What is Diabetes?

I assumed anyone reading this blog would know what a diabetic is, but I could be wrong.  So, just what is diabetes?

Diabetes is a disease that is caused by too much glucose (sugar) in the blood.  You see, for all of the different types of abuse our bodies survive, they are really pretty delicate chemical factories where thousands of reactions are going on every moment of our lives.  If they get out of balance, there can be problems.  One of them is diabetes.

Diabetes occurs when there is too much sugar floating around in your blood and not enough in your blood cells.  This happens because insulin, which the pancreas produces, is  not working like it should, or is in pretty short supply.  Think of it this way, insulin is a key to a door in the cell wall.  If everything is working right, insulin comes along, opens the cell door and sugar enters the cell and leaves the blood.  All pretty simple, right?

But, in diabetics there is either not enough insulin, or the insulin is not working correctly.  If sugar can't get into your blood cells, then it's floating around in your blood causing all kinds of havoc on your organs - not good at all!  Which is why it's really important for a diabetic to control the disease - because it can to lead to so many other problems.

So, now you have a basic idea of what diabetes is.  And, you know that it's caused by an insulin shortage of some kind.  Which will all make even more sense as you read Dr. K's description of the various diabetes drugs being used today and what they seek to do.  Go back and read her post on Metformin - it will make more sense.

This article provides a decent overview of diabetes and how to deal with it in general terms.  Remember, as you battle to control diabetes, not everything will work the way researchers say it will because they deal with large numbers of folks and do not know you or your body.  Your body chemistry might be different, so you will find a lot of guidelines, but fewer hard and fast rules.  The car manufacturers have a phrase for this kind of difference: "Your mileage may vary."

Your fight with diabetes is a personal fight - one that you must win...and CAN win.  I know you can do it.  I know you can beat back and beat down the disease and have a wonderful life.  I know it. My goal is to help you find the tools you need to win the battle.

You can read more about what makes a diabetic here, on a previous post.

As always, I welcome your comments.

A Test You Can't Fail - Part Four - What Does it Mean?

You have done your tests and have your results.  What in the world do they mean?

First, understand that while your numbers will fluctuate, the ADA refers to ranges.  The American Diabetes Association has a good article on glucose levels.  Again, because I love simple, think in terms of the following ranges as goals to achieve:

Fasting Glucose Test - This is your first test of the day: 70 to 120 is the target range.  This range is the goal.  The Goal.  You may not be seing these numbers.  I remember my first test in the middle of the day about 30 minutes after I had lunch.  My number was over 300.  I had no clue what that meant.  Now I know it was way, way, way too high.  My first morning reading was 297.  Again, very, very, very high.  Now my morning readings are 85 - 95.  Rarely do they go above or below.

As I started my way to gaining control over diabetes, my morning readings started to come down 10 and 20 points a day.  Sometimes they went up from one day to another, but I was learning what I could eat and not eat.  But, when you look over a week's or month's time period, there was a downward trend.  These morning readings are a great indicator of where you are in your battle to control the disease.  If you are only going to test once a day, this is the one to do.

Evening/Night Test - This one was a challenge for me.  Think in terms of a range of 110 to 140.  I, again, want to stress I am not a doctor, this is just what I found to be about right when I test at night as I was gaining control.

Diabetes control is a journey - remember that.  When I first started testing at night after I started medication, I was happy to see anything around 160.  Due to eating changes, exercise and medication, that number came down pretty quickly to around 130.

I just did a test and found that I was at 91.  I ate about 2.5 hours ago - so it was low even for me.  Most of the time I my tests show 95 to 125 - there are a lot of variables such as what did I have for dinner, how long ago it was, and have I had anything to eat since dinner.

After Eating - This test is done two hours after you start eating a meal.  This is important enough to repeat - two hours after you START a meal.  For me, start means when I take my first bite.  The goal here is less than 180 for a Type 2 Diabetic.

You can control diabetes.  You really can.  I know in the beginning it might not seem so easy, but it's all about a series of choices.  The better choices lead to control and lower test numbers.  Other choices lead to higher results.  But sometimes you don't know how certain foods will effect you.  sure, there are guidelines, but we are all different.  You only learn how a food will effect your body after you eat it - and you learn through testing.  If you get a higher number, it's a food to avoid.

