My Low GI diet, counting the calories, and surviving with carbs

douglas99 said:

It would make sense, if you have large red blood cells, if there is a greater surface area, that more glucose can bind to hemoglobin in the red blood cells and the higher the glycated hemoglobin.

Click to expand...

That's what I wondered.

douglas99 said:

Back in from Tescos.
I had to pass on all the cheese on the reduced shelf, far too calorific and addictive to stock up on again!

Back on the potato salad, coleslaw, and green leaves, and a respectable 7.4 after an hour.

Another idea for a dive, maybe next year, from @AndBreathe
Sec Pate in Guadeloupe, spectacular undersea scenery, but a bit more qualifications needed first. (Apparently the island is the setting for 'Murder in Paradise' , speaks french, and uses the euro.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/thr...ucose-in-a-morning.23574/page-615#post-725928 )

Click to expand...

The diving off Guadeloupe is pretty fine, although it's still hard to compare it with the Virgin Islands or Bahamas. Of course, Guadeloupe still has strong associations with the late Jacques Cousteau: http://www.atlantisformation-guadel...-wildlife-and-outstanding-marine-life_a8.html

As you say, Guadeloupe is French and as such EHICs and decent social medicine are in play. The quality and variety food is excellent, but more expensive than St Martin or St Barths a few miles away.

We love Guadeloupe - for visits. We wouldn't necessarily want to love there.

douglas99 said:

Another funeral today unfortunately.

Aortic aneurysm, and a history of other heart problems, and dialysis. and his wife passed away a few weeks ago and in his 70's, so a fair crack compared to some I know.
At least on my family history, it would be a good run for me at any rate.

Oddly enough he was also a long term T1 as well, and helped me out with a few boxes of strips before I was prescribed them myself.

So tonight I'll have a drink for him, and hope he is reunited in peace.

I was thinking of how things seem to be entwined, in view of the 'Boxing' thread, - he came from Fife, it was mentioned by the preacher how he'd never lost his accent, and how many still has difficulty understanding him, even after decades in England.
It did make me think, he did have an accent, but I'd never noticed until that moment.

So I'll raise my glass now, and wish them all the best together.

Click to expand...

Hugsxxx

douglas99 said:

Another funeral today unfortunately.

Aortic aneurysm, and a history of other heart problems, and dialysis. and his wife passed away a few weeks ago and in his 70's, so a fair crack compared to some I know.
At least on my family history, it would be a good run for me at any rate.

Oddly enough he was also a long term T1 as well, and helped me out with a few boxes of strips before I was prescribed them myself.

So tonight I'll have a drink for him, and hope he is reunited in peace.

I was thinking of how things seem to be entwined, in view of the 'Boxing' thread, - he came from Fife, it was mentioned by the preacher how he'd never lost his accent, and how many still has difficulty understanding him, even after decades in England.
It did make me think, he did have an accent, but I'd never noticed until that moment.

So I'll raise my glass now, and wish them all the best together.

Click to expand...

Thinking of you

Mike

douglas99 said:

Woke up with 5.0 this morning, so not too bad.

Then out to buy a load of wood, 75m of 3x2, in 4.8m and 3.6m lengths.

While waiting for it to be cut, I decided to try a bacon sandwich in the cafe.
Two rounds of white bread, bacon, brown sauce, and a coffee.

Loaded up, drove home, unloaded, tested at 7.8.

I'm quite pleased with that.

Click to expand...

How long after you started to eat the butty?

Pity you don't know the 1 hour level, which after white bread and brown sauce was probably higher. I don't mind a high spike after a carb meal at 1 hour, but like to be back in the mid 6's at 2 hours. This tells me my own insulin is working OK

I did miss the edit. I can't enjoy white bread any more either, except when it's fried - and that does absolutely nothing to my levels! I was more intrigued by the brown sauce because recently I tried Branston Pickle and that will not be repeated any time soon!

Anecdotally, I understand few T2s make a decent fist of actively trying to control their diabetes, but come on Douglas; the NHS could start by at least giving decent advice. It's one thing for an individual to reject advice, but it's even worse that they are having to reject advice that is wrong in the first place. Let's face it, those who accept and follow the healthy plate advice won't really see a seismic shift in their glycaemic control, so their belief of progression is confirmed and they carry on as before, taking the increased meds..

douglas99 said:

@AndBreathe your advice to him would be?
As he certainly needs it.
I will pass it on, so I would really appreciate an answer.

Click to expand...

Frankly, I think by this stage, surely it’s up to his family to discuss his situation with him. If you want to approach it, I’m sure you’ll tackle it in your own way.

Horses can be led to water, but not made to drink. It’s a very sad situation.

