I've had a lot of thoughts running through my head lately; in particular, thoughts about the Gospel and diabetes and the low carb diet.
I never realized how much they are alike.
What is the Gospel?
The Gospel is the good news that Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, came to Earth to redeem us (sinners) to Himself by dying the death that we deserve and being raised to life on the third day, defeating death and offering us eternal life and salvation if we would believe in Him. He is the only way to this salvation and eternal life. Without Him we face separation from God and spiritual death when our physical bodies die. With Him we have hope and life everlasting.
This is the good news, but not everyone accepts it. Not everyone accepts it as truth. They reject it, scoff at it, and persecute those who do believe it. They make up other false beliefs and religions to try to create their own truth, and then manage to deceive other people into following them.
What is the good news for diabetics?
In a very similar way, the good news for diabetics is the low carb/ketogenic diet. It has been around for hundreds, even thousands of years, and was the diet that diabetics were placed on at the turn of the 20th century, before insulin was discovered in 1921 and successfully used in a patient in 1922. Medical professionals at that time understood that diabetics could not metabolize carbohydrates and sugar, and placing them on carbohydrate restricted diets was the only thing they could do for their patients.
Then, in the mid-1970s, the low fat, high carb diets began gaining popularity and became the normal recommended diet for all patients, diabetics included. This proved catastrophic as the number of patients who developed both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes skyrocketed in the next 40+ years. However, the medical professionals still turn a blind eye to these facts and continue to push for high carb diets for their diabetic patients. A few doctors and patients have turned against the tide, and are facing resistance, but are seeing high levels of success.
In the same way that the Gospel is being shared in a world that fights against it, the low carb diet is fighting against nay-sayers for the benefit of diabetics.
Both meet resistance, persecution, scorn, and ridicule.
Both are being pushed aside as false, or folly, or myth.
Both offer hope, life, and good things for those that follow them (though the Gospel is highly superior, of course!).
But truth is being shunned, cast before swine, and falling on deaf ears.
In the same way that Christians should share their faith (with excitement and enthusiasm), diabetics and health professionals should share the truth and benefits of a low carb diet with other diabetic patients. No one else is going to step up and proclaim the truth, especially when they are so blinded by the deception that is being passed off as truth by the rest of the world.
Only those with eyes to see can lead the blind.
Only those with ears to hear and mouths to speak can share the good news.
Only those who have seen and tasted the good fruit of their labor can adequately share it with others.
Truth be told, I'm
a very reserved person and don't like to toot my own horn. I have
improved a little but it still doesn't feel "right" to me. I think my
comfort with sharing my personal successes has improved only because I do my best to give credit where
credit is due and that's to the Lord for showering me with so much loving-kindness. I have to remind myself that it's all because of Him
that I'm doing as well as I am, because I'm nothing on my own.
You
can feel uncomfortable with sharing your own good news, but you can also think of it as
a celebration - something is working for you and you're excited, so why
wouldn't you share it?
Especially when it can bring light and life to those around you.
Monday, March 7, 2016
Saturday, March 5, 2016
A Perfect Day
I'm blown away by God's kindness and goodness to me. My blood sugars yesterday and even today have been pretty much perfect! Check it out:
Later on I'm going to share with y'all what it's like to go through a day in the life of a diabetic. Most people have no idea what kinds of things I have to do to manage my diabetes. So I'm going to show you.
Later on I'm going to share with y'all what it's like to go through a day in the life of a diabetic. Most people have no idea what kinds of things I have to do to manage my diabetes. So I'm going to show you.
Thursday, March 3, 2016
Today's Results
Today's appointment went pretty well, over all, but I have to admit I was disappointed. I was praying my A1C would be lower - in the 5s - but that proved to not be the case. It came back at 128 mg/dl, or 6.1%. Everything else looked good, although my thyroid was a little higher than Carrie would've liked. She left my dose as is though, since there isn't an in between dose. We'll see how things look in a few months when I go back on June 23rd.
Anyway, I was so disappointed when I got home that I took one of the home A1C tests I'd bought not too long ago to see how it compared. This is the result I got:
Yes, it's in the 5s. And Dr. B's A1C chart says I'm in the high 5s (5.8) so I guess that's where I am. I'm trying to figure out how to get out of this rut. I thought I'd been cracking down on things but I guess I haven't as much as I thought. I feel so close yet so far...again. And it's annoying because even though it's ever so slight, I've gone backwards a bit. I know I had a bunch of false lows on my Dexcom (which I pointed out to Carrie and showed her what my actual readings were), and some random highs here and there, which I'm sure messed up my A1C since they were so close to my appointment date.
A1C is measured as:
50% - 30 days
25% - 30-60 days
25% - 60-90 days
A1C is measured as:
50% - 30 days
25% - 30-60 days
25% - 60-90 days
So the closer you are to your test day, the more heavily weighted those readings are toward your results.
Maybe next time I won't get my hopes up so much. I'll probably just be disappointed again.
Thursday, February 25, 2016
Insurance, doctors, and tests...oh my!
I'm still trying to figure out how to get these tests done without spending an arm and a leg. It seems the best option is to go to an in-network doctor and have them order the tests, then transfer the results to the holistic doctor who's going to oversee my care. I called the insurance company today and had them send me a list of in-network doctors in my area, and then I called the one that I've actually seen before (a year or two ago, when I was with a different insurance company). Seems I'm going to have to make an appointment with them because they haven't seen me in a while. *sigh*
I'm annoyed. Why do all the medical expenses have to occur at the beginning of the year? Why can't medical stuff be less complicated?
