haha
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
I think I posted a few days ago that 20 years ago I was diagnosed as "pre-diabetic". I didn't really know what to do with that, other than worry. Then I did some reading and learned about handheld, consumer glucometers that have pretty decent accuracy. I found it hard to use them very much, because the finger sticks hurt. But recently I discovered a new type of lance device, called the Genteel. This may sound like a commercial for this device, and I guess in a way it is, but I dropped $115 on one and now I am able to get much more use out of my glucometer, because it no longer hurts. So I have been exploring more deeply how different foods affect my blood sugar, and also how exercise affects it. My BS rarely rises above 100 now, I think because I understand more about diet and exercise and the interactions between these two things. One thing is clear-for some people at least, the idea that just eat a reasonable amount of good food is likely false. The amount and type of carbohydrate in my meals makes a huge difference, as does the type, amount and timing of exercise. Yesterday, I had bacon and eggs for breakfast, tested 60' later and had a 92 glucose.(serum adjusted) Then I ate 1/4 of a small granny smith apple, waited 30' and tested. Sugar 104. Then I rowed 5km moderate effort on My Concept2, tested immediately and got an 84. By bedtime I have been testing from 70s to low 80s, so my greatest vulnerability to higher readings would seem to be morning, so my Rx for that is low carb breakfast followed by at least 1/2 hour of rowing, likely more. I have noticed that an equal length walk is not nearly as powerful a sugar lowering intervention as rowing. Walking, like to Trader Joe, or a coffee shop is better than sitting and reading the paper, but poor compared to rowing- at least for me.
The rowing is not hard for me to groove, especially since I have much less residual soreness in my hip than before. Extreme low carb is however not super easy. I am never tempted to binge, but I do love my little daily rewards. Still, I would like to see an A1C below 5, and that is not going to happen for me without extreme low carb or insulin- and I know where I stand on this question. ( I won't take oral meds other than metformin)
The issue is my willpower, and for me this is not the easiest thing in the world! But my sibs, my late father and several cousins and nieces and nephews all are or were diabetic, so I am highly motivated. My Dad did not have the advantage of a glucometer, but he believed in exercise so he did well in spite of being subjected to the usual horrible medical advice on treatment of diabetes. Until he died in his late 80s, not a day passed that he didn't do some meaningful walking or other exercise.
Ha
The rowing is not hard for me to groove, especially since I have much less residual soreness in my hip than before. Extreme low carb is however not super easy. I am never tempted to binge, but I do love my little daily rewards. Still, I would like to see an A1C below 5, and that is not going to happen for me without extreme low carb or insulin- and I know where I stand on this question. ( I won't take oral meds other than metformin)
The issue is my willpower, and for me this is not the easiest thing in the world! But my sibs, my late father and several cousins and nieces and nephews all are or were diabetic, so I am highly motivated. My Dad did not have the advantage of a glucometer, but he believed in exercise so he did well in spite of being subjected to the usual horrible medical advice on treatment of diabetes. Until he died in his late 80s, not a day passed that he didn't do some meaningful walking or other exercise.
Ha
Last edited:
