[pattygirl63]

Carol Sue I have had hypoglycemic reactions when my bs goes down too fast or I've gone too long without eating. I agree, there is no way to carry broth in our purse and I looked at Walmart to see if could find a protein bar, but I couldn't decide which one to get. I heard of one that was said to be a "true" low carb high protein, but the cars were too high and it didn't look too good either. Wish I knew what would be the best one but I just don't know. I don't know if I could use the Atkins bars because they caused me so many potty issue the last time I used them which makes me afraid of trying them again.

Your beef soup sounds great. I don't make it any more. DH likes the meat stringy and I like the chunks. I gave the last package of stew meat I had to my Daddy to make him a stew.

Catch y'all tomorrow afternoon when I get back. Going to watch a movie with DH and then get to bed. I have to get up early. I have to be at Daddy's to pick him up to go to the doctor's office about the time I usually get up.

[fatmad]

I know that daily weights don't need to be done, but they help me stay on track.
Up a pound today, in spite of being on track yesterday. Or at least I thought I was on track.
This may be how I have to figure out about eating out. I met a friend at an Indian buffet. I stuck to veggies and meat curries, had no rice or Naan, ate just one plate of food. SO maybe Even that will have to be a big treat. Probably too many carbs that way. Today, is pancake day, so I know I will be off plan a bit, and will have to be careful and not over eat. Catch y'all later

[Wannabehealthy]

Mad, I had 2 pancakes this morning, with 1 egg. The egg was my protein to counter act the carbs. It was for Shrove Tuesday. I haven't had pancakes since this day last year. No carbs for the rest of the day. Funny you should mention an Indian Buffet. I was just discussing that with a guy on another forum. He was born in India and is now is US. He was telling me which foods are a good choice on an India Buffet. He posted here a couple times. He has lost a lot of weight doing fasting, and lowered his insulin levels. He fasts for days at a time, something I could not do, but it has worked for him.

There is nothing wrong with daily weighing. But you have to keep in mind that everyone gets fluctuations, just from varying fluid levels in the body. It has nothing to do with what you ate or if you stayed on plan. If you weigh yourself in the AM, and then again in the PM, you will weigh more in the PM in most cases, just because of your body holding on to fluid. This is why they tell you not to weigh every day, because the fluctuations will bother you, making you think you did something wrong. You did not gain fat. You retained some fluid. Not the same thing.

Yes, Trish, most people, even non-diabetics, have hypoglycemic reactions from not eating and blood sugar dropping quickly, but if your body is working correctly and you are not on diabetes meds to lower BS, the body will correct it itself before it becomes a medical emergency. We, as diabetics on meds, cannot take that chance. I used to get the reactions when I was younger before I was diabetic, but if I waited it out, it went away on it's own. Other than the one low I had when my bs went down to 44, I have never had a low. I have had symptoms, but when I checked, my bs was not low. On the Diabetes Forum they said if you get symptoms but you blood sugar does not check at a low level, you should not eat, but let your body adjust to the new low. This is how you get your blood sugar to come down. This advice is only for someone who is not on blood sugar lowering meds. Very few of the people on the Diabetes Forum are on meds. They control their blood sugar with diet and exercise only. I posted there for a while, but they made me feel so inadequate.

[Wannabehealthy]

Trish, when I originally made my vegetable soup I did not put meat in it. I used beef broth, but no actual meat. When I met DH his mother used to make beef soup, but hers did not have vegetables, just meat and noodles. The first time I made my soup he complained that there was no meat in it. So the next time, I put meat in it, but the meat didn't get tender enough for my liking. Then I talked to an old lady in the supermarket and she told me to cook the meat in the pressure cooker first to soften it, then add the meat along with the liquid from the pressure cooker into the soup, and now that works fine. I can't comment on your DH liking it stringy and you liking chunks. DH's mother also put whole peeled potatoes in her soup, and DH likes a potato to eat with his soup, so now I do that too. The potato soaks up the flavor of the soup. It probably also puts some potato starch in the soup, but the soup is not zero carb. It has carrots, peas and lima beans in it, which are all considered starchy vegetables. The 4 bowls I ate didn't hurt me. My BS was 111 before bed. Lowest in a long time. I just might end up getting a double digit BS if I continue this low carb eating. Not today, though. Not with pancakes for breakfast! LOL

[fatmad]

Hey everyone, has anyone been using erythritol (and the brand Swerve) for sugar substitutes? I haven't seen swerve here in Canada on my store shelves, I can order from Amazon or just buy erythritol. The swerve brand has added stuff, like sweet fruit fibre. (oligosaccharides) .
They say no side effects like digestive upset and diarrhea like we get from other sugar alcohols, so I'd like to try it.

