Why struggle with Diabetes?

I work in the building industry and also write another blog called Green Building Ideas. I am not writing this post to promote my other blog. I am writing to talk about the people I work with in this industry.

I find myself at luncheons, meetings or just around the work place running into other diabetics. I am always surprised at how I find out others are diabetic. Someone will offer me a treat and I will say no thank you I am diabetic. Almost always someone will say "oh don't worry about it I am diabetic too". I see people all the time eating cookies or some other sugary treat and the are diabetic.

I work hard at keeping my blood sugar inline and keeping my weight down. I have been very successful and I do not want to lose ground. But I also seem to get advice from these same people eating the treats at how it is not a big deal and don't worry about what you eat so much.

I have observed these same people since knowing they have diabetes and have found they seem to have more health issues than their coworkers. Now I have to assume that if they worked a little harder at taking care of their diabetes they may not have these issues.

As we go into this New Year and decide on the New Year resolutions, diabetic should put controlling their diabetes at the top.

Eating proper foods, exercising and getting the right nutrients should be every diabetic New Year's resolution. I know it will be mine!

Diabetes durring the Holidays

Diabetics get frustrated during these holiday times. So many sweets and unhealthy treats around the house make it hard to keep that blood sugar in line. Thanksgiving has now passed and how did you do with all that food? Keeping the proper balance of diet during the holidays can be very hard. I try and stay with the nuts when I feel I need to have a treat like the rest of the family.

Keeping my diet inline during the holidays has to be one of the hardest things for me. All the candy was my favorite part of the holidays. My kids have a hard time buying me gifts because they used to just get me candy. Now they have a harder time getting me a gift. Having your family understand diabetes helps them to reduce the temptations. I even have neighbors that refrain from the candy giving because of my diabetes. I think this is great. Everyone needs to cut back on the amount of sugar that is consumed during the holidays. It all starts at Halloween.

Some of the treats that get made at our house are Chex mix bowls, trail mix and lots of fruit. This allows me to have a treat to grab but keeps the sugar down. I struggle more with my fat content now than I do with sugar.

I am trying to put together some recipes or ideas to help people with diabetes through the holidays. PLEASE post your input here so others may find them.

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and may you have blessed Christmas!

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Diabetic Diet

The American Diabetes Associates is a great resources for different diabetic diets. Finding a diet that works for you is what is most important. Achieving long term success is key to controlling diabetes for the rest of your life.

My diabetic diet was designed personally by a hospital dietitian. It is not always easy but I have found it works and is something I can do for ever. It was a change in lifestyle but a change for the better.

I have been on my diabetic diet for over a year and have found it to be my way of eating for life. I have lost 65 pounds and keep it off. I do slip from time to time but I have kept my weight within 5 pound for about a year.

This is a very simple diet and does not take much measuring or reading once you have been doing it for a while. Here is the easy formula I use.

Keep your Carbohydrates under 200 each day.

Keep your fat intake under 5 grams each day.

Eat more from the green vegetable and lean meats.

Stay away from sugar and white flour. Eat more from whole grains.

I also keep my calorie count under 2100 per day.

These key points will keep you away from the foods that are bad for weight gain and diabetic. As you start studying calories, carb and fat grams you will find that vegetables are the key to hitting these numbers.

A great rule of thumb for an average meal would be like this: A portion of meat slightly larger than a deck of cards. A light yogurt or small portion of fruit. Then fill up on broccoli or a green salad with fat free dressing.

Snacking between meals is great some dried fruit or low fat granola bars.

One treat I do have a couple of times a week is a Skinny Cow ice cream sandwich. Only 140 calories and low in fat. They even taste good.

I hope this is some help to those looking for a better eating lifestyle or someone trying to control their diabetes.

Creating a great meal plan and watching how you eat and what you eat is the start of a successful diabetic life.

If you are counting carbs the best resource is the Atkins diet book.

Click Here for My Complete Diabetic Store

Diabetic Help

My Diabetic Combination

After being diagnosed with diabetes and a A1c number of 11.7 I was put on a high dose of Benicar, Janumet and Actos. I met with a diabetic nutritionalist and began a diet low in carbohydrates, low fat and no sugars. I ate a lot of vegetables and some fruit. I also ate from the nuts and grains keeping the fat content low. I was keeping my blood sugar readings in a range of 110-190. I exercised for 30 minutes a day along with my active work schedule. After 5 months my A1c was at 8.9 and my blood pressure was in line. But I was not satisfied with these results. I had done everything and more that the doctors wanted but still not good enough for me.

I began studying about antioxidants, omega 3 and many different foods. I had found that omega 3 would help the high blood pressure and high triglycerides. It would help with the blood circulation. I also found that the antioxidants would help with the spikes that are so common with different foods. This is where I decided to create my own experiment.

I began taking a diabetic multi vitamin from Nature Made. This seemed to keep my blood sugar reading lower. I also started taking a product called Kyani Sunrise, a powerful antioxidant. This helped even more with my blood sugar readings. But I was unsure which was helping the most. So I began my experiment.

I went off of all my different vitamins and cut my medications in half for 10 days. At the end of 10 days I picked a day and went for 5 hours without any food. I tested my blood sugar and it was at 92. I then ate a large poppy seed muffin. After two hours I check my blood sugar and got a reading of 223. I now this is not the proper way to control diabetes but this was my test.

I then went back on the diabetic multi vitamin for ten days. I keep my medications reduced to half. I then conducted the same poppy seed test. My blood sugar readings after two hours were 189. So the multi vitamin did help. I then added the Kyani Sunrise and Sunset to my diet and removed the multi vitamin. At ten days I did the poppy seed test. After two hours my blood sugar readings were 167. So the Kyani help more than the multi vitamin.

I then decided for one last test. I combined the multi vitamin and the Kyani products. Remember that I was still following my diet and exercising. After ten days I conducted the poppy seed test. Two hours after eating the muffin my reading was 141. This is what I was trying to achieve. This is the combination that seemed to work and I keep my medication reduced to half. I also never have had a problem with low blood sugar, so this was not a issue for me. These products may affect a person with low blood sugar differently.

I have been doing this combination for 3 months and had a full check up and blood test. My A1c is at 4.7 and my blood pressure is perfect. If I calculate the savings from reducing my medications in half I easily pay for all the multi vitamins and Kyani each month. I can eat more foods and not have the spikes I use to have.

I believe the combination of proper diet, exercise, Kyani and multi vitamins has contributed to my success in controlling my diabetes. I don’t know if this works for everyone but it sure works for me. I am healthier than I have ever been. I am more active and have more energy than before. I am please with my results and I hope to share these results with anyone that I can.

If you have any interest in learning more about my success please e-mail me stevefeller21@msn.com. I will send you my diet, exercise plan and what products I take.

Diabetic Help

Diabetic Cookbooks

Here are some great cookbooks to help prepare some great diabetic meals.

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Creating a great meal plan and watching how you eat and what you eat is the start of a successful diabetic life.

If you are counting carbs the best resourse is the Atkiens diet book.

Click Here for My Complete Diabetic Store

Diabetic Help