I was Diagnosed Type 2 on 26 Feb. 2009. My fasting blood sugar was 366, A1C was 14.1, cholesterol was 300. Blood Pressure 145/95. The doctors put me on 500mg Metformin twice a day, 10mg Lisinopril, 40mg Simvastatin and 81mg Aspirin once a day.
On March 1st I purchased a meter and started testing before and two hours after each meal. I now test approximately 1 hour after each meal and stopped eating foods that spike my blood sugar more than 30-40 points.
I stopped eating sugar, using salt, drinking coffee, soda, beer and wine right away. I started eating salads, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumbers, pickles, sauerkraut and homemade coleslaw. Lots of coleslaw.
I also started to drink at least 8 cups of water per day. I drink 2 cups after the protein drink, 2 ½ cups while driving to work, 2 ½ cups at lunch, 2 ½ cups on the way home, will drink 2 cups after supper and will sometimes drink 2 cups before going to bed.
Over the next several weeks I stopped eating bread, crackers, noodles and anything that contained any kind of grains. No flour at all. I check the labels on everything I buy and will not purchase any product with more than 5 or 6 net carbs per serving with the exception of chana dal.
When I wake up in the morning I test my blood sugar and drink a low carb protein powder drink mix. I used to use homemade soymilk to mix with the protein powder. I now use homemade almond or walnut milk. The nut milks are a lot easier to make. I only stopped using soymilk because of the time it takes to make it. Nut milks can be made a lot quicker and you don’t need to boil a lot of water. Just soak ½ cup of nuts in a bowl of water for several hours. Drain, rinse, and blend with 3 ½ -4 cups of water in a blender. Strain and drink. Makes about a quart. Last for 3-5 days.
I eat about 1oz of sunflower seeds or peanuts for a mid morning snack along with the sugar free Equate Fiber Therapy supplement.
At lunch I eat 1 oz of tuna fish mixed with a little mayonnaise. I used to just eat it out of a small container. Recently I found some low carb wraps and use a small piece with the tuna fish. 13 grams of wrap, about ¼ piece. Before I eat the tuna I have 2-3 oz’s of stir-fried vegetables. (Broccoli, Cauliflower, Spinach, Cabbage, Onion, Garlic or any combination of these). I used to eat my channa dal in a separate bowl. I now mix the vegetable with the channa dal. It’s a perfect mix together. Lately I have been making sloppy joes out of ground turkey. I use 2-3 oz’s of it with about 20 grams of salsa topped with a little cheese. I add about a teaspoon of ground flaxseed to both the sloppy joe and channa dal. Mix it with a little hot sauce. Sometimes I will eat leftover chicken or beef. About 2-3 oz’s. Right after the tuna I eat a small piece of chocolate soy cake. Tastes great. 2-3 oz’s per serving. Last I will eat 1 oz of peanuts or sunflower seeds. I then take 4000 IU’s of vitamin D, 3000 MG’s of fish oil concentrate and one multi vitamin tablet for adults over 50. I take this with 20 oz’s of water.
For supper I eat 3 oz’s of salad. I use a low carb dressing and add about 2-3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar. I used to add some olive oil but lately have not added it to my salad. I will then eat a chicken breast or 2-3 oz’s of the sloppy joe mix or either a bocca burger or vegetable patty. Once in awhile may have a little beef or pork. I eat the burger or patty on a plate. No bread. Just pickles, mayonnaise and mustard. I cut it with a knife and fork.
In the evening I now will drink a few Low carb beers or a little wine before going to bed. I don’t recommend drinking alcohol if on medications or taking insulin. It’s a side benefit of not taking meds. I have found that I can eat a little more carbs when drinking alcohol than with out it. I will eat 1-2 serving of almonds. Lately have been eating lumpia. Either cheese or pork lumpia. Sometimes will eat a serving of soy crisps with French onion dip. I try and not eat too much at night.
When eating out I find myself eating chicken and beef a lot. Chicken wings I seem to eat most of the time when we want something fast. They also come with celery and blue cheese.
My morning blood sugar has slowly dropped from the 200-300 range, to an average of about 85. Several months ago I started testing on the peaks (1hour after eating) and most of the time it’s under 110. My 7-14-30 day averages bounce around a lot but most of the time there between 90 & 95. My lowest 7-14 day average was 88. My 7-day average has gone over 100, once in the last several months. My numbers are constantly changing. Like a roller coaster. They dip down and then go up and down.
After about seven weeks of taking the meds I couldn’t tolerate the side effects any more and quit taking them. My blood sugar continued to drop week after week, my blood pressure has averaged around 110/70 and my cholesterol has remained below 200 since I stopped taking the meds. My A1C dropped to 5.9 in four months and seven months after being diagnosed it was 5.6. Got my latest results on 1/19/10 5.4
For some reason nothing that I’m doing is working for me
Tarsha
It’s hard to respond not knowing your condition or anything about you. When first diagnosed type 2, I did a lot of reading and decided to cut starchy carbs like potatoes, corn and anything made of flour of any kind.
At first I was afraid to eat, so I ate just few vegetables during the day and for supper I ate some fish or chicken. I started to loose a lot of weight. As my weight dropped my blood sugar control got better and better every week.
After a month or so I bought Atkins diet book. I read about the 4 phases of his diet. I basically follow phase one and later phase 2 of his diet. I would recommend following some kind of low carb diet. Google low carb diet and find one you like. I like Atkins because you can follow your diet on there website and its free.
Another part of taking control is to test before and after eating. When I first started my blood sugar was spiking more than 100 points after eating. By cutting carbs I was able to cut it down to less than 50 points after eating. I recommend testing a lot at first until you know how the foods you’re eating is affecting your blood sugar. Starchy carb foods along with anything made with flour will spike your blood sugar. Learn to read labels and cut back or don’t eat foods that have more than 5 or maybe 10 net carbs per serving.
Last thing I wanted to talk about is weight. When first diagnosed my weight was about 250 pounds, BMI was way over 30. After loosing weight my BMI got down to 25. A few years later I started to gain back a lot of the weight I lost.
I usually have pretty good blood sugar control. But when my weight gets above a BMI of 30 my blood sugar control gets real hard to maintain. I now believe that people who are over weight might not be able to control their blood sugar no matter what they do. If this is the case, I believe taking insulin might be the only way to get control of your blood sugar.
I read of several people who are very overweight and when their doctor put them on insulin, they wished they started insulin years before. It has really helped a lot of people. Insulin isn’t just for type one people. I know of lots of type 2 people who have or are still taking it and are happy about having it. You need to talk with your doctor if insulin is right for you. You might have to get a few opinions or look around for a doctor who would prescribe it for you. I know of a few people who needed insulin and later when they lost a lot of weight they were able to get of insulin and control with diet alone.
Not sure what else to say except I wish you all the best.
Last month I was told I am a diabetic. I went in for some urine test because I had a very bad UTi and bacteria infection. They tested my urine and said I had a high amount of sugar and I needed to see my family doctor and get tested for diabeties. I went to my family doctor and they did a meter check and my fasting was 230 so immediately he said I needed metformin and januvia then I headed to the lab for my a1c test. My results are back and they are at a 12. I have been on oral meds for 3 weeks and my fastings are at 95-110 but doctor said I must do insulin as well as oral pills. I have been exercersing and eating better and lost 8lbs in 3 weeks. Should I wait 3 months and have a1c redone and then see about insulin?
Hey Kevin,
Long time no hear….just wanted to check in with you.
Hope all is well on your end.
Things here are status quo….had my Drs appoint….my sugar went up just a little, but this summer was bad for me……other than that things are good.
Hows by you??
Pat
Pat
Nice to hear from you. Glad things are doing well.
At the end of June we got a lot of rain, then one night it was raining real hard, so I looked out the window at about 3am. There was a river going down were the street was. Checked the basement and was too late. Had a foot or 2 of water already and it was pouring in fast. Ended up with about 3 feet of water. After the water went down, had several inches of mud to clean up. Took weeks to get rid of the mud. Hope I never have to clean up mud again.
August we went to Branson. We drove. Took 2 days traveling each way. Spent about 10 days there. Didn’t do much. Seen a couple of shows. Mostly just relaxed at the resort.
Went back to work in September. Work has been a pain. Inmates acting up and the administration have been developing a hostile work environment. Have a job interview in Albany today. Figure it’s a waste of time since about 40 people are being interview for the job. Best thing is, got the day off for going.
Blood sugar has been up a bit lately. Not to bad, but figure I need to lose about 15-20 pound. I found losing the weight is a big part of controlling blood sugar. When first diagnosed I lost 50 pound or more and really didn’t contribute my great blood sugar control with weight lost. Since I gained a lot weight the last year or 2, I have seen first hand how being over weight has made it hard to control blood sugar, even with eating low carb foods. Just have to eat less. Need to start logging onto sparkpeople and start tracking what I’m eating again. Was tracking earlier this year and lost about 15 pounds. Just need to get back to tracking again.
Thanks for stopping by.
Kevin
Hey Kevin, good to hear from you.
So sorry to hear about your basement. I can only imagine what you went thru as a few friends of mine had the same thing happen with Sandy blowing thru.
Glad thats in the past now for you.
Its good you got away….I have never been to Branson. I am looking forward to getting away and ski this winter. Actually we may start in November as the place we go to opens on Thanksgiving…would love to be there then. But with family committments that won’t happen. 😦
My Son is a Sophmore in College already. Where did the time go???
But he has adjusted quite well and his GPA is up there….so i guess no complaints here, except he needs to get more sleep.
Good luck with the job interview let me know how you make out. My husband is a consultant and right now he also is not pleased with the way things are being run. He wants to retire soon, like when my son is out of college, but it may be sooner…lol..
Good luck with the weight loss,
I’ve been watching my sugar, and its in a good range now….one moring it was 79 so i was happy….my Dr. seems to be okay with everything, and now that summer is over, I am back on track. I still want to get it down to the lower fives.
I had lunch with a friend of mine, and he really concerns me. He was diagnosed a few yrs back as being pre-diabetic….I kept giving him articles, and food suggestions..apparently he did not take it as serious as I did, and now his A1C is 6.7. So I had a talk with him….His Dr. did not put him on medication and said if he goes up to 6.8 he will. I told him to change Drs. and tried talking thim again. He says he knows, the repercussions if not taken care of, but i still think he does not get it. He does not know how to eat.
Oh well, you know….you can bring a horse to water….etc..
Have a good week,
Pat
Pat
I somehow missed your post. Branson was ok. We went to see a couple of shows but mostly relaxed a lot. Well Thanksgiving is family time. Hard weekend to get away. They seem to be having lots of snow out west. Not sure, were it is you like to go but there should be plenty of time after Thanksgiving.
Had my interview about a week ago. Don’t think I have much of a chance. So far I haven’t got my rejection letter yet. I heard they were interviewing about 40 people. Also heard one of the vocational supervisors from one of the jails that is closing, has a pretty good chance of getting the job.
My blood sugar has been a little high in morning lately. Otherwise it’s not to bad. Figure my A1C is around 6.3 + or – a point or 2. As long as it doesn’t go higher I should be ok. Dieting and eating changes aren’t as easy to make. When first diagnosed I found it easy to lose the weight and count calories and keep track of everything. Now 5 years later I kind of got lazy. Still testing 4 or 5 times a day. Don’t eat foods I’m not supposed to eat, but counting calories and watching serving sizes got to be a pain to watch.
I have a co-worker. Was diagnosed a few months ago. He seemed to take it serious at first. But watching what he eats its only a matter of time before his blood sugar spikes out of control. I hope your friend doesn’t wait until he A1C goes over 10 or more. I had no clue until the doctor told me my A1C was 14.1. By then I took a lot of damage. Will have to eat low carb forever or else I’ll have to go on insulin. Figure going on insulin will be better than taking the pills. Some people do well taking oral meds. I just couldn’t tolerate them much. From what I have read and reading the forums and discussions on different web sites, Doctors seem to push meds at or above 7.0
Nice hearing from you. I’m glad your doing well. Thanks for stopping
Kevin
Hey Kevin,
Happy New Year !!! I hope your holidays were nice !!!
Pat
Pat
Thanks. Christmas was good. I usually go to my sister’s house on Christmas Eve. Most of my family goes there. New years we stayed home and watched the ball drop on TV.
Last year was kind of a pain. Gained a lot of weight and had problems with my blood sugar. A1C went above 6 for the first time in over 4 years. Started to count my calories and have been losing weight for the last months or so. Blood sugar control has gotten a lot better since losing some weight also. Need to lose about 15 pound more but will be happy when it drops below 120. Only got a few pound more to go for that.
Hope your holidays were nice also.
Happy New Year!!!
Kevin
Hi Kevin,
It seems like forever since i wrote here. Just wanted to drop a note and say hi.
Things are going okay healthwise, my BG has been ok…..My Drs. appoint is coming up in a month or so, so I will know my A1C then. But i think it may be ok again.
I have discoverd Chia Seeds and add them to my Plant Fusion shake. I am addicted to that stuff.
Lots going on….buying a new car, leaving for a ski trip, and possibily selling our house and moving. We will still be local tho.
Hope all is well with you….Pat
Pat
Nice to hear from you. Things have been ok as far this year. Weight loss has stabilized some. Will have to reevaluate soon because I would like to lose about 10 more pounds or so.
I heard about chia seeds some time ago. Almost bought some but couldn’t find then at the right price. Mostly use Flax seeds myself. Maybe I’ll have to do another search and see what I find. Mendosa did an article on them a few years ago.
I bought a new car last year. A dodge caravan. The wife has been bugging me to buy a van for years now. She finally got me to buy one.
Hope you enjoy your ski trip. Me and the wife don’t ski. The wife doesn’t like the cold weather. A couple of years ago we went to vacation near Jiminy Peak ski mountain in Massachusetts.
Anyway this year were going back to Atlantic City in April. Hope the weather is good. Last time we went it was February. Weather was nice during the day. Got a little cold at night. Should be a lot better in April. I think next year the wife wants to go to Myrtle Beach in South Carolina or maybe Orlando Florida. Will have to try and make plans in September.
Kevin
Hey Kevin,
Quick note….I had my Dr.s appointment today…..he was pleased.
My A1C got down another point, so i am at 5.6. I would love to get lower.
He is now checking me every 6 months since i am doing good.
So had my EKG, and the rest of my physical, all my other numbers were good too. So done for awhile.
Also found the Chia seeds at Costco had the best price. For a 17 oz bag it was $9.00. From what i remember anyway.
Did you ever find that Plant Fusion drink??
Pat
Pat
Its great news about your numbers. It took me about 3-4 months to get my A1C down from 14.1 to 5.9. Took another 2 years to get it down to 5.2. As long as you follow your diet, exercise and don’t gain any weight it should keep going lower. You might have to cut carbs more if it doesn’t. I used to want to keep going lower but lately will be happy as long as I can keep it below 6.0.
I found Chia seeds online at a couple of years ago. I think they wanted about 6 something a pound back then. I took a look today and they’re about 9 dollars a pound if I buy 25 pounds. A little less than 10 dollars a pound if I buy a 5 pound bag. I don’t shop at Costco’s. I don’t think there’s one close by anyway. If I see them in the store I will try them. For now I use flaxseeds a lot.
I Googled the plant fusion protein mix. Looks like a good source of protein. If I run across it I’ll give it a try. I have been using the EAS Whey protein mix. I used to buy a 5 pound bag for about 28 dollars. Last year it went up to around 33 dollars for a five pound bag. The last bag a bought I had a 6 dollar coupon. The 5 pound bag lasts me about 3 months. I drink it everyday when I get up. I read somewhere that drinking a protein supplement drink 30 minutes before breakfast will help lower after eating spikes by 40%. It works great for me. The only time it didn’t was when my weight got over 240. Then nothing was working. Now that I lost about 20 pounds my numbers are doing a lot better. I got one more Bayer A1C test I plan on using next month. I figure my A1C should be close to 6 again. Having it spike to 6.4 got me to worry a bit. I was even thinking of asking the doctor to maybe try insulin. I don’t think I’ll ever go back on oral meds. To many side effects.
Thanks for stopping
Kevin
Hoped you enjoyed your ski trip.
Hey Kevin,
Feels like forever since i wrote you a note…
Things here are status quo……the summer has finally kicked in.
Nothing new to report, my next Drs. appoint. i think is in August…
I am still drinking my Plant Fusion shake…..i’m addicted to that stuff..
Trying to be good with eating, although this is such a social time of year. So I always make sure I have that glass of wine to balance out the sugar.
My son is home from college so that is an adjustment, especially when the house has been clean for so many months !! ha !
Let me know how your doing…….
Pat
Hi Kevin
It’s been months since I wrote to you. I finally made the chana dal hummus from David Mendosa’s site. Very tasty but a bit dry. Next time I’ll be a bit more generous with liquid. Since I have 9 pounds of chana dal I’ll be trying other recipes as well. How are you these days.
Diane
Hi Diane
I like the spicy one I mention in my other post. I have tried several recipes from Mendosa’s website and found them to be good. Haven’t had a problem with things coming out dry. When I cook the chana dal I don’t drain it. Just put it all in the blender and puree it all. Mr. Mendosa likes to put some aside but I blend it all. A lot of the recipes are Indian. I found that the spices are a lot cheaper if I buy them from an India store.
Been doing ok lately. Going for some tests next week. I tried to do my A1C tonight but the meter didn’t work. I called the customer service number on the package to get the code decoded. The lady is sending me a new one. Should get it on Tuesday I think. Blood sugar control isn’t what it used to be but figure it should be around 6. I’m hoping it is below but will have to see. Been thinking about starting an exercise program. Not to sure if I ever will or not but figure someday will have to in order to keep my numbers in check. Looks like the day is coming when I will have to do something.
Thanks for stopping and commenting. Always like to get comments.
Kevin
Hi Kevin
I wonder if it’s the time of year, changing from daylight savings for example, that upsets BG readings. I’m trying to transition my diet away from too much dependence on animal products. Hopefully that will be helpful. Just started reading a book by Dr, Neal Barnard about diabetes. What I’ve read so far is very interesting. His father, an M. D., specialized in diabetes treatment successfully apparently, He studied at the Joslin Clinic. Are your readings improving?
Diane
Diane
I never noticed any changes due to the time change. From what I have read I don’t believe animal products affect blood sugar much. Never seemed to affect mine anyway. Eating lots of meat may affect your cholesterol. I try and keep my serving size to no more than 2-3 oz’s of meat at any one meal. I have found that adding a couple of oz’s of meat helps keep my blood sugar from spiking.
Not to familiar about Dr. Barnard. I googled him and got to read some of what he believes. Couldn’t read enough to determine if his diet would be right for me or not. I read in some of the discussions on Diabetic Connect of a few people who were trying his diet. They seemed to be having some success with it. If you have the book and want to try it, I see no reason not too. When first diagnosed I ate a lot of cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and pickles. Lost a lot of weight and blood sugar was excellent. Been thinking about going back to what I did in the beginning. I let my weight get out of control lately and need to lose about 20 pounds.
Just remember to test your meals to see how the diet affects your blood sugar. You might have to watch how much whole grain, beans and fruits you eat. I found keeping serving sizes small, helps a lot with theses foods.
Anyway I noticed he is a firm believer in soy products. That’s something we both agree on. I drank soymilk and used TVP and soy flour a lot. Changed over to Almond milk because it was easier to make. Making soymilk was a lot of work and took some time. Almond milk was easy to make and once you soak the nuts its takes about 10 minutes or so.
Anyway if you decide to give the diet a try I wish you the best of luck with it. You may have to modify it some if your blood sugar goes up a bit. If for whatever reason it doesn’t work for you, at least you gave it a try. I believe trying it is more important than not. If it doesn’t work you can always try something else later.
Blood sugar reading haven’t improved much lately. Not as good as they were awhile back but still not too bad. Figure my A1C to be around 6 or just above 6. Not ready to start insulin yet. I think if I lose the 20 pounds my readings should get a lot better.
Kevin
Hi Kevin
Well, I tried Dr. Barnard’s diet suggestions for supper this evening and, whoa, my BG went up about 4.5 points. I don’t think that this is a diet for me. When I was first diagnosed I read a book by Dr. Stanley Mirsky, Mary Tyler Moore’s doctor. His plan worked well and I lost a good amount of weight, 30 lbs., in the space of 4 or 5 months. I think that I’ll go back to his plan. Dr. Mirsky had a twin brother who was diagnosed with diabetes when he was 19. He followed the Joslin Clinic diet plan and lived for 55 years with diabetes. When he died it was not a result of diabetes. Dr. Mirsky worked with Eliot Joslin so there must be something worth mining in his book. So, his book will come off the shelf and once again I’ll follow his advice. Definitely a one-size-diet does not work for everyone.
I wish you success with weight loss. I have about the same amount to lose.
Soy and I don’t get along. I buy almond milk and enjoy it. I don’t have the time to make it myself since I spend all morning at band four days a week. By the time the week is finished so am I. 🙂
Diane
Diane
Well at least you tried something different. I believe in trying different things. If they don’t work out, I just move on to something else. I agree that not everything works for everybody. That’s why testing is so important. You get immediate feedback by way of your meter.
Weight loss shouldn’t be a problem. I find keeping it off is the hard part. About 15 years ago lost about 50 pounds. Then over several years gained it all back. When diagnosed lost a lot of weight. Then gained back about 10-15 pounds per year for the last several years. I started to track my diet on sparkpeople so if I stick with it I’ll lose some weight soon. Just got to motivate myself is all.
Soy isn’t for everyone. I use it. I like it. But most people on the diabetic websites don’t like it. Soy has gotten a bad rap over the years. I figure I’ll keep on using it until I read something more about it or have negative results myself. So far over 3 years and going strong.
Almond milk is real easy to make. Taste good also. Just soak ½ cup of Almonds with some water for 3 till 12 hours depending on how much time you got. Rinse and blend with one quart of water on high speed. I soak the nuts while at work and then blend them when I get home. Doesn’t take much time at all. I buy almonds cheap at BJS. Otherwise I might buy it in the store.
Keep experimenting. Its how we learn.
Kevin
Hi Kevin….
Hope all is well and you did not get too much Hurricane damage. We were very fortunate living so close to the beach….just some siding came off house.
Things here are fine and my BG readings have been pretty good.
Not sure if i mentioned last time I was at the Dr. my A1C was 5.7. That was Sept I think.
I discovered a new recipe…Protein Pancakes. They do not spike my BG and i think they taste pretty good. There is pumpkin in them. I can post them if you would like.
I have also discovered a great plant protein shake. Its called PlantFusion. All plant protein…the chocolate flavor is good. Its great for a quick breakfast.
I add a tablespoon of peanut butter or sun butter, 1/2 banana, and 1/2 almond milk, 1/2 water. Again, does not spike my BG.
Hope all is well on your end and have a very HAPPY THANKSGIVING.
Pat
Pat
Nice to hear from you. When Sandy hit I wasn’t sure if you got hit or not. This far upstate all we got was a little wind. Hardly any rain at all. But I know along the coast they got it real bad. Glad you made out ok.
I have added pumpkin to my pancakes once, came out pretty good. Will probley make them again. When you get the time I would appreciate it if you could post the recipe. Your protein shake sounds good also. I’ll have to look for the Plant Fusion. If I can find it I’ll give it a try.
Me and the wife are supposed to go to Atlantic City during spring break in April. Hope they get it fixed up by then. Last time we went, was during the winder break in February. Had a good time but think in April, a lot more of the stores along the board walk will be open.
Happy Thanksgiving
Kevin
Hey Kevin,
Long time no write for me….
How have you been?? Hope all is going well for you
Things here are fine…..my son went away to college this month,. So that was a change for us. We now are officially “”Empty Nesters”” as they say. But we are adjusting and we are in touch with him. And will see him soon.
Medically, I am doing fine. Had all my Doctors appointments this month.
I went to my reg. Dr. this past week. My A1C was 5.7 again. So needless to say i was really thrilled. He sees me now every 6 months. This summer i know I was not as good as i usually am, with all the social stuff going on, but i guess I maintained it and of course a glass of red wine always helps.
My goal is to get it lower…..since i have another 6 months to do so. So we shall see.
Let me know how your doing….
Pat
Pat
Nice to hear from you. I’m glad your A1C is doing better. Mine went from 14.1 to 5.9 in less than 4 months. But to get it from 5.9 to 5.2 it took almost 2 years. Lately my blood sugar has been up a bit. Figure my A1C is a little over 6. Today I have been drinking my teas. Blood sugar seems to be better tonight than it has been in a while. I used to think that the teas really didn’t do much. My blood sugar was always excellent. Maybe now that they’re a bit high lately, I’ll notice some improvements from drinking them.
Went to Vegas last July. It was hot during the summer. Over 100 degrees most days. Next spring were going back to Atlantic City. This time in April. The weather should be a lot better this time. February wasn’t too bad but it was a little colder than what the wife likes. Also most of the shops on the boardwalk were closed. The casinos were all open though.
Bought a Van this summer so figure to vacation were we can drive for the next couple of years. Don’t really like flying much. The Van came in handy this summer. We went camping a lot. Haven’t gone camping in a long time. Thought the wife didn’t like camping but we went several time so maybe we will go again next year.
Thanks for stopping.
Kevin
Hey Kevin, Long time no write. Been so busy on my end. Got through my son’s graduation and now getting him ready for college. The summer is flying by as usual. How are you doing??
I am ok…..my BG has been spiking lately, and not sure why. Like i just had a small piece of salmon and a veggie for lunch and it went to 135. I know I have not been the best this summer, but I also have not been really too bad either.
So now i am back to really watching it.
Let me know how yor doing…
Pat
Thanks you for your reply about chana dal. I’ve done a quick look at David Mendosa’s article and recipes. They sound good to me. I guess that I’ll call and order from that outfit in Saskatchewan. A one pound bag was far too expensive when the shipping was included so it’s 10 lbs. 🙂 For those of us who live in Canada there is a terrific Low Carb Grocery on-line – http://www.thelowcarbgrocery.com/ . They don’t carry legumes because they’re not low CHO but they have an incredible inventory.
Your comments arer terrrific and have been helpful. Thanks so much.
Diane
Diane
Thanks, Most of the favor comes from the spices. I found some recipes that I thought would taste good by studying the ingredients of the recipe. I believe I tried about 3-4 recipes and all were good. I even used it a few times in my low carb chile. I hope you find a recipe you like. I used to eat it like a soup. I now dip my broccoli in it. I will reheat the chana dal with some hot sauce and cheese and mix it all with the broccoli. I have been using it for about 3 years now. I found as long as I eat about 1 –2 cups it doesn’t spike my blood sugar. I now practice balancing my meals with carbs fats and protein. I found that 20% carbs and protein with about 60% fat works for me. I just try and keep the saturated fat as low as I can. Most of the fat is the good fats.
Good luck.
Hi Kevin
Well the 10 lbs. of chana dal arrived on Friday. Fortunately it was 10 one lb. packages. I spent the weekend looking for a way to cook them. Today the slow cooker is working. I took your advice and looked at David Mendosa’s site again. There seem to be several interesting recipes there. Might try the hummus first to go with celery – a new celery boat.
Diane
I have tried several of them and liked them all. I usually will sort threw them looking for some I know I will like. I now use the one dish to eat my broccoli with. Broccoli taste great now. I posted a picture in this post https://kirla.wordpress.com/2010/09/05/soy-pasta-greek-yogurt-ice-cream-pumpkin-pie-chana-dal/
I wrote about it here in this post. You will find some pictures at the bottom.
Hi
Soy doesn’t agree with me. Have you every tried Miracle Noodles? They have no CHOs and are filling. With little flavour they take on the flavours of whatever they’re mised with. No cooking is required either. Here’s the site: http://www.miraclenoodle.com. I haven’t had any for a while. I plan to try some recipes as soon as the chana dal arrives.
Can someone tell me what it is about chana dal that encourages you. I would’nt mind trying it but my tolerance for carbohydrates is low. I am only able to purchase chana dal in a 10 lb. lot. That’s too much if it doesn’t work out for me. I can order it from a company in Saskatchewan. I haven’t found a stor here that sells chana dal. Thanks.
Chana Dal is a bean from India. Looks similar to yellow split peas. David Mendosa has several recipes and he wrote an article on it here http://www.mendosa.com/chanadal.html If you read the article he has several sources for buying it.
I found it cheap if you can find a local India store in a city close by. I buy mine in Albany, New York. They sell it for about a dollar a pound. I have around 40 pounds stored in my house. I use it almost everyday.
If you look at the labels for beans most have between 15 to 25 grams of net carbs per ¼ cup serving. Chana dal has about 16 net carbs per 1 cup serving. If you refigure the net carbs for ¼ cup you get 4 net carbs per ¼ cup serving. Its also is high in fiber.
I have tried several recipes from the Mendosa website and all tasted good. My favorite is http://www.mendosa.com/chanarecipes.htm I make the top one mostly. Haven’t made the hummus yet. I also found that if you read labels you can buy tomato sauce with as little as 4 net carbs per serving. I buy mine at Aldi’s or Save a Lot.
Anyway it would be nice if you can buy a small bag for a few dollars to try it and see if you like it. I only know of 2 people who like it or use it and that’s me and David Mendosa. Haven’t heard of anyone who didn’t like it, but like I said I don’t know of anyone who has tried it either way. My readers hardly ever tell me if what I write about ever helped them. I figure Pat and Ruth has gotten some help with what I have written about but most never let me know.
Hey Kevin,
Been meaning to write you for a week now. Had my Drs. appoint and my A1C is at 6.0. I was hoping it was going to go down again.
I have been so busy on this end. My son got into all the colleges he applied to, now its just narrowed down to 2 of where he will go…..
For a treat lately, I have been buying the Lindt chocolate with the 90% cocao and its not too bad. Usually have 2 squares with a cup of tea and that works.
How are you doing….
Pat
Pat
Nice to hear from you. I’ve pretty much been the same. I need to check when the last A1C was taken. I think its time I get another one done soon. My last was 5.8 and don’t think the next one is going to be any better. But its surprised me before so maybe it will again.
Getting it down to 5.2 was really hard to do. Getting it from 14 to 6 was easy but going from there wasn’t too easy. Don’t think I can do it anymore. I figure to get it down any lower I will have to go back to eating mostly vegetables and chicken and fish and might have to lose about 20 pounds. Don’t think I can motivate myself to do it again. Anyway I’m happy with my diet and how I eat now. Not sure I want to change anything right now. Maybe with the weather getting better me and the wife can maybe go walking. I would like to buy a bike but the wife doesn’t think it’s a good idea.
Thanks for stopping
Kevin
Hi again……I remember when i got my A!C down to 5.7 i didn’t even know how i did it. I went back and looked at the food journal, but its usually how i eat now. SO my new goal is to get it back in the 5’s.
I think buying a bike is a good idea. Why doesn’t your wife?? Its good exercise and if you don’t like being in a gym, combine biking and walking. Esp. with the nice weather beginning. You can start slow.
The exercise as you know does lower your bg. I ck mine every morning when i wake up and get back from the gym. Its always aboout 10 pts. lower.
And wine is a small miracel…lol…when i know i want pasta for dinner I always have a glass while i am cooking and during dinner.
Well have a very Happy Holiday……I am cooking dinner this year, and I will splurge with some homemade dessert, but not sure what that is yet…..
Take Care..
Pat
Pat
My numbers go up and down all the time. I wish I knew why but so far I just continue drinking the water and eating the low carb vegetables and stay away from anything made with flour. I follow my plan no matter what and so far my A1C has stayed at 6 or less for 3 years now. Lately it’s been near the 6 but I never give up. I also still test like 6-10 times per day. About a year ago I cut back a bit and next thing I knew my numbers weren’t as good as I like them to be.
Good luck
Kevin
Hey Kevin,
I am status quo here…..still eating healthy and cking my BG about 5 times a day. I haven’t used the calculater in awhile…..but i do still keep my food journal.
I treat myself to some dark chocolate with a cup of tea. I have learned to like the dark alot. I like the dark from Trader Joes.
Been kinda hectic here…my son will be graduating HS, and so many other things going on.
Be back soon..
Pat
Hi Kevin
Well, I’ve tried chana dak and think that it’s great. Lovely flavour. I’ve had the worst time getting nutrient information other than what you’ve posted here. Cooked some in the slow cooker and the dal cooked a lot faster than I expected. Perhaps I should try stove-top cooking. I cooked a green vegetable soup in the VitaMix. It needed something so I added 4 ounces of cooked chana dal the next day. That did the trick.
Diane
I am very impressed and jealous. My history is similar to yours. I just added 20 units of insulin to my daily meds. What is your recipe for cole slaw?
Bob
This is the recipe I use for making coleslaw. Most of the foods I eat, I post the recipe in the recipe section of my blog. Just look to the right.
Small Cabbage 1.5 – 2 lbs
1/4 Cup Carrots
1 tablespoon splenda
5 Tablespoons Apple cider Vinegar
1 cup Mayonnaise
Directions
Shred Cabbage & Grate Carrots and mix in a large bowl. Add the mayonnaise, Splenda & Vinegar. Mix thoroughly. Set aside in the refrigerator for about 1 – 2 hours before serving.
You can add more or less mayonnaise and vinegar to your liking. You can also use any kind of vinegar you like.
PS…
Kevin,
Where is that A1C calculator chart?? I can’t see to find it on this blog.
Mine got screwed up, and the calculator part of it went away….weird i know..
Thanks, Pat
Pat
The link to the chart is here. He added a Version 3 this month. I think I posted the link in one of my replies before. If you like I can e-mail you a blank copy that I use. All you have to do is change the date in the first date box and its ready. Let me know if you want me to e-mail it or not. Anyways you can always download it and make the changes yourself. http://www.loanuniverse.com/Diabetes/
Kevin
Hey Kevin,
Just stopped in to say “HI” haven’t heard from you in awhile.
Things are okay here…status-quo.
I am nursing a sick cat with kidney issues right now. Its not easy. We have had her for 15 years. I have her on supplements, and I am hoping she will turn around and give us a few more years. Not sure at this point…
Hope all is well on your end….
Pat
Thanks for stopping. Everythings been fine lately. Hope your cat gets better.
Kevin
Hey Kevin,
Its been awhile since i wrote….just so busy here with stuff.
A friend of mine was diagnosed with cancer and i am hoping for the pathology report to come back okay.
I discovered Hazelnut Flour or Meal…very low in carbs so i made those pumpkin muffins and they were good. I always add extra to them…sunflower seeds, nuts, etc……
Othere that that…everything is status quo….I have my normal Dr. appoint at the end of this month…..hate going !!
anyway…wrtie more later….hitting the hay..
Pat
Pat
Sorry to hear about your friend. Cancer is something I fear even more than having uncontrolled blood sugar. I hope there test comes out ok. Before being diagnosed I went for a physical and when I checked my phone messages I found the doctors office called me like a hundred times over 4 days. They didn’t leave much of a message. Just to call the office as soon as I could. I was scared that maybe I had cancer. Never even thought about having diabetes. So I figure I was lucky when the nurse told me to go to the emergency room to get my blood sugar checked out. I smoked for a lot of years and finally quit in 1991 or 1992. Haven’t smoked since then. Figure that someday will get the call though. My grandmother got cancer before she had a stroke that killed her. But she smoked for a long time and died at about 75 or 76.
I googled the hazelnut flour and it looks promising. The best price I could find was about $8.50 a pound including shipping but you have to buy 25 pounds. I just bought another bag of soy flour so it will be a year before I can order a large quantity of something.
While looking for the hazelnut flour I ran across a place that sells almond meal for about $4.75 a pound. That’s about the cheapest I have seen it anywhere. I still buy my Almonds from Bjs. They cost me $3.66 a pound. When I first bought them I was going to grind them down to a flour. Ground them down once and added the flour to one of my cakes I think. Or maybe it was the pancakes. Don’t remember exactly. But I remember whatever I made with it came out good. It’s just the soy flour I buy is so cheap that I figure I will continue to use it. But there are lots of people out there that I can recommend them to use if soy isn’t for them. Thanks for the suggestion. I will buy some when I find it and either make a cake with it or mix it with my soy flour.
I’m back to making my pumpkin bread. I do the same about adding stuff to my cakes or pancakes. Usually flax seeds or the fenugreek seeds. Will sometimes add walnuts if I have them. I figure it doesn’t really matter what we make the point is we found stuff that we like to eat that taste good and doesn’t spike our blood sugar. By modifying recipes and having cake, muffins, ice cream, waffles and pancakes helps me stay away from the candy and other stuff made with flour. I find it’s a lot of work for me to cook and fix everything I eat but in the end I found a way to control my blood sugar and eat pretty much what I want. Its just modified a bit. That was my goal when diagnosed was to be able to find a way to eat as normal as I could and still maintain great blood sugar reading.
I started my new job a few weeks ago. Walked into another mess. Was kind of stressed out for a few weeks. It showed in my numbers. For about 2 weeks my blood sugar was a lot higher than what I like. Was kind of worried I would have to see a doctor and try and talk them into getting some insulin. But this week things have settled down at work some and the stress has gone away mostly. My numbers are starting to do better. Not as good as last year when I got the A1C of 5.2 but a lot better than what they have been. My morning fasting has been around 100 most morning so need to work on getting it down some. Otherwise doing ok. I haven’t seen my doctor in over 2 years now. Last year when I went to the hospital I was going to see the ideate. The hospital was going to send my test results to him. But he never called so I never went back. The only test results I didn’t get were when they hooked my head up to the machine and flashed all the light in my face. I almost lost it when they were flashing the lights. I will never do that again. It was the worst test I ever had.
I know how you feel about going to see the doctor. I only go when I get real sick and figure I need some kind of meds. I tried calling several times looking for a new doctor but so far, everyone I call is not taking new patients. But unless I get a heart attack or something I’m not going back to the last one. I figure its hard enough to get up the courage to go and face them and then to get treated like some kind of ideate, I will not tolerate. I’m long over due for a physical so maybe I need to get out my list of DO’s and make some more calls. I figure sooner or later some one has to be looking for new patients. I was looking for a women doctor but may have to settle for a man. Just don’t like getting my prostate checked by a man doctor. I kind of few molested afterwards. I swear most doctors got to be gay. At least most of them act like it.
Well thanks for stopping. I always look forward to you leaving a comment. I hope your friends result come out ok.
Kevin
Hey Kevin,
How are you? Quick note..
Have you ever heard of “Diachieve” by the American Diabetes Assn. I was reading the ingredients and they are all natural, alot of stuff you had mentioned before.
My BG is still status quo..not bad at all….
Pat
Pat
I never heard of Diachieve before. I Googled it and the company makes lots of products for diabetics. I have never bought supplements for controlling blood sugar. I have found that most are expensive. Once I had a company send me some samples of there product and they didn’t seem to do much.
I believe in drinking the water and eating the low carb vegetables. When I wrote foods and nutrients to control blood sugar I decided to eat the foods that contained the nutrients that were in the supplements. It worked for me.
