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

4K views 42 replies 12 participants last post by  cab54 
#1 ·
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.:cheerup:

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

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. :smhelp:

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. :thud:

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. :yikes:

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

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!!
 
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#2 ·
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. :cents:
 
#3 ·
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 ?
 
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#4 ·
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?
 
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#7 ·
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. :rollsmile

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.... :smhelp:

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.
 
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#9 ·
mahalo for the info - shall look into it as a proactive process!!
 
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#10 ·
GOOD for you guys for being proactive on protecting yourself from diabetes!! :clap:

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!
 
#11 ·
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! :)
 
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#12 ·
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.
 
#19 ·
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.
??????? Fetuccine has the exact same ingredients as other pastas. How could this possibly be?????
 
#16 ·
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
 
#17 ·
Yeah, I know. The stupid thing is----:blush:-----I'm a nurse, and should have been more aware that this could happen and just taken care of my weight issues and cholesterol and all that to start with. It can all be prevented.

Pam, type in Glycemic index, and you will get about 10 sites. Save them on your computer, and only eat foods from the LOW category (GI of 55 or less). That's all I do.

Fasting BS this am--87
2hrs after breakfast---97

Still walking, weather permitting.
 
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#18 ·
Still eating low GI foods, still walking, still checking BS's. They have been good, except for last night it was 133 for NO apparent reason........I had had no sugary foods, no carbs, no high GI foods. Hmmmm.........
 
#21 ·
It's raining today, going to do some calesthenics and yoga stretches.

Got up today and made myself a 'green smoothie' in the blender. Banana, orange, lettuce, spinach, carrot, half a cucumber. 2 hours later, Blood sugar was 87. COOL! Very good.

I thought maybe fruit (especially banana) would raise my BS without protein to go with. Guess not. Good to know.

All is well, otherwise. My clothes are getting looser, and I feel really good.

Going to have scallops, salad, and fruit tonight for dinner. :horse:

Snacks will be nuts.
 
#22 ·
Cheryl, I was looking at your GI sites and was SHOCKED to see that popcorn has a higher GI than ice cream!
 
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#23 ·
So weird, isn't it?? I find the whole list of foods to be strange and surprising. DH and I have been fooling around with it--testing to see what affects our b. sugar and what doesn't. It (the GI chart) is pretty accurate!

Except there are some foods that affect me differently from dh. He can eat watermelon till the cows come home (he is on oral meds, tho) and I have two bites and I'm up where I don't wanna be. :jug:

They have sourdough bread and pumpernickel as being low GI. I have tried both without protein alongside, and it sends my bs up. I will try it with protein sometime and see.

I have noticed that I have to have a bite or two of protein with fruit--most fruit.
 
#24 ·
And aa Snickers bar or Hersheys chocolate bar are lower than potatoes or most breads! :loop:

I have been ignoring that little piece of information, tho. I'm afraid if I open the floodgates, and start adding this and that (things that may not be high GI, but ARE high calorie and not nutritious) I will not lose the weight, and the weight loss alone will help me greatly in keeping away type2. According to what I've read, that is half the battle in type 2.

Amy--You might want to read (if you can find any info) about Elizabeth Perkins (the actress). She found out she had type 1 at 40-something. She'd been having health issues, and her BS was something like 700! If I find some info, I'll post it, Amy
 
#25 ·
And aa Snickers bar or Hersheys chocolate bar are lower than potatoes or most breads! :loop:

I have been ignoring that little piece of information, tho. I'm afraid if I open the floodgates, and start adding this and that (things that may not be high GI, but ARE high calorie and not nutritious) I will not lose the weight, and the weight loss alone will help me greatly in keeping away type2. According to what I've read, that is half the battle in type 2.
I completely agree. I've been eating a lot of blueberries, lately. Funny, I never ate blueberries as a kid, but my mom always had them in the house. Now, I love them, and found some info showing that they are pretty good for diabetics. Whoopee!!!

I've also been my own little science experiment; eating something, then testing to see what it does to me. My dad and I have been comparing numbers and it's always interesting that things that set me way high and soaring don't affect him at all, but things that are good for me are terrible for him. Although, he's on insulin shots, and I'm still controlling through diet and exercise, so it's not exactly like comparing apples to apples.
 
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#27 ·
My dh and I like to compare, too.

My dad is a different story. Every time I showed up at his apt. back in Ohio, he had one of those HUGE Hershey bars on top of the microwave. And lots of other goodies in the fridge.

Blueberries! Love 'em. We've been eating them by the handful. Have to be better for you than potato chips (my downfall before the downfall).

Almonds, also. And walnuts for omega 3's.
And plums, cherries, and nectarines.
I try to make sure I have some protein with fruit though. Just to be sure.
 
#28 ·
Walked 40 minutes today. Has been TRYING to get sunny. I mentioned to dh I wanted to hang out some wash today, and it immediately got very cloudy and ugly. God hates me, LOL! :lemon: J/K.

Working on eating smaller amounts all day (grazing) rather than the whole 'meal' thinking. This is hard with dh because he is used to me cooking meals. I can't get him to eat smaller snacks and graze with me. :teach: I've got it down to..fx him a breakfast and he grazes the afternoon, then I fix dinner, and I try to eta just a little of that.

Ah, well. Onward.......
 
#29 ·
WTG I'm glad you finally woke up and been proactice with your health it's never too late for anyone! My dh changed his eating habits about 5 yrs ago and he lost 25lbs and brought his cholesterol and trig. down and he feels and looks so much younger and better. We go for a mile walk daily and talk it really helps everyone. We watch what we eat no more junk food or HFCS or foods with preservatives for us. More greens fiber and veggies and fruits it pays off in the end with longer life.
 
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#30 ·
Not walking today....tired of it...LOL!........

Going to lay down my mat and do some legs lifts, sit-ups, etc. And some yoga stretches.
 
#31 ·
Ugh. It's supposed to rain for the next 6 days. So much for the walks. Sometimes I just use my iPod and dance around like a nut, for exercise.

But, I have to do it ONLY when dh is not in the house. TOOOOO embarrassing.
 
#33 ·
IStoolmiller---No group, that I know of, LOL. Maybe there should BE one though! Anyone can start one, I think.

This is just my own personal journal here on FV for logging my progress with eating/blood sugar/exercise, and how those things are helping me avoid diabetes. (I'm at high risk, is all) I am not diabetic YET, just had some high sugars.

But feel free to join in! Anyone is welcome to comment and share stories and advise! I can use all the help and comradery I can get!

Today, I am walking. It is nice and sunny.

Eating has been good. Blood sugars normal. I wanted some potato chips a few days ago----so badly I could have screamed! But I stayed the course. I want to be really good about this for about a year, and get this weight off---it will help the BS's so much if I drop some weight. That's Blood Sugar, not :bs2:. LOL!
 
#35 ·
I don't know if this works with the bs thing. I have decided when I want a snack; I have a very small "bowl". It holds 5 ounces of water I'm going to have that much. If you took a little bit of chips like one of those snack bags (where there is 3 or 4 chips, LOL) would that be ok or not? If you toally deny yourself maybe you would stop at the store one day and buy and eat a whole bag. Just asking how this works. Thanks
 
#34 ·
I've been a slacker on the walking the last few days......:ack:

But...I've been eating well (low GI) and not cheating.....:tay:

Fasting BS's are still normal. Cool. :apple:
 
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