I also found a new medical supplier for my Dexcom supplies. They called my endo's office today and requested a prescription for my sensors.
I'm going in for lab work on Monday or Tuesday for my appointment with Carrie on Thursday. My numbers have really been improving and I'm hoping for a great A1C in the 5s! (Well, according to Dr. B, I already am in the 5s, but I mean according to the endo's office. That will really get their attention!)
Here's my new and improved statistics chart:
I was also selected to participate in a low carb survey! It's really exciting!
I'm annoyed. Why do all the medical expenses have to occur at the beginning of the year? Why can't medical stuff be less complicated?
I also found a new medical supplier for my Dexcom supplies. They called my endo's office today and requested a prescription for my sensors.
I'm going in for lab work on Monday or Tuesday for my appointment with Carrie on Thursday. My numbers have really been improving and I'm hoping for a great A1C in the 5s! (Well, according to Dr. B, I already am in the 5s, but I mean according to the endo's office. That will really get their attention!)
Here's my new and improved statistics chart:
I was also selected to participate in a low carb survey! It's really exciting!
Friday, February 19, 2016
New Stats and Medical Supply Company
 |
| December 20, 2015 |
 |
| February 19, 2016 |
As you can see from the stat graphs above, I've been having a little bit of success with better numbers! This makes me really happy!
~*~*~*~*~
Unfortunately, I received word that my old medical supply company, Edgepark, does not partner with my new insurance company (BCBS TN). So now I have to find a new in-network medical supply company from which to get my Dexcom supplies. *sigh* BCBS sent me a list of companies to go through so now comes the fun part of picking one.
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
Lovely Overnight Numbers
16 more days until my next endo appointment. Sure hope my A1C will be in the 5s this time!
Sunday, February 14, 2016
The plan moving forward
Ever since my kidney infection ended I've been battling panic attacks. Chest tightness and shortness of breath have accompanied them, and there haven't been any pinpointed triggers. A few of them were so bad I thought I was having a heart attack, but I know now that that's how panic attacks feel.
I came across a holistic doctor in my area while doing a Google search and made an appointment with them this past Wednesday, the 10th. It couldn't come time for my appointment soon enough.
The gist of it is this: we're going to do lots of tests (5 different kinds, to be exact) to gather as much data about my body as possible. Along with the panic attacks, I have nutritional deficiencies and I want to check on my gut health (since Celiac, Diabetes and hypothyroidism, which is now believed to be Hashimoto's, are all connected), which may help explain some things. The doctor was super nice and told me that their office focuses on absolutely personalized care, which means I'll get exactly what my body needs and not just a blanket treatment. Once we get all the tests done we'll have a pretty clear picture of what that all looks like. I have my first two tests this coming Wednesday (the 17th). Please be praying we'll be able to get the other tests scheduled and done soon as the cost for those tests is significant.
I came across a holistic doctor in my area while doing a Google search and made an appointment with them this past Wednesday, the 10th. It couldn't come time for my appointment soon enough.
The gist of it is this: we're going to do lots of tests (5 different kinds, to be exact) to gather as much data about my body as possible. Along with the panic attacks, I have nutritional deficiencies and I want to check on my gut health (since Celiac, Diabetes and hypothyroidism, which is now believed to be Hashimoto's, are all connected), which may help explain some things. The doctor was super nice and told me that their office focuses on absolutely personalized care, which means I'll get exactly what my body needs and not just a blanket treatment. Once we get all the tests done we'll have a pretty clear picture of what that all looks like. I have my first two tests this coming Wednesday (the 17th). Please be praying we'll be able to get the other tests scheduled and done soon as the cost for those tests is significant.
Wednesday, January 27, 2016
My Adapt Bars have Arrived!
I got a package in the mail containing my Adapt Bars and Fat Shots, which I've just learned are like fat bombs for your hot drinks (they give your drink a boost of fat content!). Pretty cool! I got chocolate praline fat shots but I'm not sure what drink they'd be good to supplement.
Anyway, I tried one of the lemon cheesecake bars and it's a lot smaller than I thought, but pretty good! They are very flavorful; I tasted half lemon, half coconut. Very satisfying!
Saturday, January 23, 2016
Battling My 2nd Kidney Infection
Around January 8 or 9 I started feeling some abdominal pain which at first felt like bloating. It slowly moved over to the right side and varied between dull and sharp at irregular intervals. It continued over the weekend, and I decided to go to the Urgent Care Center on Tuesday to avoid another hospital visit like the last time (we really don't need any more unnecessary hospital bills!).
I was also running a 100.9 degree fever, had a headache, and was lightheaded/dizzy. The day before I had experienced some shortness of breath, but that went away pretty quickly. I told the PA that I’d had a kidney infection before, a year ago, which was accompanied by a stone that soon passed on its own (very painful!). I highly doubted this was appendicitis, as the pain had been going on since Friday, was not painful when touched, and was not excruciating, nor was I nauseous, vomiting, or in a line of family members who had had appendicitis.
