One small effort to help the Type II Diabetic

Here is the beef...  You go online because you are just diagnosed as a Type II diabetic.  You need information, a food list of acceptable foods, and some hints on how to get started exercising.  The exercising is pretty simple enough.  You just need some ideas so you don't get bored to death. You can find that pretty much everywhere.  But you can't find information on the food.  Because everyone gears their diets towards the Type I diabetic.  When your watching the numbers, and you find out your doctor has put restrictions on salt, carbs, and sugar.  You want to see a website geared towards you as a Type II diabetic.   You don't want to have to go to the Atkins diet for one thing, and exercise at another, and so on and so on.  So as it stands, there is no one stop place online for type II's that have everything for them all bundled and ready to read and print out.  I don't have the time for this kind of endeavor.  So hopefully someone is listening out there.  If you do have one already, or know where there is one online then those key words in the header suck on that website.  Anyway, post them under the comments section.  I would like to see them. 

snake oils and cure scams

There are plenty cures and remedies on the market for diabetes.  But none of them are real.  Face it if there was cures they would be all over the 6'oclock news.  NBC would have a field day of it.  Plus CBS too.  No way would the news stations brush off a cure for diabetes. 

 

 Kevin Trudeau has been severely slammed by the FTC his infomercials for Natural Cures "They" Don't Want You to Know About - are still running.  Despite FTC actions that go back over a decade that bans him from appearing in, producing, or disseminating future infomercials that advertise any type of product, service, or program to the public, except for truthful infomercials for informational publications. In addition, Trudeau cannot make disease or health benefits claims for any type of product, service, or program in any advertising, including print, radio, Internet, television, and direct mail solicitations, regardless of the format and duration. But he can write a book! I can't help to think about the many people whom have spent their hard earned money on this mans frivolous claims.  He was proven a fraud by the FTC but the man keeps on with his BS.  And the public is duped into buying the nonsense because the infomercials are still on the air. 

 

Gosh maybe we ALL are in the wrong bussiness because it sure looks like this man didn't learn any lessons.  Plus he has made millions on his claims.  His book is in the number one spot. 

 

Why bring this up?  Because people looking for cures need to do their homework before throwing their money away.  Just because the people have a infomercial doesn't mean that the product is worthy of a purchase.  Check out the person, and ask yourself if their claims on the infomercial make sense.   If you ask me... They are out to make a buck regardless of what it does to the public.   His book is very miss leading.  Because he is claiming a cure for not just diabetes, but for all of the major diseases that are out there. That is your first clue that the man or any of them like him have no remorse for the public, and they only want to fill their pockets with YOUR money.   Because if his claims or anyone like him claims were true, our world would be disease free.  Is our world disease free?

Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990

In 1990 America passed the most promising law there is to protect people whom were disabled.  This law I believe was to make it fair to all people not just a select few.  So this law helps to protect the disabled, but it also protects business to a certain extent too. 

 

This is the most touchy of subjects because some feel that a person can abuse this law.  I am sure some could.  They could tie a business establishment in court trying to prove a frivolous case.  But they could also tie them up in court to prove that the case has merit.

 

But in my last blog post does the act of telling someone to test elsewhere but not in their restaurant constitute a violation?  Well it depends.  First... and I am just guessing here, I believe that the person would have to prove they were prejudice or maybe downright against any diabetic testing in the restaurant.  I don't think the act of just the one employee is enough to sue the restaurant.  I could be wrong though.  But if the manager had backed up the waitress then yes I believe you would of had a case against them.   

 

Can this really happen?  Yes it can! Some of our schools in America right now will not allow a student to test on school grounds.  They site it is dangerous for the school, and other reasons.  I am sure they also are afraid if they allow a diabetic to test on school grounds they will have to permit others to test also that have a totally different disease.  Plus if a diabetic is allowed to keep their testing supplies, and medication on them then so should others be allowed too that have another type disease. 

 

Is this practice fair?  Hell no it's not fair!   When a child has diabetes the parent is in a struggle at times making sure their child does their testing, and taking their meds plus watching their diet in a timely manner.  When a school tells them no they are actually not following medical advice, or dieticians advice.  They are throwing out everything that is being taught to these children and it's just like saying "To hell with you your on school property now."  The parents and their medical team are teaching them one thing, and the school system is teaching them the total opposite.