I started with very high numbers - VERY high.  Through diet, exercise and medication I am controlling the disease.  Do I miss apple pie, french fries and cheese cake?  Well, yeah.  But, I want control of the disease because I have respect (fear) of what it can do to me - the complications can be severe.

Remember, you cannot fail this test; you can only fail to test.  Even getting a high number provides a lesson.  If you are just starting treatment, you want your readings to trend down.  If you have been under treatment for awhile, you want fairly level readings near or in the normal range - at least that's the goal and it's one that is attainable!

Here is a good article from Diabetes Self-Management on glucose levels.

Don't let diabetes win. Battle and control it!  You can do it...I know you can.  Keep your food diary and learn from it.  If needed, lose weight.  Take your medication.  And, TEST.

The Ultimate Diabetes Book

When I was first diagnosed with diabetes I tried to find one book that would tell me how to manage and control the disease.  In order for me to save you time, let me tell you, there isn't one.  Why not?

I really wanted to find that ultimate guide.  That one book I could refer to over and over and over that would guide me through the pitfalls and dangers of diabetes.  Oh, I looked.  At my local bookstore.  On Amazon.  Google Books.  Just about any where I could think of to look, I looked.  I reviewed a lot of books to find out none of them offered solid guaranteed-to-work steps.

Don't misunderstand me, there are some great books for understanding diabetes and they offer guidelines on what you can do.  And, in some future blog, I will list some of the ones I found helpful.  But, there is no one-size-fits-all book.

I even toyed with the idea of writing one, but did not know enough.  I mean how hard could it be?  You have diabetes?  This is what you do.  Wrong.  And, now, I know I can't write a guide for you.

I was wrong because we are all different.  Blame it on our body's chemistry.  What works for me may not work for you; or will be less effective.  There is no single diet - for which cookbook writers and publishers are thankful.  No single medication - do you think drug companies are happy about that?  Of course they are!

There can be strategies for victory.  There can be guides.  But no one way works for everyone.  It's just a fact of life.  And, why this blog is called Solutions for Type 2 Diabetes.

I have told you about my food diary.  In it I wrote down everything I ate or drank, exercise and glucose readings.  Not only do you become more aware of what you are putting in your body, you are charting your body's response.  Morning glucose reading goes up - not so good.  Morning reading goes down or is where it should be - good, keep doing what you are doing.

What you are really doing is creating The Ultimate Diabetes Book for yourself.   So, it seems as though I was wrong.  There is one Ultimate Diabetes Book and you create it for yourself.  It doesn't get any more custom that that!

I learned very quickly what I could eat and what I couldn't eat.  It's right there - in 'black and white.' How long does it take each day?  If you really stretch it out - five minutes, maybe.  Even now if I see a higher glucose reading than I think should exist, I re-start my food diary immediately.  Within a day, and sometimes sooner, I can see what the problem is and fix it.

Notice, this is my diary I complete - nobody else can complete it.  You have to take responsibility for your care and this is probably one of the single best things you can possibly do.

You are creating your own reference piece that will guide you, the owner and operator of your body, to control of diabetes!  You can do this.  You can keep a food diary and by doing that simple step, you will be working to manage and control your diabetes.

This is really, really important to do.  It will take less than five minutes a day - that's all.  Five minutes a day to create The Ultimate Diabetes Book for yourself.  In 30 or 60 days you will have your own book completed.

What do you list?

1. Your morning reading.
2. Your morning weight (I had to lose weight, so I listed it.)
3. Everything you eat or drink by meal or snack.
4. Exercise - length and what you did.
5. Evening reading.
6. Medication
7. Repeat for 30 or 60 days.

It really is easy and incredibly useful. 

You are going to win your battle with diabetes.  You will control and manage it.  Start by writing your own Ultimate Guide.

As always, thanks for reading!

A Test You Can't Fail, Part Two - The Dawn Phenomenon

Remember, you cannot fail your daily glucose test; you can only fail to test!  There is so much more to testing than we are sometimes told, I am going to have to make this a three-parter.  This entry is about the Dawn Phenomenon - a topic every testing diabetic should know about.

