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snacks to help dawn phenomenon

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Posted 4/21/2007 8:50 PM (GMT 0)
What are some nighttime (anytime for that matter) snacks to help with the dawn phenomenon?  My husband is diabetic with a recent A1c of 6.4 but his am blood sugars are wayyyyy toooo high.  We are sure this is what is bringing up the A1c.

I am looking into the glycemic index and glycemic load stuff but I thought maybe someone could help us get started until I can learn more.

Thanks for any suggestions about snacks.

Rhoda

Posted 4/22/2007 12:23 AM (GMT 0)
there are many do it yourself books on the GI diet, your lacal library would have some, for what its worth, it didnt work for me, but atkins did

Posted 4/22/2007 1:39 AM (GMT 0)
Two graham crackers with a tablespoon of peanut butter
Small bowl (1/2 cup) of cereal with milk and about 15 peanuts or 6 almonds or 1 macadamia nut
8 to 12 taco chips sprinkled with motzarella cheese, zap in the microwave and cover with salsa
1/2 a peanut butter sandwich


What you want is about 15 gm. grain based carbohydrate along with some protein and fat (mono unsaturated fat if possible.)

By reading the nutrition info on carbs (crackers, bread, cereal) you can find out what a 15 gm serving is. Get creative and add some fat and protein and you should be set. Things like salsa, raw veggies like brocolli, radishes, green peppers, celery and cauliflower can be added for free. Fat veggies(like olives and avocado) and nuts do contain calories but they slowly affect blood sugar and are good for your HDL.

My snacks range from cheese and crackers to a baby scoop of real icecream on a cone, to a salad with croutons or garlic toast made with olive oil. No rules, just good numbers. Hope this helps.
Posted 4/22/2007 1:45 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you so much Jeannie for your suggestions.  I am going to the grocery store today and will check the labels and pick up some of what you mentioned.  Rhoda
Posted 4/24/2007 3:02 PM (GMT 0)
I have dawn phenomenon as well. My numbers are always up in the morning. What are considered "good numbers" for the morning? Is 130 to 140 too high?
Posted 4/24/2007 6:24 PM (GMT 0)

According to what I have read (and some sources vary in their numbers...), morning fasting for non-diabetics if less than 100.  The "goal" for diabetics is between 90 and 130 - and again that depends on the many sources on the Web, books and the doctors' offices.  I'm presuming they mean diabetics who take meds.  I don't take any medication and the only way I have morning fasting numbers under 100 is if I don't eat any carbohydrates (no bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, cake) the night before.  If a person's fasting number is between 100 and 126, doctors would consider this "pre-diabetic".  I tried the snack of a protein like peanut butter and a graham cracker or some slices of apple at night but I still had fasting numbers between 110 and 125, so I stopped the snacks.  I have found though that having nuts and strawberries (just handfuls) after dinner don't affect my fasting numbers - still average about 90.

Lanie 

Posted 4/24/2007 6:31 PM (GMT 0)

My husband's morning level was 106 this morning!!!  That is the best it has been in the am for a couple of months.  His physician said some of his other meds are actually raising his blood sugar levels but we tried the nighttime snack of celery with cheese whiz or toast with peanut butter and both of these seem to help with the morning numbers. 

Thanks so much for everyone's input.

Posted 4/24/2007 7:01 PM (GMT 0)
Rhoda,
See if you can get hubby to join us. It will really help if he goes thru the normal depression thing that accompanies the acceptance of this disease. We like making friends here and nobody judges. They just all want to help.
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