Cheryl's 'get hold of your blood sugar before it gets hold of you' challenge

**cab54** · 06-26-2009, 12:54 PM

I've been very cavalear about my health for the last few years. I have watched my mother have a heart attack and bypass surgery at the age of 69, 4 years ago and THAT didn't scare me.

I have watched my cholesterol and triglycerides climb for at least a decade into horrible numbers, and THAT didn't scare me.

I have reached close to 200# (I'm quite short) this past couple of years, with lots more abdominal fat (dangerous!) and THAT hasn't scared me.

I am 54 years old, and was a gestational diabetic (diab. while pregnant) which is a huge risk factor for developing diab. later in life ESPECIALLY if you stay obese, and THAT didn't scare me. I had 9#+ babies=big risk, also.

I have all the components of metabolic syndrome (something docs have come up with that means "get your act together or you're gonna DIE!") and that hasn't scared me. Then I started to check my blood sugar (w/ dh's glucometer) when I wasn't feeling so well, and my BS's were rising---up to the highest being a random at 149! Yikes.

OK, ---NOw I'm awake. Now I'm a little scared. THAT got my
attention.

Well, this is NOT going to get me. I am NOT going to become diabetic or even PRE-diabetic if I have the power to turn it around! I have stepped up my walking to every day and doing some hills for intensity.

I am eating ONLY low glycemic index foods (foods that do not impact your blood glucose at all or very little). I put numerous GI (glyc. index) charts on saved area of my computer and I am RELIGIOUSLY paying attention to everything I eat and checking my blood sugar to see how it affects me. In a relaxed, calm, pro-active way, LOL!

I've been doing this for about a week, and I'm feeling so much better. No highs/lows of energy. No crappy feeling after starchy foods or sweets because HEY---I'm not eating them!!

And ya know what? Since I am doing this to keep my health, and basically my life.....it isn't hard at ALL. I know there will be obstacle courses to get around, but I'm ready for them.

DH's blood sugars (BSs) have been out fo control lately, too. He hasn't been able to figure out how to get them down. Ya know what? Since I got (as he says) 'all military on his a$$' his are dropping too!

WE decided we wanna keep our feet (not have them amputated) and wanna see our grandkiddies (when we get some).

So---a journal. A record. I don't have a scale up here, but scales aren't (IMO) always true measures of body mass, etc. I just go by jeans size, LOL! The idea is not specifically weight loss----it's just that weight loss helps immensely in getting sugars in control.

So---onward and downward!!

**cab54** · 06-26-2009, 05:31 PM

OK, today walked about 2 miles, with hills up and down. At a very brisk pace. Whew.

Have eaten:

One egg cooked in Pam, 4 slices turkey bacon, an apple

Handful of almonds, some baby carrots

Tons of water and iced white tea

Will have for dinner---salmon, raw cauliflower, celery, and tomato

probably some more nuts and veggies/fruit tonight

Took my multi-vitamin, some vit E, calcium, and fish oil (omega 3's). Doctor's orders. All WM nn brand, LOL.

**ladytoysdream** · 06-26-2009, 05:39 PM

Sounds like you did a good job today

What kind of health books have you been reading to fiqure out what to eat ? Or online reading ?

**mauimagic** · 06-26-2009, 05:54 PM

so, what should we do to check our blood sugar if we don't have diabetes - but want to make sure we're getting it out of the prediabetic range?

**strezzed** · 06-26-2009, 08:33 PM

Great job!
One thing I would suggest is to keep an eye on sodium intake (turkey bacon). It's something I was eating and thinking it's "healthy".
It's fantastic that you're starting to take control of your health like this!

**cab54** · 06-29-2009, 01:49 PM

HI, all. I have been walking and some yoga/calesthenics on rainy days. Eating is still good.

strezzed---Turkey bacon is something I have on like, Sunday. The rest of the week, my breakfast is something like nonfat plain yogurt/with fruit/ and nuts and/ some flax seed meal.

Mauimagic--You can buy a glucometer at Walmart for 19.00 or so. I wish I could say the test strips and stuff were as cheap....

lasytoysdream--I have been reading online since DH became diabetic a few years ago, but I am a nurse to start with, so..... The newest knowledge about diab. is that low glycemic foods help a lot. I've been looking up charts of those foods.

**nodmicks** · 06-29-2009, 01:53 PM

About the test strips. When ins didn't cover mine I had awesome luck buying them at less than 1/2 price on EBAY

**mauimagic** · 06-29-2009, 02:01 PM

mahalo for the info - shall look into it as a proactive process!!

**cab54** · 07-03-2009, 08:29 PM

GOOD for you guys for being proactive on protecting yourself from diabetes!!

I wish I hadn't been so OSTRICH like, with my head in the sand.....but at least I caught it before it was bad.

I still have been walking whenever I can, but had company for the last few days--BIL and SIL and their 5 kids for 3 days/nights. Whew---I didn't get any walks in, but I was on my feet constantly cooking and cleaning. I'm exhausted. They left today about noon. They are fun, but the noise and commotion were ---wow.

BUT---I was very good about my eating the whole time. Even though there were cookies and candy out for the kids!

**AmyBoz** · 07-03-2009, 08:38 PM

Cheryl, You are doing great! As a Type II diabetic who is not overweight, I struggle a great deal with keeping my blood glucose under control because I think, "I can eat this...I'm thin." The glucometer tells a different story and I know that I am doing some serious damage to my pancreas every time I ask it to process a bagel or pasta.

So, I look forward to tracking your progress and hopefully getting on top of my own!

**cab54** · 07-07-2009, 12:12 PM

AmyBoz---I have been trying Fetuccine as a pasta---it's GI is in the low range, and it doesn't affect my BS like other pastas. I found a site where they recommended it to diabetics/prediabetics. Maybe your whole fam would like it if you served it.

Depends on the sauce, too. If you use bottled sauce, use one that doesn't have sugar as one of the first few ingredients.

**nodmicks** · 07-07-2009, 12:23 PM

Interesting about the fettuccine! I'm going to try it and monitor. I usually use Dreamfields pasta if I eat any. It is too expensive. I'll add a small box of fettuccini to my shopping list.

**nodmicks** · 07-07-2009, 12:25 PM

Originally Posted by AmyBoz

Cheryl, You are doing great! As a Type II diabetic who is not overweight, I struggle a great deal with keeping my blood glucose under control because I think, "I can eat this...I'm thin." The glucometer tells a different story and I know that I am doing some serious damage to my pancreas every time I ask it to process a bagel or pasta.

So, I look forward to tracking your progress and hopefully getting on top of my own!

It is good you realize you do that and watch that meter. Your body will thank you 100 times over! I used to be a thin diabetic but further and further into it I find myself over fluffy.

**cab54** · 07-10-2009, 01:31 PM

Originally Posted by nodmicks

It is good you realize you do that and watch that meter. Your body will thank you 100 times over! I used to be a thin diabetic but further and further into it I find myself over fluffy.

nodmicks--My dh swears the diab. meds make him gain weight. That's why I am sooooo interested in heading this off before it becomes diabetes. Like I need more weight on--yeah.

Actually, with exercise and better eating, I have gone down a pant size already! Surprising. I'll try to stick to that mode of control for now.

**craftypam** · 07-10-2009, 05:20 PM

Good job taking care of your health!!!!!!! Another problem not taking care of your sugar; you could ruin your kidneys and find yourself on dialysis. I was on it and I want to tell every diabetic to please take care of yourself. I was on for different reasons. cab where did you get the diet. I would seriously like to cut the sweets in my diet.

Thx
Pam