You are doing your twice daily tests - maybe even more often.  One of your tests should be in the morning after you get up and before you eat or drink anything.  This morning test theoretically provides a fasting glucose reading - provided you have not had a midnight snack.  If you have a midnight snack, it will likely elevate your glucose, and it will show up in your morning reading. Common sense, huh?

And, you are keeping a record of your test readings, or they are being kept in your meter.  Over a few weeks you see them go up anywhere from 10 to 20 points.  Why?  Welcome to the Dawn Phenomenon (DP because it's easier for me to type).

 The DP happens sometime in the early morning.  For me it's sometime after 6:00 am - others might find it happening earlier or later.  What does it do?  Well, it's your body's response in getting ready to get up and moving - it releases some sugar to get you going.  Why does that matter?  Your blood sugar reading goes up and does not provide an accurate morning reading.  So, if you test before it happens, you get a lower score; if you test after, your reading will be higher.  There's not a whole lot you can do about it, either.  It just happens.  I will tell you that I try to test in the morning before 6:00 so I see my lowest reading.  Want to know more about DP - read it here.

I learned about the DP because my late night readings were suddenly higher than my morning readings.  I couldn't figure it out.  I thought it was my meter.  I was wrong.  It seemed that I was testing a bit later in the morning AFTER the DP had taken effect.

All you can do is to just be aware of the DP and how it might effect your readings.

That you are testing at least twice a day is great - good job!

A Test You Can't Fail, Part One

The whole idea of having to test my blood twice everyday was a huge challenge to me...just the idea of lancing my finger to get a drop of blood kind of made me a bit scared.  Looking back on it, I don't know why it was like that, but it was.  I just did not want to prick my finger.  Why make yourself bleed?

Why indeed?  Well, first, I have to tell you that pricking my finger was no big deal.  Yes, there is a bit of pain, but if you read the directions on how to use your glucose meter (which I strongly suggest you do), you will learn where to use the lancet so it really isn't painful.  I won't kid you, there is just the tiniest bit of discomfort once in awhile.  But, if you prick the side of your finger - yes, the side, and not the tip, you may not feel a thing.

Wait, that's important enough to repeat - prick the side of your finger!  Somewhere between no pain and very, very, very little pain.  Got it?

And, while I am at it - you only need a little drop of blood.  The scientists have figured out how much you need to give up and it varies from meter to meter.  For me, it's just a bit bigger than the head of a pin.  I'm serious.

Meanwhile back at glucose testing - which is what you do at home with your meter - it's suggested that most Type 2 Diabetics test twice a day.  Once in the morning just after you get up and then once at night before bed.  That's it.  Twice a day.  Now, when I was just figuring things out in the beginning, I was fortunate because my doctor prescribed enough strips and lances so I could test three times a day.  The truth is sometimes I tested three times, other days two times and sometimes even four times a day as I was learning how to manage diabetes.  I got so much good information from doing this.

I tested in the morning, before lunch, two hours after lunch or dinner began, and at night.  I knew what my body was doing when; I knew about what my glucose reading would be within 10 points after a few months even as it was going down and stabilizing.

What did I do with this information?  I wrote it down in my food log.  Learning what I ate and seeing my reading gave me invaluable information and immediate feedback.  I very quickly learned what I could and could not eat.

For example, some folks can eat wild brown rice.  Not me.  Any rice no matter the color or type causes my readings to go up.  And, I loved rice!  But, I learned that if I wanted to control diabetes, rice did not love me and became a 'has been' in my diet.

then, again, I learned that a basic (stressing the word BASIC) hamburger really didn't hurt me.  You know the kind - a basic hamburger from In N' Out.  Not a lot of dressing and the bun is not huge.  Although, I found that any number of french fires - any number - were off my menu.

How did I learn this?  By frequent testing and comparing the results to what I ate.  Recording everything - food and test results in the food diary helped me so very, very much to begin to gain some sense of control.

The message here is clear, I hope.  Test.  Test often  Keep a food diary.  And, use the results to learn how to best manage diabetes.  That is the first step to gaining control.

Remember, to manage diabetes you have to give yourself a glucose test at least twice a day; more often during the first few months if possible.  It's a test you cannot fail, but you will fail to manage diabetes if you don't test.