About low blood sugar and hypoglycaemia. Interestingly enough, people who get hypoglycaemia after a big meal, or a sweet meal or snack, and most likely to eventually get type 2 diabetes. if they do a 2 hour blood sugar test, often the 2 hour is crazy low, and they feel horrible. This is a red flag for their docs to watch later for diabetes. My first 2 hour was fine, about 12 years ago, but the 2 hour level was lower than my fasting, at 4.2 ! I had that test because of spilling sugar in my urine. Something about over compensation possibly exhausting the beta cells.

I think I will try some low carb pancakes tonight, but will use real maple syrup, very sparingly, because there is no substitute for the real thing there. SO not quite low carb, but off set by lots of proteins. I want to learn to eat in the real world too, and will try to be mindful
DH can't wait for the supper tonight, buying presents for the girls and planning a lego castle to build with them. He is so sweet with them, reminds me why I really love that man.

I am doing ok with low carb right now, but DH and I aren't cooking much together, so will have to see how it goes. He has been really resistant to meal planning over the years, but has agreed to doing more of that.

Have a good day everyone

[pattygirl63]

Looks like today is an off day for all of us. The only thing I'm going to try to stick to today is the IF/IE part of the day. I will get right back on CAD tomorrow. Although I've not eaten a whole lot of starchy carbs, I have already had a little more.

I got up at 6:15 and my stomach was feeling a little weird which my sister seems to think it is the Trulicity because she has nausea a lot on it. I'm hoping it is just the stress for me. Any way, I decided to eat dry toast with a slice of Canadian bacon on it. Then when we left the cardiology office we went out for breakfast and instead of getting just eggs and bacon, I had the taquito with bacon and cheese. I'm planning tacos for lunch since I came home earlier than usual and didn't stop to pick anything up.

Daddy's pacemaker reading went so well that we didn't have to see the PA. In fact, the technician said that he had had an Afib once on January 28th and nothing since then. So she released him and unless they see something when they read it at the office or he feels something and needs to come in, he doesn't have to go back for 1 yr. She said if they saw anything themselves during that year that they would call him to come in. So that is good news. We the cardiologist himself Monday and I suspect that he will give him permission to drive then. Then I guess we will go back to meeting him for breakfast 2 or 3 days a week like we used to do before he got sick. I will continue to go over and do his meds until he decides he wants to do it himself. Somehow it had gotten in a mess when I went to do it yesterday, so I would rather continue to do it for a while longer if he lets me. I know he had taken some out to see what he was taking and some had fell out on the table and some were not where I had put them to start with. One good thing is that he told me there was a vitamin and an anxiety pill that he was supposed to be taking 1 twice a day instead of 1 a day. Another thing that the hospital had obviously changed. DH was concerned about him taking them twice a day, but that is the way his primary doctor had him taking them so who am I to change it. I decided the check his blood once a week while regulating his meds so if anything isn't right hopefully the cardiologist will see it and correct it. Besides like I told DH, Daddy is 93 yrs old and if his doctor said do it, he is going to do it until he tells him otherwise. However, I did tell Daddy that DH didn't think that he should take 2 anxiety pills a day, but Daddy said they are very mild once. So I let it drop.

Carol Sue and Mad I have never heard of Shrove/Pancake Tuesday. I told Daddy we could have had pancakes if we had known that. LOL!!! I actually looked it up online. I've never been in a church that observed Lent so I guess that is why I didn't know about it. I have known people who observed Lent, but never Pancake Tuesday. Are y'all giving something up for Lent? I have had friends who used to do that.

Well, I'm tired so I think I'll take a nap before DH gets up and I have to cook lunch. Have a good day.

