in it.

At least this is what I was told.

I just forgot and had a small glass of orange juice myself, so I gotta do the same thing right away.

But I didn't know that there was orange juice with reduced sugar.


~Corey123.


----------



## Chief Longwind Of The North

Corey123 said:
			
		

> Also, the American Diabetes Association offers a few cookbooks for sale on makiing healthy recipes. I think some of them are what we normally eat today, but with a few miner adjustments.
> 
> For those who still dream of having eggplant parm, which I still love and used to eat over spaghetti, a slice of toasted whole-grain bread can be substituted for the pasta.
> 
> Olive or canola oil still is good for sauteing veggies band making salad dressings because it has no saturated fats that would otherwise add calories.
> 
> Tropical and palmseed oils are a no-no.
> 
> I was talking to a friend of mine yesterday who is also a diabetic. She told me that she had just made a heart-attack breakfast!! Do you all know what a heart-attack breakfast is? I'm sure that you do. It's fried or scrambled eggs, sausages, bacon and home fries, usually with toast as well. Sometimes, pancakes and or French toast is served with it also. Heart attack city!!
> 
> As everyone knows, that stuff is loaded with animal fat with produces cholesterol, and it also has a ton of salt. Guess I'll be eating fruit and cereal for breakfast from now on.
> 
> No more subs, pizza, pasta, rice, potatoes, corn, or dried beans for a while!
> 
> 
> ~Corey123.


 
A couple of corrections to be made here:

1. *For those who still dream of having eggplant parm, which I still love and used to eat over spaghetti, a slice of toasted whole-grain bread can be substituted for the pasta.*
If you use whole-grain pasta, you don't have to substitute. And there are some pretty good whole grain pasta types out there. I like the Hodgeson Mills brand.

2. Canola oil is controversial, with some saying it is truly evil, while others say it is like mana from Heaven. I use sunflower or safflower oil instead of canola. Olive oil is good as well, and there are other great oils. Look in some of the threads about healthy oils. And all oils are high in caloric content. The reason healthier oils are healthier, is they help control choleserol levels in the blood, and may add other essential nutrients to the diet.

3. In our house, we often make multi-grain pancakes, usually a combination of whole-wheat, buckwheat, and oatmeal. We use Splenda sweetener and replace the oil with apple sauce. For a leavening agent, we use double-acting baking powder. There is salt in them, but only 1/2 tsp. per cup of the flour mixture. And the single egg can be substituted with a yolk free replacement product, such as Egg Beaters. This will produce very tasty and healthy pancakes, depending on what you top them with.

4. Healthy pizza can be made by a using whole-grain flour, such as rye, which has a light flavor, instead of using processed bread flour. Top with veggies and lean but spicy meats and use herbs for flavoring. Use sharply flavored cheeses as you don't need to use as much to get good flavor. 

5. Legumes in general, beans, peas, lentils, etc. are foods a diabetic should eat. They are low in fat, high in protiens, nutrients and fiber. The starches are counteracted by the high fiber content that serves to slow the absorption of sugars into the bloodstream. Be careful what you flavor them with. I use Splenda and either mollases or maple/extract when making baked beans. If you are making a savory type of beans, such as bean soup, then limit the salt, but use enough for good flavor, or use salt substitutes, and use herbs and spices. And you would be amazed how much flavor is added by cooking them with a goo pork bone, with the fat removed of course, and adding some lean pork cubes to the mix.

Veggies such as beets, and carrots should be eaten in moderation as they contain a bunch of both simple and complex sugars (carbohydrates). Potatoes should be avoided. But you can eat sweet potatoes because of the high nutrition content and fiber. The same is true of most berries and fruits. Just don't over-indulge. Grapes and grape products (raisins and wines) are very high in sugars.

And watch the cereals. Many are suprizingly high in carbs, even though they may say they may claim to be healthy. They are often coated with, or made with either sugar, or high-fruictose corn syrup, and usually some added fat. So read the label.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


----------



## Claire

Husband was recommended to always eat fruit over drinking fruit juice, and that citrus wasn't the best.  It has been working so far.  Remember each individual is just that, individual.  Just because this is working for him doesn't really mean it will for you or yours.  His doctor is delighted with him (as am I; unlike most men I know he isn't blaming me when there is a sugar problem or when he cannot have something).


----------



## lulu

When I saw a dietician she advised me that the best fruit when watching sugar was fruit that grows best furthest from the equator....eg apples and pears of England over the sweeter oranges, mangos etc.  And part of the reason juice is less good is beacause you don't get the good fibre I think.

I am not even going to pretend I don't eat tropical fruits, I love them, but I do have more apples than anything else.  Their main other bonus for be is that they are easy to eat on the go and very portable!


----------



## Corey123

Goodweed of the North said:
			
		

> A couple of corrections to be made here:
> 
> 1. *For those who still dream of having eggplant parm, which I still love and used to eat over spaghetti, a slice of toasted whole-grain bread can be substituted for the pasta.*
> If you use whole-grain pasta, you don't have to substitute. And there are some pretty good whole grain pasta types out there. I like the Hodgeson Mills brand.
> 
> 2. Canola oil is controversial, with some saying it is truly evil, while others say it is like mana from Heaven. I use sunflower or safflower oil instead of canola. Olive oil is good as well, and there are other great oils. Look in some of the threads about healthy oils. And all oils are high in caloric content. The reason healthier oils are healthier, is they help control choleserol levels in the blood, and may add other essential nutrients to the diet.
> 
> 3. In our house, we often make multi-grain pancakes, usually a combination of whole-wheat, buckwheat, and oatmeal. We use Splenda sweetener and replace the oil with apple sauce. For a leavening agent, we use double-acting baking powder. There is salt in them, but only 1/2 tsp. per cup of the flour mixture. And the single egg can be substituted with a yolk free replacement product, such as Egg Beaters. This will produce very tasty and healthy pancakes, depending on what you top them with.
> 
> 4. Healthy pizza can be made by a using whole-grain flour, such as rye, which has a light flavor, instead of using processed bread flour. Top with veggies and lean but spicy meats and use herbs for flavoring. Use sharply flavored cheeses as you don't need to use as much to get good flavor.
> 
> 5. Legumes in general, beans, peas, lentils, etc. are foods a diabetic should eat. They are low in fat, high in protiens, nutrients and fiber. The starches are counteracted by the high fiber content that serves to slow the absorption of sugars into the bloodstream. Be careful what you flavor them with. I use Splenda and either mollases or maple/extract when making baked beans. If you are making a savory type of beans, such as bean soup, then limit the salt, but use enough for good flavor, or use salt substitutes, and use herbs and spices. And you would be amazed how much flavor is added by cooking them with a goo pork bone, with the fat removed of course, and adding some lean pork cubes to the mix.
> 
> Veggies such as beets, and carrots should be eaten in moderation as they contain a bunch of both simple and complex sugars (carbohydrates). Potatoes should be avoided. But you can eat sweet potatoes because of the high nutrition content and fiber. The same is true of most berries and fruits. Just don't over-indulge. Grapes and grape products (raisins and wines) are very high in sugars.
> 
> And watch the cereals. Many are suprizingly high in carbs, even though they may say they may claim to be healthy. They are often coated with, or made with either sugar, or high-fruictose corn syrup, and usually some added fat. So read the label.
> 
> Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


 


1. I had already suggested using whole-grain bread in place of pasta.

2. Also, if you want to curb the starch, as with frying the eggplant, you can just make rattatouli and have it over the pasta or whole-grain bread. It's pretty much a low-cal veggie version of the classic Italian meat sauce for spaghetti. 

