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Trish, I think you should watch your Dad more closely on the OTC meds he buys and takes. You have to be very careful what you take when you are in prescriptions. In a way, I understand why the drug companies charge so much for their new drugs. They spend so much money on research and development, then have to go through all the testing, and then their's the government regulations. That is why they get a period of time before other companies are allowed to develop a generic version, to give them time to recoup their money. If they couldn't do that, there is no incentive for them to develop new drugs. It's possible that the government could subsidize them, but then that's our tax money. Part of the problem is that when the drug companies offer the drug free or very low cost when it first comes out, it does not apply to those of us on Medicare, and most of the time, we are the ones who need the help the most. I don't know what the answer is.
I know very well that you can do vegetarian low carb and it's supposed to work very well for diabetics. That's primarily what Dr Furman's plan is. That was also the theme of that Thrive Series I watched a couple months ago. It was very interesting. They offered the program for sale, but it was very expensive and I don't see myself giving up meat and other animal protein. Here is an article by one of the primary doctors who participated in the Thrive Series. He was one of the best speakers they had. I really liked him the best. This article is about why diabetics should eat low fat. When they say to eat carbs, they are talking about vegetable carbs, not starchy processed carbs. I think you will find this interesting.
Location: Home of the Pirates, Steelers and Penguins
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Here's another link I wanted to post. Others may see us discuss the book "Magic Foods" and here is a sticky someone posted years ago that explains the whole book. It has a lot of information.
Carol Sue Thank you for the link. It absolutely makes sense to me. In fact, that tells me exactly why I originally got my blood sugar under control within 1 week and was off medication when first diagnosed.
The doctor who diagnosed me said that they had just learned that fat was bad for diabetes. I asked him how low I could go and he told me they didn't know yet. So I went home and went on a very strict low fat diet and I exercised 45 minutes a day. I was on medication and suddenly I was having lows so I called the doctor and he told me "You are one of the lucky ones who can control it with diet and exercise". I didn't have it again for years. In fact, I don't think I had it again until I started eating low carb and added fat back into my diet.
In fact, I read this all to DH and we think They said he will be fine... no broken bones or bleeds, but he will be sore and bruised tomorrow. I called and made a follow up doctor's appointment this may be why his muscles ache. He used to tell the doctors in SC that his muscles ached but they I don't think they knew what to do about it. I would like to know more about what the Dr. on the website has to say about what to eat.
You know my SC doctor told me one day that he was beginning to think I was more IR than diabetic. I have no problem eating low fat so I will go back on low fat tomorrow. I've never liked eating a lot of fat any way.
Well, it's very late... 1am so I better get to bed. Catch you in the morning.
Good morning! thank you for the welcomes and Happy February I weighed in yesterday at 206 and today right back to 208. I exercised, low carbed, etc. but my body is not cooperating. I also have seen a jump in fasting blood sugars. I really hate diabetes, menopause, all of it. I have used frozen okra in my smoothies and it is really good for stabilizing blood sugar. I need to do that again but smoothies are cold and I'm not sure I want to freeze from the inside too! Looking at all the links, and trying to figure it all out.
We just got word that my mother in law has cancer of the esophagus. She is 97 and I'm not sure if the doctors are going to want to do anything about it. She has an appointment with an oncologist on Monday. We were just in CA a couple of weeks ago to see her and she had lost about 30 pounds. We hoped it was because she wasn't eating very much. She still drives and is pretty active for her age but I'm not seeing her go through treatment.
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Donna, I can't get my blood sugar under control even after all these years. I have really changed my diet since being diagnosed, but I know I stray from it too often. I also hate diabetes. Menopause wasn't too bad for me and I'm glad to be finished with all that.
My nephew recently passed away from cancer of the esophagus. He was in his 60s. It had spread to his liver also and they told him from the start it could not be cured, but they could extend his life with treatment. He lived for a few years with it. He lost some weight but not a lot, and he was overweight to begin with. I saw him several times during his treatment and he never looked sick to me, but he told me he got tired a lot and lost his appetite. It's hard to say, but at 97, it's likely they may treat her enough to make her comfortable.
Trish, I don't understand what you said about DH being sore tomorrow, but no broken bones or bleeds. I must have missed something in your previous posts.
