When I got back from the beauty salon today, I had a box from the kids in FL who lived with us. It was a beautiful bouquet of roses for Mother's day. I have to tell you that I cried. We all went through a very hard time together and a lot of struggles all those months. AND WE CAME OUT OF A OK. I AM BLESSED.

Y'ALL HAVE A VERY HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!

Trish, I would have cried, too! I remember all that you went through and this is a sign that they really did care and did appreciate all that you did for them. That's wonderful!

I think we are all in the same boat having difficulty lowering our blood sugar. I, like you, have trouble giving up the starchy foods I love and they get me in trouble every time. I recently read an old book I downloaded off the internet about how diabetes was originally treated. It said that all food was removed for 2 days, just black coffee and broth, after which time the blood sugar should go back to normal. Then by trial and error, small amounts of food were added while continuing to test until you reached a combination of protein, carbs and fat that gave you the correct reading. Once your blood sugar went up you went back to the combination that was good for you. I remember when I was a kid back in the 50's a playmate of mine was diagnosed with type I and she was hospitalized and treated in this way. After she came home all her food had to be measured exactly to keep her glucose in line. I guess it makes sense to do that although it seems harsh. When I was in the hospital with intestinal problems I had no food, not even broth, for 6 days. I guess it wasn't that hard because I was in the hospital and food was not available to me. But I can't see myself doing just coffee and broth for 2 days. I have noticed if I keep my starchy carbs to a minimum, say, 1 slice of bread or 1 spoonful of potatoes, my glucose stays down. But it's so hard to limit myself to those small quantities once I get that taste. I won't give up meat, either, but I really don't think meat is my problem. It's thinking that I will eat this starchy item just this one time, and then this one time starts to end up being every day or at every meal. And I don't keep up with my walking the way I should. My husband can limit his eating to one helping and stop at that, and most times leaves food on his plate. That is a rarity for me. I'm always going to start tomorrow.

Bonnie - All that I can say is cut out carbs, especially starchy ones, until you get a blood glucose reading you can accept, and then add them back gradually and test constantly until you know what you have to eliminate. And try to walk daily. Read package labels closely. There are many foods that may see like a healthy choice but are really too many carbs for a diabetic. We can do this if we are diligent!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY EVERONE!!!

Happy Mothers Day to everyone!

I talked to my cousin last night who jest happens to be my pharmasit to. She told me that she would be concerned with the reading I have been getting. I told her that my A1C was a 7 and my doctor said he was fine with that. She said she would check into going to a endo dr who specialize in Diabetes she said she jest has some concerns on how they are doing me. we talked about me being on metformin and I told her I have been on it for 2 years now may be it dont want to work for me any more. So I am gonna check with my insurance and see if I can go to one with out having a referral.


I hope all has a good week will be back. Me and my daughter has been doing good with walking.

I've been busier than a one-armed paper hanger in a windstorm but figured I'd check into wish us all a Happy Mother's Day. No roses for me from my darlings as we decided years ago that a card or phone call would do.

Been doing OK as far as FBGL goes and weight is slowly going down. Low carb is the way for me to go but everyone needs to find her own path. Unfortunately this has been a three dinner party weekend so far with one more to go tonight so I've blipped up to 186.6 from 185. That'll go this week. (My friends cannot stand the sight of an empty wineglass and wine has carbs!)

This is a busy week ahead as the Canadian long weekend is 18-19-20 and, not only does the Mill open for the season but I have to bake for a Quilters Sale and make fancy-dancy cookies for a Mad Hatters Tea Party. I am really going to be exercising my resistance muscle!

On we go with another week of taking care of our bodies as best we can!

Had a good visit with my doctor this morning. My bs and weight was up which was no surprise to me. If I remember right since my last visit 3 mos ago, my weight was up about 9 lbs and my blood work test last week showed my glucose up 11 pts, but A1c was 7.2. The good news is that my overall cholesterol was normal. However, my triglycerides were almost in the high level end of normal which is 150... mine was 152. The HDL was low, but the LDL was normal. So doc said "Although your weight and bs was up some, the other numbers have improved" so he called it "a win".