[Wannabehealthy]

Trish, Shrove Tuesday isn't actually a religious thing. I never heard about it in Church and I have gone to a church that observes Lent all my life. I actually heard about it at work. A woman told me about it, and we ordered pancakes in the company cafeteria that day, and I've been doing it ever since. My other friend never heard of it, and neither did DH. I was surprised to hear from Mad they they do it in Canada.

I don't understand what's going on with my blood sugar. It was only 114 before dinner. I took glimiperide this morning because I ate the pancakes, but it never used to come down that low. I'm not complaining, just wondering. I ate ravioli for dinner so I should take more glimiperide, but I'm afraid to take it since my blood sugar was already low before I ate. I will check it again in 30 min or so and see if it's going up. I started taking Niacin again a few days ago. I read online that it can increase blood sugar, but maybe it's decreasing mine. Who knows what's going on.

[fatmad]

I will dare to correct you a bit Carol Sue: Shrove Tuesday is indeed religious in origin, one needed to be "shriven" before Ash Wednesday.
Wikipedia has a good explanation. I suspect most of the people who celebrated with pancakes were in churches that had strong ties to England, like the Anglicans (Episcopalians to you in the US, Church of England in the UK) which is what I grew up in. Like Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) one used up the fat and rich foods in the house (hence have sausage and bacon as well with the pancakes) and then had an austere, low fat, almost vegan diet during lent.

While cooking, I take to opportunity to explain the roots of this tradition to Lilia, and how other faiths have fasting times, (Like Ramadan for Muslim people) and that fasting, intermittent fasting, and partial fasting can have health benefits, and often people on spiritual retreats may fast as part of their journey.

For me, I have wonderful childhood memories of the day, that unusual day when Daddy cooked supper, and we got pancakes and bacon, some of my favourite foods ever, which we otherwise only got once a month on a Sunday.

DH remembers his mother making them, swearing the whole time, and griping about how many pancakes her boys ate. LOL, different lives indeed.

I did very well with supper, ate 3 or 4 pancakes, from a mix made with quinoa and high in protein. Had cream cheese and fruit as well as a little maple syrup, and had lots of meat with the back bacon.

Today, the carbs are calling me, so I will have to be very careful to stick to plan.

Hope you all have a good Wednesday, its rainy here, and the temperature will drop overnight to well below freezing again for tomorrow. Sigh

[pattygirl63]

fatmad That is where I got my info on Shrove Tuesday when I googled it. Thanks for sharing.

I finally had time to read the Fasting info you shared with us. It makes me wonder why the medical field especially here in the US doesn't learn from some of these things that are actually being proven. I'm sure it is the almighty $$$$. When I went to see the dietitian and the diabetic educator, I don't think they realized that, for me, they just proved the importance of both "protein and fat" in the diet. However, they won't tell the patients the danger of the starchy carbs in the diet. They never mention fasting although I've remember reading about people fasting years ago. I did it automatically as a child without even thinking of it and remember being told that I had to eat. I did the same thing with my son who "just didn't want to eat". I taught him to eat when he wasn't hungry. Thank God his metabolism handles what he eats. I just hope he never has any problems. His DD didn't have any weight problems until he had CHF.

I realize that February was a very stressful month. I gained 3.4 lbs so I am starting March with a weight of 217. I have not to take my Trulicity shot this week. I need to see if it is what is causing the stomach issues and the lightheadedness I experienced last night. After reading the Fasting article that fatmad, I've decided to go back to IF along with CAD. I think they will even fit together very well with IE although not exactly the way a lot of IE people define IE. So I think of it as modified IE.

My FBS did very well when I was eating within a 5 hr window. I can make that work pretty well most days. If I'm not taking diabetic meds, I might could even do an occasional 24 hr fast. Of course, I can't tell my doctor about the fast as I'm not sure how she will feel about it so not sure I will tell her. I'll just tell her I want to go back to doing it with diet and exercise. I think she will work with me. The head of the clinic I go to is a D.O. and they like using less meds if possible and I got the impression that she as a MD feels the same way. CAD especially the original makes it easy to eat only once a day if you aren't hungry. So whether I'm doing an IF 1 hr, 5 hr or an 8 hr window eating, it is always OP. It gives me more flexibility. If I'm doing a 1 hr fast, I won't exercise, but I will exercise on the other days.

