Low Carb - Recent Threads

Ate out for the first time

Paul — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 02:30:09 GMT

I just ate out for the first time since my diagnosis 9 days ago. I am so glad I'm able to psychologically start back to getting a bit of normalcy in my life.

My daughter turned 6 today and we decided to go out. I found that Red Robin has an iPhone app (and website) that allowed me to see the nutrition info on just about the whole menu. It also allowed customizing by deleting certain ingredients.

I was especially good today with keeping carb count down. So, we went and had a blast.

My son, who's nearly 8 reminded me to check my blood before eating. :-)

The best news is that with my simplistic bolus (Dr. has just said 7u before each meal, 3u for a snack), I had a 2h post-prandial of 146. That's pretty good for me. I think it was because i injected after finishing.

Does anyone know which Sandwich Shop has lowest carb bread?

Julie Wilcox — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 20:37:55 GMT

I am a JDRF Volunteer, seeking one or more donor sandwich shops to donate sandwiches to our DFW walks this September. However, I would prefer to determine which shops have the lowest carb breads. Online listings state Blimpie has 27g carb in their 6" sandwich, Subway has 29g with 3 fiber, Potbelly has 40g in their 12", which would give us 20g in 6", and we will be asking them to donate 3" sandwiches. Do any of you have any recommendations? Thanks in advance!

What does your daily low carb food journal look like?

Gina — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 04:36:07 GMT

If you are a low carb eater, what does your day look like? Lets post our daily eating journals here to compare what a low carb diet looks like for each of us! Maybe we can get really good tips from each other if we log it on here!

Carb Zero Bread?

ScrappyDy — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 00:12:11 GMT

Has anyone tried this bread, Carb Zero Bread by The Julian Bakery? http://www.carbzero.com/ I'm just curious and a bit intrigued about it. I really love bread, so this would be a dream if it really did not affect your blood glucose as it claims, yet tasted good and moist like normal bread.

Low Carb Ice Cream

DietMtnDew — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 01:58:39 GMT

At Food Lion, sometimes they have chocolate ice cream bars called CarbSmart. There really tasty and lo carb, too!

What is too little carbs?

Jess — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 01:58:15 GMT

Hi,

I was just wondering how many carbs i need, i weigh 108 pounds iam 5'3" and iam 14 years old. How many carbs do u guys eat? and how many do u think i would need.

Thanks:)

So my doctor has never had me count Carbs?

Tabitha Morgan — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 14:33:59 GMT

Hey guys, Im tabby

I was reading and noticing how you all talk about counting your carbs...when I was in the hospital a pediatrician doctor decided to keep me as his own patient so I now see him for everything... This doctor has never really even told me about counting carbs.. This is my schedule... I get up at 5am and take a shot of humalan, 11 am I take a shot of lantus and humalan, 5 pm I take another shot of humalan and then at 11pm I take another shot of lantus and humalan.. Thats 6 shots totall... I don't eat big amounts of food at all because I know it runs my sugar up.. with taking all of those shots youd think it would be low... It hits 300 atleast one time a day... My sugar will not regulate at all and I have never counted carbs and im not sure how to correctly... Which the way my schedule is, it is very tough.. If anyone would like to um help me in learning how to count carbs or just any tips please comment... I mean I do excersise daily and everything, but usually I cant' do much for feeling so bad with the high sugars :/

Does Willpower Work ?

ClaudetteSanDiego — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 19:51:46 GMT

Reply More

ClaudetteSanDiego Posted: Wed, Mar 9 2011 11:49 AM

Many of us try to implement New Year's Resolutions into their lifestyle. So many of us believe that we just need the will to do it. We think if we just concentrate hard enough, if we get tough with ourselves we will adopt a healthier lifestyle.

We try to find a reason to change our eating or exercise habits such as; "I want to look better in my clothes", or "I want to attract a new person in my life". Finding reasons for change certainly motivate us. Research at Stanford University found that small amounts of social support, whether it is from friends who encourage each other by e-mail to occasional meetings with a fitness counselor, can motivate us and produce large and lasting gains.

People trying to change unhealthy behaviors generally need something in addition to willpower. "Whether it is smoking, alcohol use or physical inactivity, social support helps to prevent relapse," says Abby King, Stanford professor of Medicine, Health Research and Policy, who conducted the study. The social support doesn't have to be constant. "A light touch can have lasting effects," King added.

