Giddy's Diabetes Blog: The Lowdown on Low-Carb Diets

GIDDY'S DIABETES BLOG

A Blog About Diabetes and Other Health Related Topics created November 1, 2007

My Disclaimer, Please Read Carefully:

All information contained on Giddy's Diabetes Blog is intended for informational and educational purposes only. The information is not intended to be a replacement or substitute for consultation with a qualified medical professional or for professional medical advice related to diabetes or another medical condition. Please contact your physician or medical professional with any questions and concerns about your medical condition.

CARBOHYDRATES ....ARE THEY NEEDED?

I recently read an article where the author was convinced that since being diagnosed a type 2 diabetic that they no longer required carbs because they raised the blood glucose levels. It amazes me that people can honestly think that what the body found necessary to function before becoming a diabetic is no longer needed just because they became a diabetic. Carbohydrates are one of the body's main energy sources, made up of 3 main ingredients including starches, cellulous and sugars. Carbohydrates provide your body with the energy it needs to perform its daily tasks. What people have to understand is the difference between the carbohydrates.

Carbohydrates are classified in 2 categories....simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates. Learning the difference and portion control is what will make the difference in raising the blood glucose or not.

SIMPLE CARBOHYDRATES...Simple carbohydrates are the easiest for your body to break down providing you a quick burst of energy after you eat them. They are found in sugar, honey, milk sugar (lactose), white bread, white rice, white pasta, and refined foods such as cakes, pastry and candy. These carbohydrates will affect the blood glucose quicker because they are broken down quicker thus going directly to the blood stream.

COMPLEX CARBOHYDRATES...Complex carbohydrates are made of a long string of sugar molecules and include both starches and fibres. They are digested more slowly in your system and are commonly found in legumes, fruits, vegetables and whole grain products. These carbohydrates will affect the blood glucose levels at a slower pace because of the slow breakdown.

The important word to remember with diabetes is MODERATION.

In caring for diabetes the only difference with being type 1 or type 2 is the fact that type 1 is insulin dependent and type 2 is controlled through diet, exercise and on occasion oral medication. A monitored diet and exercise regime are required for both types of diabetes. Diabetes is diabetes no matter what...same complications will apply if you do not care for your diabetes properly.

Avoiding carbohydrates is not the soundest advise any diabetic should take. Your body requires carbohydrates! Diabetics just need to learn which carbohydrates affect their blood levels. Every diabetic is different and react to carbohydrates differently. Diabetes is a test and learn disease. Portion control is what is needed to learn which and how much in the serving will this carbohydrate affect my results.

Best way to find out which carbs affect your blood sugar is to test before you eat....test 2 hours after you eat. If your glucose levels are high 2 hours after you eat then you know that either this carbohydrate is not good for you or you need to make the portion smaller. Its a learning process!!

Giddy XO

DIABETIC 1,600 CALORIE DIET SAMPLE MENU ONLY

If you have diabetes you should follow a special diet. Here’s a sample diabetic meal plan that is based on a 1,600 calories and 220 grams of carbohydrates. This is to give you some idea of what would be a balanced meal, within your caloric and carbohydrate daily allowance will look like. You might be surprised at how much food is actually in each meal, the only thing being they are healthier choices. Remember to drink two 8-ounce glasses of water with each meal.

Drop all the white stuff out of your cupboards like white bread, white pasta, white rice, white potatoes, etc...replace it with higher fiber choices like whole grain bread, whole wheat or multi grain pasta, brown rice, sweet potatoes or yams. Fiber is slow digesting and makes you feel fuller longer. Also its great for losing weight!!! Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables instead of frozen or canned...the fiber is better for you. Its also important to eat more fish per week. Fish contains much needed Omega 3 fatty acids that the body desperately requires to help with those nasty triglycerides and cholesterols that affect our hearts.

To calculate the net, or effective, carbohydrate content of a food, subtract the number of grams of fiber from the number of grams of carbohydrate. For example, 1 cup of blackberries has 14 grams of carbs, but almost 8 grams of it comes from fiber. Total Carbs – Fiber = Net Carbohydrate or in our example, 14 grams – 8 grams = 6 grams of net carbs.

Remember....before you start any diet or exercise program, you must ALWAYS consult your Medical Professional first!!

Consult your Dietician to determine the amount of calories and carbohydrates you should be allowing for your daily intake.

Breakfast

(360 calories, 52.5 grams carbohydrate)

1 slice toasted whole wheat bread with 1 teaspoon margarine
1/4 cup egg substitute or cottage cheese
1/2 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 small banana

Lunch

(535 calories, 75 grams carbohydrate)

1 cup vegetable soup with 4-6 crackers
1 turkey sandwich (2 slices whole wheat bread, 1 ounce turkey and 1 ounce low-fat cheese, 1 teaspoon mayonnaise)
1 small apple

Dinner

(635 calories, 65 grams carbohydrate)

4 ounces broiled chicken breast with basil and oregano sprinkled on top
2/3 cup cooked brown rice
1/2 cup cooked carrots
1 small whole grain dinner roll with 1 teaspoon margarine
Tossed salad with 2 tablespoons low-fat salad dressing
4 unsweetened canned apricot halves or 1 small slice of angel food cake

Snacks

(Each has 60 calories or 15 grams carbohydrate. Pick two per day.)