I haven't checked my FBS yet. I will check it when I break the fast. I am allowing myself to do a 5 hr eating window today. I haven't decided if I will break the fast at 10:30 am or wait until when we have RM at 3ish. Since I seem to be a nighttime nibbler, it would be good if I could do a 3pm to 8pm 5 hr window. I will just have to see. However, when I go out to eat with DD and DS it is usually 10:30 or 11 am when we eat breakfast and then I eat 5 hrs later around 3 or 3:30pm. So I may have to stick with that and learn not to eat at night. Will have to see. There are just so many benefits with the IF that I just believe it is important for me to do it. Besides when I was faithfully doing IE, that was the normal way of eating for me.

Carol Sue How did your BS reading turn out? I've always said that is the most frustrating part of diabetes. I have never understood how foods that should be a problem aren't and foods that shouldn't be sometime are.

Y'all have a good day.

[Wannabehealthy]

I stand corrected, Mad. Before I posted, I did read about Shrove Tuesday, and I did see the reference to the Church of England, but having gone to Church all my life since I was born, I personally had never heard any reference to Shrove Tuesday, pancakes, or even Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras. In fact, I never heard of Mardi Gras until I was in my 20s and some friends went to New Orleans for Mardi Gras. And even then, I didn't realize it has any connection to Lent. I just found that out in the past 10 years. Everything I know about it was learned outside of the church. So I accept all the additional information you can give. You are never too old to learn.

EDIT: There is a talk show host named Marty on a local radio station. Yesterday, he did his show at a prominent bakery in town, and they were promoting donuts (paczski) called "Marty Gras Donuts." LOL

[Wannabehealthy]

Trish, I am still puzzled about my blood sugar. As I said in my previous post, my blood sugar was 114 before I started eating my ravioli and meat balls. I forgot to check 1/2 hour later, but 2 hours later BS was 127. Without meds, it would normally be close to or over 200 after a carb meal. I did take my Metformin, just not the glimiperide. It was still too low at 127 to take glimiperide without eating more carbs. Then I checked again before bed and it was 119. I am happy about this, just confused. I am not going to start eating more carbs because of this. At bedtime I had a slice of deli turkey rolled up with a slice of swiss cheese. This morning FBS was 143, due to the Dawn Phenomenon Monster that gets me at night. I'm really not worried about that right now. I'm more concerned with keeping it lower throughout the day. That's something I can control with diet and exercise. FBG comes down in time, and I have heard that it's the last to come down.

I didn't take my Niacin yesterday. I forgot about it until bedtime and I didn't want to take it before bed. It gives me a flush, and I got that once during the night and didn't like it. It doesn't bother me during the day. I still have no idea if that's what's bringing my blood sugar down, but my weight has started back down since I am not taking as much glimiperide. Slowly, but down is down.

I started getting my BP meds though mail order due to cost. I got the first shipment yesterday and I saw that one of the pills says to take it on an empty stomach. I will have to look on the old bottle and see if it says that. I never knew that. I take it at bedtime because it has a tendency to make me sleepy if I take it during the day, so the doctor said I could take it at bedtime. My stomach is relatively empty at bedtime, except I usually have a small snack for BS control. I will have to google and find out why it is to be taken on an empty stomach. I've been taking this med for about a year.

I do not tell my doctor everything. I tell him what he needs to know. Ha Ha My doctor is a DO and he still pushes meds, but he is not forceful with them when I explain why I do not want them. It's my body and my life in the end. We have actually had a few arguments, or should I say strong disagreements. He can write out the prescription but he can't make me put it in my mouth. I was taking a med years back and shortly after I started taking it I got blood in my urine. I stopped taking the med, and the blood stopped. I restarted the med and the bleeding started again. When I told him, he said that is not a known side effect of that med and started talking about the possiblity of bladder cancer, and wanted to do a urine test. I refused. I told him the bleeding only happens when I take that med. I went to a houlistic practitioner once and he told me that anything can cause anything. If something occurs as a result of taking a med, then that is a side effect for YOU. It wouldn't have hurt me to have that urine test, and I have had them since for other things, but all these years later, I still don't have bladder cancer, or any blood in my urine.

On the other hand, when I turned 50, this doctor sent me for a cardiac stress test because of my family history of heart disease with my mother. Because of that, my heart disease was discovered before I had a heart attack, and with all the stents and my surgery, I still have never had a heart attack. Other doctors have seen the heart surgery on my history and made reference to my "heart attack." They are surprised to hear that I had none.