What Stress?

Recently I have had some odds and ends go on in life that caused a bit extra stress.  I learned first hand what stress does to glucose readings, they go up!  So, since stress is a fact of life, what can you do about it?

You already know there are a couple of types of stress - Mental and Physical.  I know, I know...you are  probably thinking, "Well, duh."  But both kinds of stress can effect you.  The American Diabetes Association has a pretty good article about stress here.

First thing to know - not all stress is created equal.  There's the stress of missing a turn while driving - not really a big, big deal in the scheme of things and quickly passes.  Then there's the stress of dealing with an ill loved one, caring for a parent, or death of a family member.  Or, you can have multiple things happening.  It's this kind of stress - the mental stress - that can cause longer range problems for a diabetic.

So, physical stress might come from being ill or having surgery.  Hopefully, but not always, there is an end to it.  That kind of stress is not so hard to deal with for a lot of people,  but it's still stress and still might effect you daily glucose readings.

Mental stress is a whole other ball game.  Almost anything can cause stress - anything.  It just depends on what is going on in your life and how you deal with it.

This lesson was driven home to me yesterday.  Several things have happened in the last week to people I love.  We also had a party that 80 people attended yesterday.  And, during the final preparations for the party when I was out getting things, the car broke down and had to go into the dealership, which I really did not need yesterday morning.  Heck, even as I am telling you what happened, I can feel an increased heart rate and my body going into stress mode.  Deep breaths.  Deep breaths.

So, when I checked my reading at night, what do you think I found?  Well, if you guessed an elevated glucose reading, you'd be right.  All of that stress is mental stress and can be insidious - we can live it over again and again in our minds.  Kind of like I have just done.

But, I did not think it was stress that caused my readings to go up.  I mean, I didn't feel any extra stress so I started looking at what I ate during the day - and there were no red flags.  It came down to just good ol' stress.  I looked back on the day and realized I had shown some other classic signs of stress like getting a bit short with a few people - most unlike me.  I should have figured out I was under stress, but sometimes you can't see the forest because trees are in the way!

What can you do about it?  Well, there's nothing specific, but you can:

• Exercise a bit more
• Start a hobby
• Volunteer

Do you see what these have in common?  Freeing you brain by distracting it.  Maybe it's not quite tricking yourself into being happy, but it does distract your mind from other things that are going on.  It allows your mind to take a breather from other stuff.

Look, you are never going to be stress-free.  It seems as though we humans aren't built that way.  But, you can work to control it and in turn, you will be doing more to manage your diabetes.

Thank you for reading.  And, God bless.

Diabetes Week Two

I made it through the first week of diabetes.  My life changed in the same way you turn a light on - within a moment.  Was I still scared?  Oh, yeah.  In fact today, almost three years later I am still scared of diabetes if I was being completely honest.  I have a deep and abiding respect for what the disease can do if not managed and controlled.

The good news is that it can be controlled with a bit of effort which was my big "AHA!" during Week Two.

Anyway, back at Week Two.  I had begun to take my meds - Metformin twice a day 1.000 mg each time.  Pretty standard starting treatment.  And, it was just the Metformin.  I know many may have two pills to take, which for some proves to be very effective.  It's kind of like a one-two punch and when you are in a war with diabetes, you want to throw as many punches as possible to get your glucose, and subsequently your A1c, down somewhere in normal range.  If you need to see the a chart for A1c values and how they compare to your blood glucose readings, look here for a pretty easy to read chart.

Remember not to use one reading, but look at your average reading.  Even then, it depends on when you take it.  More on that at some point in the near future.

Again I got a bit side tracked.  Week Two - I had begun my walking.  Every evening for 30 minutes.  I know I have written here before I don't like exercise, but we were talking about my life here.  So, that walk became one of my best friends.  I didn't try to walk fast or go very far at first.  I used shoes that were about five or six years old and just walked.  One foot in front of another.  For 30 minutes - which seemed like forever the frist few days, but by the time Week Two started, the time seemed to go a little faster, but not much.