 

For these students diabetes doesn't end at the school door.  and then start back up as soon as they get home.  Many parents I have read about, and talked too say their children are being poisoned to a certain extent.  Some parents are having a rough time of it trying to control their child's diabetes. 

 

Some States are passing laws to protect children by ordering all schools to have a nurse available at all times to attend to these children and others with diseases.  They make sure the child stays on target, and are following the plan outlined by their medical team.  Many States are still not doing this.  It seems these few States need to open their eyes wide because before you know it a parent will come forward and cry fowl, and then take their school system to court.  They wont have a frivolous case.  They will have the Americans with Disabilities Act on their side.

 

{Directed at staff} Testing in a restaurant

For diabetics it's a fact of life that testing and injecting can not always happen in the ideal place.  Sometimes your in a public place, and your caught between a rock and a hard place deciding just how favorable a public establishment will accept your curse. 

 

Some are very sympathetic, others want you to run to the bathroom into a bathroom stall.  While others want you to do the testing at home and avoid their establishment all together. 

 

But this is not always possible.  Plus at the most it is not sanitary for a diabetic to test in any public bathroom.  (My Doctor said no testing in public restrooms)  Plus depending on how good of a restaurant your going too, you may end up at one, and waiting up to a hour for the meal to arrive which could do more harm to the diabetic if they tested before leaving home, or even in the vehicle before entering. This is so very true if they are on insulin.  

 

We have far more diabetics today than we did twenty years ago.  So chances of you seeing a diabetic test in a restaurant, or you even being a diabetic testing in any establishment  are greater than twenty years ago.   

You don't always have the ideal location.  Trying to be discreet is very hard to do in a public place that is packed with customers. 

 

Restaurant owners listen up! 

 

It's not fair, and your putting a diabetic at risk asking them to step into a bathroom stall to test in your restaurant.  Please talk to your personnel about this subject.  A insulin dependant diabetic has to test before they eat and they have to inject a dose of insulin.  For the most part they are discreet and don't cause a scene.  They will at times have a few drops of blood to fall.  But for the most part this is a rare incident to have happen.

Some are able to test in the car before entering.  But not all diabetics can do this.  But under no circumstances can any business tell them they can't do it!  Because quite a few diabetics have to have a very accurate, and as close to a meal as possible test done so they don't have a hypo from trying to guess the right amount of insulin.  If you insist on this otherwise then I guess you will have quite a few hypo incidents in your restaurants in the near future.  That is far worse than having a discreet diabetic at the table testing.  Please talk to your staff about this, and develop a good way to talk with your staff on how to handle this type of situation if it ever should arise.  Because if you keep telling the diabetics no, then eventually you will be loosing quite a few customers because of this.  Diabetic is not a rare word anymore.  Chances are getting higher than ever that you will have a family member that will have to deal with it.  It's not a discriminating disease.   It need not to cause problems in a restaurant when it comes to testing. It should not cause a problem in any public establishment.   Just one employee that has a problem with it can cause headaches for you.  Please attend to this. 

 

Thank you!

I have been very busy Lately!

Spoiling my new granddaughter! 

 

Name: Annalise Liberty

Born: July 21, 2005 at 11:18pm

weight: 6 pounds 3 ounces

length: 19 inches

 

 

exercise study

 

Well this proves that exercise does help Type 2's.  But motivation and good counseling from the physician is key to this working. It also helps if their  physician practices what they preach.    So a good diet that is low carb, and no sugar, and low salt if need be, and exercise are good for Type 2's.  I must admit I would be more willing to do this just as this study says if I had a partner.  I am not sure about the diary though.  But I can see some significance in it.  Perhaps diabetics all over the world need to have these needs met first before anything else.  Regardless of where you go for treatment the treatment should be the same.  I have heard from quite a few that the treatments vary from doctor to doctor.  Plus some dietitians don't know chit.  One type 2 said their dietitian didn't even know about the carb restrictions for type 2's.  I find this appalling, and unacceptable.  Maybe they need to retrain the dietitians, and send out letters to all the doctors explaining the guidelines?  Something needs to be done.  Like I said in the past... you can't blame the patient in all cases.  Sometimes the Pros are not Pros at all.  So I will add to their list for guiding the patient "diabetic control through medical consistency". 

 

 

http://care.diabetesjournals.org/cgi/content/full/26/2/404

 

 

Food glorious food!