I don't have a problem with doctors and nutritionists recommending starchy carbs in the diet. I still believe they are safe and healthy if they are eating in the small portions as they are intended. People have gotten away from understanding the size of a portion. Also, veggies are actually carbs, so I think they intend for veggies to be included when you count your carbs, not just starchy carbs.

[Wannabehealthy]

I ate what I wanted today. Eggs and a slice of toast for breakfast, veggie soup with a slice of buttered bread for lunch, and an Arby's fish sandwich on a bun for dinner. I tracked it on Fitday, and it is 1252 calories, 73 gms of fat, 84 gms of carb, and 64 gm of protein, only 9 gm of fiber. I don't understand the fat. It breaks it down, and it says sat fat 20gm, poly fat 15 gms, and mono fat 28 gm. That doesn't add up. I never noticed that before. What other kinds of fat are there? It doesn't break it down by food. The only way I could do that is to enter just one thing by itself. Just curious. So being left to my own devices, I guess I don't too too bad. If I was attempting to stay on plan, I would not have had so much bread, and would have had more veggies somewhere. I still feel a little hungry and it's only 5:30. Maybe I will eat a salad. That will be more veggies and fiber.

EDIT: I googled and found that the other type of fat is trans fat. You would think Fitday would show that, because it's the one you should really be aware of. I'm thinking it was in the bread, or maybe the fried fish, the breading. I don't know.

[fatmad]

Turns out I found "swerve" sugar substitute in the natural foods section of the grocery store. I have looked at this section periodically, to see whats available, but never remember seeing it. I am trying it tonight, and hoping I won't have a bad tummy reaction like we do with maltilol. Taste was great, not like stevia, no bitter aftertaste. I made a cheesecake, because that is really easy for low carb. SO I didn't have to work too hard or think too much. I will eat some tonight before I take it to the office tomorrow.
Yes I am on holidays, but I am going in for a course I have to take, so that will cover it. Easy to share, but I don't want to make anyone sick.
It is expensive. If you see on your store shelves in the US, let me know how much it is, I might have a friend pick some up for me if its significantly cheaper and I like using it.
I have had trouble motivating myself today.
I didn't even get an interview for a job I applied for and am seriously bummed out.
Hope you are both able to get back on track today after our pancake day yesterday. I have done well, but I think of the cheesecake as a cheat as well, because I have been working to get sweets and sugars out of my diet.
Will see how things go today and tomorrow.

[pattygirl63]

A quick flyby. I ended up doing an 8 hr eating window. With my stomach and the lightheadedness, I'm thinking the Trulicity is just causing my bs to go low fast. Broke fast around 11 am fbs was 112. Checked bs before I started lunch around 3 and it was 93. I should have checked it before I had a snack a little while ago. It could be that my bs was too low. I will have to check it next time. I did not stay low carb for snack so not CAD friendly, but is still IF/IE friendly. I ate few crackers with peanut butter hoping to ease the way I was feeling.

I realized today that the dizzy/lightheadedness seems to happen a day or two before I have to take the next injection. I am supposed to take it in the morning. I actually have 3 shots left and hate to waste them. So I think I will take the shot tomorrow and see if the lightheadedness stops and then see if it happens again next Tuesday and/or Wednesday. I also realize that pollens are playing havoc here and as my sister says we live out here close to the like so it could be allergies. I will see the doctor in a few weeks and see what she thinks. I know one of the side effects of Trulicity is digestive problems. I just don't want to keep taking it and create a new problem that I don't need.

Carol Sue Could you PM the diabetic site you used to be on that just uses diet and exercise to control their diabetes. That might help me if I decide to go that route.

Fatmad Glad you found the sweetner. I will have to see if we have it here.

[fatmad]

Trish, how long have you been on Trulicity? Usually you want a month or two of trial before you stop, unless the side effects are too much.
I may be that you can't fast too long on it either. or that you will get better with time.
Having some friends over tonight and making pot roast, will go easy on the veggie and not have any potatoes, and have to take lunch with me to the office for the course.
Planning this is certainly easier when I haven't been working. No money for retirement though, so will have to keep on trucking.