trying to understand the numbers

Hi Cooperazi, first of all, congratulations on being cancer free for almost 3 years.  I'm sure this has made your life a roller coaster especially trying to control your blood sugar numbers and then dealing with those ups and downs.  I can't add much to help you because I'm also trying to control diabetes with diet and exercise and have flip flopped around since the fall figuring just what will raise my numbers.  And though every person's body might be in a different stage of diabetes and react differently to food, I have discovered that eating much smaller meals but eating about 5 times a day has helped me keep my own numbers manageable.  I also exercise every day on a treadmill and eliptical trainer and some resistance machines.  It took a while for me to get used to small portions on my plate but since I'll eat something a few hours later (like some of the same lunch food, for example) I'm not hungry.  So, for me it's smaller portions, very little carbs and exercise.  Stress can also cause higher numbers, or other medication you might be taking.  Another thing I discovered is that sugar-free chocolate raises my blood sugar because of the sugar alcohols, so even 'sugar-free' food might affect you.  I'm sure others here on the forum will be answering you when they read your posting.  I've found lots of great information here.  You're not alone here.  Good luck!

Lanie

Oh boy, I hear you.  I've lost 12 lbs since last fall and I need to lose more.  I also take BP medicine.  The doctor's concern last fall was a wake-up call because I had to get a glucose monitor.  My morning fasting was around 116.  It had crept up for a couple of years now but until last fall, the doctor wasn't agressive about controlling it.  If she had been a couple of years ago, I would have started all this earlier.  Anyway, I'm trying to lose weight (20 more to go) and hoping that will have an impact in the blood sugar and the BP.  I tried to follow the insulin resistant diet by pairing proteins and carbs but honestly, my numbers were still high, so I've worked out my own plan which is doing ok for now.  But I don't want to start meds unless I just can't control these numbers myself in my way.  (I know, I know, people are going to tell me being on meds is not the end of the world.....).  Since I've been doing the exercising everyday, my resting heart rate has lowered and my BP too.  I go back to the doctor the end of March and I'm hoping my overall blood tests will be better.  Has your doctor referred you to a nutritionist?  They can be helpful.  I have also learned a lot on this forum (try reading back through past postings) and I read everything I can about diabetes.  Eating out is challenging for sure.  Lots of salads, no bread and I even put the croutons aside!  Water or diet iced tea.  Over the weekend, we dined in a really nice place and I had chicken breast (I ate half because it was really too big and gave the rest to my husband who'll eat anything.), asparagus and stupid little carrots - I only ate one of those and gave the rest to you-know-who.  That, with their salad and a complimentary crab cake, filled me up because it was more than I usually eat at one time.  I was disappointed that my fasting the next morning was 109 but I sort of expected it because of all the food I ate.  Ask your doctor for some guidance.  Hopefully he/she can figure out the erratic numers you're having.  And then go for a 20 minute walk.

Lanie

 Jeannie,  Thank you for your encouragement.  Question, you say when your numbers stay above 150 or more for longer than two hours that is not good.  So when I go to bed and wake up with the 148, who knows how many hours my numbers were that high or higher.  My numbers seem to be good during day when I AM GOOD LOL.  Today ate 1/2 peanut butter sandwich, and a few green grapes.  Would have been fine, but because my before meal was 97, I treated myself to some stress food (popcorn) ate too much and my number went to 210.  Bummer!  I went down to 115 before dinner.  I am testing probably more than I need to, but I am trying to be very aware of how my body is working.  Like I posted above I am afraid of the effect the meds have on the liver.  Have a friend who is diabetic, but also now has severe liver damage, spitting up the blood and all.  The doctor did say the meds could have done some liver damage.  So me having the cancer and all, I am a little nervous about taking any meds I do not have to take.  I am reluctently taking zetia for cholesteral, and about to give up on it.  It does not really seem helpful.  I know when I was doing treadmill regular, I got my numbers down.  I just need to get in a routine and do the treadmill again.  It is hard when your knee hurts, but I have tried doing it slow 2 mph and I made it ok, and it affected my bs numbers positive.  Again, thanks for the encouragement.  Cooperazi

Cooperazi,

Please understand, I am not picking on you here, but you have an incomplete idea of how the food you eat affects your blood sugar and when. This is not easy to learn all at one time so bear with me.

1. Foods that have sugars present (fruits, cookies, candies, baked goods) raise the blood sugar quickly because the glucose or fructose crosses the intestinal barrier quickly and is dumped into the bloodstream right away. This causes the pancreas to secrete insulin to assist the glucose to enter the cells of the whole body to be used for energy. These foods are called high glycemic index foods.