Food prices:  I can't begin to tell you how much food has cost me these last few months.  It seems the less a product has in it the more it cost.  Is it just me or is there something wrong there? Processed food is out, so I go for the foods that don't come in a box they are fresh foods.  The sugar I use is a substitute.  It's not the best tasting I have had but believe it or not I never was one to have sugar in cereal or coffee in the morning anyway.  Carbonated drinks? Nope I am allergic to them.  But I still ended up getting rid of food I have in my home, and replacing it with food that cost twice as much money.  Did I get help after emptying my cabinets?  Nope.  I had to take a different approach to the who idea of eating healthy.  If I don't have the money for the food then I guess I wont be eating that day.  Or Ill be eating far less than what I am suppose too.  Three meals a day is what you are suppose to be eating though.  But if I am suppose to be or not.  If you don't have the money for it then what are you suppose to do?  I about started from scratch on my spices.  Most of them I gave away.  I had a few processed boxed foods like hamburger helper that went out the door too.  My pancake mix, and I always buy one bag 5 pounds of sugar a year.  Well I had to get rid of that also.  I replaced my spices with just two bottles of Mrs. Dash. I had a cabinet full of spices.  Onion salt, garlic salt hamburger seasoning, seasoned salt, just all kinds of stuff.  I kept just the herbs. I may run out of food for the month too.   

 

 

But I guess I am lucky to be able to get what I could for the month.  I talked to others that are diabetic and they have it about the same, or worse than I do.  Except for cereal they said the foods that are not good for you are cheap as hell.  The foods that are good for you are very expensive.  If you don't believe me then check it out for yourself.  I know wonder people hit the cheap crap today it's the only way you can barely get by feeding yourself and your family.  But the thing is families today need all the help they can get, and so do I.  So does everyone else that is in my shoes.   But I don't plan to hold my breath though.  So you think I am sarcastic with my remarks and you think I should just get over it?  Well lets see you balance a diabetic diet on the same amount of money for a month that you are spending on that junk food you buy every month.  I bet you run out of food too.  Don't cheat either if you do try this out.  Low carbs, low sugar, no processed foods. Your cola is out also.  Hop to it!  Let me know too what your experience was like.  If you don't want to try that then do this...  Shop like you normally do.  Now when you get home, divide the food up.  One stack a diabetic can eat, the other stack they can't.  Imagine what it would be like without that hamburger helper, or that pizza for Friday night.  How bout that Bar B Q too!  Check the back of those packages, saturated fat is out.  sodium is a no no too!  Most of those boxes you have there have no less than 100 mgs of salt per serving.  And those prepared foods have enough sugar in them to send a diabetic to the emergency room, or running for a extra shot of insulin.   Are we having fun yet?  I don't think so.  

 

Should we be concerned with the way America eats?  Yes.  We should be complaining more too.  If you want to get down right technical about it, you should complain and then demand that it stop.  The only way to a healthy life style is not to eat the junk.  But as long as the fast foods offer our children toys in their meals and market to them on TV and then  we go to our grocery stores and end up buying food that has enough crap in it... it's a wonder we all aren't dead. Then we will always be known as "USA the junk food capital of the world".   No where but in America has such poor practices when it comes to our food.  Most of the stuff is not good for you.  So as long as we accept it as is.  Then the ones making the stuff will keep on making it.  It's selling right?  When was the last time you read one of those labels on the back of that stuff you buy?  I kid you not it shocked me.  You may not be dead eating that stuff as of yet.  But look at your family, or even yourself, then ask yourself  "are you healthy?   "Overweight?"  "diabetic?"  "Risk of diabetes?"  "heart in good shape?"  "High blood pressure?"    Do you know what is causing it if you answered yes to any of these?  Are you really even sure you are healthy?  The only way to be sure that you are healthy is to stop eating the crap.  Did you also know that more and more diseases are being related to being caused by your diet?  Do you also realize the food you are feeding your kids today may effect them when they are grown?   America can do better.  We deserve better, so do our children.  The junk in our food needs to go, if not for us, at least for our children.

 

  How to Understand
and Use the Nutrition Facts Label

 

http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/foodlab.html 

 

 

just babble today

Well not that much this week. Except How do you pick your doctor? I don't have much choice where I live. But I guess my doctor is doing a good job. Being new at this if you don't know what to expect then how do you know if your doctor is doing a good job or not?