I talked to him about the IF. He didn't like the idea of a 24 hr fast although he said if I really wanted to that I could do it once a week if I wanted. I told him about me reading about eating fruit in the morning until noon and then a 5 to 8 hr eating window and that I was interested in doing the paleo way of eating. And he approved of it. I had to laugh when he told me that he has many many friends who do the paleo diet and some of them tell him all the time how good beer is for you. I told him that I saw a man on tv who ate paleo and was eating raw organic/free range ground meat one day, but that I wasn't going to do it. I told him the theory I heard was if your great, great grandmother couldn't recognize it as food then don't eat it. I said that I know that their protein depended on what grandpa was able to shoot and kill to bring home that day, but I also know that she was smart enough to cook it and so do I. LOL So he okayed me eating up to 3 servings of fruit from the time I get up in the morning until I start eating and then eat my food within a 5 to 8 hr window. I plan to make 7 or 8 pm my time to stop eating as long as I do not eat more than an 8 hr time period each day.

I asked him about coming off the phenophybrate (sp?) and using the evening primrose and hawthorne berries so I can do my exercise without my legs aching or giving out on me half way through. I told him I wanted to see if I could do my Walk Away the Pounds the primrose and hawthorne do the same as the medicine. Then we can test in 3 months to see how I'm doing as I would rather do things naturally. If the tests in 3 months shows it didn't work like the phenophybrate or my legs still ache, then I will go back on the medicine. He said I could try coming off the phenophybrate as it could cause the leg problelms for the next 3 months, but he I could not tell me to use the primrose and hawthorne... that would be up to me. Then when he checked DH, he had to put DH on a statin for his triglycerides because the phynophybrate isn't pulling his triglycerides down as quickly as he wanted. While it has come down, it is still way to high. When I heard the doc tell DH that, I told the doc that I would have to rethink coming off of it. I had forgotten that it works to bring the trigycerides down.

He was happy that I am able to do a mile on the recombunt (sp) bike daily and that my legs do not hurt when I ride it. He said that if my legs don't hurt riding it that I might just have to do that and hope it helps with the benefits I want. So will have to see what happens when I go off the phenophybrate a while.

I'm also having a little edema lately. I do have a prerscipture for fluid pills. I told him that I didn't like taking them all the time so I don't take them often because I was concerned about taking them too much since Tony's Mother's doc had told him that his Mother's serious edema was because she took too much Lasix. My doctor said that isn't true and for me to use it if I need it and I could take them daily if needed. It is a mild fluid pill.

Strange how I don't ever worry about all those test number results on my blood work until I see one boldly highlighted. I saw something on there called eGFR (I had no idea what it was but it was boldly marked as slow) so I asked the doc what it was and he said it has something to do with going to pee. So I assume that means I really need the fluid pills. He called a new prescription with more refills so I can take them as often as everyday if I need to. I told him about my 90 yr old Daddy who is an extremely great example of how to take care of my health ad that I am determined to do the same and beat this disease.

So overall, I had a great doctors appt.

Hi Friends: sorry to be MIA, my father has been sick again. He had a flu or pneumonia, but didn't realize how sick he was. He finally went to the hospital, and had a respiratory arrest in the emergency room. (thats where you just stopped breathing. If he had been at home, he would have just died)
It took a while for them to figure out what the problem was, and get him stable. He is just out of ICU yesterday. I expect him to come out of hospital in a day or so, and stay with us for a few days, just to make sure he doesn't relapse or something.
In the meantime, DD has been living here a couple of weeks, and so far, things are going well. One of her tasks (she isn't working for pay right now) is doing housework, (and she gripes about people messing up "her" kitchen etc) and cooking. She is doing great with making delicious healthy meals, and mostly low carb and lots of veggies. We are also getting along well.
Work is fine, and not too busy for me right now. I have a new student for the next year, so will have to get the knitting out. Maybe I will have that shawl done for next winter, or it can be a blanket for a grandchild, at this rate.....
and no, no news on that front from other DD.
Will be in touch again soon. thanks

Trish - I agree your doctor visit went well. Your doctor seems to be very thorough and takes the time to listen to you and your concerns. When I took Lasix I also had to take Potassium because the lasix drains it out of your body. I don't understand how Lasix could be causing edema for Tony's mother. You would think it would get rid of it.

I take Trilipix, which is similar to fenofibrate but it can be used with a statin and I take both. It is very expensive and I get as many samples from my cardiologist as I can get. And I skip a pill about once a week to try to make them last longer. So many times I heard about elderly people skipping their meds because they can't afford them and now here I am doing it. LOL My triglycerides are probably my worst problem along with my glucose. If you can stay on your low carb diet and keep up your exercise your triglycerides will improve. It would probably be a good idea to go off the fenofibrates and see if the diet and exercise can keep the triglycerides down along with the supplements. Then you might not need the meds.

