Well, so much for my dedication to this blog, huh? Oh, phooey. I have got to do better. But, honestly, does anyone want to hear me babbling about this 24/7? Or even once every 3 months??
I think I will merge this blog with my other, even less frequently updated blogs and make one big blog. I'll just label the entries as to what they are about. I'll post some recipes, I'll post some reviews, I'll post some of the lunatic ramblings that waddle thru my brain. So, stay tuned for our new programming here at Emily is TOO sweet.
Update on my health: I have been maintaining my blood sugar at less than 150 ( usually around 110) and have been doing pretty good on my eating. However, I gave myself permission to be a little bad for the holidays with full intentions of going back to STRICT eating again. I would like to come completely off my meds and lose about another 30 pounds. So, we shall see!!!
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Monday, September 6, 2010
Finally! Dessert!!
I have gotten used to having meals without bread. I don't even think about it much any more. Well, I do think of it when they thump down those yeast rolls at Logan's. Oh, I miss those. But, I can still pass them up relatively easily.
The hardest point of the meal for me... everything's done and I'd love a little something sweet. There is no such thing as diabetic friendly cake. Sigh. So, I usually make do with a tiny cup of Sugar Free Jello Pudding or a cup of Carb Master Yogurt. But, recently, I have found a couple of places here in JC that have Diabetic Friendly desserts!!!
Rita's Frozen Custard is just awesome. They have Italian Ices that are sugar free. I got a regular size and couldn't even come close to finishing it. Trust me, go for the kiddie size. Sadly, they do not have sugar free custards. But, the Ices are good enough to make me not really care.
Mona Lisa's Gelatto and Cupcakes has seriously wonderful Gelatto made with Splenda. They had 2 flavors today, European Yogurt (sort of a vanilla flavor) and Tropical Fruit. I got them together and Oh, my... Good stuff!!!
So, that's a good tip for you, if you're out and about and hunting some nicely sugar free goodies!
The hardest point of the meal for me... everything's done and I'd love a little something sweet. There is no such thing as diabetic friendly cake. Sigh. So, I usually make do with a tiny cup of Sugar Free Jello Pudding or a cup of Carb Master Yogurt. But, recently, I have found a couple of places here in JC that have Diabetic Friendly desserts!!!
Rita's Frozen Custard is just awesome. They have Italian Ices that are sugar free. I got a regular size and couldn't even come close to finishing it. Trust me, go for the kiddie size. Sadly, they do not have sugar free custards. But, the Ices are good enough to make me not really care.
Mona Lisa's Gelatto and Cupcakes has seriously wonderful Gelatto made with Splenda. They had 2 flavors today, European Yogurt (sort of a vanilla flavor) and Tropical Fruit. I got them together and Oh, my... Good stuff!!!
So, that's a good tip for you, if you're out and about and hunting some nicely sugar free goodies!
Sunday, August 1, 2010
mmmm....otivation!!!!
How have you done it? Tell me what you've done. How does it work? What do you eat?
Those are the questions I've been asked the most. But, the question that remains unasked, but that I think is the most important is how do I stay motivated?
I've lost weight before. I've done weight watchers, fad diets, nutri-system, cabbage diets. Done spin class, tried Yoga. Failed. Failed. Lost almost 50 pounds, gained back 70, failed, failed, failed. Why is this time different?
Motivation. Before, it was never worth it to deprive myself. I mean, sure I felt like a big, fat freak (fat people are the last group it is socially acceptable to pick on, harass, make fun of and hate. Don't believe me? Watch a stand-up comedian and see who he/she makes fun of. That'd be us fat folks, thanks). But, after failing a bunch of times, I kind of quit caring about it. Basically, I gave up. What the hell, right? I was fat for years, didn't seem like it was gonna change, so... whatever.
Then, came the diagnosis. My exact words when my doctor told me my Hemoglobin A1c was 10.6 was "Holy shit." My heart hit the floor. I'm a nurse. I have seen the end result of diabetics who do not control their blood sugars. Blindness, amputation, kidney failure, strokes, heart attacks, death. None of these appeal to me. I heard a sound almost like the buzz of a bumblebee in my mind. It was fear, cold fear. It was that buzzing you hear before you pass out. I didn't pass out, but believe me, the terror was enough to send me there.
So, I decided things were going to change. No diet. No superficial reasons. No doing this to look better or fit societal norms. This time, I was doing it for life. I was doing it for my life and I was doing it to keep my life. This pretty much was me choosing to lay down and die (possibly a piece at time) or stand up and fight. My motivation spiked and hasn't dropped since. My motivation is staying alive.
Yes, it's nice to have dropped weight (52 pounds now). Yes, it's nice to wear smaller clothes. It's nice to be able to make it thru a full hour of Zumba. But, it's even nicer to feel so much better now that my sugars are under control (usually around 100 to 120).
So, the part no one asks about is a part I can't help them with. You gotta find your own reasons to fight your diabetes. Maybe it's to live and see your kids grow up. Maybe it's to keep your vision so you can read. Maybe it's just to show your doctor you can. Whatever motivates you please find it. If you are diabetic, don't just pop a pill and forget about it. Pop a pill, take a shot, whatever you gotta do, but FIGHT for your life. Don't let diabetes take you one piece at a time.
Those are the questions I've been asked the most. But, the question that remains unasked, but that I think is the most important is how do I stay motivated?
I've lost weight before. I've done weight watchers, fad diets, nutri-system, cabbage diets. Done spin class, tried Yoga. Failed. Failed. Lost almost 50 pounds, gained back 70, failed, failed, failed. Why is this time different?
Motivation. Before, it was never worth it to deprive myself. I mean, sure I felt like a big, fat freak (fat people are the last group it is socially acceptable to pick on, harass, make fun of and hate. Don't believe me? Watch a stand-up comedian and see who he/she makes fun of. That'd be us fat folks, thanks). But, after failing a bunch of times, I kind of quit caring about it. Basically, I gave up. What the hell, right? I was fat for years, didn't seem like it was gonna change, so... whatever.
Then, came the diagnosis. My exact words when my doctor told me my Hemoglobin A1c was 10.6 was "Holy shit." My heart hit the floor. I'm a nurse. I have seen the end result of diabetics who do not control their blood sugars. Blindness, amputation, kidney failure, strokes, heart attacks, death. None of these appeal to me. I heard a sound almost like the buzz of a bumblebee in my mind. It was fear, cold fear. It was that buzzing you hear before you pass out. I didn't pass out, but believe me, the terror was enough to send me there.
So, I decided things were going to change. No diet. No superficial reasons. No doing this to look better or fit societal norms. This time, I was doing it for life. I was doing it for my life and I was doing it to keep my life. This pretty much was me choosing to lay down and die (possibly a piece at time) or stand up and fight. My motivation spiked and hasn't dropped since. My motivation is staying alive.
Yes, it's nice to have dropped weight (52 pounds now). Yes, it's nice to wear smaller clothes. It's nice to be able to make it thru a full hour of Zumba. But, it's even nicer to feel so much better now that my sugars are under control (usually around 100 to 120).
So, the part no one asks about is a part I can't help them with. You gotta find your own reasons to fight your diabetes. Maybe it's to live and see your kids grow up. Maybe it's to keep your vision so you can read. Maybe it's just to show your doctor you can. Whatever motivates you please find it. If you are diabetic, don't just pop a pill and forget about it. Pop a pill, take a shot, whatever you gotta do, but FIGHT for your life. Don't let diabetes take you one piece at a time.
Monday, July 26, 2010
A few new foods/drinks
Okay, I try to find things that are compatible with my new "diet", but sometimes they are more of a strike or a foul than a home run. Here's a few things I've tried lately and how they measure up...
Steaz Zero Calorie sparkling green tea in Orange- definite strike. Seriously, the most horrific drink I've ever had. Manage to wrestle down two sips and actually gagged. Even Chad, who has quite the adventurous palate, took a sip and said, "You cannot make me drink the rest of this."
Big K Diet Orange and Diet Root Beer (Kroger store brand)- not quite as good as Diet Sunkist or Diet A&W root beer, but darn close and super cheap! No calories, no carbs. Yay!!
Diet Orange Crush- great taste, but a ton of carbs. Yeah, it's not sugar free. At all. So, avoid that one. I knew it tasted too good to be true. Sigh.
Laughing Cow Light Garlic and Herb Cheese Wedges- Oh, holy laughing cow. LOL. These are awesome. 1 wedge is 35 calories, 1.5 grams of fat and 1 gram of carbs. And, they are delicious. Consistency is a little less smooth than brie, but still very spreadable and super yummy. But, what would you spread them on? Carrots are awesome with these, but crackers are even better...
