OT: need diabetes info

[bettyandbob]

I would like to know your best sources.

 

Background: My doctor told me today he was diagnosing me diabetic, though I'm not monitoring blood sugar of taking insulin. He wants me to loose weight, increase exercise, change diet etc. I do get a fair amount of exercise. I swim mostly, but the last week has been bad with these east coast snow storms. I'm supposed to swim in an open water race in May so I have to be ready for that. I do at least 1.5 miles 2 times a week (my goal is 3 pool sessions a week and I guess I will push harder to make 3 now), and I walk and do some strength training sessions with videos. The doctor said to have only fat free milk, no sugar soft drinks, no juice and salad dressing with olive oil--these are things I already do. My house is already gluten free because my kids have celiac. The other issue is I'm hypothyroid--the reason I've been seeing this doctor in the first place. And my cholesterol is apparently through the roof.

 

I'm a little perplexed, since I do exercise, since I don't eat out or eat prepared foods, etc. Since my kids have celiac I've studied nutrition more than the average person, so my diet is pretty good. There wasn't time to chat with the doctor about all my tests today because previous and impending snowstorms had his office mobbed today. I do think I need to probe him on "could something be wrong besides my lifestyle". Of course that could lead to more depressing news.

 

I think the resource I need most is something that tells me glycemic index of foods. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I understand that white rice and potatoes are no nos. We have a lot of those, being gluten free. We used to eat brown rice, but I went to white as part of a cost cutting measure. My kids will have to finish off the rice.

 

For now, I will up the exercise and I will record my food intake. Anyway, I'd love to hear your best resources.

[Rosie_0801]

When I was diabetic, I used online GI lists and sourced info about serving sizes. They are inevitably smaller than we think they'll be, so it takes a bit of time to learn to remember (is it a whole cup or only half a cup?,) then to adjust (how many can my body handle at once?)

 

I also started reading up on the raw food movement. Juicing is not good for diabetics, but some of their other ideas are. Yes, stay away from refined grains, find out what brand of rice is the lowest GI (here it is Mahatma, but I've no idea if you can buy that.) Stay away from all cooked root veggies. I got caught out with carrot. Low GI when raw, Very High when cooked. All the root veggies are like that. Get used to thinking of beans as carbs. I could eat a lot more beans in one sitting than I could grains. For a while there, one cup of beans was worth a quarter of a piece of the lowest GI bread.

 

I wish there was more info on alternative grains like quinoa and millet; I couldn't find any. Cut down on your animal protein intake as well. A study cited in 'The China Study' had a bunch of insulin dependent diabetics off their insulin by day 26 of a whole foods, vegan diet. Strict veganism is not necessary, but this suggests that making it close will help. I'm mostly vegan in the hope it will prevent me developing type two later on. At least it won't hurt ;)

 

Good luck sorting it all out...

 

Rosie

[happyhomemaker25]

First if you are diabetic you really should be monitoring your blood sugar. It's not that hard. I am pregnant so I am constantly monitoring mine, but usually fasting in the AM and around two hours after a meal is good enough. Walmart has a meter and affordable strips. It's a ReliOn Brand.

The problem with Diabetes is that so many Drs don't give out enough information. I lived with Type 2 for almost 3 years in total ignorance. My Dr was not to concerned so I was not to concerned. It was after finding out I was pregnant and what high blood sugars could do to my baby that I got really serious. I'm sad because if I had been more serious to begin with I would not still be living in fear of what I'd done to my baby.

The absolute best website I have ever found for information is diabeticmommy.com. Definatly check out the forums. These are women who are living in spite of this disease. Most of what I have learned lately is from them. I am amazed at how well I am handling the disease now with some education.

If you are diabetic get thee to a diabetic counseling session with someone other than your Dr. Learn all you can about diabetes.

It is not always about lifestyle. Sometimes there are other factors. I have Type 2 Diabetes as a complication of PCOS. Lifestyle helps keep your blood sugar in check and helps prevent complications from diabetes. Some individuals just don't process insulin in their body well. They need medication (oral usually) as well as Lifestyle. Most Type 2s can stick with oral medication.

My best advice is to find real live people who live with Diabetes. Even Type 1s can offer some good advice on eating and what questions to ask your Dr. Bless my Dr but they just can't be all knowledgeable about everything. My suggestion is Diabetic counseling and maybe even an appointment with an endocronoligist and monitor your blood sugar.

