RE: Re: Hello, new member here

Posted June 22, 2005 · June 22, 2005

I have Type II. My husband is also on insulin, glipazide and glougaphage and his

numbers are still very high as he doesn't take his meds like he should. I use

insulin and glipazide, plus nortriptilyne for neuropathy in my feet.

I am trying to lose about 75 pounds and can't seem to lose even a pound. Does

any one know how to lose the weight? I have troubles exercising because of

other health issues and have tried some " pills " that didn't help at all. I

don't eat much, and not at all like I should. I just don't have an appetite.

Thank you ahead of time,

Kathy

_____

Hi Kathy

I'm fairly new on this list myself, so I'm not sure I should be on the

welcoming committee - but welcome:-)

Let us know what sort of diabetes you have, how you control things,

and whether you need any help - and maybe we can help each other.

Cheers, Alan, T2 d & e, Australia

Posted June 22, 2005 · June 22, 2005

Kathy, I'm going to post my " standard newby letter " below. I hope you'll

find some helpful information there.

Re your husband not taking his meds...you might point out to him that

one of the side effects of poor diabetes control is erectile

dysfunction. Maybe that will help get him to take his meds.

First of all, let me refer you to two of the best books about diabetes.

Read 'em and you'll learn a lot:

The first one is called

" The First Year, Type Two Diabetes, An Essential Guide for the Newly

Diagnosed " by Gretchen Becker. Gretchen is a list member and her book

is an excellent guide. It's in paperback and available online from

Amazon if your local bookstore doesn't have it.

The second book is called " Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solutions " by

K. Bernstein, M.D. You

can get it from the library but it's such a good reference that you

really should have it in your home library. Dr. Bernstein is a longtime

type 1 who controls his diabetes using a lowcarb diet as well as

insulin.. Many of us - both type 1 and 2 -- on this list have found

great success using his plan or a modified version thereof.

.

And here's the URL to Dr. Bernstein's website, where there's lots of

good stuff:

http://www.diabetes-normalsugars.com/index.shtml

These two books will give you good basic information on the ins and

outs of diabetes management.

I would further refer you to an excellent informational website titled "

" What They Don't Tell You About Diabetes "

http://www.geocities.com/lottadata4u/

If it isn't there for some reason, let me know and I can email you the

contents -- I have it in my archives now.

I would also refer you to Mendosa's website, where

there's a wealth of diabetic information and good links. He also has

an online diabetes newsletter which is very good. It's also an

excellent source for information about the GI index (glycemic index).

www.mendosa.com

There's one thing that's sure to make BGs rise and that's carbohydrates.

Cutting out high GI carbs is an excellent way to control your BGs and

the more you cut, the better. Most of us find that the " whites " --

breads, cereals and pastas, in fact anything made with grain - will

raise our BGs. Also, rice and potatoes will do the same. And of course,

cakes and cookies and sweets of all kinds, including fruits and fruit

juices.

Watch out for " low calorie " foods; often they're higher in carbs. Learn

to read food labels. Dr. Bernstein recommends about 40 carbs a day

total. This is really only

for the dedictated low carber and IMHO hard to maintain over the long

run. However, I've read that the average American eats about 300 carbs a

day, so the truth is somewhere in between. The best thing you can do

for yourself (if you haven't already) is buy a meter and use it

FREQUENTLY. At the beginning you want to learn how different foods

affect your BG and to do this you need to eat one food at a time,

testing first...then test one and two hours afterwards. Weigh out the

amounts and keep good notes. You'll use up a lot of strips in the

beginning but the rewards are definitely worth the expense and bother

because in the end, you'll know what foods to avoid and which are okay.

Diabetes is a very individual disease and we often say YMMV - " your

mileage may vary " -- what works for one may not work for another.

You want to aim for postprandial (two hours after meal) BG of 120.

Keeping your BGs between 70 and 140 are your goals. If you can do this

longterm, you can probably avoid the dreaded consequences of longterm

poor BG control...and I'm sure I don't have to list those for you. (I

will if you want, though).

Here's my own list of pretty lowcarb veggies:

Spinach

Cauliflower

Broccoli

Summer squash (zucchini, crookneck)

Spaghetti squash

Mushrooms

Asparagus

Greenbeans

Cabbage

Sauerkraut

And of course lettuce and avocados which aren't a veggie but a fruit

..but they're definitely lowcarb. I have a large mixed lettuce salad with

avocado every night with dinner.

You can eat a reasonable portion (4-6 ounces) of meat, chicken, fish

without problem; it's all protein, no carbs.

Berries are the lowest carb fruit but even so, you should eat them very

sparingly. Here's the website of the USDA, which you'll find very

helpful. It has carbs, calories, protein, etc.

http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/cgi-bin/nut_search.pl

It's helpful to have a food scale. A cup measure isn't nearly so

accurate. I use a Salter scale. It weighs in both grams and ounces and

cost me somewhere around $35. I got mine at a local gourmet shop but

they're available online too. Just do a Google search for " Salter food

scales " .