Wasa Cracker- your best choice. 1 slice (which is huge) of the whole grain one has no fat, 40 calories and 10 carbs. If you are a "net carb" counter, the fiber in it would lower that to 8 net grams of carbs. A bargain for a cracker. And, they are delicious. I'm hooked.
All Bran Crackers- 18 crackers have 130 calories, 6 grams of fat and 19 carbs. Not great, but it's really hard to find any low carb crackers. These are a splurge, but a worthy one. And, it only takes 1/2 a serving to eat a whole wedge of laughing cow.
Butterkase cheese is another favorite. 7g of fat, 130 calories, but no carbs. Health food? not exactly, but good for the way I currently eat. I find mine at Earth Fare here in JC.
IHOP- no I am not kidding. They have the IHOP for me section of the menu that has every single piece of nutritional information you could possibly need. Some of them are pretty good as far as carbs go. The turkey bacon omelette has 17 grams of carbs, but only because of the HUGE bowl of fruit that comes with it. Leave out the fruit and you have pretty much 0 carbs. And, since it is turkey bacon and "faux" eggs, 25 grams of fat. Not bad!! Personally, I allot about 15 grams of carbs per meal, so the fruit is a logical splurge.
CarbMaster Yogurt- a full container of this yogurt has only 80 calories, 4 grams of carbs, 1.5 grams of fat. Great taste. Yummy! I've mentioned it before, but it bears repeating. Good, good stuff!!
Breyer's Carbsmart ice cream products- All of them have between 4 and 6 net carbs per serving. They are fantastic and satisfy my sweet munchies. They're delicious. My favorite are the almond bars. The single serving size keeps me from dishing out too much (a problem I have with actual ice cream). LOL
Of course, for the most part, I eat a lot of meat and veggies. Grilled chicken, grilled seafood, grilled steaks. Salads, peas, green beans. One cookbook that has been VERY helpful is NOT a diabetic cookbook. Funny, huh? It's one of my old standby cookbooks: Sandra Lee's SemiHomemade Slow Cooker Recipes. Some of them are totally not diabetes appropriate, but the cheddar beer chicken and a ton of others are. And, it spares me the "another chunk o' grilled stuff" rut. They are insanely easy to prepare and with 10 minutes (usually less) of effort, you come home to a fantastic meal. Very cool!
Well, that's all I know for now, but I'll post again soon, as i learn more about what I can and cannot eat. And, find out what tastes good and what goes into the dumpster. :)
Steaz Zero Calorie sparkling green tea in Orange- definite strike. Seriously, the most horrific drink I've ever had. Manage to wrestle down two sips and actually gagged. Even Chad, who has quite the adventurous palate, took a sip and said, "You cannot make me drink the rest of this."
Big K Diet Orange and Diet Root Beer (Kroger store brand)- not quite as good as Diet Sunkist or Diet A&W root beer, but darn close and super cheap! No calories, no carbs. Yay!!
Diet Orange Crush- great taste, but a ton of carbs. Yeah, it's not sugar free. At all. So, avoid that one. I knew it tasted too good to be true. Sigh.
Laughing Cow Light Garlic and Herb Cheese Wedges- Oh, holy laughing cow. LOL. These are awesome. 1 wedge is 35 calories, 1.5 grams of fat and 1 gram of carbs. And, they are delicious. Consistency is a little less smooth than brie, but still very spreadable and super yummy. But, what would you spread them on? Carrots are awesome with these, but crackers are even better...
Wasa Cracker- your best choice. 1 slice (which is huge) of the whole grain one has no fat, 40 calories and 10 carbs. If you are a "net carb" counter, the fiber in it would lower that to 8 net grams of carbs. A bargain for a cracker. And, they are delicious. I'm hooked.
All Bran Crackers- 18 crackers have 130 calories, 6 grams of fat and 19 carbs. Not great, but it's really hard to find any low carb crackers. These are a splurge, but a worthy one. And, it only takes 1/2 a serving to eat a whole wedge of laughing cow.
Butterkase cheese is another favorite. 7g of fat, 130 calories, but no carbs. Health food? not exactly, but good for the way I currently eat. I find mine at Earth Fare here in JC.
IHOP- no I am not kidding. They have the IHOP for me section of the menu that has every single piece of nutritional information you could possibly need. Some of them are pretty good as far as carbs go. The turkey bacon omelette has 17 grams of carbs, but only because of the HUGE bowl of fruit that comes with it. Leave out the fruit and you have pretty much 0 carbs. And, since it is turkey bacon and "faux" eggs, 25 grams of fat. Not bad!! Personally, I allot about 15 grams of carbs per meal, so the fruit is a logical splurge.
CarbMaster Yogurt- a full container of this yogurt has only 80 calories, 4 grams of carbs, 1.5 grams of fat. Great taste. Yummy! I've mentioned it before, but it bears repeating. Good, good stuff!!
Breyer's Carbsmart ice cream products- All of them have between 4 and 6 net carbs per serving. They are fantastic and satisfy my sweet munchies. They're delicious. My favorite are the almond bars. The single serving size keeps me from dishing out too much (a problem I have with actual ice cream). LOL
Of course, for the most part, I eat a lot of meat and veggies. Grilled chicken, grilled seafood, grilled steaks. Salads, peas, green beans. One cookbook that has been VERY helpful is NOT a diabetic cookbook. Funny, huh? It's one of my old standby cookbooks: Sandra Lee's SemiHomemade Slow Cooker Recipes. Some of them are totally not diabetes appropriate, but the cheddar beer chicken and a ton of others are. And, it spares me the "another chunk o' grilled stuff" rut. They are insanely easy to prepare and with 10 minutes (usually less) of effort, you come home to a fantastic meal. Very cool!
Well, that's all I know for now, but I'll post again soon, as i learn more about what I can and cannot eat. And, find out what tastes good and what goes into the dumpster. :)
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Good Lord, McDonald's... how can you screw up a smoothie????
I've been seeing the "real fruit smoothie" signs for McDonald's newest drink. The signs have a picture of a pretty smoothie with all kinds of fresh fruit pieces piled around the cup. Now, would one assume from the "real fruit" in the name and the pictures of fresh fruit that there would be fresh fruit involved? Or, even frozen fruit? Well, if you did, you'd be WRONG!!!!
The ingredients for a Wild Berry smoothie (straight from McDonald's own website):
The ingredients for a Wild Berry smoothie (straight from McDonald's own website):
| Wild Berry Fruit Blend Strawberry puree, water, sugar, blackberry puree, blueberry puree, concentrated pineapple juice, concentrated apple juice, contains less than 1% of the following: cellulose powder, xanthan gum, colored with fruit and vegetable juice, natural (botanical source) and artificial flavors, pectin, citric acid. CONTAINS: MILK *Dispensed from equipment that also dispenses milk ingredients (yogurt) |
| Low Fat Yogurt Cultured Grade A reduced fat milk, sugar, whey protein concentrate, fructose, corn starch, kosher gelatin. Contains active yogurt cultures. Please notice that the "fruit blend" arrives in a big plastic baggie and the yogurt stuff comes separate and they mix them together when you order. Please also notice that in both components, sugar is in the top 3 ingredients and that the yogurt also has fructose and corn starch. So, essentially, it's a diabetic nightmare. Instead of something good for you, they've done it again!! Good idea turned to garbage. Garbage that, for a 12 ounce serving has 210 calories, .5 grams of fat (that actually is a good amount), and 48 grams of carbs. That carb amount is more than I eat in a whole day. For a 12 ounce drink. The only redeeming nutritional comment I can make is that it is at least low fat. Which helps me none at all. What about the cute little fruit and yogurt parfait? It's close to 1/2 cup in size. Surely, it is just a little bundle of health food. Um... no. 156 calories, 2 grams of fat, 31 grams of carbs. For the love of Pete. Okay, I'm just going to scream and beat my head on the desk now. And eat yogurt that has been nowhere NEAR McDonald's!!! |
Friday, July 16, 2010
GREAT news!!!!
I just posted this on Facebook:
Fabulous visit to the doc today!! Hgb A1c is 6.1 (was 10.6), which is pretty much normal even for non-diabetics. Cholesterol is 126 (was over 400). Triglycerides 112 (had been over 400). BP is so low I'm cutting my med in half now (was about 170/110 a while back, now 110/68). I've lost a total of 48 pounds since 3/3/10. Woohoo!
