Just because something is simple, is that reason enough to use it? In my last post, I discussed Complex Carbs and we found that not all complex carbs are desirable for a diabetic. Now it's time to take a look at Simple Carbs.
Simple Carbs are basically simple sugars. These sugars are easy to break down in your body and turn to sugar in your blood quickly. The simple answer to this is don't eat them. That's not always easy. After all it's summer and my favorite fruits are ripe, sweet and delicious. Peaches, Nectarines, Cherries...
All are delicious and all have simple sugars that break down quickly. Not that I don't enjoy my share of complex carbs in the summer but broccoli and other veggies just don't give me the same joy of summer. So what do we do when we are tempted by summer fruits. After all our whole lives everyone has told us to eat our fruits and veggies. Aren't all of these "healthy" foods good for us?
I wish! Clearly we are back to moderation and intake management. Since fruits contain simple sugars that convert to blood sugar quickly, how can I reduce the impact. This is not as difficult as it seems. Go ahead and PLAN to have a sweet juicy peach, just eat some protein and fat first and eat that peach right after. Remember by eating foods that take longer to convert to sugar along with foods that convert quickly you MAY be able to reduce the impact of simple sugars on your body.
How will you know? Test your blood! Always remember to test your blood and you'll know if you can enjoy these delicious summer fruits.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Monday, July 14, 2008
Good Carb, Bad Carb
The key difference between a good or bad carbohydrate is the speed in which it converts to sugar in your blood!
Good carbs convert slowly. They make your body work harder to be digested and they have a measured sugar conversion that does not cause a sugar or insulin spike. These are often considered complex carbs. Some examples of complex carbs are Oats, Wheat, Whole Grains, Beans, Potato, Rice among others.
Complex carbs do not always convert slowly. They ARE NOT always good carbs. The following are a list of complex carbs I MUST NOT eat: Flour (any kind, don't be fooled because it's from a complex carb), Whole Wheat Pasta, Potato (Mashed and Baked are the worst), Rice (even brown).
Think about it, when you hydrate or soften a food it breaks down in your body faster. I've tested my sugar with all of these items and when your meter says 300 you know you are doing damage. There are many great choices that you can make today. Complex carbs are better than simple carbs if you are eating them in their most natural state. That would be unprocessed! Processing the food usually makes it easier to digest and so they turn to sugar in your blood much more quickly.
Bottom line - TEST YOUR BLOOD SUGAR!
P.S. just a reminder that I'm looking into forming a local support group for diabetics, hypoglycemics and people focused on dealing with blood sugar issues. If you are interested in participating please email me at jeff@granolagourmet.com
Good carbs convert slowly. They make your body work harder to be digested and they have a measured sugar conversion that does not cause a sugar or insulin spike. These are often considered complex carbs. Some examples of complex carbs are Oats, Wheat, Whole Grains, Beans, Potato, Rice among others.
Complex carbs do not always convert slowly. They ARE NOT always good carbs. The following are a list of complex carbs I MUST NOT eat: Flour (any kind, don't be fooled because it's from a complex carb), Whole Wheat Pasta, Potato (Mashed and Baked are the worst), Rice (even brown).
Think about it, when you hydrate or soften a food it breaks down in your body faster. I've tested my sugar with all of these items and when your meter says 300 you know you are doing damage. There are many great choices that you can make today. Complex carbs are better than simple carbs if you are eating them in their most natural state. That would be unprocessed! Processing the food usually makes it easier to digest and so they turn to sugar in your blood much more quickly.
Bottom line - TEST YOUR BLOOD SUGAR!
P.S. just a reminder that I'm looking into forming a local support group for diabetics, hypoglycemics and people focused on dealing with blood sugar issues. If you are interested in participating please email me at jeff@granolagourmet.com
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Food Diary - Weight Loss on Steroids?
For years I've been watching my weight. It has a big impact on my diabetes. When I'm on a formal program that requires a food diary I do it for a week or two and quit. I'll follow a meal plan but never keep a diary.
This week a study of 1700 people for 6 months showed that keeping a food diary leads to better weight loss. In fact the participants that kept a diary lost twice as much weight as those that did not. I've watched my mother in law keep diaries of everything in her life for years. I always thought she was just being compulsive and it was a little nutty. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe it's time for me to consider using a food diary? Maybe it's not nuts after all?
Since I'm in the process of forming a support group for people with sugar issues, keeping a record of our food is probably one of the best things we can do? What do you think? Since I live on the computer today, it should not be that hard to keep and store this information. Please email me if you have a suggestion about which programs work best as a food diary. I'll review them and sharing my results with you. My email address is jeff@granolagourmet.com.
This week a study of 1700 people for 6 months showed that keeping a food diary leads to better weight loss. In fact the participants that kept a diary lost twice as much weight as those that did not. I've watched my mother in law keep diaries of everything in her life for years. I always thought she was just being compulsive and it was a little nutty. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe it's time for me to consider using a food diary? Maybe it's not nuts after all?
Since I'm in the process of forming a support group for people with sugar issues, keeping a record of our food is probably one of the best things we can do? What do you think? Since I live on the computer today, it should not be that hard to keep and store this information. Please email me if you have a suggestion about which programs work best as a food diary. I'll review them and sharing my results with you. My email address is jeff@granolagourmet.com.
Monday, July 7, 2008
We All Need Support
For several weeks now I've been thinking about how we deal with diabetes, diet and our health in general. A number of people have come up to me and have been discussing their situations. It's interesting to listen how people handle their health and diet. So many of you have such great ideas about what to do. Many of you have been successful with approaches that seem like we all could be using them.
Because of this I'm considering starting a support group for people with sugar issues. While that group certainly includes Diabetics, people that are hypoglycemic or want to improve their diet while focusing on low glycemic foods are also candidates for this group.
One of our customers came to the Newhall Farmers Market to talk about his issues recently. He tells me that he is prediabetic. As a self proclaimed Carboholic he came looking for some ideas about how to move past this problem.
A few weeks ago a woman came up and was telling my wife and I about her struggle with weight and sugar. She had some great ideas for keeping track of the foods that she is eating and is managing her weight loss in a way that will make her food choices more of a lifestyle.