The A1C is a test that measures your average BG for a three-month period

with slightly more weight given to the latest month. All diabetics

should have this test every three months. And you should ask for, and

keep, copies of all your lab reports.

Good luck. And keep those questions coming. There's a really steep

learning curve at the beginning of your diabetes education but hang in

there -- it will all make sense eventually. And remember -- the only

stupid question is the one you didn't ask.

Vicki, diabetic since 1997, A1Cs comsistently under 6 for a long time,

no complications, planning on forever no complications,

smile.

RE: Re: Hello, new member here

>I have Type II. My husband is also on insulin, glipazide and

>glougaphage and his numbers are still very high as he doesn't take his

>meds like he should. I use insulin and glipazide, plus nortriptilyne

>for neuropathy in my feet.

>

> I am trying to lose about 75 pounds and can't seem to lose even a

> pound. Does any one know how to lose the weight? I have troubles

> exercising because of other health issues and have tried some " pills "

> that didn't help at all. I don't eat much, and not at all like I

> should. I just don't have an appetite.

>

> Thank you ahead of time,

>

> Kathy

> _____

Posted June 22, 2005 · June 22, 2005

I have had 3 homemade choc chip cookies, and a banana so far today.

This evening I will have a chicken breast, rice, and corn. For a snack it will

either be an ice cream sandwich and/or pop corn.

_____

<snip>

> I am trying to lose about 75 pounds and can't seem to lose even a

pound. Does any one know how to lose the weight? I have troubles

exercising because of other health issues and have tried some " pills "

that didn't help at all. I don't eat much, and not at all like I

should. I just don't have an appetite.

>

Could you be more specific please Kathy? You may not " eat much " - but

it's enough to maintain the extra 75lbs.

What exactly did you eat today, including every item of food and drink

- every biscuit, every snack, every glass of juice, milk, coffee?

Do you keep a food diary? Try it tomorrow and add it up. You'll be

surprised.

Cheers, Alan, T2 d & e, Australia

Posted June 22, 2005 · June 22, 2005

I have troubles with my feet and ankles when I walk. I will try walking a

little more at a time. (I have a treadmill and have only been able to walk for

..3 of a mile at a time before my back, knees and ankles give out). I will also

start using my little 1 lb weights that I bought, maybe they are 2 lbs. What

can I do with them to help?

I also, want to try riding my bike. Where we live the “block” is about ½ mile

around I think. Would this help at all?

Thank you,

Kathy

Posted June 22, 2005 · June 22, 2005

DWE: are you being serious? Is this REALLY what you ate & are going to

eat today?????

<I have had 3 homemade choc chip cookies, and a banana so far today.

This evening I will have a chicken breast, rice, and corn. For a snack

it will either be an ice cream sandwich and/or pop corn.>

Yipes, no wonder you can not lose weight or control the

diabetes--eating nothing but sugar & starches.

cappie

Greater Boston Area

T-2 10/02 5/05 A1c: 5.3 = 111 mean glu

50-100 carb diet, walking, Metformin

ALA/EPO, B12, ALC, Vit C, Cac/mag,

low dose Biotin, full spectrum E,

Policosanol, fish oil cap,

fresh flax seed, multi vitamin,

Lovastatin 20 mg/coQ10 100mg, Enalapril 10 mg

5/05:140 lbs (highest weight 309)

5' tall /age 67,

cappie@...

Posted June 22, 2005 · June 22, 2005

Dances With Eagles wrote:

> I have troubles with my feet and ankles when I walk. I will try

> walking a little more at a time. (I have a treadmill and have only

> been able to walk for .3 of a mile at a time before my back, knees and

> ankles give out).

When I first began walking, I was unable to go as far a 0.3 miles before

everything on my body gave out. But I kept at it, and I improved. I can

walk a couple miles now, which is as long as I care to walk for now.

Unless you've got some other health condition, each time you walk, you

improve a bit. Do what you can. Give yourself time off between exercise

sessions. I often needed more than a day at first. But persistence and

patience will take you a long way.

> I will also start using my little 1 lb weights that I bought, maybe

> they are 2 lbs. What can I do with them to help?

http://www.joycevedral.com/

Above is a link to a web site hosted by a lady bodybuilder. Look through

her site. You will probably need a book to show you the exercises.

Starting out with 1 or 2 pound weights is fine. I'm sure she sells them

on her site, or you can find them at a library or bookstore.

Weightlifting is a great exercise for diabetics because it reduces

insulin resistance a lot. When you workout hard, don't be surprised if

you find yourself tired the next day. But in the long run, you will find

you feel much better physically and you will improve your glucose

control. You should always give yourself at least a day off between

weightlifting sessions. I spent most of my life thinking weightlifting

was little more than one of the levels of hell for stupid people. But

diabetes changes a lot. Now I'm a big advocate of it. Your objective

won't be to look like Schwarzenegger or even Joyce Vedral. You just want

to exercise your muscles to make them more insulin sensitive. Working

out two or three times a week for 30 or 45 minutes is plenty.

