Why cupcakes are no longer the answer

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hakeperbe
hakeperbe Posts: 3
in Food and Nutrition
I'm considering trying out a gluten-free diet.

And I'm sorry if this is a topic that gets brought up a lot. (I'm new here and have only been through the message boards a few times.) A while back, I was told by a doctor that I'm "pre-diabetic"...which I took to mean that if I don't get my butt in gear, I could be in big trouble. I know for a fact that my body does not handle sugars and carbs in the right way. I get shaky, dizzy, frequent headaches, etc. I also feel sluggish and sleepy a good portion of the time. It's a whole barrel of fun.

Don't worry, I completely agree with the fact that this is something that I can be disciplined about and fix. I can eat right and exercise and a lot (if not all) of my symptoms will go away. I'm just wondering where on earth do I start? Is a gluten-free diet the way to go, or is there a better eating plan out there that I'm not aware of? I could go to the doctor right off the bat, but he's going to take one look at my cupcake-addicted, tv-watching, I-heart-mac-and-cheese-and-french-fries-like-they're-going-out-of-style self and tell me to change my eating patterns first and foremost.

So...where do I go from here? Any suggestions/input/recipes/pats on the back/swift kicks to the rear/etc appreciated.

Replies

  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    Gluten has been getting a bum rap for a while now, the reality is that it's a protein found in wheat. If you have celiac disease gluten as a no-no, if you have gluten sensitivity or allergies it should also be avoided otherwise there is no compelling reason to go gluten free.

    Your interpretation of pre-diabetic is pretty accurate, it's time to eat better and exercise more - here's a link to a page on the Canadian Diabetes Assoc web site.......http://www.diabetes.ca/diabetes-and-you/what/prediabetes/
  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
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    Betty Crocker makes a gluten free cake mix.
  • hdlb123
    hdlb123 Posts: 112 Member
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    You do not need to give up wheat just because you are pre-diabetic. You should be eating whole grain/whole wheat breads though instead of white. White doesn't do much for you diabetic or not. But definatly look at what else you are eating too. You need a good balanced diet, french fries and mac and cheese are not going to help.
  • iamMaLisa
    iamMaLisa Posts: 278 Member
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    :noway: i love cupcakes :)
  • galegetsthin
    galegetsthin Posts: 1,352 Member
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    I too, am (rather was) pre-diabetic. What I have done, is cut out most of my carbs that dont come from fruits and veggies. I will have some with dinner (I cook for a family). But, I reduced the amount by A LOT!!!!!! just cutting out the white foods (pasta, rice, idaho potatoes) during the day and the sweets, I have reduced my insulin resistance levels to nearly normal, lost a lot of weight and feel better without having to be all crazy about carbs. Good carbs are needed, but I make sure that they have vitamins in them as well......
  • jcpmoore
    jcpmoore Posts: 796 Member
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    Gluten really doesn't have anything to do with diabetes. Eat a lot of sugar or foods that are easily transformed into sugar are the main problem. What you really need to do is ease off the high sugar foods. Then switch from empty carbs (white flour, white rice, white pasta) to whole grains (wheat flour, brown rice, whole wheat pasta) and complex carbs (whole fruits and vegetables). If you can make that transition, you'll be well on your way.

    I highly recommend that you make an appointment with either a dietitian or a diabetes educator. Either one can help you draw up a healthy eating plan and outline what you should and should not eat. This will be much better than struggling to figure it out on your own.

    Kudos for taking the bull by the horns and deciding to change your lifestyle!
  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
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    So you do know that both of those diet changes are hard, and I mean really hard? You are pre-diabetic, not celiac. You need to cut back on refined sugars and eat the right kinds of starches with the right kinds of proteins. Cupcakes without gluten still have sugar, you know, the stuff that doesn't work so well for diabetics. That doesn't change. You do need to change your diet or you will be on insulin the rest of your life, giving yourself shots, having to check your feet because your circulation gets so bad that you can't feel gaping wounds on your feet. You will face blindness and amputations from your diabetes because, now that you are on insulin, you think you can still keep eating your cupcakes. Sorry to be so graphic, but I know too many people with diabetes and too many of them that do just this. Diabetes is a major and serious disease. Get control of your diet and exercise so you don't become diabetic.
  • wifeyplus6
    wifeyplus6 Posts: 28
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    I am also in this same predicament. I would encourage you to go to your doc anyway and have a insulin resistance test done. You should look at doing a low carb diet. The one that the diabetic people use. It will be the thing that reverses your health situation. You have to keep insulin levels low to keep blood sugar low, ect. The diabetic diet (from my doc) is 30 carbs a meal (for women) as this is what it requires to keep your brain functioning. (men get 40 carbs per meal) Don't go lower than 30 and because I am 5 ft. 4 inches I can have up to 52 carbs per meal. But the 50 would really be in a maintenance mode. not a weight loss mode. it's tough at first, but it gets easier and it's the only thing I have found to be truly successful. good luck! :)
  • CashierCantin
    CashierCantin Posts: 206 Member
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    In my opinion, going totally gluten free is really a time consuming agenda unless you are allergic.
    I would start off my watching your white flour, white sugar intake. If you were to cut them out as much as possible, I think you would be heading into the right direction.

    I too seem to be highly sensitive to those types of carbs. I feel better and definitely look better when I keep white flour/sugar to a minimum.

