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. 

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. 

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? 

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!

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.) 

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

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. 

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?  

And my results are in!

This morning's appointment with Carrie went very well!  I got there on time, despite a team of tree removal workers from the city blocking our driveway as I was on my way out. 

I tested right before the nurse checked me.  My glucometer read 113, the office's glucometer read 103.  My thyroid is finally in the normal range, which means no more fluctuating medication doses!  100 mcg seems to be just right for me now!  All the rest of my lab work came back normal too and she was happy to report that.   

And the number I've been waiting to reveal...

As you may remember, my Dexcom Studio software was figuring my average blood sugar was around 108 (5.4 A1C), and I was sincerely praying that was true.  I really thought I would be in the 5s!  However, I couldn't remember how accurate its calculations were for my last appointment and A1C, so now I'm happy to be able to note this. 

My last A1C was 6.7 (146 mg/dl). 

My current A1C is....

6.0 (126 mg/dl) !!
Dr. B puts a 126 average blood sugar at 5.7 %, so that's nice!! 

I'm happy that there has been a good amount of progress.  Carrie was pleased to see that my numbers were looking great, even with a few spikes from hormones/over-corrections.  She really had no other instructions, but made note of my low carb intakes (and had no objections), remarked that we're in a better place health-wise to start having kids, and said she'd see me in 4 months (so seems I'll be seeing her every 4 months instead of 6, which is fine.  3 times a year is better than 4, right?).

So now I've determined to choke up on the reins even more.  I will reach the 5s by February, and I've figured out a few things I need to do in order to reach that goal (or do better):

Basal checks - because of those strange highs I was having, which I chalked up to hormones, I adjusted my basal rate some.  I increased my injections of 5 units up to 8, and even up to 10 overnight.  I've since brought them back down to 8 due to some overnight lows, but I'm not sure if I should bring them down even more or not.  That means I need to do some basal checks and make sure I have my dose where it needs to be.  My meal and correction boluses seem to be okay for now, so I'll leave them be.

Lowering my high alert on my Dexcom - In order to tighten my control, I need to start anticipating when my number may go higher than I want it to go.  My high alert tells me when my number reaches the maximum value I set, and it is currently set to go off if my number reaches 140.  However, I would like to start preemptively treating numbers before they get that high.  I think my next high alert setting should be 130, and then down to 120 (which is the lowest it can be set).  My ultimate goal is to keep my numbers between 70 - 120 as much as possible.

Expand my low carb recipe book - While I have some great recipes I've been able to make this past year, I'd really like to make use of the resources I've been able to find since joining some great low carb groups on Facebook.  I know there are a ton of recipes out there that are just waiting for me to find them and try them, and I'm excited to be able to try new ways of making the same old foods!

Well, that's all I have for now.  I'm going to go relax and rest a bit.  I'm running on 4 hours of sleep and have a tiny sore throat. 

To God be the glory!    

Approaching My Next Appointment

My numbers for the past 24 - 40 hours have stayed perfectly constant and in range!  Today I've stayed between 63 - 112 per Dexcom (finger sticks have said 70s, 80s, and 90s for the majority of the time).

1 week til my next appointment.  I go in for lab work next Monday or Tuesday, and then my appointment is Thursday.  I can't wait to find out my results!  Dexcom Studio says I'm maintaining a 108 average blood sugar, which is a 5.4 A1C.  Let's see how close it is to that number, shall we?

I've been testing the Dark Chocolate flavor of ChocoRite...it's pretty good but I prefer the Milk Chocolate flavor.  It's so nice to have a low carb candy I can enjoy that won't mess up my numbers!  

ChocoRite Milk Chocolate Bars

Thanks to some fellow Diabetics I've learned about a low carb chocolate bar that doesn't spike blood sugar!  I finally managed to track down a box at my local Walgreens and am sampling them for myself!  My first taste of chocolate in I don't even know how long...was wonderful!  An hour later and my blood sugar hasn't really budged!  I think this may be my new favorite candy bar!



Each bar has basically 2g carbs because they contain fiber and erythritol (a sugar alcohol, which you can read more about here:  http://bodyecology.com/articles/erythritol_what_you_need_to_know_natural_sugar_substitute.php).

I'm going to keep testing these bars (there are 5 per box) and see if there are any noticeable differences to record, just to be sure.  But for a first time taste of a virtually carb-free/blood sugar safe chocolate bar, I'm hopeful!

EDIT:  8:05 PM
I had no insulin on board or other food in my system.  Here are the results of my hour long test:

6:49 PM
Glucometer:  103
Dexcom:  96
Ate 1 ChocoRite bar

7:53 PM
Glucometer:  118
Dexcom:  99

Dexcom showed steady numbers after eating the ChocoRite bar!

So if you ever want to get me chocolate, you can get me ChocoRite Milk Chocolate bars!  

