Another Newbie

[Guest guest]

Hello everyone!! my name is S. and i reside in the Newport

News area of Virginia. I found out " on accident " that i was diabetic

on Valantines Day (this year). My fasting blood test showed 229. I

went to the hospital and they gave me a monitor, 50 test strips,

talked to a dietician for a few minutes (she gave me a 1400 cal.

diet) and sent me on my way. Since Feb. i have managed to loose like

50lbs, i was all " gung-ho " and scared to death of this disease. About

a month ago, the fear starting disapearing...i slowy started eating

fast food, saying things like " just this one time will be ok " , and " I

will get back on track by the beginning of the week. " Its like i have

lost all self control, i feel so tired and have no will power.

Generally i am unmotivated and depressed. I started school FT about 5

weeks ago. This has been very stressful. I have 5 hours of lecture a

day, from 8am to 1pm (that's for 2 classes). We do not get a lunch

break, just 10 min's between classes. I have found my self unable to

resist the land of the jusnk machines in the breakroom. I could

really use some help on how to boost my energy in the morning, i try

to eat a breakfast that will stick with me until i can get home to

eat lunch, by 10:30am i am starving, and that's when i loose control.

I am trying to understand the exchange list, and check out the low

carb, higher protien and moderate fat type diets. I also wanted to

mention that i dont really even have a doctor of my own, i went to my

grandmothers Doctor (I cant afford one of my own, no insurance). This

Doctor, knowing i didn't have any insurance said to me that i didn't

need the ach1 (i know its spelled wrong) test, and to check my sugars

when i dont feel good and a couple times a week, he put me on

Glucophage (one at dinner), and gave me a book to read,

said " Goodluck and i will see you in 3 months. " So i did alot of

reading and i am still confused, seems everything contradicts

eerything. I am 28 and i shouldnt feel so tired all the time. When i

was eating right (which was the same thing everyday) my sugars were

really good, i was told to check 2 hours after each meal to see how

different foods effected my glucose. Can someone please tell me

lipids and Bg's are? Maybe suggest a few snack ideas for me, and any

comments or suggestions would be very much appreciated. Thank you so

much in advance!!!

[Guest guest]

At 04:48 PM 8/24/2002, you wrote:

>Rick thank you so much for the kind and reassuring words. You have given

>me some good suggestions and i am looking forward to investigating them. I

>bought the low carb books for the Dr. Schwarzbein Principal. It seems

>kinda confusing to me. I noticed alot of the recipes included high fat

>items such as heavy whipping cream, and fruit. I cant stand the taste of

> " rich " dairy, make me ill to think about it...lol I am so used to skim

>milk...perhaps i can make my own modifications. Can you recommend and low

>carb diets for diabetics? Thank you again for all of your help!!!

> 8 )

Hi ,

You're welcome. I know what you mean about the " rich dairy " items. I do not

drink milk. I have had an allergy to it since I was a small child. I can

tolerate small amounts of whipping cream or ice cream, but not much.

Low-carbing is a tailor fit way of eating. There are many, many foods you

can eat while low-carbing. It's a matter of figuring out which ones are

acceptable to your taste buds and getting enough variety to get a good

nutritional balance. Nutritional supplements can help here too.

I am not the best one to recommend specific low-carb menus, since I am more

moderate in my carb intake. I use oral meds and insulin at this point in

time. I live with my wife, four kids and one son-in-law, so I eat what

everyone else eats, just in smaller portions. If my wife ever decides to go

low-carb for the family as a whole (which she may) I may be dumping some meds!

We do have a section in our bookmarks area where there are some low-carb

recipes. I know that Atkins in his book lists quite a few low-carb food

choices. Bernstein and Atkins both have websites which have foods & recipe

sections:

Atkins: http://atkinscenter.com/index.asp

Bernstein: http://www.diabetes-normalsugars.com/

Also here is a link to a list of foods that are rated by there carb content:

For an explanation of the Glycemic Index, see here:

http://www.mendosa.com/gi.htm

For the Glycemic Index of foods, see here: http://www.mendosa.com/gilists.htm

Hope this helps!

Rick

[Guest guest]

Hi, . Welcome to our group. I have learned so much valuable

info from the people on this list!!! I hope you do, too.

As for some snack ideas: try some nuts and cheese. One of my favorites

is a handful of pecans, with several wedges of Laughing Cow cheese. I

also find eating some beef jerky, with a cold drink, helps a lot. Also,

deviled eggs. I love celery stuffed with either cheese, or, peanut

butter. All of these are low carb snacks. They should not send your

blood glucose readings too high. The protein in each of these

suggestions will be a good carry over, until you can get home.

I have found that when I don't eat high carb items, or, sweets, by

eating low carb, I never feel cravings. I only realize that I am hungry

when my stomach growls. I have been addicted to sweets for most of my

life. As a result I have been hungry most of the time. So, this new way

of eating, is a real miracle for me.

Best wishes for your bg readings.

Sheila

[Guest guest]

, welcome to the list. Sorry you're here but you'll get help...we've

all been newbies.

The reason you're feeling exhausted, no energy, depressed and tired all the

time is probably due to high BGs. If you can get your BGs down you'll feel a

lot better.

It's really important to have that A1C test. It will tell you your average

BGs for a three-month period, with heavier emphasis on the last month.

Don't you have student health coverage at the school you attend? I don't know

how your doc knows how much medication to prescribe without knowing what your

BGs are.

I know you probably don't want to hear this but diabetes is an expensive

disease. In order to get good control you need to take lots of tests to find

out how different foods affect your body. If you don't test frequently you

won't know whether you're doing well or poorly. Meters are cheap, strips are

expensive although I've been told that Walmart makes their own meter and

strips and they're considerably cheaper than most. There are also subsidized

programs for diabetics without funds - maybe someone else here has that

information.

