Type 2 What is going on?

[amgrundy]

Hi all, can someone explain or advise me,
BG reading Friday
morning 6.3
Evening 5.3
Saturday [yesterday]
Morning 6.8
Evening 6.2
Today Sunday
Morning 6.3 Then all went haywire, I tried Shredded Wheat with half a banana for breakfast instead of my usual Poached egg and bacon /tomato or mushrooms. Bananas never spike me , BG reading 2hrs after breakfast 9.7 eek! what!s going on !!!! could it have been the shredded wheat? Was so upset and felt a bit shakey [ probably as I got upset] with this reading as I have been doing so well. Kept myself busy for the next few hours till I could test again. BG reading before lunch 5.2. PWEW!!!!! So for lunch I have had 1 poached egg on 1 slice of burgen bread and half a peanut butter mug cake. Will test again at 3.30 .

 

[catherinecherub]

The majority of Type2s find that shredded wheat and bananas spike their blood sugars. You need to combine food groups rather than rely on carbohydrates for a meal.

 

[amgrundy]

The majority of Type2s find that shredded wheat and bananas spike their blood sugars. You need to combine food groups rather than rely on carbohydrates for a meal.

Hi Thanks for your reply. I wont be having shredded wheat again, but had bananas with plain greek yogurt before and it was ok. strange what we can and cannot eat. So glad BG readings went down though but didn't expect it to go down in the 5s

 

[Liam1955]

@amgrundy - Hi found it! Strange = but, cereal spikes me and yet a Banana doesn't!!! Stick with your poached eggs for breakfast. You are going to find that if you introduce 'new' or 'different' foods into your diet, then you may have spikes - that's why it is best to keep a food diary and record your b.s. so you can see for future reference.
Run up and down the stairs chasing your grandchildren around the garden would lower your b.s.!! Don't get stressed over your readings - remember stress releases Cortisol into the blood, which then elevates blood sugar. Be calm and take it in your stride.

 

[britishpub]

could it have been the shredded wheat?

Shredded Wheat is nearly 70g of Carbohydrate per 100g.

So yes, it was the Shredded Wheat.

I can't imagine a T2D would want to eat something so full of carbs.

 

[amgrundy]

@amgrundy - Hi found it! Strange = but, cereal spikes me and yet a Banana doesn't!!! Stick with your poached eggs for breakfast. You are going to find that if you introduce 'new' or 'different' foods into your diet, then you may have spikes - that's why it is best to keep a food diary and record your b.s. so you can see for future reference.
Run up and down the stairs chasing your grandchildren around the garden would lower your b.s.!! Don't get stressed over your readings - remember stress releases Cortisol into the blood, which then elevates blood sugar. Be calm and take it in your stride.

Hi liam 1955 Thank you for your advice I ought to have known not to eat cereal, specially after all I have read on here. Its my own fault, but yes we learn by our mistakes. BG reading 2hrs after lunch at 3.30pm today 7.2. I do keep a food diary and test regularly, thank you again, feel better now, don't normally get stressed but think I was because I was doing so well then this rise alarmed me.

 

[amgrundy]

Shredded Wheat is nearly 70g of Carbohydrate per 100g.

So yes, it was the Shredded Wheat.

I can't imagine a T2D would want to eat something so full of carbs.

Hi britishpub I am new to this so I learned by my mistake. No I didn't know there was so many carbs in it thanks for that.

 

[Liam1955]

@amgrundy - Hi again. You are doing great - honestly, and give your self a pat on the back. Even I get "baffling" one off b.s. results every now and then! (Had a lot over last few days!!!). Check labels on food products and go for the lowest - 10g or less of Carbohydrates per 100g is low.Enjoy the rest of today.

 

[amgrundy]

Hi liam1955Yes I do check labels on food, always check sugar content. I have a little chart in my purse, now I will be looking at carbohydrates a lot more too, you are so kind thank you. I am obsessed with it. Should have checked the Shredded Wheat !!!!

 

[BooJewels]

No I didn't know there was so many carbs in it thanks for that.

The big clue is the word wheat - anything made or based on wheat is likely to be in the high carb category. Wheat is probably the core of most of the high carb food in western society. Wheat = flour = pastry, bread, cake, pasta, biscuits, cereals etc.etc.

Wheat is something like 70+% carb and the rest is fibre and a little fat, so anything based on it is going to need serious consideration. The best habit you can get into is ensuring that you always take your reading glasses with you when you go shopping - if you need them, that is. I bought a 99p pair of readers that I just pop in my coat pocket to bring out to read labels. Always check the carbohydrate aspect of the nutritional data and then try and work out how many carbs there would be in a typical serving.