They ran a urine test and came back to tell me 2 things: my Absolute Segmented was high at 13.5 (normal range 1.8-7.0), indicating the presence of white blood cells and an infection; my ketones were 160 mg/dl. I told her I wasn’t worried about my ketones because I was on a low carb diet. She asked how long I’d been on a low carb diet and I told her a year. She then proceeded to ask me if my endo knew about my low carb diet, to which I said yes. She asked how many carbs I eat, I said 30g a day. She said I needed to eat more carbs. (Yeah, not going to happen!)
She erroneously went on to tell me that ketones are from burning muscle (I corrected her and said they were the by-product of fat burning, which she later admitted was correct). She did a thump test, where she thumped the left and right side of my back to check for tenderness…only the right side hurt in the back…then she said that they were going to do some blood tests and get an IV going. I at first thought the IV was for treating possible dehydration, and I explained that I try to drink 8 cups of water a day. I asked to make sure it didn’t contain any glucose, and the nurse said no (it was 0.9% sodium chloride, looked safe). It became clear, however, that she was trying to flush out the ketones.
After the first IV was done, they did blood work and came back to tell me that my potassium levels were low, at 3.3 mmol/L (normal range 3.6-5.0) and my sodium levels were low, at 131 mmol/L (normal range 137-145). She also pointed out that my carbon dioxide was low, ever SO slightly!! It was 21 mmol/L (normal range 22-30) and she said it was because my body was acidic. She gave me a printed study from 2001 (15 years ago!) where 2 people (a WHOLE 2 PEOPLE!) were found to be in “euglycemic ketoacidosis”, or diabetic ketoacidosis with normal blood sugars, “which was originally described whereby the initial blood glucose was less than 16.7 mmol/L (300 mg/dl).”
I was incredulous! Not only did the study not specify what these 2 people reported as “normal” blood sugars, it seemed to imply that anything less than 300mg/dl was considered normal!! (As I've said before, high ketones are not worrisome when normal blood sugars are present, and being on a ketogenic or low carb diet like I am, ketones will be present as they are by-products of my body's fat burning. They are used as fuel instead of carbs, and any ketones that are not used for fuel are eliminated in the urine.)
They hooked up a second IV and I was left to shiver from my fever with a small blanket in that room for over 3 hours. While I understood her concern about high ketones, it was clear to me that she knew very little on the subject. If I had not been feeling so lousy, I would've happily given her a lesson! But anyway, I was kinda irked that she was more concerned about my high ketones than my kidney infection. She wanted me to go to the ER to get a low dose insulin and glucose IV to combat the ketones, but I refused, telling her I was more concerned about my infection. I signed a paper stating I refused ER treatment and she gave me a script for Cipro and sent me on my way.
(Note: I relayed my experience to some of my friends and one of them told me that Cipro is fluoride based. I loathe fluoride and completely feared fluoride poisoning!)
After 3 days of taking the Cipro, however, I started experiencing some awful side effects, including panic attacks (which I've never experienced before), insomnia, lower blood sugars, and chest tightness (due to stress/panic attacks). I contacted the clinic and told them the side effects and another worker at the clinic, who happens to be a friend, gave me Bactrim instead and I've been doing much better. I have 2 more days left of antibiotics to take and then I'll be good. I finally started getting my energy back on Monday and have been doing my best to drink plenty of water. Egg drop soup has also become a new favorite during this time of sickness.
I was also running a 100.9 degree fever, had a headache, and was lightheaded/dizzy. The day before I had experienced some shortness of breath, but that went away pretty quickly. I told the PA that I’d had a kidney infection before, a year ago, which was accompanied by a stone that soon passed on its own (very painful!). I highly doubted this was appendicitis, as the pain had been going on since Friday, was not painful when touched, and was not excruciating, nor was I nauseous, vomiting, or in a line of family members who had had appendicitis.
They ran a urine test and came back to tell me 2 things: my Absolute Segmented was high at 13.5 (normal range 1.8-7.0), indicating the presence of white blood cells and an infection; my ketones were 160 mg/dl. I told her I wasn’t worried about my ketones because I was on a low carb diet. She asked how long I’d been on a low carb diet and I told her a year. She then proceeded to ask me if my endo knew about my low carb diet, to which I said yes. She asked how many carbs I eat, I said 30g a day. She said I needed to eat more carbs. (Yeah, not going to happen!)
She erroneously went on to tell me that ketones are from burning muscle (I corrected her and said they were the by-product of fat burning, which she later admitted was correct). She did a thump test, where she thumped the left and right side of my back to check for tenderness…only the right side hurt in the back…then she said that they were going to do some blood tests and get an IV going. I at first thought the IV was for treating possible dehydration, and I explained that I try to drink 8 cups of water a day. I asked to make sure it didn’t contain any glucose, and the nurse said no (it was 0.9% sodium chloride, looked safe). It became clear, however, that she was trying to flush out the ketones.
After the first IV was done, they did blood work and came back to tell me that my potassium levels were low, at 3.3 mmol/L (normal range 3.6-5.0) and my sodium levels were low, at 131 mmol/L (normal range 137-145). She also pointed out that my carbon dioxide was low, ever SO slightly!! It was 21 mmol/L (normal range 22-30) and she said it was because my body was acidic. She gave me a printed study from 2001 (15 years ago!) where 2 people (a WHOLE 2 PEOPLE!) were found to be in “euglycemic ketoacidosis”, or diabetic ketoacidosis with normal blood sugars, “which was originally described whereby the initial blood glucose was less than 16.7 mmol/L (300 mg/dl).”
