Re: more questions yet.

January 30, 2002

Hi, Vikki...you can lose weight and keep your BGs down to a reasonable number

eating about 100 carbs a day. This will allow you many veggies, such as

spinach, asparagus, cauliflower, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage,

sauerkraut, greenbeans, summer squash (like zucchini). The veggies to avoid

are potatos and root veggies, winter squash, turnips, parsnips, carrots -

these are all carby and will raise BGs. Stay away from rice and pasta, and

anything made with grains too. You can, of course, have all the meat,

chicken, fish you want.

Breakfast is the biggest challenge for lowcarbers, we're so used to eating

cereal and toast. But there are alternatives. Try eggs with sausage, ham,

bacon...there are lowcarb breads (I consider any bread that's 13 carbs per

slice lowcarb, and when you read the label you can subtract fiber)...Avoid

fast foods and fried foods. I have a giant salad every day with avocado.

There are online lowcarb stores where there are some excellent (though not

cheap) products. I particularly like the Keto Shakes, a lowcarb breakfast

substitute. When I'm in a hurry or don't feel like cooking, it serves as a

very nice breakfast. They come in great flavors - capuccino, chocolate peanut

butter, eggnog, strawberry, banana, etc...and taste just like a milkshake.

Since everyone's body is diffferent, the best thing you can do is eat and

test and keep good notes. . Test before meal, and one and two hours after.

Pretty soon you'll have a good idea of how foods affect your body. You want

to try to keep as close to 100 as possible with a peak not higher than 140

two hours after eating.

Vicki

<<

Second, I am trying to Low carb but I don't think I can handle just the 20

carbs atkins wants, so my question is what is a good average daily intake of

carbs for one trying to lose weight and lower Bgs.

Thanks in advance....Vikki

>>

January 30, 2002

Higher or lower than what?

Your goal should always be as close to 100 as possible. Anything below 65 is

considered hypo. Anything above 140 is too high, although of course there

are degrees of high. (140 is definitely better than 240!). Also be aware of

the " dawn rise " -- if you take your BG before you get out of bed in the

morning (called the FBG or fasting blood glucose) then get up and do whatever

it is you do...then test before you eat anything (unless you eat within five

minutes of when you get up) , you'll find your BG has gone up even though you

haven't eaten anything.

Some type 2s find that their FBGs are lower if they don't eat anything after

dinner the preceding night. Vicki

<<

My first question is when you take you first reading in the am is it

supposed to be a higher or lower number? >>

January 30, 2002

I want to amend this to point out that while Rick's gradual approach is a

start, all the foods he mentions are ones that are certain to raise BGs and

IMHO, better to be avoided entirely. It was hard for me to give up orange

juice in the morning...but I got used to it. And I'd rather skip an orange

entirely rather than have just one slice. (And even one slice raises my BGs

appreciably).

Also...fruit juices of any kind are best avoided, since they'll raise your

BG. If you must have fruit, eat the whole thing (as opposed to juice) so at

least you get the benefit of fiber. The lowest carb fruits are berries --

strawberries, raspberries, blueberries. I do eat them -- in very small

amounts. Oranges, apples, pears, etc. -- all foods of the past, alas. Vicki

<<

Any reduction in carbs will help with your BGs, so if your goal is lower

BGS, you can begin by reducing the amount of carbs you eat. For example,

one slice of bread instead of two on a sandwich, half a baked potato

instead of a whole one, a few slices of orange instead of a glass of

orange juice. Anywhere that you can begin to cut back on carbs will help

with your BGs. >>

January 30, 2002

Vicki wrote:

> I want to amend this to point out that while Rick's gradual approach

> is a start, all the foods he mentions are ones that are certain to

> raise BGs and IMHO, better to be avoided entirely.