Here is something interesting though. Nicotine Vaccine Helps Smokers Quit
So will this be new in our future? Will this help the millions who want to quit? I hope so.

After the Doctor

I saw the doctor yesterday. He said I was doing a good job with my numbers. For those of you who don't know the numbers they range from 80 - 115 as the good numbers when I test, and 150 - 200+ on a bad test. I eat to keep my numbers in the good range. This can be easy or hard. Depending on the day and if your experimenting as I was with honey. Which I thought if I just used a couple tablespoons and some mustard I could really dress up my baked chicken. It didn't turn out that way though. almost four and a half hours later my number was 169. I can't imagine what it was when it peaked. But honey is no longer on my list of things to eat anymore. There I was thinking it was the most natural ingredient on the planet. It may be natural, but it is not meant for me. So I learned a lesson yesterday. Natural doesn't mean its any better for you. You live and learn. It took another hour for my number to drop into the acceptable range. I sure hated putting that number in my book. That is the highest it has ever been right before my next meal. No I didn't eat, I waited that extra hour. Then I just ate a few veggies. They were good too. :)

Diabetics can go through hell

While you run to the store and pile the groceries into your cart just stop and think for a minute... I bet you that more than half of the items you put into the cart a diabetic can't eat them. Or they have to eat them in such moderation that even over a few tablespoons can cause problems for them.

You do not realize how much junk you are eating till you are put on a diabetic diet. Foods as simple as a can of fruit are bad for them. So while you reach for that box of cereal, or that bag of chips maybe you too should eat better?

If your over weight, or you have diabetes in the family. Both of these increases your chances of getting diabetes. On several websites they said that a person that has the disposition of getting diabetes needs to watch their diet early instead of later. You guard your diet, don't let you diet guard you. Because just like me diabetes could sneak up on you one day, and take out one or two organs, or cause you to lose a foot, and yes even your life. Is all that processed food, sugar, and carbs worth it?

Diabetes is a thief. If your not careful your life can be turned upside down.

Back to the grocery store... a few extra words

I went back to the grocery store. This time I went armed and ready. The only problem I had this time was selecting a sugar substitute. The price on that stuff is outrageous. Other than that I don't think I did half bad. I got fresh veggies like carrots, broccoli, salad fixings. Chicken, that I took the skin off and froze. For a salt substitute I picked up two bottles of Mrs. dash. I only got two single small cheap frozen Mac and cheese bowls. A few said as long as you don't over do the bad foods then you will be fine. So I got just two servings of that for my splurge for the month. All in all I don't think I did bad this time at all.

When you first get diagnosed with diabetes I believe you go through far more than just denial. First you go through the shock of finding out. Next is dealing with the restrictions. Then you learn you are stuck with this crap for the rest of your life, and it wont get better, and it can get worse. Denial is just a part of this. I still say to myself "Did they make a mistake when they diagnosed me as being diabetic?" Can it happen? I am sure it could happen. But regardless at this time after I found out it was so prevalent in my family. I may doubt it some, but looking at the rest of my family and the amount of diabetes in my family. It would still be just a matter of time till they said "You definitely have it this time." The only thing I wonder about at this point is the fact I am not over weight like some are. Plus I have to admit that I really feel for the ones that are diabetic and over weight. And what about the children with this disease? Because some are so young, quite a few of them don't know what life is like without diabetes. If you never remembered what it was like before diabetes... Diabetes would still suck right?

I guess I can still count my blessings. I have a few nephews, and nieces that have had it sense they were very young. I guess in a way they too can count their blessings. They are managable for now.

Those darn numbers

I have this little book that I write my numbers in. I guess all diabetics have them. Mine is showing numbers all over the place. Like the day I decided to eat chili. Well I didn't know chili was bad for you. I mean it has beans in it. Or at least mine did. I like chili. Unfortunately chili no longer likes me. My number went up to 178. That was almost 3 hours later! It lingered at that number or about that number for some time. So I didn't eat the next meal on my list. Ok so I thought everything was fine. But I had a appointment at the doctors that week. How the hell that doctor knew I skipped a meal is beyond me. But he did. But I wasn't in the mood for a ER visit. So I thought I was doing a good thing. I mean I was scared if I ate the next number would be over 200. But nope the doctor said no I wasn't. I can't skip meals either. Darn it. How did he know?

