From WestIslandDiabetesAssociation

The Canadian Diabetes Association guidelines suggests a blood glucose of 10.0 mmol/L (180 mg/dl) or less 2 hours after a meal (this target should be 8.0 mmol/L or less if you are not reaching your A1C target of 7.0 or less). Reaching this target after breakfast may be difficult because often this meal contains food with a high glycemic index. Examples of high glycemic index foods are: white bread, white bagel, Cheerios, Corn Flakes, Rice Krispies. Alternative low glycemic index choices would be 100% stone ground whole wheat bread, heavy mixed grain bread, pumpernickel, All BranTM, Bran Buds with PsylliumTM and Oat BranTM. More information about glycemic index and reference charts are found at http://www.carbs-information.com/glycemic-index.htm.

It is important to make sure that your breakfast is balanced and contains some protein and (good) fat to help slow down the absorption of the carbs and provide proper nutrition. Some suggestions are low fat yogurt, peanut butter, almonds, egg and cheese. For more information consult your dietitian.

Some authorities are suggesting to bolus about 20-25 minutes before eating breakfast as this would give the rapid acting insulin some time to start acting as blood glucose rises from these easily digested carbs. 

From FatCatAnna

Last night we got together with friends that we don't see too often.  We were celebrating a few birthdays, so I being the dessert maker, made up a nice treat.  Only one person in the group is a diabetic (D) like myself, and I saw their eyes bulge out when they saw what I had made, and I could see their nonD wife giving me the evil eye, as if I was going to kill her hubby due to sugar overdose! He's on insulin by the way, so he can "cheat" from time to time like I/we D's do from time to time.

As I was sitting around the table sharing appetizers and chatting up with the guys on all the latest news.  I started to realise that I was wishing I was sitting with all my D friends that I've made contact with over the past year.  I only started to socialise in D forums recently, and have found them to be a God send for when I'm feeling down or see someone asking for help.  I  was having an inner struggle inside of myself with feeling the way I was last night.  The one thing  I realised, everything with that evening was revolving around all the good food that we were eating.  Not that this hasn't happened before, I  mean food is part of the "social" thing.  We had awesome brushetta, orange slices made up with sugar, olive oil and whole black peppers (really GOOD - here's a low sugar version I found) to share and the main course was pasta sauce and meatballs with penne - eccellente!  

The only little glitch, I was having to calculate how many carbs in the back of my mind for all the foods/drinks I was cramming into my body and how long to bolus my insulin so my blood sugars wouldn't spike like crazy.  I felt sort of a bit strange, telling some of my friends about the carb count in pasta, and my other Dfriend giving me that evil eye of "why are you telling them this?".  I guess I just can't shut up about diabetes sometimes - is that bad?

I was wishing at that pointin time that I was surrounded by my diabetic friends that would "get me" (can you hear me Danny?).  The ones that know what to do with carb/insulin ratio (my Dfriend doesn't really care - despite my giving him a few books).  I was having little thoughts in my head, still listening into my friends of course, but thinking that if we were all diabetic, we'd be sharing some of our  stories about diabetes.   I've never felt this way before at a get together with nondiabetic friends, and as you can see, it's sort of shocked me to be thinking this way.

So, my question to you, have you ever experienced this feeling before?  I'm thinking because I'm more in tune with my diabetes now then I ever was, that this was the reason for why I felt this way.

From FatCatAnna

Well, this past weekend was a blast from the past.  I haven't stayed up until the wee hours of the morning in a very long time.  I had jokingly said to my friends, after we met up in a bar to watch a band - "let's go and continue the party at your place until 3:00 a.m.".  They looked at me abit odd and went along with it. 

One of my friends, Richard and his finance Suzanne were visiting Montreal from Vancouver, B.C.  Richard just before going on holidays was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.  He had alot of questions for me - which I hopefully answered as best as I could.  The main thing I told him was, get his weight down, eat healthy, exercise, check his blood sugars daily and hopefully he'll avoid the type of diabetes I have - where he'll be hooked on insulin for the remainder of his life. 

So, of course, we got the munchies later. Out came the chips, etc.  and I started to show them the carb count on the package of the "healthy" corn chips full of "fibre".  A ploy I told them just to make you feel less guilty of what you are ramming into your bodies.   We then decided, all of us, to test our blood sugars.  Never in my life have I done this with a bunch of friends.  It was such a blast!  Of course, they were all in good ranges for non diabetics - phew.  I was actually getting low at the time - due to giving a wee bit too much insulin earlier (hate snacking - it throws me off).  So, they all panicked with getting cake out, and other foods for me.  Once again, teacher mode took over in me, despite my low blood sugar while I explained the difference between how certain foods entered your body to control your low blood sugar faster.  Of course, I had my Dex4's with me - and took a few of those to bring my BG's up.