The supplements I take now are 1 multivitamin everyday, that’s what Dr. Atkins recommended. Vitamin D because David Mendosa recommends them. Said that most diabetics are low in vitamin D. Fish oil. Again David Mendosa takes it so I take it. COQ10 for my heart. I read somewhere where it’s supposed to be good for the heart so I take it. I’m getting old and heart disease runs in the family. I take vitamin B because when I was in the hospital they told me I needed to take it. I take 2 a day of a B complex. I also have nerve damage in my feet and I read somewhere that taking Vitamin B is supposed to help. That’s why I take 2. So far my feet still have the numb tingling feelings, so I’m not sure if its doing any good or not but David Mendosa said it might take up to 5 years or more for the nerves to heal it they ever do. So I keep taking them. Other than that I don’t believe taking supplements is better than eating the foods.
I broke my golden rule a few months ago. I broke down and started to take 2 supplements for a problem I been having for several years now. Not sure if they’re working yet. But the need for help with a personal problem I have been having out weights the cost of the supplements. I need to find a new doctor and until I do I figure to give the supplements a few months more in hoping that they are working and my problem will soon get better.
Anyway unless you have a specific need for a certain problem that diet will not work for, then I usually recommend eating a healthy low carb diet. I ‘m not like a lot of people on the diabetic web sites I visit. I have seen people get attacked on these websites for just mentioning diabetic supplements. I believe that for some people especially those who refuse to drink the water and eat the vegetables that some of these supplements might work for some people. If you have the money to spend you can always try them until you find ones that work for you. But I find most supplements are more expensive than what I want to pay for. If you feel they might help you then you have to decide what’s best for you and don’t listen to anyone else. It’s your health you need to take care of yourself the best you can.
Thanks for stopping
Kevin
Hi Kevin,
As usual, busy on my end. The school play that my son was in just got wrapped up, so no more late nights….yay! But is was all worth it. He did a bang up job.
I found the Hazelnut Flour and the Flaxseed Meal are the best for the muffins as they are the lowest in carbs. I actually found the Flaxseed Meal in “The Christmas Tree Shoppes” for like $2.99 a bag vs the $9.00 in the supermarket. So i will be getting more . I find that your recipe is the one I always use…..i double it and i am set.
I also drink alot of water, but i work out every morning so i drink alot at the gym also. My vitamins, i take a multiple, Omegas, and thats about it. I was on a ton of stuff years back and after all i read it can do more harm than good. I will see what my d level is like when i go at the end of this month and then i may start that again.
I also eat alot of veggies, and i love them roasted with olive oil and a little salt.
So things here are status quo for me….i guess thats a good thing, will know more after my Drs appoint…(:( at the end of this month.
Take care Kevin, will be back.
Pat
Pat
Thanks for stopping. I buy my flaxseeds whole and then grind them myself. I was paying a little over 2 dollars a pound. Not bad. I also drink lots of water and only take a few vitamins. The only ones I take a lot of are the B’s. Trying to see if they help with the nerve damage. Haven’t given up yet. I agree with having your blood checked for what you might need. I need to get a new doctor and when I do I’m hoping to have mine checked. When I was in the hospital they told me to take the B’s so that’s what I do. Nothing wrong with the low carb vegetables. I believe they help with insulin resistance along with drinking the water.
Kevin
Hi Kevin,
Exercise is the best thing you can do for your body for sure.
Even if you walk everyday. I am usually at the gym in the mornings and really get a good cardio workout. By the time i get home my bg is sometimes 15 points lower….
Usually during the day its anywhere from 80’s to 120. Depending of course on what i am eating. I try to keep it under 100. But as we all know that doesn’t always happen. But it sounds like you can get those good readings back somehow…..you have done so well.
Good luck with your job, it does sound interesting…
Now that my son will be going off to college next year i have been thingking about maybe going back to work or starting a business, we shall see.
I forgot to mention, i found Quinoa flour and made muffins out of it. Not too bad and did not raise my bg.
I seriously need to order by the bulk tho…
Have a good weekend…..here at the shore its wet.
Pat
Ruth,
Thanks for the reply. I agree everyone handles carbs differently.
I used to also do 1.2 cup with non-fat milk, but it shoots my sugar up. So now i do low carb muffins, eggs, etc. Occasionaly i try oatmeal again…..
Pat
Hey Kevin,
Finally getting around to writing again….been really busy with the college process for my son. Looked at one yesterday and the whole process is just overwhelming for me…..
But..other than that, thanks for the info on “Diabetic Rockstar” will ck it out and post to get rid of those test strips. I rather give it away than throw them away….
For the most part doing ok…..bg is stable i guess….i just hope i am still 5.7 when i go back to the Dr. in Nov. Still doing the A1C calculater and also keeping a log of what i eat. Looking for some new recipes….but not finding anything exciting out there. Still want to try to use this Fenugreek powder i have, but not sure what to use it in.
How is the job going, i think you mentioned that you will get a new one on Oct. 3rd? What type of work will you be doing…
Well…catching up on stuff around the house today…..
Take Care, Pat
Pat
Thanks for stopping. My blood sugar has been a little high for me lately. I get some days when it appears to be getting better and then it will be high for a day or so. Even when its high its ranges from about 90 to less than 140. But it was nice when it would be anywhere from 60-100 most days. Not sure I can get there anymore though. But figure as long as it stays below 140 most of the time I will have to live with it as it is. If my A1C gets above 6.5, I figure it will be time to exercise a bit. I have read where lots of people can control pretty good with just exercise. I figure sooner or later I will have to set up a program for me.
I got my letter from Albany a couple of weeks ago. Starting October 3rd I will be going to Mohawk Correctional Facility. The state is closing several jails and mine was one that is closing. Mohawk Correctional is just next door to Oneida Correctional and its only about a ¼ mile more to drive to work. I work as a Vocational Instructor teaching inmates to be electricians. I have been teaching now for about 12 years. I used to work near Buffalo at Wende Correctional as an Electronic Equipment Mechanic. Took care of all the camera systems and alarms along with the phone and computer systems. Teaching pays more money and is a better job. Troubleshooting and fixing electronic equipment all the time can get to be a pain after a while. When in the Navy I worked as an Electronic Technician for about 12 years. Got married and figured it was time to change careers. Being married and going to sea all the time is not very good for married life. Sometimes I wished I stayed in to retire but most of the time I am happy I got out when I did. If I stayed I figured I would be divorced now. So getting out was a good decision.
Thanks for stopping by
Kevin
Pat,
I eat 1/2 cup of Oatmeal with non fat milk. I add cinnamon for flavor. I have it about 2 or 3 times a week. It lowers your blood pressure.
Kevin, everyone has a diet that works for them. What works for one person does not work for another.
Some people are on high fat, low carbs. High fat can give you a heart attack. It is bad for your cholerstol and your tryglicerides.
Ruth
Nice to hear from you again. This post made it threw so I will delete the other one. Its nice you can eat oatmeal and milk. I found that both have more carbs than my system can tolerate. I now use half and half when making my ice cream and chocolate water. The heavy and light creams had too much saturated fat for me to drink. Have to watch the cholesterol.
Currently I eat a high fat low carb diet to control my blood sugar. I have found that if I keep the bad fats to a minimum it doesn’t affect my cholesterol. About 25 years ago when stationed in Guam I was told my cholesterol was high. The doctor’s advice was not much help so I bought a book Eater’s Choice by Dr. Ron and Nancy Goor.
The book was about controlling cholesterol with diet and exercise. They recommended you keep the saturated fat to less than 6% of your total diet. They had a 6 and 10% meal plans. Some people find it hard to follow a 6% plan and for some people keeping the saturated fat under 10% of total calories works fine. I have found that as long as I keep the saturated fat below 10% of my total calories I don’t have to worry about the good fats you get from fish, nuts, seeds and vegetables. As far as I can find not all fats are bad for you. Just saturated fat and trans fat is what I have to be concerned about.
When told I had a problem with chorestrol I also had a problem with Triglycerides. The doctor told me to stop drinking soda and juice. Said the high sugar drinks like soda and juice would raise your Triglycerides. So I have found that when my Triglycerides get high it was because of the soda and juice and I would just stop drinking them and the Triglycerides would go back down to normal levels. I never read or heard about fats raising Triglycerides but I haven’t researched it so it may be.
Thanks for stopping, always glad to hear from you.
Kevin
I forgot to add that I hope everyone back East is all right. A lot of people had to evacuate and that is why we have not heard from them. I have not heard from a lot of people I know, either. They might be without a computer.
I am worried about everyone back East that I have not heard from either.
Ruth
Ruth
I don’t know many people on the coast. Or in the flood zones. Me and my wife took a lot of vacations along the coast the last few years. The Damage on TV looks awful. I’m glad nothing like that happened in my area. The creek up the street flooded and I got some water in the basement but I figure I was lucky because it stopped for some reason before it could do much damage.
I am on the glycemic index diet. It works for me and keeps my BG in great shape. I also eat salmon 3 times a week. That keeps my tryclerides in check. Fish is good for us. I find it better that fish oil tablets.
I am on the B Vitamins for the medications I am on. I was told by my doctor that medicines deplete our B vitamins.
For dessert, I have yogurt with a tablespoon of preserves. That keeps me from getting shaky during the night. We can have all of the vegetables that we want to during the day to keep our BG in check.
You can buy extend bard at the store. That is better than getting them through the internet. I never buy food through the internet.
Ruth
Ruth
I looked into the Glycemic Index diet when first diagnosed. It was on Mendosa’s website. I can’t eat much on it. I find most of it is higher carbs than I can eat. That’s why I eat lots of the low carb vegetables. Most have less than the 5-6 net carbs per serving that I limit myself to. It works for me.
I too have to take B vitamins. Was told to I had to take them. I take one B complex in the morning and one after lunch. I eat fish but not as much as I should, so I take 3 fish oil along with some others supplements.
I have been making ice cream with the Greek yogurt. I think it comes out great. At night I mostly eat almonds. I find they don’t spike my blood sugar and most morning my blood sugar is ok.
I buy some stuff on the internet that I can’t buy or I find is a lot cheaper than buying in a store. Just have to be careful is all. I only recommend site that I have used myself and know are good places to shop.
Again its nice to hear from you.
Kevin
Hey Kevin,
We are all okay here. Amazing considering i am by the beach, lake and river…we are surrounded by water. Was watching the weather channel non-stop, my husband was getting annoyed cause i was freaking out. So we went up to my sister in laws up north jersey. She was fine too, she did not lose power. And when we drove back Sunday it looked there was not even a storm. We were extremely lucky…actually we have been thru worst storms that this one.
parts of the boardwalk are ripped, and some parts of Jersey are still without power, but all in all, i still say we were fortunate.
On another note….my brother in law has a ton of test strips that i can mail to you or anyone who needs them. I can’t use them, as my meter is One Touch. These are and i am reading this from the box…””BD Test Strips for Medtronic Mini Med Paradigm Link Monitor”. If anyone can use these i can mail them off…they are outdated a bit.
Hope all is well with you Kevin.
Pat
Pat
Glad you made out ok. The pictures on TV showed lots of damage. They make it appear the whole state flooded.
I don’t use that meter either. Diabetic Rockstar http://www.diabeticrockstar.com/ Takes supplies and gives them to people who can’t afford them. I don’t go there often because the crowd is a little young for me and most are type 1 but there are type 2 people there also.
Thanks for stopping
Kevin
Hi Patsy
Sorry, I have not been around, lately. I will explain. I am using a new email address.
You are drinking too much water. Drop it down to 6 glasses a day. You will feel a whole lot better.
My numbers for my A1c, triglyicerides and cholesterol are great. They have been for a while.
I hope everyone is all right from back East from the flood. Please let me know how everyone is doing. I hope none of you are in a flood zone.
Kevin, I have not been here because my memory got real bad. It has gone into early on set Alzheimer’s. I could not find my way to a lot of places. That included my email address.
I am on medicine now for it and my memory is getting better. I have a positive attitude towards all of my challenges. I face them head on. It is the only way.
Kevin, how are you doing at your job?
Ruth
Ruth
Nice to hear from you. I’m glad your doing better. I find when I don’t get 8 or more glasses a day for a few days my blood sugar will slowly go up. I’m a big guy at 6’1” and weight about 230 lbs. Need my 8 glasses a day.
Didn’t get hit to bad from the storm. Got a little water in the cellar but its ok now. Been worried about Pat. Haven’t heard from her in a while. I’m hoping the floods missed her.
My job so far has been ok. All the inmates are gone. I go back to work on Tuesday. Still have things to pack and get ready for the final closing. Supposed to find out on the 10th about where I go from here. I believe I should be going to Mohawk Correctional Facility next door. Will not know for sure until I get the letter from Albany. I just hope I don’t have to commute again. I did that for years and don’t want to have to do it again but I still have 8 years or more before I can retire so I will go wherever they send me.
Thanks for stopping
Kevin
Hey Kevin,
Thought i would ck in. Nothing going on here….still maintaining Bg. I did find a good recipe for Flaxseed Muffins, when i get a chance i can post it….How you doing??
Summer is winding down and I am sad, pretty soon school will start and fall will be here….
Right now we are planning college visits…..never ending..
Pat
Pat
Nice to hear from you. Glad your blood sugar is still doing well. Mine has been a little high lately but not to bad, usually between 90 and 140. Started to take some new supplements last month and they appear to keep my blood sugar up a little bit. Not ready to give up on the supplements yet.
Summers been doing ok, the wife calls on yahoo most nights. She should be coming home in a few weeks. Can’t wait. Summer school is almost over. Only 2 days left. All the inmates have left the jail. Been inventorying and throwing lots of stuff away. In a couple of weeks I should get the letter informing me of my next job. Just wish I didn’t have to take someone else’s job. I heard he is going back to his previous job. Well they tell me I should start my new job on October 3. Can’t wait to get this all over with.
Thanks for stopping, Always nice to hear from you.
Kevin
Yes, any health food store. I’m blessed where I live, I’m surrounded by them. I think you could order it online, too.
Cheryl
Thanks Kevin,…
I also have to give you credit for this…if it wasn’t for your calculator and your blog and me tweaking my foods, i don’t think it would have happened.
Thanks again for this blog !!!! 🙂
Be back soon,
Pat
Diagnose w/ diabetes on June 1, 20011. A1C 13.6; glucose 390. Started doing a lot exercise, change diet (last meal is about 6:00PM), and using supplements (cinnamon, fenugreek, bitter melon, gmynema, chromium..). Also went to ayurvedic herbalist who told me that my liver is hot, so, she gave me herbs to make a tea, which I did for one month. So far did not use any medication. In 2 months+ glucose level is from 160-190, and stedy going down. Hope in a month or two will be under 120, and at that time will go again for a lab test to check A1C, cholesterole, etc.
Forget to say: no sugar, alcohol, coffee… at all. Light meal, not much meat, a lot of vegetable, fruit…
Its nice to see you found what works for you. There are thousands if not millions of people out there who are told to eat healthy and given a bunch of meds and sent to a dietician who has them eating all the wrong food and they spend years trying to do what you did in 2 months.
I found by drinking lots of water and eating lots of low carb vegetables while cutting back or eliminating high carb starchy foods helped me to get this all under control. I still refuse to eat any food with more than 5-6 net carbs per serving. Its still working so I’ll continue doing what works for me until it doesn’t work anymore. Then will have to decide on another plan of action.
I too, quit using sugar. I now use a little splenda but refuse to eat anything with sugar in it. I stopped drinking alcoholic beverages while taking my meds. Since I don’t take meds anymore I found having a glass of wine or a few beers at night help with my blood sugar control. I also quit drinking coffee for about a year after being diagnosed. I drank lots of teas instead. I now will drink a cup of coffee about midmorning with my fiber supplement and sunflower seeds for my morning snack. Doesn’t seem to affect my blood sugar.
Thanks for stopping and leaving a comment. I get hundreds of Spam comments and find it’s really nice to have someone comment who actually read my blog. Just keep doing what your doing and your numbers will come down to normal levels. Mine did. If they don’t try cutting out more of the high carb foods or foods with more than 5-6 net carbs per serving.
Thanks for reading and commenting
Kevin
Hi Everyone!
I notice that a lot of you have tried the nut milks, or soy milks in your recipes and would like to suggest coconut milk. It has only 1 gram of carbohydrate per serving and can be substituted where any milk product is used. My son who is allergic to dairy uses it with no problems. It’s also high in calcium and has 1 gram of protein per serving. I also use coconut oil instead of olive oil for most recipes. It has a high tolerance to heat. It is also antimicrobial, and has been found to help with any cardiovascular problems. Coconut milk is carried by all the health food stores in my area. I think it would taste great in your ice cream recipes. It doesn’t have a really heavy coconut taste. I love the taste of coconut, however! I use coconut oil to make a lovely fried chicken which I lightly dust with coconut flour; the coconut gives it a mild Polynesian flavor.
Thanks for this blog! I get a lot of good ideas from it. Please, everyone, keep improving your eating habits, and keep exercising!
Cheryl
Cheryl
Thanks for the suggestion about coconut milk. Lately been using half and half for making my ice cream and chocolate water. The wife usually has several cans because she uses it a lot in her cooking. She buys its at the oriental stores. Most sell some kind of coconut milk. Will have to check the health food store next week. I know I can buy it in Wal-Mart or other supermarkets in the oriental or international section. I found a can in the house. Its from Thailand and doesn’t have any calcium in it so I will have to read the labels.
Been wanting to try the virgin coconut oil. It’s expensive so I haven’t tried it yet. Found a site on line once where it was reasonably priced. Will have to research and purchase some soon.
I came across the coconut flour a while ago. Read a lot of nice reviews. Maybe I will try and find the site and purchase some. I make cakes, pancakes and waffles with the soy flour. Coconut flour might make a good substitute. I’m starting to run low on soy flour and will need to buy some soon. It might be a good time to try the coconut flour. I didn’t want to buy it when I had 50 lbs of soy flour.
Thanks for stopping by and adding a comment. If you have any recipes for the coconut flour you have tried and would recommend I would be interested. Especially if you made any cakes, cookies, muffins, piecrust, pancakes, waffles or what ever. Any low carb recipe you have tried and liked i would be interested in also. Always looking for good low carb recipes that people have tried and liked.
Thanks for stopping
Kevin
Hey Kevin,
Finally getting back to your last post…I think getting back to the gym is helping my numbers in the morning….they have been under 100 for over a week now. This morning i had an 85.
What brand of salad dressing is the Fit and Light Parmesan? I do have an Aldis close to me. I have been making my own with red wine vinegar. I actually really like it.
Just red wine vinegar, extra v. olive oil, some garlic, basil, and a squirt of spicy mustard. Equal parts of vinegar and oil but i usually use more vinegar.
Re: gaining weight, I think i need to up my calorie intake. Sometimes I think i don’t eat enough. I remember seeing an ad on tv for that shake Gluecerna? I found it in Wegmans and from what i remember there was something i didn’t like in it. I think it may have been the sugar alcohols.
RE: the ice cream that sounds like a good idea to pre-chill the batch before adding it to the machine. I think later today I may make chocolate ice cream again. I find that it tastes the best when it just comes out of the machine….once you freeze it, it becomes hard and icy. Do you get this?
I just made a batch of muffins and definetly need to order something on line. As i find I am making these ever other week. The stores you found for the hunts sauce are far from me….but I’ll still look around here…..but for now I still make my own.
I have a Dr.’s appoint. at the end of this month and as usual, I just dread it. So i will let you know how i make out.
Just been having a insane summer, constantly busy. Between my sons schedule, college research, his job, my stuff….i feel like i am on a roller coaster. But I will say I am at that gym every morning…..the one thing that keeps me grounded.
Have a great week, Kevin, I’ll be back soon.
