Health and Fitness, October 2009

[Harriet]

Things are much better for me. I have been exercising more and getting up to the stamina I want before going to the workshop next month. This way, I can get more out of the workshop. I have been eating very well, trying to lay off the white sugar and white flour. I've been doing so well that yesterday a bun and some pasta sent me up 2.5 pounds. This tells me that, otherwise, my eating has been very clean and I've been carrying little water weight. Some of this has been to counteract the acid reflux. Things I've been eating more of - McCann's Irish Oatmeal, Oikos greek yogurt plain, salads, veggie soups without tomato, and I've been sweetening the oatmeal and yogurt with honey.

[Nancy]

I miss oatmeal and honey sigh!

[Emptynester]

Nancy - Why can't you have oatmeal and honey? Those are my mainstay when I am trying to watch my BS. 1/3 cup of steel cut oats and 2 teaspoons of honey. I usually add some slivered almonds, too and it keeps my BS down and gives me energy and I don't get hungry.

I know you said one time that because your BS was high, you couldn't have breakfast -- my nutritionist said never to skip breakfast even if my BS was high as that is what starts the engine (makes your metabolism work). Just wondering if your nutritionist or Dr. had a different viewpoint.

[Nancy]

EN
I'm a type one diabetic and have to take shots daily with
meals and at bed time.
Honey makes my blood sugar sky rocket !!!
As for oat meal I only get 1/2 c. also makes blood sugar go up.
1/3 c. of it is not so filling for me.
[I'm allergic to nuts too.]
I do better with something like cheerios,
I get a cup of those and 1/2 c. milk.
I'm supposed to keep my post meal blood sugar to under #250 and
honey makes it go beyond that.

It's rare that I do have to skip a meal b/c of high blood sugar levels.
When it's up I'm not hungry any way so it's not a big deal for me.

Last night I had sweet potato fries
8 of them half of a small one
and my blood sugar at bed time
3-4 hours later was 181 sigh
over my 150 target.
May have to re think those.

I've got a few things on my list to replace white potatoes with in
soups and stews, rutabagas, turnips, parsnips, cauliflower.
I was talking to a neighbor with type 2 diabetes said try
brown or wild rice instead of white rice which also jacks
up blood sugar levels.
I'm wondering if noodles other than wheat would be
better.
I do not like rice or noodles that much so really do not
miss them.

Fighting a bit of a cold has made my bs levels up this mo.

With no insurance I do not have a nutritionist so I could have some
wrong info. I am mostly going by what the dr. said to see what
different foods to do your levels.

[Harriet]

Nancy, cook that brown rice long enough and with enough water. I was trying Success brown rice for a while and going exactly by the directions but the rice wasn't done enough and then didn't "sit" well with me. Otherwise, though, I have enjoyed brown rice - frankly, I switched brands and was happier. (A good cook could have handled that better.) There are a few rice brands that sell a brown and wild rice mix - Uncle Ben's is one I think. They look beautiful on the plate and dh here loves them.

[Emptynester]

Nancy - looks like there is more difference between Type 1 & 2 than I thought. You probably can get a lot of info from the Am. Diabetes Assoc. if you don't have a nutritionist.

[Harmony]

Nancy, I sure feel for you trying to juggle all that.

Last day of the month here, I weighed and measured. I have lost 4 1/2 pounds this month, and that's HUGE for me.

See, I'm trying not to be so HUGE! HaHa!

Also, I've lost 1/2" here and 1/2" there and 1" here & there and I can definitely see a difference in the mirror. I can even feel it in my clothes.

I have figured out what to do to not feel deprived, and that's a giant step for me cause when I get stressed I tend to eat and if I don't I'm really irritable.

I need to be more consistent on my exercise so I'll concentrate on that next month.

[Nancy]

Today had cooked pumpkin for breakfast
to get more fiber in.