Pre-Diabetics

[Miqque]

Crappolies. It's one of the favorite buzz-diseases of the past to years or so with the "pre-diabetic" blither. Follow the money. Something had to follow the cholesterol flap, this is it. Another reason American medicine has taken several disturbing turns. My response is "show me" They told me I was pre-diabetic after a blood sugar of 142 - I informed them they drew about 40 minutes after a big lunch topped oof with cake. They did a FBS (fasting blood sugar); 101. End problem. If truly in doubt, have a 5-hour GTT done. If nothing else it will make you hate GluCola.

Hum AND bug!

[Miqque]

Thanks, Adlerian. I'm pretty much due for another course of physical therapy, and there have been some changes that will alter my exercise routine. I love taking walks, and when it gets to the point I cannot it's irritating. (I used to camp and backpack a lot, and miss it greatly, especially since I moved to Colorado and there are so many beautiful spots that need to be reached by foot).

The weight, I believe, has peaked, and is now dropping. (Slower than the gain, as usual, !) But I've gone from the "fat pants" back to the pair worn pre-gain. They're snug, but again wearable. My thing is more isometric exercise, doing the cardio work on the walks (I really push it, which may not be the best thing but I can work up a sweat in 10-15 minutes). What kills me is the days my back makes me sit.

Got any advice on another aspect, though? I've never been able to eat for several hours after waking. Would something like an instant breakfast or some other nutritious liquid be helpful in balancing and kick-starting the old metabolism? I've also a bad habit of munching when I go to bed and read, but have gone from candy bars (ergo the bulk of the weight gain) to cocoa puffs to rice chex. Will NOT go so far as them nasty styrofoam rice cakes! So I've increased exercise, cut calories dramatically, and am now left with the days sitting in the chair (about 1 in 5, I'd guesstimate.)

I know this thread is about Linda's health, but such tips can come in handy for many of us.

[DeepFixer]

But liver is high in cholesterol, innit? I know chicken liver is, 'cause I was going to buy some at the store a few weeks ago, read the nutrition label and it said that, based on the 2000 calorie diet, one serving of the liver (don't remember the ammount) was 167% of the daily requirement!

I found out that I was diabetic in early February and had a series of management classes in March, where we learned all about diet control and that other fun schtuff.

The only thing that messed me up was when the instructor said is was all right to go for fast food. 'Just not all the time, and eat smaller portions.'

Man, I did not need to hear that! I was operating under the plan that 'fast food = poison,' and I was doing a good job of avoiding it.

My main exercise now is walking. I've been on a two-week shut down from work, the weather last week was great, and I was out every day.

I'm in a good location for going walkies, too. Got a new book/video store and The Maul nearby, plus a music store, and have two good used book stores about 30 minutes away. So, I can get some exercise, and a good book or CD to boot!

[DeepFixer]

I'm a Type 2 Diabetic. No shooting insulin but I have to control my eating and weight.

Since last December, I've lost about 40 pounds (depending on which scale I use). My bathroom scale says I'm 205 (just checked).

Lost 3 pounds in a week, hmm? I think I'll have to look into this . . .

Which reminds me: I should go for afternoon walkies. Go out and dance between raindrops.

[mephisto_kur]

The way I deal is that I reduced the size of my portions, but eat more of them a day. I did my best at managing my bloodsugar when I was eating 5 or 6 very small meals a day - not quite snacking, as they were more substantial than that.

The absolute best I can tell you that I've learned (I was diagnosed in 1996) is to avoid potatoes and white bread just as mush as avoiding sugar and high fructose corn syrup.

I want to make sure, also, that people realize the wide range of sugar free or diet products available to the diabetic.

Reduced calorie diets and low-glycemic diets are not the same thing. Keep this in mind and *always* read the label.

As for sugar free, you need to be aware of some of the side effects of many of the additives.

Splenda is the buzz word right now. Keep in mind that Splenda is relatively new, and the health risks of use are not as well known as many of the others that have been around longer. It tastes pretty good, and I have noticed no real side effects of adding it to my diet.

(x)itol - this was gaining popularity just before Splenda hit the market. It tastes like sugar. It adds the texture and the weight to things that sugar does. It is not digestible, and does not cause a real increase in bloodsugar. There is one caveat. Anything ending in "itol" will have a varying laxative effect on most people. Maltitol and Xylitol being the least for me personally, and Lactitol even in small amounts being worse than bad chicken (if you catch my drift).

Saccarine - we all know and hate this crap. Don't buy it. It tastes awful and does horrible things to your body.

Nutrisweet - this is an odd one. While most medical studies, no matter who they are run by, almost all say that Nutrisweet is fine and causes no issues, the truth is more grey. Many heavy users talk about increased headache and migraine problems, poor memory, aches and pains, a general feeling of lethargy or depression. I personally have issues with my memory, and headaches - I can confirm this by cutting back on my intake and having almost immediate improvements. Unfortunately for me, my main source of caffiene intake (which I am hopelessly addicted to) is diet soda...