16 fat-free tortilla chips with salsa
1/2 cup artificially sweetened chocolate pudding
1 ounce string cheese plus one small piece of fruit
3 cups "lite" popcorn

A LITTLE F.Y.I.

Did you know that some hand creams and facial creams contain sugar? Please read the ingredients list of your hand and facial creams to ensure they do not contain sugar. This could affect your sugar readings especially if you recently put cream on your hands then did a glucose test without washing your hands first. You could be giving yourself a false reading by using the wrong hand or facial cream. Remember to always wash and dry your hands thoroughly before testing!!

There is more than body fat...blood fat can hurt!

Did you know that diabetic patients with elevated levels of triglyceride fats are at an increased risk of developing neuropathy, the loss or damage of nerves that results in numbness, tingling and pain in the hands, arms, legs and feet? Remember to keep track of your triglycerides. Have them tested every 3 months. Watching your fat intake will also help with restless leg syndrome as well. Eat more anti inflammatory preventative foods. A list of anti inflammatory foods has been published in the blog under Diabetic Links as well as The Recipe Corner.

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

The Lowdown on Low-Carb Diets

Do they work? Are they safe? Here’s the latest.

According to the alarming statistics, most Americans need to take off more than a few pounds. But for overweight people with diabetes, losing weight is crucial; even modest weight loss –– 5 to 10 pounds –– can get you better glucose control, cholesterol numbers, and blood pressure. Add to this the fact that limiting carbohydrates is an important strategy in managing blood sugar, and you can see why people with diabetes would be inclined to try one of the popular low-carbohydrate diets. Is it a good idea?

The Great Carb Debate
Most experts believe that cutting your intake of one type of macronutrient (fat, protein, or carbohydrate) is not a good way to lose weight. Most also believe that eliminating high-carb foods while consuming unlimited protein and fat is unhealthy –– citing nutrient deficiencies, potential kidney problems, bone loss, and elevation in cholesterol. These experts, along with the American Heart Association and most mainstream health organizations, promote calorie cutting and increased activity for weight loss. Many recommend following the U.S. Dietary Guidelines represented by the Food Pyramid (which is a high-carb diet).

Low-carb proponents, however, say that by drastically reducing the amount of carbohydrates you consume, you switch your body’s fuel source from carbs to fat, thereby “burning” body fat more quickly. Proponents also say that losing weight by restricting carbs preferentially burns abdominal or visceral fat –– the fat around your middle (which you have if you are the owner of an “apple” rather than a “pear” shaped body) that does the most damage in terms of diabetes and heart disease risk.

New Conventional Wisdom
Most people know that refined carbohydrates –– wheat flour and sugar, primarily –– are not good for you, and some people believe that eating too much of them puts excess pounds on you. Many also now know that these carbohydrates are converted very quickly into glucose and generally cause a rapid rise in blood sugar levels –– which is not good for people in general, but is especially dangerous for those with diabetes.

If you have diabetes, the primary issue with low-carb dieting is that these diets can be high in saturated fat, which has been shown to raise LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. Atkins, for instance, does not limit the amount of animal fat you can consume. The South Beach Diet allows only “lean” cuts of beef (4.5 grams of saturated fat or less per serving), but doesn’t limit portion size. Since diabetes puts you at an increased risk for heart disease, increased LDL cholesterol is a serious concern. Some research shows, however, that saturated fat in the context of a low-carb diet does not raise LDL cholesterol. Because of the paucity of studies and confounding factors (e.g., weight loss alone improves cholesterol), the jury is still out on this issue.

New Data
The great debate about what is the healthiest way to eat has been left largely unresolved because of this lack of long-term research. Recently, however, scientists analyzed data from more than 82 thousand women enrolled in the Nurses Health Study, which was conducted over the course of 20 years. This is the first study to look at the long-term effects of eating a low-carbohydrate diet. The women who ate the lowest amount of carbohydrates did not have any greater incidence of heart disease, and those eating a low-carbohydrate diet that was rich in vegetable sources of fat and protein had a 30 percent lower incidence of heart disease.

The bottom line? If you have diabetes, you have to watch your carbohydrate foods, and stick to those that have the least extreme glycemic impact. So, in essence, you are already on a low-carb diet. If you need to lose weight, however, you may need to take things one step further. But keep in mind: None of the popular low-carb plans are magic bullets, the jury is still out on long-term effects, and what works for one person may not for another. Before deciding on a weight-loss plan, talk to your health care provider, dietitian or certified diabetes educator (CDE).

Resource: www.dlife.com

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DIABETIC TIPS FOR LIFE

Know Your A, B, C's!!

A – A1c, or hemoglobin A1c test.