Just cube the eggplant, summer squash and zuccini.

3. Watch the amount of starch in cereals as well. But if it's eaten in small amounts, it should be fine.

4. Starch and sugar can't be completely eliminated from the diet either. Like cholesterol, you need soome of it in your blood to avoid having the glucose level go too low, resulting in a dangerous level as well.

5. Potatoes can be eaten in small amounts and in moderation. The doctor told me this. If a baked potato is desired, it can be a small one.

6. And if one still craves the smoky flavor in dried beans or collard greens, smoked turkey wings or legs can be used. It gives a wonderful aroma and taste with about 2/3 less the fat and calories that are in smoked ham hocks.


~Corey123.


----------



## Ishbel

Goodness, Corey123, you sound like a convert. 

Some of us have been diabetic for years - we manage to curb our intake of carbohydrates - but I still eat pasta, I still eat fruits etc.  I just make sure that the portions are much smaller than the amounts that lots of others eat...   There's nothing forbidden to a diabetic.  Just eat well, in moderation.


----------



## Corey123

Thank you!! That's the key thing.

Everything in moderation. I'm getting most of this info from a friend of mine. She's been a diabetic for years. And she has to take insulin shots because her glucose level is low.

But at times, she tends to overdo it with the sweets and ends up sending the blood sugar level to the roof!!

I've also been checking out the ADA's website as well. I want to beat this thing or at least keep the sugar level stable to the point where it can be maintained at a safe level.

But once a person becomes a diabetic and gets the glucoes level back to normal, it does mean that he or she can go back to the old lifestyle of eating or drinking. They MUST maintain that good standard in order to avoid a relapse of the disease.

But some of that stuff I knew before I was diagnosed with the disease. What's a convert, BTW?


~Corey123.


----------



## Ishbel

Well sort of a born-again - full of enthusiasm, and thinking they have discovered something


----------



## Corey123

Actually, I DID discover something. And it DOES also make me feel born again. Because it's like getting a new lease on life.

That I was never more serious about changing my eating habits, exercising and losing weight than I am now. 

This is a wake-up call for all of us who used to indulge in eating fatty, sweet and starchy foods on a daily basis and not exercising!


~Corey123.


----------



## Constance

I went to the doctor last Tuesday, and he ordered a round of bloodwork and a chest x-ray. The nurse called me today and said that my triglycerides were 525, and my sugar was 281.  My potassium was also extremely low.
They called in scrips for Tricore, Glicotrol, and raised my dosage on the potassium. 
She was also insistant that I see the doctor next week, and passed me on to the receptionist, who made me an appointment for Tuesday. I hope it's not about the nasty looking chest x-ray...lungs are black. 

Looks like it's time to change my wicked ways.


----------



## kadesma

Constance said:
			
		

> I went to the doctor last Tuesday, and he ordered a round of bloodwork and a chest x-ray. The nurse called me today and said that my triglycerides were 525, and my sugar was 281.  My potassium was also extremely low.
> They called in scrips for Tricore, Glicotrol, and raised my dosage on the potassium.
> She was also insistant that I see the doctor next week, and passed me on to the receptionist, who made me an appointment for Tuesday. I hope it's not about the nasty looking chest x-ray...lungs are black.
> 
> Looks like it's time to change my wicked ways.


Connie, sounds like you have joined the ranks..Hopefully we can work to get those levels down. Glucotrol was what I was first put on and the first time I took it, which initself is trial and error, I was shopping with my daughter and had a low that knocked me to my knees, I got the hang of dosing by measuring what I ate and not taking the med if I didn't eat..Then new meds were put on the market and life became much easier. Tricore will help the triglicerides in no time..Let me know if I can help at all. Maybe next visit Doctor might give you an RX for one of the meds that helps your cells accept what insulin you make. I use one and it has reduced my having lows..The cell med by itself won't cause lows. Okay, you have enough on your mind. hang in there friend..I'm here is ya need me

kadesma


----------



## Constance

You're a good friend, Kadesma. What is it they say..."Good friends are flowers in the garden of life". 

Truthfully, my diet has been terrible lately. My husband has been doing most of the cooking, and he is big on the meat, starch and sweets. 

I also weigh more than I feel comfortable with. I've never had a doctor fuss about my weight, because I'm tall (5'8") and, even now, very solid from all the exercise I got in the greenhouse, landscaping, gardening and such that I did for so many years. 
But I will feel better if I lose 20 lbs.


----------



## kadesma

Constance said:
			
		

> You're a good friend, Kadesma. What is it they say..."Good friends are flowers in the garden of life".
> 
> Truthfully, my diet has been terrible lately. My husband has been doing most of the cooking, and he is big on the meat, starch and sweets.
> 
> I also weigh more than I feel comfortable with. I've never had a doctor fuss about my weight, because I'm tall (5'8") and, even now, very solid from all the exercise I got in the greenhouse, landscaping, gardening and such that I did for so many years.
> But I will feel better if I lose 20 lbs.


Thanks Connie,
you will be okay, losing a few lbs. will help that blood glucose come down..It sure did for me..Kim will get the hang of what you need, he's pretty samrt he picked YOU  

hugs,
kadesma


----------



## Corey123

Black lungs? Are you a smoker?

I hope there's no bad news and that everything shows up normal or negative.
Please keep us posted.


Corey123.


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## Constance

Yes, Corey, I've been smoking for 45 years. Also did a lot of damage to lungs in the greenhouse, due to exposure to chemicals, peat moss and vermiculite. 
I'm trying to quit, but it's hard.


----------



## Corey123

OMG!

Have you tried wearing the patch? I did for a few days , and I've been smoke-free for almost 12 years now.


~Corey123.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North

Constance said:
			
		

> I went to the doctor last Tuesday, and he ordered a round of bloodwork and a chest x-ray. The nurse called me today and said that my triglycerides were 525, and my sugar was 281.  My potassium was also extremely low.
> They called in scrips for Tricore, Glicotrol, and raised my dosage on the potassium.
> She was also insistant that I see the doctor next week, and passed me on to the receptionist, who made me an appointment for Tuesday. I hope it's not about the nasty looking chest x-ray...lungs are black.
> 
> Looks like it's time to change my wicked ways.



Connie, I just don't know what's going on.  So many people are diabetic now.  It truly is an epidemic.  I never knew the extent of the disease, or how many people had the condition until I was diagnosed with it.  I thought it was somewhat rare.  Now I know so many people with it.