> I also, want to try riding my bike. Where we live the “block” is about

> ½ mile around I think. Would this help at all?

Yes, bike riding will help a lot. It's a good exercise. If you get into

weightlifting, you should also balance your program with something

aerobic, like biking or your treadmill. You get different benefits from

each which work together very well.

Edd

Posted June 22, 2005 · June 22, 2005

Dances With Eagles wrote:

> I have had 3 homemade choc chip cookies, and a banana so far today.

>

> This evening I will have a chicken breast, rice, and corn. For a snack it

will either be an ice cream sandwich and/or pop corn.

So, you've probably got some fairly high blood sugar numbers there. A

lot of us (not all) find that a low-carb diet is the main tool in the

fight against diabetes. That would be meat, eggs, cheese, fish, green

veggies, a few berries or a little bit of melon. No cookies, bananas,

rice, corn, ice cream or popcorn. Sorry about that. There are some

low-carb (lc) products, like lc ice cream, and lc sweets that you could

eat sparingly, but I'd suggest you do some studying. I took a look at

several different low-carb eating styles when I was first diagnosed

(dx'd), and settled on Atkins to start with. I suggest you try one of

them for about 90 days and see if you don't observe some improvement in

your blood sugar and with some of the other health problems you've

reported. It works for quite a few people, and it could help you, too.

It's tough to give up favorite foods, but the overall improvement in

health is usually worth it (not always, of course).

CarolR

Posted June 22, 2005 · June 22, 2005

If you're diabetic, eating carbs and sweets will raise your BGs. Almost

all the foods you mentioned -- cookies, bananas, rice, corn, ice cream

sandwich -- are sure to raise your BGs. Do you have a meter? If so, use

it! If you don't -- get one. Quickly!

What kind of diabetes education did you get?

Vicki

RE: Re: Hello, new member here

>I have had 3 homemade choc chip cookies, and a banana so far today.

>

> This evening I will have a chicken breast, rice, and corn. For a

> snack it will either be an ice cream sandwich and/or pop corn.

>

> _____

>

> <snip>

>> I am trying to lose about 75 pounds and can't seem to lose even a

> pound. Does any one know how to lose the weight? I have troubles

> exercising because of other health issues and have tried some " pills "

> that didn't help at all. I don't eat much, and not at all like I

> should. I just don't have an appetite.

>>

>

> Could you be more specific please Kathy? You may not " eat much " - but

> it's enough to maintain the extra 75lbs.

>

> What exactly did you eat today, including every item of food and drink

> - every biscuit, every snack, every glass of juice, milk, coffee?

>

> Do you keep a food diary? Try it tomorrow and add it up. You'll be

> surprised.

>

> Cheers, Alan, T2 d & e, Australia

>

Posted June 22, 2005 · June 22, 2005

Kathy...not even talking about diabetes now but how do you expect to

lose weight when you posted that you ate 3 cookies and a banana, and

were planning to eat an ice cream sandwich later?

Then there's the matter of getting your BGs to where t hey should be. I

hope you read the newby letter I earlier posted.

Vicki

RE: Re: Hello, new member here

>I have Type II. My husband is also on insulin, glipazide and

>glougaphage and his numbers are still very high as he doesn't take his

>meds like he should. I use insulin and glipazide, plus nortriptilyne

>for neuropathy in my feet.

>

> I am trying to lose about 75 pounds and can't seem to lose even a

> pound. Does any one know how to lose the weight? I have troubles

> exercising because of other health issues and have tried some " pills "

> that didn't help at all. I don't eat much, and not at all like I

> should. I just don't have an appetite.

>

> Thank you ahead of time,

>

> Kathy

> _____

>

> Hi Kathy

>

> I'm fairly new on this list myself, so I'm not sure I should be on the

> welcoming committee - but welcome:-)

>

> Let us know what sort of diabetes you have, how you control things,

> and whether you need any help - and maybe we can help each other.

>

> Cheers, Alan, T2 d & e, Australia

Posted June 22, 2005 · June 22, 2005

Have you tried swimming? Tim

--- Dances With Eagles

wrote:

> I have troubles with my feet and ankles when I walk.

> I will try walking a little more at a time. (I have

> a treadmill and have only been able to walk for .3

> of a mile at a time before my back, knees and ankles

> give out). I will also start using my little 1 lb

> weights that I bought, maybe they are 2 lbs. What

> can I do with them to help?

>

> I also, want to try riding my bike. Where we live

> the “block” is about ½ mile around I think. Would

> this help at all?

>

> Thank you,

>

> Kathy

>

__________________________________

Yahoo! Mail Mobile

Take Yahoo! Mail with you! Check email on your mobile phone.

