DIABETICS ON THE BEACH (10/17 to 10/31/2004) Please join us!

[niki]

Just curious if anyone has a problem keeping their BS levels up. I was told that when I go to bed by BS should be near 145 and since I have started (couple days) it doesn't not seem to be getting there. Anyone have any advise or suggestions?

[bobbeleh]

Hi Niki:

Who told you that???? Technically, "diabetic" normals should be 140 or below for FASTING and 180 or below for 2-hours post meal. Normal people should have a bg range of 80 to 120 all the time. The only time you want to get worried is if your blood sugars are around 80-90 or less all the time.

If you haven't eaten in 4 hours or more, you shouldn't have a blood sugar of 145.

My bgs stay in the 115-145 range for post-meal and are 125-140 in the mornings (fasting).

Bobbe

[niki]

Thanks for the information. I was actually given that information in a Diabetes Educational class that my Dr. sent me to when I was first diagnosed.

I was getting worried because I have just started the plan and my BS levels have been around 115 about an after eating and then dropping to between 95-105 within another hour. Then I was feeling spacy but it could be from lack of carbs. Just trying to get through the first couple weeks...

[bobbeleh]

Niki:

Most of us would kill for your numbers!

Make sure you are getting enough fat in your diet. I know that flies in the face of all the conventional thinking, but it will help you maintain your blood sugar levels and stay full longer.

Also, be sure you eat enough. The ADA diet guidelines are being proven to be really bad for diabetics. On their programs, I'm starving most of the time and my blood sugars stay high.

Are you on meds? They may need to be adjusted. Also, if your bgs were high, your body needs to get used to what normals feel like.

I took the self-management classes when I was first diagnosed, too. There's a lot of information, but they tend to follow the more conventional thinking about food and portions.

Too often, when people start on SBD, they cut down on everything. Protein foods are unlimited, as are the listed veggies. Outside of the listed veggies, there's no carbs allowed. After 2 weeks, you begin adding them back.

Many of us diabetics find that there's a Phase 1-1/2 that works for weight loss. Unfortunately, we'll probably not be able to add back all the stuff we would like, at least not until we've lost enough weight.

Actually, my doc doesn't really care how I keep my numbers in line, just so I do it.

Bobbe

[niki]

Thanks Bobbe.

Not on any meds, so far diet controlled. Had a fasting level of 161 this morning. I'm sure my body is in some sort of shock from taking away all the junk it normally has to process. I'll just keep a close eye on how it goes.

Niki

[bobbeleh]

Hi Niki:

Not on any meds, so far diet controlled. Had a fasting level of 161 this morning. I'm sure my body is in some sort of shock from taking away all the junk it normally has to process. I'll just keep a close eye on how it goes.

Yeah, that's way high for a fasting reading. But I think you'll find if you reallly get serious about SBD, especially the first 2 weeks, you'll start seeing some major drops in your bg levels.

I'm kind of doing the Happy Dance this morning as my fasting was 117. Anything under 120 is what the non-diabetic population enjoys. I'm a night owl, so just on a whim, I tested at around 2:00 a.m. and had a read of 115.

In the early stages of the SBD, you'll have swings. Diabetes is a disease of control -- it controls you and reminds you of that every now and again. It's amazing what affects blood sugar. If your sick, on your period, ate too much, ate too little. Or no reason at all. I've had days in the past when I did absolutely everything right and I'll still see readings way out of proportion to what I've done.

Of my last 10 readings, my highest was 145 and 7 of the last 10 were within target range.

I know that as my numbers dropped, I went through a "this has to be a fluke" stage as I've not been in terribly great control over the past years. I do denial really, really well.

For me, it seems like beans have a positive effect on my blood chemistries. If I have at least one serving of beans (usually kidney beans) during the day, I'll see lower numbers the next morning. I tend to toss 1/2 cup of beans into my huge salads.