And that smoking thing, well I don't need to say anything more about that.  Not being a smoker, but having a father who smoked almost until he died, and watching him try to kick the habit so many times, I know it's hard.  I have a son who smokes and he's tried to quit several time now.  I jsut don't understand why anyone in this day & age would start.  I understand how people in the 50s, 60s, and even the early 70s would start.  But everyone knows it's bad for you now.  I just don't understand.

But I will pray for you, that you will be given the strength to beat the tobaco, and control the blood chemistry.

Seeeeeyal Goodweed of the North


----------



## Corey123

It's now an epidemic.

The effort to get many people to see if they have the disease, or are at risk of getting it are astronomical.


~Corey123.


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## purrfectlydevine

Interesting thread!

Husband quit smoking about 8 1/2 years ago using Zyban.  FYI, it is the exact same drug as the anti-depressant Wellbutrin (available as a generic).  Insurance would not pay for Zyban, but would have paid for Wellbutrin.  It was money well spent, but if we could hsve paid less it wpuld have been nice.

He was diagnosed with diabetes 1 1/2 years ago.  He is on Metformin and Lipitor as high cholesterol and high triglycerides tend to go hand in hand with diabetes.  We both went to diabetes education classes.  He was given a diet, which he does not follow to the letter, but does follow the principles of it.  He spreads his carbs throughout the day, instead of having just 3 larger meals.  We learned that a serving of carbs is generally considered to be 12-18 grams.  It is better to eat fewer "white" carbs (eg. refined white flour, white sugar, white potatoes) and eat more veggies, whole fruits, pastas and breads that are whole grain.  He does watch what he eats and his control is very good.  He A1C is usually under 6.


----------



## Corey123

I'm also on Metformin.

It is taken during the main meal of the day.


~Corey123.


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## Dove

Same here Corey...
Dove


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## Constance

When I went back to the doctor Tuesday, I got some good news. He said my chest x-ray was normal. I don't get it...but the x-ray wasn't on the light board when I saw it, so perhaps I just didn't see it properly. 
I don't know, though. I have about decided that he's incompetent. He prescribed meds for the high triglycerides without noticing that I was already on Lopid, which I had been out of for a week before the tests...could have made a difference in the results. When I called today to ask if I should be taking both, they said, "Oh, No! Quit taking the Tricore!" 
I had also been questioning him for some time about my potassium. He had me on 1/4 the amount I used to take. I was having horrible muscle cramps, not only in my legs and feet, but also my sides and belly. The minute they increased the amount, the cramps quit. My seizures also seemed to have stopped. When I asked him if they could have been caused by the low potassium, he just stared at the chart and said he didn't think so. 

I do know I'm feeling much better. I have cut way back on the Carlton cigarettes (which are mostly air anyway), and have been eating much healthier.


----------



## Corey123

So glad to hear it!!

Hopefully soon, you can ween yourself off of smoking entirely. It's hard, I know. I quit twice.


~Corey123.


~Corey123.


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## purrfectlydevine

I'm on what is apparently a pretty large dose of potassium (Klor-Con, brand name K-Dur).  The bottle says M20 (they are huge) for the size of the tablet and I take 4 of them a day.


----------



## kfarrell

I don't confess to be an expert, but here's a little something I know. If your daughter looses her weight, her Diabetese may subside. There is a straign of Diabetes that is brought on by obese people. She is still young, if she acts now she may reverse the damage. I recommend a Low GI diet, you can find some great Low GI recipies which taste fantastic.

Sometimes I beleive things happen for the best, I would not wish Diabetes on anyone, but it is an eye opener, and one that can save larger peoples lives, as silly as that sounds.

She has no excuse now, if she continues with her current lifestyle, well you know the rest. She must know that now.

I wish her all the best.


----------



## Corey123

purrfectlydevine said:
			
		

> I'm on what is apparently a pretty large dose of potassium (Klor-Con, brand name K-Dur). The bottle says M20 (they are huge) for the size of the tablet and I take 4 of them a day.


 


I'm also on potassium, and the caplets are pretty large as well.


~Corey123.


----------



## Claire

I, personally, think the fact that diabetes is now an "epidemic" is the same reason that we're all on high blood pressure meds and high cholesterol meds.  Doctors have lowered the numbers because of pressure from the drug companies.  

That said, hubby is doing well.  All we did was take the food I was already cooking and move it around.  As I said, thank you Mom for teaching me right.

Every year they lower the numbers to make you sick when you are not.  BUT then, people died of old age once upon a time.  No one differentiates between having a heart attack at age 90 and having one at age 45 (high cholestoral!).  Having a stroke at 80 and having one at 25.  They all go into the same statistics.  Yes, more people have diabetes now than did 50 years ago ... maybe because no one knew they had diabetes 50 years ago.  They simply died of old age.  Heaven forbid!


----------



## Corey123

Diabetes is also the trigger point for other things to go wrong.

Like the liver, heart, eyes, and other internal organs. If one doesn't try to take care of himself or herself, some of their organs could eventually begin to shut down!! Then there's the possibility of sores on the feet that won't heal, causing an infection and the cahnce for gangerine to set in, thereby paying the way for amputation.

My brother (one of them) was a clear example of that. Had he survived the stroke that he had, the next thing would have been to try to get him a new liver, if that was at all possible. But he didn't do the right thing in the first place, so too much booze, starchy foods and sweets were his enemies.

He drank all day and every day, ate starchy foods and sweets all day and every day. That raised his blood glucose level to unspeakably dangerous levels. Too much of that stuff in the system helps set the stage for a stroke or other tragic reactions to occur.

And if we tried to get him to slow down, he would get angry with us, so we were pretty much helpless and couldn't get through to him.

Same thing with our mom. She had two strokes and didn't want to change her ways with the food she ate. The thing there was mainly heart disease and high cholesterol. 

The third stroke landed her back in the hospital and in a diabetic coma from which she never regained conciousness. She died in her sleep, but just a month before she did, doctors had diagnosed her with diabetes.


!Corey123.


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## Constance

Thank you for the encouragment, Corey. 

Kfarrell, after a few weeks on her diet, without medication, my daughter went back to the doctor, and her sugar has returned to normal. But the episode gave her quite a scare, and she is continuing with her healthy diet. She has lost 15 lbs, which is a good start. As you say, sometimes things happen for the best.

In my own case, I think my biggest problem is alcohol. I started drinking in the late afternoons to kill pain, so I could move around and enjoy cooking supper. But I got to drinking big slugs of peppermint schnapps along with my beer, and the amounts kept increasing. I'd been on a pretty good toot the night before I had the bloodwork done, and I'm sure that had a lot to do with the results.
So the scare has been the best thing for me, too. I have cut my alcohol intake drastically, and I feel much better.

Purrfect, I'm taking the same kind of potassium, but only 1-1/2 tablets a day. You're right, they are huge. The only way I can get them down is to give them a chew and wash them down with a glass of water.