Pat
Pat
Glad to see your numbers are getting better. I like the Fit & Active brand Light Parmesan Italian. They only sell it about once every 3-4 months. Aldis is like that with some products. That’s why I bought 2 cases. Once they sell out it gone for at least a couple of months. If you have a home made one that you like I would stick with that. I use 1 tablespoon and add 2 –3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar. I eat salad every day. I miss a day once in a while but I take great effort to have a salad everyday.
I read the label on Gluecema and the carb count is high. Its a lot higher than I can have. I stick with Atkins or the EAS brand of protein drinks. I think there a lot better. The EAS and Atkins brand don’t spike my blood sugar after drinking. I would not buy the stuff myself. If you try them and they don’t spike your blood sugar to much after 1 hour then they might be ok for you. I just know by reading the label that its no good for me.
The ice cream is great when you first make it. If you freeze it it’s going to get as hard as a rock and you cannot eat it. I freeze them in one serving container and when I get home from work I take it out of the freezer and by the time I finish my supper (20-30 minutes) there soft enough to eat. If you freeze the whole batch at once you will have to eat it all once it thaws a little. I also found when I forget to take it out of the freezer I will microwave for 20-30 seconds or until its soft enough to eat.
The soy flour online is only a dollar a pound. You got to get 50 pounds. I have several containers I use to keep all the flour. After 1 year its still good. I need to buy another bag before the price goes up. If you sign up for there e-mail discounts they give you 10% off witch pays for the shipping. If you search there site and want to order any other products the shipping is the same if you order just one thing or many. So far all I order from the place is the soy flour.
I always check the stores when I shop and so far the only place I can find that sells the sugar free pasta sauce is Shop and save. Its only $1.00 a can. I figure the price should be increasing soon so thinking about buying 30-40 cans soon. I bought it on sale once for $.79 but think its not going to happen again. I better buy it soon as the economy is tanking and prices will be going up soon.
Were all having an insane summer. My wife is off visiting her family overseas and a few weeks ago I found there closing the prison where I work. I’m still working summer school and should be working there for now until the end of September. I find out around September 10th where I’m going next. Should be going to another jail next to the one I work now. Only around the corner. Where the guy who’s job I’m taking is going to work I have no idea. The people from Albany said not to worry about it, just go to work there like nothing happened. Things are going to get a little crazy at work soon. Figure to just go along with the ride and don’t worry about it as long as I have a job.
Hope your doctors visit works out fine. I stopped going because I couldn’t stand the doctor. I made a few calls and so far there not accepting new patients. I figure to just keep doing what I do until I find someone who will accept me or is taking new patients. As long as my blood sugar stays pretty good I’m not going to worry about it.
Well it looks like I’m starting to write a book so for now I hope your having a great summer. Take care
Kevin
Hey Kevin,
Don’t think i ever saw that brand of dressing. But will have to keep a lookout for it. I also have a salad once a day. Yesterday I had leftover grilled salmon, thru that in with a bunch of greens and veggies, red wine dressing…I was happy.
Last night we had gone out to dinner with some people, we all brought a bottle of wine, so there was plently of that. First time in a long time I had white pasta. Only cause the restaurant did not have whole wheat. In the pasta was in a light garlic sauce with beans, shrimp, spinach…it was very good. I had more wine that usual.
1 hour after dinner, my bg was 89. I feel like the wine is always my saving factor.
I made ice cream the other day….it came out great…my husband loved it. But, yes, when you freeze it it gets too hard. Will take it out earlier next time and ck the consistency….I want to try this Blueberry recipe…just cause it sounds good. But it would be mostly for my son and hubby as there is real sugar and cream in it I just want a taste, plus i have fresh blueberries that we picked frozen.
I hear you about an insane summer…my son’s schedule is crazy…but at least its all good….today we are taking a much needed break and we are all going to the meet to meet up with friends. Then later, have to take my son to work at the beach club he works at….so that’s my day..
My Dr.’s visit is this coming week…:(…..I HATE GOING!! I just get so nervous and jumpy I can’t stand myself….anyway…will keep you posted…..
Pat
Pat
It’s a brand they only have once in awhile and it’s not with the regular salad dressing.
I also find that if I drink a glass or 2 of wine or a low carb beer or 2 before I eat I can sometimes cheat a little. It works.
I like my ice cream. I eat a cup every day. I bought several one cup storage cups and when I make my ice cream I divide it by four and freeze 3. Freezing it does make it hard and it can not be eating straight out of the freezer. I found by leaving it on the counter for 20 – 30 minutes softens it up pretty good and I have no problem eating it. Some times I find micro waving for 30 – 40 minutes will sometimes get the same result. Other wise it hard and your not going to get a spoon in it.
Your blueberry ice cream you can always modify the recipe. I found that using 2 cups of cream or light cream or half and half all work pretty good. I then add 1 cup of low carb greek yogurt along with 2 scoops of protein powder and some peanut butter. Comes out pretty good. You might be able to modify the recipe buy replacing the sugar with splenda or maybe no sugar at all. I use to add some splenda to my ice cream but found it taste just as good without it. I will sometimes make vanilla ice cream and add a no sugar added low carb jam to my ice cream and have made blackberry and grape ice cream. I love it all.
I hope you have a good check up and all the numbers come out fine. I no longer go to the doctor. I hated the one I had and am having a problem getting a new one. So far all I get is were not accepting new patients. I would go back to the one I had but really need to get a doctor from a different place. When I went to the hospital last year, my doctor wasn’t a member of that hospital and the doctors there didn’t accept my insurance. But they never told me that. I ended up paying a lot of money out of pocket. I’m trying to find a DO from another hospital so what happened to me doesn’t happen again.
Thanks for stopping
Kevin
Cheryl,
Where did you find coconut flour? I guess a health food store may have it..
Pat
Hey Kevin,
I think my numbers may be coming down. I hope. They have been under 100 first thing in the morning, then lower when i get back from the gym. And i notice before and after meals too, they seem to be a bit better. I think your right, it just takes time. Its funny you should mention about losing weight….I have lost weight, and am in pretty good shape…BUT…i never thought i would say this, but i actually would like to gain about 8 pounds. But i am so leary about eating more. I feel like its a vicious circle.
Last nite i made a great dinner that worked well with my BG. Grilled Salmon with teriayki glaze, sauteed spinach in lots of garlic and Olive Oil with onions, and a big salad with a glass of red wine.
Yeah let me know if your BG spikes with hot drinks. The only time i drink hot with meals is breakfast and its normally tea. Haven’t noticed too much of a spike.
I printed out your chocolate cake recipe…and i think i will make it next week. It sounds great….
I also have one of those ice cream machine….I may have to try some recipes again.
The other nite I made a low carb/low sugar delicious chocolate shake. I found this brand called Hood 2% low fat chocolate milk. It has something like 3 sugar gram and 5 carbs in a cup. So I make 2 cups, add 2 frozen bananas, a little chocolate syrup and 3-4 tbls of peanut butter. I really whip it up good in my food processor. It almost came out like ice cream. It was really thick and reallly good !!! Almost like melted ice cream.
So i had less than a cup and gave the rest to my hubby and my son. The only down side it has sucralose in the milk. Not a fan and not good for you. But once in a while. This also does well with my BG. I’ll have to ck and see if your ice cream recipes are on the blog.
Re: buying soy flour I have to do something, as I am spending a fortune on it at the supermarket…..so I will look into what you suggested.
BTW, I have never found that Hunts No-sugar sauce….no biggie as I usually make my own sauce anyway…
Ok…..have a great 4th of July and I’ll be back soon,
Pat
Pat
My numbers have been up lately too. Last April my A1C went up to 5.9 and when I tested a few days ago it read 6.0. Not to happy about it. I thought it was getting better but according to the test it hasn’t been any better. I figure as long as it stays in the 6’s I should be ok.
Last December or January I switch my salad dressing to a spicy ranch dressing. It was low carb so I didn’t think much about it. I used to add 2-3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar to my salad dressing. The ranch isn’t the type of dressing I could just dump vinegar on. Well this is the only thing I can think of, that I made changes to my diet. I read someplace that vinegar will help lower blood sugar. Wasn’t sure if it was helping or not. Adding extra vinegar to my salad was just something I always did. A couple of days ago I seen my favorite salad dressing at Aldis. The fit and active light Parmesan Italian. Aldis is the only place I found that sells it. This particular one they only have 3-4 times a year. When I run out I usually have to wait to get more. So I bought a case of it. Figure to buy another case next time I go there. Last night I went back to eating my salad with the Italian dressing and added the red wine vinegar. Hoping this works. I tried drinking it out of a shot glass a couple of months ago. Only lasted a week. So I now I will be adding the vinegar to my salad from now on. Also bought a head of cabbage and plan on making my coleslaw again. Next time I go to Aldis I plan on buying 10-20 cans of tuna fish and will start eating it again at lunch. When things start to so south I figure to go back to what used to work. Will have to wait and see. I’ll keep you posted if all this works.
Gaining weight shouldn’t be a problem. I lost 30-40 pounds when first diagnosed and gained most of it back. Just eat more of the low carb meals. I would like to lose 20 pounds myself. I think if you eat more of the low carb muffins and eat homemade low carb ice cream every day should help.
Salmon, spinach, garlic, olive oil, onions, salad and a glass of wine are all low carb and good for you. Nice of choice of foods. Just got to be careful of the sauces. This is where we need to read the labels. Some are low carb and some are not. I have found that some of the high carb ones can be ok if you use just a little bit.
I have been drinking coffee most mornings with my midmorning snack. Haven’t noticed it having a negative effect on my blood sugar. Lately my numbers been off a bit so it’s hard to tell sometimes if things are good or bad.
It seems you found an excellent shake to drink. I like to drink my chocolate water with supper and on weekends will also drink a glass with my lunch. Drinking a glass or 2 a day might help with you gaining a little weight also. Sounds like you may want to use that recipe in your ice cream machine. I found when it comes to my ice cream machine its all about experimenting with different ingredients. If using your recipe to make ice cream I would add a tablespoon of peanut butter to it. The peanut butter does something to help it look more light real ice cream.
When making ice cream I found that spraying the bowl with a non stick cooking spray helps with it from sticking to the bowl. It will still build up on the sides of the ice cream bowl but you may be able to scrape it from the sides. It takes some time to do this but with out the spray all you can do is wait for it to melt. I also found that after mixing all the ingredients if helps a lot if you pre chill the whole batch before adding it to the ice cream machine. The machine clams to make 1½ quarts at a time. I have found if I put more than 3½ – 4 cups of mix in the machine I get a mess.
The recipes for most of what I eat are on my blog. That includes the ice cream. Lately I just been mixing 2 cups of nut milk (you can use any kind of milk, I would just check the label, most milk is high carb, heavy and light cream are both low carb, if you use nut milk or soy milk you need to check and make sure there the no sugar low carb versions) 1 cup of Greek Yogurt (I use Chobani plain fat free) 2 scoops of protein powder (chocolate or vanilla depending on what flavor I want) 1 large tablespoon of peanut butter. I have found if I use the vanilla protein powder I get peanut butter ice cream. For chocolate I will add one serving of no sugar added chocolate syrup sweetened with splenda. I found the Wal-Mart brand is as good as the name brands and is also cheaper.
The flour I buy on the Internet is only a dollar a pound. The smallest size they sell is 50 lbs. Shipping is 5 dollars more matter what you buy. So if you like some of their other stuffs you can buy it all together. So far I just buy the flour. If you sign up for there e-mail discounts about every month or 2 they will send a 10% off coupon. Pays for the shipping. I was buying the almonds in a 2 lb container at Bjs. I have about 12 of them when I bought the flour. I also have several of the plastic Chinese quart containers they sell the soup in. I filled all them containers and still had extra flour. I bought this a year ago and have been using it every day. Still got about 15 pounds left. I have been saving the coffee creamer containers so next time I should have enough containers. At a dollar a pound I figured if I only used half of it I was still getting it cheap. So far the flour after 1 year is just as good as the day I bought it. I just had to use a lot of containers.
The hunts sauce I only been able to find it at a Save a Lots. I did a search for New Jersey and they have 3 stores. If you live close by (a few miles) you may want to visit to just look around. Otherwise I wouldn’t go to far out of my way. http://save-a-lot.com/store-locator?locations=8108,8107,8106,8105&smartfield=New%20Jeresy&lat=40.0583238&lon=-74.4056612
Hoping your having a great holiday.
Kevin
Keviiiinnnnnnn !!!!
Your not going to believe this, as i still don’t. My AIC was 5.7.
OMg…I was amazed. I was doing your a1c calculator and it was on the money. It said 5.75. My Dr. said he was extremly impressed and wished his other patients were as focused. I’m really not sure what I did differently from last time…..I am still at the gym every morning, maybe more red wine than usual, and just watching and testing…..I just had to share that with you. !! :)…On another note every time I go to the Dr. I have the white coat syndrome..so now he put me on a blood pressure monitor overnite. Its always something. Not a good time for me to do this as we have a very good friend in the hospital. And that kinda upsets me.
Anyway…write more later…just had to tell you that 🙂
Pat
Congratulations on getting your numbers down. I knew you could do it.
Kevin
Hey Kevin,
I just wanted to share this. I found a new recipe that i tweaked for Low Carb Banana Muffins that really kept my BG low. Thought i would share this with you.
• 1-3/4 cup low carb ( I used almond flour and soy flour and flaxseed powder)
• 1/4 cup granular Splenda
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 small banana mashed + I added about ¼ cup pumpkin
• 1/2-1 tsp imitation banana extract (to suit your own taste)
• 1/3 cup butter canola oil
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
In a mixing bowl combine 1 cup of baking mix, sweetener, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add mashed banana and butter or oil and mix on low speed until well blended. Add eggs and remaining 3/4 cup of baking mix, beat on low speed again until well blended. Pour batter into a prepared 12 count muffin pan and bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Let cool in the pan about 5 minutes then remove the muffins. Eat warm with butter or cool thoroughly and store in an airtight container. These are a big hit in our home!
Pat
Thanks for the recipe. I don’t care for bananas much but will try them with just the pumpkin. Maybe add a cup or a cup and a half of pumpkin. I forgot to mention if you buy the soy flour you will need lots of containers to put it in. I bought it last year and use it every week for making cakes, soy pasta, waffles and pancakes. Still got about 15 pound left. Been thinking of buying another bag soon before the price goes up.
Hi Kevin,
I can’t wait for my numbers to ge lower. I think they are on the way, as when i got home from the gym yesterday my bg was 93. I think that is true, if you do exercise alot, you can eat more carbs. I noticed that without exercising everything i put in my mouth made it go up some points.
Also i was doing some research on Alpha Lipoic Acid…thinking i may take some supplements, but after reading everything, i decided against it. Could have some side effects with this. Rather get it naturally.
I had dinner with a friend who is got elevated BG like me, and she had read something about if you drink something hot with a meal, it raises your sugar more. We had dinner together this weekend, and I had hot tea after dinner and my bg was higher than hers. Not sure if this means anything but its interesting. I always drink water during the day, always have.
How do you make the chocolate bread?? Add some coco powder?? I will try that if so.
Your ice cream sounds wonderful, and i do have an ice cream maker so i will have to try this very soon !!
Okay, thats it for me for now….be back soon… Pat
PS..not sure if its on my end, but this blog jumps around when i type…
Pat
Thanks for stopping. I have no dough you will get your numbers back down. It may take a few days or even a few weeks but hard work pays off. I just believe if for whatever reason you can’t exercise for a few days or weeks, it may help to drop your carb intake to somewhere between 30 to 100 grams per day. I haven’t eating any bread, potatoes, corn, pasta (except my soy pasta, tried dreamfield but found if you didn’t cook it right it still spiked my blood sugar, figured I was better off without it) and most foods that contained more than 5-6 net carbs per serving as listed on the label. I make all my own food and I think I eat well. When diagnosed I was losing weight and continued to lose weight until I got down to 190. But after 2 years of finding foods that don’t spike my blood sugar and slowly adding to what I can eat I have gained back most of what I lost. Last time I checked I weight about 225. My blood sugar is still doing good even with the weight gain.
I took Alpha Lipoid Acid for several months recently. Didn’t notice any improvement in my numbers. I ran out of it and will not be buying it again. When I wrote nutrients and foods to control blood sugar I made a list of nutrients and googled them to find what foods contain the nutrient. That’s the foods I try to eat. This is what I found when I googled Alpha Lipoid Acid. Foods containing alpha lipoid acid are spinach, broccoli, peas, brussel sprouts and rice bran. I eat lots of broccoli and spinach, peas are supposed to be a high carb food along with the rice bran so I don’t eat them and I never ate brussel sprouts so I don’t know about them.
I never noticed that drinking something hot with my meal, spiking my blood sugar. Most of the time I drink water with my food. In the morning for a snack I drink my fiber supplement and eat 1 oz of sunflower seeds and will drink a cup of coffee. Didn’t notice it spiking my blood sugar. Most of the time if I drink something hot it will be between meals. But now you mention it I will be aware of it when I do drink something hot with my meals.
I make chocolate cake with soy flour. I used to use TVP and ground it in a coffee grinder several times, but know use the soy flour. I posted the recipe here https://kirla.wordpress.com/recipes-3/tvp-chocolate-cake/. I now use the nut milk instead of soymilk but it comes out great either way. A teacher at work has made my chocolate cake a few times and thinks its good also. You maybe able to cut the soyflour with some almond meal or flaxseed meal and see how it comes out. I sometimes will add the flaxseed meal if I have it on hand otherwise I just use the soyflour. If you using a lot of soyflour I found it cheap here http://store.honeyvillegrain.com/bakerssoyflour50lb.aspx. If you sign up for there e-mail every once in a while they will send you a discount coupon, which will pay for the shipping. By the way baking coco is a low carb food. Most have less than 1-2 net carbs per serving, just need to check the label.
I have one of those ice cream machines you freeze the bowl in the freezer. I have made ice cream several ways and found I like it. I usually will eat a cup after supper most days. I found if you spray the frozen bowl with some non-stick cooking spray it helps a little with it sticking to the sides and bottom. I also found that I will refrigerate the mixture or leave in the freezer for about 20 minutes before adding to the machine. Works better. I also found that I can’t add more than 4 cups of ice cream mixture to the machine. If I add too much it makes a big mess. Better to keep it under 4 cups.
About typing and writing on the blog. It has some kind of auto save. It drives me crazy if I try and write on the blog. I haven’t found out how to turn it off. I don’t spell too good and like to rearrange what I write sometimes so I will use Microsoft word to write all my posts and then I just copy and paste. I do this for all the forum and discussion groups I participate in. Works great most of the time.
Thanks
Kevin
People, forget about grains of any kind. They aren’t good for anyone. Eat protein, and complex carbs in the form of vegetables and fruit. Keep it simple. You’re better off without the bread, pasta, and pastries. You’ll survive, and lose weight. Work hard physical labor and your body won’t have extra glucose circulating around. Read Rob Wolf and his explanation of the paleo diet.
Hi Kevin,
Its been awhile since I posted. Things have been hectic, summer is in full swing, my son is out of school, etc. Just busy stuff.
My BG isn’t as good as it was. I kinda think its because i was out of the gym for almost a month as i hurt my back.
But i am back now. I used to have my wake up BG at under 100, now its 100 or 105 etc. After and before meals its higher than i would like too.
So now I am looking back over my food journal to see what i have been doing.
I recently heard that Pistachio nuts help lower BG. I tried it and for me it did not work…..and i still have not found anything to do with the Fenugreek powder yet…
Hope all is well with you.
Pat
Pat
Nice to hear from you. Next week the school year is over here. Then summer school starts July 5th. I think this is going to be my last year working summer school. I needed the extra money the first few years but now I believe taking the time off would be better.