If you are interested in participating in a group or have an issue you'd like to receive some input on please send an email to me. My email address is jeff@granolagourmet.com
Because of this I'm considering starting a support group for people with sugar issues. While that group certainly includes Diabetics, people that are hypoglycemic or want to improve their diet while focusing on low glycemic foods are also candidates for this group.
One of our customers came to the Newhall Farmers Market to talk about his issues recently. He tells me that he is prediabetic. As a self proclaimed Carboholic he came looking for some ideas about how to move past this problem.
A few weeks ago a woman came up and was telling my wife and I about her struggle with weight and sugar. She had some great ideas for keeping track of the foods that she is eating and is managing her weight loss in a way that will make her food choices more of a lifestyle.
If you are interested in participating in a group or have an issue you'd like to receive some input on please send an email to me. My email address is jeff@granolagourmet.com
Monday, June 30, 2008
Low Glycemic Diets
Every time I talk to someone about foods that are Low Glycemic there is confusion. Lately I've started looking at moving to focused Low Glycemic diet and have been evaluating several. The main theme I have found is a focus on protein and away from sugar and carbs.
While I agree that this will certainly support a Low Glycemic diet, I also have found much confusion about the Glycemic Index and how foods impact your blood sugar. This topic requires a diabetic that tests their blood sugar in order to truly determine what food is or is not having a Low Glycemic Impact.
I define Low Glycemic Impact as the actual impact that food has on YOUR body. Different foods impact people differently. Since diabetics test their blood sugar monthly it is common for us to actually see the Glycemic Impact. As a diabetic looking to have a sugar reading of 100 as a target we know that when we eat something and the reading goes to 200 that is bad.
People often come up to me at the Market and ask about the carb count in our granola bars. Some say how can these be Low Glycemic when they have 22 grams of Carbohydrates? A great question and one that requires a great answer, fortunately I have one.
When you combine all the ingredients your body has to digest them all at the same time. Our ingredients are very low on the Glycemic Index, but we do things with our recipe that help make the bars even lower. A great example of this is how we treat the oats we use differently than you do with oatmeal. Oatmeal is hydrated when it is cooked. This makes it easier to break down in your body. Our oats are not hydrated, in fact we remove as much of the moisture as possible. This makes your body work harder to digest it.
We also replace the sugar with Agave which is super low on the Glycemic Index and Honey which is much lower than sugar on the index as well.
The point is that when you look into Glycemic Index you need to look deeper than just at the carb or sugar count. Look a the product and test your blood sugar. I recommend when you test your sugar you take a fasting reading and then eat the food item. Test every 30 minutes for 2 hours and you will know what the Glycemic Impact is for YOU!
While I agree that this will certainly support a Low Glycemic diet, I also have found much confusion about the Glycemic Index and how foods impact your blood sugar. This topic requires a diabetic that tests their blood sugar in order to truly determine what food is or is not having a Low Glycemic Impact.
I define Low Glycemic Impact as the actual impact that food has on YOUR body. Different foods impact people differently. Since diabetics test their blood sugar monthly it is common for us to actually see the Glycemic Impact. As a diabetic looking to have a sugar reading of 100 as a target we know that when we eat something and the reading goes to 200 that is bad.
People often come up to me at the Market and ask about the carb count in our granola bars. Some say how can these be Low Glycemic when they have 22 grams of Carbohydrates? A great question and one that requires a great answer, fortunately I have one.
When you combine all the ingredients your body has to digest them all at the same time. Our ingredients are very low on the Glycemic Index, but we do things with our recipe that help make the bars even lower. A great example of this is how we treat the oats we use differently than you do with oatmeal. Oatmeal is hydrated when it is cooked. This makes it easier to break down in your body. Our oats are not hydrated, in fact we remove as much of the moisture as possible. This makes your body work harder to digest it.
We also replace the sugar with Agave which is super low on the Glycemic Index and Honey which is much lower than sugar on the index as well.
The point is that when you look into Glycemic Index you need to look deeper than just at the carb or sugar count. Look a the product and test your blood sugar. I recommend when you test your sugar you take a fasting reading and then eat the food item. Test every 30 minutes for 2 hours and you will know what the Glycemic Impact is for YOU!
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Bagels or Donuts, which is better for a Diabetic?
My family is addicted to bagels. They would all have a bagel for breakfast everyday if they were in the house. As a diabetic this is clearly not a good choice for me, but I've learned how to cut a sliver off the bagel (careful it's not so easy) and enjoy a quarter of one every once in a while.
Bagels today have over 50 carbs each and I know you can't just take half, can you? It's tough to do and the fact is that if you are going to eat a whole bagel, you may as well have a donut or two. Why? Simple, because as a person with diabetes you are going to be spiking your blood sugar in the next 30 minutes and if you are going to do it with a bagel, you may as well aim for a diabetic coma and really enjoy your sin :)
OK, maybe that's a little over the edge. After all most of us won't slip into a diabetic coma after a bagel or donut, but your sugar will become uncontrollable and you will pay for it. If you really want to cheat ask yourself if you are prepared to deal with the consequences of high blood sugar.
If you become sleepy when your sugar spikes, make sure you have your night cap on.
Bagels today have over 50 carbs each and I know you can't just take half, can you? It's tough to do and the fact is that if you are going to eat a whole bagel, you may as well have a donut or two. Why? Simple, because as a person with diabetes you are going to be spiking your blood sugar in the next 30 minutes and if you are going to do it with a bagel, you may as well aim for a diabetic coma and really enjoy your sin :)
OK, maybe that's a little over the edge. After all most of us won't slip into a diabetic coma after a bagel or donut, but your sugar will become uncontrollable and you will pay for it. If you really want to cheat ask yourself if you are prepared to deal with the consequences of high blood sugar.
If you become sleepy when your sugar spikes, make sure you have your night cap on.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Blood Sugar Down, Weight UP :(
In my regular struggle with controlling my blood sugar and my weight I've found a couple of constants.
When I take insulin and my blood sugar is under better control the quantity of insulin I take sometimes causes me to be extra hungry. I know that this is a side effect of insulin and I've discussed it with my Dr. We have worked on this problem as a team and I think I've found a better way.