All I can say is, luckily no one had sore fingers after that night/morning - as we tested quite a few times - the vampire Edward was out that night (yes - Twilight along with Blood Ties came into the conversation - vampires are the "in thing" at the moment). 

Anyway, the party continued onto the next day, and if I could only have video recorded my friend Sylvie with her impersonation of Edward (see prevous blog - you'll understand why I mentioned his name) - as he wonders how my blood sugars are doing - she just cracked me up!!!  It was a wonderful way to end a great weekend with friends that can laugh along with me and my life as a legal drug user! 

NB: We didn't get to noddy nod land until 4:00 a.m.  We were Born To Be Wild!!!!

From FatCatAnna

As we all know, sugar has no nutritional value.  It makes food taste good, who can't deny that?  I know I can't.  I'm a diabetic, and I still use sugar in my coffee. Granted, I make myself feel better by saying "I use raw sugar" - but let's face facts - it's sugar - 10g of carb for a teaspoon of sugar!  Many people who eat sugar laiden food are not eating healthy food (are Twinkies healthy - they taste so good?) and of course there are the calories that are involved in high sugar. Which results in high calories and if we don't burn those off - well - you know where it ends up (I'm looking down at my belly here as I type this out - yikes).

I came across a Good Morning America episode today - that was informing the viewers about sugar consumption in the American population (though I think this applies all over).  Did you know that the average person a day consumes .... 21 teaspoons of sugar a day?  The American Heart Association (AHA) is recommending that we reduce that amount of sugar consumption by a third - to only 7 ½ teaspoons a day. 

Also, what was amazing - was when the doctor being interviewed (Doctor Johnson)  said that a single can of pop drink contains 10 to 12 teaspoons of sugar!  Ouch!  I mean I know they are high in sugar - who hasn't consumed a Coke when they need to fix a hypo (I have) - but there is that much sugar in just a can of pop floors me.   He continued to point out that boys (do girls not consume as much I wonder?) from the ages of 14-18 consume on average 35 teaspoons of sugar a day.

Reducing the amount of sugar we consume will of course help reduce our chances of having heart attacks, strokes and of course diabetes.  They are all related in many ways to our love of sugar in our diets.

I know that my parents many years ago decided to cut out excess sugar from their diets.  I'm not sure if it was because of my being a diabetic - but they have managed to wean themselves off of it in their tea and coffee and they also don't eat many sweet things.  Being of British descent - where we are known for bad  teeth (though have been told that's due to the bad dentistry at the time) - that's quite something else.  They are both in excellent health and they are in the 70's - so perhaps cutting out sugar has helped them - along with healthy eating.  I am hoping I can say the same thing when I reach their age - as I'm sure we all feel the same way.

To view the video - as well as read up abit more about our consumption of sugar - go to this link.

From FatCatAnna

Most of us love pizza - I know I do.  The thing is, it's high in carbs along with fat that it's something I don't eat too much of except when we go home to Ottawa and pay a call in at KS Restaurant on Albion/Bank (we've been going there for over 30 years).  They make a thick airy crispy crust along with loads of cheese and other fresh ingredients.

Seeing as it's a 2 hour drive to get there and I was feeling hungry (well - it was lunch time).  I decided to go and make up a grilled cheese sandwich.  Big problem - only bread I had available was in freezer, still not defrosted for this weeks lunches (I make my own bread once a week). So, scrounge thru' the crisp bread area of the cupboards and viola - some Wasa Crispbread (the fibre rye one is really good).  I put a few slices of Cabot's Pepper Jack cheese that I'd picked up in Vermont a few weeks ago with some roasted red peppers on top (marinated in olive oil, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper).  Into a 550F preheated broiler for about 3-4 minutes - and I have to be honest - this was really good!  The crisp bread had sucked up some of the oils from the roasted red peppers - so was very tasty compared to it's ususal dry taste (Ryvita is better crispbread - but I had a coupon for the Wasa). 

So, if you are looking for a fast little meal - and are craving pizza without all the carbs/fat - go this route.  For 3 slices of the crispbread - it's only 22 g of carb and 7 g of fibre.  It won't spike up your BG's like a regular pizza will do and if you like a thin crust pizza - then go for it. My BG at the time of eating was 4.0 mmol/l and I've remained steady over the past few hours - so that's "proof of the pudding"!

Let me know how it tastes - and what extra's you may put on that I haven't thought of!