The question of fat is very confusing to me. There are so many studies that show fat is not bad for us, but I think they are talking in regards to heart disease. I'm not so sure about diabetes. So many people think vegetarian means eating starchy carbs, and it's not necessarily so. I have never been able to eat high fat. It just doesn't agree with me. But other than my skim milk I never went low fat either. I don't add extra fat to anything and I buy the leanest meat they have. But I never bought products labeled low fat, such as dressing etc. I guess I am middle-of-the road. The doctors they interviewed for the Thrive Series were very convincing, and I liked a few of them better than others.
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I just saw online that the iThrive Series is going to be shown again. Here is a link to sign up to receive it if anyone is interested. Some of it is long and boring, but there is also a lot of interesting information. Also, they are trying to sell the series, but you are under no obligation to buy anything. I'm going to watch it again. They send you an email each day and you click on the link to watch each episode. I am not promoting this, just spreading the word to anyone who might want to watch it.
Carol Sue It was DH, it was my Daddy. He went to get his mail yesterday and stepped into a hole and they called an ambulance to take him to the ER to check him out since he is on blood thinner. He has been walking around and getting around so great and this was just a freak accident and it was down hill and he fell right on his face. ER cleaned his face and actually glued a flap of skin on the bridge of his nose since there isn’t enough skin to sow. They did a brain scan to be sure there was no bleeding and checked his hands that were hurting. He has no brain bleed and his hands are sprained. They sent him home with just Tylenol and call primary to make follow up appointment.
I had an appointment for him tomorrow morning but he was in such pain this morning that I called and got him in to see the PA he sees. We got in to see her at 2pm. Because of the severe pain in his hands, she had his left hand x-rayed but he doesn’t have any breaks or even cracks. Just soreness that will go away in a few days. I didn’t know how much or how often he could take Tylenol, but she said 2 extra-strength every 8 hrs. We took him home with take out to eat and I called and checked on him just about an hour ago and he sounds great. He has eat, exercised his legs and ridden the recumbent bike. I gave him 2 Tylenol earlier and he says his hands aren’t hurting as bad and he is going to wait and take 2 Tylenol around 10 instead of taking them at 7.
I tell you that man is a fighter. I stopped by chicken place and got chicken tenders, and fries and then came home made a salad and ate and all I want to do is sleeep. Sure not in the mood to exercise. However, I only slept 5 hrs last night. I know better than to check FBS and weight when I haven’t had enough sleep. My weight was back up to 221 and my FBS was 211. I didn’t get to check it again until just before I ate dinner and it was 123. My weight was still 221. Now this is hard for me to understand about how weight works. I don’t understand it any more than I really understand FBS/BS readings.
This morning before I left to go get Tylenol and take it to Daddy’s, I only had time to make myself a Slimquick shake which I made with chocolate powdered Slimquick, ½ banana and powdered fat free milk. How in the world can I go all that time with nothing to eat and still weigh the exact same in the afternoon as I weighed this morning. My weight usually goes down through the day when I don’t eat. Strange.
Well, my low fat hasn’t gone well today. I’ve been thinking about South Beach Diet. I read on a low carb site once that SBD and Atkins were the same, but last night as I was going to sleep, I realized “No, SBD and Atkins ARE NOT the same”. Atkins is high fat, but SBD is not. After reading what I did about how fat affects our insulin in T2 diaabetes, I realized that SBD would be a good low fat plan to follow.
Donna I'm so sorry about your MIL. That is awful. Prayers come out to you, your MIL and y'alls family as you go through this time. I hate cancer.
It isn't easy going through stressful times while trying to control blood sugar. I'm not sure how much of my higher reading today was food and how much was stress. I am one of 3 girls. One sister lives in MS and doesn't even know what we go through with Daddy until it is over. DS who lives here is good about a lot of things but she can't hand blood and pain of Daddy so that leaves me and my DH and her DH to deal with it. Right now DBIL is waiting to have his broken wrist fixed next week. I really don't know what I feel when I go through these things. I just do what I have to do. I am the oldest and I figure it is just what I am supposed to do so who else will if I don't. I really pray a lot and trust God to get me through it. I don't know how involved you are in what is going on, but I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.
I'm tired girls so I'm going to try to relax. Catch y'all tomorrow when I get back from Daddy's.
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Good morning, all. I was up to 204 the past couple days but today I'm back to 202. I really shouldn't be over 200. I was at 199 and should have continued down. I don't understand why I can't do that. Blood sugar was ok this AM. 133, but that was because of Glimiperide. I know if I could lose some more weight I could do this without the meds. I hate taking the meds, but it's either that or a spike. I really don't know if I will ever be able to let go of the meds. My pancreas could be damaged too much to recover. I hope not.