Some people rubbish and ignore ANY advice given to them. That's why we have alcoholics, drug addicts, food addicts etc. You can't blame the advice of challenge others to provide better advice because of this. The current NHS dietary advice is, for the most part, pretty poor. There is plenty of advice and alternatives out there but unfortunately, not everyone will accept it.

douglas99 said:

Indeed, that's why i never criticize the NHS 'healthy plate'.
Without suggesting an alternative, it's pointless simply to rubbish it, as physcologically the idea of healthy eating is implanted, the refined sugars are dropped, the processed foods are dumped, and the journey can begin.
HCP's have a very uphill struggle.

Click to expand...

In my view, the NHS dietary advice is unhelpful. Quite clearly, I have formulated a way of eating which works for me. On that basis, and the evidence I see elsewhere, I am perfectly well placed to "rubbish the NHS Advice" I was given. The advice I received was to eat plenty of carbs, but reduce fats. Eh? Fats? How can that ever make sense for glycaemic control?

If I knew this person, and there was any interest, I would be happy to have a discussion with him, but I don't know him. Surely, somebody, somewhere has to be having a straight talk with this guy? If he were my partner, I can assure you the conversations would be to the point, and I would be committed to helping him achieve the best outcome in his circumstances.

HCPs are up against it. I am supportive of them. They deliver the messages they are instructed to - no matter how much they believe in the messages they deliver. By-and-large, they are generalists who need to have knowledge over a wide range of conditions. Even those who have specialised can only be afforded brief appointment slots to work with their patients, but somewhere along the line, this guy will have absorbed quite a bit of NHS time and money already. I am assuming he will have meandered his way through the portfolio of diabetes drugs, on his way to insulin, and then stayed on the path to his demise by inertia. It feels to me like this guy is horse who has been led to water, but is refusing to drink. We have to be accountable for our own lives.

I would like to think we could agree that the best time to initiate change for diabetics is immediately after diagnosis when we are angry and afraid. All these years down the line, this guy's anger and fear are likely to be invested elsewhere.

In my view, by this stage, those who could inspire a person such as him to change are himself and those closest to him. I wonder if anyone has ever asked him how much longer he will live, living as he does.

douglas99 said:

I entirely agree.

My calorie counting, fairly extreme diet worked very well.
The newcastle diet has excellent results.

So how do you persuade people to follow those, when they won't even accept the switch from white to brown bread?

I think we tend to forget we all different to most T2's

Click to expand...

Easy answer, I wouldn't waste my time trying to convince them. I'd give them all the information I could and I'd try to explain the dangers of not attempting to change lifestyle but ultimately, these are adults and make their own decisions. Life's too short. Concentrate on those that will listen.

For the avoidance of doubt, I don't eat high fat, in the quantities many one here do. I have no issue with anyone adopting any diet that works for them. Bulletproof coffee or cheese spread with butter isn't for me, but it works for some people and affords them a lifestyle they are content with. My point was that the dietary advice I was given to target glycaemic control did not focus mainly on the foodstuffs I put in my mouth that raise my numbers. Simple logic challenges that.

If this guy is ready to die, nobody, aside from himself can make him live. It's just such a shame it costs so much to support him in that state.

It is a tragic state of affairs

douglas99 said:

Oh yes.
Next dive is now being planned and booked.
A night dive in Scotland, and a few dives in the day.
Should be excellent.

I still believe that being diagnosed was a plus in my life.
I would have done none of this otherwise.
It was a wake up call, and I responded to it, and sorted myself out.

I've also got a holiday booked for half term, with my youngest.
Daft as it sounds, it's on a horse riding farm, and there is no way on earth I would have considered getting on a horse a few years ago.

But, now there are two differences for me.
Maybe good, maybe bad, depending on your view, but for me, both are up's.

First one.
I'm fitter, I'm lighter, I'm more balanced, so being on horse back isn't as scary as it used to be, as I won't overbalance as easily.
Second.
I'm going to die, so, even though falling off a horse, (with 2/3 or my previous weight) will be possibly bad, I find I don't care as much. I'd rather go out with a bang, and push my limits, than hang around painfully.
So
look out horse, because, I'm out for a good day.

Click to expand...

Douglas you are a real inspiration...not only for your energy and enthusiasm for life, but for your attitude towards food.

douglas99 said:

Indeed, that's why i never criticize the NHS 'healthy plate'.
Without suggesting an alternative, it's pointless simply to rubbish it, as physcologically the idea of healthy eating is implanted, the refined sugars are dropped, the processed foods are dumped, and the journey can begin.
HCP's have a very uphill struggle.

Click to expand...

Simply recommend this site. He can have s good read and make his own mind up.