Dr. Mercola September 13 2008 43,707 views
The problem with so many 'expert' opinions.....and I include all the 'official dietry advice in the UK...which is predominantly, slavishly copied from the one source...it is adding to the problem!
Most people ask u me..
that the information they are being taught from a text book,/tutor/professor/dietician/ any other'expert'...is correct.
Time to wake up and question what you are being told.
Do your own research and make a logical, informed decision as to what seems most sensible.
Far too many vested interests are and have been, influencing your 'education'!
I think eliminating sugars and grains to treat diabetes is good in theory, but whenever I severely limit them, I get depressed. On the net, I've read that a diet too low in carbs can make some people depressed if they are prone to depression. They have discovered sugars and starches are needed to get the serontonin thru to the brain. I am trying to still limit my carbs, but spread them out during the day, that seems to help. I am diabetic and I use cinnamon tablets and chromium occasionally to treat it. I know 90 to 110 is supposed to be normal, but I've noticed if my sugar gets below 120, I feel very fatigued and jittery. I am obese, could it be I need more sugar to run just like my big Buick needs more octane to run? (I know I'm not a car, but I wonder about the correlation)
Indevor, I realize that everyone reacts differently to diet and drugs, but I have found success in reversing my diabetes not by limiting carbs (that would be silly) but by eliminating grains like rice, bread, pasta and anything made with flour or sugar. The carbs I use for fuel are the non-starchy vegetables (summer squash, celery, broccoli, cucumber, cauliflower, cabbage, swiss chard, spinach, tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, you get the idea). I've found I can tolerate small servings of sweet potatoes, winter squash and corn, especially if consumed with a protein serving. Oatmeal works for me in the morning, and I juice for lunch.
I really don't think more sugar is ever the answer. Have you tried snacking on some of those low-glycemic veggies to offset the jitters? Multiple small meals give you better control than three big ones. Good luck to you!
As your blood sugar drops jittery feelings, headaches, etc. can ensue. That's just showing you your body is changing, typically for the better. The reverse can also happen -- fatigue, jitters, headaches, etc. as your BS rises. What to do? Track your intake, meds, exercise intensity and monitor over 2-3 weeks. Maybe tight control is for you, maybe not. You can't know unless you stick with it for a few weeks.
Indevor - Just wanted to let you know that your body is adjusting to being at a low "set point" with your blood sugars. When your average bs is higher and you start to bring it down, you will get the same effects as if you were truly having low blood sugars. PLEASE don't try to treat it as you would with "dangerous" low blood sugar. Don't believe the lie that being obese means you need more sugar to fuel your body. I am obese and have diabetes, A1c is 5.8 and I am working on bringing it lower. My average blood sugar is below 100.
I agree with Islander, keep controlled carbs in your diet, but get them from veggies and low glycemic fruits. Eat smaller meals through out the day. And I promise you that within months you will not feel jittery when your blood sugar gets to 120.
Just think, in a year from now, you will start to feel jittery at 60! And working on getting the weight off will help sooooooooooooo much! I am still in the process of getting healthy and have lost 50 lbs and have 60 more to go. Just think only 50lbs and my blood sugars are in the normal range. I still use Glyburide at night (2.5mg) for Dawn Syndrome. But hopefully when getting rid of the next 60lbs I won't need to you that med either.
Keep working at this and never give up. You only have one body and if you start to treat it right, it can be very forgiving. Just realize that with diabetes blood sugars over 180 does do damage to your body and we truly don't see the effects from it until it is severe. Listen to your body and take care of it. And remember what works for some, may not work for others, so do your research and find what works for you and work it!
Be Blessed!
You get jittery because your system is not used to being below 120. Once you get used to it however, it will take lower blood sugars to feel jittery again. I learned this from experience and my endocrinologist confirmed it. Also, feeling sluggish or sleepy after a meal is a sure sign of too many carbs at once. Too little carbs and you start to crave them. I am a current Type II diabetic with hypothyroidism and polycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS). It is my understanding the PCOS is what started the whole chain (domino effect if you will) and is the disease that made itself known first (irregular or no menses, depression, weight gain, male hair growth and raisin-like skin tags are some of the main indicators). Unfortunately, I had a male doc who ignored this for better than 5 years, but who did correct the hypothyroidism. PCOS is the leading cause of infertility in women of child-bearing age. Mine didn't start until after the birth of my 3rd and last child when I also received a tubal ligation. Within 12 months I was in trouble but didn't know it. I don't know if the tubal ligation played any part, but current research is suggesting that for some reason most women with PCOS are deficient in certain B vitamins (there are 12 and most are prohibitively costly which is why they aren't included in multi-vitamins) which are only obtainable through diet and hard to get at that. I know that taking birth control pills causes the body to dump some B vitamins, but not sure which ones. Smoking also does the same thing. Type II diabetes is the end stage with women who have PCOS. Hopefully soon they will figure out why the body dumps these B vitamins so that the root problem can be corrected. I suspect there are a variety of reasons why, including environmental. Until that time I have to rely on drugs like Byetta to help control sugar and weight.
A week ago my doctor suggested I might want to try Byetta, as he was not satisfied with my A1C test results. (I have fought him off on the Lipitor.) He gave me a kit and a coupon he had for a free month's trial. I went home and researched it and immediately decided, "no way!" Why should I mess up my body, digestive system, have horrible side effects (I equate nausea with punishment in Hell)? I'm down to normal weight, a strong protein type, and TRY to do things right (age 69, diabetes for 22+ years) but my blood sugars still swing up too high, forcing me to nip it down with a unit or two of Humalog (exercise doesn't seem to do it). I keep working on how to get that leptin and ghrelin under control but body doesn't always cooperate. Stress from having an ever-present (mooching) stepson living with us for the last 18 years may be a factor. Overall I'm probably in better shape than many of the people I see around me, though.
Your HbA1c levels reflect your diet, not whether or not you need diabetes drugs. It is simply a useful tool that helps the docs see what kind of diet you're on. If it's too high, then a diet change is what they call for.