Guest guest Posted July 14, 1999 Report Share Posted July 14, 1999 To all of you who have figured out how to eat with the diet restrictions, I could use some ideas. Here are my restrictions: * Low fat * Low sugar * Low cholesterol * No foods grown from seeds * No nuts * No sauces or gravies * No spices * No salads * No fruits * Low salt * Limited diary products * No water * 1800 calories a day I thought maybe I could nibble on some drywall, or maybe chomp a crayon. What I eat now doesn't exactly meet the restrictions, but then again, I am not sure there is any diet that can meet all these restrictions. I currently eat hot dogs, soybean burgers, occasional salads, cottage cheese, lowfat peanut butter, orange juice, tomato juice, Diet Cherry 7-Up, white and wheat bread, the occasional lean pork, fish, chicken, potatoes, rice, apples, grapes, fruit cocktail, low sugar jelly. I know that not everything here is perfect for a Type II, but there's not much else I can think of. I already gave one nutritionist grey hair, she said she'd get back to me and never did. My BS is averaging about 400, with the occasional reading over 500, and this with using NPH and R. It's a long story, basically I have Cushing's, which aggravates the heck out of DM. Before this current spell of Cushing's, my BS was averaging 70 - 110 with no insulin, no orals, only dietary control. My primary doc says my DM is " out of control " , and I suspect he's right, although I don't really feel bad from the high BS. If my other, more prominent illnesses would take a break for a while, maybe I'd notice. Fresh out of ideas.... Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 14, 1999 Report Share Posted July 14, 1999 no water either? At 10:30 PM 7/14/99 -0400, you wrote: >From: RevJSutter@... > >To all of you who have figured out how to eat with the diet restrictions, I >could use some ideas. Here are my restrictions: > >* Low fat >* Low sugar >* Low cholesterol >* No foods grown from seeds >* No nuts >* No sauces or gravies >* No spices >* No salads >* No fruits >* Low salt >* Limited diary products >* No water >* 1800 calories a day > >I thought maybe I could nibble on some drywall, or maybe chomp a crayon. > >What I eat now doesn't exactly meet the restrictions, but then again, I am >not sure there is any diet that can meet all these restrictions. I currently >eat hot dogs, soybean burgers, occasional salads, cottage cheese, lowfat >peanut butter, orange juice, tomato juice, Diet Cherry 7-Up, white and wheat >bread, the occasional lean pork, fish, chicken, potatoes, rice, apples, >grapes, fruit cocktail, low sugar jelly. I know that not everything here is >perfect for a Type II, but there's not much else I can think of. I already >gave one nutritionist grey hair, she said she'd get back to me and never did. > >My BS is averaging about 400, with the occasional reading over 500, and this >with using NPH and R. It's a long story, basically I have Cushing's, which >aggravates the heck out of DM. Before this current spell of Cushing's, my BS >was averaging 70 - 110 with no insulin, no orals, only dietary control. My >primary doc says my DM is " out of control " , and I suspect he's right, >although I don't really feel bad from the high BS. If my other, more >prominent illnesses would take a break for a while, maybe I'd notice. > >Fresh out of ideas.... > >Jim > >--------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 14, 1999 Report Share Posted July 14, 1999 Rev.Sutter writes: << To all of you who have figured out how to eat with the diet restrictions, I could use some ideas. Here are my restrictions: * Low fat * Low sugar * Low cholesterol * No foods grown from seeds * No nuts * No sauces or gravies * No spices * No salads * No fruits * Low salt * Limited diary products * No water * 1800 calories a day I thought maybe I could nibble on some drywall, or maybe chomp a crayon ... >> Jim, I will just leap in here ... In your precarious situation, I would recommend " Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution " by Dr. K. Bernstein; " Protein Power " by the Drs. Eades, and " Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution. " There is no way you can follow all the rules. The best diabetes diet for you would be low-carb; meanwhile, try to see what the doctors can do for the Cushing's. Then on to the Pandora's Box of health problems that have visited you! Susie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 15, 1999 Report Share Posted July 15, 1999 In a message dated 7/14/1999 10:35:40 PM Eastern Daylight Time, duffnb@... writes: << no water either? >> Nope, no water. Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 15, 1999 Report Share Posted July 15, 1999 gosh - i am not sure why you can't have water - i am so sorry for you - are you a pastor of a church? what demonination? thanks nancy At 11:12 AM 7/15/99 -0400, you wrote: >From: RevJSutter@... > >In a message dated 7/14/1999 10:35:40 PM Eastern Daylight Time, >duffnb@... writes: > ><< > no water either? >> > > >Nope, no water. > >Jim > >--------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 16, 1999 Report Share Posted July 16, 1999 In a message dated 7/16/1999 10:26:03 AM Eastern Daylight Time, shantiquarian@... writes: << don't understand " no water " >> The gastroenterologist said I should not drink cold water as it will set off acid reflux. It sounded kind of crazy to me, but who am I to second guess the doc? I still drink some water anyway. Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 16, 1999 Report Share Posted July 16, 1999 In a message dated 7/16/1999 1:55:54 PM Eastern Daylight Time, ottercritter@... writes: << I would guess your urine output is really high, in light of your very high glucose readings, and rehydration is especially important in the warm summer months. >> How did you know that, and how is it related to the BS? I have felt like an old man, having to go before I drive anyplace, then having to go again as soon as I get there. BTW, what are the signs of ketoacidosis? I figure with my BS this high, this long of a period of time, I may be at risk. Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 16, 1999 Report Share Posted July 16, 1999 Jim writes: << The gastroenterologist said I should not drink cold water as it will set off acid reflux. It sounded kind of crazy to me, but who am I to second guess the doc? I still drink some water anyway. >> Jim, there is no way you can follow all the conflicting advice they have given you. Diabetics are advised to drink three quarts of water or similar liquid daily. And that advice is also given to folks on medications. If the water doesn't give you too much trouble with the reflux, I would encourage you to do that. It can help a lot with your glucose levels, by increasing your blood volume and assuring you are not dehydrated. Dehydration is one of the problems for diabetics ... one of the things that sets up a dangerous scenario called ketoacidosis. With your unfortunately high readings from all the illnesses <insert standard disclaimer that I am not a doctor, etc.> I would be very concerned about the diabetes at this point. I would guess your urine output is really high, in light of your very high glucose readings, and rehydration is especially important in the warm summer months. Susie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 16, 1999 Report Share Posted July 16, 1999 Jim writes: << How did you know that, and how is it related to the BS? I have felt like an old man, having to go before I drive anyplace, then having to go again as soon as I get there. BTW, what are the signs of ketoacidosis? I figure with my BS this high, this long of a period of time, I may be at risk. >> Jim, you have so many serious illnesses affecting you concurrently. You are having to see several doctors ... I wish one doctor would appoint him/herself the " boss doctor " and help you prioritize your health issues. It is too much to expect you to become an expert on every illness you are trying to manage. First, have you determined that the Cushing's is NOT caused by a tumor? The Cushing's could be from other meds you are taking ... just wanted to establish that. While you are treating other conditions, I am scared the diabetes is going to sneak up and get you first. When your bg's climb, your body immediately tries to save itself, by causing frequent urination - and even diarrhea. It is trying frantically to dump the sugar. You need to rehydrate, because the dehydration from this process can lead to ketoacidosis ... you slip into a coma. I usually just give links, but here is a full article on ketoacidosis. My sense is that, with everything else going on, you are not getting adequate diabetes instruction. Why Are Only Certain Organs Damaged? Reprinted from STOP the Rollerocaster Copyright © 1996 by Diabetes Services, Inc. Cell health depends on a steady supply of fuel from glucose and free fatty acids. These two major fuels are both regulated by insulin released directly into the blood from beta cells in the pancreas. From the blood, an insulin molecule crosses the blood vessel wall and attaches to an insulin receptor on the outer wall of a muscle, liver or fat cell. This attachment triggers the movement of glucose into the interior of the cell, where it can be converted into energy for metabolism, repair and defense. In contrast to the complicated transport system for glucose, and to the chagrin of many, fat moves easily across cell membranes. If insulin levels are too low, less glucose enters cells, but more glucose is released by the liver and more fat is released from fat