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Posted June 22, 2005 · June 22, 2005

> I am trying to lose about 75 pounds and can't seem to lose even a pound.

Both insulin and glipizide are apt to cause weight gain. Talk to your doctor

and see if you could switch to metformin, which sometimes helps with weight

loss.

What kind of a diet are you on? It's possible that with fewer carbs you

wouldn't need the insulin.

Gretchen

Posted June 22, 2005 · June 22, 2005

On 23 Jun 2005 00:48:18 -0000 " Rotramel "

writes:

>

> > But, whatever you do, don't make any more chocolate-chip cookies.

> >Lose the recipe. And the rice, and the corn.

> >

> > Cheers, Alan, T2 d & e, Australia

>

Well Dances with Eagles if you are looking to get into a tight or good

control situation then you will have an easier time if you get down to

basics. Once you get your bgs under control it is easier to try out foods

to see if you can handle it or not. If you include starches like corn and

rice while you are trying to find a routine that fits you, you will end

up prolonging getting into the good control range. Generally, especially

type IIs do not handle baked goods if they are not whole grain, high carb

foods or starches. So the chocolate chip cookies are gone for now unless

you make the cookies with whole grain flour, no sugar and SF chips, which

might not statisfy your taste for the real thing. Bananas are a high

glycemic fruit but if you like strawberries, this might be the time to

switch fruit choices. Some foods seem to be universally anti diabetic,

rice, potatoes, corn, peas, pizza etc. get the prize for this catagory.

My accountant was dx'd with type II about three years ago and without

telling anyone he did a lot of reading and sat down with his wife and

made a meal plan that worked beautifully. He had the same thing for

breakfast, the same thing for lunch, and the same thing for dinner for 5

months and lost 60 pounds that he has kept off. He cut out all bread

products except for low carb tortilla for breakfast. I think it was

Mission brand but I am not sure. Some hard cheese wrapped in the 10 inch

tortilla was breakfast. For lunch he had a can of tuna without dressing

and a small salad with very little dressing. For dinner he had a chicken

breast with the skin left on a salad or low GI veggie like brocolli,

brussel sprouts, spinach leaves, green beans.

While he was losing weight he read up on the glycemic index and carb

counting and has added some low GI fruit once a day, some wasa crackers

instead of the tortilla and other such foods and he is a happy camper. He

needed hip surgery before he lost the weight, but doesn't need the

surgery now.

For starters you might find it beneficial to get a carb counting book.

Pick a number of carbs you want to stay within for the day and plan what

you are going to eat depending on the number of carbs for that meal. You

will find that corn, rice. most beans, potatoes are very high in carbs so

do you want a 1/8 cup of potaotes and nothing else but a meat or do you

want to eat enough so that you are not hungry in an hour? Your decision.

Once you get everything under control feel free to experiment with foods

that you want but might not be able to handle. Try to keep your

experiments to one a day and then test an hour after the first bite of

the meal and then two hours after the first bite and the meter will tell

you what food you can handle.

As you lose weight and get into better control you will find exercise to

be much easier.

Good luck

>

Posted June 22, 2005 · June 22, 2005

On Wed, 22 Jun 2005 21:34:47 -0400 One Stop .one-stop@... writes:

>

I stopped one sentence in mid thought so to add

>

> decision.

>

> Once you get everything under control feel free to experiment with

> foods

> that you want but might not be able to handle. Try to keep your

> experiments to one a day and then test an hour after the first bite

> of

> the meal and then two hours after the first bite and the meter will

> tell

> you what food you can handle.

>

> As you lose weight and get into better control you will find

> exercise to

> be much easier.

>

> Good luck

>

PS kulas1@... has been counting carbs for so long that she

knows how much lobster meat is in a pound and half lobster and what the

carb count is without looking it up. It could be a parlor game. I saw

her do this recently and with time you can look at a food and know what

the carb count is going to be and how much you can have. It does get

easier, really.

(Sorry for the Adendum)

Posted June 22, 2005 · June 22, 2005

On Wed, 22 Jun 2005 21:45:37 -0400 One Stop writes:

>

> > Good luck

> >

> PS kulas1@... has been counting carbs for so long that

> she knows how much lobster meat is in a pound and half lobster and what

> the carb count is without looking it up. It could be a parlor game. I

> saw her do this recently and with time you can look at a food and know

> what the carb count is going to be and how much you can have. It does

> get easier, really.

>

I know how much, in weight and carbs, in a Dungess crab and lots of other

things too. It's all my mother's fault. My mother was a bit of a worrier

and when I went off to college she was concerned that I would forget how

to handle my type I so the summer before she constantly tested me because

even back then I used a carb to insulin ratio. Not to lose weight but to

keep bgs in control. We only had basal insulin then so it had been

figured out how many carbs I could have and still keep a good base

reading. It wasn't that hard because we didn't have meters and only urine

strips so I had a bigger window to work with than now. Of course once I

was on my own for the first time I didn't forget how to do the carb

counting, I just took a two year vacation from good control until I got a

wake up call. I still remember the carb counts though.