I was incredulous! Not only did the study not specify what these 2 people reported as “normal” blood sugars, it seemed to imply that anything less than 300mg/dl was considered normal!! (As I've said before, high ketones are not worrisome when normal blood sugars are present, and being on a ketogenic or low carb diet like I am, ketones will be present as they are by-products of my body's fat burning. They are used as fuel instead of carbs, and any ketones that are not used for fuel are eliminated in the urine.)
They hooked up a second IV and I was left to shiver from my fever with a small blanket in that room for over 3 hours. While I understood her concern about high ketones, it was clear to me that she knew very little on the subject. If I had not been feeling so lousy, I would've happily given her a lesson! But anyway, I was kinda irked that she was more concerned about my high ketones than my kidney infection. She wanted me to go to the ER to get a low dose insulin and glucose IV to combat the ketones, but I refused, telling her I was more concerned about my infection. I signed a paper stating I refused ER treatment and she gave me a script for Cipro and sent me on my way.
(Note: I relayed my experience to some of my friends and one of them told me that Cipro is fluoride based. I loathe fluoride and completely feared fluoride poisoning!)
After 3 days of taking the Cipro, however, I started experiencing some awful side effects, including panic attacks (which I've never experienced before), insomnia, lower blood sugars, and chest tightness (due to stress/panic attacks). I contacted the clinic and told them the side effects and another worker at the clinic, who happens to be a friend, gave me Bactrim instead and I've been doing much better. I have 2 more days left of antibiotics to take and then I'll be good. I finally started getting my energy back on Monday and have been doing my best to drink plenty of water. Egg drop soup has also become a new favorite during this time of sickness.
My First Order of Adapt Bars!
I'm so excited! I found a great new source of low carb keto bars and I placed my first order yesterday! It is always exciting to find good, healthy foods that are low in carbs! I ordered them from AdaptYourLife.com, and they come in lots of different flavors. I decided I wanted to try the Lemon Cheesecake and Chocolate Praline bars. I'm sure I'll love them!
You can see them all here: https://www.adaptyourlife.com/store/
They should be arriving next week!
You can see them all here: https://www.adaptyourlife.com/store/
They should be arriving next week!
Monday, January 4, 2016
My glucometer data cable finally came!
Before Christmas I ordered a data cable for my glucometer so I can upload my blood sugar readings onto my computer. I do so much better at record keeping when I can upload data to my laptop.
It finally came today (after the UPS driver couldn't find my house and I found a note card in my mailbox telling me to come pick it up from their warehouse nearby)!!
Here's what the cable looks like:
(For anyone who uses a Relion Prime (or other Arkray glucometer), the cable and online data software cost $29.95 plus $5 shipping & handling.)
And these are the graphs and charts that I saw when I checked out my readings on the software program:
I definitely have some choking up to do on the reins. ;)
It finally came today (after the UPS driver couldn't find my house and I found a note card in my mailbox telling me to come pick it up from their warehouse nearby)!!
Here's what the cable looks like:
(For anyone who uses a Relion Prime (or other Arkray glucometer), the cable and online data software cost $29.95 plus $5 shipping & handling.)
And these are the graphs and charts that I saw when I checked out my readings on the software program:
I definitely have some choking up to do on the reins. ;)
Thursday, December 31, 2015
So far, so good
My numbers have been in range 100% of the time today. Dex has been incredibly accurate and my finger sticks have pretty much lined up with the sensor readings.
The other night I tested something: to see if a different insulin would give me steadier after dinner blood sugars. Typically Apidra works much faster than the protein in my meals, so I end up going low and then rebounding up much higher than I want several hours afterward. When I gave myself Novolog I avoided the low and my blood sugars stayed much smoother until about midnight. I then had to do a 2 unit correction, so my thought is that perhaps I needed an extra "extended bolus" for that meal.
I am trying it again tonight with steak, to see how the Novolog does. I seem to be dropping from a pre-dinner correction, so I'll wait it out.
If I can keep having days like today until my next appointment, I'll have a lower A1C for sure! Every day counts!
The other night I tested something: to see if a different insulin would give me steadier after dinner blood sugars. Typically Apidra works much faster than the protein in my meals, so I end up going low and then rebounding up much higher than I want several hours afterward. When I gave myself Novolog I avoided the low and my blood sugars stayed much smoother until about midnight. I then had to do a 2 unit correction, so my thought is that perhaps I needed an extra "extended bolus" for that meal.
I am trying it again tonight with steak, to see how the Novolog does. I seem to be dropping from a pre-dinner correction, so I'll wait it out.
If I can keep having days like today until my next appointment, I'll have a lower A1C for sure! Every day counts!
Sunday, December 20, 2015
At a standstill
The past 2 weeks
My stats now
While my numbers for the most part have been nice and well in range, I have been having some highs overnight that are driving me crazy. I've determined they are not dawn phenomenon, as some nights I have them and other nights I don't. I think they are related to late night eating, and it seems I may need to not eat after a certain time at night. Ugh.