Woohoo indeed. For every 1 point decrease in A1c, there is a 10% increase in cardiovascular health. So, I've had over a 40% increase in cardiac health since March.
I went to the doc today with every intention of leaving on Victoza. But, basically, I've done so well without it, it is not worth the annoyance of a daily injection or the risk of side effects. So, I will remain on my Glucophage (metformin) as my only diabetic medication.
It made me feel so good to see those numbers today. As soon as the nurse saw me, she just went on and on about how much I'd lost. When my doc walked in, he said "Thank God! Finally a patient who listens!" He was so happy that I'd done so well. But, believe me, no one was as happy as me. Holy cow, I never would have believed I could do this. But, like I told my doc, if you wanted to scare me, you pulled the right bogey man out of the closet. Diabetes terrifies me. I guess it is because it screws up so many different things, in so many different ways. So, lots of things to fear!! I'm just glad that the fear worked!
So, I'm going out sometime this weekend to celebrate. I had a half of a slice of cookie cake today right after I left the doctor. Used to, I would have bought 3 pieces and eaten them all. Even in sinning, I sin smaller now! But, I also realize that an occasional indulgence is just that. I don't have to use it as an excuse to say, "I failed. Screw this." and jump off into the deep end of bad habits. I just enjoy it and then think "Well, that's enough of that."
I appreciate all the kind words and especially all the lavish praise and cheering at every small milestone. You may think that posting "Way to go" for me on the blog or FB note is nothing. But, sometimes it is what gets you past the cupcake temptation and into a salad. So, believe me, you guys have made this possible. Thank you!!!!!!
Now, I am off to a Crystal light popsicle. Only 5 calories!!!!
Fabulous visit to the doc today!! Hgb A1c is 6.1 (was 10.6), which is pretty much normal even for non-diabetics. Cholesterol is 126 (was over 400). Triglycerides 112 (had been over 400). BP is so low I'm cutting my med in half now (was about 170/110 a while back, now 110/68). I've lost a total of 48 pounds since 3/3/10. Woohoo!
Woohoo indeed. For every 1 point decrease in A1c, there is a 10% increase in cardiovascular health. So, I've had over a 40% increase in cardiac health since March.
I went to the doc today with every intention of leaving on Victoza. But, basically, I've done so well without it, it is not worth the annoyance of a daily injection or the risk of side effects. So, I will remain on my Glucophage (metformin) as my only diabetic medication.
It made me feel so good to see those numbers today. As soon as the nurse saw me, she just went on and on about how much I'd lost. When my doc walked in, he said "Thank God! Finally a patient who listens!" He was so happy that I'd done so well. But, believe me, no one was as happy as me. Holy cow, I never would have believed I could do this. But, like I told my doc, if you wanted to scare me, you pulled the right bogey man out of the closet. Diabetes terrifies me. I guess it is because it screws up so many different things, in so many different ways. So, lots of things to fear!! I'm just glad that the fear worked!
So, I'm going out sometime this weekend to celebrate. I had a half of a slice of cookie cake today right after I left the doctor. Used to, I would have bought 3 pieces and eaten them all. Even in sinning, I sin smaller now! But, I also realize that an occasional indulgence is just that. I don't have to use it as an excuse to say, "I failed. Screw this." and jump off into the deep end of bad habits. I just enjoy it and then think "Well, that's enough of that."
I appreciate all the kind words and especially all the lavish praise and cheering at every small milestone. You may think that posting "Way to go" for me on the blog or FB note is nothing. But, sometimes it is what gets you past the cupcake temptation and into a salad. So, believe me, you guys have made this possible. Thank you!!!!!!
Now, I am off to a Crystal light popsicle. Only 5 calories!!!!
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Updates and a visit tomorrow...
OK, yes, I suck. I haven't put a thing about the class and I really need to do so. It was an awesome class. An RN and an RD (Registered Dietician) taught the class. Both were CDEs (Certified Diabetic Educators). The class had GREAT materials, but some of the best things I picked up were easy explanations of what Diabetes is. Why it happens, how it works, etc. In my head, I know all this stuff, but how to put it into every day words was escaping me. So, I was able to learn some great ways to explain my new disease to others!
I also learned some great tips for my medication. Some of the side effects (hello, nausea and frequent potty trips) and the "dawn effect" (my AM blood sugars run a little higher than they do at night... unusual), can be counteracted by taking my larger dose of Metformin at night and my smaller in the morning. Tried that and it's been smooth sailing.
Also found out the news I'd been dreading... I'm not supposed to get pedicures. We sweet folk do not heal well and the further away from the heart something is, the harder it is to get it to heal. So, our feet tend to have issues. So, naturally, getting nicked or getting an infection on the piggies is bad. So, if the sanitation is not great, you are at risk.
To that, I say phooey on you. I will take my own tools and tell them to be careful. And, I will keep on getting my piggies dressed up all nicely.It's my illness, but no one is taking away one of my great joys. I will simply be careful. By the way, Opi nail polish now has a collection of nail polishes based on the colors from Shrek. One is even SHP shirt green. It's called "Who the Shrek are you?" I will be purchasing it.
During the class, we also covered various other medications from insulins on down to the various oral meds. I found out something VERY exciting... there is a relatively new drug (went into use at the beginning of this year) called Victoza. It is an injectable medication that is similar to Byetta (for anyone who knows about it). It has lower side effects than Victoza and it is only taken once a day, at any time, so long as you take it close to the same time every day (Byetta had to be taken right before you ate and had some serious issues with nausea and vomiting).
Basically, the Victoza makes your body produce more insulin. Since it is your own insulin, and is inside your body (rather than the type that comes in a bottle), it works better. Also, since you can inject it at night, you sleep thru most of the side effects. Of course, there is always a downside. It is about $325 per month. Grrrreat! I'm sure I have that just laying around in my change jar.
So, tomorrow, I have an appointment with my doctor. It's my over 3 month checkup (would have been 3 months, but he was on vacation, so we had to put it off until now). I will find out what my Hemoglobin A1c (the measure of how my sugars have been doing over the past 3 months or so) is running and how my other labs are doing. Since I have lost 48 pounds since I was diagnosed, I believe he will be pleased. If he isn't, I may wrestle him to the ground and give him a wedgie. Just sayin'...
I intend to ask him about Victoza and pray that he has samples. I love samples. Keep your fingers crossed!
I will update you tomorrow!!
I also learned some great tips for my medication. Some of the side effects (hello, nausea and frequent potty trips) and the "dawn effect" (my AM blood sugars run a little higher than they do at night... unusual), can be counteracted by taking my larger dose of Metformin at night and my smaller in the morning. Tried that and it's been smooth sailing.
Also found out the news I'd been dreading... I'm not supposed to get pedicures. We sweet folk do not heal well and the further away from the heart something is, the harder it is to get it to heal. So, our feet tend to have issues. So, naturally, getting nicked or getting an infection on the piggies is bad. So, if the sanitation is not great, you are at risk.
To that, I say phooey on you. I will take my own tools and tell them to be careful. And, I will keep on getting my piggies dressed up all nicely.It's my illness, but no one is taking away one of my great joys. I will simply be careful. By the way, Opi nail polish now has a collection of nail polishes based on the colors from Shrek. One is even SHP shirt green. It's called "Who the Shrek are you?" I will be purchasing it.
During the class, we also covered various other medications from insulins on down to the various oral meds. I found out something VERY exciting... there is a relatively new drug (went into use at the beginning of this year) called Victoza. It is an injectable medication that is similar to Byetta (for anyone who knows about it). It has lower side effects than Victoza and it is only taken once a day, at any time, so long as you take it close to the same time every day (Byetta had to be taken right before you ate and had some serious issues with nausea and vomiting).
Basically, the Victoza makes your body produce more insulin. Since it is your own insulin, and is inside your body (rather than the type that comes in a bottle), it works better. Also, since you can inject it at night, you sleep thru most of the side effects. Of course, there is always a downside. It is about $325 per month. Grrrreat! I'm sure I have that just laying around in my change jar.
So, tomorrow, I have an appointment with my doctor. It's my over 3 month checkup (would have been 3 months, but he was on vacation, so we had to put it off until now). I will find out what my Hemoglobin A1c (the measure of how my sugars have been doing over the past 3 months or so) is running and how my other labs are doing. Since I have lost 48 pounds since I was diagnosed, I believe he will be pleased. If he isn't, I may wrestle him to the ground and give him a wedgie. Just sayin'...
I intend to ask him about Victoza and pray that he has samples. I love samples. Keep your fingers crossed!