Another thing I've noticed is that my body is much faster at bouncing back when I cheat. I've eaten out and had rice and dessert (in the same meal) and still been back in line by the next day.

I'm in Phase 1-1/2 -- as a diabetic, a full Phase II plan, at least at this point, isn't really workable for me.

Do feel free to post your questions, ask for support or just chat. I work at home, so I'm usually around.

Bobbe

[Cetaganda]

Here's something that I read in my Daily Diabetic Recipe newsletter last Saturday. Does this interest anyone in this thread? The study is to evaluate inhaled insulin for non insulin-dependent type 2 diabetics.

INHALED INSULIN STUDY IS NOW ENROLLING

You may be eligible to participate in this research study if you have had type 2 diabetes for at least 6 months, take two oral medications for diabetes (not Actos or Avandia) and don't take insulin shots.

Learn more about this new inhaled insulin study at:

http://www.adultdiabetesstudy.com/dig_e

[Cetaganda]

Good morning/afternoon/evening everyone,

The weather last weekend could not have been better (except for the shower Saturday afternoon while I was trimming a very overgrown bush). Taking advantage of the great weather I worked a lot outdoors, as did our neighbors. I washed all the first floor windows on the outside (I leave the second floor to professional window washers with better balance and equipment and experience), used a strong spray of water to wash all of the dirt and leaves and bark dust off my front walk (aggregate concrete down lots of steps to the street), and decorated for our Halloween trick or treaters.

I hope that your weekend was good as well ... rain or shine. Like you, I have been and continue to be very busy. I am going to Florida to visit my family on November 3rd and will remain in that area until November 28th (2 days after Thanksgiving). I plan to have Internet access and will check in with this thread and this forum when I have time.

While visiting my mother we will make a journey up to Statesboro, Georgia for a large family reunion. My mother and I will be cooking chili for the crowd; and we will prepare and carry foods that we diabetics on the South Beach Diet can eat, such as Diabetic Carrot Cake.

When we get back to my mother's house in NW Florida we are going down to Orlando for several days. Here are some of our options: Epcot Center, Disneyworld, outlet shopping, the Tupperware museum, Gatorland, MGM Studios, Universal Studios, Cape Canaveral. When we return to my mother's house my husband will join us. Then we will go up to Atlanta to visit with his family through Thanksgiving. The day after Thanksgiving my mother is going to get married!! She is 72 years old and he is 82 years old. The next day my husband and I fly home to Portland, OR.

Prior to my trip I have to see my dentist (broke off a piece of a bottom molar with a huge filling in it last night when I bit down on nothing more than a piece of hard chewing gum), get a mammogram (oooo weeee, how I hate those darn things), see my doctor on November 1st (looking forward to this physical because I am so much better off now than a year ago), arrange for dog sitting for the week of Thanksgiving (Sunday Nov. 21 - 28 ), organize my kitchen shelves, arrange to have the hardwood floors repaired and refinished (what a mess that is going to be), pack for the 3 1/2 week trip to Florida & Georgia, etc. and so forth. Yep, I am going to be very, very busy folks!

I'll catch up with you all later today (Monday) or tomorrow at the latest.

Thanks, Bobbe, for all of your posts. I am so busy that it is hard for me to sit still long enough to read the posts. I am looking forward to a quiet and non-busy time after Thanksgiving.

I am going to post something that I posted to another group. It's just cut and paste, thus easy. Maybe it will be of some help to others in this thread.

[Cetaganda]

One of the biggest benefits I have received from learning to eat well
and to get enough exercise is that I no longer need to take my
diabetic medication ... hooray! I think I am now pre-diabetic instead
of diabetic ... will have to check that out with my doctor on November
1st. My doctor says that my success is just AWESOME! She is going to
be pleased with my continued weight loss, improved Hemoglobin A1C (a
measure of my blood glucose levels for the past 2-3nths) and lipid
(cholesterol and triglycerides) measurements.

