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Fell off the wagon...a couple of questions...

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Posted 5/12/2010 2:54 AM (GMT 0)
I am so disappointed in myself.  Tonight, after a month and a half of absolutely no "sweets", chips or other junk food, I ate a chocolate chip cookie!  It didn't even taste good to me and I found myself wanting celery with cottage cheese instead!  My family thinks this former carb queen is another being.  Now I feel icky and I wrecked my record for healthy eating!  Oh well, tomorrow is another day. 

Okay, here are my questions...

I read another post and it mentioned that cashew nuts may not be good for blood glucose control.  Can someone expand on this?  I do eat almonds mostly and sometimes pastachios and cashews.

I have read that vinegar can help in the bgl battle, does anyone drink apple cider vinegar?  If so, how much and how often?  Many sites reference the health qualities of apple cider vinegar.

Lastly, for now anyway, what is the best type of tea to drink?

Posted 5/12/2010 1:58 PM (GMT 0)
Nothing to worry about Joan -- as long as it wasn't a whole bag of cookies ;-) Have you tried the Lindt chocolate bars? They're available in high cocoa content (not milk chocolate) and work to kill my sweets cravings.

It's interesting isn't it that the heavy carb foods that used to taste so good don't anymore?

I give in once in a while, usually craving something sweet. When I absolutely have to have that cream-filled chocolate or an occasional doughnut (these are extreme cases), I just go for a walk around the block to use up the extra glucose. Works for me.

Re: nuts -- they do contain carbs; cashews being the highest and almonds being the lowest I believe. The key here is moderation & testing. I've seen 'a handful a day' as a recommended amount. Until a recent dietary change due to another health problem, I blew that theory out of the water by eating over a 1/2 pound of nuts a day. This didn't affect my BG readings to any great degree but that's just me. You'll have to test and determine how they affect you.

Re: apple cider vinegar -- yes, we talk about that around here quite often. It does seem to lower BG for some people, myself included. It's been said that a teaspoon in a glass of water taken before a meal can have a positive effect.

Re: tea -- I recommend green tea ... with a shot of rum ;-) <---- kidding turn
Posted 5/12/2010 2:59 PM (GMT 0)
I will have to find that chocolate. I do like dark chocolate but never had been a big chocolate eater but it may be good to have on hand if I do get a craving.

I am amazed at how I don't crave chips or junk food like I did before. I actually feel like eating celery a lot...LOL...who would have thought?

I do count out my nuts so I don't take more than one serving...again, so unlike me.... I didn't know about cashews containing the most carbs...they are my favorite nut along with pastachio's but I try to stick to almonds most of the time.

Like your thinking...when first trying green tea I would have welcomed a shot of rum with it...I thought it tasted like alfalfa! Then I started adding some lemon juice and I have aquired a taste for it. I do still think black tea is the best tasting. I am not a coffee drinker but have a bad diet coke habit I am working on breaking and so am looking to alternatives such as tea.

I could do the teaspoon of apple cider vinegar before meals. I like it plain without water. I have always loved vinegar and anything with vinegar in it. In fact for breakfast, I had 5 wheat crackers (10 gm carb total) spread with cream cheese and deviled ham dipped in balsamic vinegar. I love stuff like that. One of my favorite breakfasts is dill pickles wrapped in cream cheese and ham. Both these breakfasts two hours later give me BGL readings in the 90's. Any other breakfast is higher than that.
Posted 5/12/2010 7:43 PM (GMT 0)
Joan,
You have learned the big lesson. The reward for being good is that you get to be good longer! So a little cheat now and then is not so bad. It's just when you get stuck in the cycle of "rewarding" yourself that it becomes a problem. I think we all have problems with treading the straight and narrow, especially around holidays, funerals, weddings and graduations, birthdays, parties, family picnics, er... wait a minute! It's absolutely true. Every day we have choices and we just have to keep on picking the right ones.

Don't beat yourself up for being human. One thing I'm wondering? Does the sodium in the pickles & ham wreak havoc on your Lasix?
Posted 5/12/2010 8:05 PM (GMT 0)
I find that if I try to completely abstain from things I shouldn't eat, something in my brain starts believing I can't live without a whole package of cookies. My rule for myself is: not more than two "cheats" a week, and then just one small serving of whatever I'm eating. I don't feel deprived that way, and my brain behaves itself.
Posted 5/12/2010 8:54 PM (GMT 0)

Jeannie143 said...
Joan,
You have learned the big lesson. The reward for being good is that you get to be good longer! So a little cheat now and then is not so bad. It's just when you get stuck in the cycle of "rewarding" yourself that it becomes a problem. I think we all have problems with treading the straight and narrow, especially around holidays, funerals, weddings and graduations, birthdays, parties, family picnics, er... wait a minute! It's absolutely true. Every day we have choices and we just have to keep on picking the right ones.

Don't beat yourself up for being human. One thing I'm wondering? Does the sodium in the pickles & ham wreak havoc on your Lasix?

As far as the salt and Lasix, the dr. seems to think it is okay as the Lasix, in a very lay version, removes the excess salt.  Perhaps I would notice a little difference but other than the ham and pickles, I eat very little salt and eat mostly whole foods where I have the choice as to how much salt.  I figure the ham and pickle indulgence is ok as long as I don't overdo it and I watch how much salt I add to my cooking which is very little if any.  I try to use other spices instead of salt as much as I can.
Posted 5/12/2010 8:59 PM (GMT 0)

Judy2 said...
I find that if I try to completely abstain from things I shouldn't eat, something in my brain starts believing I can't live without a whole package of cookies. My rule for myself is: not more than two "cheats" a week, and then just one small serving of whatever I'm eating. I don't feel deprived that way, and my brain behaves itself.

I think you make a good point.  I have been telling myself that nothing of off limits but it may be limited.  I am trying hard to find foods I like and can live with on a long term basis without turning my "lifestyle" changes into a "diet".  And yes, if I told myself I could never have a certain item again, I would totally rebel against myself and overindulge.  The games we play with ourselves...LOL
Posted 5/12/2010 10:38 PM (GMT 0)
I've learned to read the label and carefully count or measure out one serving. Lo and behold, 5 small ginger snaps are just as much a treat as half a bag of them used to be!
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