Diabetes-Facts and Fiction

MY STORY

I have been diabetic for 26 years (that I know of). There is a great percentage of people today that are diabetic and don’t even know it!!!! So after today, when recommending products and diet you want to treat everyone who has more than 60lbs to lose as a diabetic.
My diabetes was out of control with my sugars ranging from 186-553 mg/dl. I was following my doctor’s instructions and eating a diet loaded with carbs and limited protein and fat. What I found was happening was I just kept getting fatter and requiring more and more insulin. I was always tired and could not concentrate on anything for very long. I had more health problems, including High cholesterol, gastric reflux, neuropathy in my feet ( It was so painful I could not even let the blankets touch my feet), sleep apnea, and I was producing protein in my urine (kidney disease). I was on medications for everything and it was not working!!!! The doctor told me I would have to be on this medication for the rest of my life.
One of my bosses where I worked recommended a book to me called” Dr. Bernstein’s Diabetes Solution” (I recommend every person on this call get this book, it is available on Amazon.com) Well it changed my life!! I started eating a low carb high protein diet changed my own insulin’s and was able to reduce my insulin requirement dramatically. I started to lose weight and felt better than I had in many years. I still had to take my medications and they still were not doing much except my kidneys were doing much better. The only thing I missed was eating fruit. Then I found Herbalife!!!!
The first day I got started on the products I thought for sure I was going to have to increase my insulin as the shakes (even mixed with soy milk) was higher in carb then I allowed myself. That first morning, I took my regular amount of insulin and figured I would see how high my sugars went above normal(just in changing my diet I had brought my sugars to normal at 85-88 all day long) well….. I spent the rest of the day taking glucose tablets to keep my sugars up at normal. In the end I had to reduce my insulin again!!!! I have gone from needing 180 units per day to 24-26 units. The other thing I did, as I had just had my blood work done) is take myself all my medication except for my Metformin and Insulin. I do not suggest recommending this to anyone else, it was a personal choice. I figured three months would not kill me!!! Well, 3 months later I went back to my Doctor. My blood test blew him away, my cholesterol was normal, I was no longer producing protein in my urine and my average sugar for those three months was 86.5!!!!! When he found out I had not taken his medications I thought he was going to have a coronary. Needless to say I have not been back.
Also I can report that the neuropathy in my feet is almost non-existent now. I have never felt better in my entire life and never been healthier AND I got to add certain fruits back in to my diet!!!!! For this I can thank Herbalife and two wonderful coaches!!!!!!!



SO LET’S GET STARTED!!!!!!!



DIABETES- FACTS AND FICTION

- We acquire protein from a number of sources, but the foods richest in it are egg whites, cheese, and meats, including fish and fowl.

- Protein is also available in smaller amounts from vegetables such as legumes(beans), seeds, and nuts, which also contain fat & carbohydrate

- Protein and carbohydrates are our two dietary sources of blood sugar. Protein foods from animal sources are about 20% protein by weight or about 6 grams per ounce. The balance being fat, water or indigestible gristle.

- Protein will become the most important part of a diabetics diet if they want to control there blood sugars. Protein is metabolized into glucose more slowly by the liver and to a lesser extent by the kidney.

- It should be noted that phosphate, a by product of protein digestion, requires calcium in order for it to be eliminated from the body (about 1 gram of calcium for every 10 oz of protein foods) So I advise taking Extra Cal if they are not getting enough calcium from their diet.

- Myth; eating high amounts of protein causes kidney disease! Non diabetics who eat a lot of protein don’t get diabetic kidney disease and diabetics with normal blood sugars don’t either. A high level of dietary protein does not cause kidney disease in diabetics or anyone else. It is the high blood sugar levels that are unique to diabetes, and to a lesser degree the high levels of insulin required to cover high carbohydrate consumption (causing hypertension) that causes the complications associated with diabetes.

- Think about it….if a farmer wants to fatten up his pigs or cows, he doesn’t feed them meat, butter or eggs, he gives them grains!!! So if you want to get fat fast-load up on the bread, potatoes, pasta and rice, all HIGH in carbohydrate, and if you really want to speed things up consume dietary fat with your carbohydrates!!


THE BIG FAT LIE

- The current low-fat mania today has caused an increase in sugar intake. All a product needs is the label “fat free” to send sales through the roof!

- The notion that eating fat will make you fat is about as scientifically logical as saying that eating tomatoes will turn you red. This is the kind of false thinking that maintains there is an unavoidable link between dietary protein and fat and high cholesterol. They tell you all you have to do is eat lots of carbohydrate, limit your consumption of meat and cut out fat as much as possible.

- I followed that dictum for seven years and I just got fatter, sicker and my cholesterol was through the roof!!! And I was on medication for it also!!!!

- Many researchers are now coming to the conclusion that a high carbohydrate diet, especially those loaded with fruit and grain products is not as benign as they thought. and that this kind of diet can increase body weight, increase blood insulin levels, and raise most cardiac risks ( you can check out an article written by science writer Gary Taubes called the “Soft Science of Dietary Fat) The full version is available online at www.diabetes-book.com
- To sum it up:
Fat consumed with a High carbohydrate diet = fat
Fat consumed with a low Carbohydrate diet = Fat is metabolized or burned off

THE INSULIN FAT CONNECTION

- The primary source of body fat for most of us is carbohydrate, which is converted to blood sugar and with the help of insulin, to fat by fat cells. Insulin is our main fat building hormone!! All the blood sugar that is not burned as energy or stored as glycogen is turned into fat!!

- The higher the ratio of abdominal fat to lean body mass, the less sensitive to insulin you will tend to be.

