Eat to your meter . . . .

[Dougal]

Hello, I have been wondering and searching, but can't find an answer as to the meaning of "Eat to your meter". Please could someone enlighten me?

Thanks.

 

[GraceK]

Hello, I have been wondering and searching, but can't find an answer as to the meaning of "Eat to your meter". Please could someone enlighten me?

Thanks.

It means testing your blood first thing in the morning before breakfast, record the result. Eat your breakfast, test 2 hours afterwards.

Your BS will rise after you eat, but should fall to a decent level within 2-3 hours. Keep a note of what you have at each meal, and test 2 hours later. If your BS is not coming down you will KNOW that something you ate is giving you high BS.

It's usually SIMPLE CARBS which convert to sugar very quickly - ie bread, cakes, biscuits, rice, pasta, porridge and other flour products.

Those of us who've learned what leads us to high sugar spikes are said to be 'eating to our meter'.

Hope that helps.

 

[Hobs]

Go through foods you like and then test with each to see which type will give you high spikes or too long before the meter indicates a 'normal' reading... :angel:
By doing this, you will eventually arrive at a list of which foods to avoid and which foods are acceptable for YOUR body. We are all different and one size fits all will not apply for diabetes :thumbup:

 

[Dougal]

Thank you so much for the explainations! I too eat to my meter, just didn't know 'til know that it had a name!

 

[GraceK]

Thank you so much for the explainations! I too eat to my meter, just didn't know 'til know that it had a name!

There's a lot I didn't know too until I joined this place! I've got a whole new vocabulary now

 

[xyzzy]

"Eat to your meter" was a termed coined by members of this forum. It's an ethos. It's saying as a diabetic that I try my best to get my blood glucose levels to be at, under or close to the N.I.C.E guidelines for a diabetic of my type the vast majority of the time. How you achieve that is entirely up to you. People like me do it via a low carb and minimal medication route but others achieve the same thing with more medication, a different dietary regime or insulin. So its a statement of recognising that keeping to those guideline levels will keep you safe and healthy which is good for you and everyone around you.

 

[Hobs]

Thank you so much for the explainations! I too eat to my meter, just didn't know 'til know that it had a name!

By doing this you are half way there to good control and of course being a T1 with free access to test strips, testing should not be a problem; unlike some of us who are T2 with GP's who are reluctant to let us have the number of strips we need for good control... I am one of the luckier ones being a T2 with a GP who is all for self home management to maximum effect :clap:

 

[noblehead]

Go through foods you like and then test with each to see which type will give you high spikes or too long before the meter indicates a 'normal' reading... :angel:
By doing this, you will eventually arrive at a list of which foods to avoid and which foods are acceptable for YOUR body. We are all different and one size fits all will not apply for diabetes :thumbup:

Hobs sums it up rather well :thumbup:

 

[phoenix]

"Eat to your meter" was a termed coined by members of this forum.

To give credit where it is due, a bit of recent history.
As far as I know, it was used in the newsgroup Alt-Support-Diabetes several years ago. I think that was probably the first diabetes forum.
The idea of testing before and after meals for T2s, then moved into more general usage via the often quoted 'Jennifers advice' (google, it's still out there in slightly altered form) . Jenny Ruhl promoted the idea on her website as did blogger Alan S and also the people running another UK forum.
They all used to belong to that newsgroup so it's been pretty influential.

The phase was mentioned on this forum back in 2008
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=4440
And it just happens though Hana introduced the thread, two of the replies were members of altsupportdiabetes.

 

[Indy51]

Jenny Ruhl's advice:

http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/14045524.php

Alan's advice:

http://loraldiabetes.blogspot.com.au/20 ... djust.html

Personally, the method didn't gel for me until I added testing before eating as well as after. If you don't have the 'before' measurement, the 'after' measurement is pretty meaningless IMO.

Another post at Alan's blog and the doctor's advice on establishing your own peak time was the final "Eureka" moment for me:

http://loraldiabetes.blogspot.com.au/20 ... tands.html

 

[Indy51]

Alan also has a method for people with access to limited strips, Testing On A Budget:

http://loraldiabetes.blogspot.com.au/20 ... udget.html

 

[xyzzy]

"Eat to your meter" was a termed coined by members of this forum.

To give credit where it is due, a bit of recent history.
As far as I know, it was used in the newsgroup Alt-Support-Diabetes several years ago. I think that was probably the first diabetes forum.
The idea of testing before and after meals for T2s, then moved into more general usage via the often quoted 'Jennifers advice' (google, it's still out there in slightly altered form) . Jenny Ruhl promoted the idea on her website as did blogger Alan S and also the people running another UK forum.
They all used to belong to that newsgroup so it's been pretty influential.

The phase was mentioned on this forum back in 2008
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=4440
And it just happens though Hana introduced the thread, two of the replies were members of altsupportdiabetes.

Thanks Phoenix. Sounds like its been "invented" multiple times. Just shows what a good strap line it is for what we should all try doing.

 

[Nanonet]

Thank you so much for the explainations! I too eat to my meter, just didn't know 'til know that it had a name!

I too eat to my meter , been a great help. At last an easy way to explain why I use the meter as a type 2 diabetic. I get told so often, to take drugs, and eat what you like. Having seen my brother and friends , do that, and see what a mess they get in, I welcomed with open arms the Testing programme, the programme, has been a very big help to me. I was diagnosed type 2 last October, having been a pre diabetic for 10 years. I have lost nearly 3 stones, and no longer have a tummy like Pooh Bear - LOL
Hugs from Me.