I'm so sorry to hear that your father fell, Trish! I'm glad he's OK but it will take a few days for him to be back to normal. He's lucky he doesn't have more damage.
I know that South Beach is not as strict low carb as Atkins and allows a lot more foods. I just can't follow a plan like that. As soon as something is restricted, I tend to want that food. If I know I'm allowed to have something, it loses it's appeal. For me, I am better off to leave all foods on my plan and work or portion control. I know it's slower that way, but I am too weak to know I can never have a food again. Life is too short.
Donna, do you follow any particular plan? It doesn't seem like you have really gained a lot since you have been here. You should have no problem getting it back off.
Do you only have one child left at home now? Are you other children all married, or living on their own? My two step-children lived at home with us until they got married. I lived alone for a couple years before I got married and I think that's a good experience. You learn a lot about independence and responsibility. Most parents do prefer that their kids stay at home, though. It can be hard to let go.
Weight is hung up at 221.2. Not sure why. I don't want to do South Beach Diet either because it restricts some things I don't want to restrict, however, it isn't a bad guide to a modified low carb.
Went to beauty shop and then I got breakfast and took it to Daddy's so DS and I could check on him and see how he is really doing. He is sore and weak, but I was surprised at how well he is doing. I got his meds back on track so I can do them on Tuesday's again. That gets DH out too. Next week is going to be busy because we will meet with him or go over and then Tuesday his meds and he has CHF appointment Thursday afternoon. I think everyday is going to be busy so I hope I can be free to rest up this weekend.
I am wondering if the Slimquick is making my FBS and weight to be up. So I'm going to lay off of it for a while and see what happens. I think I see that I am not one who can go longer than 4 or 5 hrs between meals or snacks. I'm wondering if that is why my weight has gone up. That may be DS problem with losing weight. I may see what happens if I start eating small meals more often. I've never tried that before because I thought it was crazy and just an excuse to eat all the time. Perhaps I'm wrong.
Another thing that may be causing my weight and bs to be higher is that I'm not hydrated like I should be. When I'm going into ER and dr's offices, I don't drink much water. I will spend the next few days getting myself hydrated again.
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Trish, I have noticed that my weight and blood sugar are improved when I am drinking water, but I get away from it so easily. I forgot yesterday and drank a full bottle of water in the evening, so I was up twice during the night. I was able to fall back to sleep easily both times. I also drank a small amount of water each time I got up. I think I need to get myself drinking it earlier in the day. I hate to drink water and then go out somewhere because then I'm always looking for the restrooms especially if we're going a long way. I have heard that once your body get used to having the extra water the need to find the restrooms slows down.
When I was reading all the info about fasting blood sugar, there was one article that said your fasting should not be longer than 8 hours. I dismissed it because I don't see how you could do that unless you ate right before you went to bed and immediately after you got up. I checked several other sites about fasting blood sugar and none of them said to keep it within 8 hours. Most say at least 8 hours and some say 8-12 hours.
Dr Fung says not to worry about fasting numbers. I'm not so sure about that info either.
My weight is back down to 200.5 and blood sugar was 135, but with Glimiperide. I am going to try very hard to eat 0 starchy carbs today and see what happens, if I need the Glimiperide. I didn't think I ate very many carbs yesterday but I still spiked after dinner and needed meds. We got fish sandwiches. I did not eat the roll, but the fish was breaded. I also didn't get french fries, but if you don't get them, they give you home made potato chips, which are very, very good, and I ate them. Plus a fun size Milky Way, AND some pretzels. LOL So if I add them up, they come to more carbs than I thought. I can lie to myself and say I didn't eat many carbs because I didn't have the roll or french fries.
I have heard so much conflicting information about eating smaller meals more
often. That's what DH does. He never eats a big meal but he is hungry more often than I am. He eats a few bites of everything. He always leaves food on his plate and it doesn't bother him to throw it away or leave it at a restaurant. I prefer to eat only when I'm hungry, but I end up eating when he wants to eat. I would like to eat very small amounts like he does, but I really have a hard time throwing food away.
On the other hand, they say that leaving 5 hours between meals allows blood sugar and insulin levels to come down before you eat again. Both theories make sense to me. Maybe we just have to try it both ways and see what gives us the best results.
I'm glad to year your Dad is OK. It's amazing that he can still live alone and take care of himself at his age. My friend's father lived with his son and family. He still went outside alone and fell, hit his head, and he died from a brain bleed. So even living with other people does not make it 100% safe. I pray that your Dad continues on doing as well as he has been.