Take good care of yourselves, everyone. Wising you all the best!

[Cetaganda]

Assuming that someone is interested, here is where I am posting my before, during, and after the South Beach Diet photos.

The only photo so far was taken in July, 2003, a year before I started the South Beach Diet. I was at my highest weight in November, 2003. By the time I started the South Beach Diet in mid July, 2004 I was already 20 pounds lighter than in November. This was due to an illness, not to eating well and exercising.

As I have other photos made, I will upload them as well.

http://www.southbeach-diet-plan.com/for ... 040#162040

[tennie]

what do you guys do about exercise. What sort do you do? Please tie this to your general fitness level and age

I'm 65, general health is good except for high cholesterol, triglycerides, etc. and was diagnosed as type 2 diabetic in Aug. Oh yes, that and the fact that I am 218 lbs (I have only lost a total of 4 lbs. on this WOE, but more importantly, my BSL's are stabalizing. They were all over the place for a while). I take no prescription medicines. My doctor recommended this diet or Weight Watchers both for weight loss and for diabetic control.

I thought to join Go Figure (looks similar to Curves)--tried it out and liked it, but haven't been able to find the time to go back. Too many other things in life taking up my time--genealogy, writing family history books, cutting and pasting obits for the file at the library, doing volunteer lookups for others, computer club, cooking, napping, etc.

So my exercise is just playing tennis. I play either singles or doubles 4 to 6 times a week. Usually around 2 hours for doubles and only about an hour for singles (my hubby can really get me going in that time.)

Other than that we mall (or large store) walk when the weather isn't good or I haven't played tennis that day. We did have annual passes to Disney and loved to go there and that entailed a lot of walking.

We do like to bike ride, but summers are too hot and humid. Now that it's cooling down a bit, we may get back to it.

Marilyn

[bobbeleh]

Hi Marilyn:

I bow to your awesome exercise schedule. I really need to unbury my treadmill soon.

The exercise will really work with SBD to get things stabilized.

I have found that blood sugar stabilization is the real plus of SBD. Mine dropped dramatically within 7-10 days and tend to stay more stable in general.

The longer you stay on SBD, the easier it is. My own weight loss has been agonizingly slow at times, but the bg numbers keep me from being too unhappy about that. As of this morning, I've lost 12-1/2 lbs (up from 13-1/2 -- oooops ), but that's okay -- I know why.

Ramadan is a hard time to diet. Most people don't lose weight with the fasting because you get a huge breakfast before sunrise and then pig out in the evening. Because of the diabetes, I'm excused from fasting. Ramadan, however, is a very social time of year, and there are invites all over the place. In this area of the world (California), there are a lot of Middle Eastern and South Asian Muslims and that means rice, rice, and more rice. At least it's basmati!

My goal in the next month or so, is to get back into a walking program. Walking seems to be a "best exercise" for diabetes control. I found in the beginning that a 15-30 minute brisk walk would lower the blood sugar by 50-100 pts. Any kind of muscle building exercise (like strength training) will also help bring the numbers down because muscle tissue utilizes glucose more efficiently.

You didn't mention you're height. My first goal was to lose 15 lbs by the end of Ramadan (I'll probably succeed in that) and my secondary interim goal is to get below 200 lbs. Then I'll decide where to go from there (or rather how far).

Linda and I tend to be the most prolific posters on this thread. I know I look forward to submissions on this particular thread, as no one understands what a diabetic goes through better than other diabetics!

Anyway, keep up the good work, post when you can, and welcome to our little family.

Bobbe
female/50
Started: 8/26/04
242.5/230/? (ultimate goal)

[tennie]

bobbe,
I read the boards a lot, have learned a lot, but don't post a lot.

I'm 5'71/2" and have a large 'frame'.

Right now my concern with exercise is a large rise in blood sugar. My doctor said that the body runs out of fuel and pulls sugar into the bloodstream from (danged if I can remember where he said it came from). My body will feel stressed, particularly during hot, humid weather and my BS levels an hour after exercise have been in the 200+ range.