I will update you tomorrow!!
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Excited about Learning!
Tomorrow, I am taking a half day off! Not to laze around the house, not to catch up on errands, but to learn.
I am going to Diabetic class. It's being taught by a Certified Diabetic Educator who is also a Registered Dietician. It's a 2 part class. 4 hours a day, 2 days this month. So, in total, I'll be getting 8 hours of diabetic education. I am really excited.
As I've said before, I graduated nursing school 14 years ago. And, I've never worked in a doctor's office setting, so I never really had to teach a "new" diabetic. I always dealt with them post-diagnosis and usually long enough after diagnosis that they had complications and that's why they were in my hospital or nursing home (or jail... well, that's not why they wound up in jail, but it is why they wound up in my medical department). So, the last intensive "learning" I did on new onset diabetes was 14 years ago. I try to keep up with new information in nursing, but I'm sure there is a lot I've missed. A lot of new things I do not know.
I have made it a point that NOT tell the people teaching the class that I am a nurse. I want them to teach me from the ground up, just like they would if I had no medical knowledge. I get to take a "care taker" with me, but since I am my own caretaker (well, for the most part... because honestly, my friends and my hubby have been wonderful to take care of me through this new experience), so I'm taking Dad. I figure he's had some high blood sugars in the past (way better than mine, but still...), so it can be a learning-fest for him, too.
I will report back what I learn tomorrow! So, stay tuned! I will share my cool new knowledge!
I am going to Diabetic class. It's being taught by a Certified Diabetic Educator who is also a Registered Dietician. It's a 2 part class. 4 hours a day, 2 days this month. So, in total, I'll be getting 8 hours of diabetic education. I am really excited.
As I've said before, I graduated nursing school 14 years ago. And, I've never worked in a doctor's office setting, so I never really had to teach a "new" diabetic. I always dealt with them post-diagnosis and usually long enough after diagnosis that they had complications and that's why they were in my hospital or nursing home (or jail... well, that's not why they wound up in jail, but it is why they wound up in my medical department). So, the last intensive "learning" I did on new onset diabetes was 14 years ago. I try to keep up with new information in nursing, but I'm sure there is a lot I've missed. A lot of new things I do not know.
I have made it a point that NOT tell the people teaching the class that I am a nurse. I want them to teach me from the ground up, just like they would if I had no medical knowledge. I get to take a "care taker" with me, but since I am my own caretaker (well, for the most part... because honestly, my friends and my hubby have been wonderful to take care of me through this new experience), so I'm taking Dad. I figure he's had some high blood sugars in the past (way better than mine, but still...), so it can be a learning-fest for him, too.
I will report back what I learn tomorrow! So, stay tuned! I will share my cool new knowledge!
Monday, May 31, 2010
Yet another lesson in label reading!!
For about a week and a half, my blood sugars had been in the 150s when they are usually in the 120s to 1teens. So, I was a bit confused. I thought I'd been doing pretty good, but I had been eating some whole wheat bread, so I cut that out completely. And, it did not help. Hmmmm...
Then, 2 days ago, I got a total surprise. It was my diet drink. I don't know what made me think to read the label (boredom, perhaps) on my Diet Orange Crush, but imagine my surprise at its number one ingredient.... high fructose corn syrup.
WHAT??? That's killer carbs from Hell!!!! How did that get in my diet drink?? It's the only diet drink I have ever seen that has calories, let alone carbs. And, oh, did it have carbs. 4 per serving. And, how many servings? 2 per bottle, that's how many. So, for one bottle, I could have eaten 1/2 a Krispy Kreme doughnut. Or, 1/4 cup of frozen yogurt. Now, considering that I usually drink about 4 bottles a day, and you begin to see where my elevated blood sugars came to be. Siiiigh.
I have to admit thinking that it was such a great drink, because it didn't taste like diet at all. Yeah, well, guess I know why now!!! So, I switched to drinking Diet Sunkist, which is almost as tasty (and carb/calorie free, as a diet drink should be), and suddenly, my blood sugars are much better! So, even if common sense says that I should be safe eating something, I will rely on label reading from here on out!!!
As a side note, I have found a great diabetic magazine in "Diabetic Living". It has some great articles on everything from side effects of common meds, new research, recipes, new meters, etc. I have definitely sent in my check for my subscription and made a couple of recipes from it already!
I also found a lousy magazine called "Diabetes Self Management." It had a 4 page article on whether or not diet drinks are linked to diabetes that basically concluded "we don't know" and an article written by a type 1 diabetic that basically implied everyone with Type 2 was fat, slovenly and brought it on themselves and everyone who had type 1 hates type 2s and wishes no one would help us. Hey, that's the way to handle a disease, folks, turn the 2 types of people that have it against each other. Helpful!!! So, needless to say, my one free issue to that one is the only issue I'll be reading. It was truly just a craptastic useless magazine. Oh, well, at least it was free.
Then, 2 days ago, I got a total surprise. It was my diet drink. I don't know what made me think to read the label (boredom, perhaps) on my Diet Orange Crush, but imagine my surprise at its number one ingredient.... high fructose corn syrup.
WHAT??? That's killer carbs from Hell!!!! How did that get in my diet drink?? It's the only diet drink I have ever seen that has calories, let alone carbs. And, oh, did it have carbs. 4 per serving. And, how many servings? 2 per bottle, that's how many. So, for one bottle, I could have eaten 1/2 a Krispy Kreme doughnut. Or, 1/4 cup of frozen yogurt. Now, considering that I usually drink about 4 bottles a day, and you begin to see where my elevated blood sugars came to be. Siiiigh.
I have to admit thinking that it was such a great drink, because it didn't taste like diet at all. Yeah, well, guess I know why now!!! So, I switched to drinking Diet Sunkist, which is almost as tasty (and carb/calorie free, as a diet drink should be), and suddenly, my blood sugars are much better! So, even if common sense says that I should be safe eating something, I will rely on label reading from here on out!!!
As a side note, I have found a great diabetic magazine in "Diabetic Living". It has some great articles on everything from side effects of common meds, new research, recipes, new meters, etc. I have definitely sent in my check for my subscription and made a couple of recipes from it already!
I also found a lousy magazine called "Diabetes Self Management." It had a 4 page article on whether or not diet drinks are linked to diabetes that basically concluded "we don't know" and an article written by a type 1 diabetic that basically implied everyone with Type 2 was fat, slovenly and brought it on themselves and everyone who had type 1 hates type 2s and wishes no one would help us. Hey, that's the way to handle a disease, folks, turn the 2 types of people that have it against each other. Helpful!!! So, needless to say, my one free issue to that one is the only issue I'll be reading. It was truly just a craptastic useless magazine. Oh, well, at least it was free.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
NYC with Diabetes... Easy Going!!!
Well, Springtime in New York is the best time for Diabetics!! Holy cow, it has been super easy to "be good" here. First of all, the walking.... you walk everywhere here and exercise is like the anti-diabetes. It lowers your blood sugars. So, I've walked probably 5 miles or so each day.
Then, you add in Vitamin D. Recent studies have shown that Diabetics have very low levels of Vitamin D. They think that may cause lower abilities to correctly process sugars/insulin. So, I'm out in the sun on the double decker bus and walking and getting my Vitamin D!
Then, you add the food. Okay, sure... I've passed 200 bakeries and thought about throwing a temper tantrum in front of a cheesecake place today. But, with all the other food here... bread can kiss my tushie!!! In Chinatown, I brought a super cold, freshly cut up mango that was literally so perfectly ripe it dripped juice all over me (worth every shirt stain). The street vendors have kebabs, shwarma, kosher dogs, etc. Every street corner has a fresh fruit/veggie stand. Healthy food is everywhere!!!
The funniest thing has been trying to find Diet sodas that I like. I am addicted to fizzy drinks (although drinking much less of them than I used to), but I hate the taste of diet cola. So, I usually drink either diet orange soda or diet root beer. I couldn't find either one here for the first day. But, found a 2 liter of Diet Sunkist, so I've lugged that back to the room and am going to town on it!!!
On a side note, the absolutely GORGEOUS and perfectly, wonderfully functional meter case I had made on Etsy is doing a GREAT job and has garnered many a compliment. So, good to know!
Even after erratic sleep on the way up here, and meals at odd times yesterday, my blood sugar was only 130 this morning! I was very pleased! I will be interested to see what it is tomorrow. I had several pieces of fruit today. And, even though it is healthy sugar, it's sugar none-the-less. So, we shall see.