    Try it. See how it goes. The first few days will be a little trying, trying to figure out what to eat and you may get the feeling of tiredness. Its called withdrawls! LOL

    Just try to eat as close to 'natural'. Instead of a sandwich, have a salad with the sandwich meat. Instead of crackers, have celery sticks. Instead of a bag of chips with your lunch, try a snack bag full of baby carrots. See where I am going with this?

    Once you start to lose weight and feel better, you can try adding back in some of the whole wheat and grains.

    It sounds like you just need to stop the cupcake/french fry/macncheese meals and kick start a new eating plan!!!

    Good luck and remember....one day at a time, one meal at a time!!!
  • tig_ol_bitties
    tig_ol_bitties Posts: 561 Member
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    Unless you have celiac's disease or are gluten-intolerant, there is no scientific studies that show that a gluten-free "diet" will aide in restoring health/weight loss.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
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    You might benefit from simply cutting most carbs from your diet, not just the gluten.

    About a decade ago, my best friend was diagnosed as being pre-diabetic at 5' tall and nearly 300 pounds. She started following the Atkins plan because eating too many carbs and sugar made her feel like you do so she and her doctor felt it was really best for her to limit them anyway. Within about a year she lost 120 pounds and she's pretty much kept it off since then by sensibly controlling her carb and calorie intake. She got a clean bill of health in December during a work-mandated physical (she was working at a health spa until she moved away in January) so what she is doing is definitely working for her.
  • Bentley2718
    Bentley2718 Posts: 1,690 Member
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    Gluten has been getting a bum rap for a while now, the reality is that it's a protein found in wheat. If you have celiac disease gluten as a no-no, if you have gluten sensitivity or allergies it should also be avoided otherwise there is no compelling reason to go gluten free.

    Your interpretation of pre-diabetic is pretty accurate, it's time to eat better and exercise more - here's a link to a page on the Canadian Diabetes Assoc web site.......http://www.diabetes.ca/diabetes-and-you/what/prediabetes/

    ^^ This! There is a TON of gluten free junk food out there these days, so you can eat a gluten free diet and still make yourself sick. On the other hand, you can occasionally eat some wheat, but eat a diet full of fresh veggies, beans, etc. and be very healthy. I would say you're better off focusing on cutting out things like refined sugar and carbs (white bread, pasta, etc.) and increasing your vegetable intake, along with finding lean sources of protein.
  • Kristy0728
    Kristy0728 Posts: 63
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    If you are looking for a pre-diabetic food informationI would look at the American Diabetic Association website. They have plenty of information on what you need to watch, what foods are best for you.

    My family has an extensive history of Diabetes. From what I always understood starches and sugars, that effect glucose levels. They always watch their total carb intake, eat lots of whole grains, and don't eat sweets like cake, chocolate etc - to much sugar.
  • galegetsthin
    galegetsthin Posts: 1,352 Member
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    I dont keep my carbs super low. I have about 150 g of carbs most days. MOST of it just comes from fruit and veggies. It was just the refined, nutritionally void carbs that were bloating me and keeping the weight on. When I switched THAT, I started really losing. I have lost 171 lbs so far and am down to my last 30. For ME, it wasnt realistic to go super low on carbs, I need them to keep my self going and my mind sharp. It was quality over quantity for me.
  • joybell32
    joybell32 Posts: 252 Member
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    :noway: i love cupcakes :)

    me too!

    also prediabetic and insulin resistent (sp?). Was gestational, on insulin 3 times! Needing to get this *kitten* in gear! And changing my kids so they don't face this same thing when they are my age. My mother passed at the age of 52 due to complications of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, she had both legs amputated due to ulcers (sores) on her legs and feet. Its really not pretty when you are diabetic. She was on insulin, and knew just how much to take to "cover" her snicker bar or cupcake or pasta or anyother carb and sugar-laden thing she wanted! I lost her when i was 21, i don't want to do that same thing to my kids.
  • hakeperbe
    hakeperbe Posts: 3
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    Thanks for all of the responses. After doing more research last night, I came to the conclusion that gluten-free is not the direction I should be taking, but minimizing my white flour/white sugar intake as many of you have mentioned. I had originally mentioned gluten-free because the same doctor that labeled me pre-diabetic also threw that term around that day...but didn't really give much direction on where to go from there, or even really much information at all. (Needless to say, I go to a different doctor now.) I'm going to try to cut out overly processed foods as well. We'll see how this goes...
  • hakeperbe
    hakeperbe Posts: 3
    Options
    In my opinion, going totally gluten free is really a time consuming agenda unless you are allergic.
    I would start off my watching your white flour, white sugar intake. If you were to cut them out as much as possible, I think you would be heading into the right direction.

    I too seem to be highly sensitive to those types of carbs. I feel better and definitely look better when I keep white flour/sugar to a minimum.

    Try it. See how it goes. The first few days will be a little trying, trying to figure out what to eat and you may get the feeling of tiredness. Its called withdrawls! LOL

    Just try to eat as close to 'natural'. Instead of a sandwich, have a salad with the sandwich meat. Instead of crackers, have celery sticks. Instead of a bag of chips with your lunch, try a snack bag full of baby carrots. See where I am going with this?

    Once you start to lose weight and feel better, you can try adding back in some of the whole wheat and grains.

    It sounds like you just need to stop the cupcake/french fry/macncheese meals and kick start a new eating plan!!!

    Good luck and remember....one day at a time, one meal at a time!!!


    Also, this. ^

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