----------



## Corey123

Constance said:
			
		

> Thank you for the encouragment, Corey.
> 
> Kfarrell, after a few weeks on her diet, without medication, my daughter went back to the doctor, and her sugar has returned to normal. But the episode gave her quite a scare, and she is continuing with her healthy diet. She has lost 15 lbs, which is a good start. As you say, sometimes things happen for the best.
> 
> In my own case, I think my biggest problem is alcohol. I started drinking in the late afternoons to kill pain, so I could move around and enjoy cooking supper. But I got to drinking big slugs of peppermint schnapps along with my beer, and the amounts kept increasing. I'd been on a pretty good toot the night before I had the bloodwork done, and I'm sure that had a lot to do with the results.
> So the scare has been the best thing for me, too. I have cut my alcohol intake drastically, and I feel much better.
> 
> Purrfect, I'm taking the same kind of potassium, but only 1-1/2 tablets a day. You're right, they are huge. The only way I can get them down is to give them a chew and wash them down with a glass of water.


 


Thank you, but OMG!!!

Be very careful with Peppermint Schnapps. That stuff is loaded with sugar,
as is other flavors of Schnapps!! The beer isn't so bad as long as you drink two a day.

But I'm glad that you saw the light and have cut down. Three cheers to your daughter, since she managed to lose some weight and get her glucose level back to normal!! 

And yes, it's very good that she is staying with her healthy eating!! Once a person gets diabetes and starts eating healthy, loosing weight, checking blood glucose levels twice daily and other things, in order to prevent a reappearance of the disease, that healthy way of their lifestyle MUST be maintained.

For the first time since I was diagnosed with diabetes almost three weeks ago, I had a whole small pizza last night! But with once major change. Instead of the usual flour-dough crust, I had a low-carb Seryain crust pizza.

Same toppings, but less carbs and starch in the crust. And it was good!! I enjoyed it. Also, I've been eating a salad every day. And water? Hmmph, forget about it! I try to drain the faucet at times. I've never drank this much water in God knows how long!!

If there's water to be had, I'll find it! I drink more water than anything else.


~Corey123.


----------



## licia

I'm glad to see so much information in this thread. I haven't been diagnosed, but have neuropathy in my feet and it seems that is sometimes a precursor to diabetes. I agree that it seems the medical profession is trying to scare us to death with many of their proclamations. I never know what is true and what is for profit, but that seems to be the world  these days, the news, medicine, everything.  I suppose we will all die of stress from all of the stuff we are trying to work out. It seems "moderation in all things" may be the right way to go. We don't have to give up everything forever, but eat the special things in much smaller amount and much less often and don't let it lead us to going back to eating the old ways.  We do know what is good for us and have to work with that.


----------



## purrfectlydevine

Corey, I'm unfamiliar with the pizza crust you mentioned.  Can you give me any infor about it?


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## Corey123

It's just Siryan bread (not sure if I'm even spelling it right) which is made like a flat tortilla and is very thin.

It's been said to have less starch and more of a whole grain fiber. Most of the regular flour has been eliminated, making for a more healthier better bread.

I believe that it's already pre-baked. The sauce and cheese along with other toppings are put on and heated in the oven.


~Corey123.


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## Claire

I believe it is spelled Syrian.  Here we would not be able to get it, but you need to look at various types of flat breads and buy one with the right carb count for you.  Look at flour tortillas, pitas, etc.  All make a good pizza.


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## Corey123

Yes, that's how it's spelled! Thank you.

I've seen a commercial on TV about whole-grain tortillas, but the blasted supermarket where I shop doesn't have it yet.

The bread is new, and I've been trying to get it.


~Corey123.


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## licia

Corey, I'd think most everything would be available in Boston supermarkets. If not, ask for it. Probably someone else would like it too. I've found the things I ask for are usually very popular with other shoppers.


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## Corey123

Thank you.


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## marmalady

I'm gonna jump in here w/some suggestions - I know nothing aobut diabetes, but have done tons of research on low carb and also high protein foods, for my son.  Some things I've found - 

- re the 'whole wheat pasta' - Barilla is now making some whole wheat pastas that rock!!!  

-most of the vegetarian meat subs - aka Morningstar Farms, Boca, Quorn, Tofurkey; are pretty good; low in carbs, high in good proteins.

- Corey - re your 'diet soda' blues, try Diet-Rite and Fresca.  They're both a big hit in our house.

- also for Corey - can't remember the name of it, but there used to be a big 'natural foods' supermarket in Cambridge; they should have all the whole wheat tortillas and such for your pizzas.

And for all of you - This thread has to be one of the best, most informative, most supportive ones I've seen here on these boards!  You all are doing an absolutely wonderful job educating each other and supporting each other - keep up the good work!


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## Corey123

Thank you.

I don't have a problem eating veggie subs. It's the bread that I can't have too much of, so maybe a small sub and a small salad might work. I've practically turned vegetarian, eating very little meat except for grilled lemon chicken breast.

And speaking of whole wheat pasta, I DID however, pick up some Ronzoni whole wheat noodles and thin spagetti. It's said to be more healthier than regular pasta. More fiber as well. The noodles have no egg yolk, just the whites.

I've also been enjoying Greek salad as well. Never knew that it tasted so good. Watch the amount of feta cheese though. It can be a bit too salty. I only like a little piece put on. And some low-cal Ranch dressing.

I'm having a completly vegetarian dinner tonight that I made myself entirely from scratch, no meat - eggplant parm with some whole wheat noodles. 


~Corey123.


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## Claire

One thing I've learned since hubby was diagnosed is that diabetic diet isn't low carb, it is controlled carbs.  He doesn't eat less carbs, but he has to balance them through the day.  Jerrry says he never ate so much fruit as he has in the past year.  I'd say that was the biggest difference in his diet (I always loved fruit)  Now he practically sets his clock and goes to the fridge for a cup of fruit (in the winter, an apple or pear).  He has been so good about it.  I use a measuring cup as a scoop so that he gets his full cup at supper, and half cup at lunch.  But, as I said, my mom taught me well, and there just isn't too much of a change.


----------



## Corey123

That' just like the starches and sweets.

Doctors don't suggest that you try to eliminate them completely from your diet, but they DO suggest that you try to maintain control of them and not let them get too high or too low in your blood. Which all amounts to sugar in the first place.


~Corey123.


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## Constance

Corey, I've been doing some reading on this, and the way I understand it is that the whole grains are complex carbs, which the body breaks down over a longer period of time. Thus, you're not flooded by a sudden burst of glucose.


----------



## Lady C

Constance said:
			
		

> whole grains are complex carbs, which the body breaks down over a longer period of time. Thus, you're not flooded by a sudden burst of glucose.


All veggies and whole grains are complex carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates are usually fruit juices, sugars and syrups.

What makes white flour (or rice, or pasta, etc.) so bad is all of the fiber and good nutrients are removed during processing, then some of the vitamins are added back in. Since they are highly processed they become less complex or easier to digest. They then react similar to a simple carbohydrate in your system. I call these starchy carbohydrates vs. veggies which are still complex carbs but rarely have the same effect on the body as they are digested.