On yet another side note... Mom has been eating almost healthy while we are here. She is diabetic and is so non-compliant it is not even funny. But, she did only eat half of her bagel this morning and has drank all diet drinks! Probably because I am the one who ordered them, but hey... whatever works. Right?!
Well, off to take a shower, take some glucophage and take a nap. LOL!!!
Then, you add in Vitamin D. Recent studies have shown that Diabetics have very low levels of Vitamin D. They think that may cause lower abilities to correctly process sugars/insulin. So, I'm out in the sun on the double decker bus and walking and getting my Vitamin D!
Then, you add the food. Okay, sure... I've passed 200 bakeries and thought about throwing a temper tantrum in front of a cheesecake place today. But, with all the other food here... bread can kiss my tushie!!! In Chinatown, I brought a super cold, freshly cut up mango that was literally so perfectly ripe it dripped juice all over me (worth every shirt stain). The street vendors have kebabs, shwarma, kosher dogs, etc. Every street corner has a fresh fruit/veggie stand. Healthy food is everywhere!!!
The funniest thing has been trying to find Diet sodas that I like. I am addicted to fizzy drinks (although drinking much less of them than I used to), but I hate the taste of diet cola. So, I usually drink either diet orange soda or diet root beer. I couldn't find either one here for the first day. But, found a 2 liter of Diet Sunkist, so I've lugged that back to the room and am going to town on it!!!
On a side note, the absolutely GORGEOUS and perfectly, wonderfully functional meter case I had made on Etsy is doing a GREAT job and has garnered many a compliment. So, good to know!
Even after erratic sleep on the way up here, and meals at odd times yesterday, my blood sugar was only 130 this morning! I was very pleased! I will be interested to see what it is tomorrow. I had several pieces of fruit today. And, even though it is healthy sugar, it's sugar none-the-less. So, we shall see.
On yet another side note... Mom has been eating almost healthy while we are here. She is diabetic and is so non-compliant it is not even funny. But, she did only eat half of her bagel this morning and has drank all diet drinks! Probably because I am the one who ordered them, but hey... whatever works. Right?!
Well, off to take a shower, take some glucophage and take a nap. LOL!!!
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Holy Hooters, Batman! My diabetes may save my girls!!!
Well, for once, there is good news about a drug!!! Usually, I get on a medication and 2 years later they find out that it causes some hideous infection (oh, that's where that came from...) or possibly a third eye (preeeeetty...). But, for once, it would seem that something positive may come from the medication I am on to treat my Diabetes!!! It may reduce my risk of breast cancer! YAY!!! Here's the link to the article:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36691860/ns/health-cancer/
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36691860/ns/health-cancer/
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Time away
I have been curious lately as to how I would do if I were kitchen-less. Meaning, could I control my blood sugars as well if I were to be out and about, not able to take my food with me, not able to cook everything on my own, etc. It is a little harder to control blood sugars when you are not the one cookin'.
So, off we go. Every meal this weekend was out somewhere. The only thing I "brought" to the party was my own yogurt for night snacks, a bag of beef jerky for snacks and several bottles of diet drinks.
I figured rather quickly that the order of the day was... custom order. So, instead of the hamburger on a kaiser bun that came on the menu, I got just the patty with some cheese added. NO BREAD. And, instead of chips, I got a 1/2 order of sweet potato fries (sweet potatoes are better than regular potatoes, but still, you need to watch your intake). I have found that most places think if you ask for a smaller portion, they think you are expecting the food cheaper. When I tell them to bring me half an order of fries, I've learned to clarify that I do not expect to pay less for them. They are more than happy to comply after that.
Also, I had fajitas, and just did not eat the tortilla wraps that came with them. Kebabs, but only ate a small amount of the rice that they came with and asked for baba ganoush (eggplant dip) instead of potatoes. A sirloin with steamed veggies instead of fries. Nowhere did they have problems with my special requests. As a matter of fact, several places realized I was trying to avoid carbs and even offered some other choices that were not on the menu (I got a GREAT greek salad with feta as a side at K-town Kebabs in the West Town Mall in Knoxville).
The hardest part of eating out is not asking for substitutions or figuring out what to eat... it's the freebies!!!! Would you like a basket of bread? Chips and salsa? A sopapilla with honey, perhaps? Free ice cream with your meal! Those are the ones that are just killin' me!! I have learned to just tell the server ahead of time that I don't want the extras. Bless them, some of them are so entrenched in people hounding them for the rolls (Logans, anyone?) that they try to bring them anyway, but stop themselves or laugh at themselves when they realize what they have done.
With a weekend of eating out, I was terrified that I'd lose sense of portion control or miss my snack times and have my blood sugars yo-yoing. Or, gain some of my weight back. But, I am happy to report that my highest sugar all weekend was 133, which is totally acceptable. And, I actually lost a pound!!! Of course, we also hit the pool 2 nights so we were able to get some exercise in! So, that didn't hurt!
So, I guess what I am saying is that at least my travel is something that diabetes did NOT take away from me. I packed my glucometer and glucophage and hit the open trails. Or, the malls at least!!
So, off we go. Every meal this weekend was out somewhere. The only thing I "brought" to the party was my own yogurt for night snacks, a bag of beef jerky for snacks and several bottles of diet drinks.
I figured rather quickly that the order of the day was... custom order. So, instead of the hamburger on a kaiser bun that came on the menu, I got just the patty with some cheese added. NO BREAD. And, instead of chips, I got a 1/2 order of sweet potato fries (sweet potatoes are better than regular potatoes, but still, you need to watch your intake). I have found that most places think if you ask for a smaller portion, they think you are expecting the food cheaper. When I tell them to bring me half an order of fries, I've learned to clarify that I do not expect to pay less for them. They are more than happy to comply after that.
Also, I had fajitas, and just did not eat the tortilla wraps that came with them. Kebabs, but only ate a small amount of the rice that they came with and asked for baba ganoush (eggplant dip) instead of potatoes. A sirloin with steamed veggies instead of fries. Nowhere did they have problems with my special requests. As a matter of fact, several places realized I was trying to avoid carbs and even offered some other choices that were not on the menu (I got a GREAT greek salad with feta as a side at K-town Kebabs in the West Town Mall in Knoxville).
The hardest part of eating out is not asking for substitutions or figuring out what to eat... it's the freebies!!!! Would you like a basket of bread? Chips and salsa? A sopapilla with honey, perhaps? Free ice cream with your meal! Those are the ones that are just killin' me!! I have learned to just tell the server ahead of time that I don't want the extras. Bless them, some of them are so entrenched in people hounding them for the rolls (Logans, anyone?) that they try to bring them anyway, but stop themselves or laugh at themselves when they realize what they have done.
With a weekend of eating out, I was terrified that I'd lose sense of portion control or miss my snack times and have my blood sugars yo-yoing. Or, gain some of my weight back. But, I am happy to report that my highest sugar all weekend was 133, which is totally acceptable. And, I actually lost a pound!!! Of course, we also hit the pool 2 nights so we were able to get some exercise in! So, that didn't hurt!
So, I guess what I am saying is that at least my travel is something that diabetes did NOT take away from me. I packed my glucometer and glucophage and hit the open trails. Or, the malls at least!!
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Stick me with ya best shot!!
Okay, as previously discussed, I am a big, fat, feathery chicken when it comes to sticking my finger for blood sugars. It's not that it hurts much at all. It really doesn't. It's just that I can't stand to see the needle hitting my skin.
Well, that's not it, exactly. I can watch someone else do it. It's the combo of being the one to jam the "thumbtack" into my finger and watch it go in. I am so pitiful. I should get my big, bad nurse badge taken away.
But, the good news is, I found something I can use very easily and it is actually the least painful lancet I have used thus far. It's an Accuchek Multi-clix. It's a pen-type lancet device that holds a barrel of lancets. You load them in, click to arm it and then push the little yellow button. It sticks you at a depth varying from no-one-can-have-skin-this-thin to seriously-are-you-checking-a-rhinos-blood-sugar. I use a 3.
The niftiest part (other than me finally being able to stick myself with a minimum of whining) is that you don't have an exposed lancet to try to wrestle out of your device or to possibly stick someone else. They all go back into the drum. When they've all been used, you simply pop out the drum and put in a new one. I toss the used drum into my sharp's container, but you don't really have to. There is no way anyone can accidentally stick themselves with your used lancet. I am all about sharps safety, so this makes me tremendously happy.
Another nice thing about the multi-clix is the ability to find the lancet drums locally. Wal-mart and Walgreens carry them for sure. I'm sure other places do as well. I got a box of 120 for $16. Not bad.