Trouble with controlling blood sugar with exercise is that when you can’t exercise for some reason your numbers go up. I don’t exercise much so when I get sick or can’t get around much my numbers just keep going. Don’t have to worry about it. I have seen this happen to lots of people on line in the forums and discussions groups. For some reason people find themselves not able to exercise and numbers go up. I believe if you control with exercise you need to cut carbs way down until you can get back to exercising.
I have found that people who exercise a lot can eat more of the higher carb foods. I wish I could get a routine going. I would love to eat some bread or real pasta sometimes. Its just I hate exercising more than I love the foods I don’t eat.
Since your back to exercising it isn’t going to take long for your numbers to come back down. When my numbers start to go up I start eating more low carb vegetables and drink more water. Since I don’t eat anything high carb it not something I have to worry about. But at times I do find myself not drinking 8 pus glasses of water and not eating much broccoli and other low carb vegetables. Will also try and eat more fish. I find when I eat the tuna fish my after eating numbers seems to do better.
I use the fenugreek seeds to make tea. I also add a regular tea bag to it. It helps with the taste. I also save the seeds after making the tea and add that to my soy cakes. Been eating the pumpkin bread for about 8 months now and last week I made the chocolate. I think I was ready to make a change.
I also bought some light cream last week and used it in my ice cream maker. The ice cream came out real good. Better than when using the nut milk. I got to get on sparkpeople to find out how it fits in my diet. I used 2 cups of light cream. 1 cup of Greek yogurt, I spoon of peanut better, 2 scoops of chocolate protein powder and 1½ tablespoons of sugar free chocolate syrup. This was the best ice cream I have made yet. Even looked like real ice cream. Still have to let it thaw for about 20 minutes before I can eat it but it was really great. I think next time I’m going to use vanilla protein powder and add a tablespoon of sugar free blackberry jam and make blackberry ice cream next time. Makes 4 serving. Just have to use the non stick cooking spray to coat the ice cream machine before making ice cream otherwise its real hard to get the last of it out of the machine.
I use the almonds, walnuts, peanuts and sunflower seeds everyday. Not sure if they help with blood sugar control but I know that they don’t hurt it. I use them for snacks. I think they work great. Pistachio nuts I believe are higher in carbs than the ones I use. Almonds, walnuts, peanuts and sunflower seeds all have only about 2- 4 net carbs per serving. When I run out of walnuts I will not be buying anymore. Bjs went from a 3 pound bag to a 2 pound bag and didn’t lower the price. So I guess I will be making my milk with the almonds from now on. Doesn’t matter I like almond milk just as much. Will have to look again when I go shopping to see how many net carbs are in the Pistachio nuts.
Thanks for stopping.
Kevin
Patsy, no it is not silly. Ask the doctor to do tests to find out what is wrong. If he will not tell you, then change doctors.
There are a lot of complications for diabetes. There are also a lot of meds for the complications.
Please keep us updated.
You are a very good writer. How many carbs are in a low carb diet. Nobody has answered that question for me. My diet works for me. Kirla, I eat very little meat. Meat also has trygcerides in it.
I eat about 30 carbs per meal, give or take.
I really like your theme and your recipes. They really help me. You are a big help to me.
Patsy, what makes you think that you are slowly dying. Are you having complications?
Ruth
Nice to hear from you. Haven’t seen you around in a while. I believe a very low carb diet is around 30 grams of carbs per day or less. A low carb diet I believe would consists of 30 – 125 grams of carbs per day. Eating about 30 grams a meal would fix into a low carb diet. Shortly after being diagnosed I ate about 30 grams a day. Last time I evaluated my diet on sparkpeople I was eating about 75 grams a day and drinking about 30. I eat different amounts at different meals. Mornings I eat the least amount of carbs and lunch I probley eat the most.
Ruth thanks for stopping, I always look forward to you leaving a comment or two.
Thanks
Kevin
Hey Kevin,
Yup, I pretty much eat 2 muffins for breakfast everyday. Sometimes i will have 1 in the afternoon with a cup of tea.
I am due to make a batch this weekend, so i will add some Fenugreek powder to them….
I will look for the Hunts Pasta sauce and try it….Here we have Wegmans, A&P, ShopRite and getting a new Stop N’Shop. We also have a Wal-Mart but i never seem to get there.
My friend only tests 3 times a day. But I will say she does a good workout everyday in the gym…Shes not the kind of person you can advise….so i just tell her what i do and thats about it.
But your right….i could never have 40-60- carbs per meal..omg…my BG would be 200. Its good that you worked on your problem right away and hopefully any damage you have will slowly go away…it just may take time.
I switched my workout around in the gym and found when i get home, my bg is 10-15 pts lower. So once that workout gets stale will switch it again..
I really try to keep my numbers below 100….they are anywhre from 80-100. Although this morning it was high…110. And I think its because i cheated last nite and had a piece of homemade apple pie that i made…
Doctors don’t know everything …my Dr. tells me well don’t go crazy testing…..oh brother, if i didn’t i would never know how to control it.
The Red Wine is a small miracle for me…it consistantly keeps my bg below 100 when i eat pasta or even pizza.
Write more later…..have a good weekend…Pat
I’ve heard of several people who control with exercise. I have been planning to start for 2 years now. Just can’t motivate myself to get started. I find when on vacation me and the wife walk a lot. Sometimes will walk all day. My blood sugar seems to like it when I’m active. I just haven’t been able to motivate myself enough.
One down side of controlling with exercise is when people can’t exercise for some reason their blood sugar spikes until they get back on an exercise routine. I think they would be ok if they cut the carbs a lot when not being able to exercise.
If you’re keeping your numbers between 80-100 you are doing better than I am. Currently my numbers have been running between 80-130. My numbers go from excellent control to not to good. Right now I’m starting to go from the not to good to getting better. I’m due for another A1C in June will find out then.
Thanks for stopping
Kevin
Hi Kevin,
Just checking in.
Things are status quo here….numbers fairly stable.
I can’t take you how many times i make that pumpkin bread recipe. Made muffins and tweaked them….they are really delicious.
Also going to tweak my favority blueberry recipe….i find i like the almond meal better than the soy flour.
Was in the Health Food store the other day and they had ground up Fenegreek powder. So i bought it….not sure what i will do with it yet, but i can put some in my tea. I’ll be creative I’m sure. I was thinking you could probably use it as flour and bread chicken with it.
I have not looked for that Hunts no sugar pasta sauce, i normally just make my own….but i always like to have a jar in, just in case….next time will look.
Was talking to a friend of mine the other day who is a type 2 and on meds. It amazes me how a normal day for her is like 150. She said she is not good. She does exercise tho.
As for me…depending on the day…i test between 4-6 times a day…although yesterday was only once as i had a busy day.
Stay in touch…..
Pat
Pat
Nice to hear from you. I too have been making the pumpkin bread a lot. Been making it since thanksgiving. Eat a piece almost everyday. I have been adding the leftover seeds from making my fenugreek tea. I think it taste pretty good. I was originally going to try making low carb dishes with almond meal but wasn’t able to find any cheap.
Then I bought some soy flour and found where I can buy it for a dollar a pound. I like the pumpkin pie and like to have a regular crust. I think the soy flour works pretty good. I now use it to make lots of stuff. Maybe someday if I can buy the almond meal cheap I will give it a try. If you google almond meal or flour there are hundreds of recipes out there.
I bought a 5 pound bag of the fenugreek seeds about 2 years ago. Still got a pound or so left. Didn’t use it much the first year. Been drinking the tea almost everyday at work for a while now. I add a regular tea bag to it. I have never used the powder. I believe it helps a little with blood sugar control. The wife has used the soy flour to make breaded shrimp and it worked pretty well. Not to sure if the fenugreek powder will work or not. You may want to mix it with something.
I look all the time when in the supermarket for the hunts no sugar added pasta sauce. Here where I live we have a Pricechopper, Hannaford’s and Wal-Mart’s. So far the only place I found it was in Save a Lots. It cost $.99 a can. Sometimes they have it on sale for $.79. I’m running low on it soon and will have to buy some more. I think I will buy 2 years supply if I find it again for $.79.
Most type 2’s are not very well controlled. They take lots of meds and the doctors and dieticians tell them to eat the 45-60 carbs per meal and 15-30 per snack. I believe that kind of diet and meds doesn’t work for a lot of us. Better to go low carb and eat to your meter. It’s a good thing you found you have a problem before it got any worse. If you didn’t take steps to eat healthy and test your meals you might of someday found yourself fighting the high blood sugars in the 200 300 400 or higher range. Most people who their doctors tell them they should do something now, don’t and pay for it later. I didn’t know myself until it was to late. But as soon as I found out I learned what to do to bring down my numbers. I have lots of damage that might take years to heal if it ever does. All I can do is test and eat to what my meter allows.
Its good you’re testing. I cut way back on testing this year and when my A1C spiked to 5.9 I started to test a lot again. Lately been testing 10+ times a day. The last month or so it looks like my blood sugar is starting to come back down some. My fasting has been high. It’s usually in the upper 90’s or a little over 100. I get a good reading in the morning once a week it seems. Had an 80 a couple of times. My before supper reading are back in the upper 70’s lower 80’s. I’m glad about that. My middle of the night reading are back in the lower 70’s. At one time my before supper and middle of the night reading were consistently in the 60’s. Even went in the upper 50’s a few times. It looks like I still got some work to do.
I found testing is something that we must do on a regular bases. Nothing wrong with missing a day or 2 but I found we need to test our fasting, before and after meals and some random tests at least weekly. For several months I stopped testing before meals and fasting and that’s when my A1C started to go up. I was only testing after lunch and/or dinner. It seems we need to do all the testing at least once a week. What disturbs me the most is people say their doctor said to test just once or twice a day and they follow what their doctor says to a tee. I tell a lot of people on the diabetic sites if they want very good blood sugar they need to test. I’m constantly getting them telling me there doctor said this or that and they will not do anything unless there doctor tells them to. I feel sorry for most of them. Doctors don’t know everything. If I listened to my doctors I would of never been able to do what I did. The doctors even told me that testing was not needed. Was a waste of time. Glad I didn’t listen to my doctor.
Thanks for stopping
Kevin
You are a great inspiration to all diabetics I am a type 2 and have been having highs and lows with controlling my blood sugar levels. I am now on a vegan diet which has helped me out alot in controlling my blood levels. I am blogging about my daily battles and feelings in dealing with being a diabetic that seems to be helping me alot to really take a good look at myself and how I am handling my health. I look forward to hearing from you.
http://busybeeandrosebud.wordpress.com/
Gaye
I’m not really a blogger. I needed a place to get my story out and this is what I came up with. Seems like I post more recipes than any other stuff. Anyway the search engines have been good to me. I get 5-10 people with 10-15 page reads most days.
I seen you recently joined Diabetic Connect. I have been a member for about 1½ years now. Used to post on Dlife but had a problem with the moderators. So now I mainly post on Diabetic Connect. Been thinking of doing a post about the different Forum Discussion websites. I belong to several but mainly post on diabetic connect.
I read some of your blog and it seems you do a good job with it. I have several things I want to write about, just got to find some time. I’m not a very good writer and it seems to take forever to write stuff.
I don’t know much about vegan diets. I post what I eat and the recipes here on my blog. I found that eating lots of low carb vegetables, drinking lots of water, cutting back or eliminating most high carb foods and testing before and after eating has helped me the most. This is what I try to tell people looking for help.
I found that eating small amounts of meat. Chicken and fish mostly, helps a lot with blood sugar control. I try and limit beef and pork because if eating too much will spike my cholesterol. I find meats have a minimum effect on my blood sugar. Just have to make sure I keep my Saturated Fat intake to less than 10% of my total calories. Other wise my cholesterol will get over 200. When diagnosed it was 300. I have been doing pretty good keeping it under 200.
I wouldn’t normally recommend a vegan diet to control blood sugar but if it works for you then keep doing what works. I read that when on a vegan diet you need to take vitamin B-12. Otherwise you really don’t need to take any other supplements. If I ever get to see a doctor again, I will have them test my vitamin levels. Last year I was told I needed to take the B vitamins. I now take a B complex twice a day. Some people calm it helps with neuropathy. I’m not sure yet. Will write about it if the numb tingling feelings in my feet ever go away.
Thanks for stopping and leaving a comment. I figure I’ll be seeing you some on diabetic connect. The people there are friendly and always have advice to offer. Some of it good and some not to good but most say what they believe and are well meaning. I like it there.
Kevin
Next time I would add other things…flaxseed, coconut, a few raisins…I really liked these…
Banana Bread Muffins Low Carb Low Sugar
•
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Total Time: 35 mins
• Servings: 11
Ingredients
o 8 ounces bananas (i used 2 )
o 1 eggs
o 3/4 cup Splenda granular (i used 1/2 cup)
o 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
o 1 teaspoon vanilla
o 1 teaspoon cinnamon
o 1 teaspoon baking soda
o 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
o 1/2 cup all-purpose whole wheat flour
o 1 cup almond flour
Directions
1. Mash banana add egg, Splenda, unsweetened applesauce, vanilla, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, mix well.
2. Add in almond flour 1/2 a cup at a time mix well then add the all purpose flour.
3. Take muffin pan put in liners or spray with non stick spray spoon in 1/4 cup mixture into each muffin slot. Bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes. Enjoy.
Calories 52.5
Calories from Fat 5
10%
Total Fat 0.5 g
0%
Saturated Fat 0.1 g
0%
Monounsaturated Fat 0.1 g
0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.1 g
0%
Trans Fat 0.0 g
0%
Cholesterol 19.2 mg
6%
Sodium 170.9 mg
7%
Potassium 96.5 mg
2%
Magnesium 8.1 mg
0%
Total Carbohydrate 10.7 g
3%
Dietary Fiber 0.9 g
3%
Sugars 2.6 g
10%
Protein 1.4 g
Hi Kevin,
Thanks for all your info….Yes, I think i downloaded Tomas book awhile ago…..I think i need to go back and read it.
Yesterday, I tried a new muffin recipe as i was out of muffins. They are great for a quick breakfast.
These I thought were one of the better ones. So I am going to share it in the next post.
So far, my blood sugars have been ok. I got alot in the 90’s this week….after awhile you just settle into a regimen and it works….I do think working out everyday helps.
Last night I made my homemade whole wheat pizza, had 2 glasses of red wine..and i read a 96. 🙂
Thanks again for this blog..
Pat
Kevin and Bob,
I agree….I can drink Red Wine while i am cooking whole wheat pasta for dinner and have another glass at dinner.
When i test 20 mins or even an hour its usually under 105. Now if i over indulge on pasta its about 120 ish.
I also combine pasta with a protein, eggplant parm, chicken etc and a salad…and i am usually fine.
Its one of my fav. dinners…
I can also eat an thin crust whole wheat pizza (3 small slices) with a salad and wine….and i am also good.
Balancing meals is real important for blood sugar control. Thoma Grubs has a free e-book you can download. Just join his site and download. He believes in balancing meals and keeping track of fats, proteins and carbs. http://www.diabetic-diet-secrets.com/ You can also download a 30-day trail version of the software he uses to analyze his diet. I downloaded the software but haven’t used it yet. It costs about $70.00 I think, if you want to buy it. He puts the link to the software in his book. I think it’s in chapter 9 or someplace close to it. I haven’t used the software because I use sparkpeople. It has taking me a long time inputting all the foods I eat and ingredients and recipes for tracking my diet. Didn’t want to start over.
Another site I joined is http://www.fasttracktofatloss.com/network/login.php Fast Track to Fat Loss. This is the site I got the idea of using the protein powder and Greek yogurt for making ice cream. It’s free to join. They do have a paid programs they been trying for a year for me to join. I never pay for anything. If it’s free I will join. They want money I move on to something else. Anyway they believe in balancing carbs with protein to avoid sugar spikes. I also like watching Kim Lyons. Never seen her when she was on the biggest loser. But I watch all her videos on fast track to fat loss.
I have found eating some chicken, fish, beef or pork with my meals helps with reducing sugar spikes. I’ve been at this for almost 2 years now and am still learning new things all the time. I have been using low carb beers for over a year and a half when eating at family get togethers. I found one or two beers and I can cheat a little with the carbs. Lucky holidays only come a few days a year. Otherwise I stick to my eating plan like clock work. Hardly never cheat. But it does happen. Were all human.
As long as we are on the subject of beer, I hope somebody can verify my conjecture. I have found that more often then not when I drink about a liter of Guinness on tap, my numbers go down. For instance, on the morning of 2/9 I was at 107. Later that day, because they have a good deal on Wednesdays, I stopped by the pub and drank two pints of Guinness. The next morning my number was 94. (I only test once a days, normally.)
Bob
Bob
Were all different. I found I can drink just about as many low carb light beers as I want to drink and my blood sugar doesn’t spike. Two years ago while on vacation in Williamsburg I purchased some Guinness Stout for my birthday. I only drank one after drinking several low carb beers. I tested about 1 hour later and my blood sugar was about 135. I didn’t think it was to bad but with just the low carb beers my blood sugar is usually less than 90 and frequently in the 70’s and 80’s. Sometimes if I have to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom I will test my blood sugar and it will be in the 60’s. A couple of times it was in the upper 50’s.
As far as your question goes I believe drinking a few low carb beers or wine helps with morning blood sugar readings. At least it helps mine. As far as the stout goes you just have to test. On a night when you drink a few stouts, test 1 and 2 hours after drinking them and observe your readings. If you need to get up in the middle of the night for something test again and test when you get up. By observing your reading you will be able to decide if the stout is worth the trouble or not. I don’t think they make a low carb stout. I wish they did.
Some of the best beer I ever had, was the beer I made. Stout was one of my favorites. I still have 2-3 bottles I made about 2-3 years ago. One bottle holds 25 oz. I think it will be worth the blood sugar spike just to taste it. I’m hoping someday to start brewing again. I miss it. I didn’t stop making it because of diabetes. I got traveling a lot back and forth from work and didn’t have time to make it. I’m thinking of making a batch and drinking one beer a week. I have 12 oz bottles so I don’t have to drink a lot of it at once. One batch mades 6 gallons. Used to last me 8-10 days. I would make 3-4 batches at a time. Was a lot easier than brewing every week. 4 batches lasted about a month.
What kind of low carb beer do you buy?
Pat
I mostly drink Keystone Light. I believe it has 4-5 net carb per beer. I find I can drink several and blood sugar does fine. I don’t recommend drinking if on Meds and to be careful if on insulin. I believe right now your on diet and exercise only, so if you like beer you just need to test before and after drinking and then maybe a few hours later to see what’s going on. I have also drank Bud light and Coors light. I have seen one on TV, which claims to be around 60 calories with only a few carbs. Will have to try it some day.
While in the Navy I spent about 10 years overseas drinking lots of different beers and when I returned I didn’t care for the regular beer too much. When in California I tried the keystone light and liked it. Been drinking it for twenty years or so. When I lived in Buffalo I had a hard time buying beer that tasted good. I spent several years making my own. Homemade beer is really good. Can’t drink it anymore. To many carbs. When I went to Williamsburg, VA. A few years ago on vacation I drank some local craft beer. It was good but spiked my blood sugar more than what I liked. Once in a great while I’ll drink one just for the taste. Sometimes you just have to spike your blood sugar and forget about it. After all were all human. We all make mistakes. I figure it ok to enjoy the better things in life once in a while. So enjoy it you can. Let your meter be your guide.
Sometimes at night I get blood sugar reading in the upper 50’s and 60’s. Since I don’t take meds or insulin I don’t worry about it. I read some posts from people who go crazy if their blood sugar drops below 80. I never panic. If you feel you need to raise it up a bit just go slowly. Eat or drink something and test again in 15-30 minutes or so. I just go back to sleep. I haven’t had problems with blood sugar reading in the 50’s and 60’s. Maybe if I ever get one in the 40’s I will have to eat or drink something and monitor.