For me when I take Lantus at night in 25 unit increments my morning readings are normal or close. This morning it was 114. The past few days it's been in the 130's. This is way better than the readings I'd been seeing in the 170-200 range. So I'm glad that I've got that problem licked.
The other issue I have is weight control. This quarter I've gone up about 10 pounds. It's frustrating for me when this happens and it's not always about self control. When my insulin intake is higher than about 20 units a day I am hungrier than usual. It is difficult for me not to eat more. Even when eating healthy foods, quantity DOES matter. So goes my struggle with weight control this quarter...
With my renewed effort to control both my walking is up and I am focusing on controlling both my weight and sugars, stay tuned!
When I take insulin and my blood sugar is under better control the quantity of insulin I take sometimes causes me to be extra hungry. I know that this is a side effect of insulin and I've discussed it with my Dr. We have worked on this problem as a team and I think I've found a better way.
For me when I take Lantus at night in 25 unit increments my morning readings are normal or close. This morning it was 114. The past few days it's been in the 130's. This is way better than the readings I'd been seeing in the 170-200 range. So I'm glad that I've got that problem licked.
The other issue I have is weight control. This quarter I've gone up about 10 pounds. It's frustrating for me when this happens and it's not always about self control. When my insulin intake is higher than about 20 units a day I am hungrier than usual. It is difficult for me not to eat more. Even when eating healthy foods, quantity DOES matter. So goes my struggle with weight control this quarter...
With my renewed effort to control both my walking is up and I am focusing on controlling both my weight and sugars, stay tuned!
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Weight Loss another Miracle Cure?
Weight loss is a concern for a majority of Americans. Haven't you heard...we are all overweight and at risk of becomming Diabetic. Seriously though, so many of us are trying to lose, control, or maintain our weight.
I go through the ups and downs of weight control every quarter. Part of the issue is mental and the other part is physical.
To lose or even maintain weight my mind has to be on that track. I've found over the years that it is not hard to derail my weight goals. For me much of the problem is that I eat too much. I usually eat the right foods, however overeating will always cause a weight problem.
Physically, I know that I must also move. This doesn't require a huge amount of effort, but I need to walk. Walking has it's own challenges. It's too hot, or I don't want to walk alone, or I don't feel like going to the gym... Now you've seen the side of me that is more focused on the challenges than challenging and overcoming the problem.
So... today I am committing to you to be more dilligent about walking and to manage the quantities of my food. As part of this effort I'll also report back with periodic updates. So, if you see me out and about, feel free to let me know you are watching my progress I'm sure it will have an impact on my results.
I go through the ups and downs of weight control every quarter. Part of the issue is mental and the other part is physical.
To lose or even maintain weight my mind has to be on that track. I've found over the years that it is not hard to derail my weight goals. For me much of the problem is that I eat too much. I usually eat the right foods, however overeating will always cause a weight problem.
Physically, I know that I must also move. This doesn't require a huge amount of effort, but I need to walk. Walking has it's own challenges. It's too hot, or I don't want to walk alone, or I don't feel like going to the gym... Now you've seen the side of me that is more focused on the challenges than challenging and overcoming the problem.
So... today I am committing to you to be more dilligent about walking and to manage the quantities of my food. As part of this effort I'll also report back with periodic updates. So, if you see me out and about, feel free to let me know you are watching my progress I'm sure it will have an impact on my results.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Insulin the Miracle Cure
When I was originally diagnosed with sugar readings over 4 times normal, I knew nothing about Insulin and all the different treatment options available. My Dr. put me on Insulin and right away my blood glucose readings were impacted. Within a week my readings were normal.
No matter if you are a type 1, type 2 Diabetic, or if you have Gestational Diabetes, Insulin is the miracle cure. Sure there are many different types of pills that you can take to manage your Diabetes, but none matter if there is no Insulin present.
No matter if you are a type 1, type 2 Diabetic, or if you have Gestational Diabetes, Insulin is the miracle cure. Sure there are many different types of pills that you can take to manage your Diabetes, but none matter if there is no Insulin present.
I often talk with people that have been told that they should be using Insulin as part of their Diabetes management program. Often they are quite concerned about their need for Insulin. Whether it is out of concern that they now need to inject themselves or that they are suddenly feeling that their Diabetes is not in control we often feel emotional about the need to use Insulin.
I was no different when this happened to me. One difference I had was that my sugar at the time was 4 times normal. My Dr. had me start treatment with Insulin, so I knew what it was like in the beginning. I think I was more relieved than depressed when I started taking Insulin at the time. This is because I was feeling so bad. The Insulin did the trick and within a week my sugar readings were normal again. I was weened off of Insulin after about 4 months.
This was followed by 3 years of Diabetes Management focusing on diet and exercise. Then my body began requiring a little help. I began taking Metformin. In the 15 years as a Diabetic I've found that about every 3-4 years my body needs a change in treatment. Last year when this happened I decided to begin taking Insulin again. It was not a difficult decision for me at the time because I used Insulin for 3 years in the past. This time it's easier. The delivery system for me is a pen which is convenient and easy to care for.
I still considered what the impact would be in going back on Insulin, however it is quite small. If you are considering Insulin or are asked by your Dr. to consider it be open minded. Give it a try. It's not like taking pills, but it may not be as big of an issue for you as you may think.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Deception - What foods I cheat for
We deceive others every day, but in doing so we know that the truth is always right there on our blood glucose meter. I always have in the back of my mind that if I take enough insulin or take a walk I'll be keep my sugar from rising uncontrollably.
I'm a real carboholic and sometimes find that there are no good choices around that "I WANT". It's not that I don't want to be good and eat the right foods. Over 90% of the time I do. The problem I have is that I eat too much of the right food, or I decide (10% of the time) to purposely eat the wrong food. I know I'm not alone. I talk to diabetics all the time and we cheat!
Two recent incidents I'll share. We went to the movies as a family. Everyone loves the treats there. Popcorn, Candy, etc... I broke the rules and brought granola bars. Yes, I'm confessing but I would not have to if AMC sold some kind of healthy treat that I could eat. I started out snacking on my granola bars, but degraded when the kids brought popcorn back to the seats. This was not awful, I did limit myself to a few handfuls which satisfied me and did not throw my blood sugar as off track as it would have if I hadn't eaten granola bars.