And, I was getting more ideas of what I could and could not eat.  Think about it, we get near immediate feedback with our glucose readings.  If it's not the right food, up it goes.  If it is the right food, it dips a little bit.  Take your readings twice a day, more often if your doctor will authorize it, so you will know what your blood sugar (glucose) is doing.  You should be on a steady downward trend.  And, keep a record of your readings as well as diet (everything you eat and when) in a food diary.  You will really learn what is working and will be able to spot trends faster.  If you spot the trend, you can make adjustments.

Me?  I just liked seeing the numbers go down.  I started with seeing glucose numbers of 300+.  It was an exciting morning when I hit 297.  During the second week I saw it get down to 275.  I was making progress!  Fear was gone because I was taking action.  I knew the meds would not make me go too low - fat chance when you are in the high 200's.  Things were beginning to work and I felt empowered; that I could get this disease under control. Hey, I even found I lost my first couple of pounds during Week Two,

What was I doing?

Meds.  Diet.  Walking.  Testing.  Recording.  If I was really bright, I'd come up with some sort of catchy acronym, but alas and alack, I am not that bright.  I am open to ideas, though.  You know what my meds were.  I was on a low carb diet.  I was walking 30 minutes a day, six days per week.  And, I kept records.  All of this really began to come together during the second week.

You can do this.  It's all about little steps that collectively make a journey.  You can take the small steps without fear - a lot of folks have gone before you.

You Never Stop Learning!

You know, I check my blood glucose level twice a day, most of the time, and sometimes 3 times a day.  As a result, I pretty much know where my glucose level is at anytime within about 10 points.  Tonight I got a surprise.

It was two hours after I began to eat dinner and I did a quick blood check.  I thought I would be between 110 and 120 based on what I had eaten and my experience.  I had not walked - got home way too late to do that.  My glucose level was at 147.  Still good for a diabetic, but not good enough - and 20 to 30 points higher than I expected.  By the way, form what I have been told, under 180 is good for a diabetic two hours after a meal is started, just not my goal at this point.  By the way, my fasting glucose was around 300 as I recall when I first started measuring about three years ago.

So, I have to go back and look at what I ate - duh.  The only thing out of the ordinary was about 1/3 of an avocado.  I had not had any avocado in...well, since I was diagnosed with diabetes.  I just learned I need to stay away from them - or have a slice, or make sure I have time to exercise.  Yes, exercise helps that much.

My point is that when you think you know, you are shown you don't.  I know I have to make a little change and I will make it.  You have to stay aware of what you eat, how it effects your glucose levels and learn what you can, and can't eat.  You only get that through checking your blood glucose at different times of the day.

Someone put it very well when they were referring to how the body breaks down food - everyone's body chemistry seems to be unique.  They said the basic rules are great as a starting point, but remember, "Your Mileage May Vary."

Thanks for reading.

(See, I will share all of my lessons!)

Day Seven

It's the end of the first week.  It's been kind of a long week for me.  I had changed just about everything from what I ate; how much I ate; when I ate; and, I was walking - not far, but walking for 30 minutes each day.  A lot of changes, but I was going on the attack against diabetes, and I just couldn't see doing it any other way.

I don't want to give anyone the impression it was easy.  Every meal was an act of will not to eat more.  Every time I got hungry, I played a little game (which I will still play today) that if I just made it 30 minutes, I could have something to eat.  Then when it go close to 30 minutes, I'd push it to an hour.  I figured that every extra minute I got without eating got me close to the time when I could eat.  I know, it sounds a bit silly, but it worked (and continues to work) for me.

And...I was taking my meds!  My blood sugar did not fall too far - which I was afraid of.  I was afraid that the meds would take me too low too fast.  I had seen people go into diabetic tremors from blood sugar being too low, and I was afraid of that.  But, you know what, it didn't happen.  The world continued to turn and I continued to function well.

What else did Day Seven bring?  Lost weight.  Not much.  I had to look twice and make sure the scale was adjusted right, but there was a loss of two pounds.  Two whole pounds!  I was headed in the right direction.

Oh, yes, my morning glucose readings were going down, too.

So, after a week lived in fear, I had a little victory.  Everything seemed to be working just like it was supposed to work.  I remember that I almost cried I was so happy.