My stats are worse than they were 2 months ago, but that's also probably due to the fact that I changed my target range by lowering it to 130. However, with the random highs I've been having, I feel like I am doing worse and struggling to keep my numbers down where I want them. My next appointment is in less than 3 months and I am super afraid I am not going to improve my A1C by then. The next 2 months are crucial since A1Cs reflect the most recent numbers prior to taking the blood work. I feel like I've hit a wall and am at a standstill, like I'm good at maintaining where I am but not improving. I'm a bit discouraged since my eating habits have pretty much stayed the same and my insulin needs fluctuate to the point where I am guessing what my basal should be based on what my numbers are doing. I know I need more basal testing but that has been tricky lately. I need to just buckle down and get 'er done. *sigh* Maybe I need a mentor...I need to bounce ideas and questions off someone.
My stats now
While my numbers for the most part have been nice and well in range, I have been having some highs overnight that are driving me crazy. I've determined they are not dawn phenomenon, as some nights I have them and other nights I don't. I think they are related to late night eating, and it seems I may need to not eat after a certain time at night. Ugh.
My stats are worse than they were 2 months ago, but that's also probably due to the fact that I changed my target range by lowering it to 130. However, with the random highs I've been having, I feel like I am doing worse and struggling to keep my numbers down where I want them. My next appointment is in less than 3 months and I am super afraid I am not going to improve my A1C by then. The next 2 months are crucial since A1Cs reflect the most recent numbers prior to taking the blood work. I feel like I've hit a wall and am at a standstill, like I'm good at maintaining where I am but not improving. I'm a bit discouraged since my eating habits have pretty much stayed the same and my insulin needs fluctuate to the point where I am guessing what my basal should be based on what my numbers are doing. I know I need more basal testing but that has been tricky lately. I need to just buckle down and get 'er done. *sigh* Maybe I need a mentor...I need to bounce ideas and questions off someone.
Monday, November 30, 2015
My First Low Carb Thanksgiving
This year hubby and I celebrated my first low carb Thanksgiving at my parents' house. His parents and brothers drove down and joined us for a lovely turkey dinner. Our menu consisted of turkey, green beans, cheesy broccoli, rice dressing, twice baked sweet potatoes, potato salad, a full salad bar, and 2 different gravies - regular cornstarch gravy and my low carb sour cream gravy, which turned out to be pretty yummy! We had tons of different drinks and desserts too, including my low carb pumpkin pies and lemon cheesecake fat bombs. (Recipes for both are in the LCHF Recipe tab at the top of the page.)
Between my salad, green beans, and broccoli, there was so much green on my plate I didn't know what to eat! Everything was so good and my blood sugars managed to stay decent (despite my battles this week with higher numbers).
We now have a ton of leftovers in our new fridge which hubby and I both love because it means he doesn't have to eat sandwiches and bagels for dinner at work and I don't have to cook if I don't feel like it.
Between my salad, green beans, and broccoli, there was so much green on my plate I didn't know what to eat! Everything was so good and my blood sugars managed to stay decent (despite my battles this week with higher numbers).
We now have a ton of leftovers in our new fridge which hubby and I both love because it means he doesn't have to eat sandwiches and bagels for dinner at work and I don't have to cook if I don't feel like it.
Friday, November 13, 2015
I Kissed Carb-Counting Goodbye
If you had told me a year ago, when I was looking at graphs like this, that I would someday soon be able to sleep through the night with steady blood sugars, I would've had a hard time believing you.
And while a little over a year may not seem "soon" to you, to me, it's a big deal. This crazy graph right here was the norm for me for 18 years. I just didn't know it until I got my Dexcom. What a world of difference it has made. Because now my norm is starting to look more like this:
This was last night. (Yes, the date is wrong by a day, ignore that.) That little bit of food I ate at 8am? A cheese stick, because I felt like eating it and knew it wouldn't affect my blood sugar. And I only needed 6 units of Levemir to maintain these numbers.
My daily stats look like this:
Pretty dramatic difference if you ask me. As many of you know, I was addicted to sugar before this year. Yup...addicted...hardcore. My husband always used to tease me about how I liked "a little bit of tea with my sugar." And it was true. I grew up thinking I could eat whatever, whenever. All I had to do was count the carbs and bolus for it. The only problem was, I didn't always bolus for it. In fact, most of the time, I didn't. And when I did, I still fell victim to the awful roller coaster effect...I chased my blood sugars up and down and up and down. I experienced burnout and extreme depression. It felt like a never-ending losing battle. But I kept on. And it was sad. I didn't know there were other options. My doctors never told me there were better ways to do things.
I also have to admit that part of my thinking included preferring the "real thing" to artificial sweeteners. I knew that artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame, were not good for you, as they are made up of chemicals that are not beneficial to your body.
As it turns out, my nutritionist courses have pointed out that aspartame in our food allows too much calcium into our cells, which basically stimulates our cells to death and destroys neurons. Many chronic illnesses that have been contributed to by long-term exposure to aspartame and MSG include MS, ALS, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Dementia, and neuroendocrine disorders.
However, the "real thing" isn't much better. Sugar is addictive, lowers the immune system, feeds cancer cells, feeds yeast overgrowth in the colon, significantly promotes obesity and type 2 diabetes, causes inflammation (direct proponent of diseases such as Alzheimer's), and acidifies the body (promoting osteoporosis). Not to mention its affect on blood sugars and all the nerve damage and complications that come with that.
The average American consumes 45 teaspoons of sugar a day - that's almost a full CUP of the very substance that not only lacks any type of nutritional benefit but also robs your body of essential vitamins, minerals, and enzymes.
"So how did a sugar addict with crazy roller coaster blood sugars manage to achieve that constant flat line??"
Easy. I kissed carb-counting goodbye.