A second digression; Every Thursday we sell our granola bars at the Newhall Farmers Market. There are always temptations there. I am usually pretty good at avoiding them. This week was an exception. It actually didn't happen there. My kids traded granola bars for baklava and lots of it! I love baklava. I saw it when we got home. I avoided it on Thursday. Friday night came and there was plenty left and so I took one. Oh, it was so good...so...I took another! An hour later my mouth was dry so I tested my sugar, 216 OUCH! But, it was so good. I usually satisfy my cravings with granola bars but sometimes it's worth the pain. I took extra insulin, got back under control and keep this as a reminder not to overdo the treats when I do go off the sugar wagon.
I'm a real carboholic and sometimes find that there are no good choices around that "I WANT". It's not that I don't want to be good and eat the right foods. Over 90% of the time I do. The problem I have is that I eat too much of the right food, or I decide (10% of the time) to purposely eat the wrong food. I know I'm not alone. I talk to diabetics all the time and we cheat!
Two recent incidents I'll share. We went to the movies as a family. Everyone loves the treats there. Popcorn, Candy, etc... I broke the rules and brought granola bars. Yes, I'm confessing but I would not have to if AMC sold some kind of healthy treat that I could eat. I started out snacking on my granola bars, but degraded when the kids brought popcorn back to the seats. This was not awful, I did limit myself to a few handfuls which satisfied me and did not throw my blood sugar as off track as it would have if I hadn't eaten granola bars.
A second digression; Every Thursday we sell our granola bars at the Newhall Farmers Market. There are always temptations there. I am usually pretty good at avoiding them. This week was an exception. It actually didn't happen there. My kids traded granola bars for baklava and lots of it! I love baklava. I saw it when we got home. I avoided it on Thursday. Friday night came and there was plenty left and so I took one. Oh, it was so good...so...I took another! An hour later my mouth was dry so I tested my sugar, 216 OUCH! But, it was so good. I usually satisfy my cravings with granola bars but sometimes it's worth the pain. I took extra insulin, got back under control and keep this as a reminder not to overdo the treats when I do go off the sugar wagon.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Temptation and Willpower
Temptation and Willpower are difficult issues when it comes to food. As a Diabetic I know the problem well. You see my wife and 2 boys are not as concerned about what goes in my mouth as they are with what they eat. Since they can eat anything they want it's really up to me to take control.
Taking control is a more difficult issue than you might think. It has taken me 13 years being diabetic to finally not allow the guilt of NOT eating what my wife makes for dinner to impact my decision to NOT eat her meal. This issue has been huge for me. It's also been a critical factor in my ability to see meals appear at the table that more diabetic friendly.
I like to cook and don't shy away from cooking my own meals. In fact I'll cook for the whole family periodically. When I cook there is a lack of bread or other starch with our meal. I don't stop there though, I simply won't eat the carb dish that my wife prepares when she makes dinner. This used to be a problem but my wife is sympathetic to my problem and through her education she now understands what the impact is to me.
One of the biggest obstacles we overcame was guilt. Have you heard the infamous question from the person that made the meal "aren't you going to eat my dish?" I've learned to say very simply "I can't. It will make my blood sugar skyrocket and I need to be more careful." It is hard to avoid my wife's special carb loaded dishes. She goes to such an effort to make them, but I find that in the last 2 years since I've stood up and said no and used my willpower she does not push them in my direction any longer AND she no longer tries to guilt me into trying them.
It's true that I am often tempted by her cooking (ask anyone we know and they will agree that she is a great cook, no chef). But I'm not the first one with diabetes and a problem overcoming my temptations. I've just looked deeper for solutions.
Deserts are another weakness I have. Believe me, I've tried so many options but none seem to work for me because they just don't taste good or are not satisfying. Take jello for example. They make many kinds of sugar free jello. I like jello, but to be satisfied I need to eat at least half the batch and then I'm hungry again in a short while.
My wife and kids will have ice cream or other yummy sugary treats and every time I participate ZING...my sugar goes way over 200. Now that we make Granola Gourmet Bars (http://www.granolagourmet.com/), life has been much easier on me. I attribute this to the fact that everyone in the family loves the bars. We have fewer sugary snacks in the house and we all get to have a low Glycemic treat. The secret is Agave. By replacing the sugar with Agave we eliminated the most caustic ingredient and replaced it with an extremely low Glycemic product that TASTES GREAT!
We now use Agave on other recipes and even as a syrup for pancakes (which I now can have in very small amounts). It's a way for me to sweeten my foods without getting the sugar rush. I've successfully converted my family to be open minded about Agave but it took over a year to do this. Perseverance, that and doing what you need to do in spite of what your friends and family want you to do. After all, they aren't trying to kill me they want me around. They now realize that having me around includes yielding to my dietary needs. Now they are eating more like I do than they probably thought they would.
Taking control is a more difficult issue than you might think. It has taken me 13 years being diabetic to finally not allow the guilt of NOT eating what my wife makes for dinner to impact my decision to NOT eat her meal. This issue has been huge for me. It's also been a critical factor in my ability to see meals appear at the table that more diabetic friendly.
I like to cook and don't shy away from cooking my own meals. In fact I'll cook for the whole family periodically. When I cook there is a lack of bread or other starch with our meal. I don't stop there though, I simply won't eat the carb dish that my wife prepares when she makes dinner. This used to be a problem but my wife is sympathetic to my problem and through her education she now understands what the impact is to me.
One of the biggest obstacles we overcame was guilt. Have you heard the infamous question from the person that made the meal "aren't you going to eat my dish?" I've learned to say very simply "I can't. It will make my blood sugar skyrocket and I need to be more careful." It is hard to avoid my wife's special carb loaded dishes. She goes to such an effort to make them, but I find that in the last 2 years since I've stood up and said no and used my willpower she does not push them in my direction any longer AND she no longer tries to guilt me into trying them.
It's true that I am often tempted by her cooking (ask anyone we know and they will agree that she is a great cook, no chef). But I'm not the first one with diabetes and a problem overcoming my temptations. I've just looked deeper for solutions.
