CHAPTER 1 YOUR DIET

 

Part of the heartache of having diabetes is the way it sometimes seems to suck up every part of your free time.

Imagine having to stop what you’re doing every 4 or 5 hours and perform a ritual that involves stabbing yourself with a pin-like tool, bleeding a drop of blood, then writing down the number.

Imagine having to stop after every meal or snack to write down what you ate, how much, along with the date and time of the day.

I’m not suggesting that the diabetic not do these things, but I have automated the process so the computer is doing most of the work.

Click on the icon, write what you ate and, if you need to, enter the medication type and dosage. The computer does all the rest, entering the date and time and logging the information for you.

You can print out multiple copies if needed. I always print out 2 copies so I have one to look at while the Doctor, PharmD or Dietician is looking at theirs.

With all the times, totals, descriptions, dosages and averages laid out neatly, you have more time to talk with your healthcare professionals because they don’t have to decipher your handwriting and crank through the numbers while you sit and wait.

Your progress is available at a glance.

With the cost of healthcare today, you want the maximum amount of time to work with your healthcare professional.

CHAPTER 2 KNOW YOUR ENEMY

After so many decades of being a type II diabetic, there is so much I could tell you.

There is so much I could tell you about the balance between Blood Glucose and Insulin.

There is so much I could tell you about the balance of exercise and Blood Glucose.

There is so much I could tell you about the balance of exercise and Insulin.

There is so much I could tell you about the balance of exercise and weight.

There is so much I could tell you about the balance of weight and Blood Glucose.

There is so much I could tell you about the balance of insulin and weight.

Did I mention there is a balance between weight, blood glucose, diet and exercise? It’s a complex business, but I’m not a licensed Physician, so I can’t tell you what I know.

I encourage you to find the answers. Your life depends on it and that’s not medical advice, it’s a fact.

If you have questions there are three people on your team. I will introduce each of them in the next three brief chapters.

CHAPTER 3 YOUR DIETICIAN

There are relationships between different foods that you need to be aware of.

Various foods fall into various categories, such as protein, vitamins, minerals, carbs and more.

Some of the factors in your diet include foods that metabolize at different rates. There are foods with various glycemic index levels that can cause your blood sugar readings to vary in ways you need to understand. Is a baked potato going to raise your blood sugar faster than french-fries? You might be surprised. Glycemic index and caloric values are different in the way they affect your blood sugar and weight.

Your Dietician can help you to control your blood sugar and your weight, but only if you do the work.

The entire process is much like the time I joined a gym to reduce my weight and get into shape. I paid every month faithfully weighed myself every day and never lost any weight at all. Then I figured out the problem. I had to go there and work out or the membership was useless.

My experience with Dieticians is much the same. I have studied diet and nutrition. I have visited Dieticians and had the discussions about my eating habits, but never seemed to have a lot of luck.

Then, much like the gym situation it occurred to me that knowledge of good nutrition isn’t helping the situation when I’m living on spaghetti and hot dogs.

Ask your Dietician about your caloric set point and how to lower it. That will do a lot to help you control your weight.

CHAPTER 4 YOUR DOCTOR

The Doctor is your General in the war against diabetes. If you have a choice, pick a good one. Your life and health is in his hands to some extent, but only if you follow his advice.

The one person who wholly owns your success or your failure is you. No one else is usually there when you make a bad choice.

When you have the spreadsheets completed with the matrix of data depicting the averages, see how the Doctor feels about the complete overview of your measurements and information.

The matrix of average results plays in concert with the listing of meals and medications. Together they form a complete picture of your treatment, except for exercise.

You can enter your exercise information in the space provided for food, giving the distance walked or the equipment used.

Impressum

Verlag: BookRix GmbH & Co. KG

Texte: Robert Stetson
Bildmaterialien: Robert Stetson
Tag der Veröffentlichung: 13.01.2014
ISBN: 978-3-7309-7561-9

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