Friday, December 23, 2016

Moving or What Happened to My Routine?

I like routines. I like lists. One problem.... I don't follow the routines I try to set into place, like working out and beading. Okay, two problems.... I don't pay attention to my lists either. I make a shopping list only to leave on the counter. I put reminders in my phone only to swipe the "x" with the intention of grabbing my medicine and then forgetting it when I see the cup of tea I left on the counter. I try. Really. I try.  I actually almost sort of had a routine going at home until I decided to snowbird for the winter. Cold and snow are four letter curse words. Now I am in a motorhome, in a warmer climate, trying to set in place new routines. I haven't worked out, taken my medicine regularly, logged my food, or gotten to bed on time. It is all so new. It is all so different. It is so exciting. It isn't all bad though. I walk to the post office, grocery store, and around the neighborhood. I am eating more vegetables and legumes while scaling back on the meat. Instead of working out, I make it a point to move after I eat like walk, jumping jacks, sit ups and have actually started a list of exercises in hopes of working different muscles three times a day (or when I want candy) 👍


 Taking my medicine has gotten better since the bottle is now next to my tea pot so I see it first thing in the morning and last thing at night. 
Going to bed, well that's a work in progress!!


Monday, December 19, 2016

A1c Estimated Average Blood Sugar

I found this chart when I was first diagnosed and the more I read about the A1c test and numbers, the more I am convinced that too much emphasis is placed on a test that averages around 2 to 3 months of glucose levels.
                                                             Here is the chart:


My thought is:
An average is a starting point. But what if your fasting number is great and your after eating carbs number is horrid. Your average would be okay. Wake up at 78 mg/dL and an hour later you eat oatmeal and test at 80 mg/dL. Every hour you test it goes from 200, 150, 125, 100, and 80 mg/dL. The A1c would be pre-diabetes but damage is being done. To be honest, I just want to eat. My mission is to get my doctor to see that although my A1c is almost normal, my numbers after eating are not good.
Blood work is now my friend.




Friday, December 16, 2016

Doctor Appointment Part 3

As you can see from blog post 1 & 2, I am not a forceful person. I think of things to say and do long after the time as passed. I got home from the uneventful doctors appointment with a copy of my blood work in hand. I looked it over and googled some of the test results that were low and high but not mentioned by my doctor. Seems vitamin B and D were low, thyroid not where it should be and iron low too. Didn't I say I was tired?  So back to the vitamins, which I had run out of and am suppose to take per my doctors previous orders, and I noticed a difference in a few days. Duh.

Now to address the diabetes. I called the office and asked how often Doc wanted me to test. She called back and said once a day, at different times, and to write it down along with any notes such as exercise and food. Okay, I am going to my next visit armed and hopefully a little more dangerous. Time to get back in the routine of logging food and exercise so I can stick up for me!

Monday, December 12, 2016

Doctor Appointments Part 2

I left the doctor with news that I am on the cusp of normal, A1c of 5.7, the bottom rung of prediabetes. Metformin, 2-500 extended release tablets, are helping according to the doctor. I try to explain that my diet of 50g to 100g of carbs a day is probably helping more but is so difficult.  I also try to explain that if I eat too many carb at one time, like a sweet potato, I spike to over 200 mg/dL and even a small granny smith apple will put me over 150 mg/dL.
We have a difference of opinion, he looks at A1c while I look at the number after eating. I read where damage occurs at over 150 mg/dL and the higher/longer we are over that number, the greater the damage.  I don't want damage like my dad who has heart problems and neuropathy. Although he is 80 now, the problems have caused him pain and slowed him down when he was much younger.
Am I being unreasonable? Do I want too much by not only wanting the average to be in the normal range but to get rid of as many spikes as possible? Seems like that answer might be yes but my diabetes is in my hands and my doctor's. I need to speak up.



Friday, December 9, 2016

Doctor Appointments Part 1

I called the doctor before my usual 6 month and askd for extra testing. I was tired. Not a normal "I am busy, stressed, overworked, etc" tired. I'm talking going from a full tank of energy to no energy - zip, nada, empty - in 15 minutes. To muscles becoming noodles and mind getting so foggy that I couldn't move or form a complete sentance. The office added additional tests to my blood work. Now I wait.



My A1c number was 5.7.  Prediabetes. He was happy with my progress. Me, not so much. I feel like he thinks I am unrealalistic. It really isn't my A1c that upsets me, it is the daily highs. I wake up over 100 mg\dL and have gone over 150 mg/dL when I eat 40ish carbs at one time which makes eating a challenge. My daily carbs are under 100 but it is a hard diet to maintain. Not sure how to express myself.  Any suggestions?




Monday, December 5, 2016

Sugar Free Pudding and Almond Milk Don't Mix

Have you ever had a craving?  Of course! We all have those foods we really like and sometimes we have a craving that just won't go away.  I wanted pudding. Vanilla pudding. I bought a box of sugar free pudding and mixed it with unsweetened almond milk. I never really thought about the difference between cows milk and almond milk but let's just say I got an education when I looked up online why my pudding was runny an hour later!  Seems instant pudding won't set up when using unsweetened almond milk. Here are the solutions recommended:

Use water - haven't tried.

Use 1 cup unsweetened almond milk to one package instead of 2 cups regular milk - tried the vanilla and the taste and texture was not the greatest.  2.5 stars out of 5 for me, my BF says, "YUCK!!" and zero stars and please don't make this again.

Use cornstarch to thicken it up. Tried that but the carb count pretty much cancelled any benefit. Oh, and it wasn't very good either.

I read that it was the fat that made the pudding set up so I tried coconut oil. It did set up better and wasn't has lumpy but the taste was still suspect. I might try again with a different flavor as I have been trying vanilla and maybe it just isn't strong enough of a flavor to override the almond milk taste.

Runny Instant Pudding. I tried!!


I tried and I will keep trying. If you have a suggestion I would love to hear it!






Friday, December 2, 2016

Chili and Cornbread - Round 2

So not too long ago I made chili and small corn muffins. My results were good and numbers stayed in a range I was happy with.
So I decided to check it out again. Homemade chili is one of those recipes that is perfect for the crock pot. Came home from work to a warm hardy meal on a cold evening. Talk about perfect!!
The hardest part with recipes is breaking down the servings. I try to put all the ingredients down on paper and use the label to write down what the entire can would be as far as carbs, fiber and protein would be. I add it all up and then divide it by how many servings we get. 
The chili added up to be around 43 carbs plus my muffin. 
Checking glucose numbers went like this:
95 mg/dL at 7: pm
112 mg/dL at 7:45 pm
126 mg/dL at 9 pm
and went to bed at 10 pm at 112 mg/dL

I love chili! I get full and my numbers stay manageable. WIN - WIN
I think the fiber, which is around 14 grams, really makes a difference. 
Maybe the protein at 15 grams.
Maybe the fat in the sour cream and cheese help too!
I don't know if it is one thing specific or just all of it working together 
but I am happy to report this is one meal that will stay on the menu.