Get your BGs down and you'll find everything improves - your energy, your

depression and your weight will go down too. OTOH, if you don't get your BGs

down you're courting disaster down the road. I'm not going to list all the

Awful Things that longterm uncontrolled diabetes can do to your body (unless

you ask nicely, smile) - I'm sure you already know them. But if you can get

your BGs under control, you can probably avoid them all. This means keeping

your BGs as close to 100 as possible. And the only way to do this is

frequent testing.

I'm sure you're read by now that stress also raises your BGs.

There have already been a lot of good suggestions on fast foods you can eat

that aren't junk food so I won't go into it more. However, one thing you can

do for breakfast is have a high protein/lowcarb shake. There is a very good

commercial shake made by the Keto people ( " Keto Shakes " ) that are very tasty,

lowcarb and filling. One of them for breakfast keeps me going right until

lunch. Unfortunately, they're expensive - one can of powder costs $19. OTOH,

I think you can get ten shakes out of one can. They available at several

online lowcarb stores. If you want some URLs I can provide that.

Also, somewhere in my computer I think I have some recipes for homemade high

protein/low carb shakes. I'll check it out and see if I can find them. They

would use whey protein as a base and you can buy this at health foods stores.

Also, I suggest you read the Becker and Bernstein books recommended in the

" Bookmarks for Newbies " section at the bottom of this post. They should be

available in your public library.

Many people on this list find that using the ADA exchange program causes

their BGs to get higher, requiring more medication. OTOH, by eating a lowcarb

diet many have found that they can reduce or eliminate their need for

medication entirely.

And you are exercising daily, aren't you?

Take care,

Vicki

In a message dated 08/24/2002 12:42:56 PM US Mountain Standard Time,

palemaiden74@... writes:

> Its like i have lost all self control, i feel so tired and have no will

> power. Generally i am unmotivated and depressed. I started school FT about

> 5 weeks ago. This has been very stressful. I have 5 hours of lecture a day,

> from 8am to 1pm (that's for 2 classes). We do not get a lunch break, just

> 10 min's between classes. I have found my self unable to resist the land of

> the jusnk machines in the breakroom. I could

> really use some help on how to boost my energy in the morning, i try to eat

> a breakfast that will stick with me until i can get home to eat lunch, by

> 10:30am i am starving, and that's when i loose control.I am trying to

> understand the exchange list, and check out the low carb, higher protien

> and moderate fat type diets. I also wanted to mention that i dont really

> even have a doctor of my own, i went to my

> grandmothers Doctor (I cant afford one of my own, no insurance). This

> Doctor, knowing i didn't have any insurance said to me that i didn't need

> the ach1 (i know its spelled wrong) test, and to check my sugars when i

> dont feel good and a couple times a week, he put me on Glucophage (one at

> dinner), and gave me a book to read, said " Goodluck and i will see you in 3

> months. " So i did alot of reading and i am still confused, seems everything

> contradicts eerything. I am 28 and i shouldnt feel so tired all the time.

[Guest guest]

Thanks, Denis...I'm going to bookmark that one for future reference. Vicki

In a message dated 08/25/2002 2:48:19 PM US Mountain Standard Time,

chumley@... writes:

>

> See Financial Help for Diabetes Care at

> http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health/diabetes/summary/finhelp/finhelp.htm

> and at the Mendosa site at http://www.mendosa.com/genl.htm

>

> I hope you can find help.

>

> Denis

>

[Guest guest]

<SNIP>

As far as school help and insurance, my school doesnt offer anything

like that. They are a private, " tech " kinda school, out to make the

bucks..they could care less..I am not giving up though gonna see

whats out there as far as help....again thank you!!!!

>

See Financial Help for Diabetes Care at

http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health/diabetes/summary/finhelp/finhelp.htm

and at the Mendosa site at http://www.mendosa.com/genl.htm

I hope you can find help.

Denis

[Guest guest]

Well, sure! And keep up the good work! Nothing like success to keep ya

motivated, smile. Vicki

In a message dated 08/29/2002 10:37:39 AM US Mountain Standard Time,

misscindy8@... writes:

>

> Wow, Vicki, does that mean I'm a " success " ???? I am truly honored, and

> even

> more motivated to make this work.

>

>

[Guest guest]

.. Wellllll, except for last night, when I had

> to do another scientific experiment and see if eating 1/3 of a

piece of

> cheesecake would affect my bg's. It did. And to make sure the

readings

> were right, I ate another 1/3 of a piece of cheesecake at lunch -

same

> results (sigh) bye bye cheesecake!!!

> in Manassas VA

, do a search of the archives on the word cheesecake and you'll

find a couple of recipes for low-carb cheesecake. We have a lot of

birthdays in my family the end of August, so I tried one of the

recipes, substituting fat free for the full fat cheeses and using low

carb unsweetened soy milk in place of cream (it has fat, but mostly

unsaturated). I figured the carbs for the whole cheesecake to be

about 36 g., so a 1/8 slice was less than 5 grams. I have eaten two

pieces so far and have had almost no rise from them. Tastes pretty

good, too! If you stick to the full fat recipe the carbs are even

lower, but the calories and saturated fat are higher, of course.

Christy

[Guest guest]

Wow, Vicki, does that mean I'm a " success " ???? I am truly honored, and even

more motivated to make this work.

in Manassas VA

(Finally got my e-mail working!!!)

Vicki wrote: " Congratulations, ...glad it's working for you!

Rick, can you put this in the " success stories " file??

Vicki "

[Guest guest]

congratulations !! its good to see others try and succeed. cheeky

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