I tell you about this because it can be you.  You can fight and win the battle.  It will take a touch of discipline and dedication, but you know what?  It becomes almost second nature after awhile and your stomach does shrink, but not as fast as some would have you believe.  But it does get smaller if you eat less.

You have to start, please.  Take the first step.  Take your meds as prescribed.  Watch what you eat.  Exercise a bit.  And you will win the war.  I know it sounds a bit corny, but I am already excited about your victories - the little ones because they add up to big ones.

And, thank you for reading.

"Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after another." ~Walter Elliott

"It's not so important who starts the game but who finishes it." ~John Wooden 

It's Not a Sprint; It's Your Life

I have just finished watching Ernie Els win this year's British Open.  He did not do it through getting out in front and staying there.  He did it by grinding out golf shots and giving himself the opportunity to win.  He was behind when he finished, but when the tournament was over, he won.

What did it take?  Perseverance.  It took a disciplined approach over 72 holes.  It was not what he did on one hole or one day. It's what he did over four days - and he did the best he could with every shot.  Sometimes the holes went well; other times, not so much.

Controlling and managing diabetes takes perseverance.  It's not about one meal or snack, or one day.  It's about your life and how you choose to live it.  Do you live it as a victim of the disease and just give up?  Or, do  you face it and work to control it?  The choice is your's.  Just remember, it's your life we are talking about. 

It took about six for me to get a handle on controlling and managing diabetes.  I took my medication.  I started exercising.  I changed and adjusted my diet.  I was afraid of the disease and not willing to let it win.  But, it still took months.

Control and management could take you months, or longer.  But, you have to keep at it - you know you can do it.  Sure, my diet might not work for you, but it will get you moving in the right direction so you can make those little adjustments that will lead to victory.  You will be heading toward triumph and not giving in. You will be taking control of your diabetes

I have been asked why there isn't a 'handbook' for diabetics.  We;;, we are all different and our body chemistry is different.  Yes, there are established ranges and norms, but there is no one number that is right for everyone.  Why do you think the 'normal' fasting glucose range is from 80 to 120?  Because we are different!  A woman I know goes into a sugar low if her glucose level gets below 70.  I have had readings as low as 59 and 61 and still felt okay.  Why is that?  Because we are different.

Listen.  Learn.  Discover what works best for you.  It's not a race; it's your life.

Two thoughts from Winston Churchill:

"If you are going through hell, keep going."

"Never, never, never give in."

The First Day...I Do Remember

I know I have referred to the first day my doctor told me I had diabetes.  Fear.  Fear.  Fear.  I was afraid of everything from what could happen to me with diabetes (I have a vivid imagination) to the fear of changing my diet (and to what?) to the fear of medication (what if it took my sugar down too low...vivid imagination kicks in, once again).

At this point some folks just freeze and don't do anything hoping it will all go away.  News Flash - it's not going to go away.  Changes have to take place.

So, my biggest fear was the damage diabetes can do.  I won't go into it.  Chances are you already know, but in the event you don't, read about it here.

First things first.  Get the medication.  For me it was 1,000 mg of metformin twice a day.  I was also changing the way I ate - I have referred to that in a previous blog.  If you want more details, all you have to do is ask.  And, I started testing as soon as I could as much as I could.  It happened that I could test up to like 3 times a day.  In the beginning I tested four times a day.  I wanted to know exactly what was happening.  How fast was my glucose going down? Was it getting dangerously low?  Because I was testing so often, I knew exactly what was going on.  I began to gain some confidence in the process of diet, medication and exercise.  And, being a bit anal, I kept some records.

In case you don't know, your glucose meter keeps records, too.  It probably can go back at least 90 days to give you averages, and might be able to go back seven days for specific readings including date and time of day.

Remember, it's just your first day...things are going ot be changing - a lot will be changing!  Make the dietary changes, take your medication religiously (NEVER, EVER MISS A DOSE), make a few life style changes, and test, test, test the first few weeks if you have enough test strips to do so.  If you don't, ask your insurance company and doctor if you can get more.  You aren't going to need extras forever, just a few months as you learn you can control diabetes.