I didn't have my glasses with me one day and asked my husband what the carb content was of a seasoning packet I was looking at. He declared it to be far too high for you. Yes, okay, but what's the number and he said something like 19g per 100g. When I pointed out that I'd have to eat 15 packets of the stuff to eat 19g, he realised that the number itself was probably not the full story. So you need to remember to work out what you're likely to eat in one sitting too.

And also be aware that manufacturers are sneaky too. They're legally required to tell us how much sugar there is in something, but that's not the full story for us either. Nestle proudly declare that Shredded Wheat is only 0.3g sugar per serving - allowing it to have a green flash on the pack front. But the total carbohydrate is the number that matters to us - in this case - a serving of 45g is 37g of carbs. So check the table on the back, not just the big headline numbers on the front - they tell you the version they want to promote, not the whole story.

It's also worth noting that you had a sharp spike (I hate that word) after eating, but it dropped very quickly too. This phenomena in itself is undesirable too - it's preferable to try and even out the hills and troughs in your BG numbers (and hark at me as mine look like an eathquake on a seismometer at the moment whilst I'm changing insulin) - so a big portion of carbs will do this - peak dramatically and drop equally so. If you'd had one shredded wheat and yogurt or something fatty instead, you'd find that you have a slower rise and fall. And you'd probably feel fuller for longer too.

So there's a lot to learn, I appreciate that, but if you do eat some carbs, mix them with fat and protein too, to ensure a more sustained and even release of energy and greater satiety from the meal too.

 

[amgrundy]

The big clue is the word wheat - anything made or based on wheat is likely to be in the high carb category. Wheat is probably the core of most of the high carb food in western society. Wheat = flour = pastry, bread, cake, pasta, biscuits, cereals etc.etc.

Wheat is something like 70+% carb and the rest is fibre and a little fat, so anything based on it is going to need serious consideration. The best habit you can get into is ensuring that you always take your reading glasses with you when you go shopping - if you need them, that is. I bought a 99p pair of readers that I just pop in my coat pocket to bring out to read labels. Always check the carbohydrate aspect of the nutritional data and then try and work out how many carbs there would be in a typical serving.

I didn't have my glasses with me one day and asked my husband what the carb content was of a seasoning packet I was looking at. He declared it to be far too high for you. Yes, okay, but what's the number and he said something like 19g per 100g. When I pointed out that I'd have to eat 15 packets of the stuff to eat 19g, he realised that the number itself was probably not the full story. So you need to remember to work out what you're likely to eat in one sitting too.

And also be aware that manufacturers are sneaky too. They're legally required to tell us how much sugar there is in something, but that's not the full story for us either. Nestle proudly declare that Shredded Wheat is only 0.3g sugar per serving - allowing it to have a green flash on the pack front. But the total carbohydrate is the number that matters to us - in this case - a serving of 45g is 37g of carbs. So check the table on the back, not just the big headline numbers on the front - they tell you the version they want to promote, not the whole story.

It's also worth noting that you had a sharp spike (I hate that word) after eating, but it dropped very quickly too. This phenomena in itself is undesirable too - it's preferable to try and even out the hills and troughs in your BG numbers (and hark at me as mine look like an eathquake on a seismometer at the moment whilst I'm changing insulin) - so a big portion of carbs will do this - peak dramatically and drop equally so. If you'd had one shredded wheat and yogurt or something fatty instead, you'd find that you have a slower rise and fall. And you'd probably feel fuller for longer too.

So there's a lot to learn, I appreciate that, but if you do eat some carbs, mix them with fat and protein too, to ensure a more sustained and even release of energy and greater satiety from the meal too.

Hi BooJewels, Thank you for all the info, how long does it take to understand all these things.? I understand about the rise and fall now, couldn't get my head around how it dropped from 9.7 to 5.2 in the space of 2 hrs. This is the reason I had words with my doctor of having to keep testing.

 

[BooJewels]

how long does it take to understand all these things.?

You'll get to grip with the basics pretty quickly, but I've been a T2 for about 24 years and still learn all the time. I had to go back to the beginning and learn anew when I went on insulin and then the regime I was on stopped working after about 10 months, so I'm on a steep learning curve at the moment trying to figure out a new regime and how that will work for me. So I doubt you'll ever stop learning.

couldn't get my head around how it dropped from 9.7 to 5.2 in the space of 2 hrs.

Carbohydrates are processed and available to your body quickly and provide short term energy, so they get into your system quickly, but are used quickly too - hence the steep peak and subsequent drop. Protein I think of as slow release carbs - acts more slowly and released more gently, but will ultimately increase BG too. Fat is a different process and slows everything right down. So a good balance of reduced carbs, protein and fat will fill you for longer and release energy in a sustained and gentle manner.