Oh and food wise everyone is different. I have no problems with cooked root vegetables. I can even eat fruit as a snack and with lunch. Not with breakfast though. That's why it's good to monitor your blood sugar so you can know which foods affect your blood sugar.

As a guideline 90 or less for fasting is ideal. 120 or less two hours after a meal is ideal.

I hope this was somewhat helpful! :) It's not anything to be afraid of. Just something to be informed about.

[tex-mex]

First if you are diabetic you really should be monitoring your blood sugar. It's not that hard. I am pregnant so I am constantly monitoring mine, but usually fasting in the AM and around two hours after a meal is good enough. Walmart has a meter and affordable strips. It's a ReliOn Brand.

The problem with Diabetes is that so many Drs don't give out enough information. I lived with Type 2 for almost 3 years in total ignorance. My Dr was not to concerned so I was not to concerned. It was after finding out I was pregnant and what high blood sugars could do to my baby that I got really serious. I'm sad because if I had been more serious to begin with I would not still be living in fear of what I'd done to my baby.

The absolute best website I have ever found for information is diabeticmommy.com. Definatly check out the forums. These are women who are living in spite of this disease. Most of what I have learned lately is from them. I am amazed at how well I am handling the disease now with some education.

If you are diabetic get thee to a diabetic counseling session with someone other than your Dr. Learn all you can about diabetes.

It is not always about lifestyle. Sometimes there are other factors. I have Type 2 Diabetes as a complication of PCOS. Lifestyle helps keep your blood sugar in check and helps prevent complications from diabetes. Some individuals just don't process insulin in their body well. They need medication (oral usually) as well as Lifestyle. Most Type 2s can stick with oral medication.

My best advice is to find real live people who live with Diabetes. Even Type 1s can offer some good advice on eating and what questions to ask your Dr. Bless my Dr but they just can't be all knowledgeable about everything. My suggestion is Diabetic counseling and maybe even an appointment with an endocronoligist and monitor your blood sugar.

Oh and food wise everyone is different. I have no problems with cooked root vegetables. I can even eat fruit as a snack and with lunch. Not with breakfast though. That's why it's good to monitor your blood sugar so you can know which foods affect your blood sugar.

As a guideline 90 or less for fasting is ideal. 120 or less two hours after a meal is ideal.

I hope this was somewhat helpful! :) It's not anything to be afraid of. Just something to be informed about.

 

:iagree: Just had my appointment today with registered dietician and endocrinologist for my Type II Diabetes. You need to be monitoring your blood sugar daily (esp. if you are hypoglycemic) -- have a sit down lesson with the dietician on your food issues. I personally have to count carbs per meal. And take metformin daily.

[Pamela H in Texas]

Are you aware that eating a raw vegan diet can cure Type II diabetes in 1-4 weeks? There is a documentary at rawfor30days.com However, you can easily find information online to do the diet. The documentary does chronicle people's joys and troubles while switching over their lives (btw, you don't have to stay 100% raw or vegan in order to keep the results, but you'll want to continue eating mostly healthy of course). One consideration is to keep VERY close tabs on your sugar as well as probably in contact with your doctor, especially if you're on meds, because your levels will change so rapidly. You don't want to be on too much medication. At the same time, you don't want to end medication without supervision either.

[Carol in Cal.]

One is "Reversing Diabetes" by Whitaker. Another is "Reversing Heart Disease" by Ornish. I recommend the heart disease one because diabetics are at very high risk for heart attacks, and some people who make big dietary changes for diabetes move toward diets that help their blood sugar but raise their heart attack risk significantly. Since you already have very high cholesterol, it's important to make sure that your changes don't take you out of the frying pan but into the fire.

[Satori]

I strive to be vegan, but I think the best diet for me (being vegetarian anyway) would be a raw foods diet. I had GD 5 years ago and have to monitor myself. I learned that I am very high at risk just because of my nationality - half Native American/half filipino.

 

I watched the rawfor30days video, I got the CD, and I really want to go to the Tree of Life to learn how to make that type of food. I have several of his (Dr. Gabriel Cousens) books. I have tons of raw cookbooks, but gosh, it is really hard to eat that way 100%. I wish I could do fruit, that would make it so much easier. But I know this way of eating will save my life, so I should just splurge on a week-long visit in order to add on years to my life.

 

I do have the Whitaker and Ornish books mentioned below. I have low cholesterol from reading a few books like this 10 years ago, but I'll have to work on getting better. I'll need to work out more than once a week, do strength training, and eat better!!!