Because of all of my testing and record keeping I know within 10 to 20 points, or so, where my glucose is at any given time.  The last time I went in to see my doctor we got into a discussion about my current reading.  It was about 4:00 in the afternoon and I told him it would be about 80.  He said that wasn't possible.  It should be around 90 or 100.  I just said, "Test me."  He did and what was the reading?  78.  He lowered my medication, which caused me to change my diet a bit (he wanted me to lose about 7 pounds, anyway - but that's another story) and increase my exercise a bit to compensate for the lower medication.

You see, I like lower numbers.  It means that I probably won't have the side effects of diabetes. But, remember I have been testing and working through managing and controlling diabetes for about three years - knowing about where you are won't come over night.

So, you see, there is good news.  If you are a bit diligent you can control this disease.  I am here to assist you in anyway I can.

Thanks for reading.

Shakes and Quakes

When I was first diagnosed I had no clue how to eat.  It seemed like I could eat too little or too much if I weren't very careful.  Too much and my sugar would be high.  Too low and I could go into a diabetic coma or have the effects of low blood sugar - aka hypogycemia.  Neither of which really appealed to me to say the least.  I wanted to avoid high sugar readings because, after all, I was (am) a diabetic.  And, I really wanted to avoid those low sugar shakes and quakes.

You know what?  I was successful on both counts.  I did have one day where I had a glucose reading of 59 - pretty low in anybody's book, and had only limited effects before I had sense enough to eat.  So, what did I do?  What did I eat?

I started with being having meals of about 60 carbs - give or take 5.  Snacks stayed around 15 carbs.  But - and here is the big secret...drum roll if you please...I ate six smaller meals of about 30 to 35 carbs.  It seemed like I was always eating.

Think about it.  Breakfast at 6:30. Snack at 9:00 or 9:15. Lunch around 11:30. Another snack around 2:30 or 3:00.  Dinner at about 6:00.  And yet another snack at around 8:00 or 8:30.  Each of these meals was 30 or 35 cabs.  Six meals of 35 carbs each means I was getting somewhere around 210 to 220 carbs a day.  That was really enough food for me.

Enough food?  Yes - it's what I needed to live, work and exercise AND lose weight.  Was I hungry sometimes? Well, yeah.  Think about it.  I had been eating what 350 or 400 carbs a day.  That's a lot.  No wonder I had diabetes.  Does not take a brain surgeon, does it?  My stomach needed time to catch up with my lower intake...it had to shrink.

But, I have got to tell you a secret - you can eat enough food and not be full.  You see, somewhere between your stomach and brain there seems to be a lag so that when you have actually eaten more than enough you really won't feel 'stuffed' until 10 minutes later.  That's one reason why we over-eat.  I don't know the science behind that phenomenon, I just know it's true.

Soon I will have to write about what 'enough food' really means.  But, in a nutshell, it's the amount you need to go through your day in a healthy manner.

So, there's a rule for you - start eating with your brain!

Eat six smaller meals as you start to lower your blood sugar.  If you are interested, I will list what I ate in the beginning - just ask.  It's different that what I eat now that I am in maintain mode.

Keep fighting the good fight to manage your diabetes.  It's not easy some days, but well worth it.

Thank you for reading.

First Steps

Well, I had just found out I had diabetes that morning.  Not one of my better mornings.  I was afraid, but was determined not to be a victim of the disease.  I might (no might about it with my A1c) have diabetes, but diabetes did not have me.  It was important for me to make that distinction and statement.

The first marching orders from my doctor: Get the medication started because he wanted to get the A1c down as soon as possible, and lose a little weight.  I am so glad he did not tell me I had to lose 60 pounds.  I am not sure I would have been so aggressive in getting the weight off.  A 'little weight' is so much easier to lose!  Of course, I heard 'just a little more' for quite a few months.

Obvious foods were out for me.  You know what they are - sugar in just about any form, a lot of starches, no rice (I loved rice), white breads, etc.  Load up on vegetables (didn't know that I liked that idea).  So, no more cookies - and I have never met a cookie I didn't like.  And, of course, pies, cakes, ice cream, etc. were off the menu permanently.

