Couple of Food Questions

Hi, Everyone!  I'm diabetic and have been doing a little lurking today and have really learned a lot on this forum!  But, in reading, I have a few questions.

 

I try to watch what I eat.  I notice that many are saying they have eggs for breakfast.  I was under the understanding that you should limit yourself to 3 yolks a week.  I don't like egg beaters so I'd make scrambled eggs several times a week using one whole egg and one egg white and they are great.  I love eggs and would love to have them every day but doesn't that affect your cholesterol?

 

Also, I found your recipe for cheese puffs and plan on trying that.  But, what about all of the fat in cheese?  I thought fat and chloesterol should be watched to help prevent heart disease, something diabetics are familiar with.  But, the cheese puffs sound great!  If you made a bunch and stored them in containers, would you need to keep them refrigerated?  Not sure how that would work since the cheese has been cooked.

 

I already do a lot of what you are suggesting and am wondering if I'm behind the times here on the above questions..  Wouldn't be the first time!     Thanks for your help and have a great evening.

 

Sherrine

Thanks, Lanie!  This is great news!  I love eggs for breakfast but, because of the cholesterol issue, I have cereal some days and an english muffin other days.  From what I was reading, I'm not doing some things right.  My bloodwork shows that I've been keeping it in the normal range and I've been a diabetic for at least 18 years.  A low carb diet helped me lose over 70 pounds, too.  But, I still eat some carbs...just not a lot of them.  Having eggs for breakfast will help me get rid of a few more carbs.  Thanks, again!

 

Oh, do you nuke the puffs on High"?

 

Sherrine    

Lanie is quite right about the cholesterol issue. In fact, the amount of cholesterol in the diet has a negligable effect on blood plasma cholesterol. The liver produces the great majority of cholesterol in the blood, and it uses carbohydrate as a fuel for this process. More fat and less carbohydrate in the diet will typically greatly improve your 'cholesterol ratio', which measures the relative proportions of HDL and LDL cholesterol. HDL is understood to be protective against heart disease, and LDL is thought to be causative.

Having said all that, cholesterol levels are a very poor indicator of heart disease risk. On average, heart attack patients don't have a higher cholesterol level than those without heart disease. It's become associated with CHD for a number of pretty dodgy and largely unsubstantiated reasons. I don't think doctors would give much significance to cholesterol levels if it wasn't for the fact that they are quick, easy and inexpensive to measure, unlike some of the risk factors which have a much closer association with CHD.

Anyway, I have eggs for breakfast every day and have done for years. My cholesterol ratio is 1.7 ( below 4 is the general recommendation). It was certainly higher when I used to have 'healthy' cereals for breakfast!

Over easy please.

fergusc    

Hi Sherrine, I know it's hard to let go of the old ideas of fats are bad for us.  Well, trans fats are anyway.  But I've had lab work done twice since I changed my way of eating to very low carbs and lots of protein (and fats, as well, in the form of cheeses, cream and butter) and my cholesterol is still lower than before I changed my diet.  So, all I can say is try the change of eating and see if your own levels change too.  Also, there should be weight loss if you up the fats and lower the carbs.  I use both canola and olive oil for salad and cooking along with butter for frying.   Butter is another puzzle if we look at the info the doctors tell us.  (I would suggest reading the article from the NYT "What If It's ALL a Big Fat Lie?"  by Taubes that is the subject of a past thread here.)  And this may be the answer to the "French paradox" - although their diet is changing now too and they're probably seeing more weight gain there.  Oh, Fergusc isn't a "lady"!  He's a farmer in Scotland and raises haggis, the cute little creatures they make a sausage out of.  Low carb, of course. 

Yeah... er, what fergusc said..

Sherrine! Girlfriend! I didn't know you were diabetic! It took me several years on this forum before I finally started listening to the Scotsman, gelchik and several other of the old hands at blood glucose control. Their advice to lower my starches and up my veggies has brought me a 40 lb weight loss and much better numbers as well as dumping my Lantus and Avandia. Their advice is golden if you are one of the obese->insulin resistant ->trying to do low fat which doesn't help lose weight -> more obese -> more insulin resistant peeps on the conventional diabetic wisdom merry-go-round. Read back in the posts, especially

The results of the Grand Experiment
Happy, happy, Joy, joy!!!!! The Grand Experiment has other Benefits!

This really works for me and several others on the forum.

I'm learning!  I'm having my lunch right now...a can of Italian green beans with butter, salt, pepper, and garlic!  Yummy! 

 

I read what you posted for me, Jeannie, and I'm anxious to see how this affect me.  I need to lose 40 pounds.  I've lost 75 already watching my carbs but I've gotten more ideas from all of you...simple things I had never thought of.  My total cholesterol that was taken was 132, LDL was 69, and HDL was 41 so I'm good in that area but my triglycerides were at 112 and I'd like them lower, too.  So I'm giving this a shot.  Thanks, ladies and gentleman.  I'll let you know how I progress.  Hmmm...maybe living to 120 isn't unrealistic after all! 

 

Sherrine

Hi MountainLady.  Welcome to our Forum.  How long have you had diabetes?  What medication for diabetes are you on?

Hey, ceebee.  Actually it is heavy whipping cream.  I have to agree with you, that discovering the new way of eating has been a blessing.  It's nice to be able to have some control over a health matter.  Good luck on the test next week.  Are you saying that you haven't had an A1c since the 15.2?  Wow.  It'll probably drop 10 points!  Keep us posted! 

Hi Sherrine and MountainLady,

Jeannie, Fergusc, tutorgirl, Lanie, etc. are all correct. I eliminated a lot of carbs (mainly starch) 2 years ago and found my cholesterol, triglyercides, etc. dropped to under 200. I was able to get rid of all cholesterol meds. Since September I've been following a low carb diet plan that eliminates most breads, starches, etc. My last 2 cholesterol tests were 195 and most recently 150. My triglyercides are under 80.

Two months ago my doctor asked if I was following the ADA diet and I told her no. She then asked what I had changed and was very impressed with the results. She was going to suggest similar changes to a couple of other patients. This month, she told me that she was seeing good results with the low carb plan.

Now I eat eggs, bacon, sausage for breakfast when I want to and don't feel guilty. I don't miss the breads and starches like I thought I would. I do eat a sandwhich every now and then (using bread) but I always make sure I have a good source of protein and some veggies to go with it. Unfortunately, I can't really eat peanut butter without sending my bs numbers through the roof. But--I can live with out it.

Marburg

Ladies,

Commercial peanut butters are laced with hydrogenated fat and, often, added sugars- can you eat a portion of peanuts without spiking your sugar? If so, weight out an ounce, grind it up and eat it- I'll bet you're just fine.

I cannot eat the commercial butters, but I make my own and I'm fine. I also make flavored peanut butters, other types of nut butter. Delish- with almonds, you need to remove the skins.

sandy

Thanks gelchick:) I love peanut butter and will try grinding my own and see if I do okay. I am getting sick of the few foods that do not raise my bs!