Re: HbA1c

[Guest guest]

Congratulations on the 6.1...since my last A1C was 6.3, 6.1 is MY next goal!

Vicki

In a message dated 99-10-01 09:12:37 EDT, you write:

<<

I was pleased with the 6.1, although I do admit I was hoping for a number

starting with " 5 " ! >>

[Guest guest]

, that's really good news on your HbA1c! (Sorry to be such a pest about

it, kiddo.) And your doctor's advice is wise indeed. Regular exercise, a

healthy diet, and normal weight are all goals we should work toward. I am

glad to see your motivation is returning. You know, , that medicine is

just something we take as an aid. But many medications can be hard on our

livers and other organs - and often carry with them side effects. So you can

have the goal of getting off the Metformin and still keeping your HbA1c in

the 5-6 range.

Ron Sebol, the well-known number-cruncher from the low-carbing diabetics'

group, says any HbA1c over the exact middle of normal range carries with it

some risk of complications ... so that means <gulp> that we should be aiming

for 5.4 or 5.5 as our HbA1c goal.

Susie

[Guest guest]

Norgaard wrote:

>

>

>

> Hi,

>

> I finally got my HbA1c and I think it looks good - 6,2mmol (converted to US

measure: 6,2x18 = 111???).

> Though it looks good the doctor told me that a balanced bg in itself isn't

sufficient if I wished to avoid future complications with the eyes, kidneys etc.

- It's important to loose overweight as well and get the blood pressure down -

it's a little to high, which isn't good for a diabetic. I'm starting the

treatment process at hospital from tomorrow, so that I can start taking care of

my diabetes again.

>

> At the time when it was discovered that I had diabetes - in january - I was

very motivated - but when I discovered that I could eat nearly anything without

any significant influence on my bg-level (because of table treatment with

metformin) motivation decreased to 0. So the past months I have lived like a

non-diabetic.

>

> However the problem with the small blood vessels (numbness in my left food

etc.) means that I have all reasons to stay motivated (the hospital doctor

says). The future complications can be severe if we ignore the warnings signs,

so I have decided to start 'following the rules again' to stay healthy for as

many years as possible. I wish that for all of us in the group. Some of us don't

have significant fluctuations in the bg-level. But it doesn't mean that

everything is well. We have to learn to

>

> Best regards

>

> norgaard-media@...

>

> Johm,

I could relate to you so well when I read your letter. I have had high

blood sugar for 5 years now, and only recently have I decided that I do

have dibeties. Fortunately, it is an awakening for me and I actually

feel better about it all. For several years I have ignored, took my

medicine part time, and even gained extra weight. This process was a

form of denial for me. I'm not sure what snapped me into reality, but

I'm glad I'm here and your letter was refreshing.

Darlene

[Guest guest]

Darlene, I'm glad to hear that you are starting to deal with your diabetes. The

consequenses can be serious. We have to realize that we are " the Captain on the

ship " , so we must deal with it to minimize future complications.

Maybe it was some kind of denial for me as well. It's good to be a member of a

support group and to learn from others experience. It's more difficult to stay

motivated alone. Who likes to eat dry bread without butter and vegetables

instead of burgers? Actually I know that it's possible to develop those healthy

habits and to like to eat healthy food.

Overweight has only been a problem for me the past 7 years. Before that time

food didn't really mean so much to me. It was more a question of getting " fuel

to the engine to keep it running " and I felt much more healthy and stronger at

that time. These were good habits that I had developed and they became easy to

live with because I got used to not eating so much. One of the bad habits in

this fast-food time is that we both eat to much and to unhealthy food. We

develop bad eating habits. We learn to live with them and it is as if we grow

fast in them, so it becomes still more difficult to break with them. - But I

know that it's possible to discipline this body so it doesn't need so much

(unhealthy) food. It's difficult in the beginning, but then it develops into a

habit and becomes easier and easier. I really believe in this principle. Again,

thank you for your response and I wish you the best success in dealing with your

diabetes

Take care

To: <diabetes_intonelist>

Sent: 9. oktober 1999 02:53

Subject: Re: HbA1c

>

>

> Norgaard wrote:

> >

> >

> >

> > Hi,

> >

> > I finally got my HbA1c and I think it looks good - 6,2mmol (converted to US

measure: 6,2x18 = 111???).

> > Though it looks good the doctor told me that a balanced bg in itself isn't

sufficient if I wished to avoid future complications with the eyes, kidneys etc.

- It's important to loose overweight as well and get the blood pressure down -

it's a little to high, which isn't good for a diabetic. I'm starting the

treatment process at hospital from tomorrow, so that I can start taking care of

my diabetes again.

> >

> > At the time when it was discovered that I had diabetes - in january - I was

very motivated - but when I discovered that I could eat nearly anything without

any significant influence on my bg-level (because of table treatment with

metformin) motivation decreased to 0. So the past months I have lived like a

non-diabetic.

> >

> > However the problem with the small blood vessels (numbness in my left food

etc.) means that I have all reasons to stay motivated (the hospital doctor

says). The future complications can be severe if we ignore the warnings signs,

so I have decided to start 'following the rules again' to stay healthy for as

many years as possible. I wish that for all of us in the group. Some of us don't

have significant fluctuations in the bg-level. But it doesn't mean that

everything is well. We have to learn to

> >

> > Best regards

> >

> > norgaard-media@...