Deserts are another weakness I have. Believe me, I've tried so many options but none seem to work for me because they just don't taste good or are not satisfying. Take jello for example. They make many kinds of sugar free jello. I like jello, but to be satisfied I need to eat at least half the batch and then I'm hungry again in a short while.
My wife and kids will have ice cream or other yummy sugary treats and every time I participate ZING...my sugar goes way over 200. Now that we make Granola Gourmet Bars (http://www.granolagourmet.com/), life has been much easier on me. I attribute this to the fact that everyone in the family loves the bars. We have fewer sugary snacks in the house and we all get to have a low Glycemic treat. The secret is Agave. By replacing the sugar with Agave we eliminated the most caustic ingredient and replaced it with an extremely low Glycemic product that TASTES GREAT!
We now use Agave on other recipes and even as a syrup for pancakes (which I now can have in very small amounts). It's a way for me to sweeten my foods without getting the sugar rush. I've successfully converted my family to be open minded about Agave but it took over a year to do this. Perseverance, that and doing what you need to do in spite of what your friends and family want you to do. After all, they aren't trying to kill me they want me around. They now realize that having me around includes yielding to my dietary needs. Now they are eating more like I do than they probably thought they would.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Sugar Addicts Rejoice!
I read a forum posting that completely supports the reason my wife and I started Granola Gourmet. I did not know about this post until yesterday when out of the blue our website orders went from a few per day to 50 in just one day. This post may look like a shameless plug for our product but there is a point.
The forum I am referring to is Managing Diabetes at Everyday Health. There a Diabetic for 21 years reached out for help and said she was a sugar addict and binges on sugar every so often. Another person reached out telling her about Granola Gourmet and how it helps beat the sugar craving with a limited impact on blood sugar.
Inside of a few days this post became very popular and was highlighted by the editor. While you don't have to be a Diabetic to enjoy the Granola Gourmet Energy Bars, if you are there are real benefits. The main one is that you will likely see a lower impact on your blood sugar. How will you know this? You will test your sugar fasting, then you will eat a bar and test 4 times in the next 2 hours.
Now, close your eyes for 5 seconds take a deep breath and imagine a delicious snack that does not cause your blood sugar to spike. What did you imagine cake, pudding, jello, celery or maybe the first thing that popped into your head is Granola Bars:)
How do you know your blood sugar won't spike? You are testing your blood sugar fasting, during and after the digestion period.This is how you really know what a food product is doing inside your body. If you are satisfied that the impact is limited you will work our healthy delicious snack into your diet in moderation. If you are related to a diabetic you will give them Granola Gourmet for Mothers or Fathers day.
Look, I know a shameless plug when I see one so lets just call a spade a spade :) But, how can you not be interested in finding a snack that will not cause your blood sugar to spike especially when almost everyone that tries it including Diabetics and Athletes love it for the taste?
The forum I am referring to is Managing Diabetes at Everyday Health. There a Diabetic for 21 years reached out for help and said she was a sugar addict and binges on sugar every so often. Another person reached out telling her about Granola Gourmet and how it helps beat the sugar craving with a limited impact on blood sugar.
Inside of a few days this post became very popular and was highlighted by the editor. While you don't have to be a Diabetic to enjoy the Granola Gourmet Energy Bars, if you are there are real benefits. The main one is that you will likely see a lower impact on your blood sugar. How will you know this? You will test your sugar fasting, then you will eat a bar and test 4 times in the next 2 hours.
Now, close your eyes for 5 seconds take a deep breath and imagine a delicious snack that does not cause your blood sugar to spike. What did you imagine cake, pudding, jello, celery or maybe the first thing that popped into your head is Granola Bars:)
How do you know your blood sugar won't spike? You are testing your blood sugar fasting, during and after the digestion period.This is how you really know what a food product is doing inside your body. If you are satisfied that the impact is limited you will work our healthy delicious snack into your diet in moderation. If you are related to a diabetic you will give them Granola Gourmet for Mothers or Fathers day.
Look, I know a shameless plug when I see one so lets just call a spade a spade :) But, how can you not be interested in finding a snack that will not cause your blood sugar to spike especially when almost everyone that tries it including Diabetics and Athletes love it for the taste?
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Diabetes Symptoms
Most people just don't know what the symptoms of Diabetes are. What is happening to their bodies that is different than usual. When I came down with Diabetes it was quite sudden. Within 2 weeks significant changes occurred in my body and I did not know what was happening.
Do you have any of these symptoms, visit your doctor to be tested for diabetes, especially if you are 45 or older. The initial test is simple. In 5 seconds right in front of your eyes your blood will be analyzed by a meter. Many General Practitioners have old or outdated equipment but they should be able to give you a result in 30 seconds.
If you are dealing with someone that is not well educated about diabetes they will tell you that you should have this done while fasting. This is not necessary. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms above, your numbers fasting may not be much different than your numbers within an hour of eating.
When I was diagnosed 15 years ago, I had been ill for 2 weeks and had fallen asleep while driving home. Thank god for the bumps on the freeway lanes. They did the job of waking me up! I drove to a candy store thinking I was low on sugar and ate a candy bar. The placebo worked and I made a bee line to my Dr.
He said "lets check your blood sugar". I said "does it matter that I've just eaten a candy bar?". He said yes, go to the lab in the morning before you eat. My result came back 2 days later and my fasting number was 325, that's 3 times normal. The test in his office may have come in at 350 or 400 and he would should have known immediate action was necessary!
If you go in and have a sugar reading greater than 120 fasting or on a full stomach you need to dig in with your Dr. and get more information. Have an HBA1C test done. This test gives you a look at the average blood sugar reading your body has over 3-4 months. If you go to an Endocrinologist they may do it in the office (it takes 6 minutes for the meter to provide the result), however your GP will need to send it out as they don't usually carry Diabetic supplies and tests.
The number one recommendation I have is - if you have just been diagnosed with Diabetes...WHATEVER IT TAKES, GO TO AN ENDOCRINOLOGIST ASAP!
The following 8 symptoms are common, my body's reaction was not exactly textbook.
- Excessive thirst and urination - my thirst was unquenchable, I'd drink 1 to 2 gallons daily.
- Feeling very hungry frequently - I was always hungry.
- Feeling very tired - I'd take a nap at 2pm and wake up in the morning.