A week or so ago we were discussing doing a vegan diet. I have recently been reading about Dr Joel Furhman and the Eat To Live diet. What he says really makes sense but I don't know if I could really follow that diet. Lord knows what I'm doing now isn't working. Basically, it's vegeterian, but you can eat small amounts of fish and poultry. The thinking behind the diet is that with the micronutrients from the fruits, vegetables and beans, the high concentration of vitamins, minerals and fiber, gives your body what it needs and eventually you are satisfied with that and don't crave other foods that are not as nutrient dense. It is supposed to reduce your glucose levels and weight. Some people are calling him a quack, but I can't see how a doctor that recommends high veg and fruit consumption could be a quack. The only difference between that and a low carb diet is that the amount of meat eaten is lower and it includes beans and some starchy veggies. It says that the amount of fiber in the beans and the way it's digested pretty much negates the carbs. Everybody says something different and I am at the point where I don't know which program to try. But I know I have to do something because what I'm doing isn't working. I might try upping my vegetables and going back to eating some fruit. I haven't been eating much because it does tend to raise my glucose, and I would probably end up eating more meat they he recommends, but if I can do this and it helps me cut back on the starchy carbs, it's a start.

I would like some more clarification of the IF you are doing. What about the fruits you are eating in the morning. Is that BEFORE your eating window, or is it the start of your eating window. Do the fruits raise your blood sugar?

One problem I have is that DH eats a lot of carbs and processed foods. We pretty much do our own thing at breakfast and lunch but usually do dinner together. Today I made roasted chicken and roasted veggies and added fried potatoes for him. That worked. And we eat out a lot, so I can always get a salad bar or grilled chicken salad while he can have his steak and potatoes. He eats a lot of those pkg noodles and sauce and rice and sauce for lunch, and canned chili with half a sleeve of crackers. LOL He's not overweight but probably isn't real healthy. He only goes to the doctor once a year to get his blood pressure RX. He won't even get his lipids checked because he says I'm not going to take the meds for it so why even check it? He's in a lot better shape than I am and I am at different doctors several times a year.

I never heard of eGFR but I googled it and it has to do with kidney function, so yes, it would have to do with the fluid pills.

Mad - That's scary about your father. I hope he is improving.

Bonnie - You may do well to see and Endo. They would be more thorough than a primary care doctor. You didn't say what dosage of Metformin you are on. Has the doctor ever increased it? My PCP is satisfied with an A1c of 7 but I prefer to try for a little lower reading.

Ruth - You seem to be doing very well. I wouldn't worry about a little carb slip here and there as long as you get back on the wagon right away, which you seem to be doing.

Carol Sue I try to always by small green bananas as they have less sugar and DH needs them to take his pills but will only eat half. So I eat the other half. I eat cantaloupe and strawberries. Those are my favorites. Sometimes I will substitute one of those 3 with an apple. I have those between 10 am and about 2 pm. I read years ago in a book called Fit for Life that most fruits go through our stomach in about 30 minutes. Back then my DD weighed after everything she ate, so I decided for the heck of it to weigh after I ate a piece of fruit and learned that it doesn't even move the needle. I don't know how it affects the glucose. According to my doc, diabetics are pretty safe if we keep it to 3 servings a day not loads of it. Also I read somewhere that they should not be eaten together as one big serving. So I try to keep mine spread out throughout the morning. I also make it a point to eat my last piece of fruit at least 30 minutes before my main meal. Around 2 pm DH and I have our main meal. Today we had steak, steamed veggies and salad. Around 7ish I ate oysters with what I call a finger salad of celery, radishes, pickles and peppers. Then I finished it off with a handful of pecans and low carb/low calorie chocolate milk and now I will drink green tea and water for the rest of the evening. I won't eat again until about 10 or 10:30 in the morning. I did have some croutons in my salad at 2, but had no other starchy food. I will try not to have much starchy foods if any at all each day. I know Mark Sasson doesn't promote eating or drinking dairly, but I personally think it is important so I include it.