I would not recommend removing starchy carbohydrates (breads, pastas, rice, potatoes) from your diet just eating them in moderation. I am not diabetic but have worked in the industry where we treat those affected by the disease. I have since changed the way I eat. I have switched to a rice medley that is fabulous. It is a mixture of brown rice, black japaconda, and wild rice. I mix it dry then measure it out and cook it in a rice cooker. Eating these starchy carbs with some lean protein will also slow down the insulin response in the body.

The other most significant change I have made is eating more lean protein (little to no red meats). I was almost vegetarian before but I had brittle hair, nails and constant stomach issues. After increasing my protein to approx 20% of my intake all of these issues have disappeared.


----------



## licia

Since dh was put on a controlled carbohydrate way of eating we use a lot less bread, but when we do have a sandwich I get the really thin sliced bread (be sure to check the carbs on those also). It is even good for toast. The biggest problem I have is finding it. Many stores don't carry it at all. Certainly with something in such epidemic proportions, there should be a lot of food coming on the market for them.


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## Corey123

Yes, and oatmeal is another good source of fiber. It's also quite starchy, but it tends to travel through the digestive system rather fast, thereby not being able to break down so readily and letting loose the starch into the blood stream.

I think also, that wild rice is also a good thing, since it seems to have some kind of hulll on the outside of each grain.

You're right, LadyC! We can't just eliminate starch from the diet altogether. We can only control it, which DOES mean eating it in small amounts and in moderation so that it doesn't get out of hand and cause the glucose level to reach dangerous levels either way - up or down.


~Corey123.


----------



## Claire

I aim for bread that is 13-15 carb units per slice. My husband's doctor is VERY impressed. I guess most people have more trouble with this. Anyway, you'll see me at the grocery store, reading labels to get the right number of carbs. He eats one slice of toast in the morning. Then if he's having a sandwich, he gets two slices of bread for lunch or 3 (1 1/2 sandwiches) for dinner. Our local grocery's regular bread (baked I think at their Wisconsin store) has just the right counts. When this started we tried to do that whole grain thing, but are big believers in flavor, plus some of the whole grain products are so carb heavy that you don't get to eat enough to fill you up. I agree that Barilla's pastas in the yellow package are great and nutritious. I could live on their angel hair. But I'm not the one with a problem. I make rice, pasta, or potato for supper (1 cup of rice, 1 cup of pasta, or 1 medium potato) most days. I was raised to be a salad nut, and I doubt a day every went by when I haven't had some sort of salad. Since he got the "wake-up-call" my husband (of 25 years) has truly learned to appreciate my healthy-eating habits!

I think the greatest advantage is that neither of us has a sweet tooth.  I have a package of splenda in the pantry, but don't even use that much.  About 10 years ago a young (at the time 4 years old) friend of ours was diagnosed with diabetes.  Her mom commented on how great it was that we had good stuff for her to eat.  She thought we'd gone out of our way to avoid sugar for her!  Now she's a teenager, and made a point of talking to my husband about diabetes (she has also testified before congress on the subject of juvenile diabetes).  What a gal!


----------



## licia

We don't eat much rice anymore.  A cup has 45 grams of carbohydrate and DH is allowed up to 55 so it doesn't seem worth it to spend almost all of them on one item.  I certainly don't enjoy food shopping as much as before but sticking to almost all fresh food, it makes it a bit easier to keep up with the count.  This has truly been a different experience for both of us.


----------



## Constance

I love Sara Lee whole wheat bread. It has 13 grams of carbs per slice, and 70 calories, 10 from fat. They make several different whole grain breads, including a white one that the kids or a picky husband will eat.


----------



## Corey123

If you eat a bowl of either Special K, shredded wheat, Wheaties or Grape Nuts with 4 ounces of skimmed or 1% milk for breakfast and lunch and just eat your regular dinner in the evening for 2 weeks, you could lose up to 10 pounds!!

I just did it, but I don't want to lose the weight too fast. I lost 10 pounds so far, and now my goal is to lose 70 pounds possibly before or by year's end.

This should hopefully put my blood glucose level back to normal range and help get rid of the borderline diabetes.


~Corey123.


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## kfarrell

Corey123 said:
			
		

> If you eat a bowl of either Special K, shredded wheat, Wheaties or Grape Nuts with 4 ounces of skimmed or 1% milk for breakfast and lunch and just eat your regular dinner in the evening for 2 weeks, you could lose up to 10 pounds!!



Congratulations Corey 

You must get hungry during the day though? I've read Apples have chemicals in them that promote weight loss. Maybe we can munch on them between meals. Not before bed though, as those same chemicals make us stay awake. 

http://www.weightlossforall.com/benefits-eating-apples.htm


----------



## Corey123

Thank you!

I eat either a low-cal low-seet granola bar, some trail mix or a piece of fruit between meals.

Also, I drink plenty of water, which also helps to flush the kidneys of any impurities and keeps me from being tempted to eat any junk food - which I've stopped eating altogether!

In place of a soda, I'll buy a bottle of water. And drink it straight down as if it were a soda!! I just can't seem to get enough water at times! But it's good for you and better than drinking something sweet all the time!!! And when I DO buy any soda, it's diet soda.

No more cake, donuts, candy, sweets, snack cakes, regular soda, sugary juices, honey buns, potato chips, corn curls or balls or any of that stuff!!


~Corey123.


----------



## VegasDramaQueen

_This is a fascinating and very informative thread.  It is also very timely for me since 2 months I was notified by my oncologist's nurse that my blood test showed a reading of 302.  I have NEVER had a problem with my sugar but my doctor, after getting the report from the nurse, said that since I was on Prednisone for gout, that may cause my blood sugar level to rise.  He took me off the Prednisone and 4 days later I had a reading of 188.   Doc put me on Avandaryl and it did the job.  My level was read at 82 and 84 for two days.   I got off the Avandaryl in hopes of getting something cheaper and Doc put me on Glucovance which I have yet to take.   I wanted to be sure that my sugar lever was really high and not just some fluke because of the Prednisone before I started taking pills I may not need.  I got a prescription for a  glucose test kit and my sugar levels are reading 106, 105, and 111 during the day.   First thing in the morning I take a reading after a 14 hr. fast and it reads 142 and 143.   Is this high???_
_I am in Michigan for the summer and my doctor is in Las Vegas where I live so it's difficult to talk to him over the phone._
_I eat  very little sweets, no doughtnuts, cake, pie, cookies but I live on fruits, melons and berries.   I love pasta (and by the way,  there is NO substitute for pasta Goodweed LOL) but only eat it once a week now._
_What are some foods that I should be eating?  What to avoid other than pasta and other starches??  Is my sugar level considered too high at a fasting reading of 142????  I have not been diagnosed as diabetic, but this sounds serious enough so I want to avoid becoming diabetic.  _


----------



## Corey123

Yes, according to what a friend of mine told me, a reading of 124 or 143 IS high, and puts you in the danger zone!