Posted June 22, 2005 · June 22, 2005

Well, there we go with YMMV again.

All kinds of rice raises my BGs and from what I've read on the list, it

seems to do that for most diabetics. You may be one of the lucky

exceptions.

All I can say to that is -- (yet again) -- our meters are our best

friends. Don't take someone else's word for it. Eat something at a

time when all food is cleared from your system - like 4 hours past last

meal - and eat it separately. Test first. Eat item. Then test 1 and 2

hours later. Then you'll know.

Sometimes eating foods in combination will change the equation so that's

another test to take. Yes, you'll use a lot of strips and strips are

expensive. But not as expensive as a foot lost to amputation or a kidney

nonfunctioning with need for dialysis.

Vicki

Re: Hello, new member here

> At risk of stiring the pot -- the rice might not be so bad - depending

> on what kind of rice

> it is, and what you eat it *with*. I can't eat straight rice, however,

> but I find I can have a

> little bit of Uncle Ben's Converted (1/3 cup, cooked measure). UB is

> amazingly low-

> glycemic at only a GI of 44, even lower than brown rice. something in

> the converting

> process munges up the carbs so they digest slower.

>

> SulaBlue

>

>>

>> But, whatever you do, don't make any more chocolate-chip cookies.

>> Lose

>> the recipe. And the rice, and the corn.

>>

>> Cheers, Alan, T2 d & e, Australia

>>

Posted June 22, 2005 · June 22, 2005

One thing that some have found useful is low carb dieting, as per Dr. Bernstein.

Try looking at

his website, where you can read some of his book online, at:

http://www.diabetes-normalsugars.com/index.shtml

Ted Quick

--- Dances With Eagles wrote:

> I have Type II. My husband is also on insulin, glipazide and glougaphage and

his numbers are

> still very high as he doesn't take his meds like he should. I use insulin and

glipazide, plus

> nortriptilyne for neuropathy in my feet.

>

> I am trying to lose about 75 pounds and can't seem to lose even a pound. Does

any one know how

> to lose the weight? I have troubles exercising because of other health issues

and have tried

> some " pills " that didn't help at all. I don't eat much, and not at all like I

should. I just

> don't have an appetite.

>

> Thank you ahead of time,

>

> Kathy

> _____

>

> Hi Kathy

>

> I'm fairly new on this list myself, so I'm not sure I should be on the

> welcoming committee - but welcome:-)

>

> Let us know what sort of diabetes you have, how you control things,

> and whether you need any help - and maybe we can help each other.

>

> Cheers, Alan, T2 d & e, Australia

>

Ted Quick

Posted June 22, 2005 · June 22, 2005

Kathy,

One of the listed side effects of both Glipizide and injected insulin

is weight gain. In general, you want to control your diet to minimize

the amount of insulin you require. Glipizide is an insulin production

stimulant. According to my research and what my doc tells me, this is

no longer considered the standard of care for most Type 2s because it,

in effect, hammers an already stressed pancreas.

Glucophage (metformin) is the leading type 2 drug now. It does

several things - suppresses the liver glucose dump and sensitizes

glucose-using cells to insulin, among others. Studies are starting to

come in that show many non-diabetes-related benefits to the drug,

including aiding in weight loss. It is contraindicated for people

with liver or kidney problems.

I suggest talking to your doc about moving to Glucophage. If he says

no, then find out why. It may be that he is ignorant of the drug.

The second part. Recordkeeping. I know you don't think you eat much

but I bet you do. The only way to know, and in particular, to know

how many carbs you're eating, is to keep detailed records. Log every

single morsel that enters your mouth! Also log your insulin use.

You're going to find that you eat very many more carbs than you think

you do.

I find it tedious and annoying to try to keep paper records so I keep

my log on my PalmPilot. I highly recommend Diabetes Pilot because it

contains a large and expandable database of foods and their nutritive

values. You select the foods you're about to eat and it displays the

carb (and other) values, totals them and if you've calibrated your

insulin sensitivity, the amount of insulin you need to control those

carbs.

Third, you need to understand the vicious dance that insulin and fat

perform. Insulin mediates fat storage. The more insulin in your

system, the more fat is stored. Fat excretes enzymes that cause

insulin resistance to go up. This requires more insulin to control

the sugar which causes more fat to be stored which causes more insulin

need, etc. >>YOU<< have to break that cycle.

When the insulin concentration is low (indicating that the glucose

concentration is also low in a controlled individual), fat is

metabolized for energy instead of being stored. This is the basis of

the Atkins diet and Bernstein's low carb method of diabetes

management. The metabolized fat comes from the body stores (blubber)

when there isn't an intake of carbs or dietary fat. That means weight

loss.

So.