"But didn't you experience any kind of withdrawal? How did you break your addiction?"
I think it started when I was diagnosed with Celiac disease in May 2012. That cut out all the wheat, rye, barley, and oats from my diet. However, I was still eating corn, rice, potatoes, and gluten-free grains, which all have pretty high glycemic index values. It was definitely a process that happened a little at a time as I researched different diets, from gluten-free to paleo to organic to low carb.
If I went through withdrawal, I don't remember how it felt. I just know that I was super determined to get my health on track, no matter what it took or cost. After I got my Dexcom and 2015 rolled around, I had pretty much decided to limit my carb intake even more and cut out the gluten-free grains and starches.
Dr. Bernstein's book, Diabetes Solution, helped all the pieces fall into place. I jumped in head first from that point and haven't looked back...except to reflect on where I was and how far I've come.
I know I've given up a lot of foods - and I mean A LOT - to get to this point, but I also know without a doubt in my heart that I'm on the right path. I no longer have carb or sugar cravings.
I kissed them all goodbye.
And while a little over a year may not seem "soon" to you, to me, it's a big deal. This crazy graph right here was the norm for me for 18 years. I just didn't know it until I got my Dexcom. What a world of difference it has made. Because now my norm is starting to look more like this:
This was last night. (Yes, the date is wrong by a day, ignore that.) That little bit of food I ate at 8am? A cheese stick, because I felt like eating it and knew it wouldn't affect my blood sugar. And I only needed 6 units of Levemir to maintain these numbers.
My daily stats look like this:
Pretty dramatic difference if you ask me. As many of you know, I was addicted to sugar before this year. Yup...addicted...hardcore. My husband always used to tease me about how I liked "a little bit of tea with my sugar." And it was true. I grew up thinking I could eat whatever, whenever. All I had to do was count the carbs and bolus for it. The only problem was, I didn't always bolus for it. In fact, most of the time, I didn't. And when I did, I still fell victim to the awful roller coaster effect...I chased my blood sugars up and down and up and down. I experienced burnout and extreme depression. It felt like a never-ending losing battle. But I kept on. And it was sad. I didn't know there were other options. My doctors never told me there were better ways to do things.
I also have to admit that part of my thinking included preferring the "real thing" to artificial sweeteners. I knew that artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame, were not good for you, as they are made up of chemicals that are not beneficial to your body.
As it turns out, my nutritionist courses have pointed out that aspartame in our food allows too much calcium into our cells, which basically stimulates our cells to death and destroys neurons. Many chronic illnesses that have been contributed to by long-term exposure to aspartame and MSG include MS, ALS, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Dementia, and neuroendocrine disorders.
However, the "real thing" isn't much better. Sugar is addictive, lowers the immune system, feeds cancer cells, feeds yeast overgrowth in the colon, significantly promotes obesity and type 2 diabetes, causes inflammation (direct proponent of diseases such as Alzheimer's), and acidifies the body (promoting osteoporosis). Not to mention its affect on blood sugars and all the nerve damage and complications that come with that.
The average American consumes 45 teaspoons of sugar a day - that's almost a full CUP of the very substance that not only lacks any type of nutritional benefit but also robs your body of essential vitamins, minerals, and enzymes.
"So how did a sugar addict with crazy roller coaster blood sugars manage to achieve that constant flat line??"
Easy. I kissed carb-counting goodbye.
"But didn't you experience any kind of withdrawal? How did you break your addiction?"
I think it started when I was diagnosed with Celiac disease in May 2012. That cut out all the wheat, rye, barley, and oats from my diet. However, I was still eating corn, rice, potatoes, and gluten-free grains, which all have pretty high glycemic index values. It was definitely a process that happened a little at a time as I researched different diets, from gluten-free to paleo to organic to low carb.
If I went through withdrawal, I don't remember how it felt. I just know that I was super determined to get my health on track, no matter what it took or cost. After I got my Dexcom and 2015 rolled around, I had pretty much decided to limit my carb intake even more and cut out the gluten-free grains and starches.
Dr. Bernstein's book, Diabetes Solution, helped all the pieces fall into place. I jumped in head first from that point and haven't looked back...except to reflect on where I was and how far I've come.
I know I've given up a lot of foods - and I mean A LOT - to get to this point, but I also know without a doubt in my heart that I'm on the right path. I no longer have carb or sugar cravings.
I kissed them all goodbye.
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
The past two days
My blood sugars the past two days have been pretty amazing, minus the little spikes I seem to be having around bedtime.
I'm trying to figure out which set of numbers I'm going to believe...My Dexcom and glucometer, or my endo's A1C test. My Dex and glucometer are lower and seem to line up with more resources that I have. My endo's test seems so way out there.
Which means if I believe my Dexcom and glucometer, my A1C is not 6.0 (126 mg/dl) but 5.1 (107 mg/dl). That's a big difference to me! What do you think? Which would you believe? Should I do a home A1C test?
I'm trying to figure out which set of numbers I'm going to believe...My Dexcom and glucometer, or my endo's A1C test. My Dex and glucometer are lower and seem to line up with more resources that I have. My endo's test seems so way out there.
Which means if I believe my Dexcom and glucometer, my A1C is not 6.0 (126 mg/dl) but 5.1 (107 mg/dl). That's a big difference to me! What do you think? Which would you believe? Should I do a home A1C test?