I am taking peanut butter balls with me and nibbling on changeovers, and the rise in BS levels is not so great--usually just into the 175 range.

I'm wondering if anyone else has this kind of problem.

It won't stop me from playing as my body has benefitted too much from the movement. Ten years ago I would have bet that I'd be in a wheelchair by now. Terrible arthritis in all joints and a right knee that had additional problems. The movement has improved all aspects of my health and, now that I have a 'new' knee, I can move better than ever.

Marilyn

[Cetaganda]

Marilyn wrote: "I'm 5'71/2" and have a large 'frame'."

Hi Marilyn,

I am 5 feet 7 inches, too, and have a large frame (large hands, large wide feet, etc.)

Wow ... what an effect exercise has on your blood glucose level ... I would be concerned enough to talk to my doctor about this. I have not experienced a large rise (sometimes have seen a small increase) in blood sugar during exercise, but I never exercise strenuously or for a long time. Do you?

Marilyn wrote: "I am taking peanut butter balls with me and nibbling on changeovers, and the rise in BS levels is not so great--usually just into the 175 range."

Marilyn, I am just speaking off the top of my head, but have you tried eating a meal or snack before exercising? I mean one that includes a moderate amount of sugar, such as milk or yogurt (which contain the sugar lactose) and/or fruit such as bananas and apples? Does anyone else have suggestions? Please let us know if you do.

If anyone else has experience with a big raise in blood glucose level after or during exercise, please post a response to Marilyn.

Marilyn wrote: "It won't stop me from playing as my body has benefitted too much from the movement. Ten years ago I would have bet that I'd be in a wheelchair by now. Terrible arthritis in all joints and a right knee that had additional problems. The movement has improved all aspects of my health and, now that I have a 'new' knee, I can move better than ever."

Marilyn, that is awesome ... that you turned your health completely around and can move better than ever. Congratulations on your success!!

[Burdle]

Morning, All. I could use a little support right now. Tuesday I took my parents to their doctor appointment, my dad stopped driving last week at age 89 (aren't you all glad?). My mom asked me to go into the exam room with her... and I was shocked to learn she is pre-diabetic. Apparently this was discovered in previous appointments, she just didn't remember and never told me. She's 88 years old. She started SBD at lunch on Tuesday. She has 30 lbs. to lose. I suggested she start on P2 as I know she would not stick to P1. I don't know what her fasting BS reading was, the doctor didn't mention it. He said he didn't usually recommend any specific weightloss diet, but when I mentioned SBD, he said he had heard really good things about it. My mom loves sweets, and doesn't care much for artificial sweeteners but has started using them. She has given up her daily dose of jelly, and threw out the BBQ sauce and sweet pickle relish. I told her we would get sf versions. This morning we are going on a family excursion to Trader Joe's to get more SBD foods for her. She is pretty bummed out about no more cake or cookies for now, they were a major food group for her.
I really only have a few questions, does spaghetti squash raise blood sugar? I know the hard skinned squashes do, and spaghetti squash is SBD friendly...is there a limit on how much she can eat? Also, is one whole grain serving per meal too much?...a slice of whole grain bread, or 1/2 cup brown rice or buckwheat? And how about millet? I always heard that millet was the grain of choice for diabetes, now SBD says the opposite...what do you think? And what about sweet potatoes? I know I can't eat them because they raise my blood sugar...
I'm lucky that my mom still cooks for them, and that they are still fairly healthy and can take care of themselves. I live less than a mile from them, moved last year right across the street because I knew my dad was going to have to stop driving in the near future, and I see them almost every day, but I am so concerned that my mom won't be able to stick to SBD...any suggestions you can offer will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks, guess I just needed to 'let it all out'.
Hugs,
Burdle The Bean Queen
172/124/120 started 1/5/04