The simple fact of life is that I had to change the way I ate.  So, I decided one of my first steps was to start and maintain a food log or diary.  EVERYTHING I ate got recorded.  I found an unused 'scratch' pad around the house and started writing down what I ate.  I used a simple format: Breakfast, Snack, Lunch, Snack, Dinner, Snack (B, S, L, S, D, S).  I wrote down every little thing and I put a carb count next to each meal

What? Carb count?  Yep, I am one of those who counts carbs - still do.  In the beginning I allowed myself about 60 carbs per meal and 15 carbs per snack.  Each day had a maximum possible of 225 carbs.  Where did I get this idea?  I think I eventually got it from a on-on-one with a dietician - unfortunately I can't accurately recall. (Sounds like I am answering a question during a Senate Investigation.)  Where ever I got it, it worked for me.

You have to remember where I was coming from.  100 or 150 carb meals were the norm.  I ate what I wanted when I wanted.  You might be coming from the same place.  Pizza.  Pastas. Breads of any sort. And, potatoes.  It doesn't take much for me to accurately imagine a baked potato with butter, lots of butter on it.  So, from 150 carbs per meal to only 225 for the day.  I really, really, really wanted to re-think this approach, but knew in my heart I didn't have any alternative.

In fact, I reduced the total number of carbs consumed daily (now, that really does sound like a label on a product) over the next few weeks to between 190 and 200.  But, I knew what I was eating and where I could reduce.  Why?  Because I kept my food diary.

By the way, at the top of every page, I put my morning glucose reading.  I knew the general goal was to see it go down to below 120.  I started with something over 300, but between the medication and the change in what I ate, I saw it go down everyday which served as a reinforcement for my eating.  Seeing the glucose number helped me be more successful.  It became a game for me!

So, please get your food diary started.  Even now when I need to make an adjustment - like lose a few pounds (more on that later), I start keeping a diary and I can immediately see where I need to make adjustments.

Now, most of my meals are aorund 50 to 55 carbs and my snacks are about 12 to 15 carbs.  I only know that it works for me.  As an alternative you might want to try six small meals at about 30 carbs each.

Want to know carb counts on some basic foods?  Look here.

You can do this!  Diabetes is the enemy and you ARE going to vanquish it with a bit of time and planning.

"Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it." Charles R. Swindoll

By The Numbers

Just a reminder that I am writing about Type 2 Diabetes.  Sometimes called Adult Onset Diabetes, which just means you did not have diabetes as a child and are probably on some sort of oral medication.  

One of the first things I did was find out how many people had diabetes.  I knew the number was kind of big, but had no idea it was HUGE.  Take a look here to get the information.

But, let me summarize for you.  Almost 26,000,000 (that's 26 million, but it looks even bigger when you see the 0's) either have been diagnosed with diabetes or have diabetes and have not been diagnosed.  That's a lot of folks!  8.3% of the population.

But, wait, there's more - just like those darn Ginsu knives of TV fame.  Those who have pre-diabetes number around 75,000,000.  Put those numbers together and you get 100,000,000 people with some form of diabetes.  That is about 30% of the population.  No wonder the Center for Disease Control is involved with diabetes.  You know about the CDC - the folks who store test tubes of typhoid; the folks who deal with deadly diseases.  Guess what?  Diabetes, if not managed or controlled, is slow death.  (That, I hope is my only attempt at scaring you.)

By the way, if you want to learn more about prediabetes, you can read about it here.

The good news? Diabetes can be controlled and/or managed with a bit of care and common sense.  That is not just good news, it's great news!!!

So, what is diabetes?  In a nutshell, the body uses insulin, which is naturally produced by the pancreas.  For some reason, your body no longer recognizes the insulin, or does not have enough.  Sugar in your blood rises (not a good thing) and before long, you have diabetes.  Now, that's the short and simple explanation.  If you want one that is more complete, you can read it here.

So, you know you are not alone, which was important to me to know, and you know it can be controlled.  You are already making progress.

By the way, the first time I ever measured my blood glucose with a meter it was 357.  I am fairly confident you know that is a pretty big number.  It was not reassuring, but was motivating!  More about your daily glucose numbers and A1c in the next post.

Thanks for reading.

“If you're reading this...
Congratulations, you're alive.
If that's not something to smile about,
then I don't know what is.” Chad Sugg