Saturday, November 7, 2015
Chuggin' Right Along
I'm pretty impressed with my numbers last night/this morning. They came down pretty quickly and stayed constant while I was sleeping. I'll be doing another basal check next week to see how it compares to this week's. Overnight checks are rough so I think it's best to space them out a little.
Gap in my numbers due to restarting my sensor session. At least they stayed where they were supposed to stay!
Gap in my numbers due to restarting my sensor session. At least they stayed where they were supposed to stay!
Tuesday, November 3, 2015
Overnight Basal Check
Seems like not too long ago I was doing overnight basal checks. Truth be told, I'll always have to do basal checks to make sure I'm getting the right dose. It's not a "one time and you're done" type of deal.
So it went pretty well. I love love love the nice straight line I had the whole time! My numbers were pretty beautiful, although I did have to take 2 sugar cubes to keep from going under 60, so I think that stopped the test, technically. Anyway, it was a very informative check.
To start, I had my last meal at 5:45pm and didn't eat anything (just drank water) or bolus any Apidra after 8pm last night. My numbers stayed pretty consistent the whole time I was fasting.
Here's the graph with fasting prior to midnight, and into the test.
5:45pm - 96 (3g carbs, 2 units Apidra)
7:50pm - 85
9:10pm - 76
11pm - 86
TEST BEGINS
Midnight - 79 (5 units of Levemir)
1am - 88
2am - 84
3am - 72
4am - 64
5am - 60 (took 2 sugar cubes = 4g carbs)
6am - 69
7am - no test
8am - 75 (5 units of Levemir, 1 cheesestick, go back to bed)
TEST ENDS
11:50am - 81
This graph is from Test Beginning to Test Ending, and a little bit beyond.
I'll obviously need to repeat this test 2 more times at least just to make sure but this test showed me what's really going on, at least last night. An ever so slight decrease in those first 5 hours.
(Ignore the incorrect date at the bottom of the graphs...my Dexcom didn't reset correctly with the time change. Ugh.)
So it went pretty well. I love love love the nice straight line I had the whole time! My numbers were pretty beautiful, although I did have to take 2 sugar cubes to keep from going under 60, so I think that stopped the test, technically. Anyway, it was a very informative check.
To start, I had my last meal at 5:45pm and didn't eat anything (just drank water) or bolus any Apidra after 8pm last night. My numbers stayed pretty consistent the whole time I was fasting.
Here's the graph with fasting prior to midnight, and into the test.
5:45pm - 96 (3g carbs, 2 units Apidra)
7:50pm - 85
9:10pm - 76
11pm - 86
TEST BEGINS
Midnight - 79 (5 units of Levemir)
1am - 88
2am - 84
3am - 72
4am - 64
5am - 60 (took 2 sugar cubes = 4g carbs)
6am - 69
7am - no test
8am - 75 (5 units of Levemir, 1 cheesestick, go back to bed)
TEST ENDS
11:50am - 81
This graph is from Test Beginning to Test Ending, and a little bit beyond.
I'll obviously need to repeat this test 2 more times at least just to make sure but this test showed me what's really going on, at least last night. An ever so slight decrease in those first 5 hours.
(Ignore the incorrect date at the bottom of the graphs...my Dexcom didn't reset correctly with the time change. Ugh.)
Monday, November 2, 2015
The Truth About Carbs and Glucose
"Diabetics Need Carbs And
Sugar To Survive."
You'll see a lot of people on the internet and in your daily lives pass around misinformation about carbs and sugar, or glucose. The fact of the matter is, carbohydrates and glucose are related, but not entirely one and the same.
Glucose is a single chain sugar molecule with the molecular formula C6H12O6.
Carbohydrates are a multi-chain complex molecule made up of several glucose molecules.
So in essence, carbohydrates are just lots of sugar molecules all stuck together to make one big molecule. This means one entire carbohydrate molecule must be broken down into each of the individual glucose molecules in order for it to be absorbed and used by the body.
Our bodies need approximately 83 mg/dl of glucose in our blood to perform at an optimal level. Below 60 mg/dl is considered hypoglycemic (low blood sugar). Above 120 mg/dl is considered hyperglycemic (high blood sugar).
Modern doctors want their patients to maintain blood sugar levels anywhere from 70 - 200+ mg/dl. The problem with this is that they view carbohydrates (specifically from pasta, cereals, bread, desserts, pizza, candy, you name it) not as a bad thing, but as a good and needed thing.
In reality, diabetics are carbohydrate intolerant.
You read that right.
Carbohydrate Intolerant.
Our bodies do not produce the insulin we need to effectively lower blood sugar levels after eating high carbohydrate-filled meals. We have and inject synthetic insulin, yes, but those insulins do not work quickly enough and are often given without the precision of which our bodies are capable of administering. Therefore, we can not metabolize carbohydrates and are intolerant of them.
So if diabetics are carbohydrate intolerant, how do they keep their blood sugars from going too low? Don't they need sugar to keep that from happening? Yes, they do, but they can get all the glucose they need from protein, vegetables (gluconeogenesis), and fats (ketosis). Gluconeogenesis and ketosis are how the human race not only survived but in fact thrived before medical experts and agricultural advances started forcing UNNECESSARY complex carbohydrates down our throats.
Many people will also try to say that diabetics should eat carbs and sugar in moderation. I would first point them to this article: http://www.dietdoctor.com/why-everything-in-moderation-is-terrible-diet-advice
Poison eaten in moderation is still poison.