- Unintentional weight loss - always hungry and eating, I was happy to be losing weight (20 lbs. in 2 weeks) .
- Frequent infections, or wounds that don't heal - I didn't have this problem in the beginning, but cuts and scrapes take much longer to heal today.
- Blurred vision - after 3 weeks of uncontrolled blood sugar my vision degraded and was blurry.
- Numbness or tingling in hands and feet - I've been lucky so far and haven't had this problem in 15 years as a Diabetic.
- Dry, itchy skin - on rare occasion my foot itches, I can't explain it. I do know that it is annoying and still haven't connected it to my Diabetes. Maybe I'm just in denial?
Do you have any of these symptoms, visit your doctor to be tested for diabetes, especially if you are 45 or older. The initial test is simple. In 5 seconds right in front of your eyes your blood will be analyzed by a meter. Many General Practitioners have old or outdated equipment but they should be able to give you a result in 30 seconds.
If you are dealing with someone that is not well educated about diabetes they will tell you that you should have this done while fasting. This is not necessary. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms above, your numbers fasting may not be much different than your numbers within an hour of eating.
When I was diagnosed 15 years ago, I had been ill for 2 weeks and had fallen asleep while driving home. Thank god for the bumps on the freeway lanes. They did the job of waking me up! I drove to a candy store thinking I was low on sugar and ate a candy bar. The placebo worked and I made a bee line to my Dr.
He said "lets check your blood sugar". I said "does it matter that I've just eaten a candy bar?". He said yes, go to the lab in the morning before you eat. My result came back 2 days later and my fasting number was 325, that's 3 times normal. The test in his office may have come in at 350 or 400 and he would should have known immediate action was necessary!
If you go in and have a sugar reading greater than 120 fasting or on a full stomach you need to dig in with your Dr. and get more information. Have an HBA1C test done. This test gives you a look at the average blood sugar reading your body has over 3-4 months. If you go to an Endocrinologist they may do it in the office (it takes 6 minutes for the meter to provide the result), however your GP will need to send it out as they don't usually carry Diabetic supplies and tests.
The number one recommendation I have is - if you have just been diagnosed with Diabetes...WHATEVER IT TAKES, GO TO AN ENDOCRINOLOGIST ASAP!
Friday, April 11, 2008
Your Diabetes Diagnosis
You've just found out that you have diabetes and don't really understand it yet. That's exactly what happened to me 15 years ago, yet today when I meet newly diagnosed diabetics they don't understand it either. What does it really mean to have diabetes and why should I be afraid enough to change my lifestyle?
Diabetes is a disease that can kill you. It doubles the risk of heart attack and affects every system in your body. This is because elevated blood sugar impacts every organ, muscle and nerve that needs blood. That is why you change your lifestyle! That is why doctors take it seriously when you are diagnosed.
But, if you are not seeing a specialist you are making a HUGE mistake! I know, when I was diagnosed my sugar was 325 that's 3 times normal. My HMO's Dr. prescribed a pill that the insurance company declined to fill. At the time I was angry with the HMO, but they were right it was the wrong treatment for me. I asked for a referral to an Endocrinologist and it took 2 weeks but I finally got in. By that time I had blurred vision, and overall was very ill.
Immediately I was given insulin. My sugar was normal within a week. I stayed on insulin for 3 months and was able to manage my diabetes with diet and exercise for the next 4 years. Eventually I switched endocrinologists to Dr. Michael Harris, Director of Diabetes at Cedars Sinai. He is a type 1 Diabetic which I've found to be a big plus for me. He gets it and personally knows the impact diabetes has on me.
Our company Granola Gourmet sells products at the Newhall Farmers Market every Thursday. Recently I met a woman that said, "I've just been diagnosed with Diabetes, how does your product help with that?" There are a lot of ways the product helps Diabetics, but I asked her to tell me about her situation. She just found out that her blood sugar was 275 and her Dr. had prescribed 500mg of Metformin 2 times per day. She does not know what her sugar reading is today because they did not provide a meter yet, but she is being referred to a nutrition class to learn how to eat.
Something is very wrong with this picture. I asked if she was on a PPO or HMO..."I have an HMO she said." Ugg, HMO's haven't changed in 15 years I thought to myself. I told her that she needed to ask for a referral to a specialist. I'm not a Dr. but my personal experience tells me that she needs a meter to measure her blood sugar immediately! She probably needs an aggressive treatment to bring her sugar under control and then can go on a maintenance program. But since I'm not a Dr. I told her to go back to her HMO and get a referral AND Blood Glucose meter.
I am regularly amazed about how much more I know about my diabetes than my General Practitioner. Having an Endocrinologist for the last 15 years I have found some real benefits. A few of them are:
Diabetes is a disease that can kill you. It doubles the risk of heart attack and affects every system in your body. This is because elevated blood sugar impacts every organ, muscle and nerve that needs blood. That is why you change your lifestyle! That is why doctors take it seriously when you are diagnosed.
But, if you are not seeing a specialist you are making a HUGE mistake! I know, when I was diagnosed my sugar was 325 that's 3 times normal. My HMO's Dr. prescribed a pill that the insurance company declined to fill. At the time I was angry with the HMO, but they were right it was the wrong treatment for me. I asked for a referral to an Endocrinologist and it took 2 weeks but I finally got in. By that time I had blurred vision, and overall was very ill.
Immediately I was given insulin. My sugar was normal within a week. I stayed on insulin for 3 months and was able to manage my diabetes with diet and exercise for the next 4 years. Eventually I switched endocrinologists to Dr. Michael Harris, Director of Diabetes at Cedars Sinai. He is a type 1 Diabetic which I've found to be a big plus for me. He gets it and personally knows the impact diabetes has on me.
Our company Granola Gourmet sells products at the Newhall Farmers Market every Thursday. Recently I met a woman that said, "I've just been diagnosed with Diabetes, how does your product help with that?" There are a lot of ways the product helps Diabetics, but I asked her to tell me about her situation. She just found out that her blood sugar was 275 and her Dr. had prescribed 500mg of Metformin 2 times per day. She does not know what her sugar reading is today because they did not provide a meter yet, but she is being referred to a nutrition class to learn how to eat.