No disagreement there Vicki. These foods are the downfall for many

trying to control their BGs. I did only want to point out that even the

most carb rich diet can be improved by reducing the amounts of

" whatever " . Personally, what works for me is to set a goal and then vary

the food that goes into that goal for the day. I LOVE potatoes, but I

also know that they will kill me if I eat them the way I used to. So now

if I'm at Mcs with the family, I'll eat a few fries from someone

else's (one of the family of course ) ) order instead of getting my

own. Where I reallllly struggle is with baked potatoes. I love them and

when I get steak out, I'll always get one if they are available.

Solution for me? I don't go out for steak very often! (

Rick

January 30, 2002

Well, I can sure relate to that...however, four years post diagnosis I now

hardly think about the potatoes with sour cream I used to enjoy with such

abandon..the trips to the bakery...pizza....hot fudge sundaes...well, except

for now, ...think I'd better stop this line of thinking, smile.

I guess one positive way to think of it is...I had 60 good (and

unappreciated!) years of eating anything I wanted before diagnosis. And now a

lot of those things are only fond memories. Vicki

<< I love them and

when I get steak out, I'll always get one if they are available.

Solution for me? I don't go out for steak very often! ( >>

January 30, 2002

<< I have actually lowered my bgs by trying to have between 10-20 carbs for

each meal. >>

That's great, Vikki! Keep up the good work. the other Vicki

January 30, 2002

<< I have actually lowered my bgs by trying to have between 10-20 carbs for

each meal. >>

That's great, Vikki! Keep up the good work. the other Vicki

January 30, 2002

<< I have actually lowered my bgs by trying to have between 10-20 carbs for

each meal. >>

That's great, Vikki! Keep up the good work. the other Vicki

January 30, 2002

<< I have taken to drinking SF tang in the ams. >>

It's a good idea to read labels. Lots of sugar free stuff is higher in carbs.

Vicki

January 31, 2002

Haven't posted in a long while but read all messages. In response to

Rick's Popcorn love affair, I ate a large bowl of home popped corn

almost every day for as long as I can remember until I was diagnosed

with Diabetes,type II. Now never eat, sometimes at the movie I still

think I would like a box but just don't get it and I am fine.

S.

January 31, 2002

Haven't posted in a long while but read all messages. In response to

Rick's Popcorn love affair, I ate a large bowl of home popped corn

almost every day for as long as I can remember until I was diagnosed

with Diabetes,type II. Now never eat, sometimes at the movie I still

think I would like a box but just don't get it and I am fine.

S.

January 31, 2002

Haven't posted in a long while but read all messages. In response to

Rick's Popcorn love affair, I ate a large bowl of home popped corn

almost every day for as long as I can remember until I was diagnosed

with Diabetes,type II. Now never eat, sometimes at the movie I still

think I would like a box but just don't get it and I am fine.

S.

January 31, 2002

I've found that when I'm at the movies, inhaling yummy popcorn smell doesn't

raise my BGs at all, smile. Vicki

<< Now never eat, sometimes at the movie I still

think I would like a box but just don't get it and I am fine. >>

January 31, 2002

See, that's the benefit of testing one and two hours after eating, Marc. If

you'd done that before you found this list, you would have learned that

oatmeal raises your BG. Well, you know it now, smile.

I'm constantly amazed that doctors don't tell patients to do this kind of

testing...it seems so obvious. Instead, most of them tell newbies to test

once or twice a day with no relation to meals...some say test once a

week...and some even discourage testing at all. (IMHO those docs ought to be

shot). Vicki

<< Immagine my disgust when upon reading the

label of the oatmeal box I saw that it had 36g of carbs, only 2 of them

fiber. So now I'll only have oatmeal when I have not eaten too many carbs in

the day. >>

January 31, 2002

See, that's the benefit of testing one and two hours after eating, Marc. If

you'd done that before you found this list, you would have learned that

oatmeal raises your BG. Well, you know it now, smile.