[Pellaz]

Nutrisweet - this is an odd one. While most medical studies, no matter who they are run by, almost all say that Nutrisweet is fine and causes no issues, the truth is more grey. Many heavy users talk about increased headache and migraine problems, poor memory, aches and pains, a general feeling of lethargy or depression. I personally have issues with my memory, and headaches - I can confirm this by cutting back on my intake and having almost immediate improvements. Unfortunately for me, my main source of caffiene intake (which I am hopelessly addicted to) is diet soda...

Same here. Have you tried (or have access to) Diet Coke with Splenda? It's relatively new in the States, and might help with your Nutrasweet reactions. (I don't have any problems with Nutrasweet, or at least, I don't remember any-- hmmmmm....)

[mephisto_kur]

That is not a heavy user.

Try a 2ltr and a half a day every day for 10 years. That's a heavy user. On top of that, I had been complaining about memory loss and headaches long before I became aware of the "word on the street" - foolish me, I trusted the FDA.

Pellaz: I have tried DC with Splenda, but I can't *stand* Coke. The Pepsi equivelant is Pepsi ONE, which is equally vile. My only choice for Splenda cola is Diet Rite, which tastes wonderful, but does not have any caffiene.

[tvissoc]

Nutrisweet

From observation I believe that the problem that causes headaches is anxiety about the product. Most everyone that I know that gets headaches from the stuff are women. Some of these women have secretly eaten the product, due to my evil experiments on them, and suffered no ill effects. However, after half a bottle of soda, that they know is diet, they suddenly feel dizzy and have a headache.

Just some thoughts.

Well, now you know a Dude that can get headaches from Nutrisweet :) The source is usually chewing gum.

[tvissoc]

My only choice for Splenda cola is Diet Rite, which tastes wonderful, but does not have any caffiene.

Just grind up a NoDoz in your drink.

[David Mosley]

Anyone tried that new Coke Zero drink yet? Zero sugar or calories (or something). Also zero taste imo.

[mephisto_kur]

I think it tastes better than Diet Coke. But thta isn't saying much

[DeepFixer]

UsuallyI go with Diet Coke or Diet Pepsi, or some version/flavor thereof.

I've also gotten into the caffiene-free stuff, too. Diet A&W Root Beer is good and caffiene-free as well.

[Michael Moorcock]

I'm luckily not fond of pop. But I AM fond of good wine. Too much (really more than a glass) and it plays havoc with my neuropathy (which is non-diabetic, though most commonly associated with diabetes) which has become steadily more painful as it's progressed. I'm pre-diabetic but prefer to deal with the situation by going into complete denial. I wouldn't recommend this, however, to the folks at home... I mean, it's easy to be on a healthy diet in Texas if like me you don't like barbeque or are allergic to Mexican spices, but PARIS ? No way. I said to my doctor 'how am I going to avoid croissant and confiture in the mornings'. She grinned at me. 'Quite simple," she said, "you won't." At least she's a realist. I must say, seriously, that I've found the best way of cutting out sweets is to get rid of the sugar habit rather than substitute sweeteners for sugar.
Almost every sensible diet I've ever seen says it's better to lose the habit than maintain it in other ways. So there you have it -- a melange of recklessness and finger-wagging to suit all tastes. Oh, and as I discovered last night at a not very good restaurant, some Parisian restaurants are beginning to add sugar to recipes to suit the taste of mostly Anglo-American tourists. An abomination! THAT would stop me eating out in Paris if nothing would. But it's Linda's birthday on Sunday and if I don't take her to La Coupole I'll feel very guilty indeed. OK, it's now owned by a chain (albeit an individual's small chain) but it's a tradition I wouldn't want to break, though if they're sweetening everything up, I'll have to find another tradition, I think. Used to go to the beautiful Tate Gallery (Rex Whistler) restaurant for MY birthday, until the Tate discovered they could make more money selling crap to busines men with big cigars. Watch this space for further episodes of An Old Fart Looks Back...

[mephisto_kur]

That's basically what I do, Adlerian. Or I try to. even after a decade, I still have a hard time keeping my portions down.

[Michael Moorcock]

We find we eat smaller portions and occasionally more often in Paris, where the quality of the food is still so good that everything tastes the way you remember it first tasting when you were a kid. We have a bunch of grocery stores and green-grocers (a dead concept in the US, almost) very close and we've flipped over into our old London habits of buying fresh food almost every day. Americans complain that European refrigerators are 'too small'. They are small because Europeans buy more fresh food, frequently eating it the day they buy it. Increasingly, they have frozen ready-made meals and the like in European supermarkets and not every French person is a gourmet (though there are more French people who are than in any other country) so you can find your packs of frozen hamburgers and french fries if you so desire, but what's the point when there's cheese, Grommet... Ahem. What I like about city life Ad is that chance for casual but interesting conversation. In the US about the only thing people have in common is sport. It still seems to me that in the UK people keep themselves generally alert to what's going on, partly because the news media they can find casually is generally of a higher and more complex standard than is averagely found in the US.
I suspect you get this in some Californian cities as well as NY. Where you can also eat very well indeed!