Something is very wrong with this picture. I asked if she was on a PPO or HMO..."I have an HMO she said." Ugg, HMO's haven't changed in 15 years I thought to myself. I told her that she needed to ask for a referral to a specialist. I'm not a Dr. but my personal experience tells me that she needs a meter to measure her blood sugar immediately! She probably needs an aggressive treatment to bring her sugar under control and then can go on a maintenance program. But since I'm not a Dr. I told her to go back to her HMO and get a referral AND Blood Glucose meter.
I am regularly amazed about how much more I know about my diabetes than my General Practitioner. Having an Endocrinologist for the last 15 years I have found some real benefits. A few of them are:
- They know more about Diabetes than General Practitioners
- They will do an HBA1C test while you are in the office (THIS IS HUGE!)
- They treat Diabetes aggressively & know about the latest advanced in treatment
- The pharmaceutical reps that call on them, give them samples and supplies the General Practitioners DON'T get
- They can usually give you a blood glucose meter immediately
Why don't HMO's send you to an Endocrinologist? Money, they cost money. It's not a big expense individually, but since 1 in every 14 people have Diabetes and 1 in 5 people have PreDiabetes they need to control their costs. You need to advocate for yourself and get to an Endocrinologist. In time with the right support you'll know your body, what it needs and how to manage your blood sugar. For now get the right help.
Monday, March 31, 2008
The Miracle of Zero Trans Fat
Marketing is awesome. Find one simple way to improve a product and suddenly you have a new claim. When Trans-Fat was given a bad name and went public, food makers took it out and suddenly we started buying products that claimed they had Zero Trans Fat.
In big bold letters on the package you'll be attracted to Zero Trans Fat and buy it. Can you tell me what Trans Fat is or does for you?
I had to look it up! Wikipedia says (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans_fat) among other things, "Unlike other dietary fats, trans fats are neither essential nor salubrious[1] and, in fact, the consumption of trans fats increases one's risk of coronary heart disease[2] by raising levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol and lowering levels of "good" HDL cholesterol."
So it is good to buy products that have no Transfat! Product Labeling is great now. You can see all the nutritional information and ingredients on the package. The real question is can you pronounce them? My challenge to you this week is to read the label. Don't settle for products that have ingredients that sound man made. If it sounds man made it probably is. Select foods that are natural or organic.
Don't let the marketing fool you. Products can make more than one claim, it just isn’t a good claim much of the time.
So, what kind of crap is in products you buy that have Zero Trans Fat?
In big bold letters on the package you'll be attracted to Zero Trans Fat and buy it. Can you tell me what Trans Fat is or does for you?
I had to look it up! Wikipedia says (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans_fat) among other things, "Unlike other dietary fats, trans fats are neither essential nor salubrious[1] and, in fact, the consumption of trans fats increases one's risk of coronary heart disease[2] by raising levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol and lowering levels of "good" HDL cholesterol."
So it is good to buy products that have no Transfat! Product Labeling is great now. You can see all the nutritional information and ingredients on the package. The real question is can you pronounce them? My challenge to you this week is to read the label. Don't settle for products that have ingredients that sound man made. If it sounds man made it probably is. Select foods that are natural or organic.
Don't let the marketing fool you. Products can make more than one claim, it just isn’t a good claim much of the time.
So, what kind of crap is in products you buy that have Zero Trans Fat?
Why my blood is so sweet?
For most people, (13 out of every 14 people) blood sugar issues are non-existent. They live their normal lives not concerned if they can or can't eat sweets, carbs or other foods and drinks.
At 31 my body stopped working. To be more specific, it was really my pancreas. I had a sudden and noticeable issue. Within 2 weeks I had the following symptoms:
At 31 my body stopped working. To be more specific, it was really my pancreas. I had a sudden and noticeable issue. Within 2 weeks I had the following symptoms:
- an unquenchable thirst (drinking 1+ gallons per day)
- extreme weight loss (20 lbs. in 2 weeks without changing my eating habits)
- constantly needing to pee
- blurred vision after a while
- sleep, I'd nap at 2pm and wake up in the morning
Now I know that these are classic symptoms of Diabetes, but not then. In fact I kept putting off a Dr. visit not thinking that there was really a problem.
Finally, I went to my HMO when I fell asleep while driving home in the afternoon. Thank goodness for the speed bumps which woke me up. I figured I must be low on blood sugar so ate a candy bar. When I arrived at the HMO and told my GP this he decided not to check my blood sugar until I was fasting the next day. At the time a 30 second test would have shown my sugar was 3 times normal.
So why was my blood so sweet? My Pancreas seized. Insulin production became very limited and since insulin is required to unlock the door to the fat cells for sugar to convert to fat I had a problem.
I'll post some other time about the HMO problems I had at the time, but if you have any of these problems and can see a specialist I'd highly recommend it. My family Dr. is great, but an Endocrinologist specializes in Diabetes. I'm lucky enough to have one that is also a Type-1 Diabetic. That makes a difference too.
How did you determine you were diabetic?
Sunday, March 23, 2008
The CRAP they put in our food!
I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it ANY MORE. I went to the Natural Food Expo representing my company Granola Gourmet last week. We attend these shows looking for innovative ways to improve our products quality. With an eager eye, I was looking for more ways to reduce the glycemic impact of the Granola Gourmet Granola Bars.
Already we know that Granola Gourmet Bars have a low impact on blood sugar but there are always things you can do to improve. We looked at many other snack bars and read the ingredients and tasted them. Many of them we tasted and spit out once we got the texture and flavor and found them unremarkable (so I won't comment).
SOOO many of them use Brown Rice Syrup for sweetening and to keep the product together. Not educated on the product we went to see a manufacturer of the syrup and discussed the benefits of using the product. The man I spoke to was a knowledgeable scientist (that's what interested me so much in the first place). He said the product was a great product for diabetics.
I even found a bar that used it and claims it is also good for diabetics. So, I thought I was safe to test the product. WRONG!!! My blood sugar shot up quickly and in a controlled situation I was able to conclude that this product was not good for me. I looked on line and found a posting at Wikipedia. I was shocked by this quote:
"Brown rice syrup is not suitable for consumption by diabetics, as the glucose and maltose cause rapid rise in blood-sugar."