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- The obese tend to have high triglyceride levels in their bloodstream all the time. Not only are high triglyceride levels a direct cause of insulin resistance, but they contribute to fatty deposits on the walls of your blood vessels. But, insulin resistance can be reversed by eating less carbohydrate, keeping your blood sugars in the normal range (which by the way is between 85-90)

- If you become overweight you will produce more insulin, become insulin resistant, which will require you to make more insulin and become even more overweight because now you are creating more fat and storing more fat. It becomes a vicious cycle.


NOW WHAT DO WE GET TO EAT?


Foods that should not be consumed:

These foods will shoot anyone’s sugars to the sky and diabetics should avoid them at all cost;

Bread- of any kind
Potatoes
Pasta
Rice-does not matter if it is brown, rice is rice
Cereal- dry or oatmeal, cream of wheat, whatever too high in carbs
Low fat products- lower fat content means higher sugar content (check it out for yourself)
Watermelon, oranges, tangerines etc- the only fruits that are OK are apples, strawberries, raspberries, and a handful of grapes is ok on occasion.
Fruit juices of any kind
Tomato or clamato juice, or ketchup
Sodas
Corn of any kind
Carrots

So what can I eat? We all need carbs but they should be coming from good vegetables and a couple of servings of fresh fruit. There are also carbs in milk, cream, cheese etc. These carbs will not affect our sugar levels and we will have to take less medication to cover the carbs that we do eat.

These foods can be enjoyed in small amounts:

Tomatoes, Onions, Peas, cottage cheese (no more than a ½ cup) as they are high in carbs

Now …. Here is what we should be eating and can enjoy!!!!!!

Protein at every meal!!!!!! Something like a three egg omelet, they can add veggies and cheese ( just do not eat toast with it) or any other protein. I also recommend WASA bread (it is like a large cracker but only has 6 grams of carbs per slice) You can smear cream cheese or peanut butter on it or melt cheese on them in the microwave! Add some other protein and you are good to go!!! If you drink coffee you can use 10-18% cream to whiten it and use a diet sweetener. No one should be using that powdered creamer in their coffee as it is pure garbage.

For a mid morning snack- try a protein bar . They can also have an apple and a slice of cheese or a boiled egg a low carb yogurt (again Protein should be included in any snack).

For lunch- try a huge salad with lots of bright veggies and lets add some cut up eggs, cheese, bacon bits, or sliced meat, tuna fish, chicken strips. Now let’s put some dressing on that salad….and not diet or low fat (just check the back of the bottle, if it is contains 1gram of carbs or less per serving …. I say go for it!!!) There are lots of fast food places or restaurants that offer low carb options. You can get that salad and if you need more protein go ahead and order a Big Mac (just ask for it without the bun)

For Dinner- Get creative!!! Any meat, fish, poultry (enough so that they are satisfied NOT STUFFED) add to that some great vegetables!!! They can have up to two cups of the following or 1 cup plus a tossed salad; they can also have sautéed mushrooms prepared with butter and garlic! Mushrooms are a healthy choice and very low in carbs!!

Green beans, Yellow beans, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Asparagus, Artichoke Hearts, Bamboo shoots, Beet Greens, Bell peppers(Green and Red only) Bok Choy, Brussels Sprouts, cabbage, celery, collard or dandelion greens. (There are others, just check the carb value and try to keep it under 12 grams of carbs for dinner and lunch)

Note: To determine the net carbs in any food Take the carb content and subtract any fiber content. Mustard or Mayonnaise are OK condiments.

Other snacks that we can have are; my favorite “Diet Jello” I can even add some heavy cream or REAL whipped cream on top!!! Sunflower seeds are also a good choice. No more than two pieces of fruit a day and they need to be spread out. Until your sugars are normalized though you should stick to protein or diet jello. Be very careful about products that say (no sugar added) or diabetic candy, sugar free gum has 1 - 2 grams of carb. One piece is no problem but if you are chomping all day this will affect their blood sugars.

WATER – water is important to everyone, diabetics will find it also helps to reduce a high blood sugar so we all want to get sloshed on H2O!!!!


INFORMATION YOU NEED

-- Most diabetics know what a low blood sugar feels like and they should be prepared. They must have a blood glucose meter and should be checking their sugars (in the beginning) 5 times per day. Once first thing in the morning, BEFORE each meal, and at bedtime. Keep a record of these
- If You feel your blood sugars are low just sit down, take your blood sugars and if they are not below 90 do nothing. If they go below 90 you should take 2 glucose tablets (available in any drug store without a prescription) this is the only way you should adjust for a low blood sugar. Then take your sugars again in 45 minutes because the glucose tablets will have done whatever they are going to do. Still Low? Take one more and repeat the process. Over 90? Do nothing.

Ok - what does a low blood sugar feel like? Like Hell!!! You are sweating, shaking, your stomach can be tied up in knots, you feel weak, and can be dizzy! You can also feel this if your sugars have been high for some time even if they are not low the body just gets nervous. You also get really hungry and want to eat every carb in the fridge. Avoid it at all costs. If necessary eat some diet jello (the body does not know the difference) or have a boiled egg or some other meat. Drink water!!!!!
When you change your diet this happening is a good possibility, and even if your blood sugar is not low it can be scary. The body will knock it off when it figures out it is OK and this lower sugar level is the norm.

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I know what I have told you works. It has worked for me and every one of my diabetic customers. I have lost all the weight I wanted to lose , I am healthier than some non-diabetics!!! My arteries are squeaky clean, I no longer have the neuropathy in my feet, gastric reflux-Gone, and my sleep apnea is a thing of the past(no more looking like and aardvark when I go to bed) I have my life back!!! How great is that!!!