Anything below 65 is also the danger zone. Weight, sugar level, eating habits such as starches and sweets all are roads to getting or having diabetes.

This also puts you in the borderline catagory, like me, if your doc ever tells you that you have it.


~Corey123.


----------



## Lady C

Drama Queen said:
			
		

> _What are some foods that I should be eating? What to avoid other than pasta and other starches?? Is my sugar level considered too high at a fasting reading of 142???? I have not been diagnosed as diabetic, but this sounds serious enough so I want to avoid becoming diabetic. _


Lots of fresh frutis & veggies and whole (unprocessed) grains.  Each meal should have a veggie/fruit and a protein source.

Increasing your activity will also help in reducing your chance of becoming diabetic.  Daily exercise will help burn excess calories.


----------



## Claire

For hubby it has been more about balancing the carbs and choosing better carbs, not elminating them.  In fact for him it hasn't even been reducing them.  Just making better choices and spreading them through the day.


----------



## Corey123

Yes, with diabetes, you gotta try to learn how to exchange some things for the other in order to keep your system evenly balanced.

Do well, and you can cheat a little bit now and then. For instance, if you want pasta, you have to give up bread, sweets, or vice versa.

The other day, my blood glucose level was kind of dangerougly low - in the 50s, so I had to deliberately eat something sweet to get it back up out of the danger zone - and it worked!!


~Corey123.


----------



## Claire

Hubby has not had to give up pasta.  I use a measuring cup to serve it and he can have one cup for dinner, or a half-cup for lunch.  That means no bread with the meal, no wine or beer, and no desert, but he's happy to choose the pasta over the bread or desert.  Luckily he isn't a sweets lover anyway.  As we learned with the attack of the killer wasps, many meds wreak havoc with the blood sugar levels.  When they pumped him full of adrenalyn and steroids the numbers went ballistic.  But it beats death!  LOL.  

DQ, hubby has gout as well.  Takes alopurin every day to keep it at bay.  

One thing that as you age  you have to recognise is you simply cannot follow a restricted died for every thing that is wrong with you.  Some things are bad for gout/arthritis, some for cholesterol, some for blood pressure, etc.  You wind up having to make decisions.  You have to have a life, and as you can tell from my posts, food is a big part of ours and we're not willing to become cattle and just eat grass.  We give the diabetes priority because the day hubby needs to take shots is the day my life goes to @#**.


----------



## Corey123

Which is why your husband MUST try to maintain his blood glucose level at safer readings, take his medicine if he's on any, and keep his sugar level evenly balanced - to avoid having to take insulin shots.

If it begins to slide either way, it could push him into dangerous levels of either too high or too low! And if it stays there, then his doctor is going to put him on insulin shots. That is the only thing left that can be done, I think.

But nonetheless, I still wish you and him a healthy happy life and lifestyle!


~Corey123.


----------



## silvercliff_46

Just wanted to say Hi to all you sweethearts out there. I have type II diabetese and have had it about ten years. This spring my G.P. sent me to an Endocrinologist (diabetes specialist), when it became a fight to keep my blood sugar under 200.

I have been put on a low carb diet, but they haven't bothered me with the low fat thing YET!

I have tried the jicama fries which I didn't care for. They seemed quite tough. Zucchini potatoe pancakes were ok and faux mash wasn't bad at all.

I have some recipes which are low carb and quite good if you would like them like them.

I am sure I can do this, but it isn't easy and there is a lot to learn and relearn.

By the way they did tell me that a teaspoon of cinnamon enhances the action of the insulin. I don't know if Cassia has the same result (no it's not the same)?


----------



## Claire

Biggest change for hubby has been that cup of fruit twice a day.  This time of year it is not difficult, in the winter trying to get something and not be boring can be  ... welll, yawn.  I have a young friend (16 I think) who is a type one and she cheers my husband on.  I can remember when she was very young, and she was always good about eating that apple twice a day ... even if they were mealy, even if they weren't great, even when you're bored stiff.  Hubby takes inspiration from her, and his numbers are great as a result.  As I've said  before, it helps a lot that I was raised to "cook and feed" healthy.  Too much, but all of it good.  When the aforementioned young lady was diagnosed, her mother thanked me and my mom for the fact that we make great food for diabetics.  We were just cooking the way we always do.  I do wish I could get us into whole grain pastas and brown rice, but at some point you have to draw the line.  But I am very, very happy that my husband has learned to love the three things he had to add to his diet (a cup of fruit at around 10 a.m., another at 3 p.m., and three triscuits with peanut butter before he goes to bed).  It is ironic that he had to add food to his diet and lost weight.  I have some cute ceramic measuring spoons that look like vegetables that I have hanging as decorative accents.  Since we now use a measuring cup to get him the right amount of starch for meals, we're going to start using them for serving spoons.


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## Dove

We would love to have your recipies Silvercliff and thank you in advance.
Dove


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## cjs

What a wonderful and informative thread this is!!! My youngest son has juvenile onset diabetes, his biological father was diagnosed with diabetes a couple years later, and just recently my daughter has been diagnosed with this also!!

She is on DisussCooking now and I know she is learning so much from all of you - I wish she would share some of the things she has recently learned. She too, was very depressed when she was diagnosed, but she also got hit in the face with high blood pressure and a few other things that just knocked her for a loop - at the same time!

I'm happy to say she is really coming to terms with all the changes she has to and is making in her life. A big part of her mental attitude, I sure of as anything, has been being able to read all of your posts - what you all are going thru and the great ideas you are offering. 

So...as her mother, you have no idea how much I thank you for all you are doing.


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## licia

It was amazing to me to find that many people don't know they are diabetic until they are hit broadside with another illness. We met a man in the cardiologist's office who had his leg amputated and had only learned he was diabetic when he had extreme pain in his leg. Many more suffer heart attack, stroke, eye problems.  We truly must be the keeper of our own health since it seems doctors don't look out for us like in the past.


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## New Cook

Mr Corey123,
THANK-YOU, THANK-YOU, your information has helped me so much, I was recently diagnosed and it's been so overwhelming I knew a little bit about how things would change since I have a couple of family members with it but oh boy this food exchange thing has had me so challenged and then top it with learning "good carbs" from "bad carbs" it's definately been an eye opening experience and I felt I really needed to tell you how so much very you have helped me through this , again THANK YOU  to you and other posts on this topic


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## Corey123

You're so welcome!! Glad to have helped you!


~Corey123.


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## silvercliff_46

I guess I can't really complain. My team(Doctor, nurse, nutritionist) have me on 60 carbs per meal. How I choose to use them up, is up to me (except sugar).

I really miss sweets though. I had two grandmas of Austrian/Yugoslavian descent, and they both looked like _(when you got hugged you almost got smothered)_and cooked like it. 

Along with the noodles, and dumplings came the strudel, torts, cakes, pie (sigh!) etc. All home made, all great, and everyday. 

Buuuuuuuuut! whatca' gonna do.

I am working on a cream cheese brulee in meringue shells that I have in my files. I tweaked it to sugar free. Once I try it to see how it works, I will post it (if it's good) 

I guarantee it AIN"T fat free or low cal though.