Here's what I think. If you want to eat 5-6 times a day, you should not be eating more than 200-300 calories each time. More like a snack. If you can do that, it's fine, but add a normal meal in there and you're going to go over your calorie needs for the day. It would be hard to do if you're eating with someone who eat more at meals.
Carol Sue Thanks for the info. My DH does pretty much like your DH although we eat one actual meal a day. He nibbles or as they say grazes. He can take a bag of chips he likes and eat a few bites and close it up and not eat any more till the next day. The bag may last him 3 weeks or more. He has a big jar of nuts by his chair that I bought before Christmas and they probably need to be thrown out because they get old tasting.
I was raised that you eat at meal times and they were full meals although I have to say that in the summer time when we girls were home, Mama would make breakfast which I didn't eat and then supper. She never cooked or had anything in the house that we girls could just go in and fix for lunch. She would say, "There's food in the freezer". What are you going to do with frozen food when you get hungry? We didn't have microwaves back then. So I just didn't eat but one meal a day in the summer time and when I was in school, I ate lunch at school. Now it is very difficult for me to think of having 5 or 6 small meals. I was in Overeaters Anonymous for years and we stressed 3 meals and no snacks and so I really have a time with changing although I don't seem to have a problem cheating with a snack at night. LOL, do I?
My weight is edging up and my FBS is high. I panic, but I realized this morning, I don't see the doctor for 6 months. I've got time to figure this out and turn it around. This has got me thinking about what has and hasn't worked in the past and how I can create my own plan from what I've learned over the years.
Yesterday evening Daddy called me and he had been asleep and slid out of his chair onto the floor. He couldn't get up. DH and I went over and the young man upstairs came down and helped DH put him back into his chair. Come to find out his lift chair had evidently come unplugged and wouldn't move. DH fixed it for him and all is fine. The bad thing was that I had just eat and I was miserable. On the way over there I felt terrible and I set fussing at myself and quietly asked myself "What in the world are you doing to yourself? Your no good to anyone if you keep going in this direction." So I am going to figure this out in a way that works for me. I look at my Daddy and his mother's people and how he was raised and I have a great heritage of strong people who lived long and I need to draw on that knowledge. I called Daddy this morning and he was exercising his legs to get them strong before he decides he can get up and get moving. He knows what he has to do and he does it. He will do his best not to put himself in the situation of falling again. He knows he has to use the walker and told us he isn't going to use the cane any more. I think it helps him to see a lot of older men and women out with their hugo type walkers. He had DH take the basket off of his which he does use so he can take it with him easier.
However, I have to say he is rebellious when it comes to his eating sometimes so I know where I get that so I have to change my attitude when it comes to food.
Drawing on what I've learned... I know when I was doing IF that I did do better with eating every 5 hrs because my bs was always low before the next meal. The problem I had was that IF says you should fast 16 hrs. I could actually do very well with eating 10 hrs using the 5 hrs fast in between and then fast a 14 hr stretch. I read somewhere that you should figure out your own way of IF and maybe that is what I need to do. I believe that is a really good way to do it for me because it works for my bs.
I don't want to go VLC however, I do want to eat healthy. I was thinking that if you can do Vegetarian low carb, then why couldn't I make up my own way of doing a combo. I like my eggs and bacon in the morning. The cook my bacon very crispy in the microwave and get very minimal fat from it and my eggs are cooked in Pam type spray. Then I can have a meat meal with DH. I love lentils which I have cooking right now. I can make me a meal with lentils, still have protein, but a meatless meal. I went to a diet doctor to get pills one time in a little town not far from him. He was oriental and he told me eat at least one meatless meal a week. If it is good to do it once a week then why not once a day. I think that would be very healthy. I am going to try to do that.
Location: Home of the Pirates, Steelers and Penguins
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Trish, we never had extra food at our house growing up, either. I think that's just the way it was back then. I don't remember eating anything except dinner. Maybe I did, but I don't remember. I didn't eat cereal because we only had powdered milk and it made me gag. The only thing to eat if we got hungry was bread. Food was not important to me back then.
DH said there were always snacks and sweets at his house growing up and that continued until she died. My step children LOVED to go to her house. LOL Maybe because food was so available at his house it never meant much to him.
I don't know what DH is going to want for dinner today, but I just want to eat a big salad, either at home or in a restaurant.
