NEED TO LOWER MY BLOOD SUGAR

nc805397
nc805397 Posts: 223 Member
in Food and Nutrition
This is seriously stressing me out. Both of my parent's have diabetes. My grandfather has it. I got bloodwork (before starting MFP) and my blood sugar levels are through the roof!!!! (7.7)... this is smack-dab in the diabetic range. I am getting bloodwork done again to see if I maybe didn't fast enough or there was an error. I fasted for 10 hours (overnight) though.

I've been reading up on this today about vegetables I should and shouldn't eat:

DO NOT eat starchy vegetables:
-potatoes
-peas
-corn
-squash
-pumpkin

DO EAT lots of these foods:
-Onions
-Artichokes
-Broccoli
-Tomatoes
-Turnips
-Carrots
-Cauliflower
-Beets
-Mushrooms
-Spinach
-Kale
-Asparagus
-Beans
-Brussel Sprouts
-Almonds
-Walnets
-Peacans
-Fish
-Chicken


What do you think of this list? Any other starchy foods I should avoid? (besides the obvious junk food/fast foods/processed crap - which I've had my struggles with but I did good today!)

I need to learn to love onions and mushrooms I guess..

Let me know your thoughts :)

Replies

  • DebraYvonne
    DebraYvonne Posts: 632 Member
    I encourage you to go see a nutritionist and get a menu plan and some professional help becaues that is high and with the family history, you defintely need to get it under control. I think you want to cut out your white flour and sugar and eat only whole grains such as whole wheat (bread, pasta, etc.), eat your protein. Don't overdo the nuts they are high in calories. Green salads are great with lunch & dinner to help fill you. Berries are the best fruit -- watermelon & pineapple are very high in sugar as are bananas. I eat about 1/4 of a banana at a time with protein if I want it. I would avoid alcohol too. I am prediabetic so I watch my sugar/carbs carefully. Hope it comes back better on the next test!
  • NaomiJFoster
    NaomiJFoster Posts: 1,450 Member
    My doctor said that I was edging up toward high blood sugar, last time I was in. I wasn't in a danger zone, but it scared me. She also said that I was very low on Vitamin D, as many people are these days. She explained that Vitamin D is a necessary part of regulating insulin, which of course is what regulates blood sugar. By all means, monitor your diet and sugar intake! But you might also want to be sure that you're getting enough D, so that you aren't giving yourself an extra hinderence to good health. I thought it was interesting information and it was something I'd never learned.
  • icimani
    icimani Posts: 1,454 Member
    Definitely go see a nutritionist or dietician - they can help you figure it all out.

    The current trend is to watch your carbs, not just the sugars. You're in the right place though - losing weight will definitely help!
  • nc805397
    nc805397 Posts: 223 Member
    I agree. The doctor said my carb intake was incredibly high too. I believe it.

    the cost of a nutritionist is crazy but I guess it'll be worth it.

    Thanks everyone :)
  • BroiledNotFried
    BroiledNotFried Posts: 446 Member
    Go to the library and check out some books on diabetic eating. Free, and is good homework before you see nutritionist.
  • HazelChase
    HazelChase Posts: 12 Member
    Definitely cut back on carbs, but also incorporate exercise as that lowers blood sugar! Also, look into low glycemic foods. A vegetarian diet is also very helpful, or even a vegan diet if you can. There are so many things that they feed cows, chickens, pigs and turkeys that really hurt the health and help to create diseases and conditions such as diabetes.


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  • VogtAndrea
    VogtAndrea Posts: 236
    Get your doctor to refer you to a dietician / nutritionist. It will explain the whole picture to you and why you need a certain amount of each kind of food when you eat. They'll give you really good information and help you lay the groundwork to keep your sugar levels where you need them to be.
  • Ramshots
    Ramshots Posts: 13 Member
    Stick with the plan to lose weight and it will work itself out. My wife started at 9.0 7months ago. We joined WW and began to lose weight steadily and her check up last week had her A1C at 5.4. She hasn't avoided anything completely but has just been more sensible with her diet and has made better choices. Tears of joy flowed when she heard her new A1C numbers. You can do it! The alternative is not something you want to live with.
  • kittenbobitten
    kittenbobitten Posts: 199 Member
    Hey there. I have been low-carbing to control my blood sugar. I am diabetic. When I was diagnosed in July of 2010 my A1C was 10.9 (seriously, they wondered why I wasn't dead since my fasting blood sugar was over 300). I now have an A1C of 5.9 which was taken 3 months after I started losing weight and eating better. I am now off all medication and try to stay pretty serious about the carbs.