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## scott123

Hey Dennis, how many sweeteners you putting in that brulee of yours?


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## silvercliff_46

Splenda to begin with, but when the others get here I will try the others.


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## Corey123

silvercliff_46 said:
			
		

> I guess I can't really complain. My team(Doctor, nurse, nutritionist) have me on 60 carbs per meal. How I choose to use them up, is up to me (except sugar).
> 
> I really miss sweets though. I had two grandmas of Austrian/Yugoslavian descent, and they both looked like _(when you got hugged you almost got smothered)_and cooked like it.
> 
> Along with the noodles, and dumplings came the strudel, torts, cakes, pie (sigh!) etc. All home made, all great, and everyday.
> 
> Buuuuuuuuut! whatca' gonna do.
> 
> I am working on a cream cheese brulee in meringue shells that I have in my files. I tweaked it to sugar free. Once I try it to see how it works, I will post it (if it's good)
> 
> I guarantee it AIN"T fat free or low cal though.


 


I truly feel for you. But even though homemade deserts taste good, and they are always tempting to try, they are considered very dangerous because they have an extremely high sugar content - not to mention any white flour that is used to make cakes, pastries, etc.. 

I hope that you can find a way to curb your appetite for so many sweets, or at least use low-cal sweetners as you suggest. 

My glucose level shot up to a whopping 194 yesterday, and I had to work peeverishly to get it down by drinking a ton of water!! I managed to get it back down. I think I was drinking more than usual this past weekend with a dear friend who is an alcoholic. Bad mistake! 

But it was the weekend, and since he wasn't obligated to participate in his program over the weekend, he decided to get loose and have a few. He knows that I'm a diabetic and that I'm limited to at least two drinks a day. 


~Corey123.


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## silvercliff_46

Gee there are times I wish I was at 192. I get epidural shots for lower back pain (I shattered three vertebra awhile back). I shoot up to 400 or better, takes about a quart of insulin or so and it comes back down again. 

Your right in what your saying though. I have to say it was easier to give up a thirty year two pack a day cigarette habit then pass on a piece of strudel though.

I guess i better keep reading my bible eh!_ devil:_ _readin' it's one thing bub!,  I know, I know) (tsk. tsk.)_


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## Corey123

I had my eyes dilated and examined for glasses today at the Joslin Diabetes Clinic.

The eye doctor told me that I have the start of a mild case of cateracts! He said there's nothing that can be done right now, that they have to come in fully, or somewhat more progressive before they can be surgically removed.

And that only one eye at a time can be done, at that!!


~Corey123.


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## silvercliff_46

I'm a happy camper today. 

I went to my Endocronologist and they said I dropped my A.C. from 8.3% to 6.7% in the last 2 months. They were all happy and my reaction was "Duh! Yuh!". I am still not sure what the A.C. stands for, but I guess it is a base line for your blood sugars and really important. Any how I got a _lotta "atta boys",_ all around_._ 

By the way, I think they were going to rip me a new one about my cholestrol, because I eat a ton of eggs, butter, and stuff. My cholestrol came back at 96 yeah NOT 196 but 96!!!!

Score one for the FAT GUY    

I want to thank those of you who helped show me how to do it especially you Scotty.


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## kadesma

Way to go Silvercliff..An HBA1c tells your endo and you what your Blood glucose is averaging each day for the last 3 months. To drop that much is fantastic...keeep up the good work

kadesma


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## licia

An eye doctor told me that almost any of us will have cataracts if we live long enough. I'm glad they have ways to take care of it now.


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## scott123

Dennis, that's wonderful news. Congratulations.

Your consumption of animal fat and ensuing cholesterol count runs contrary to conventional thinking, doesn't it?


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## silvercliff_46

The truth is I am on a cholestrol medicine.  I was a bit high before, but my doctor found the RIGHT medication for ME.

There are a ton of meds out there for darn near everything, but what the doctor has to do is find the RIGHT one for YOU!  My Endocronoligist found the right combination of meds and diet and down went the blood sugar numbers.  It's not always YOU, sometimes a stubborn doctor won't move from there original stand.

It takes both you and the doctor.  If your following their advise and nothing is happening, and they won't alter the plan, change doctors.  After all YOUR paying for it, and through the nose too!


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## Claire

Thank heaven hubby does NOT have a sweet tooth!  And yes, he has cholesterol and blood pressure meds, had a wasp episode last year (the adrenalyn they gave him shot the blood sugar into the stratosphere), and daily meds for gout and arthritis.  Getting old isn't for sissies.  The thing is, he's really healthy!

I don't see that it has been mentioned lately so will bring up an old one.  Daily exercise of some sort really, really, really helps stabilize the numbers.  When he's down with a cold or something or the weather is bad, he can see it in his numbers.


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## silvercliff_46

AHHH! The golden years. Gold in your teeth (if you have any), silver in your hair, and lead in your.....,mad: watch it! okay, okay.) _Maybe they should call them the ATOMIC! years? _

I really think the golden years means it takes a lot of gold to keep going. 

Your right though, the key to it all is exercise.


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## licia

I know we are both doing better since we have increased our exercise. Since I don't go to the gym on Tuesdays, I went out to take a swim and exercise in the pool. Some kind of bird (dh said he thought it was a bluejay) squawked violently at me and swooped over like I was in his territory. I don't know if he wanted a drink, a swim or what his/her problem was, but I stayed as long as I wanted and it never came back. Isn't it too late in the year for babies in the nest?


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## lulu

My friend's 14 yr old son has gone into hospital today.  His leels are very high, I don't know what, and he is taking more than double the insulin they predicted he would need.   

In hospital his levels have dropped today but she is very worried.


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## kadesma

lulu said:
			
		

> My friend's 14 yr old son has gone into hospital today. His leels are very high, I don't know what, and he is taking more than double the insulin they predicted he would need.
> 
> In hospital his levels have dropped today but she is very worried.


Lulu, of course she is worried, that's what mom's do   And she should be.
one of the first things my endo told me was that teens tend to "fudge" about their blood glucose readings..They don't want to be different so when the gang has ice cream, they do to, so they shoot up more often or tend to use a lot more insulin than is prescribed. If the levels are coming down under supervision, then his problem is probably using more than he is told to, to counter the affects of to many carbs.Or it just could be he wasn't given enough insulin units to balance his blood glucose. He is probably scared to death as is his mom, but the doctors should be able to get him under control and prescribe the right amount of units for him.
wishing him the best,
kadesma 

kadesma


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## purrfectlydevine

Was on vacation and this has been a busy place.  Kadesma is right, Moms are supposed to worry.  She's also right about teens and their habits.  In addition, so many things can upset the balance.

Congrats on the A1C level silvercuff.  The cholesterol thing apparently goes with diabetes, at least for some people.  The year he was diagnosed with diabetes he was also put on cholesterol med.  Had to try a few until we found one that works without nasty side effects.