Good luck
Kevin
Hi Kevin,
Finally getting around to answering your posts.
Thanks for the calculators to break down the foods, I am definetly going to be checking into that….I never knew that existed….:)
I also never had the time to make my low carb bread recipe i found online, but hope to do it tomorrow…its been a busy week.
What i did do was make my vegetarian chili. It came out great and it was so simple. I also like mine with a little kick. This recipe came from the Wegmans magazine. Usually i have a turkey chili recipe i made all the time, but just wanted to try something different.
I also made your waffles yesterday. Very good i must say:) . I used the Almond Milk, and used Vermont sugar free syrup. Did not spike my sugar so i was happy. I had 2 of them….the recipe is a keeper !!! Thanks !!!
I also bought the Channa Dal, which i think i will add to my chili. Have you done that?
Next on my list is to find low carb wraps or bread, as i have not been successful in that….
I am still testing at least 5 times a day….I can tell i am getting more comfortable with it and not doing it as much as i had been. Once I get real comfortable, i won’;t bother with the AIC caluclator on line, and will just buy a A1C blood test for home…but not there yet.
Hope you have a nice weekend.
Pat
Pat
I used the channa dal in my chili recipe I posted on my site. I replaced the zucchini with channa dal and it came out pretty good. Can’t remember if I used 1 or 2 cups. When cooked and pureed in a blender it makes a lot. My dip I make to dip my vegetables makes 2 quarts. Lasts for over a week. Sometimes I freeze it.
I make my own nut milks. Used it for milk in my recipes. Works out pretty good. I buy a 3 pound bag of almonds or walnuts at Bjs for $11.00. Can’t find them cheaper any place else. I figure it cost about 60 cents a quart to make. A bag of walnuts last me for months. I usually make walnut milk and eat the almonds at night for a snack.
It took me about a year to find low carb wraps. Only found the low carb pita bread once. Went back to Walmart and couldn’t find it anymore. I bought wraps last week at Hannaford’s. Not sure if you have one near you. Wegmans may sell it. Aldi’s sells the fit and active brand. But they don’t always sell them or have them in stock. Keep looking and sooner or later you will find them. They’re good for making sandwiches out of them. I use half apiece and they don’t spike my blood sugar much.
I agree about the waffles. I like them a lot. I think there good just toasted with nothing on them. Not sure about the sugar free maple syrup. It kind of left me in the bathroom a lot. Last time I used it I was still taking meds. Might have been a side effect of the meds along with the syrup.
I tested a lot for the last year and a half. Lately been testing just once or twice a day. Some days I even forget to test. I pretty much eat the same stuff everyday so it shouldn’t have any negative effects on my blood sugar. I need to buy an A1C test soon, was due in Dec. one kit has 2 tests. I had good luck with the A1CNow kit from Bayer. Most people I heard that used it, liked it and said it compares pretty lose to lab tests.
Kevin,
This bread thing is starting to bug me soooo….
I am am going to be making a bread recipe this tomorrow ,
so i will keep you posted on how it affects my sugar.
If its a keeper will send you the recipe….
Have a good w’end…
Pat
I also agree with you re: bread, one of my favorite things in the world.
No matter what kind i eat my sugar goes up.
I have bought all different kinds and types and forget it.
I can’t seem to find one with really low carb content, below 15.
So now i may experiment with that tooo…
Pat
I haven’t eaten a slice of bread in almost 2 years now. I have found some low carb wraps and pita bread. Wal-Mart a few weeks ago had pita bread that was only 7-8 net carbs per serving and didn’t spike my blood sugar. I found Wraps at Aldis that were 7 net carbs per wrap. I cut them in half and use them to make a tuna fish sandwich. Taste pretty good. I also found a low carb wrap at Bjs last year. They were very big. I cut them in thirds and they taste pretty good. I use them to make tuna fish sandwiches or make burritos with them. I roll them up with a little of my ground turkey sloppy joe mix with some salsa, hot sauce and cheese. Toast them in a toaster oven and they come out pretty good. I ran out of the pita bread and couldn’t find them again in Wal-Mart so now I have been making pizza with the wraps. Taste pretty good.
I use the term net carbs a lot. I find if I subtract the fiber from the total carbs it gives me net carbs. Fiber doesn’t have much effect on blood sugar and I found I can subtract it. Not sure if you are familiar with the term or not. I don’t eat much with more than 5-6 net carbs per serving.
Kevin
Hi Kevin,
Thanks for your recipe suggestion. It sounds really good as I love oriental foods….so will be trying that next week.
Your pita pizza pockets sound good too…
I have been in a real cooking mood here, made my normal turkey meatballs with lots of garlic, and homemade sauce.
Tomorrow I am making vegetarian chili.
I found these really good choco. chip cookies at Wegmans, (can you tell its my favorite store, lol) . They are called TATES. They are made in Long Island and they are delicious. They are made with Whole Wheat flour.
(9 grams of carbs and 8 grams of sugar in one.) Not too bad, but not too great either. So now I am experimenting at home making these cookies. So far, i have found a good recipe with whole wheat flour and now I am tweaking it and will make another batch this weekend. My 17 yr old. son loves them.
Is there a way how to figure out what the carb and sugar content is when you make something??
Thats great you only test now, once or twice a day.
I am becoming obsessive..lol…i still test 5-6 times a day.
I am going back to the Dr. in March so after that I may cut it down..
Another thing on my list is i really want to make your soy waffles, they sound great…..I bought almond milk yesterday and may try that for the waffles…
Thanks Kevin, stay in touch, you motivate me !!!!! 🙂
Pat
Pat
I have to get into a real good cooking mood most weekends or I would starve. I have to cook most of the foods I eat on the weekends and just reheat during the week. I use ground turkey a lot also. I make what I call my turkey sloppy joe. Have to make it every week. Taste good. I have been making vegetarian chile for over 20 years now. The recipe I use is a little spicy. But that’s the way I like it. Experimenting with different foods and ingredients has allowed me to expand my diet a lot. I like cooking and baking and so far I have been able to make low carb cake, ice cream, pancakes, waffles, pumpkin pie, pasta and even made a low carb cheese cake. All taste pretty good. I had to modify recipes because I found I couldn’t find many that used soy flour. If almond flour were as cheap as soy flour I would be using that instead. Lots of recipes online. But so far I can’t find it for a dollar a pound. Soy flour I can get for a dollar a pound but have to purchase 50 pounds of it. I bought a bag last year and still got about 20 pounds left. I use it a lot. I store it in containers that I bought almonds in until I found them raw in the baking section of Bjs.
Sparkpeople.com has a nutrition tracker where you can list all the foods you eat and it will break it down by calories, fats, carbs, protein and more it you want. I find it great for analyzing my diet. It’s free to join. They also got a recipe calculator. I use it to calculate all my recipes on my blog. I like it a lot. I will post the links if you want to join. I found its best to input the foods I use myself. You can add the label info and it will store the information for you. Than when you eat or use that item in a recipe you just have to go to your favorites file and add it.
http://www.sparkpeople.com/
http://www.sparkrecipes.com/
Testing was getting out of hand. Trying to find out when I was peaking for each meal was a pain. Numbers are always changing. But it was something I figured I needed to know in order to keep my blood sugar under control. I kind of got an idea of when I peak for didn’t meals and at different times of the day. It would be nice to peak at the same time all the time but that’s not how it works. For about 1-2 months I was testing like 15-20 times a day. Anyway I tested about 5-7 times a day for over a year and a half. Test as much as you feel you need too. But remember to test at least a few times a week when and if you decide you don’t need to test a lot.
The waffles I feel come out real good. I like them a lot. I just toast them and eat. Taste great. I used sugar free maple syrup but the sugar alcohol was too much. I got to work and leave the house everyday. Can’t afford to stay home all the time. I also used the soy flour for making cakes. I think the cakes taste pretty good. So do most people who have tried them. I plan on making cookies and muffins some day with the soy flour. Also plan on using almond flour to make cakes or cookies to see how they come out.
Almond milk. I never bought it. I used to make soymilk. But found nut milks are a lot easier to make. I just soak ½ cup of nuts in water for several hours, drain, rinse and blend on high speed in about 4 cups of water. Strain and drink. I also use it for baking my cakes and waffles and pancakes. I use it for milk in all my recipes.
Thanks for stopping
Kevin
Greetings,
This is a message for the webmaster/admin here at kirla.wordpress.com.
May I use part of the information from this post above if I provide a backlink back to your site?
Thanks,
John
I don’t see why not. I had someone last year steal one of my posts and they never asked permission. At least you asked.
Thanks
Kevin
Hi Kevin,
Hope all is well and you got thru the Holidays okay.
I’m doing okay, watching my sugar levels and testing many times during the day. Although during the holidays, i got a little lazy and ate some things i should not have, but it didn’t seem to affect me that badly.
I continued with my A!C calculator, but like you had said you had a different reading when you went to your Dr.
Well, I had my Dr.’s appoint the other day….I had my A!C calculated to be about 5.8, it came back at 6.1. My Dr. was actually happy cause i got it down, but i wasn’t thrilled.
Sooooo…now i will see what i can do to lower it more.
Still eating my Health Muffins, yesterday I made a double batch. I used 1/2 soy flour and 1/2 almond flour. Tasted the same….
Also the Lentil soup works for me too…I only have 1.2 cup with a salad for lunch.
I think the thing that is my saving grace when i want to indulge in pizza or pasta, is red wine. That is a total god send for me. I am usually under 115 after 1 hour.
Last night i had a some pasta, a piece of chicken parm, salad, and it was 96 after 40 min.
Hope the New Year is Happy and Healthy for all of us.
Pat
Pat
I have been meaning to respond to some of your other posts. Thanks for the recipe for the soup. Will have to use the lentils soon.
6.1 is pretty good. I was disappointed with 5.9 so I know how you feel. But .3 of a point is still pretty good. That’s about how the spreadsheet worked for me too.
Getting my A1C below 6 wasn’t too hard to do, but I was determined and I followed my diet real close. No matter what, I drink my water every day and eat the low carb vegetables. Some days I even had to force them down.
A recipe I found if you like an oriental favor I used a lot, was to mix 2-3 tablespoons of low sodium soy sauce with 1 tablespoon of olive oil mixed with a 1 teaspoon of garlic powder and ½ teaspoon of ground ginger to coat the broccoli an/or cauliflower and bake in the oven at 350 degree for approximately 20 min. Sometimes I add some spinach also. I found I liked it. I used about 4-6 cups of vegetables.
Now I mix the vegetables in the channa dal. I found an India Store in Albany who sells it for a dollar a pound. I bought 20 pounds last August and still got a little less than 16 pounds left. I have been dipping my vegetables every day at lunch.
I cut out just about all other carbs. No bread, pasta, potatoes chips, crackers and most foods with more than 5-6 net carbs per serving. When diagnosed my numbers were so large I thought my life was going to change forever. But it’s pretty much the same as before. Only thing is I eat the nuts and seeds instead of the high carb foods and I don’t even miss them.
A couple of weeks ago I bought some low carb pita pockets. I covered them with my no sugar added pasta sauce and put some meat and vegetables with cheese on top and bake them in the toaster oven. They made pretty good pizza. Not the best but still pretty good for me.
Just keep on watching what your eating and keep testing the foods you eat and maybe next time you will drop below 6. I read lots of stories where people thought they got there diabetes under control and quit testing and before they knew it they were in the emergency room with blood sugar reading in the 400-500 range. I believe most people can learn to control their blood sugar as long as they eat right and test a few times a week.
Lately I have been testing only once or twice a day. I need to buy an A1C home test kit soon to see how I’m doing. I was due in December so I will have to get one soon.
Thanks for sharing, it helps keep me motivated.
Kevin
Another PS..
Kevin, If Wegmans is not close to you, I would be happy to mail you a box of that Wegmans pasta, as i am in that store at least once a week.
PS…..Kevin,
Re; The oatmeal problem: I usually make my own granola, and i think possibly that might have been spiking my bg. And it was literally just a sprinkle i would put on it. I had it yesterday without the granola, and after an hour it was 110. Will try it again and see.
FYI…….
Also..heres a good one…..We had celebrated my son’s birthday on Friday nite, and he wanted pizza from our favorite pizza place. Now this particular pizza is truly a weakness of mine.
The pizza has very thin crust and they now make a whole wheat crust. So we got a few pies one being whole wheat, and i ordered a salad from there with their oil and vinegar dressing. The pieces are not that huge. I had 3 pieces, 1.2 the salad, and 1 and 1/2 glasses of red wine.
My BG after an hour was 125 and after 2 hours 99. I was amazed. I am convinced it was the wine and vinegar that helped. Will try this same scenario next month….:)
Okay here is my Lentil Soup recipe. BTW i made those muffins yesterday a slightly different way. And i liked them better. Instead of the Zuchinni i added shredded carrots, added some coconut and flaxseed, and less than 1.4 cup raisens….good with a cup of tea…
Spicy Lentil Soup
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 chile pepper, chopped (i scraped the seeds out)
1 cup red lentils (any kind of lentils is fine)
1 (14.5 ounce) can peeled and diced tomatoes
1 cup water
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried basil
Directions
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Lightly brown the onions in the oil. Add the tomatoes, chili pepper, lentils, cumin and basil to the pan along with the water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the lentils are tender.
When the lentils have softened, use a stick blender to puree the soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Note: Last time i made this i added 1/2 cup of Vodka sauce to it….it was good…..
This recipe does not make alot, so i would triple it.
I found that 1.2 cup of this with a salad for lunch works for me.
I live in a real party community (retired golfers) and we have had lots of them in the past couple of weeks. Every time I try something different, thinking it looks safe, I spike. An example is a dish with various beans, bacon and ground beef. Should have been okay, but I guess there was some sweet sauce in there. We get a lot of Texas BBQ and that always does me in because of the marinate. The sausage is fine, though. I am now leaning toward eating only safe meats when they are there and salad. If I am not sure, I will just eat salad, then I’ll eat some sausage when I get home.
Another thing I discovered: I really like Manhattans. No dice. That sweet vermouth spikes me. Same thing with Sake. If I drink whiskey straight, it lowers my blood sugar. I had no idea of that and questioned a good friend who is a type 1, after seeing him drink straight gin at a party. He told me that, oddly, alcohol tends to lower blood sugar. I believe that is true.
Bob
I wrote this a while back. Never got a chance to finish it. Anyway I decided today to post it as is. Sorry for the delayed response.
Alcohol lowers blood sugar because when you drink the liver stopped doing what its supposed to do and works on getting rid of the Alcohol. I also found that if I drink a low carb beer or 2 before eating I can eat a little more carbs than I would normally be able to eat.
I don’t drink liquor but like to have a few low carb beers and every so often will drink some red wine. I found that low carb beer and low carb wine doesn’t spike my blood sugar. I didn’t drink when taking meds but since I no longer need the meds I do like to have a few drinks most days.
I too have to be careful about eating out or eating foods I don’t prepare myself. Not only do people put sugar in lots of foods but they also use flour or cornstarch as a thickening agent. I found that if I use a little flour or cornstarch in my foods it will spike my blood sugar almost as much as sugar will.
I too will try and eat a large salad and try to stick to the meat and vegetables. I will not eat the meat if its breaded or made with any kind of sauce. Fried, baked or barbequed works ok as long as there’s no sauce on the meat or cooked with any sauce. I found that hot dogs, sausage patties and Hamburg I can eat as long as I don’t put it on any bread or rolls. I just eat it with a fork and knife on a plate. I will add mustard, mayonnaise, pickles, maybe a little ketchup.
Hi Kevin,
Just wanted to pop in and say hi…..Most days I am doing fine with my Bg and keeping my chart up to date. I have missed a few times. But if all is correct my A1C is 5.75.
Thanksgiving i also had a little bit of everything…..including a glass of red wine and a small piece of cheescake. My bg one hr after dinner was 118 and remainded fine for the rest of the nite. I have found red wine works for me. I only have a glass on weekends with dinner.
The following nite we had leftovers, and i made the mistake of having cran. sauce. Needless to say it spiked my bg up to 185. I should have known better as cs has a lot of sugar. After 20 min. it was 134 and continued to go down.
This road is trial and error for sure, and I have now found i cannot eat my fav. oatmeal for breakfast cause all of a sudden its making my bg go up. I don’t understand that, cause my portion has been cut back so much its not worth having. And i don’t like having eggs everyday….:(
For lunch lately, I have been big on soup. I have made my own Spicy Lental soup. I usually have that with a salad. I figured out that 1/2 cup works for me. If anyone wants the recipe, let me know. Its so easy to make.
Hope all is well on your end and you had a nice holiday.
Pat
PS to RUTH: Sorry to hear about your fall and hope your on the mend:).
Pat
I’m glad your doing good. The chart worked pretty good for me. I just hope it doesn’t disappoint you. It did me the first time I used it to estimate my A1C. Was expecting 5.6 and got 5.9. The only thing that really matters is that it improves over what you had the last time. After the first time I used it I made some changes and the next time it came a lot closer.
118 after Thanksgiving is excellent. Don’t worry about the cranberry sauce. It happens. We just have to learn and move on. I spike my blood sugar all the time. Sometimes I can think back and figure what I did wrong and sometimes I don’t know what happened. There are times when you are going to spike your blood sugar and will not be able to find out why. I just try and forget and move on.
Sorry about the oatmeal. I found that oatmeal spiked me also. Had to give it up. I only eat eggs on the weekends for breakfast. I have 1 egg on my soy flour pancakes with a few slices of turkey bacon. I spread 1 teaspoon of sugar free jam on the pancake and it tastes great. If you like almond flour there are lots of recipes online for almond flour pancakes. Just google almond flour recipes and there should be lots of choices for you to make. I found mornings were the hardest time of day to control my blood sugar. That’s why I only drink my protein drink when I get up and will eat 1 serving of sunflower seeds or peanuts for a mid morning snack. Maybe eating one of your muffins for breakfast or midmorning snack will help replace the oatmeal.
I bought a bag of Lentals several months ago. The spicy soup sounds good. You can always post the recipe here in one of the comments section of the blog. I love spicy foods. I need to make something with the Lentals. Soup sounds good.
Thanks
Kevin
On Oct. 27, I had a seizure and felll down to the cement. Right in front of a hospital. I fractured the bone by my left eye and some facial bones. After 8 hours they sent me home.
I have had quite a climb coming back up to where I am now. My main problem is neuropathy in my legs. I am seeing a Physical Therapist for that and it is working. I am finally able to do some exercises, aerobics. We are having rain, so walking is out for the time.
I had to rest for the last month. I am finally getting my A1c back in order. My BG numbers are normal, finally. My BG numbers were high due to lack of exercise.
I should have done some exercises anyway. I have learned that the hard way. Even if it was only 5 minutes a day, it would have been something.
I have learned the hard way how to do a challenge when it comes to diabetes. Now, I have my prioties set right where they belong: diet and exercise.
Ruth
Sorry to hear about the seizure. I know how hard you worked at controlling your blood sugar. Then having to start over again must have been hard. As you know I don’t exercise much. Wish I could, but it hasn’t been easy to get started. Maybe if the blood sugar starts to go up, it will get me motivated to start.
It’s just that by eating the way I eat I have been able to maintain my blood sugar at great numbers for over a year and a half now. As long as I follow my diet and test the foods I eat, it has remained excellent. My last A1C was 5.2. I was surprised it was so good. I was expecting it to be around 5.5 and when the meter said 5.2, I was very happy with it. The one before that was 5.8. Not sure why or how it got to 5.2. I’m just hoping the next one is as good.