2. Starchy foods that have carbohydrate molecules readily available because they are highly refined or naturally present include potatoes, white rice, bread, pasta, tortillas, corn, sweet potatoes, yams and all sugar-free cakes and cookies. These foods raise blood sugar less quickly than #1 foods but often raise it much higher for much longer because the starch is often in a concentrated form and we tend to consume large portions of it. A good example is an ear of sweet corn. Next summer cut the kernels off of the cob and see just how much corn is on one ear. It will shock you... The carbohydrates in starchy foods are converted into glucose, just like the sugary foods above. This is what makes sugar-free foods so misleading. We have to look at the total carbohydrates present, not just the sugars. Also, modern milling processes in food production strip away the bran and germ of the grains and grind the starch into a fine paste to produce pasta and flour for breads and baked goods. This process mechanically removes the natural barriers present in grains and expose the carbohydrates to digestive enzymes very quickly making absorption into the blood stream very fast as well. This leads to a spike in insulin production and actually can lead to an increase in appetite if too much insulin is present in the blood stream. (This is why restaurants feed you bread before a meal. It actually stimulates your hunger.)

3. Whole grains that are left mostly intact (so you can actually see oats, barley, wheat, brown rice grains) must be physically broken down by the digestive tract with mechanical and enzyme activity. This takes a while so the body can only access some of the grain at one time as it passes through the digestive tract. Also, some seed coats are thicker than others and it takes time for the body to get through the cell walls, break down the carbs and transport it to the intestinal wall to the blood stream. For the coarser grains, they often pass almost undigested thru the intestines, showing up in the stool as whole grains. These foods may show up as high carbohydrate but the amount of fiber barrier present doesn't allow the body to get at all the carbs.

4. Vegetables can be high in sugar (carrots, beets, onions) and still be very good for you because of their high vitamin content. Again, the way that they are presented in the colon will make a difference on how quickly they are absorbed. Foods like brocolli or cabbage are very fibrous so they take quite a long time to present their carbs in the intestines if eaten raw. This slows down the after meal spike of these foods and makes them ideal to curb hunger as well as aid in moving things right along in the GI tract.

5. Fats slow the emptying time of the stomach and also delay food's absorption until the 'detergents' present in bile from the gall bladder break them down. This is why fatty foods make you feel full very fast. Fats have very little effect on blood sugar.

6. Proteins have little effect on blood sugar as well. They have a high satisfaction factor if eaten with fat and make you feel contentedly full. This is why cheese, steak, bacon, eggs, fish and whole milk are all very filling foods and also good for you in moderation.

7. Vitamins and minerals are sometimes missing in diabetic's food plan so it's often wise to take a supplement. Most store brands are certified and well absorbed.

8. Exercise burns available glucose and also can make the muscles ask for more glucose. This causes the liver to convert glycogen (a concentrated form of stored food calories) to glucose and inject it into the bloodstream. This effect can happen many hours after the exercise. This is why constant testing of your blood sugar doesn't give you the whole picture. You can be showing high glucose from foods you ate two hours ago or high glucose because of your muscles' need for energy. Also, since the brain runs on pure glucose and doesn't really care about the rest of the body it will force your liver to dump glycogen at the slightest hint of low blood sugar. Unfortunately, if you are resistant to your own insulin you will have all this nice glucose running around in the blood stream unable to get into the cells because it's the insulin that works as a passcode to get the glucose thru the cell membrane. This is where the medications often are helpful. Many of them make your body recognize its own insulin much better so your body uses your insulin to feed your cells. This drops blood sugar levels to normal and the brain, cells and liver are all happy as clams.

I wish this were easier to explain, but you need to understand how the metobolic functions of the body work to figure this whole thing out... Or you could just get a book that spells it out for you and follow a plan. Hope this helps.

Hi Jeanie,  That was a very good post.  I am going to print it out and I thank you for taking the time to type it.   I would never think you are picking on me, you are much too sweet.  I know you are here to help others.  I came here to learn, and then perhaps help others one day myself. My numbers, (other than my moring wake up) were good today, at least I think they were.  Had some 90's then my after supper number was 125.  I made a good choice while eating out with grandson.  Went to Chilli's restaraunt, at first was going to have the chicken dinner, not bad really, but it did come with the mashed potatoes, and then I changed my mind and asked for the salad, it had chicken and then I had a three sprareribs (small) and a piece of my grandsons quesidilla (just seem to have to have some of that carb!)  It paid off with the 125 after meal number.   I also did not eat the whole salad, just half.  That is also something I am working on, portion size.   I guess I can try to get it even lower, but my doctor told me my target was 140 after meals, so that 125 was inline with that target.  Something you said about the fats not affecting the blood sugar, I have a question.  Why is it I can eat mashed potatoes, and if I do not have other carbs, like bread, my numbers can be good.  However, if I have french fries, or even fried chicken compared to grilled chicken my numbers go high?  I definately see what you mean about the other carbs such as bread, rice, and popcorn.   If I understand you correctly, they not only raise the bs, but they keep the numbers up.  I guess that is why athletes are told to eat such things before competition, correct???  That is the only time I seem go low, is when I exericise, or a few times when I am out and about and do not eat for long periods of time.  Also, sometimes I can eat my oatmeal, blueberries, and have a good number, then othertimes, I eat my oatmeal and my numbers go high.  But I still eat the oatmeal because I know it is good for me, and you are right, they do not stay high for long.  Sorry long winded post.  Thank you again,Cooperazi