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I'm back in Onederland again, by a hair. I don't intend to bounce back in this time, but to continue downward. My blood pressure was actually good yesterday and I know that my weight has a lot to do with that. The doctors don't seem to make that connection. They just want to add/change meds. I know they can't make me lose weight, but neither of them ever suggests it.
FBG was 123 this morning. That's good for me. I took Glimiperide but didn't need my full dose, and didn't take it at supper time. I ate cooked veggies for supper, onion, cabbage, parsnips and kale, with 4 cooked baby carrots, and between supper and bedtime I had 1 potato chip and 1 bite of pancakes DH made. Remember the old potato chip commercial "Bet You Can't Eat One?" Well, I did only eat one. LOL Right at bedtime I had a half slice of Mozzarella cheese. Even with my very low calorie supper I didn't get hungry. My body must require a lot less calories than I think it does, and not as much animal protein. I think I will only eat meat if I'm actually hungry for it, but I will have protein in some form at least once a day.
I just logged my food on MFP. I ended up with 1028. That's low for me but I wasn't hungry. Maybe because all those veggies were bulky and filling. I was surprised to see that I only came in at 16gm of fiber. I had a salad for lunch and the hot veggies for dinner, and they were not small portions. I would have thought it was more fiber than that. I might have to go back to adding in that 1/4 c of Fiber One cereal.
DH ordered a pizza for his dinner yesterday and I didn't even have one bite. That was a big accomplishment for me. I am getting stronger.
I don't know what I will make for supper today. It will depend on what DH wants. I bought some nice pork chops. We're getting a very fine snowfall right now and the roads are starting to get covered. I don't want to go out unless the road crews get them salted and cleared. Why take a chance?
Last edited by Wannabehealthy; 02-04-2018 at 09:49 AM.
Carol Sue Congratulations for getting back down below 200. I pray you continue as well. I know how you feel. But I know you can do it. You did great with eating what you wanted and I think that is another key to things.
My weight is inching up there and this is not acceptable to me. So I'm really changing things up. I have a book that I found in Mama's stuff when she died called Fit For Life. When I was first diagnosed diabetic years ago I took the book and showed it to the doctor and he said, "This is the way my wife eats. It is a good way to eat". Then things changed and it never fit my lifestyle. I always said if I ever got to where I could do it that I would. It is a plan where you eat fruit from 4 am to noon and then from noon until 8 pm you can eat your food and eat nothing from 8 pm until 4 am the next morning. 4 am to noon is called the elimination cycle and 8 pm to 4 am is when your body gets a rest. Not much different from IF except you eat fruit.
I changed it up a bit this morning. I had a bowl of fruit with a little bit of sugar free cool whip and FF Greek yogurt. It is noon and I'm not hungry so I probably won't eat until DH and I eat this afternoon. We are having homemade hamburgers and I'm thinking about not having the bread. I may just make mine into a salad. Then have a serving of lentils with onion for my last meal. I will probably have that around 7ish as I would rather stop eating earlier than 8 pm. I've got to get out of the habit of eating late.
I saw this online and not sure how I feel about it. I thought you might want to see it. I'd like to see what you think about it. Some of it makes sense, but then she is selling her on expensive Probiotics and I wondered if she was just selling a product. However, I know probiotics are good to take some time and Amazon sells some excellent ones a lot cheaper and I can go to Drug Emporium or The Vitamin Shoppe here in town to get a really good B complex vitamin. Not sure how to take chicory root yet as I haven't checked it out.
I talked to my niece yesterday about cooking veggies and lentils without fat since she eats more vegetarian dishes and she gave me this website I thought you might like. This woman doesn't cook just veggies but she does cook low carb and has some great of both vegetarian veggies and meals.
You may have already heard of it. It is www.wellplated.com. I want to try some of her recipes.
Got to get busy. I need to get in touch with my sister in MS and tell her what is going on with Daddy. He is doing okay, but kind of slow. DS and DBIL are going over and taking food to him today. I am going in the morning and cook breakfast for him and do his laundry and visit till noon. That way I can go to the store and get back home by the time DH gets up. I would love to think of something I could take cooked over there for him to have for a few days, but not sure he would eat it.
I was able to fall back to sleep easily both times. I also drank a small amount of water each time I got up. I think I need to get myself drinking it earlier in the day. I hate to drink water and then go out somewhere because then I'm always looking for the restrooms especially if we're going a long way. I have heard that once your body get used to having the extra water the need to find the restrooms slows down.