Blood sugar improvement with home cooking

[MickinMD ★]

Being at home, stress levels down a little, and able to cook healthy soups, etc. instead of nuking frozen lasagna, etc. has made a big difference.

If I have healthy dinners even just 3 days a week, it has a big effect on keeping my blood sugar levels down when I have high-carb dinners on some other days.

Today, I'm going to the store to get the ingredients for Martha Stewart's Savory Fall Stew - I'll make 5 quarts, 6 big bowls' worth - and freeze 2 to intersperse between occasional sub shop suppers along with the 2 bowls of chicken soup and 2 bowls of ham & bean & veggies soup I've already frozen.

Here is what my Freestyle Libre says about my last 7 days and last 90 days.  The preferred A1c (8 week avg. glucose based on red blood cell sugar content) number is under 7 (150 mg/dl).  The acceptable A1c number for those 70 and older is 8.5 (195 mg/dL).  I was running higher than normal - at least into the 8's - but getting back to home cooking is taking care of it.  I had a blood test on Friday and will find out this week what my last 2 months A1c was according to the lab.

 

My Cholesterol from the last test has already posted on my health portfolio page and looks good, as usual.

 

[Airehead]

Health is going to be my food focus for at least the next quarter.  Not getting any younger. 

[maddmaxx ★]

Started here as well.  Lots more seafood and non carb vegetables.  I really like corn, peas and beans but now it's tomatoes, broccoli, lettuce.  The side effect of eating healthy is that I feel better and I'm losing a bit of weight while still eating enough to not be hungry.  

And like Mick says, by eating healthy most meals I can still reward myself with an occasional cheeseburger or Coney Island dog.

[shootingstar]

Mick, you might seriously consider Dr. J. Fung's intermittent fasting method..what wilbur is trying.  What is the best duration of a fast? | Dr. Jason Fung (thefastingmethod.com)

I looked at some of the videos..and realize I'm snacking too often, even if the snacks are healthy. So my weight even if smaller, has been a challenge this year compared to other years because I'm working from home.

It is useful to cut down on carbs as you are trying...but to lengthen amount of time for not eating in between. It takes awhile to absorb his info.  Intermittent fasting: Surprising update - Harvard Health  You might want to read the comments to see how other people are handling it.

[maddmaxx ★]

No snacks here unless it's a handful of nuts.

[ChrisL]

4 hours ago, shootingstar said:

Mick, you might seriously consider Dr. J. Fung's intermittent fasting method..what wilbur is trying.  What is the best duration of a fast? | Dr. Jason Fung (thefastingmethod.com)

I looked at some of the videos..and realize I'm snacking too often, even if the snacks are healthy. So my weight even if smaller, has been a challenge this year compared to other years because I'm working from home.

It is useful to cut down on carbs as you are trying...but to lengthen amount of time for not eating in between. It takes awhile to absorb his info.  Intermittent fasting: Surprising update - Harvard Health  You might want to read the comments to see how other people are handling it.

I think Mic is on insulin and fasting & many diabetic meds don’t really work well together. The meds burn glucose while you are also cutting calories which can cause hypoglecemia.

[MickinMD ★]

I just got my A1c results from my Friday Blood Test on MPCP's My Portfolio and it matches my Freestyle Libre.

The Freestyle Libre has been great at prompting me to eat more healthy foods.  I've only occasionally needed any insulin this week and only in 6 unit doses once or twice a day on days I needed it (I'm prescribed up to 48 units/day). I'm making Polish Golabki (Cabbage stuffed with a mix of low-GI Index Basmati Rice /Beef/Pork/Egg/Seasonings) and Martha Stewart's Savory Fall Stew this week - 5 qt. batches and freezing portions of each for later - and that will keep my blook sugar low.  Costco's Mongolian Beef next week will be my first not-from-scratch stuff.

This is the first time my A1C's been under 8 for a long time:

[ChrisL]

1 hour ago, MickinMD said:

I just got my A1c results from my Friday Blood Test on MPCP's My Portfolio and it matches my Freestyle Libre.

The Freestyle Libre has been great at prompting me to eat more healthy foods.  I've only occasionally needed any insulin this week and only in 6 unit doses once or twice a day on days I needed it (I'm prescribed up to 48 units/day). I'm making Polish Golabki (Cabbage stuffed with a mix of low-GI Index Basmati Rice /Beef/Pork/Egg/Seasonings) and Martha Stewart's Savory Fall Stew this week - 5 qt. batches and freezing portions of each for later - and that will keep my blook sugar low.  Costco's Mongolian Beef next week will be my first not-from-scratch stuff.

This is the first time my A1C's been under 8 for a long time:

Good news Mic!

My Dr set me up with a diabetic management program and they are really pushing the Freestyle Libra on me. I just don’t think I need it yet and am resisting them.  I have been hovering in the mid to high 7’s the past year and with some recent adjustments to diet should be in the low 7’s on the next A1C.  Im only on oral meds, no insulin.

I just think continual monitoring is overkill for me right now and makes me think it’s more of a money grab. 

[MickinMD ★]

2 hours ago, ChrisL said:

Good news Mic!

My Dr set me up with a diabetic management program and they are really pushing the Freestyle Libra on me. I just don’t think I need it yet and am resisting them.  I have been hovering in the mid to high 7’s the past year and with some recent adjustments to diet should be in the low 7’s on the next A1C.  Im only on oral meds, no insulin.

I just think continual monitoring is overkill for me right now and makes me think it’s more of a money grab. 

I guess it depends on the person.  I love all the foods that are high-carb and bad for diabetics and do all I can to find ways to enjoy them in lower carb or high fiber versions while maintaining a decent diet and still keep my blood sugar low and the frequent monitoring helps a lot to determine what my limits are for high carbs and how much fiber helps.

The reason I want to enjoy my carbs is I do not believe in the current fad, low-carb diets in general just as I didn't believe in the 85% carbs Pritikin Promise Diet that was the fad in the 80's.  The National Institutes of Health spent decades determining that about 50% non-empty carbs, 25% protein, and 25% good fat - approximately the Mediterranean Diet - is optimal.

So going low-carb isn't what I want.