Put your numbers into this calculator to see what sort of balance is recommended if you reduce carbs and want to lose some weight: http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/nutrientCalc.php

My personal numbers are something like 70g carbs, 92g protein (available from around 400g of protein foods like eggs or meat) and 131g fat daily (=1826 calories). I've lost about 25 lbs on that and kept it off, but I've stalled a bit whilst my BG is wildly erratic.

 

[Daphne917]

Hi britishpub I am new to this so I learned by my mistake. No I didn't know there was so many carbs in it thanks for that.

Hi @amgrundy don't forget that you are on a steep learning curve so will make mistakes but it's not the end of the world. I'm the other way round I cannot eat bananas without a spike but I can eat hot oat cereals with oatbran and bran flakes with no affect. Remember we are all different in that what one diabetic can eat another will not be able to but that's why you're testing so that you will learn what is best for you and we all learn by our mistakes!!

 

[Pinkorchid]

Did you know a non diabetic can often have a spike into double figures if they have a very carby meal...some have proved that here by testing non diabetic relatives but it will usually have dropped back to normal levels after 2 hours and that is exactly what yours has done the spike didn't hang around. Some people want to be down in the 4 and 5's most of the time and for others they hover around the 6's no matter what they do but suits them we are all different so don't stress your levels are good

 

[amgrundy]

You'll get to grip with the basics pretty quickly, but I've been a T2 for about 24 years and still learn all the time. I had to go back to the beginning and learn anew when I went on insulin and then the regime I was on stopped working after about 10 months, so I'm on a steep learning curve at the moment trying to figure out a new regime and how that will work for me. So I doubt you'll ever stop learning.


Carbohydrates are processed and available to your body quickly and provide short term energy, so they get into your system quickly, but are used quickly too - hence the steep peak and subsequent drop. Protein I think of as slow release carbs - acts more slowly and released more gently, but will ultimately increase BG too. Fat is a different process and slows everything right down. So a good balance of reduced carbs, protein and fat will fill you for longer and release energy in a sustained and gentle manner.

Put your numbers into this calculator to see what sort of balance is recommended if you reduce carbs and want to lose some weight: http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/nutrientCalc.php

My personal numbers are something like 70g carbs, 92g protein (available from around 400g of protein foods like eggs or meat) and 131g fat daily (=1826 calories). I've lost about 25 lbs on that and kept it off, but I've stalled a bit whilst my BG is wildly erratic.

Thank you for the link but unfortunately when you click on the link it reads invalid or missing data

 

[BooJewels]

Sorry, don't know why that link didn't work, I went to it from my bookmarks and just copied the URL.

Try this instead, it seems to go to the same page and worked on my post preview. If not, just Google Phlaunt Nutrition Calculator and that will find it.

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

 

[amgrundy]

Hi @amgrundy don't forget that you are on a steep learning curve so will make mistakes but it's not the end of the world. I'm the other way round I cannot eat bananas without a spike but I can eat hot oat cereals with oatbran and bran flakes with no affect. Remember we are all different in that what one diabetic can eat another will not be able to but that's why you're testing so that you will learn what is best for you and we all learn by our mistakes!!

Hi Daphne917 No your right its not the end of the world. I make up glasses of either raw oats or bran flakes with a couple of layers of greek yogurt or recently Alpro almond yogurt topped with raspberries and I am fine with those.

 

[amgrundy]

Did you know a non diabetic can often have a spike into double figures if they have a very carby meal...some have proved that here by testing non diabetic relatives but it will usually have dropped back to normal levels after 2 hours and that is exactly what yours has done the spike didn't hang around. Some people want to be down in the 4 and 5's most of the time and for others they hover around the 6's no matter what they do but suits them we are all different so don't stress your levels are good

Hi Pinkorchid That's very useful info to know about, thank you

 

[Robbity]

If you get a bigger spike than you expect after eating, it's not a disaster, just a lesson to learn and a food to avoid/be wary of. Fretting about it may only make it worse...

Sometimes too we can get rises in our glucose levels for reasons over which we have little control (such as illness), and we just have to accept that (to misquote): "Spikes happen!" - even to the best of us.

Robbity

 

[Neohdiver]

Hi Daphne917 No your right its not the end of the world. I make up glasses of either raw oats or bran flakes with a couple of layers of greek yogurt or recently Alpro almond yogurt topped with raspberries and I am fine with those.

Just an FYI: Both bran flakes and oats are also high in carbohydrates.