Read it for yourself at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_rice_syrup
Bottom line, if you are going to take a chance on a new food product do your homework. Try it under a controlled situation and don't trust anyone but your own blood sugar readings. Your results may be different than mine or that of other diabetics.
Already we know that Granola Gourmet Bars have a low impact on blood sugar but there are always things you can do to improve. We looked at many other snack bars and read the ingredients and tasted them. Many of them we tasted and spit out once we got the texture and flavor and found them unremarkable (so I won't comment).
SOOO many of them use Brown Rice Syrup for sweetening and to keep the product together. Not educated on the product we went to see a manufacturer of the syrup and discussed the benefits of using the product. The man I spoke to was a knowledgeable scientist (that's what interested me so much in the first place). He said the product was a great product for diabetics.
I even found a bar that used it and claims it is also good for diabetics. So, I thought I was safe to test the product. WRONG!!! My blood sugar shot up quickly and in a controlled situation I was able to conclude that this product was not good for me. I looked on line and found a posting at Wikipedia. I was shocked by this quote:
"Brown rice syrup is not suitable for consumption by diabetics, as the glucose and maltose cause rapid rise in blood-sugar."
Read it for yourself at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_rice_syrup
Bottom line, if you are going to take a chance on a new food product do your homework. Try it under a controlled situation and don't trust anyone but your own blood sugar readings. Your results may be different than mine or that of other diabetics.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
One of every 14 people has Diabetes. One in every 5 has Pre-Diabetes. With numbers like this it is likely that Diabetes impacts you or someone you know. As a diabetic for the past 15 years I have been thought the ups and downs of managing this problem.
Two things impact my blood sugar – Diet and Exercise. Funny you hear people talk about D&E for weight loss and physical fitness too. Today, let’s look at how similar D&E issues are for both diabetics and the people that love them J
Diabetics need to walk. Moving helps your metabolism operate more efficiently…
Healthy people need to walk. Moving helps maintain a strong heart and overall fitness…funny, that’s also important for diabetics.
Diabetics need to cut back on sugar and foods that convert to sugar quickly in the body. Pasta and bread are no no’s for diabetics; cake and candy are off the list as well.
Healthy people are cutting back on sugar, pastas and bread too. Insulin levels rise with these foods causing them to convert to fat faster than other foods. Who needs the love handles anyway?
Diabetics need love. Keeps the stress down and reduces glucose control problems.
Who doesn’t need love? Seems like we are all looking for love there must be some benefit for healthy people too.
Conclusion, healthy people or those that aspire to be healthy need to eat and exercise just like diabetics do. It’s not that Diet and Exercise is a unique issue for health and especially for diabetics, it’s that most people just aren’t focusing on these issues enough. The tide is turning, more and more of us are focusing on Diet and Exercise, are you one of us?
Two things impact my blood sugar – Diet and Exercise. Funny you hear people talk about D&E for weight loss and physical fitness too. Today, let’s look at how similar D&E issues are for both diabetics and the people that love them J
Diabetics need to walk. Moving helps your metabolism operate more efficiently…
Healthy people need to walk. Moving helps maintain a strong heart and overall fitness…funny, that’s also important for diabetics.
Diabetics need to cut back on sugar and foods that convert to sugar quickly in the body. Pasta and bread are no no’s for diabetics; cake and candy are off the list as well.
Healthy people are cutting back on sugar, pastas and bread too. Insulin levels rise with these foods causing them to convert to fat faster than other foods. Who needs the love handles anyway?
Diabetics need love. Keeps the stress down and reduces glucose control problems.
Who doesn’t need love? Seems like we are all looking for love there must be some benefit for healthy people too.
Conclusion, healthy people or those that aspire to be healthy need to eat and exercise just like diabetics do. It’s not that Diet and Exercise is a unique issue for health and especially for diabetics, it’s that most people just aren’t focusing on these issues enough. The tide is turning, more and more of us are focusing on Diet and Exercise, are you one of us?
At 31 I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes (adult onset). Until that time 15 years ago I never even knew what diabetes was. Now diabetes is a well known problem and it is very likely that you or someone you know has it. Over 20 million people in this country have diabetes and about 1/3 of them don't even know it.
That means that 1 out of every 14 people in this country have diabetes! Every day, everywhere you go we are there.
Some of the challenges I faced were more difficult than others but the main one was trying to maintain my “normal” life and not impact my family’s habits. After 15 years, I can say there is no way to maintain your health without impacting your families eating habits.
The very most important thing you can do is watch what you eat. When I say watch, I mean be religious about taking your sugar readings when you eat something that you do not know how your body will react with.
Reading the labels is not enough, and if you are suspicious about an ingredient than take your blood sugar reading more religiously if you eat it. I have found that the “net carb” counts are not accurate for me.
Sugar alcohol in my body acts just like sugar, so this trick is something that is probably fine for some people but when I test my sugar after treating myself to that “sugar free” chocolate I find my numbers raise well over 200 and that proves to me that this is not a safe treat.
Look to see if there are studies or Glycemic Index numbers for the foods you eat. And measure your blood sugar whenever you treat yourself. Diabetes is very manageable if you and your family are on top of it.
That means that 1 out of every 14 people in this country have diabetes! Every day, everywhere you go we are there.
Some of the challenges I faced were more difficult than others but the main one was trying to maintain my “normal” life and not impact my family’s habits. After 15 years, I can say there is no way to maintain your health without impacting your families eating habits.
The very most important thing you can do is watch what you eat. When I say watch, I mean be religious about taking your sugar readings when you eat something that you do not know how your body will react with.
Reading the labels is not enough, and if you are suspicious about an ingredient than take your blood sugar reading more religiously if you eat it. I have found that the “net carb” counts are not accurate for me.
Sugar alcohol in my body acts just like sugar, so this trick is something that is probably fine for some people but when I test my sugar after treating myself to that “sugar free” chocolate I find my numbers raise well over 200 and that proves to me that this is not a safe treat.
Look to see if there are studies or Glycemic Index numbers for the foods you eat. And measure your blood sugar whenever you treat yourself. Diabetes is very manageable if you and your family are on top of it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