New Sensor Location

First time trying it on my calf. Loving it so far! Accurate readings, no pain, and out of the way!

(Decided to try it here after my thigh sensor got caught and partially pulled out. It was kinked when I removed it...first time that has ever happened to me!)
 

My stats are improving by the day!  Here's how they look at the moment:


8 units of Levemir really does seem to do the trick of keeping my numbers down.  I hadn't seen consistent numbers in the 70s and 80s before this, so I think I'll stick with it. 

I also had an eye doctor appointment on the 5th.  Eyes look good and healthy.  No sign of diabetic issues, same as always (and always good to hear!).  Eyes haven't changed so no need for a new prescription. 

Now We're Getting Somewhere

Increasing my Levemir has drastically improved my numbers, even to the point where I'm bolusing even less for meals.  I've been able to keep them under 100 overnight, even in the 80s and 70s!  Here is what the past 10 days have looked like:

And stats for the past 5 days, looking amazing with averages in the 90s and high 70s!  Those lows aren't entirely accurate...Dexcom seems to think I went lower than I really did on those days...I only went down into the 60s. 

Slight improvement in these stats (average down to 106 from 108; high 12% target 84% improved from high 13% target 83%).  Glucometer 104 mg/dl 14 day average, 115 mg/dl 30 day average.

 My quarterly stats, showing a drop in mean/average glucose from 130 to 106 mg/dl.  84% in target from July - October, up from 65% in target from April - July. 
 
Average glucose of 106 = A1C of
5.3 (ENDO)
5.1 (Dr. B)

Can't wait to see my result at the end of the month!

Taming the Strange Roller Coaster

This past week I experienced a strange blood sugar roller coaster...so I decided to increase my Levemir doses a little to see if that would help to tame those wild numbers.  


I've been taking 8 units of Levemir 3x a day instead of 5 units.

The result?  Today's and yesterday's numbers have been great!


Today's average so far:  99
Yesterday's average:  103
Sunday's - Wednesday's averages:  120's and 130's

Hopefully I'll be able to stay on top of these numbers as my end of October appointment draws near!  My quarterly average (according to Dexcom Studio) is still sitting pretty at 108, so no change from a week ago.  But that's okay...it's still an awesome estimated A1C of 5.4%! 

Overdue Update

It's been a month since my last post, so I am way overdue for a new one! 

I had been super busy working my new job for the past 2 months, but that came to an end on September 4th. 

I am now actually excited to say that I have enrolled in the Life Training Institute's Certified Biblical Nutritionist Program!!  This week I've been going through their Christian Counseling course and I've been learning so much about how we as humans were designed and created.  So I am thrilled to be on this path. 

As far as my numbers go...can I get a booya!?

Here are my stats from a month ago:


And here are today's stats:


My glucometer gives a 14 day average of 119mg/dl and a 30 day average of 118mg/dl. 

Estimated A1C:  5.4 - 5.7!!  (Last one done in July was 6.7)

I've had a few unexplained highs but they've pretty much come down quickly with a correction.  Everything has been pretty streamlined for the most part!  With my next appointment coming up at the end of October, I'm excited to see what Carrie will say about my A1C and numbers. 

I am so close to my goal A1C - 4.5 - I can taste it! 

Eating low carb, high fat has literally saved my life.  Thank you, God! 

When Non-Diabetic Numbers are the New Norm

The past few days I've been blown away by my numbers.  I hope you understand what a big deal this is to me.  For 18 years I STRUGGLED with my blood sugars.  They were always up and down and up and down, averaging in the 200s and 300s (remember last May 2014?  My A1C was 11.1 = 272mg/dl!!) month after month, year after year.

And now, I'm seeing a new trend.  A lifesaving trend.  A glorious God-deserves-all-the-glory trend.  My blood sugars have been averaging in the NON-DIABETIC range!!  This is from the past two days:



And this chart breaks it down for the past 5 days...and there are plenty of other days before this that look identical!  I've never seen so much green (and red!):



Daily averages in the 90s, 80s, and 70s!!  Never in my life did I ever think I would see those numbers being said of me and my diabetes.  Never!  I can pretty much guarantee that this trend will continue...these numbers don't lie and at my next appointment with Carrie I am really going to knock her socks off!  My appointments will be pushed back to only twice a year and I'm going to bet my A1C will be 5.0s or 4.0s!!

Low carb to the rescue!

A few overnight lows have led me to believe that 6 units may be too much.  I went back to taking 5 units of Levemir and I think I'll just stick with that for now. 

One thing's for sure...low carb has been a lifesaver!  I've been making and testing out recipes for fat bombs and I've found a favorite - Zesty Lemon Cheesecakes!  I posted the recipe on the Fat Bombs page at the top of my blog.  They add a good amount of healthy, filling fats to my diet, which I realized were lacking.