Maybe in the future if something else prevents you from exercising, maybe a diet of low carb vegetables with salad, chicken, beef, pork and fish will help keep your blood sugar under control.
I have some neuropathy in my feet and I think maybe in my hands. I didn’t feel it when I had high blood sugar but once my numbers came down to normal numbers the pain started. Then the numb feelings along with the tingling. The pain went away after several months but still got the numbness and tingling. I believe its getting better but I’m really not too sure. As long as the pain stays away and the numbness and tingling doesn’t get worse I’ll just ignore it the best I can.
Nice to hear from you and glad you stopped by. I always look forward to you stopping by. Thanks for keeping me updated.
Your friend
Kevin
LOW CARB BRAN MUFFINS
Bran muffins are usually a safe bet for a healthy breakfast choice, but if you are watching your carbohydrate intake, they are high on the list of foods to avoid, as they each have roughly 50 grams of carbs. Counting carbohydrates is a common strategy to help control blood sugars, especially for those with diabetes. It’s also a good strategy for weight loss for people who feel it helps with portion control. One of our readers, who would like to remain anonymous, writes in with the request for a low-carb bran muffin recipe.
I will rehab a traditional bran muffin recipe by replacing the white flour with almond flour, which is high in protein and low in carbohydrates. However, I do want to leave in the high-fiber wheat bran. Whole grains have been shown to help individuals with diabetes better control their blood sugars because it is digested more slowly. Additionally, the soluble fiber in wheat bran is helpful to reduce cholesterol levels. Now, almond flour is fairly high in healthy monounsaturated fats, but it is fat nonetheless, which can pack on the calories. Since there is plenty of fat coming from the almonds, I will moisten the muffins with shredded zucchini, which is lower in carbs than the traditional applesauce replacement for fats and oils. Finally, I will use Splenda to add a touch of sweetness without adding to the carb count.
These muffins are filling and are a great way to reap the benefits of whole grains without going overboard on carbohydrates.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups almond flour
1 cup wheat bran
2 tablespoons Splenda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1/3 cup water
1 cup shredded zucchini
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F and spray muffin tins with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Mix the dry ingredients together. Add the eggs, water and zucchini, and mix thoroughly.
3. Fill muffin tins about 2/3 full and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
Makes: 12 muffins
Nutrition Content (per muffin):
118 calories, 9 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 7 g carbohydrates, 1 g sugars, 4 g fiber, 6 g protein, 165 mg sodium
Kevin,
I found this online…..these are not bad and they freeze well. Next time i make them, I may add some toasted coconut, or some dark choco chips….I just love they are so low in carbs… Take Care, Pat
Hey Kevin,
You are so not wasting your time. Your blog is excellent and I am getting so much from it. And you are inspirational.
To get your A1C down from 14. is amazing….
This morning my waking BG was 90. So I am happy about that. I am wondering if it has something to do with those low carb muffins. I sometimes have one at night with a cup of tea. They are 7grams in one. I will send you the recipe for that in a separate post so you can add it to your recipes if you want.
As far as drinking I am not on any diabetic meds. Usually don’t drink hardly at all….but i do like my glass of red wine one or twice a week. It just relaxes me.
I also find tea or coffee does not affect my bg.
I thought i was pretty healthy so this was a big wammy for me. I am usually at the gym every morning, I am not overweight at all…..although in the last 2 years I have lost like 15 lbs.
What is the point of cking your BG 20 min. after eating and not 1 hour??..
Aside from your A!C chart, I also made up an additional chart of my BG numbers along with everything I eat.
I am just amazed that i can eat 1/2 cup Wegman’s pasta.
Not sure where you are from Kevin, but if you have a Wegmans near you, you should try it….I on the East Coast of Jersey.
Ok..Muffin recipes on the way….
Thanks again for this blog….i will be back and keep you posted…
Pat
Pat
Thanks. The muffin recipe looks goods. Will have to give it a try someday soon. I’m thinking maybe of changing over to almond flour after I get tried of the soy flour. But for now soy works good for me.
The point in testing at twenty minutes was to see when I peak after eating. I used to think that 1 hour after eating was when my blood sugar peaked. Then one day I found out I was peaking about 25 minutes after lunch. In the morning its about ¾ to 1 hour after eating and after dinner its depends on what I eat but is usually around 1 hour. As your blood sugar gets better and better you are always looking for ways to improve blood sugar control. I found that if your blood sugar is at or below where you started before you eat its because the food you ate, spiked your blood sugar earlier. But for now if 1 hour is working for you then that’s what you do.
To find when you peak start testing about 15-25 minutes after eating and then keep testing about 5-10 minutes after that until your numbers drop. Do this for each meal because I found they were all different.
Every time I see my doctor he always tells me to take fish oil and red wine. So enjoy. I drink wine sometimes. It doesn’t spike my blood sugar either.
I believe Diabetes isn’t about being fat or skinny. I believe it’s about eating right. Once I started to eat a salad along with the low carb vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, pickles, cauliflower and such, my numbers started dropping fast. By cutting back and eliminating the starchy carbs like bread, pasta, juice, fruits and most foods that were more than 5-6 net carbs per serving, my numbers got even better. I don’t know about you but I hardly ever ate vegetables before being diagnosed. Now I have several serving a day. I think most people think it’s about being fat because a lot of over weight people really don’t eat right. I believe if we catch this early enough people can reverse it before it gets started. Only thing is most people find out when it’s too late. Other people are getting real bad advice, which in my opinion just guarantees they are going to get it.
Every one is different and when you find what works for you, then just keep doing it. If eating your low carb muffins helps with your morning blood sugar, than just keep eating them. I found that 1-2 serving of raw almonds along with a couple of low carb beers helps keep my blood sugar under 100 and most days under 90 when I test after waking up. So as long as it keeps my blood sugar where I want it, I’ll just keep doing what I feel works for me. By the way 90 is excellent for first thing in the morning. Most diabetics would love to get there fasting below 100. Not everyone succeeds at doing it. I think your doing great so far. If you keep following your meter, I believe it will even get better some day soon.
I used to shop at Wegmans when I lived in Buffalo. But lately haven’t shopped there in awhile. I think there’s one in Syracuse and when I get a chance I’ll have to try some of the Wegmans pasta. I tried the Dream Fields brand of pasta and found if I cooked it according to the instructions it was still raw but no blood sugar spike. I found that if I cooked it until it was done it still didn’t spike my blood sugar. The problem was if I over cooked it just a little, it spiked my blood sugar more than what I like. So for now I make my own with the soy flour. Once I put the low carb sauce, cheese and hot sauce on it, it tastes pretty good. But I’ll try the Wegmans brand it I get a chance to shop there. Thanks for the info.
Kevin
Hi Kevin,
Just an quick update…
I have been using the spreadsheet and my A1C has dropped. I am testing at least 6 times a day.
Totally amazes me the how certain foods affect you.
In the mornings my BG is usually under 98 and after I come back from the gym is even lower. I can’t figure out how to get my wakeup reading lower.
One night for dinner I had 1/2 cup Wegmans super pasta mixed with veggies, 1 small piece chicken parm, salad with my homemade dressing, small glass of red wine.
My BG after 1 hour was 116 and after 2 hours was 87. I am finding that I can eat the Wegmans pasta.
I also found I can eat my fav. breakfast of Oatmeal and Blueberries but I half the recipe.
Now this morning i just had the Fiber One, so i am interested to see what that shows….
So as of now my A1C was 6.3 and with the chart it is 5.74.
Keep ya posted.
Pat
Pat
Thanks for stopping by. Sometimes I think I’m wasting my time posting on Diabetic Connect and writing my blog. It’s nice to hear from people who are getting their blood sugar and health under control. Gives me motivation to continue.
I found the spreadsheet to be pretty accurate. Within .3 points most of the time. My first 3 months using it I was disappointed because the spreadsheet figured my A1C at about 5.6 and when I got my labs it was 5.9. Those first 3 months I was testing 2 hours after eating and around that time I decided to test 1 hour after eating. I also changed the 2-hour after dinner to one hour. The next time my A1C was done the spreadsheet was a lot more accurate.
I looked over some of your previous comments and saw your last A1C was taken in September. If you keep testing and making small changes to your diet, as your meter will dictate, your next A1C should be better. Mine went from 14.1 to 5.9 to 5.6 to 5.4 to 5.8 and last it was 5.2. I figure as long as they stay under 6, I’m doing fine.
I found I can eat almost anything as long as the carbs stay below 5-6 net carbs. Last thanksgiving I put a small amount of everything on my plate and my blood sugar was really good after eating. I also drank one or two low carb beers before eating. I found that if I have a beer or two, I can eat a little more carbs than normal. Also found that if I add a hard-boiled egg or some chicken breast or other meat the carbs don’t spike me too much. The protein will limit the blood sugar spikes from the carbs.
I don’t recommend drinking too much if taking meds. But if you’re diet and exercise only, a drink or two is probley good for you. I wish I new what I did to get my fasting blood sugar down. Most of the time it’s under 90. I have seen it as low as 70. I found if I test at 2:30-3:30 in the morning it’s usually in the high 60’s low 70’s. Then when I wake up its closer to 85-90. I used to get up around 5 o’clock in the morning, test my blood sugar and drink my protein shake and go back to bed for another 30-40 minutes. I did this, so I could test my blood sugar before leaving to go to work. At the time I was testing about 1.25 hours after eating. Lately I have been testing in the car on the way to work and don’t have to get up until almost 6:00am. But now my morning blood sugar is closer to 85-95 most morning.
Several weeks after being diagnosed I was reading about the dawn phenomena and since my morning readings were anywhere from 100-130 most morning, I was afraid of getting stuck there. That’s when I decided to make lunch my biggest meal. I eat almost half my daily calories at lunch. This was also when I quit taking meds and started to drink a few low carbs beers at night along with 1-2 servings of almonds. Not sure if it will work for you but you need to try different things until you find what does work for you.
I’m hoping your next A1C is as good as the spreadsheet predicts. If not you may need to try testing at different times or try cutting back carbs more. I found I was spiking real high at 25 minutes after lunch so cut back on some carbs and added either a hard-boiled egg, chicken, beef or pork to my lunch and it fixed the problem.
I also use the home test kits. The Bayer A1C Now meter is good. It cost about $30.00 for two tests. It’s a lot cheaper than my co-pay. It’s nice sometimes to be able to see how you’re doing between doctors visit. I wouldn’t ask your doctor. Most will tell you it’s a waste of time. But I like to know what’s going on and $15.00 to find out once in a while I don’t mind spending. I would wait at least 2-3 months between tests.
At one time I was thinking of making my foods with almond meal and or flaxseeds. Kind of got side tracked with the soy flour. After reading your last couple of posts I Googled Almond meal recipes and there’s a lot of them out there. I have a few other recipes I plain on posting soon and when I run out of soy flour maybe I’ll start using the almond flour.
Thanks for posting. I appreciate it a lot.
Kevin
PS..
I also found a recipe for low carb muffins made with almond flour . Can’t remember where I got it from but I don’t think i got it from your site, but they sound good, and they have 7 grms of carbs in one.
I can send it to you if you want to post it…..
I haven’t tried them yet…
Pat
Thanks Kevin,
For now I will keep the chart like you had it. You can tailor it to what you want. My husband can do this and he said its not a big deal. So I may.
I have to say since cking my BG, I am really doing well.
My Dr. should have been recommending to do this awhile ago.
When i first started, (last week) I had a few readings of 158, 140, 128 etc….now that I know what foods affect me, I am doing so much better.
In the morning its under 100, when i get home from the gym its even a little lower.
I am finding that after meals, its anywhere from 100 to 120.
One day I had a 1 scambled egg for breakfast and 1 piece multi gran toast (15 grms) and that was the day it was 158. SO yes, you are so right, certain carbs and really get ya. If i can continue like this my A1C will be lower in January. September i had it done it was 6.3.
I find your info and recipes are amazing….and i def. want to make the soy waffles, they really look good.
Keep ya posted……Thanks, Pat
Kevin,
I started the A1C chart and low and behold it worked. I wasn’t sure how it was going to work but its great how it figures it all out for you.
Now if you wanted to add an extra column, could i do that? I am afraid to mess with it..
Pat
Thanks so much once again for this blog !!!
Pat
I always used the spreadsheet as it was. I copied the file by renaming it. Once I deleted all the data and had a blank copy, I used that as a template. Just renamed the template using the start date, for example I would rename the file to (BGV2 starting 11 8 10) if I wanted to start it today.
I made a copy today and experimented with it a little. The spreadsheet has one extra column, the G column. You can try and change the formulas in the spreadsheet. I studied it a little bit and found I could add one column by changing the formulas for the following.
COUNT Change =+COUNT(B2:F121) To =+COUNT(B2:G121)
SUM Change =SUM(B2:F121) To =SUM(B2:G121)
All you need to do is change the F to G in the above formulas.
Now if you need more than one column you will have to cut and paste the COUNT SUM AVER and EST AbA1c from the H Column to another column like J or K column for example. Then you can cut and paste the formulas from the I Column to maybe the K or L Column. I found the spreadsheet will change the formulas for you.
You can play with the spreadsheet all you want as long as you saved a copy of your template and the spreadsheet your using, to input your data.
Files are nice. If you screw it up, all you have to do is delete it and then start over by renaming one of the saved files.
I’m not too sure how much of this you understand. But if you got a little computer experience, you should be able to get it done. If not try and find a high school student in the family that can do it for you.
One thing I found, was that when I input a number over 140 in the G column it did not highlight it like it would in the rest of the spreadsheet. I have no idea how to change the conditional formatting to cover the extra columns. But the rest of it seems to work. Maybe I will change it to include more columns also. Not sure how it will affect the accuracy of the outcome.
Good Luck
Kevin
Another question….does anyone have a good online place for supplies??
I went to my pharmacy yesterday, and they a bit on the high side.
Thanks again,
pat
Kevin,
Stupid question, but how to you figure out your A1C average from the sheet. I am going to try this.
Thanks,
Pat
Pat
I use an excel program I down loaded off the Internet. I just record my reading in the spreadsheet. After you download the spreadsheet, you put the date you want to start in the first box and the program changes all the rest. You will have to delete the data that’s already there. I made an extra copy I use as a template. I then just rename them every 3 months. The program does all the work calculating your A1C. I also changed the after dinner readings to 1-hour. I found that more accurate than a 2-hour reading. The program gives me a very good guess on how my blood sugar is doing. You can down load the program at the link below.
http://www.loanuniverse.com/Diabetes/
Good luck
Kevin
I find this helpful for converting regular reading to A1c.
http://www.diabeteschart.org/bloodsugarchart.html
I just got my first A1C since starting this research and reading this blog. I was at 5.7. That is the first time I have been under 6 in 6 years! In March. 09, I was 6.1. In September 09, after a summer in Germany, I was 6.6. In March, ’10 I was 6.1. In September ’10, after another summer in Germany, and this time testing, (since May 1,) I was 5.7. Now that I know better what spikes me, I will try to get lower.
By the way, I only test in the morning and I found something interesting. In that 3 month period I did 81 tests and did the math on my excel sheet and the average came out 5.45. The A1C from the lab, for that same period, came in at 5.7 so I think the daily reading is pretty close to the real thing.
I really appreciate the information we are exchanging.
Thanks,
Bob
Bob
I think your doing great and only testing once a day, I don’t think I could have done it without testing all the time. I believe people should be testing at the very least; there approximate peak time after each meal. If you only want to test once a day then you can always start a schedule and on Monday test when you get up and on Tuesdays test after breakfast and Wednesday test after lunch and on Thursday test after dinner and so forth. I did something similar last year for about 6 weeks and after each week I had a pretty good idea what my blood sugar was doing after each meal.
I used an excel program also. I have found when I use it, it figures my A1C within 2 tenths of a point. Not bad. The spreadsheet has spaces for 5 reading a day. Before and 1 hour after breakfast and lunch. The fifth reading the spreadsheet asks for 2 hours after supper. I found it more accurate if I use 1 hour after eating or the highest reading I get at night.
You can download a copy here.
http://www.loanuniverse.com/Diabetes/
I use version 2. I like it and found it pretty accurate and long as I use before and my peak times after eating. And I don’t always have reading for every space. If for some reason I miss a test I found the spreadsheet still gives me a very good guess at what my A1C should be. Best of all its free.
Good luck
Kevin
Kevin,
Thanks for starting this blog. I got so many good ideas on what to eat. I am almost afraid to eat anything these days.
I am trying despartely to get my A1C down. It is 6.3 right now. I am not on any meds yet, and trying to avoid that like crazy….I also exercise every day…
Thanks again,
Pat
Pat
Soon after being diagnosed I learned that Breads (all kind) all products made with flour and grains, cereals, pasta, potatoes, corn and most products that have more than 5-6 net carbs per serving all spiked my blood sugar. So I stopped eating them. I found that chicken, fish, and small amounts of beef and even smaller amounts of pork could be eaten without spiking your blood sugar.
Drinking lots of water and eating my coleslaw, broccoli, cauliflower, pickles, cucumbers and a few other low carb vegetables all helped get my blood sugar under control. Just remember to test after eating to see how the foods you eat are affecting your blood sugar.
If your insurance allows or you can afford it, I recommend testing your peaks after eating and testing before you eat. I have pretty good insurance and they allow me to test as much as I like. If you need to pay for it yourself, I figure after several weeks of testing you should have a good idea of what foods spike your blood sugar and what doesn’t.
I found that if I add some meat and/or an egg to my meals I sometimes can keep my blood sugar from spiking. To find your peak after eating start testing 20-30 minutes after eating and then test about 5-10 minutes after that until your numbers drop. I recently found that I have to test each meal because I peak at different times for each one. I believe its probley more what I been eating than the time of day but I recently been testing a lot to figure it all out. A friend recommends if you can’t afford the test strips to test all your meals, than start with one meal and when you get that under control you can then move on to another meal. Then you only have to test when you add something new to your diet or change a lot of what you’re eating. I believe once you have very good control testing will only have to be done to spot check to make sure your still doing good.
I agree about the meds. I personally believe that they don’t work unless you’re taking very large doses. Then again I still think your better off not using them. I see all the time on different discussion groups about people taking very very large doses of meds and still have uncontrolled blood sugar. Most people taking meds, who do get their blood sugar under control, did it with a lot of diet changes. I believe if they stopped the meds they would find they no longer need them if they ever needed them at all in the first place.
Good luck
Kevin
First diagnosed April 22, 2010…A1C 14..age 69
Insulin Lantus..40 units daily plus metformin 2 pills twice daily
Dr. recommended 10,000 steps daily beyond my normal activities… weight around 200 lbs. height 5’7″…only way he knew I could get off insulin
Dr.: Lower insulin dosage by 5 units when fasting BG is 80 or below
May 2010…Dr.: lower insulin dosage by 2 units when fasting BG is 80 or below. Lots of aches and pains, sore feet, and prespiration from walking routine, but determined to get off insulin injections
July 17….off insulin by reduction method
Stopped 5 mile daily walk..tried 60 minute pooltime exercise
August…A1C 4.8…walk 3 miles about 4 times a week. Weight 160…smaller portion sizes and no cakes, cookies, pie
I never overate sweets, but I wanted to make sure.
I do eat plain oatmeal in package for portion control. I add tablespoon of milled flaxseed, handful of dried cranberries, with a large sprinkle of cinnamon every morning. I found that when I have higher fasting bg than the night before, I need to eat my breakfast. It causes my bg to drop. It is like I have a faulty mechanism that does not stop my liver from sending bg into my system and eating works as a brake. Eating eggs in the morning was another way to lower my high fasting bg.
Now, I have more energy and feel better. My next goal is to get my metformin dosage reduced. I am looking for bg 70 and below….so far I have not hit that number.