I hope that this blog is helping a few people. If you know someone who has Diabetes, please feel free to have them jump in and contribute or even just read and lurk. The more I learn, the more I am going to share.
Oh, and one more quick note, Books-a-Million has a large sale section. In it, I found 2 Diabetes cookbooks and a low-carb one. They really had some good recipes I'm going to try.
If I find good ones, would you like me to post the actual recipe or just a hint of what I made? Feedback, people, I need feeback!
Well, that's not it, exactly. I can watch someone else do it. It's the combo of being the one to jam the "thumbtack" into my finger and watch it go in. I am so pitiful. I should get my big, bad nurse badge taken away.
But, the good news is, I found something I can use very easily and it is actually the least painful lancet I have used thus far. It's an Accuchek Multi-clix. It's a pen-type lancet device that holds a barrel of lancets. You load them in, click to arm it and then push the little yellow button. It sticks you at a depth varying from no-one-can-have-skin-this-thin to seriously-are-you-checking-a-rhinos-blood-sugar. I use a 3.
The niftiest part (other than me finally being able to stick myself with a minimum of whining) is that you don't have an exposed lancet to try to wrestle out of your device or to possibly stick someone else. They all go back into the drum. When they've all been used, you simply pop out the drum and put in a new one. I toss the used drum into my sharp's container, but you don't really have to. There is no way anyone can accidentally stick themselves with your used lancet. I am all about sharps safety, so this makes me tremendously happy.
Another nice thing about the multi-clix is the ability to find the lancet drums locally. Wal-mart and Walgreens carry them for sure. I'm sure other places do as well. I got a box of 120 for $16. Not bad.
I hope that this blog is helping a few people. If you know someone who has Diabetes, please feel free to have them jump in and contribute or even just read and lurk. The more I learn, the more I am going to share.
Oh, and one more quick note, Books-a-Million has a large sale section. In it, I found 2 Diabetes cookbooks and a low-carb one. They really had some good recipes I'm going to try.
If I find good ones, would you like me to post the actual recipe or just a hint of what I made? Feedback, people, I need feeback!
Sunday, March 21, 2010
eBay is even sweeter than ME!!!
As I mentioned in my very first post, diabetic testing strips are outrageous!! So far, my favorite meter of the 4 I am trying is the Acensia Breeze 2 by Bayer. It is a super easy to use meter that is self contained. You put in a little packet of strips (they remind me of the old film discs if anyone remembers the Kodak disc cameras), and they spit out each time you need to test. So, you test 10 times before you have to load a strip. No coding (lots of meters require that you have a chip with a certain code for your strips. Lose that code chip and you have a bunch of useless strips. Try and use a strip with a different code and it errors out), very small sample size. The downside is, of course, it is expensive to get the strips. The cheapest I'd found them so far was $67 for 50 strips at Walgreens. On a whim, I thought... why not try eBay??
One of the better thoughts I've had lately, can I just say!!! I just bought a lot of 100 strips for $19.95 plus $5.48 s&h. Holy cow! I'm figuring this guy probably hijacked a truck of diabetic supplies for them to cost this little, but I am pretty sure I don't care. Sure, hijacking is wrong, but so is highway robbery! LOL!
So, to alla you folks who are stickin' yourselves for blood sugars, it may behoove you to check into eBay for some of your supplies! I'll update this when I actually get the strips and tell you how it goes!
One of the better thoughts I've had lately, can I just say!!! I just bought a lot of 100 strips for $19.95 plus $5.48 s&h. Holy cow! I'm figuring this guy probably hijacked a truck of diabetic supplies for them to cost this little, but I am pretty sure I don't care. Sure, hijacking is wrong, but so is highway robbery! LOL!
So, to alla you folks who are stickin' yourselves for blood sugars, it may behoove you to check into eBay for some of your supplies! I'll update this when I actually get the strips and tell you how it goes!
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Product Testing... a position NOT for sissies.
OK, I am doing great on the low-carb thing. Still have not cheated at all. Of course, it's only been a little over 2 weeks. You people know me... I got fat for a reason. It's not that the fat chased me down and attacked me, inserting itself under my skin in a horrible process. I put it there all by myself. With lots of help from my friends... Mr. Bakery and Mrs. Pasta. Oh, we had good times, but they were not the friends that I thought they were... they turned on me!!!
So, I know that I am not going to last forever on grilled chicken and iceberg lettuce. I'm going to have to give myself an occasional treat. But, if I can find a way to fee myself the things I love without them being bad for me, all the better. Then, I do not have to ration them, and treat them as if they were radioactive.
So, I cruised a ton of websites and read a lot of reviews. So... I decided to start my search with a few relatively easy items. The first? Pasta.
Or to be more accurate... "pasta substitute". That's what the bag actually says. The most highly recommended low carbohydrate (2g of carbs per serving versus 14-40 for most) noodle substitute is "Tofu Shiritake" noodles. They are about $2.99 for a pack (which contains 2 servings) on the internet, but they are available for $1.89 locally at the Asian Grocery inside the Stock Pot on Hanover Street in JC. They're refrigerated. I got the "fettucine" package. Every review I read stated emphatically that if you did not rinse, boil, drain and dry, you would really regret it. The package actually tells you to rinse for at least a minute, then "parboil" for 2-3 minutes then drain and dry to "decrease the authentic aroma." That is packaging speak for killing the oddly fishy smell of the product.
So, cooked and drained and dried, I put a little veggie-rich pasta sauce on them. I took a deep breath and I tried them.
Not bad.
Second bite had a lot less sauce on it. Not as good. That's when I realized that the noodles themselves do not really have much of a taste at all. Much like birthday cake (in my opinion), it's not there to be eaten. It's there to give the main ingredient something to ride on (icing in the birthday cake analogy, but the pasta sauce in this study). Basically, it's just there to give you something to munch on as you taste your sauce of choice.
Consistency wise, they will take a little getting used to, as well. They are, as my mother would say, "squiggly". Which means a little chewy, a little squeaky on the teeth. Sorta rubbery.
So, does it hold your pasta sauce? Yes. Was it a noodle substitute? No. It tastes nor feels nothing like actual noodles. Is it hideous? No. It'll do in a pinch, but truly, I'd rather just have a tiny little serving of whole wheat noodles than have a big serving of these things. So, right now... the search continues and I will not be buying a case of these rubbery noodle subs.
So, tomorrow, I will be trying a rice noodle that I found at the Asian Market. It has no carbs at all. It also looks a little like hot glue strings. We shall see...
Wish me luck.
So, I know that I am not going to last forever on grilled chicken and iceberg lettuce. I'm going to have to give myself an occasional treat. But, if I can find a way to fee myself the things I love without them being bad for me, all the better. Then, I do not have to ration them, and treat them as if they were radioactive.
So, I cruised a ton of websites and read a lot of reviews. So... I decided to start my search with a few relatively easy items. The first? Pasta.
Or to be more accurate... "pasta substitute". That's what the bag actually says. The most highly recommended low carbohydrate (2g of carbs per serving versus 14-40 for most) noodle substitute is "Tofu Shiritake" noodles. They are about $2.99 for a pack (which contains 2 servings) on the internet, but they are available for $1.89 locally at the Asian Grocery inside the Stock Pot on Hanover Street in JC. They're refrigerated. I got the "fettucine" package. Every review I read stated emphatically that if you did not rinse, boil, drain and dry, you would really regret it. The package actually tells you to rinse for at least a minute, then "parboil" for 2-3 minutes then drain and dry to "decrease the authentic aroma." That is packaging speak for killing the oddly fishy smell of the product.
So, cooked and drained and dried, I put a little veggie-rich pasta sauce on them. I took a deep breath and I tried them.
Not bad.
Second bite had a lot less sauce on it. Not as good. That's when I realized that the noodles themselves do not really have much of a taste at all. Much like birthday cake (in my opinion), it's not there to be eaten. It's there to give the main ingredient something to ride on (icing in the birthday cake analogy, but the pasta sauce in this study). Basically, it's just there to give you something to munch on as you taste your sauce of choice.
Consistency wise, they will take a little getting used to, as well. They are, as my mother would say, "squiggly". Which means a little chewy, a little squeaky on the teeth. Sorta rubbery.
So, does it hold your pasta sauce? Yes. Was it a noodle substitute? No. It tastes nor feels nothing like actual noodles. Is it hideous? No. It'll do in a pinch, but truly, I'd rather just have a tiny little serving of whole wheat noodles than have a big serving of these things. So, right now... the search continues and I will not be buying a case of these rubbery noodle subs.
