If there was a “Best Way to Eat with Diabetes”, we’d all be doing it
As your friendly neighborhood registered dietitian, we need to talk.
I'll make this pretty simple:
there is a LOT of misinformation out there when it comes to eating with diabetes.
What are the best or worst foods for diabetics is probably in the top number of searches on the internet.
In one corner, you’ve got the ones who won’t touch carbohydrates, since carbs will skyrocket your blood sugars.
In the other, you’ve got the ONLY carbers, who will eat minimal fat and protein since they find that the easiest for them.
Most likely, you are somewhere in the middle but also confused as hell.
You hear people on one end shaming the other and vice versa.
This is a ridiculous practice and does not help anyone.
Here’s what you need to know:
The best way to eat with diabetes?
Is the way that is SUSTAINABLE for you and your blood sugars.
I’ve had clients who eat 400g of carbs per day and I’ve had clients who eat 25g of carbs per day.
Both with A1c of 5.9. I’m here to assure you, this...
Exercise doesn’t always lower your blood sugar!
If diabetes can mess something up, it will try its damndest.
Exercise certainly helps manage blood sugars and can also improve insulin resistance.
The full impact of exercise on your blood sugar is determined by the intensity and duration of your workout as well as how much energy you burn.
Most of us have constantly been told that cardiovascular exercise lowers your blood sugar while weight training raises your blood sugar.
However, just because that's the case most of the time doesn’t mean that’s always the case.
There are no absolutes and the opposite can be true.
Weight-lifting CAN lower your blood sugar.
Your muscle cells will use sugar in the bloodstream which may cause your blood sugar to drop low during strength training.
Cardiovascular exercise can raise your blood sugar (I’m looking at you sprints).
Adrenaline and cortisol can increase blood sugars during cardio workouts such as running, HIIT, biking, and swimming.
So be aware of the exercise you’re doing ...
Still stacking insulin? Here's why it's NOT a great life choice!
If you’re going to stack anything, stack paper.
Stacking insulin is beyond dangerous.
If you aren’t familiar with stacking insulin, here’s how it works:
If you give yourself an insulin correction within three hours of a previous correction, you are stacking insulin.
A narrative I’m sure you have experienced:
1. Your blood sugar is high. You feel (insert any number of adjectives here).
2. You’ve taken a correction dose but your blood sugar didn’t come down.
3. You take another correction, and another, and another...until:
That insulin hits all at the same time.
You’d have a ton of active insulin on board when your blood sugar finally decides to come spiraling down.
This can be extremely dangerous.
The best-case scenario is a minor low blood sugar.
The worst case?
We won’t go there.
It is obvious that we want to lower high blood sugar levels when necessary.
Unfortunately, there is no magic formula that dictates how long it will take for your glucose levels to ...
Blood sugar resets and detoxes are myths. Try these instead!
In the event you haven’t been told this before, you have an opportunity to “reset” your blood sugar at any given time.
Your blood sugar is constantly moving.
No matter who you are, your glucose levels are constantly changing, with blood sugars high to blood sugars low.
You have a change to reset it with EVERY decision you make.
There is no “off” button to your blood sugar.
We all know the longest route between Point A and B is the shortcut.
In this case, the shortcut is that “quick fix” or random “reset program” to marginally fix your blood sugar...most likely being pumped by someone who isn’t credentialed to school you on blood sugars.
If you could detox your body of diabetes...wouldn’t we all do it?
If your blood sugar is not in range, try:
– Eating some food if you're low.
– Taking insulin or getting active if you're higher.
– Letting it ride out and do its thing if it's already in range.
You don’t need to do any specific, highly-restrictive protocol to be able...
No food is 'good' or 'bad' – here's why!
I was talking with someone the other day who told me they were gonna cut out ALL the “bad food” from their life.
By “bad food” she meant anything that could be considered unhealthy food or junk food.
Instead, she would only consume healthy food.
She figured this approach would be very helpful in achieving better blood sugars.
First, let’s address the idea that there are "bad" foods.
There are no bad foods.
There are certainly foods that are less nutritious than others, but there are no bad foods.
Simply put: food is fuel.
It is a mash-up of nutrients that you utilize to fuel your body.
She lasted four days before she broke that restrictive diet.
That "bad food good food" theory just does not exist, nor is it sustainable.
We can’t stick to it.
A healthy diet is not just eating lean proteins, fruits, whole grains, and vegetables.
A healthy diet is eating foods that you can stick to, which includes what I just mentioned, but also includes foods you love.
Good eats th...
Obsessing over your CGM is a waste of time! Here's a better use for it.
Mental health is a topic that has reached far and wide over the past year.
I’d be foolish to ignore that there are certain added pressures on a person’s mental health when living with diabetes.
We are constantly required to test our blood glucose levels, ensuring that we know what our blood glucose level is at any given time.
Our blood sugar level determines how much insulin is delivered on behalf of our pancreas that no longer works.
Why am I sharing information with you that you probably already know?
Because seeing the daily process of keeping ourselves alive written out can be a stark reminder of the intense work diabetes care can be.
This repeat process can become stressful and often leads to some people forming an obsession with checking their blood sugar.
While being aware of your blood sugar levels is important, it is not something to obsess over.
For the sake of your mental health, try your best not to check on your CGM every 5 minutes.
There’s no trophy at the en...