Corey, I'm not sure how it is for a diabetic, but my mom had cateract surgery about 10 years ago (she was 70) and it wasn't too bad.  She had one eye done in December and the other in January.  As I recall she had minimal restrictions.

For your home baked goodies, I use whole wheat flour to replace some of the white flour in quick bread type goodies and splenda for part of the sugar and nobody complained.  I also used egg substitute for the eggs and applesauce for the oil too.  The finished product needs to be refrigerated.  If you have lots I would suggest freezing because it doesn't keep as well as the regular version in my opinion.  Next time I'm goint to make half of the recipe.


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## silvercliff_46

This is a nice thread.  It is nice to talk about things that others can relate to.


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## Corey123

Yes, very much so!!

And I'm so glad that you are now on the road to getting your cholesterol level down!! Keep up the good work.

I take Garlique - one pill a day to keep mine under control. Mine was 210, up from 175.


~Corey123.


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## BrianMorin

Corey123 said:
			
		

> No insulin shots are needed, nor do I need to check my blood sugar level on a daily basis. That will be done during office visits.



There are a few things I do to keep my glucose levels down, two of these are: 



I eat a fair amount of cinnamon - at least 1 tablespoon full - every day. And/or I drink a very strong tea of a cinnamon extraction. I also use fresh cinnamon, although the lab reports say you don't need to. Cinnamon has been shown to reduce blood sugar.


I also infuse Chinese licorice root to drink as a tea, I usually put the two together, along with other various and sundry herbs and/or teas, so I can drink it all together. The Chinese licorice had an element in it that helps balance the blood sugar.  




			
				Corey123 said:
			
		

> I can still drink alcohol he said, but only two drinks a day. Don't indulge too much into that, because alcohol has a very high sugar content - especially vodka, which is my favorite liquor.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ~Corey123.



Everyone should stay away from certain foods, but diabetics are even more susceptible to the ravages of the following foods and maybe more. Any kind of refined sugar, coffee, cigarettes (smoking of any kind), pot, cocaine, alcohol in any quantity. If you decide not to avoid these foods in your life, especially in any kind of quantity and regularity, diabetic or not, there is a price to pay. Depending on your constitution and the regularity in which you use these substances, determines there effect. 

Oh one last thing, the difference between type I diabetes and type II are so great, that they are not even the same disorder. Live long and prosper. 

Good luck on your road to healthy living...


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## BrianMorin

silvercliff_46 said:
			
		

> I am working on a cream cheese brulee in meringue shells that I have in my files. I tweaked it to sugar free. Once I try it to see how it works, I will post it (if it's good)
> 
> I guarantee it AIN"T fat free or low cal though.



I do a lot of recipe tweeking too. I use stevia a lot to sweeten things up... 

http://www.steviacanada.com/


Take Care ...


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## BrianMorin

Oh ya, if you decide to try the cinnamin or licorice, don't go too fast, it can really bring down the sugar levels, especially if your insuline dependent type I.


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## BrianMorin

Goodweed of the North said:
			
		

> Connie, I just don't know what's going on.  So many people are diabetic now.  It truly is an epidemic.  I never knew the extent of the disease, or how many people had the condition until I was diagnosed with it.  I thought it was somewhat rare.  Now I know so many people with it.
> 
> And that smoking thing, well I don't need to say anything more about that.  Not being a smoker, but having a father who smoked almost until he died, and watching him try to kick the habit so many times, I know it's hard.  I have a son who smokes and he's tried to quit several time now.  I jsut don't understand why anyone in this day & age would start.  I understand how people in the 50s, 60s, and even the early 70s would start.  But everyone knows it's bad for you now.  I just don't understand.
> 
> But I will pray for you, that you will be given the strength to beat the tobaco, and control the blood chemistry.
> 
> Seeeeeyal Goodweed of the North




There is a great product out there that I used, many years ago, to kick the habit. It's called (or was called) nicotania, or something like that. It was a tincture. I took it about 20 minutes before I ate, because I knew I was going to want a cigarette after my meal and it took the tincture about 20 minutes to work. Once I took this product I never looked back. What a relief it has been. I had no withdrawal simptoms, as long as I took it. A few weeks later I didn't need it any more...

Here's the address. Hope they still have it.

http://www.hannasherbshop.com/index.html

Take care


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## scott123

Brian, I've just started taking chromium piccolinate and I've found that it's been incredible at keeping my blood sugar down and curtailing hunger. Besides reducing blood sugar levels, does cinnamon curtail hunger as well?

A T. of cinnamon is a LOT! Do you find it repeating on you at all? Do you sweat it out, i.e, do people say you smell like cinnamon?


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## licia

Scott, have you read up on the toxic effects of that product?  It sounds quite serious.


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## scott123

Licia, I have read up on chromium piccolinate, and nothing appears to be conclusive in relation to it's toxicity within the scope of current chromium supplementation. Most of the anti-chromium rhetoric seems to based on ingestion of large quantities. Salt is toxic if you consume enough of it.

I do make sure to take very small doses and haven't been taking it every day.

If cinnamon performed a similar bg reduction/hunger curtailing function, then I'd definitely switch to that.


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## BrianMorin

scott123 said:
			
		

> Brian, I've just started taking chromium piccolinate and I've found that it's been incredible at keeping my blood sugar down and curtailing hunger.



I took chromium for quite a while. I didn't see that much difference in my blood sugar, but maybe I wasn't looking hard enough. 



			
				scott123 said:
			
		

> Besides reducing blood sugar levels, does cinnamon curtail hunger as well?



Well I don't have problems with having hunger cravings so I couldn't tell you, but I don't think cinnamon has any effect at that level...



			
				scott123 said:
			
		

> A T. of cinnamon is a LOT! Do you find it repeating on you at all? Do you sweat it out, i.e, do people say you smell like cinnamon?



I don't have any problems with my digestion after taking cinnamon, none at all. No one has ever mentioned that I smell of cinnamon, but I can't give you any guarantees  Of course that wouldn't bother me the least bit...  

Hope you find the right formula for you...


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## BrianMorin

scott123 said:
			
		

> If cinnamon performed a similar bg reduction/hunger curtailing function, then I'd definitely switch to that.



I'll ask my wife about a good hunger curtailing substance. Have you ever heard of hoodia, it's derived from cactus. It's all the rage for natural weight loss...


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## Corey123

scott123 said:
			
		

> Licia, I have read up on chromium piccolinate, and nothing appears to be conclusive in relation to it's toxicity within the scope of current chromium supplementation. Most of the anti-chromium rhetoric seems to based on ingestion of large quantities. Salt is toxic if you consume enough of it.
> 
> I do make sure to take very small doses and haven't been taking it every day.
> 
> If cinnamon performed a similar bg reduction/hunger curtailing function, then I'd definitely switch to that.


 


Salt, in moderation, like everything else, can be controlled. Salt is also what drives the blood pressure level up, if you consume too much of it.

Since since I'v had high blood pressure for over twenty years, I don't use a whole lot of salt either. Very little, if any at all.


~Corey123.


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