Having a bad day!

[misterdj]

I was diagnosed type 2 in February with a Hab1c of 9.2. Decided to have a go at changing diet, reducing carbs and doing more excercise. After some difficulties have mainly cut out carbs at evening meal and reduced for lunch and breakfast. I take my blood readings with a meter reasonably regularly and have now been getting them regularly in the 5's and 6's. However due to travelling by train into work the test i generally miss is 2 hours after breakfast as Im normally in a meeting or generally forget. But i remembered today. Woke up this morning with a 5.2 on the stick and had a little porridge for breakfast. 2hours later bloods had jumped to 10.4. And i had a major headache and generally felt as if i had a hangover.

Feeling that i dont want to be affected by spikes in my blood glucose. But that means chnaging totally to no or very low carrb diet which seems like such a huge change. Also been reading Dr Bernsteins Diabetes Solution and he advocates a very very low carb diet. Feeling physically rubbish and emotionally drained. And on top of that my feet are too cold!!!!! A great day really.

 

[Daibell]

Hi. Porridge for some has big hit on blood sugar. Personally I wouldn't go very low carb unless you really want to shift some weight and I wouldn't stay on it too long as your diet could become a bit unbalanced. Is suspect there may be other factors having a small influence on your sugars e.g. stress, cold and so on. Don't panic just review the carb portion size and GI. Don't forget fat with a carb will slow uptake. I don't have porridge for breakfast but home-made muesli with cold milk. The muesli is based on Porridge oats but has seeds, nuts etc added. Cooking the oats into porridge may make it higher GI but I haven't checked that

 

[Finzi]

Also, for many people breakfast is the trickiest meal of the day to handle carbs - you might be better, blood sugar wise, eating fewer at breakfast and having some for dinner (if you feel the need). I can handle way more carbs at lunch and dinner than at breakfast (although I eat pretty low carb always, so I wouldn't want to push it too far). That may not suit your lifestyle of course - unfortunately I also find that breakfast is the hardest meal to have low carb - I always end up wishing I could just have some cereal and toast or porridge like a normal person


Type 2 on Metformin, diagnosed Jan 2013, ultra low carber, Hba1C at diagnosis 8% (64), average BS now between 5 and 6 mmol.

 

[julie42]

I eat porridge a few days a week, I only buy tesco micro oats as they are about 16g a portion and I use light soya milk only 2g against 10g normal milk. I also add blueberries. Otherwise it is 2 eggs fried or scrambled with 1 slice of rye bread. My speedy one is a slice of rye bread with almond butter. I tried greek yoghurt with seeds and fruit but I get too hungry mid morning. I do not normally eat bread but I seem to tolerate the German rye bread and it adds fibre. I occasionally eat with cheese and salami as a lunch on the run so to speak. I buy it from tesco with the wheat free products not the bread section.
I low carb, under 60g a day ideally but it is hard going a times. For anyone who has an active job or a man I can see how they would need more.
I feel rubbish today due to an infection and I had my first fish from the chippy at lunch, I phoned hubby to bring on his way home from work. He thought I was joking, I was amazed that my blood was 6 before I ate and only 6.2 2 hours later. I might have one again in a few months time!

 

[mo1905]

one bad reading means nothing really. Could have been due to a variety of things. Generally, you seem to be in control. When testing, better to look for trends rather than a one off dodgy result. Keep up the good work and try not to feel too bad ;-)

 

[viviennem]

Speaking personally, I don't find very low carb "a bit unbalanced" ( to quote Daibell). I get most of my carbs from fresh vegetables - I eat more veg on low carb than I ever did when low-fat dieting! - and my vitamins and minerals mostly come from those too. I understand that about 20% of the protein I eat is metabolised into glucose for my body to utilise, as well as the carbs. When I am on my preferred amount of carbs (under 50g daily and preferably about 30g) I feel fine, have plenty of energy, have good BP and cholesterol levels, and keep my blood glucose levels within the "non-diabetic" range. My last HbA1c was 5.7. I'm aiming to be in the 4s sometime this year :wink:

We are all different. For a variety of reasons I've been experimenting with my carb intake since Christmas, eating between 100g/150g a day - which is still less than the NHS recommends. I've put half a stone on, and my next HbA1c/blood lipids (appointment next week) should be very interesting. I expect both to have worsened. Also my BP. :shock: I don't tolerate carbs well.

Misterdj, Richard Bernstein's book is written mainly for Type 1s (though applicable to Type 2s). He's a bit extreme even for me, and I found it difficult trying to work out what I would substitute for the foods he recommends which are obviously American. Another book which is worth a look is Dr Atkins Diabetes Revolution , by Dr M C Vernon and J A Eberstein RN. This was written after Atkins' death by two of his colleagues. The "original" Atkins was developed as a diet for his heart patients (he was a cardiologist originally) but he soon realised that on this regime both blood pressure and blood lipids (cholesterol) were reduced. The two ladies wrote the "Diabetes" book mainly for Type 2s, but some of it applies to Type 1s as well. It focuses on blood glucose control rather than weight loss - though it advises on that too!

If you don't need to lose weight you just add in extra carbs from Low GI foods. As you increase the carbs, so you decrease the fats. The mistake many people make (including me! though not this time) is increasing the carbs but eating the same amount of fat. Disaster! :shock: If carbs are available, the body uses them for energy and stores fat. If carbs aren't available, the body burns fat. That's very simplistic, but not totally inaccurate, I believe. The scientists on here keep trying to educate me, but I don't know whether any of it sticks! :lol: :wink:

As for breakfasts - I have a 2-egg omelette every day - quick, easy and filling. Sometimes I will have a small portion of Lizi's Granola (available from most supermarkets now) which is low GI and doesn't spike me. I also keep to hand a stock of Atkins "Daybreak" breakfast bars for days when I'm in a rush - I sometimes eat one at lunch-time as well, but never on the same day. I don't eat them often - too expensive! I have even been known to breakfast on chicken salad, which is surprisingly quite delicious at breakfast time. You can always put something salad-y together the night before and leave it ready in the fridge. Same goes for lunches.

ANother rambling post from me, I'm afraid. But I hope it's helped a bit.

Viv 8)

 

[misterdj]

Thanks for the thoughts everybody. I guess there are going to be good days and bad days.

Viv i do find Dr Bernstein a bit harsh. But what he says seems to make sense to me. Has anyone read Dr Neil Barnard reversing diabetes - seems to follow a vegetarian and fruit diet.