Is tuna steak the culprit?

[dragongirl]

I am disappointed to find two 6.2s after lunch. Not had any 6s for over two weeks. What did I eat? Tesco tuna steak (says no carbs), courgettes (2g carbs, weighed on dietary scales and checked with Collins, as are all these figures), brocoli (1g) plus a benecol (4.2g).

The only other time I had this steak 3 weeks ago, it was with green cabbage (1.6g) and green pepper (1g) and no benecol and those readings were 6.3,6.6. (I always have the benecol with one main meal each day, and no 6s, as I say.)

Am I therefore to assume that the zilch carb tuna steak is the culprit? It's very confusing for a non-dietician. Any comments, please?
DG

 

[FordPrefect]

I dont claim to be a dietician but I would doubt it would be tuna as that will pretty much consist mainly of protein and unsaturated fats. I am pretty sure that no meat or fish contains a large amount of carbs as carbs would be digested by the fish/animal would be used up, passed out of the body or converted to other things.

 

[dragongirl]

Exactly my thinking, FP - so what the heck did I do wrong? If I don't understand, I can't correct. Though for the time being, tuna steak in that form is off the menu! I'm paranoid about scores until I have 2 more HbA1c tests under my belt after initial dx. That's mid October and possibly mid Jan if they agree to do it 3-monthly.

Thanks anyway. Anyone else know anything?

 

[cugila]

Hi Dg.

I think you hit the nail on the head when you said you are paranoid about the scores.....chill out a bit. 8)

You are probably causing yourself more stress worrying about numbers which to most people are just 'normal' readings. It is great if you can achieve non-diabetic numbers but don't let it rule your life. Are you actually taking two readings at the same time ?

 

[dragongirl]

No - those were at one hour and two hours after! Sorry that wasn't clear.
Paranoid when can't understand - otherwise have branched out into managing in public and trusting what I know is okay when out and about. At home I still test before and 2x after but am not worried at all about variations until something like this happens. But, yes, I take the warning! Thanks.

 

[cugila]

Hi Dg.

Forgot to mention that stress will increase your Bg levels as well. So I think you can safely eat the Tuna - there is nothing wrong with it or Salmon etc. Stay chilled.....

 

[gbswales]

I am disappointed to find two 6.2s after lunch. Not had any 6s for over two weeks. What did I eat? Tesco tuna steak (says no carbs), courgettes (2g carbs, weighed on dietary scales and checked with Collins, as are all these figures), brocoli (1g) plus a benecol (4.2g).

The only other time I had this steak 3 weeks ago, it was with green cabbage (1.6g) and green pepper (1g) and no benecol and those readings were 6.3,6.6. (I always have the benecol with one main meal each day, and no 6s, as I say.)

Am I therefore to assume that the zilch carb tuna steak is the culprit? It's very confusing for a non-dietician. Any comments, please?
DG

Personally I think you are worrying just a tad too much - I look at 6 as a fairly good level - I aim to keep in single figures with about most readings between 4 and 6 but its inevitable that it will occasionally peak over of drop below - often for no apparent reason diet wise - yesterday I had a pretty normal day and my levels dropped suddenly to 2.8 (my hypo feeling level) an hour after I had eggs and bacon and toast for lunch - just munched on a banana sandwich which still only took it up to 5 - another day a banana sandwich might jump it to 10!

Diabetes I am learning is not an exact science - the body's natural insulin production can vary during the day and be affected by stress, activity and other things - I am sure your Tuna steak is fine.

You are right in thinking that HBA1c is the real test as this looks at your levels over a period - I also tend now to look at my daily average (the lifestyle programme on here really helps that) rather than get worried about every single reading

I am not a doctor and others may disagree with me about this so just throwing in my own feelings

 

[cugila]

gbswales
yesterday I had a pretty normal day and my levels dropped suddenly to 2.8 (my hypo feeling level)

2.8 is not Hypo 'feeling' - it is squarely in Hypoglycaemic territory and certainly not recommended. The 'floor' as they say is 4 mmol.l.

You are right in thinking that HBA1c is the real test as this looks at your levels over a period

Whilst the HbA1c is a good indicator to see the trends (up/down) it is certainly not the best indicator at all. Anything that is only an average can never be the best. It will not show what spikes or Hypos/Hypers you are having as everything just gets averaged out. A far better guide is testing regularly before and after meals so you are continually getting the picture of what is going on, that is why we kick up such a fuss about people not being able to get test strips and being told we will get 'stressed' if we do ? If you are like most on here you will not get stressed, just better informed. That's what GP's and Nurses do not like ??

That's my opinion.