In honor of having my Dexcom for almost a year now (coming up on the 23rd), I thought I'd celebrate with a little comparison post.  I am so blown away by how good and gracious God has been to me this past year in particular and I can't thank or praise Him enough for all the progress in blood sugar management that He has allowed me to see thanks to my Dexcom and my diet changes.  It is only by His grace that I am on track to excellent blood sugar management and it is for His glory that I continue to strive for excellence in my own health.  (I also seek to bring Him glory by learning about how He designed our bodies so that I can help others strive for better health as well.  Speaking of which, one of my nutritionist books arrived yesterday!)

So without further ado...    

These were my stats from August 2014 - mid-February 2015.  A1Cs of 10.1 in August and 9.5 in January.
 

These were my stats from mid-February 2015 - mid-August 2015.  A1Cs of 8.3 in March and 6.7 in July.


These are my current stats, as of today.  Average blood sugar of 114 = A1C of 5.37mg/dl.

Overnight Insulin Boost

I tried 6 units of Levemir at midnight last night and I'd say things went swimmingly!  I didn't have to wake up early to correct or anything (the 8am insulin icon is for my usual Levemir injection).  I went up to 122 around 4am but then it went down on its own and stayed level.  I must've had some low carb leftovers in my system or something - maybe that cheese stick I had before bed?  At any rate, I think 6 units will be my midnight dose now.



Since July 30th, I've managed to stay in target more than 90% of the time, with my daily average blood sugars in the 90s and low 100s.  I've had a few lows but they were easily treated.  My numbers seem to only get better!

Weekly Trends

Just wanted to share my blood sugar trends for the week.  It also helps me to see patterns, such as lows and highs.



This week's graph is telling me that I'm running a bit higher overnight than I want to be.  I'm going to see if 6 units of Levemir at midnight will take care of that tonight.  I've been having to get up at 6 in the morning or so to correct a few times and I'd rather not keep doing that.

Fewer appointments = more cost savings!

I forgot to mention in my post about my last appointment with Carrie that if my A1C drops even lower than it was last time (6.7%) that she's going to have me come for appointments every 6 months instead of every 3 months.  That will cut down on doctor appointment costs significantly (because every office visit costs us $$$).  We currently have a pretty sizable debt we have to pay off for all my appointments, but we will knock it out with Dave Ramsey's Debt Snowball after we get enough money in savings.

So I've decided that during the time when I would've had a 3 month appointment with her I will use an inexpensive home A1C test (which you can get at Walmart) to see how I'm doing.  Dexcom Studio is accurate for the most part, but really only as accurate as the data that it downloads (which has its hits and misses).

Anyway, according to my DSS (Dexcom Studio Software) my average BG is sitting pretty at 118 (5.7%) so that's a whole point my A1C has reportedly come down.  I think those 6 month visits are going to happen!  Another reason why low carb is the way to go!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I'm just floored by the statistics in an article I read.  I shared it on Facebook, but here's the link to it:  https://optimisingnutrition.wordpress.com/2015/08/02/standing-on-the-shoulders-of-giants/  

Some things that stuck out to me:
"People who have type 1 diabetes and excellent blood glucose control are statistically rare.  According to the T1D Exchange, 1.2% of type 1 diabetics in the US have a ‘normal’ HbA1c of less than 5.7%."
Carrie echoed this at my last appointment when she said, "These sorts of numbers aren't seen in Type 1s."

It is my goal to get into the "Less than 5% (really, 4%)" Club.  It is also my goal to help other diabetics do the same thing.

"...it is not possible to achieve normal blood sugars with large amounts of carbohydrate in the diet."  AMEN.

35% Improvement + Updates

As of today, here's where I stand. 
Average BG of 118 = A1C of 5.7 (endo), 5.5 (Dr. B).



Feb - Apr Average BG:  163 (40% in target)
May - Aug Average BG:  117 (75% in target)



To me, this is nothing more than proof that low carb is the way to go.  I never thought I'd see such improvement in my life. 

Also, I've been discussing my diet with other diabetics online and have discovered that I need to be adding more fat to my meals.  I'm probably even eating too much protein but I think if I just add more fat I'll be okay.  I'm really excited because I went searching for some "fat bomb" recipes, and I found a whole bunch I can't wait to try!  (Fat bombs are dessert-like snacks that are made up of healthy fats like coconut oil, peanut butter, cream cheese, and nuts.)   

I can't wait to start my Nutritionist training at the Life Training Institute.  I've been calculating the cost of books on top of tuition and how long it may take me to complete the training course and receive my certification.  Looks like anywhere from 8 months to a year and 4 months is the average time frame for most people.  Cost is about $1,300 altogether so I have some saving/budgeting to do.  But I know this is what I want to pursue because I've really enjoyed giving helpful advice to other diabetics online.  God's given me this gift (diabetes) for a reason and I know helping others will bring Him glory.  I just need some Biblically-based education and I'll be on my way.  :)