PS  I had to laugh about the sugar free cookies!  I was going to get one tonight after dinner and take home with me, but they were closed when we got there.  Now when I go, I will ask if they have a nutrition read out for their cookies. 

You're right, Cooperazi.  It's all about numbers and for me having the glucose monitor makes it easier to keep on track.  Instant feedback.  Also for me, fear is a great motivator because my mom died at 73 with complications of diabetes.  I printed out food lists according to their glycemic index divided into 'free' foods, 'good' foods, 'limited' and 'don't-eat-these' and posted them on the side of the refrigerator, so my shopping lists and meals are pretty much guided by the lists.  We've always had meals that included fresh vegetables (or frozen or canned) mostly because of the added ingredients like hydrogenated oils, salt, sugar, etc in foods out of the box.  I don't buy any sauces that are pre-made in jars or in packets.  I make them fresh.  And this was before having to monitor my blood sugar, so the transition was easy for me except for the cutting out of bread for breakfast and at meals.  And another good habit is keeping a food journal so I know what meals or kinds of food are reponsible for what numbers.  I thought I could keep it all in my head but I couldn't, so I printed out my own chart on which I can record meals and numbers.  (I didn't like the little booklets that I was given.)  Approaching it this way has also helped me understand how I'm affected by certain foods, etc.  I think I'm doing it this way because I'm a teacher and I like to be organized.  I guess what I would say to you is to follow what Jeannie's posting says and be organized in how you choose your food.  You're excercising and monitoring your blood sugar already, so you're on the right track! 

Lanie

bump for the newcomers...

Hi Gary,  That happens to me frequently, especially in the mornings.  I usually have high morning fasting numbers 129 and up, and then if I eat they go down to the 120 or 140 or even in the high 90's, well within my goals.  Apparently, it has to do with your liver dumping the glucose into your system because of the bodys reaction of the body needing the glucose, and so by eating it stops the bs from increasing, and brings it down, I am not an expert, that has just been my experience and that is what I myself am trying to learn.  I have gotten up with high numbers, gotten on my treadmill,  without eating breakfast, hoping the number will go down in response to exercise, only to find it went UP!  Today is a good example.  I had great morning number 117, ate my usual oatmeal, teaspoon of peanut butter, (I do not have milk in my oatmeal) and some splenda.  Did my treadmill, and my bs was 141 at the two hour after meal time.  Now that was higher than usual, if for example my bs was 129, I eat the  oatmeal and do exericise, I have a 125 bs after.  So who knows?  I guess, the real test is when you take the three month test and find out what your averages have been, and if you have control over all.  The monitoring helps up toward those numbers.  I did bring mine down from 6.9 to 6.1, which was good, and now am working on bringing it lower.  Sorry for rambling, and I am sure Jeannie or Lanie will come along and give you some real good advise.  They are great and know what they are talking about.   I also am picking up some books from the library I ordered.  Have a great day.  Donna

Good morning, Cooperazi and Lanie... thanks for the info...I'm not sure that I totally understand this, but it is nice for me to know that things are acting "normal" to have a lower blood sugar after I eat then before.  I was concerned that if this was the case, it would continue to drop below where it should be, but I guess this is not the case,

Thanks and have a great day, Gary

Thanks Donna.

As a note, I was taking Prevacid for stomach acid, and was taking it long term, which creates a whole bunch of health issues due to the fact that it takes away all stomach acids.  B12 needs acid in order to breakdown and get into the body.  With this, as I found out, I was not digesting my food properly, and with this, were missing out on a number of nutrients required.  I also learned that because of poor metabalism, Prevacid will actually cause low blood sugars.

So I have successfully been off Prevacid for over two weeks. It has taken almost up until now, but I have noticed that my blood sugars are not dropping as they were before, so mayb, just maybe I have solved this riddle.....

Have a good one,

Gary