As for as the Vegan/Vegetarian Eat to Live diet by Dr. Furhman, I believe it is healthy if you want to do it. My Daddy told me a few weeks ago that my nephew is a vegan. Daddy asked him what he eats. He eats lots of veggies and fruits. His wife is a vegetarian and she veggies, fruit and dairy and eggs. I asked her once if she ate fish because I know lots of vegetarians do (DD ex-boss is a vegetarian and eats fish). She told me she knew that they claim that fish doesn't have a nervous system, but she wasn't sure that was true and she believes they have to feel something and she doesn't eat anything with a nervous system. He and I both have swaybacks I guess it is called and he told Daddy that he is vegan because it helps his back. They day she told me how she eats her vegetarian woe she had just had blood work and everything was perfect. I think it all comes down to doing what works for you. I think the reason I do so well with this way of eating is because I love fruits and veggies and I could almost be a vegan except, I'm not willing to give up meat completely and I could not make dairy my main source of protein because if I eat too much cheese I experience sinus allergies.

Mad What a blessing that your Dad was at the hospital and I hope he recovers nicely. Glad things are going well with your DD staying with you.

Bonnie Hope you get help soon. My doc like my A1c below 7.

Ruth You are one busy lady. You do the best you can with your eating. Hope there will be enough low carb foods there for you.

Trish - I want to start eating fruit again so I think I will start having it in the morning and small servings like you do. I think I need the nutrients they contain. I know some diabetics say they raise their glucose, but I wonder how much? Surely not as much as starchy carbs, and the fiber is important for health. This Fuhrman diet does allow small servings of fish and fowl and I know I will be eating a little more of it than the diet calls for, but I am more concerned with adding the extra veggies and beans. The beans are supposed to provide protein and fiber. Already my glucose was a little lower this morning and although I have not been on the scale, my rings are turning around on my fingers and that's usually a sign of a drop in weight, even if it's only water weight. I am also hoping to achieve the loss of the cravings for carbs that is supposed to occur with the increased nutrients from the veggies. A lot of the veggies are supposed to be eaten raw, but the harder veggies I am going to cook slightly just to soften them enough that I can bite them. Although this is different from the typical American diet, I don't consider it a fad diet. It's just healthy foods that I like, and avoiding foods that are not good for my diabetes. I think my doctor would be happy to have me eat in this way. I was reading reviews online and one person said if you are following this plan and you find yourself in a position where all that is available is foods you should not be eating, go ahead and make the best choices you can and don't dwell on it. As long as that isn't happening often. You are ok if you can choose veggies or a salad.

It sounds like you are eating a very healthy diabetic diet. You should do well. And I'm hoping to turn things around, here.

I am only on a 500 metformin once a day . been that way for two years now.

wanted to tell you all . When we moved here we had two dogs and two cats we had to give them all up . The cats we gave to my Sister neighbor well over time i guess they camped out at her house and she took it upon her self to get rid of them . She called me and told me that she found them a new home I asked her if they had small children and she swore they didnt. Well she took the cats over and the male got out of the house. The female she kept for a week and let her go. Here this was in the end of summer last year. Here me and my daughter was walking down the road and found the male cat. She come home and begged my aunt to llet her keep him out side. She agreeded so her and her dad went down and talked to the people who has been feeding him. They agreed to let us have him back cause they have a big lab and that they new for some reason they needed to feed him. ( They arent cat people)
we have him in a huge cage so he can get useded to this area so we will see what happens.

hey everyone: went to ww meeting and am down 3 pounds from my meeting 3 weeks ago. Still not as active as I wish, and my neck was killing me today, so did a bit of yoga and got into the jacuzzi for a bit, that helped.
Have been on plan mostly, need to plan better as always. we are having a catered staff meeting tomorrow, and there are wraps & sandwiches for lunch, but mine will be wrapped in lettuce. Planned better for that.
DD is really spoiling me, making salads, and healthy food. Yum

Originally Posted by slmn11:
Trish - I want to start eating fruit again so I think I will start having it in the morning and small servings like you do. I think I need the nutrients they contain. I know some diabetics say they raise their glucose, but I wonder how much? Surely not as much as starchy carbs, and the fiber is important for health. This Fuhrman diet does allow small servings of fish and fowl and I know I will be eating a little more of it than the diet calls for, but I am more concerned with adding the extra veggies and beans. The beans are supposed to provide protein and fiber. Already my glucose was a little lower this morning and although I have not been on the scale, my rings are turning around on my fingers and that's usually a sign of a drop in weight, even if it's only water weight. I am also hoping to achieve the loss of the cravings for carbs that is supposed to occur with the increased nutrients from the veggies. A lot of the veggies are supposed to be eaten raw, but the harder veggies I am going to cook slightly just to soften them enough that I can bite them. Although this is different from the typical American diet, I don't consider it a fad diet. It's just healthy foods that I like, and avoiding foods that are not good for my diabetes. I think my doctor would be happy to have me eat in this way. I was reading reviews online and one person said if you are following this plan and you find yourself in a position where all that is available is foods you should not be eating, go ahead and make the best choices you can and don't dwell on it. As long as that isn't happening often. You are ok if you can choose veggies or a salad.