You'll see a lot of people on the internet and in your daily lives pass around misinformation about carbs and sugar, or glucose. The fact of the matter is, carbohydrates and glucose are related, but not entirely one and the same.
Glucose is a single chain sugar molecule with the molecular formula C6H12O6.
Carbohydrates are a multi-chain complex molecule made up of several glucose molecules.
So in essence, carbohydrates are just lots of sugar molecules all stuck together to make one big molecule. This means one entire carbohydrate molecule must be broken down into each of the individual glucose molecules in order for it to be absorbed and used by the body.
Our bodies need approximately 83 mg/dl of glucose in our blood to perform at an optimal level. Below 60 mg/dl is considered hypoglycemic (low blood sugar). Above 120 mg/dl is considered hyperglycemic (high blood sugar).
Modern doctors want their patients to maintain blood sugar levels anywhere from 70 - 200+ mg/dl. The problem with this is that they view carbohydrates (specifically from pasta, cereals, bread, desserts, pizza, candy, you name it) not as a bad thing, but as a good and needed thing.
In reality, diabetics are carbohydrate intolerant.
You read that right.
Carbohydrate Intolerant.
Our bodies do not produce the insulin we need to effectively lower blood sugar levels after eating high carbohydrate-filled meals. We have and inject synthetic insulin, yes, but those insulins do not work quickly enough and are often given without the precision of which our bodies are capable of administering. Therefore, we can not metabolize carbohydrates and are intolerant of them.
So if diabetics are carbohydrate intolerant, how do they keep their blood sugars from going too low? Don't they need sugar to keep that from happening? Yes, they do, but they can get all the glucose they need from protein, vegetables (gluconeogenesis), and fats (ketosis). Gluconeogenesis and ketosis are how the human race not only survived but in fact thrived before medical experts and agricultural advances started forcing UNNECESSARY complex carbohydrates down our throats.
Many people will also try to say that diabetics should eat carbs and sugar in moderation. I would first point them to this article: http://www.dietdoctor.com/why-everything-in-moderation-is-terrible-diet-advice
I would then say that eating a
healthy diet comprised of low carb foods is the only way for a diabetic to
achieve normal blood sugars and live a long and healthy life. Moderation
is a big fat lie.
Poison eaten in moderation is still poison.
Our country’s living proof of
it.
Sunday, November 1, 2015
Diabetes Awareness Month
November 1st marks the beginning of Diabetes Awareness Month and I thought it would be appropriate to share a post to kick things off.
There's a pretty hefty question that's been on my mind this year, and that is:
"Can diabetics eat whatever they want?"
Honestly, the answer to that question is no. They CANNOT eat whatever they want.
I had to learn this the hard way. I struggled with my numbers for 18 years before I realized my eating habits had to change if I wanted to see improvements in my numbers. My blood sugars were constantly in the 200s, 300s, 400s, and even 500s for all those years and my A1Cs were always over 10. Why? Because I ate whatever I wanted and didn't care about what they did to my numbers. I just cared about being (or appearing to be) "normal".
It wasn't until this year that I realized I had to stop eating all those sugary, carb-filled foods if I wanted to see consistently normal blood sugars that would allow me to safely get pregnant. There's just no way to have normal blood sugars and eat whatever you want. The insulin can't keep up with the carbs, no matter how you bolus or pre-bolus. It's impossible.
Simply put, diabetics CANNOT tolerate carbohydrates.
Can those with peanut allergies tolerate peanuts? No.
Would you tell them to eat peanuts anyway and just take an Epipen shot for them? No!
So why oh why do doctors push carbohydrates on diabetic patients when diabetics cannot tolerate them?
Spikes in blood sugar from carbs cause more complications than your doctor will tell you. At 140 mg/dl, nerve damage takes place but doctors urge their patients to keep higher blood sugars and higher insulin doses because they're scared of being sued if a diabetic dies from a low blood sugar!
The best way to minimize your complications later and maximize your life expectancy is to cut the carbs! The fewer carbs you eat, the less insulin you need, the fewer highs and lows you will have, and the easier it is to keep your blood sugars where they should be (70-100). 83 is considered normal blood sugar. The rule of small numbers is the best way to go about eating...small number of carbs = small insulin doses = less room for high spikes and low valleys.
Many diabetics follow a low carb diet that consists of no more than 30g of carbs a day. They eat lots of healthy fats, meats, and vegetables and maintain A1Cs in the 4s and 5s. This is what diabetics need to do if they want to live a long healthy life.
Unfortunately, many of them have not seen the light yet. Many of them believe that their doctors know best and they are happy "being able" to eat whatever they want. Many of them follow that path and go on to suffer from numerous complications, including neuropathy, blindness, and loss of legs, fingers, toes, and arms.
These complications honestly never used to scare me, even while I watched other family members experience them. I had that "invincible" mentality...it will never happen to me, I'm still too young for that to be something to worry about, etc. I'm now ashamed that I didn't care more. I can't tell you how much better I feel physically and mentally, and how empowered I feel by stepping up and taking charge of my care.
I recommend Dr. Richard K. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution if anyone wants to read about the approach to which I now subscribe. Dr. Bernstein has been a type 1 diabetic for over 70 years and he put the low carb diet into action for many diabetics.
He's saved my life. Will you let him save yours?
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