cells. So a low insulin level causes not only a high blood sugar but it also causes more fat to enter the blood. Cells in the muscle, liver, and fat need insulin to receive glucose. The first group of cells that need insulin, those in muscle, liver, and fat, do not become exposed to high internal glucose levels when the blood sugars are high and insulin levels are low. The lack of insulin slows the movement of glucose into these cells, and probably spares them from damage when blood sugars are high. However, other cells such as those in the brain, nervous system, heart, blood vessels and kidneys pick up glucose directly from the blood without using insulin. These cells, except the brain, are more prone to damage from high blood sugars because they become exposed to high internal levels of glucose. This is one reason why damage tends to occur in these areas of the body, such as in nerve and kidney cells, and in small blood vessels like those in the eyes. They always have their " doors open " to glucose. When blood sugars are high, these cells have high interior glucose levels. The excess glucose makes it impossible for cells or organs to function as they are meant to. They fail to produce key enzymes, fail to repair themselves and fail to transport nutrients needed in the cells. Nerve cells, are vulnerable also because of their shape. Many nerve cells are extremely long compared to their width. Each nerve depends on thousands of tiny blood vessels along its path to receive oxygen, fuel, and other nutrients. If one or more of these supporting microvessels become damaged, that part of the nerve is also damaged. Electrical signals in these damaged nerves can then no longer pass, or they pass at a slower speed. This dependence on numerous small blood vessels is why the longest nerves going to the feet are the first to be damaged in neuropathy. Good messaging in nerves also depends on an outer protective coating called myelin. This electrical insulator is also vulnerable to damage from high blood sugars. Eyes are vulnerable because blood flow to the retina is driven by the need for oxygen. The small blood vessels in the retina (on the back wall of the eye where nerves receive incoming light) have no muscles to limit blood flow. When oxygen is less available (which is worsened by smoking and inactivity) the normal controls on excessive blood flow break down. Blood then engorges the small vessels in the retina where oxygen is low. For instance, when the blood sugar climbs from 100 mg/dl (5.6 mmol) to 400 mg/dl (22 mmol), blood flow to the retina rises to five times its normal levels in a short period of time. This excessive blood flow and blood pressure to the small blood vessels in the retina creates an environment highly likely to cause damage. This is especially true when a balancing pressure in the vitreous, the clear gel in the middle of the eye, is low.71 Heart damage is caused by the same risk factors found in the general population. But these risks become magnified by high blood sugars. High blood sugars create harmful changes in LDL, HDL, and triglyceride levels, increased clotting, higher blood pressure, and altered blood flow. People with diabetes have other, as yet unexplained, risks. The standard heart risks magnified by high blood sugars do not explain all of the excess heart damage seen in diabetes. Some possible explanations are discussed in the next chapter. Brain cells, in contrast to nerve cells, appear to be relatively protected even though glucose is their only source of energy and their " doors " are always open. The brain may derive this protection from the blood-brain barrier and from having different glucose transporters than those found in other organs. Glucose levels in brain cells are normally only one third the levels found in the blood! 72 These factors provide a relative degree of protection to the brain. However, IQ levels were found to drop temporarily in Australian children as their blood sugars rose. When the children's blood sugar climbed to 400 mg/dl (22 mmol), their IQ dropped by 10 percent.73 Fortunately, this loss of intelligence was corrected when blood sugars were brought back down. But research in Kansas found that a permanent loss of IQ seems to occur following ketoacidosis that requires hospitalization. Each ketoacidosis episode, with its high blood sugars, in the children studied appeared to cause a loss of just over one point in the IQ. (Although low blood sugars can certainly cause a temporary impairment of consciousness and reasoning, these researchers found no permanent effect on the IQ from severe hypoglycemia in these children.74 Very severe and prolonged hypoglycemia can cause this type of loss, however.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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