So, tomorrow, I will be trying a rice noodle that I found at the Asian Market. It has no carbs at all. It also looks a little like hot glue strings. We shall see...
Wish me luck.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Yet another day in paradise!
It is funny. I am doing pretty good on taking care of myself. I've never been too good at this. I like to take care of other people, but myself... not so much! But, when I decided to apply myself to the situation... I am doing pretty darn good! :-)
I've learned to tell people "no." Someone actually asked me today what my blood sugar was and then said, "Oh, you're doing good. Here, you can cheat." and she crammed a cookie at me. Seriously. When I said, "Oh, no, I can't." She kept yelling "just cheat!" Back a few weeks ago, I woulda just said, "Ok." and done it to be nice. So, nope... not the new me!! I just looked at her and said, "I don't eat things like that." Yeah!!! So, there!
So, I am doing good! I am very happy with myself. I even went to my parents house tonight and cooked somewhat healthy for them. Of course, they also ate cake and ice cream. I can only do so much. LOL
I continue to strive and work and try to figure out this disease. At first, it was my enemy, but I think now, it just might be my saving grace. I am losing weight, I am becoming active. Maybe it has come to save me.
Then again, that might be the carb withdrawal talking...
I've learned to tell people "no." Someone actually asked me today what my blood sugar was and then said, "Oh, you're doing good. Here, you can cheat." and she crammed a cookie at me. Seriously. When I said, "Oh, no, I can't." She kept yelling "just cheat!" Back a few weeks ago, I woulda just said, "Ok." and done it to be nice. So, nope... not the new me!! I just looked at her and said, "I don't eat things like that." Yeah!!! So, there!
So, I am doing good! I am very happy with myself. I even went to my parents house tonight and cooked somewhat healthy for them. Of course, they also ate cake and ice cream. I can only do so much. LOL
I continue to strive and work and try to figure out this disease. At first, it was my enemy, but I think now, it just might be my saving grace. I am losing weight, I am becoming active. Maybe it has come to save me.
Then again, that might be the carb withdrawal talking...
Monday, March 15, 2010
Another day, Another Diabetic Lesson
I am so happy. My blood sugar was 127 this morning. That is the lowest yet. I am beyond thrilled.
I went to Walmart tonight to pick up a small handful of items I'd forgotten and to have another house key made. While I was there, I did a lot of label reading. It takes me forever to shop now. I'm always grabbing 37 varieties of the same item, seeing which one has the least carbs in it. I got a shock while label hunting...
BBQ sauce is apparently sugar in disguise!! Holy crap. I knew it'd be somewhat high in carbs, but it has around 18 to 30 carbs. For 2 tablespoons. No, I'm not kidding. TWO TABLESPOONS. When I go to BBQ places, I drown my meat in sauce, I dip my fries in it. I do everything short of drinking it. And, now, when I am allowed 40 or so carbs per meal (although I usually eat much less), I can have a glimpse of sauce and that's all!
Who knew???
In comparison, a cup of chili has 1/2 that many carbs. Salad dressing 1/3 that much for the same 2 tablespoons. Yeesh.
I guess I will have to figure out how to get Ridgewood BBQ sauce to cover an entire sandwich with only 2 tablespoons. Sigh.
I went to Walmart tonight to pick up a small handful of items I'd forgotten and to have another house key made. While I was there, I did a lot of label reading. It takes me forever to shop now. I'm always grabbing 37 varieties of the same item, seeing which one has the least carbs in it. I got a shock while label hunting...
BBQ sauce is apparently sugar in disguise!! Holy crap. I knew it'd be somewhat high in carbs, but it has around 18 to 30 carbs. For 2 tablespoons. No, I'm not kidding. TWO TABLESPOONS. When I go to BBQ places, I drown my meat in sauce, I dip my fries in it. I do everything short of drinking it. And, now, when I am allowed 40 or so carbs per meal (although I usually eat much less), I can have a glimpse of sauce and that's all!
Who knew???
In comparison, a cup of chili has 1/2 that many carbs. Salad dressing 1/3 that much for the same 2 tablespoons. Yeesh.
I guess I will have to figure out how to get Ridgewood BBQ sauce to cover an entire sandwich with only 2 tablespoons. Sigh.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
The start of the journey
On March 3, 2010 I was diagnosed with Diabetes, Type 2. The diagnosis itself came as no surprise. I'm obese. Both my parents are diabetics. I have a lousy diet, I hate vegetables. I never exercise. So, I'd been wary of how my lifestyle would eventually catch up with me. What caught me by surprise was just HOW diabetic I was. A normal HgbA1c http://www.diabeteshome.ca/hemoglobin-a1c.php is around 5. Diabetic is over 7. Dangerously Diabetic is over 8. I rang the prize bell at 10.6. I actually sat in the doctor's office as he told me and kept saying, "Holy shit." Eloquent, no. But, let me tell you... it was heartfelt. Holy shit indeed.
I am a nurse. I have taken care of diabetics for years. In their senior years, I have seen what happens to uncontrolled or poorly controlled diabetics. Open sores on their feet, leading to gangrene, leading to amputation. Blindness. Heart attacks. Strokes. I'm already hypertensive (high blood pressure), so my risk of heart attack and stroke are already high. Now, it's worse.
I do not want to lose my feet. I don't want to be blind. I don't want to feel like crap all the time. I'm only 37, and I do not want to die. How's that for honesty?
So, there I was. Hemoglobin A1c at 10.6. Weight at 268 pounds (at 5'4"... Yeah, I know). Glucose at over 300. The doctor (someone I have known, work with and trust) told me, "Emily, I could send you to a nutritionist, but you know what to do." He was right. I had to change. I couldn't get anyone to do this for me. I had to do it myself. And, instead of worrying about everyone else, and trying to be everyone else's nurse... I had to "heal" myself.
On my way home from the doctor's office, I stopped at Earth Fare. I knew carbs are the devil to diabetics, so I bought meat, cheese and salads. I hate veggies, so I figured I'd let them figure out what kinds of things I could mix together and they'd work. I was very correct. I have discovered Live Dark Green salad and Cleansing Fennel salad. Both are excellent and both are A-OK for diabetics.
Then, I got home, I went online. I hit every diabetes website I could find. Turns out, a lot of my knowledge of diabetic diets is obsolete. Back in my day, we did the 1800 calorie ADA as a gold standard. They've moved away from that to carb counting and such. It takes into account that not everyone eats the same thing. But, as a newly diagnosed person, it's a little harder to nail down what exactly I need to eat. So, on with the search.
As a nerd, research is power. As a Diabetic Nerd, I went book hunting. I am now the proud owner of 3 diabetic cookbooks and a book titled " The First Year: Type 2 Diabetes" by Gretchen Becker. She writes from a Diabetic's point of view, not a nurse or doc point of view. So, it comes highly recommended and what I have read so far is really informative. I am already highlighting and using post-it flags.
I have drastically changed my diet. Smaller portions. Very little "premade" food, which I have found out by label reading is chock full o' carbs. Almost no carbs. Lean meats. Salads, veggies, fresh fruit, yogurt (Kroger makes a CARBMaster yogurt that has only 3 carbs. Most other yogurt can go as high as 18... yikes), cheese, low fat milk, whole wheat grains for what little carbs I do get. Yeah, totally different from my usual. Holy crap. Total life change.
Oh, and did I mention I now need to exercise? Research has shown that diabetics do better controlling their blood sugars when they exercise. So, here we go. O.H.S time again. Ugh. Have I mentioned I loathe any form of physical activity? Even as a kid, when other kids were out playing tag, I much preferred to be inside (in the Air Conditioning, thank you) reading a book. I'm not a total sloth. I walk a lot at work, and I can walk your butt off when I'm shopping. But, as for exercise... I hate it. It's evil. TOO BAD.
So, I'm walking each day. To complicate this, one of the heart meds I am on will make me short of breath rather quickly with exertion. So, I gotta start really slow and build up. Right now, I'm just walking up and down the driveway at my apartment complex every afternoon. Sometimes twice. That is such a pathetically small amount. But, it's much more than what I was doing.
They say a key to overcoming Diabetes is support. If that is true, I should be able to make IT say O.H.S. I called Chad in a total stun from the doc's office. He had to work that night, but he told me right then and there that whatever he had to do to help me, he would. And, he has. He has bought me a tiny grill that I can use when it's just me (our other grill is absolutely HUGE and takes forever to heat up). He's grilled out, he's lugged in bag after bag of groceries. My friends have had me over and have asked me what I can eat and cooked accordingly. I have 30 plus FB comments from when I announced my Diabetes that are encouraging me, pointing me to websites, magazines, cookbooks, etc. At church, when I announced my Diabetes as a prayer request, several folks came up to me and offered me help, or even just said, "I know you can do it."