    I eat beets in moderation because they are pretty carby. I love yellow squash and eat it frequently. I find it does amazing things to my diet, is filling, and is tasty. I wouldn't avoid yellow squash although I think some of the other types of squashes have higher carb counts. Also, I avoid eating excessive amounts of cauliflower because it has been found to mess with the insulin regulation in blood type O's. I am type O and had a serious problem loosing weight when i ate lots of it. I still eat it in certain recipes, but not every day or every other day like before (hey, I like it!!).

    Feel free to check out my food diary, it is open to the public. I have lots of sites for low-carb cooking and most recipes can be modified to also be a little lower in calories. Feel free to message me if you want some links!

    Hope this helps!
  • kittenbobitten
    kittenbobitten Posts: 199 Member
    Oh yeah, on a side note, I took a diabetes nutrition class and they advised me to try to stay with 15-45 carbs maximum per meal (three meals a day). I go much lower than that because of my chosen eating plan, but 15-45 isn't unreasonable, especially if most of it comes from fruits and veggies.
  • hkry3250
    hkry3250 Posts: 140
    Deffinately cut back on carbs. Quit smoking if you do, as nicotine releases sugars and fat into your blood stream which is why people feel fuller when they smoke. Eat your meat at the beginning of your meal, It digests slower than carbs, so your less likely to have insulin spikes. Switch to diet soda, if you drink a lot of soda, and find a natural sweetener like stevia instead of sugar if you drink tea or coffee. Avoid sports drinks when possible. Be careful of starchy veggies such as carrots, corn, cauliflower, and anything canned (including fruit) or cooked in butter. As far as meats go, basically like most of us on here, just stick with the lean meats.

    ETA: Take up lifting weights, not only will the exercise itself help, but unlike the liver, muscle cells don't release their stored glycogen into the blood stream.
  • lyndalpn
    lyndalpn Posts: 151 Member
    Hi! I'm a doctor with type 2 diabetes and my blood sugars are managing well on diet and weight loss. Feel free to add me as a friend and I'll share what I know. If you are interested try and get some books by Prof Jennie Brand-Miller from Sydney University - her stuff is excellent.

    Getting the advice of your doctor and a dietitian / nutritionist are really important. Let me know if I can help.

    Lyndal
  • ZombieFoodSlayer
    ZombieFoodSlayer Posts: 65
    Get and read the book "Wheat Belly" written by a doctor, explains all about how food we eat all related to insulin release. Im an
    RN and in my quest to lose weight, get healthier, changed my eating habits incorporating this knowledge. Just 0.2 cents.
  • cindl24
    cindl24 Posts: 178
    I had to go low-carb to avoid diabetes as well. I discovered I was pre-diabetic and it freaked me out as I too have a family history and just really don't want to go down that path. I'm not very big on taking medicine unless there isn't another good alternative.

    Feel free to check out my diary and you can see the types of foods that I eat. The highest carb content for my day is from my breakfast smoothies, but it is all from natural sugar and fruit...no added sugar. Some days are better than others, of course, but that's life!

    Have you ever tried hummus? It's some really good stuff and helps to make the veggies more interesting. I like veggies in the first place though, so that helps.

    The trick for me is to find foods that I enjoy. That means I can eat them a lot and I don't feel deprived.

    Good luck!
  • Firefox7275
    Firefox7275 Posts: 2,040 Member
    Agree speak to a registered dietician about the types of fats and carbs you should be eating and also to a fitness professional who specialises in health issues (rather sports). You might read up on the glycaemic index and glycaemic load and even run through abstracts of some of the published research on PubMed yourself. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed

    Don't forget oily fish, mineral rich foods (nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, cocoa) because research suggests diabetics/ insulin resistant are more likely to have deficiencies. Also eat from the full rainbow of colours of fruits and vegetables, cinnamon, berries, grapefruit, standardised green tea extract all for the antioxidants and other phytonutrients which may help with blood sugar control.

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