It sounds like you are eating a very healthy diabetic diet. You should do well. And I'm hoping to turn things around, here.

I prefer the paleo with some changes. I don't really think we have to eat only fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds which is what this book I'm reading right now promotes. He says we don't need protein from meats or dairy. I'm not willing to give up either. Mark Sisso in Mark's Daily apple who promotes Paleo/Primal eating does eats fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds also eats protein from meat. In fact, I heard him say that he eats steak. He says some paleo/primal eaters include dairy and some root veggies and even some grains in their P/P eating but he does not. The main thing most of them do is that they either do not eat processed foods or eat very little if they do. This is why I prefer this type of eating. I can take the basic idea and make it my foundation and then build on it with what I really like to eat and be healthy.

I think you can do the same with the plan you are going by. Good luck on your journey.


I think we both have a good way of eating for correcting the diabetes.

Bonnie - I think 500 mg once a day would be considered a starter dose and it should have been gradually increased according to your needs. If your doctor doesn't do that, I would definately go to an endo. In 2008 I started out of 500 mg twice a day, then was increased to 3 times a day and am now on 850mg 3 times a day. If your readings are high and you can't get them down, your meds should be increased. This is just my opinion and I am not a doctor so don't go by me saying it. Many doctors start you out on a low dose so you don't have side effects and to see how your body handles it. They don't want to give you more than you need. I don't understand why your doctor never increased it, especially since your numbers have gotten worse.

I am allergic to cats so I can't have one, but there is one that comes around outside. I don't know if it is a feral cat or if it's someone's cat who just roams around. Most of the time they are able to survive outside if they are used to being outside and if they have not been declawed. I would be careful if the cat has not had rabies shots.

Mad -Congratulations. A loss is a loss and we take it any way we can get it. I never think to make a wrap with lettuce, but that's a really good idea. My DIL has a habit of just eating the filling out of a sandwich to avoid the bread. She has done well on WW, but she didn't have much to lose. I think she lost 30 lbs. I did well on WW and it was not hard to do low carb, but I could not afford the price every month. I am not successful following it on my own.

Trish - I don't think there's a problem adjusting a plan to suit your own needs as long as you can stick to it and it works for you.

Originally Posted by slmn11:
Trish - I don't think there's a problem adjusting a plan to suit your own needs as long as you can stick to it and it works for you.

I don't think it hurts to adjust a plan to fit our needs and likes. I used to have a book written about people who successfully lose weight and keep it off. According to the book, that is what they do. They take a ay of eating they like and change it to fit them and their lifestyle.

That is pretty much what I've done with the paleo/primal way of eating. I say paleo/primal because I'm still fairly confused as to how it really works because it is my understanding that some people do paleo eating only fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds. Others eat that plus protein and no grains. Primal seems to be similar. I'm not sure which one, but some eat protein, fats, fruits, nuts & seeds and veggies (no starchy veggies or legumes or grains or dairy). It is my understanding is that some people use the basic plan of eating fruits, veggies, proteins and fats (nuts & seeds) and then add dairy and some even use some grains.

I'm going with the fruits, veggies, protein, fats and a small amount of dairy. Although I do use some shredded cheese, I purchased some coconut milk today. My beautician told me today that a customer told her that she drinks coconut milk because it is a natural diuretic. Since I have a tendency to fluid retention lately, I decided to start drinking it. I buy it unsweetened and put a small amount of stevia in it since I'm getting away from using all the other sweetners.

Very tired this week, but I think that is because I'm in the process of getting the carby junk out of my system. If I don't feel better soon, I may do an Atkins Induction to get myself past these feeling and then add my fruit back in when I get past the Induction period. I see Paleo/Primal as not being much different than Atkins except that you don't eat the fruit with Atkins and that was what I miss with Atkins. So I think with just a few adjustments to fit my likes and dislikes this will be a perfect way of eating for me.

Hope we all have a nice week end.