I'm constantly amazed that doctors don't tell patients to do this kind of

testing...it seems so obvious. Instead, most of them tell newbies to test

once or twice a day with no relation to meals...some say test once a

week...and some even discourage testing at all. (IMHO those docs ought to be

shot). Vicki

<< Immagine my disgust when upon reading the

label of the oatmeal box I saw that it had 36g of carbs, only 2 of them

fiber. So now I'll only have oatmeal when I have not eaten too many carbs in

the day. >>

January 31, 2002

Carbs are carbs. Good or bad, they'll raise your BGs. Vicki

<<

Today I received an information package from the CDA, where they

recomend high levels of " good " carbs. And low levels of proten and fats.

>>

January 31, 2002

Carbs are carbs. Good or bad, they'll raise your BGs. Vicki

<<

Today I received an information package from the CDA, where they

recomend high levels of " good " carbs. And low levels of proten and fats.

>>

January 31, 2002

In my earlier post I said " carbs are carbs, they'll all raise your BG. " I'd

like to amend that. Some carby foods have a higher GI index and may not

raise your BGs as much as others. But that doesn't have anything to do with

" good carbs " or " bad carbs " ...it has to do with the GI index. BTW, if you

aren't acquainted with the GI index I strongly suggest you check out Rick

Mendosa's website. Vicki

<<

Today I received an information package from the CDA, where they

recomend high levels of " good " carbs. And low levels of proten and fats.

>>

January 31, 2002

wrote:

> Haven't posted in a long while but read all messages. In response to

> Rick's Popcorn love affair, I ate a large bowl of home popped corn

> almost every day for as long as I can remember until I was diagnosed

> with Diabetes,type II. Now never eat, sometimes at the movie I still

> think I would like a box but just don't get it and I am fine.

Good for you ! I'm glad you had the willpower to stay away from

foods that play havoc with your blood sugar.

Rick

January 31, 2002

wrote:

> Haven't posted in a long while but read all messages. In response to

> Rick's Popcorn love affair, I ate a large bowl of home popped corn

> almost every day for as long as I can remember until I was diagnosed

> with Diabetes,type II. Now never eat, sometimes at the movie I still

> think I would like a box but just don't get it and I am fine.

Good for you ! I'm glad you had the willpower to stay away from

foods that play havoc with your blood sugar.

Rick

January 31, 2002

wrote:

> Haven't posted in a long while but read all messages. In response to

> Rick's Popcorn love affair, I ate a large bowl of home popped corn

> almost every day for as long as I can remember until I was diagnosed

> with Diabetes,type II. Now never eat, sometimes at the movie I still

> think I would like a box but just don't get it and I am fine.

Good for you ! I'm glad you had the willpower to stay away from

foods that play havoc with your blood sugar.

Rick

January 31, 2002

Re: more questions yet.

<< Haven't posted in a long while but read all messages. In response to

Rick's Popcorn love affair, I ate a large bowl of home popped corn

almost every day for as long as I can remember until I was diagnosed

with Diabetes,type II. Now never eat, sometimes at the movie I still

think I would like a box but just don't get it and I am fine.

S. >>

On a related note, when I was diagnosed with diabetes I immediately

decided to heath more healthful foods. I even chose some cereal and oatmeal

that had the Canadian Diabetes Association logos and food equivalancies on

their boxes. I love oatmeal and was happy to see I could eat it.

Now, weeks later when I started talking with the people on this list I

decided to go the low carb route. Immagine my disgust when upon reading the

label of the oatmeal box I saw that it had 36g of carbs, only 2 of them

fiber. So now I'll only have oatmeal when I have not eaten too many carbs in

the day.

The other day while shopping I decided to buy mayonaise. First I looked

at regular mayonaise. 1g per teaspoon. The light one was 2.2g per teaspoon.

I found President's Choice, made with whole eggs, 0g of carbs. Guess which

one I bought.

Today I received an information package from the CDA, where they

recomend high levels of " good " carbs. And low levels of proten and fats.

Marc

January 31, 2002