> >

> > Johm,

>

> I could relate to you so well when I read your letter. I have had high

> blood sugar for 5 years now, and only recently have I decided that I do

> have dibeties. Fortunately, it is an awakening for me and I actually

> feel better about it all. For several years I have ignored, took my

> medicine part time, and even gained extra weight. This process was a

> form of denial for me. I'm not sure what snapped me into reality, but

> I'm glad I'm here and your letter was refreshing.

>

> Darlene

>

> >

[Guest guest]

Norgaard wrote:

<< ... Who likes to eat dry bread without butter and vegetables instead of

burgers? Actually I know that it's possible to develop those healthy habits

and to like to eat healthy food. >>

Actually, we're not inclined to eat either the bread or the butter. And we

eat both vegetables and burgers (although we try to avoid excess fats, and

we opt for the vegetables with more fiber and a lower glycemic index. And

the diabetics who are on a ketogenic-level diet even throw away the buns

before eating the burgers.

The point many of us have been making is that the old way of thinking didn't

work for many of us who are insulin-resistant Syndrome X type 2 diabetics.

We don't eat dry toast ... we don't avoid meats.

, are you eating low-fat? Or low-carb?

Susie

[Guest guest]

I have started on a diet that I got from the hospitial. Last time I used it I

lost 20lbs in about 3 month. So it's a diet which purpose is to help me loose

some overweight and to get that blood pressure down. So this were my background

for comparing vegetables and burgers - I were having a hard time

- The dietist gave me some sound advice - also about carbs. She said that we

can't live without carbs. It's impossible - then there would only be fat left.

The important thing is to eat the right carbs. Those that doesn't affect our bg

so much - vegetables etc. etc. (the things lowest on the scale) and to avoid

carbs from things that quickly transform into bg - chockolate, white bread etc.

I liked here advise - putting carbs into different categories according to how

they affect the bg. And that's exactly what we need to learn as diabetics. Don't

you agree? All carbs are not bad - it dependes on the source etc. - Under this

diet my foot are both low-fat and low-carb, but she says that I shall continue

with low-fat, low-carb for the rest of my life.

Susie wrote:

> Actually, we're not inclined to eat either the bread or the butter. And we

> eat both vegetables and burgers (although we try to avoid excess fats, and

> we opt for the vegetables with more fiber and a lower glycemic index. And

> the diabetics who are on a ketogenic-level diet even throw away the buns

> before eating the burgers.

>

> The point many of us have been making is that the old way of thinking didn't

> work for many of us who are insulin-resistant Syndrome X type 2 diabetics.

> We don't eat dry toast ... we don't avoid meats.

>

> , are you eating low-fat? Or low-carb?

>

> Susie

>

> >

[Guest guest]

Norgaard wrote:

<< The dietist gave me some sound advice - also about carbs. She said that

we can't live without carbs. It's impossible - then there would only be fat

left. >>

There are three food groups, : carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Of the

three, carbohydrates are actually the one group that we can manage to live

without. (Historically, Eskimos lived for months on whale blubber alone, for

instance.)

<< The important thing is to eat the right carbs. Those that doesn't affect

our bg so much - vegetables etc. etc. (the things lowest on the scale) and

to avoid carbs from things that quickly transform into bg - chockolate,

white bread etc. >>

, I hope you will participate in the group once again. I feel you have

been away for some months now. And that you will do reading and research on

your own. Your dietitian's thinking is out-of-step with modern discoveries.

Some white breads have lower carbohydrate counts than some " dark breads. "

And carbohydrates are not just associated with sweets. The " desserts " are

" simple carbs. " But the complex carbohydrates (pasta, potatoes, rice, bread,

etc.) are the worst offenders for many of us type 2 diabetics. I say that

because, as diabetics, we already know to avoid the simple carbs. But we

still get into trouble if we eat the complex carbs. A baked potato will

impact blood glucose as much or more than sugar. Pasta, potatoes and bread

send my glucose soaring.

<< I liked here advise - putting carbs into different categories according

to how they affect the bg. And that's exactly what we need to learn as

diabetics. Don't you agree? All carbs are not bad - it dependes on the

source etc. >>

No I don't agree, . Whether a carb is a simple or complex carb matters

less than the total number of carbohydrates we consume. Your dietitian's

advice is just what we have been arguing against ... people who think there

are " good carbs " and " bad carbs. " We do eat some carbohydrates ... it's

pretty hard to avoid them. But we strive to get those carbs from the

healthiest choice ... vegetables. We focus on the veggies with the lowest

carb counts: broccoli, cauliflower and green beans, for example. And we eat

our veggies raw rather than cooked much of the time, to increase the fiber

and lower the glucose impact.

<< Under this diet my foot are both low-fat and low-carb, but she says that

I shall continue with low-fat, low-carb for the rest of my life. >>

If your diet is both low-fat and low-carb, then it is high-protein. That is

my diet too. But somehow I have a feeling you and I are not eating the same

foods. Can you give us more examples of your diets? Others would be

interested too, I think, . You are the leader of the group. We want to

learn more about your approach. How many grams of carbs a day?

And yes, she and you are right ... this isn't a " diet " but a WOL - way of

life. Congratulations for getting back on a program, !

Hugs,

Susie