Of course, as a nurse, I am used to needles. Who on earth knew that I had a little phobia about them? I did not know this. I do not mind anyone giving me a shot. I'm A-okay with that. Doesn't phase me. But, apparently, using any sort of sharp on myself is another story. I tried every single morning for a whole week to poke my own finger to check my blood sugar. I mean, sitting there with the lancet in my hand... waiting. Finger poised mere air between it and the stabbing point. Could. Not. Do. It. How embarrassing to have to go to one of my nurses and say, "Um.. can you do this? 'Cause I can't." Thankfully, they understand me. And, they checked my sugar each morning.
Speaking of glucometers, do you have any idea how expensive they are? They are FREE. Great, right?! Let me tell you WHY the damn things are free. Because they charge you a FORTUNE for the stupid strips that go in them. Holy Cow. $50 for 50 strips is about the base. The free meter I received first (I've ordered every single one I could find so I can figure out which one works best for me) is the Breeze 2. It's way cool. It spits out a strip off of a disc, you don't even have to load one! Tiny amount of blood needed (not that it matters so far, as I bleed like a pig every time I get stuck). Works in 5 seconds. The strips are $67 for 50. O.H.S. again. But, the good news is, it comes with a free lancet, too. One that hides the pointy part. I just push the button and it does the rest. I still have to do a few deep breathing exercises, but I can finally stick myself.
So, where does all this leave me? Today is March 14th. I have been a Diabetic (officially) for 11 days. I have lost 17 pounds. My blood sugar has dropped to the 150s for the most part (up to 174, down to 133, but mostly in the 150s). I own 3 cookbooks, a reference book, a glucometer. I have 3 more glucometers on order. I have ordered a med alert bracelet. I have a prescription for glucophage (that's a blog for another day... great medication with one really bad side effect) and am taking it like clockwork. I am walking beyond what is necessary for point A to point B. I stick my own fingers. I have announced my disease and my need for support to the universe.
And, now, I have a blog.
Wish me luck. I have to go and walk.
Love,
Emily
PS The name of this blog is a play on my having too much sugar in my blood. So, I am too sweet. I joked to Chad that if you drank my blood it would probably taste like Maple syrup given the amount of sugar in there.
I am a nurse. I have taken care of diabetics for years. In their senior years, I have seen what happens to uncontrolled or poorly controlled diabetics. Open sores on their feet, leading to gangrene, leading to amputation. Blindness. Heart attacks. Strokes. I'm already hypertensive (high blood pressure), so my risk of heart attack and stroke are already high. Now, it's worse.
I do not want to lose my feet. I don't want to be blind. I don't want to feel like crap all the time. I'm only 37, and I do not want to die. How's that for honesty?
So, there I was. Hemoglobin A1c at 10.6. Weight at 268 pounds (at 5'4"... Yeah, I know). Glucose at over 300. The doctor (someone I have known, work with and trust) told me, "Emily, I could send you to a nutritionist, but you know what to do." He was right. I had to change. I couldn't get anyone to do this for me. I had to do it myself. And, instead of worrying about everyone else, and trying to be everyone else's nurse... I had to "heal" myself.
On my way home from the doctor's office, I stopped at Earth Fare. I knew carbs are the devil to diabetics, so I bought meat, cheese and salads. I hate veggies, so I figured I'd let them figure out what kinds of things I could mix together and they'd work. I was very correct. I have discovered Live Dark Green salad and Cleansing Fennel salad. Both are excellent and both are A-OK for diabetics.
Then, I got home, I went online. I hit every diabetes website I could find. Turns out, a lot of my knowledge of diabetic diets is obsolete. Back in my day, we did the 1800 calorie ADA as a gold standard. They've moved away from that to carb counting and such. It takes into account that not everyone eats the same thing. But, as a newly diagnosed person, it's a little harder to nail down what exactly I need to eat. So, on with the search.
As a nerd, research is power. As a Diabetic Nerd, I went book hunting. I am now the proud owner of 3 diabetic cookbooks and a book titled " The First Year: Type 2 Diabetes" by Gretchen Becker. She writes from a Diabetic's point of view, not a nurse or doc point of view. So, it comes highly recommended and what I have read so far is really informative. I am already highlighting and using post-it flags.
I have drastically changed my diet. Smaller portions. Very little "premade" food, which I have found out by label reading is chock full o' carbs. Almost no carbs. Lean meats. Salads, veggies, fresh fruit, yogurt (Kroger makes a CARBMaster yogurt that has only 3 carbs. Most other yogurt can go as high as 18... yikes), cheese, low fat milk, whole wheat grains for what little carbs I do get. Yeah, totally different from my usual. Holy crap. Total life change.
Oh, and did I mention I now need to exercise? Research has shown that diabetics do better controlling their blood sugars when they exercise. So, here we go. O.H.S time again. Ugh. Have I mentioned I loathe any form of physical activity? Even as a kid, when other kids were out playing tag, I much preferred to be inside (in the Air Conditioning, thank you) reading a book. I'm not a total sloth. I walk a lot at work, and I can walk your butt off when I'm shopping. But, as for exercise... I hate it. It's evil. TOO BAD.
So, I'm walking each day. To complicate this, one of the heart meds I am on will make me short of breath rather quickly with exertion. So, I gotta start really slow and build up. Right now, I'm just walking up and down the driveway at my apartment complex every afternoon. Sometimes twice. That is such a pathetically small amount. But, it's much more than what I was doing.
They say a key to overcoming Diabetes is support. If that is true, I should be able to make IT say O.H.S. I called Chad in a total stun from the doc's office. He had to work that night, but he told me right then and there that whatever he had to do to help me, he would. And, he has. He has bought me a tiny grill that I can use when it's just me (our other grill is absolutely HUGE and takes forever to heat up). He's grilled out, he's lugged in bag after bag of groceries. My friends have had me over and have asked me what I can eat and cooked accordingly. I have 30 plus FB comments from when I announced my Diabetes that are encouraging me, pointing me to websites, magazines, cookbooks, etc. At church, when I announced my Diabetes as a prayer request, several folks came up to me and offered me help, or even just said, "I know you can do it."
Of course, as a nurse, I am used to needles. Who on earth knew that I had a little phobia about them? I did not know this. I do not mind anyone giving me a shot. I'm A-okay with that. Doesn't phase me. But, apparently, using any sort of sharp on myself is another story. I tried every single morning for a whole week to poke my own finger to check my blood sugar. I mean, sitting there with the lancet in my hand... waiting. Finger poised mere air between it and the stabbing point. Could. Not. Do. It. How embarrassing to have to go to one of my nurses and say, "Um.. can you do this? 'Cause I can't." Thankfully, they understand me. And, they checked my sugar each morning.
Speaking of glucometers, do you have any idea how expensive they are? They are FREE. Great, right?! Let me tell you WHY the damn things are free. Because they charge you a FORTUNE for the stupid strips that go in them. Holy Cow. $50 for 50 strips is about the base. The free meter I received first (I've ordered every single one I could find so I can figure out which one works best for me) is the Breeze 2. It's way cool. It spits out a strip off of a disc, you don't even have to load one! Tiny amount of blood needed (not that it matters so far, as I bleed like a pig every time I get stuck). Works in 5 seconds. The strips are $67 for 50. O.H.S. again. But, the good news is, it comes with a free lancet, too. One that hides the pointy part. I just push the button and it does the rest. I still have to do a few deep breathing exercises, but I can finally stick myself.
So, where does all this leave me? Today is March 14th. I have been a Diabetic (officially) for 11 days. I have lost 17 pounds. My blood sugar has dropped to the 150s for the most part (up to 174, down to 133, but mostly in the 150s). I own 3 cookbooks, a reference book, a glucometer. I have 3 more glucometers on order. I have ordered a med alert bracelet. I have a prescription for glucophage (that's a blog for another day... great medication with one really bad side effect) and am taking it like clockwork. I am walking beyond what is necessary for point A to point B. I stick my own fingers. I have announced my disease and my need for support to the universe.
And, now, I have a blog.
Wish me luck. I have to go and walk.
Love,
Emily
PS The name of this blog is a play on my having too much sugar in my blood. So, I am too sweet. I joked to Chad that if you drank my blood it would probably taste like Maple syrup given the amount of sugar in there.
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