Diabetic Diet (formerly Pasta, Pasta, Pasta!)

[Guest guest]

I diagnosed myself with diabetes summer before last. Weird symptoms

had gotten so bad that I did a google search with all the symptoms.

1st to come up was a diabetes site with an exhaustive list of

symptoms. Bought a cheap glucose monitor and discovered my blood

sugar was too high to register. Yikes! This was on a Sunday, July 3

when no one was around. A friend called a doctor buddy and told him

the situation. My friend told him I didn't want to go to the hospital

(bad weather, 40 minute drive, badly blurred vision). Doctor replied,

" No problem, she'll slip into a coma and somebody'll find her body

eventually. " I drove to the hospital.

 

I told this one to show that I've had to take full responsibility for

my diabetes from the beginning. My doctor was terrible. He started me

on meds and sent me to diabetic classes. The classes were useless and

the meds didn't work. I got online and found a few diabetes groups,

one started by a diabetic Harvard endocrinologist, and got much

straighter answers. One of the first thing I learned is that we're

all different. Things that work for one person might be a disaster

for another. The America Diabetes Assoc recommends eating by the

FDA's food pyramid, throw in a little sugar, and watch the calories.

Most other groups are advocating an Adkins like approach with high

protein and low carbs. I have a friend who's lost over 100 lbs that

way and he's gone from insulin to oral meds. His doctor thinks he'll

be able to quit those soon.

 

Some people get nasty blood sugar spikes from carbs, whole grain or

otherwise, but they can eat some sugar with no problem. I don't spike

from carbs but sugar does it every time. Many of us have other

problems that effect our blood sugar and the way we process various

foods. I have an iffy gallbladder and a fatty liver. My liver

overproduces cholesterol and could eventually develop cirrhosis. This

is particularly galling (no pun intended) since I haven't had a drink

in 35 years. I overdid it in my flaming youth and stopped all that in

'71. My system doesn't tolerate meat well but craves dairy. I used to

eat huge amounts of fiber and I've had to cut that back. I eat a high

fiber, no sugar cereal every morning and take a fiber supplement. Any

more turns my system inside out.

 

I've got a good doctor now that bases her opinions on my test

results. If something is working, it's fine with her. I take meds

everyday. 2 shots (not insulin) and 2 pills for the diabetes and I'm

fine. Oddly enough, the injectable is made from gila monster spit.

That's one animal, err, reptile product that I'll continue to use.

 

A one size fits all approach just doesn't work with most type 2

diabetics. Nice if it did though, it would save us a lot of effort.

 

Lou