You break the spiral by practically eliminating carbs from your diet.

You will start burning fat. The reduced fat load will require less

insulin which will make your body burn more fat, etc. In other words,

the spiral works in reverse too. Glucophage greatly helps in this

regard by making better use of less insulin.

I'm an example of how this works. I'm 6'7 " tall and when I quit

playing basketball after college I weighed 220 lbs. I had porked out

to about 370 when the prospect of knee joint replacement slapped me in

the face. With the height I didn't look fat but the scaled and my

knees didn't lie. This was several years before my diabetes was

diagnosed.

I had done the original Atkins diet back in the 70s so I knew the

concept of low carb weight loss. The first thing I did was stop all

sweet drinks. When I started logging my food intake I found that I

was consuming close to a pound of sugar a day just in sweet tea and an

occasional soft drink.

I got rid of ALL snack foods with one exception. I found that sucking

on a hard candy (ONE, not two or three) would kill my acute

between-meals hunger for several hours. Post-diagnosis, I don't do

that, of course. I lost 100 lbs over about a 2 year period. My

reward was, ta da, diabetes. Hmmm.... Anyway.

When I was diagnosed, my engineer genes kicked in and I went into

hyper research mode. Most ever waking hour for about 2 weeks was

spent either on the net or in a medical library. I learned that the

ADA diet is killing people with the high carb recommendation and that

a very low carb diet makes diabetes easy to manage. Therefore I made

an acute change in lifestyle. No excuses, just do it. And I bought

the Bernstein book.

As much as possible, carbs are gone. No grains, no bread and (sigh)

no pasta. The only carbs I get are from veggies and from a few

selected foods that I've tested on myself and know not to cause BG

excursions.

As Bernstein said, it took me about a week to break the carb

addiction, that craving for food one gets between meals. It is a real

addiction just like a drug addiction but it can be broken. Once past

the " cold turkey " , my cravings for food between meals is essentially

gone. I satisfy what little is left with a diet drink. I'm actually

learning to like raw carrots with a little Ranch dressing :-)

I limit my daily (NOTE DAILY and not per meal) carb intake to around

30. I don't hyperventilate if I hit 35 on a day but most days I stay

under 30.

The result?

I've dropped another 30 or so pounds in the months since diagnosis.

My insulin sensitivity is up to 1 unit per 14 grams of carbs. I

started out at one unit per 4 grams.

I started with 60 units of Lantus daily and up to 10 units of Novolog

per meal. I'm down to 25 units of Lantus and usually no Novolog if

the carb content is under 20. I expect this to go lower as the

Glucophage starts working.

My 7 day average fasting BG is now 85. For the last 14 days, Glucose

Pilot reports that my average BG is 100 and that my peak was 140. If

I strike one " being bad " meal, my peak drops to 115. I haven't had a

hypo event since the first week after diagnosis.

Plotting my weight loss and extrapolating onward, I should hit my long

term goal of 250 lbs by the end of summer, whereupon I reward myself

with a motorcycle :-) My new goal will then be to get down to my old

ball-playing weight of 220. A year ago I thought that impossible.

Now I know that it will happen naturally as the side effect of my new

lifestyle.

The nice thing about the low carb diet is that one can eat high fat,

high flavor foods without consequences. Even though a huge proportion

of my diet is good ole red meat, my lipid panel is normal - for the

first time in a couple of decades. Other benefits that have accrued:

My BP is on the low end of normal.

What my doc thought was IBS is gone.

The almost constant gas and bloating is gone.

The general aches that I attributed to old age and arthritis are gone

except in my knees which are still blown. They certainly don't hurt

as much.

My eyesight is returning. I thought I was just getting old. I'm

going to be able to go DOWN in my prescription on my next eye exam.

My night blindness is gone.

I'm back to sleeping 4-6 hours and waking rested.

I feel at least 15 years younger.

ly, diabetes was the best thing that has happened to me in a long

time.

As far as exercise goes, if you're not a quadriplegic and aren't in

acute heart failure or something like that, you CAN find a way to

exercise once you get past the excuses. Even if it's nothing more

than sitting in a chair lifting gallon jugs of water with your arms

and legs, you CAN exercise. It doesn't take much. Once you get the

weight loss spiral going, it becomes easier and easier.

Or you can sit on that big fat butt, make excuses and let this disease

eat you up. YOUR choice.

On Wed, 22 Jun 2005 12:38:28 -0600, " Dances With Eagles "

wrote:

>I have Type II. My husband is also on insulin, glipazide and glougaphage and

his numbers are still very high as he doesn't take his meds like he should. I

use insulin and glipazide, plus nortriptilyne for neuropathy in my feet.

>

>I am trying to lose about 75 pounds and can't seem to lose even a pound. Does

any one know how to lose the weight? I have troubles exercising because of

other health issues and have tried some " pills " that didn't help at all. I

don't eat much, and not at all like I should. I just don't have an appetite.