Another day for the diabetic

Well, this week has been interesting. After doing some asking around I found out their is a cool website that points you in the right direction on the right foods and amount to eat each day. http://www.diabetic-diet-recipes.com/food_exchange_list.htm This page is great. Maybe soon I will find even more pages worth looking at. BTW you may want to print that page too.

Yippy! Lets go get groceries

My first visit to the grocery store after diagnoses. I figured this wont be hard. Stay away from a lot of the processed foods because they have the most salt, starch and sugar in them. No problem! UGH. All the foods I love I can no longer eat. Pizza was out. My chef boy R Dee spaghetti and meatballs was out. Hell I was looking at rabbit food. Stuck with the fresh because I was scared too touch anything else they had. Have you looked at the sodium content on some of that stuff? Per serving one had 340grams of the crap. Sugar you say? Well if its processed food then it has it. Those fillers are all starches too. I left the store with three items salad fixings and low cal Italian dressing. Plus some low cal yogurt. UGH Cooking is no longer fun. I never had a weight problem. I could eat anything and not gain a pound. Now I wonder how this changing how I eat will affect me?

I don't think I can do this diabetes diet without some help. How much salt is safe? How much sugar is safe? Can I eat regular food as long as I don't over do it? What is considered a portion? How can I tell by looking at the labels if the product is ok? Is it enough to worry about just the leanness of the product. I mean some say extra lean. Does low cal mean its healthy? How bout if it has the word "healthy" on the label? Does it really mean it is? Could I get the product for myself just because it says it IS healthy? I didn't know what to get... I left the store overwhelmed, confused, and depressed.

How I found out I had Diabetes

A few weeks ago my daughter got married. I was so happy that day. But I felt like crap. After the wedding comes the reception. I was sooo hungry. I pigged out. On the menu was finger foods. There was raw veggies and ranch dip. cheese wrapped with ham. Potato chips. and a assortment of every kind of drink you could imagine. mostly the soda variety. But yes there was alcohol there too. But I wasn't interested in that just the darn food. It's a wonder I didin't bust after stuffing what i did down.

But just like all that food came to a end so did my feeling like eating or doing much of anything afterwards. I had such a headache I felt like someone was taking a hammer to the back of my head. Plus I got ill to my stomach. Lost everything I ate. Then all hell broke loose when I got home. Yes I felt better the first couple days after getting home. You always feel better when your at home. Because the wedding was out of town I was very glad to be home. I put everything on the back burner, and just called my ill health a quirk because after all I never even got a chest cold. So I was thinking I was due to get something. So I called it a bug that of all days to get it was on my daughters wedding day. I never gave it another thought.

Two days later I feel like crap again. I felt like I had done a marathon around the world none stop. I was so drained that even going to the bathroom was a chore. One day after that I was in bed. I stayed in bed till my daughter showed up, and took one look at me and said "Mom your going to the hospital." I spent two days in bed till she showed up.

meanwhile on to the hospital I go and as much to my surprise the doctor says you have double pneumonia, and I suspect you have diabetes too. I wasn't even coughing. That doctor floored me. I spent almost five days there while they ran the test on me. They did the fasting glucose diet crap, and the very first finger test they did was 221. Next thing I knew they said they had to get very accurate readings so they started drawing blood after that.

My first doctors visit after going home confirmed the diabetes.

Did I mention that Diabetes sucks?

Diabetes really does suck

I was recently diagnosed with diabetes. God do I hate this. I test four times a day. Watch my diet so far. Plus watch my numbers go up and down like a roller coaster.

I don't understand that much about diabetes. Yes I have gone to the websites with the best info that is suppose to be online. I also came across a few lets say "shady websites" That I wouldn't give the time of day too, much less my money. Diabetes doesn't have a miracle cure. I heard about the pump they can "install" but I believe that is for the ones that really have a bad time of it.

The only good news is so far my testing of certain organs is fine. Plus my Doctor said they believe they caught it in the early stages. No I am not over weight like some diabetics. My weight as always is fine. It's just a quirk in that the diabetes runs in my family. Even though I got all this good news that everything is fine blah blah blah... Diabetes still sucks. Stay tuned if you want to hear how I accidentally found out I had this disease.

I did create a chat room. So hopefully maybe I can get more info on diabetes. If you have this crap too, or a family member, or friend that has it then join me here: http://www.starchat.net/chat/index.php?chan=Diabetes

This is java chat so you will have to have java on your box plus accept a small download that is secure I promiss.