Wellness

[Trinity11]

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@cherry wrote:

I tested 2 hrs after eating and my b.s. was at 153.  Do you think  I should try substituting a piece of ham for the potatoes, to see if I can get it lower?

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Ham is very high in fat so substituting it for potatoes may just raise your cholesterol. If the potatoes are fried in fat, that may also increase your triglycerides. It's really about balance. The 153 isn't terrible and if you are stressful over being perfect regarding diabetes, that in itself will raise your blood sugar. 

Next time you see your endocrinologist, cherry,  ask her what your target postprandial levels should be to be considered acceptable. Everyone is different... 

[cherry]

She has really never said anything to me about my sugar. She takes my labs, checks my feet, asks me about my vision test and always says everything is good, and the last time my a1c was normal

I will ask her,but she never seems to say anything much to me. I tried asking her how many carbs I should eat a day ,or per meal and she said everyone want to know that, but didn't tell me

[Trinity11]

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@cherry wrote:

She has really never said anything to me about my sugar. She takes my labs, checks my feet, asks me about my vision test and always says everything is good, and the last time my a1c was normal

I will ask her,but she never seems to say anything much to me. I tried asking her how many carbs I should eat a day ,or per meal and she said everyone want to know that, but didn't tell me

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Cherry, have you seen a diabetes educator? Some can be invaluable in setting goals and individualized targets for your best numbers. A lot of the literature states that an a1c of 7 or under is acceptable and that lower values show no longer longevity and far more hypoglycemic episodes. If your physician is happy with your a1c I think you are doing very well. 

[Tique]

@cherry is your doctor an Endocrinologist? Whether she is or not she is supposed to be able to answer your questions and give you ranges for what is acceptable for you/your body. If you are not receiving satisfactory responses, you might want to chance doctors. You could also see a Dietician who specializes in diabetes care. 

[cherry]

My Dr is an endocrinologist , my pcp sent me to her.  I don't think she is bad, but, I guess diabetes is something we have to read and learn about.  She is young ,and not a real seasoned Dr ,I  suspect. She is careful about my thyroid, she called me personally ,when my test score was low, to make sure I was taking the right amount of meds

I did go to a dietitian, and  really didn't get much out of it.  I don't think she was much of a communicator

I read on the ADA ,that 2 hrs after eating, my  blood sugar should be under 180.

I don't go back for a few months ,and I am trying to do the best job I can fro the interval

[Poodlepet2]

Cherry, Trinity is correct about the fat, but how about cutting the portion of potatoes down.....what are you doing on the fiber front?  I'm a Fiber Fanatic!  It has been shown clinically to reduce carbohydrate impact.

....another idea-pay homage to your English heritage by having baked beans....I had those with a "rasher" of bacon many times in the UK.  We were also routinely served what seems to have been fried bread-utterly delicious, but a no-no now!  I can't recall brands off hand, but I have seen baked beans that have 5 grams of sugar or slightly less per 1/2 cup serving.

I don't know if this helps you at all, but my DE allowed 30 grams of carbs per meal and 15 grams of carb per snack.  Of course, men got bigger allowances.... (snarl of jealousy).  I am not a gym rat,and I exercise but as my weight went down, my carb requirements went down too-but I'm ok with that as long as I'm not hungry and my glucose is stable.

Moonchilde posted about this and so did I on another thread, but cutting out carbs-especially the slow carbs-the good kind- raises our blood glucose. It sounds counterintuitive, but for us, that's what our bodies need.

Poodlepet2

[cherry]

I try to eat 1 piece of fresh fruit eveyday.  Usually an orange, I stay away from bananas.  I eat  roasted nuts for a snack. I don't have very good luck eating beans. They upset my stomach

I know the potatoes are made with oil, on a grill,

I eat frozen vegs eveyday, and really don't have   many other carbs, except for the potatoes, and they aren't an overly big portion

My parents were both type 2 ,and they never even metered, and they both did ok , with meds. They never needed insulin

I rely on the information I get from the ADA, I'm afraid to trust a lot of places on the net

I never have any kinds of diabetic  side effects ,and only see my endo 2 times a year

My  type  2 diabetes was discovered at a physical

[Moonchilde]

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@Poodlepet2 wrote:

Moonchilde, what you said about how to count carbs is true for all of us-except when it comes to sugar alcohols. Waving that issue aside, you subtract the amount of fiber from the total amount of carbs.  For example, if a label says something has 30 grams of carbs per serving and five grams of fiber ( soluble and insoluble in amounts that equal 5), in actuality, you are consuming 25 grams of carbs.

That being said-a very important reminder- test and see how you respond and how you feel.  This is probably not going to be an issue when it comes to whole foods, but when it comes to things like bars and low carb shakes, it could be.

Don't trust manufacturer claims of "0 net carbs": be a skeptic.  What matters is YOUR response, and how that food makes YOU feel.

Poodlepet2

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Very true, @Poodlepet2. It's true for me, but I know from the diabetes forums it isn't true for everyone, and testing is the only way you'll really know. An alternative that I've seen recommended is: if there are 6 grams of fiber in something, deduct 3 carbs, i.e. half. That seems a good happy medium to me for those who aren't sure.

[Moonchilde]

@Poodlepet2, I would add to your "diet" post that IMO people with type 2 diabetes in particular (as opposed to type 1) should never beat themselves up or obsess if, when conscientiously following a recommended diet, their numbers are still high/higher than they want. If you're doing all you can, it's just your body telling you it needs a bit more help - and it's not your 'fault.' Some people can control with diet, some with Metformin, some need other drugs, and some need insulin. It's your body, not "you."

[Moonchilde]

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@Trinity11 wrote:

Everyone is different can't be emphasized enough. A c-peptide test can tell how much insulin a person makes. The longer a Type 2 patient has diabetes the more likely their pancreas will produce less and less insulin. Also there are antibody tests that can diagnose type 1 1/2 diabetes which in most cases insulin will be necessary for good control. 

That's why someone's neighbor may be able to eat pizza yet someone else will run a high hours later. Pizza is notorious for raising blood sugar hours later. Also the longer a patient has diabetes the more likely gastroparesis may have an effect on when the blood glucose rises. 

The best way to determine what foods a diabetic can eat is diligent use of a glucometer. Trends in blood glucose are invaluable in putting together an individualized food plan that accomplishes the A1C your medical provider has set for the patient.

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The diabetic's reaction to fried foods is often referred to as "the pizza effect" because it works the same way. The fat, in both pizza and fried foods, causes unpredictable, delayed effect on BG. A 2 hr pp (postprandial, i.e. after meals) BG might be good, but a 4-5 hr might register OMG what's going ON? It would be a good idea, for those who need a piece or two of pizza once in a while (and we ALL "need" treats), to check at 2 hrs, and 4-5 hrs just to see what the numbers are.