I would love to see you post on how you are doing now. The fact that you did it is important, but it might help others to know how you are dealing with it day by day.
Sunny
I visited your blogs a few weeks ago and revisited today. I know about finding time to keep one blog going. I figure 2 would be hard to keep going. I think your doing an excellent job. A lot better than I have been doing.
My story has change a bit over time. I used to post it on Dlife and Diabetic Connect. When I decided to start a blog I posted it there. I used to refer people there instead of posting the whole story every time I met a new person looking for help. Got into a little trouble on Dlife so I now rely on search engine traffic for people to read my story. For some reason the moderators didn’t like my blog and cut me off from posting my link.
What I do now isn’t much different than what I posted on my blog, but I will try and give you an idea of what I do now. It’s not much different.
When I wake up in the morning I have my protein drink right after I measure my blood sugar.
When I arrive at work (around 8 am) I drink my sugar free fiber supplement, 1 oz of sunflower seeds and drink a cup of coffee. On weekends I have turkey bacon with a fried egg on a soy flour pancake. Sometimes I will just have bacon and a soy flour waffle. I usually will drink a cup of coffee or two.
For lunch I have my turkey sloppy joe with a little salsa, hot sauce and cheese. Recently I found I was spiking my blood sugar 25 minutes after eating and started to eat a hard-boiled egg and 2 oz of chicken breast before eating the turkey sloppy joe. The egg and chicken has stopped my blood sugar from spiking too much. I then will have my chana dal mixed with my broccoli, hot sauce and cheese, cauliflower and or spinach. I will then eat I oz of peanuts. After lunch is when I take all my vitamins. I take 1000mg vitamin C, 4000iu’s vitamin D, 1 B-Complex, 1 Multi Vitamin for adults over 50, 1 200mg CoQ10 and 3000mg Fish Oil concentrate. After lunch I will drink tea in the afternoon.
For supper I have about 2 cups of salad with 1 serving low carb dressing with about 3-4 tablespoons of red wine vinegar. I will then eat my soy flour pasta with my no sugar added pasta sauce with hot sauce and cheese added on top. I will then have my Greek yogurt ice cream.
At night I like to watch my TV programs and will have a few low carb beers and 1-2 serving of Almonds.
Other foods I will eat if available is beef, pork, fish, soy cakes, pumpkin pie, no meat Chile, cucumbers, pickles, cabbage, carrots and other foods listed on my blog.
I tested my A1C a few weeks ago and it was 5.2. So far all my A1C’s have been below 6.0 except for the first one. I believe I’m dong good to date and continue to watch what I eat very closely.
I try and keep the carbs at a level that doesn’t spike my blood sugar over 120 after eating. I’ve been testing a lot to see when my blood sugar spikes after eating. I recently found that I spike at different times after each meal. I used to think that I spiked about 1¼ hours after each meal. I have been testing a lot and think I peak around 45 minutes in the morning, 25 minutes after lunch and about 1¼ hours after supper.
I’m not to sure if this is what you were looking for but it’s pretty much what I have been doing lately.
Kevin
Bob,
I have epilepsy as well as diabetes. Because of my epilepsy, I cannot drink alcohol of any kind. I have to keep my diabetes under control to avoid seizures. Diabetes can cause seizures, as well.
http://www.isletsofhope.com/diabetes/complications/seizures_1.html
I am not on medicines for my diabetes. I am on diet and exercise. My numbers are much better. My doctor cannot figure out how come I do better without medicine.
Ruth
I have been in Germany for 8 weeks (German wife and we are retired). Berries were plentiful, so I at them in the morning. I found that the worst food I ate was pasta, followed by bread. I tried brown pasta yesterday here in the states, and had the same very bad results.
I did find that potato and rice raised me up, but minimally. Germans like Weissbier (made out of wheat), and that spiked me more than rice. However, Pils, their word for lager, had almost no effect.
What I thought was humorous was that we have a Irish pub we frequent and each time we went I drank a liter of Guiness and the 3 out of the 4 times we did that, my numbers went down to 90 or lower for overnight fasting! There is a commercial I have seen, maybe in Ireland if not here, that says: “Guiness is good for you.” Maybe its true.
Bob
Nice to see you had a good time in Germany. I tried the stout last summer when we went to Williamsburg Va. I bought some for my birthday. It spiked my blood sugar to about 140. Not to bad but I like to keep it under 120 if I can. I find the low carb light beers I can drink with little effect on my blood sugar. I didn’t drink when taking meds but I like to have a couple at night when watching my TV programs. I find when having a few beers I can eat a little more carbs without it affecting my blood sugar. I found it helps more than any meds I was taking.
Thanks
It is very interesting that you did this entirely from diet. My numbers were similar both on the high and results sides, but I used a lot of exercise and only moderate diet to lose 80 plus pounds and brought my numbers back into normal range.
I found that it was my cholesterol medication that was causing me to have leg cramps in the evening. When I quit taking them, the cramps went away. The last time I went to the doctor, my cholesterol number was 150.
I do eat a lot of chicken breasts right now and leaner cuts of beef, but I refuse to sink to eating fish in this lifetime. I never at a lot of bread, but it doesn’t mean I won’t have an egg mcmuffin in the morning.
Good luck and I hope you have continued success.
Thanks
I figure if my numbers start going bad I can still add exercise. I find when I walk a lot and this summer on vacation they had an exercise room and me and the wife spent some time trying the different machines and I noticed pretty good numbers after. I kind of think of it as a last resort in fighting this disease.
I found this ad for them on Google:
http://www.nutsonline.com/cookingbaking/beans/garbanzo/chana-dal.html?gclid=CI-St6zJjKICFQ0M2god9SuaWA
Thanks for sharing your plan. I do have a question what is channa dal?
petals
Chana Dal is a bean from India. Looks a lot like yellow split peas. Only thing, it has 1/4 the carbs of other beans. I learned about it from David Mendosa. I have been using it for over a year now.
The link below is all about Chana Dal
http://mendosa.com/chanadal.html
At the bottom of the above page are lots of recipes.
The one I have been using lately is Click on the link below.
http://mendosa.com/chanarecipes.htm
I have been making the top one. The hummus I have not made yet.
Kevin
Kirla and Ruth:
The reason I asked about Extend Bars is that somewhere in cyber space yesterday I read about the rise of bg between 4 and 8 am and someone recommended eating an Extend bar before going to bed to keep the glucose from spiking.
As for the cereal, I learned from Toma Grubb that low glycemic carbs are fine, and that started me using Fiber One. Previously I had been doing oat meal on and off, and I still got diarrhea with it. This summer if I cannot find the right cereal in Germany I will have to find some other way to get the fiber, and I have a good list. That might lead to me dropping the Fiber One if something else is more effective.
As to carrying the stuff in or mailing it, I believe that is not legal, though there is a good possibility of getting away with it. I will just find another way of doing it. Every Sunday they have a huge outdoor market at the port and I can certainly get berries and fresh fruits there. They also have fresh fruit in the supermarket. I am just not familiar with what is there because in the past I was not eating this way. I never ate breakfast.
Thanks for taking the time to help.
Bob
Kirla, excersize will bring down your numbers in the morning. My numbers stay high in the afternoon. I excersize in the afternoon.
I have never tried Extend Bars. For fiber, I eat All Bran cereal. It does not spike my BG.
Before reading diabetic-diet-secrets.com and then this blog, I had been avoiding carbs for a year and a half after dx. I developed a problem with frequent diarrhea, some of it explosive. Once I learned from Toma about low glycemic carbs I started eating Fiber One with cinnamon and salba for breakfast and the problem went away immediately.
I am curious about why you stopped drinking coffee and wine. I will be leaving for Germany in July, staying for 7 weeks and am wondering about getting my morning fiber. Last year I ate none, really having one meal out a day. There is a supermarket across from our apartment and it will be a challenge to see if I can get an appropriate cereal. If not I will got to an apotheke (a drug store, and they are all over Germany and usually have a very knowledgeable chemist on staff) and see if they have something to help.
Finally, a question. Have any of you used Extend Bars, and what have you to say about them?
Thanks for all the info, help and interest.
Bob
Bob
When first diagnosed I didn’t know what to eat and drink. For a couple of weeks I just drank a lot of water and started to eat lots of vegetables. I made some coleslaw with just cabbage, carrot, mayonnaise and vinegar. I started to eat broccoli everyday. I went threw a quart or two of pickles every week. I was almost afraid to eat anything else. I started giving up lots of foods. I was recording what I ate for a while and found that I was only eating about 800 calories a day. I started to eat fish or a chicken breast at supper to get my calorie intake above 1200.
I stopped drinking coffee and started drinking tea. I used to drink lots of tea from time to time and figured tea was better than coffee. I also was having a hard time with my blood sugar readings in the morning. When I wake up in the morning my blood sugar will read anywhere from 70 to 90. After eating its spikes anywhere from 100 to 120. The only problem I have been having is my before lunch readings don’t go down too much. Most days it’s around 100. My peak after lunch is usually only a few points more than what it was before. My before supper reading is anywhere between 70 and 90. Most days below 85. I’m always trying to find ways to get my numbers to drop back down in the morning. Lately I have been having a cup of coffee in the morning at work. It doesn’t seem to make a difference, so lately I drink a cup of coffee in the morning and tea in the afternoon.
The Doctor gave me meds to take and the Information sheet that came with them said not to drink alcohol while taking the meds. My father used to take lots of meds and he drank. A few months before he died he told me his liver looked like a sponge. Alcohol and meds can due a lot of damage to the liver. The night I came home with the meds the instructions said to take them in the morning. So I figured that was my last night of drinking. I finished the last couple of beers in the refrigerator and figured that was it for the rest of my life. Since I was going to have to take meds forever, I knew I wouldn’t be able to drink again. Well good news is, after I quit taking the meds, I no longer had a reason not to drink. Now I like to have a few low carb beers at night while watching TV. I even think it has helped with my blood sugar reading when I wake up. I also found that if I have a few low carb beers I can eat more carbs. I found I can cheat a little and it has no effect on my blood sugar. Sometime I like to have a small glass of wine when I get home from work. I found some wine that has only 5 net carbs per serving and my blood sugar seems to like it.
The extend bars. I never had one. Atkins sent me a welcome package with several of there snack bars. It took me several months to eat them. They were good and I didn’t notice any bad effect on my blood sugar. I priced them in the store and they seem a little bit expensive. I looked up the extend bars on the Internet. They seem ok to me. Toma may have a different opinion. I figure if you like them and they don’t spike your blood sugar why not use them. I use the Atkins Shakes when its time to eat and for some reason can’t. They buy me a few hours until I can eat. I would just measure my blood sugar before and about 1 hour after eating one to see how they affect your blood sugar. I found that I can eat some foods as long as I eat something else with them. You should be experimenting with different foods and combinations of foods and testing to see how they affect your blood sugar. My friend Alan has a very good site where he covers just about everything you need to know about testing. I recommend reading as much as possible. Click the link. http://loraldiabetes.blogspot.com/2006/10/test-review-adjust.html
You’re lucky you can eat cereal. I never tried the Fiber One but the label said it has a lot more carbs than I’m willing to eat at this time. I analyzed my diet once and found that I wasn’t getting the 25-35 grams per day as recommended. Everyone I read about, who had good control was taking Psyllium Husks. I found the Equate Sugar Free Fiber Therapy at Walmart. One teaspoon has 5 grams carbs of fiber. Ive been drinking 3 teaspoons every morning for about a year now. I recently have been analyzing my diet again and found since I have been eating the soy pancakes I can cut back on the fiber therapy. Figure to use just 1 teaspoon form now on.
How long you going to be in Germany. If for only a short time, how many boxes can you fit in your bags. I’m not sure if you could get it past customs or not. When I retire I plan on spending a lot of time in the Philippines. Figure to send a box over there before I go. Can send my soy flour, TVP, Vitamins, fiber therapy, peanuts, walnuts, almonds, protein powder and such. Supposed to spend next summer there. Will have to send a box about 4 months before I go. They have special boxes you can send that cost about 100 dollars to send. It will be worth it to have all the foods I depend on there waiting for me when I arrive. Figure when I retire I can pay my sister or one of my nieces to send a box once or twice a year. They can even send me testing supplies if I can’t get them over there.
Well I wish you luck with getting your blood sugar under control. Also have a safe and wonderful trip in Germany too. Just stick with your diet. Test the meals you eat and stop eating foods that spike your blood sugar and you should do fine. Eat lots of low carb vegetables also. I believe they help reduce insulin resistance.
Take care
Kevin
You are absouletly right about the vegatables and salads!! We can eat as much of them as we want to.
Thank you for the comparison between the flours. I now know for the future.
Ruth
I eat about 150 carbs a day and one piece of meat at dinner. Salads and vegatables are great. My numbers are in great shape, between 90-140 at the highest. The glycemic diet works for me. When I have muscle cramps, it is because I need to exercise more. Exercise turns flab into muscle. I am sorry if I am repeating myself, I do not mean too.
Kirla, you said that you do not eat flour. What is the difference between soy flour and regular flour? Thank you for telling me how you make the nut milk. Nuts are great for us. I love your website.
Ruth
I eat or drink about 100 carbs per day. I also eat salads and lots of vegetables. I believe the vegetables help with insulin resistance. My numbers are also great most days. Most of the time they’re between 70 and 110. Hardly ever goes above 120.
The different between flour and soy flour is that soy flour is made from soybeans. Soy flour has a lot less carbs than regular flour and has more protein and fiber too. Regular flour and whole grain flours spike my blood sugar and soy flour doesn’t.
Nutrition Facts
Flour White
Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories 455.0
Total Fat 1.2 g
Total Carbohydrate 95.4 g
Dietary Fiber 3.4 g
Protein 12.9 g
Nutrition Facts
Soy Flour
Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories 320
Total Fat 0 g
Total Carbohydrate 40 g
Dietary Fiber 24 g
Protein 56 g
Nutrition Facts
Flour whole grain
Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories 406.8
Total Fat 2.2 g
Total Carbohydrate 87.1 g
Dietary Fiber 14.6 g
Protein 16.4 g
Hi Kirla, I eat oatmeal and grains. It does not affect my blood sugar levels. I try to go by the glycemic index diet.
You really need to exercise, at least walk half an hour a day. Then slowly build up. That way you turn flab into muscle.
Patsy, it sounds like you have an eating disorder. Ask your doctor for tests to find out what it is. I am concerned for you.
Ruth
I haven’t eaten any oatmeal or grains in about a year now. My blood sugars have been good for about a year now and I have been thinking about experimenting a little. I bought some steel cut oaks a while ago. Just have to find some time to make them. I still have regular oatmeal I can make. Been thinking of trying half a serving and see what happens.
A few months ago I found some low carb wraps. I cut them up in fourths and roll my tuna fish in them. I sometimes will cut them in half and roll up my turkey Sloppy Joes in them. I add a little salsa and cheese and I think there great.
I figure I could probley eat half a piece of toast. But the bread would go bad or get freezer burnt before I could use it all up.
Exercise is a problem. I work in a State Correctional Facility. I have to walk to my classroom and that takes about 10 minutes to get there. I walk out at night. I’m thinking about taking up the hobby Geocaching. I joined this website where people go for hikes looking for objects people leave for them to find. http://www.geocaching.com/ I wanted to buy a bicycle but my wife isn’t too happy about the idea. When she gets home from her vacation will have to see if she lets me get one.
Ruth,
How much oatmeal do you eat.
I usually have 1.2 cup McCanns Irish with 1/4 cup fresh blueberries. My BG after 1 hour was 147.
This is my favorite breakfast, and i would hate to give it up.
Thanks,
Pat
Kevin, you are inspiring. I have a question for you. When I take Metformin at night, sometimes I feel weird and shaky in the middle of the night. This doesn’t happen when I don’t take it. I don’t seem to have any problems when taking it in the morning except a little nausea now and then. Have you experienced side effects like that?
I have reduced my carbs a lot, even stopped eating oatmeal. I occasionally have a slice of bread, but know I shouldn’t. I can’t afford to go to my doctor because my monthly health insurance premium is so high and I will never reach the huge deductible. So, I’ve had to take matters into my own hands and eat low carb and exercise consistently. I’m 63, and weigh 151 trying to get down to a trim 145. I’m 5’9″. My highest weight was 195!
I spend a lot of time reading about nutrition, and it keeps coming up over and over again, that people who are prone to diabetes should eat as few carbs as possible. Protein and fat does not affect blood sugar, or cholesterol, but all carbs, even complex ones break down into sugar. So, that is why the Atkins diet works so well, and contrary to what people think, fat does not make you fat unless you eat too much of it, same for protein.
I’m also taking fish oil, 6000-7000mg a day, D3, BiVaden, CoQ10. I’m trying to drink more water; it’s challenging for me.
I recommend “The Low-Carb” Cookbook by Fran MCCullough. Tons of info re type 2 and hundreds of low-carb recipes.
Thanks for sharing your results and how you got them!
Metformin gave me diarrhea. I took it for about 7 weeks. When I started to get muscle cramps in the back of my legs, I decided to stop taking meds. My blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol kept getting better and better and I haven’t taken any meds for about one year now.
I believe that drinking 8+ glasses of water and eating lots of low carb vegetables and adding some nuts and seeds, a lot of people can quit taking meds also. I recommend you do this with your doctor, when your numbers get close to normal levels.
I stopped eating carbs, when I seen what they were doing to my blood sugar. I test before and after each meal. At first I tested 2 hours after eating and stopped eating foods that spiked my blood sugar more than 100 points 2 hours after eating. Once my numbers dropped a lot, I decided to test 1 hour after eating. Most people will peak 1 hour after eating. I stopped eating foods that spiked my blood sugar more than 40-50 points one hour after eating. Most of the time my after meal numbers go up between 10-30 points.
Last year I bought the ‘Atkins for Life’ book and follow the Atkins phase 4 program. I skipped phases 1-3. I believe in the maintenance for life program. I agree that Atkins is not what most people think. I found it to be an excellent program for maintaining good blood sugar numbers. He even lets you eat carbs in controlled amounts.
I recently spent a few days in the hospital for testing. When discharged they recommended I take B vitamins. So now I take 3000 mg fish oil, one multi vitamin for adults over 50, 1000 mg vitamin C, 4000 IU of vitamin D and one B-Complex vitamin.
Thanks for reading my story and posting yours. I like reading about how people are succeeding with controlling their blood sugar. I’m always learning new things.
Thanks
Kevin
Ps. When you feel weird and shaky at night do you measure your blood sugar. Some people feel that way when they go low. Just wondering.
Thank you for your advice. I don’t eat meat anyway. I like my vegetables. I do eat a lot of salads. My appetite has just about disappeared. My doctor fusses cause I don’t eat 3 meals a day. But I can’t. It makes me sick and I throw up. He says it is important. But if I can hold it down, then I swell up like a balloon. He gave me fluid pills to get rid of the fluid but now I have to take 2 of them for them to work. He thinks the diabetes has affected my kidneys. They hurt quite a bit and I might go 6 times a day if I’m lucky. I know my eyesight is going, I don’t see very well and I hurt all over all the time. Sometimes I wish this would just stop. I stay nervous all the time. I just want to find out what started the diabetes and what organ this orginated from. Maybe then I can figure out what went wrong and stop someone else from getting this. I would never wish this on anyone. I still have an excessive thrist. I drink about 15-20 glasses of water a day. My doctor believes it lay dormant for a couple of years then it showed itself. He thinks it did the damaged while it lay dormant. Now I am so weak. I was so strong just a couple of years ago. Now something inside of me keeps saying that I am slowing dying. I just can’t shake it off. I kinda know it. Isn’t that silly…