ADA goal is less than 7%.
AACE goal is 6.5% or less.

B – Blood pressure

C – Cholesterol

HDL (good) cholesterol – >40 mg/dl (1.0 mmol/l) in men; >50 mg/dl (1.3 mmol/l) in women

Talk with your diabetes care provider to determine your individual goals for A1c, blood pressure, and cholesterol.

*All guidelines are from the American Diabetes Association Standards of Medical Care for Patients with Diabetes Mellitus (2007), unless otherwise indicated.

Resource: www.dlife.com

How To Treat Low Blood Glucose Levels

Don’t overdo it in treating a low blood glucose episode. If you overtreat, you’ll end up in a vicious low/high cycle. Remember the 15 grams/15 minutes rule: take 15 grams of a fast acting carbohydrate and wait fifteen minutes before re-testing. If your levels are still too low, repeat and retest.

Good sources of fast acting carbohydrates include:

Glucose tablets (read packaging for equivalent of 15 grams carb)
Non-diet soda (read packaging)
Smarties candies (3 small rolls)
Sweet Tarts (8 tablets)
Honey (1 tablespoon)

Resource: dLife.com

When Is The Best Time To Exercise??

Anytime you will do it. So many say they don't have time to exercise. You need to make time. Only you can work out when to work out.

Remember, when it comes to diabetes and exercise:

Check your blood glucose before and after exercise to see how you respond.

It's all about balance. Keep track of what you eat, your meds, and your physical activity. This way, you can make adjustments.

The ADA recommends avoiding exercise if fasting glucose levels are higher than 250 mg/dl (13.89 mmol/l) and ketosis is present, and using caution if glucose levels are higher than 300 mg/dl (16.67 mmol/l) and no ketosis is present. If levels are below 100 mg/dl (5.56 mmol/l) before exercise, have a snack and retest in 15 minutes.

**Always talk with your Doctor or Endocrynologist before starting any exercise regime.

Resource: www.dlife.com

Good Portion Control Is The Key

Practice good portion control to keep your carbohydrate intake accurate and your blood sugar in check.

Have the right tools. Invest in a gram scale and a good set of measuring cups and spoons.

Serve smart. Dish up portions at the counter, not at the dinner table.

Give yourself a hand. When the scale isn’t near, estimate portions with hand equivalents – for example, a woman’s fist would be about the size of one potato or fruit serving.

Practice, practice, practice. Measure everything diligently for a week until you get a feel for appropriate portion sizes.

Resource: www.dlife.com

Food and Meal Planning Suggestions and Tips

10 Tips For Staying Healthy

There are neither magic bullets nor forbidden foods in a diabetic diet--it's about making educated choices, practicing portion control and moderation and choosing nutritious foods the whole family can enjoy. Every day, include a variety of fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, healthy fats, and high-fiber whole grains and beans.

Carbohydrates are the primary fuel for your body and brain. They also contribute most to your blood sugar and glucose levels. They're found in breads, grains, beans, fruits and vegetables and dairy products, as well as in table sugar, cakes, cookies, ice cream, and other sweets. Adults should aim for 50 to 60 grams of carbohydrates per meal, and 10 to 30 grams per snack.

Sugar and sweets can be part of a diabetic diet, but should be combined with other foods to lessen their impact on blood sugar. If you choose to have dessert, plan ahead, substituting it for other carbohydrates in the meal (like pasta, rice, or bread). When preparing desserts, reduce the sugar, when possible, to about 1/3 to 1/2 of the original amount, or use sugar substitutes.

High-fiber foods help stabilize blood sugar and lower cholestrol. Aim for 25 to 35 grams of fiber per day. High-fiber foods include oats and barley, whole grains, beans, nuts, fruits, and vegetables.

For protein, select lean meats, seafood, low-fat dairy, 1 egg per day, or legumes (which includes beans, soy products, and peanut butter). Aim for 15 to 20% of your daily calories to be from protein (or 75 to 100 grams daily on a 2000 calorie per day diet). Any extra protein will be used as calories or stored as fat.

Fats are a necessary part of any diet. With diabetes, excess weight and risk of heart disease are concerns, so managing fat intake is especially important. Avoid saturated fats, like those found in full-fat dairy, red meat, and chicken skin -- and also trans fats, found in commercially fried and processed foods. All fats, even the healthy ones, are high in calories, so use them sparingly.

Water and other low-calorie beverages are the best ways to quench your thirst without adding excess calories and carbohydrates.

If you drink alcohol, limit drinks to 1 per day for women and 2 per day for men, and always consume it with food.

Weight loss and daily exercise lower blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol -- which in turn may lower amount of medication you need.

Managing your diabetes is crucial. Work closely with your health care team, and if they have a Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE), sign up for classes. Schedule a session with a Registered Dietician to work out an eating plan and to stay current on the latest research. And involve your family -- research shows that family support is one of the strongest predictors of successful management of diabetes.

Resource: thefoodnetwork.com

Giddy's Diabetes Blog