---

De Armond

See my website for my current email address

http://www.johngsbbq.com

Cleveland, Occupied TN

Posted June 23, 2005 · June 23, 2005

On Wed, 22 Jun 2005 17:06:10 -0600, " Dances With Eagles "

wrote:

>I have troubles with my feet and ankles when I walk. I will try walking a

little more at a time. (I have a treadmill and have only been able to walk for

..3 of a mile at a time before my back, knees and ankles give out). I will also

start using my little 1 lb weights that I bought, maybe they are 2 lbs. What

can I do with them to help?

>

>I also, want to try riding my bike. Where we live the ?block? is about ½ mile

around I think. Would this help at all?

Anything helps. The bike might be good later on but for now I suggest

getting an exercise bike. I got mine for $10 at a second-hand shop.

Any old style will do. Mine is the old-fashioned

flywheel-with-the-leather-brake-band type. You'll use little to no

resistance starting off so the fancy energy absorbers aren't

necessary. The reason you want to use an exercise bike is that when

you get tired you can stop right away and not form any aversive

memories. If you're half way around the block and give out, you'll be

miserable when you get home and that adverse experience will deplete

your will to do it again.

Another consideration is that you can do it in a nice, comfortable,

air conditioned setting. I put mine in a walkway so that every time I

walk past it I can hop on and pedal for a minute or two. The minutes

and miles add up that way.

One thing you can do to make it a lot more pleasant is to go to a bike

store (or online) and buy a " lardass " seat, a big soft seat designed

for " wide bodies " . I have one and love it.

There are a lot of myths out there about exercise. You do NOT have to

" get the burn " or get all hot and sweaty for exercise to benefit you.

When you're doing little other than sitting around all day, any

exercise is an improvement.

---

De Armond

See my website for my current email address

http://www.johngsbbq.com

Cleveland, Occupied TN

Posted June 23, 2005 · June 23, 2005

On Wed, 22 Jun 2005 17:05:25 -0600, " Dances With Eagles "

wrote:

>I have had 3 homemade choc chip cookies, and a banana so far today.

>

>This evening I will have a chicken breast, rice, and corn. For a snack it will

either be an ice cream sandwich and/or pop corn.

There is your problem. a day's eats soaked with Carbs. Let's total

up. I'm going to use the USDA nutritional database located here:

http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/

This is free to use and free to download to your computer and is an

invaluable resource.

Cookies, 9 grams ea 27g

Banana, large 31g

rice, instant, long grain, 1 cup 35g

corn, yellow, 1 cup 123g

ice cream, eskimo pie 12g (sandwich not in db.)

For a grand total of 228 grams

No wonder you're out of control!!! Keep in mind that I keep my daily

carb intake to about 40 grams or less.

You are a diabetic. You have to unlearn most everything you've been

taught about " healthy " eating.

I repeat

You are a diabetic. You have to unlearn most everything you've been

taught about " healthy " eating.

Bread - bad

fruit - bad (most of 'em anyway)

rice - bad

beans - bad

milk - bad (except lactose converterd milk)

root veggies (spuds, etc) - bad

meat - good

cream - good

ice cream - mostly good in moderation

leafy veggies - good

root veggies (spuds, onions, etc) - bad

To know which foods you can eat and not shoot your BG levels, you have

to test. That is, eat the food after fasting for awhile, then measure

your BG at 1 hour intervals. It will peak at between 1 and 2 hours,

usually. I know, for instance, that I can eat raw carrots even though

they appear bad because the carbs are slowly digested. I learned that

with a lot of blood testing.

I'll say again and again, as others have, get the Bernstein book, read

it and live it.

Some folks say the book is too advanced or too radical. Negatory.

It's very readable. His diet is probably too strict for most folks

but if you get even close you're 10,000% better off than you are now.

I can't do his diet 100% but I'm close and my numbers reflect it.

The very first thing you have to do is to lose the victimhood

mentality and the excuses that go with it. Nobody and nothing did

this to you. It's the hand you were dealt. Deal with it or die.

It's that simple.

I highly suggest unplugging that TV set and tossing it in the garbage.

That constant drivel of victimology rots the brain. I tossed mine 2+

years ago. Never has my thinking been clearer nor my stress level

lower. Once your mind is clear of that rot, it's unbelievable just

how bad it is when you again experience it. My mom will occasionally

insist on watching TV when I'm visiting. A few minutes of it makes me

nauseaus. I now take an audio book with me and strap on the

headphones when the TV comes on!

---

De Armond

See my website for my current email address

http://www.johngsbbq.com

Cleveland, Occupied TN

Posted June 23, 2005 · June 23, 2005

: I am living proof that one does not have to " get the burn " to

exercise. I am disabled by spinal degeneration -- have had neck surgery

& now need lumbar surgery altho I am avoiding it. I lost my weight

doing only 30 min of walking a day with my rollator. I had tried gentle

chair exercises & wound up needing more MRI because of the pain it

caused so I was told not to exercise the upper body. I stick to just

plain walking now.

cappie

Greater Boston Area

T-2 10/02 5/05 A1c: 5.3 = 111 mean glu

50-100 carb diet, walking, Metformin

ALA/EPO, B12, ALC, Vit C, Cac/mag,

low dose Biotin, full spectrum E,

Policosanol, fish oil cap,

fresh flax seed, multi vitamin,

Lovastatin 20 mg/coQ10 100mg, Enalapril 10 mg

5/05:140 lbs (highest weight 309)

5' tall /age 67,

cappie@...

Posted June 23, 2005 · June 23, 2005

--- Neon wrote:

> Kathy,

>

> Third, you need to understand the vicious dance that insulin and fat

> perform. Insulin mediates fat storage. The more insulin in your

> system, the more fat is stored. Fat excretes enzymes that cause

> insulin resistance to go up. This requires more insulin to control

> the sugar which causes more fat to be stored which causes more insulin

> need, etc. >>YOU<< have to break that cycle.

Another added note from an engineer: when you eat more carbs than you can burn

the calories from

by higher amounts of activity they become fat. In other words the cells use it

or store it.

Ted Quick

Posted June 23, 2005 · June 23, 2005

I have never eaten much in the way of Breakfast or lunch and food just

sounds and looks yucky to me. I usually eat a bowl of frozen fruit with cream

and a little bit of splenda on it. Don't usually eat lunch and then a full meal

for dinner. Is this any better?

Kathy

_____

DWE: are you being serious? Is this REALLY what you ate & are going to eat

today?????

cappie

Posted June 23, 2005 · June 23, 2005

It used to be mashed potatoes, but that type of starch causes other problems for

me, so I switched us all to rice. Last night it was brown rice. The Chicken

breast was not breaded, as I don't like the breading, and I grilled them with a

touch, maybe a tablespoon on each, of BBQ sauce. And I did not have a dessert.

I don't know how to email you privately so you can email the plan to me at

danceswitheagles@...

Thank you,

Kathy

_____

....

Email me direct if you want a copy of the simple cooking and eating

plan I designed for myself.

But, whatever you do, don't make any more chocolate-chip cookies. Lose

the recipe. And the rice, and the corn.

Cheers, Alan, T2 d & e, Australia

Posted June 23, 2005 · June 23, 2005

We, (my husband and I) we not given much other than the classes that Kaiser

gives. The problem is that I have to fix dinner and meals for 4, and all of

which are picky eaters. Me personally, I love broccoli, spinach and

cauliflower, but no one else will eat these.

I just feel like it is a losing cause to try to eat right. I get so upset

because I am so scared of losing my husband because he doesn't seem to care

enough to take his meds when he is suppose to and sometimes I feel like I

don't want to live longer then him so I go on strike and not take mine

either. You see I have been a Housewife/mother for 29 years and even though

I have an Associates degree and am working on my BS I am afraid of working.

When he was dx I knew he was diabetic because he was losing weight and

urinating constantly. I got him to the doctor for his shoulder and

mentioned these to the doc. His Sugars were over 700 at the lab. This was

4 years ago and they are usually over 300 still today, because he won't take

things the way he should.

I forget to test mine, but at least I take my meds 95% of the time. Mine

range from 82-240. Eating right is also a financial problem along with not

knowing, and not feeling like eating. I don't get hungry and forget to eat,

or I sleep in too long and then there's no sense in eating lunch. I have had

my bowl of fruit and not had my meds yet, will get them when done here, and

my BG ( I think this is sugars) are 168, not bad. I think the highest mine

have ever been is 265. I have more problems with them dropping too low then

going too high. I take 45 units of insulin in the mornings, or when I get

up, and 30 at night when I go to bed, usually around 1:00 am. I take 10 mg

of Glipazide twice a day.

I don't usually eat a lot of carbs as they don't like me. Instead of bread I

can eat crackers or homemade breads. I like my fruit and meat. We usually

have a meat, rice or potatoes and a vegy for dinner or spaghetti.

So what do you all think now?

Kathy

_____

From: diabetes_int [mailto:diabetes_int ] On

Behalf Of whimsy2

Sent: Wednesday, June 22, 2005 6:26 PM

To: diabetes_int

Subject: Re: Re: Hello, new member here

* If you're diabetic, eating carbs and sweets will raise your BGs.

Almost

all the foods you mentioned -- cookies, bananas, rice, corn, ice cream

sandwich -- are sure to raise your BGs. Do you have a meter? If so, use

it! If you don't -- get one. Quickly!

What kind of diabetes education did you get?

Vicki

Posted June 23, 2005 · June 23, 2005

I was told that I need to eat the carbs to maintain the sugar. I was also told,

by a Kaiser Diabetic case nurse that Atkins is the worst thing for a diabetic.

So now I am really confused.