This certainly makes the call for developing a support system with friends and family members via personal contact, phone calls and e-mails. This brings up the question of how powerful is social support from friends and family members versus weight loss communities on the internet ? Stayed tuned for this next discussion.

What are your thoughts ? What kind of support system do you have to help you stay on track ? What have you found works and what doesn't seem to work ?

Splenda concerns

Kristen — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 01:35:41 GMT

My cousin who started to switch to alternative sweeteners when my son was diagnosed with diabetes. He wanted to see the flavor difference and maybe make a healthier choice. He ended up with violent migraines, severe stomach upset (constipation and loose bowels) along with dizziness and nausea. He eliminated the splenda from his diet and he was fine. I noticed that Niklas gets really bad headaches when drinking juice sweetened with splenda (crystal light, healthy balance apple juice etc). I did research about this and was appalled to find that headaches and all the symptoms my cousin experienced are COMMON side effects. Plus another adverse side affect is that it actually makes you gain weight instead of helping you lose it!

Has anyone else experienced these effects? How common are these problems associated with splenda? I did talk to my son's endocrinologist who said that small amounts are ok. But I have found that sucralose (splenda) is in everything - how could that be? I find it horrible that this is endorsed by many organizations as the safe alternative to sugar if this is true!

How does everyone else feel?

Thanks!

How does Splenda affect your bs's?

Jenn — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 19:25:46 GMT

I've been doing a little experiment lately to see if Splenda really helps keep bs lower. What I have discovered is that, for me at least, no it doesn't. I've done the exact same thing, food and everything, on different days and the only difference was with my cup of mint tea at bed one night I drank it plain (that would take some getting used to) and one night I added Splenda. The difference on my bs in the morning was HUGE, it was well over a 100 point difference and NOT in favor of Splenda. So I was wondering if I'm the only one that this happens to, and if not, what do you do to compensate? Is there something else you use that works better?

Smoothie quest!

stilledlife — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 17:10:32 GMT

So in the morning my bow and I make half veggie half fruit smoothies to get our needed veggies rolling for the day and to help out in digestion. It is fast, easy to make, fast to clean up, just requiring a freezer, and a blender.

I just take spinach, zucchini, carrots, cucumber, flux seed, benefiber™, banana, frozen berries, coconut, and pineapple, and lemon juice.- in total 12 oz liquid serving of yum.

The question I have is how on earth do I count the carbs?? I have not been very successful in my guesstimation on insulin dose and am looking for some ideas.

"Carb Smart" foods

Caitlyn_Paige18 — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 23:31:25 GMT

Hi! I just wanted to tell you guys about some cool "carb smart" foods i've found!!

My favorite 2 are Breyer's Carb Smart Fudge Bars, they are amazing! really creamy and sweet! (6.5g)

3 Musketeers Truffle Crisp comes in 2 packs 1 bar is 10g really god chocolate taste

Some other good ones

Edy's fruit bars!

And Pizza rolls are pretty low too (4g each) .

Any other ones you know of please tell!

Thanks

Low-Carb Meals on the Run?

Elizabeth — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 18:28:14 GMT

I've been thinking about seriously cutting back on my carbs, both for weight loss and to help avoid blood sugar swings. If possible, I'd love to eat sort of like Phase 1 of South Beach for a while... That more or less means lean protein, plus vegetables that are not carb-dense. (I know I'll still have to treat any lows with sugar and other carbs, which means I might not get the full benefits that Phase 1 is supposed to offer, but at least I'd still be eating fewer carbs in general.)

The problem is that I eat two dinners "on the go" each week, while driving from work to my class on the other side of the city. I currently opt for a Zone bar and some cheese and carrots, since those are all easily eaten without utensils and without having to take my eye off the road.

What the heck could I eat during that drive that would be very low carb but very "safe" while driving? Maybe those little mini-quiches that are recommended for breakfast, but some variety would be nice!

Lunches can be a little tough too, as I like to go to the park for a picnic and a walk (I generally bring a turkey sandwich and veggies, maybe with hummus), but at least I can take the time to get a fork out and eat something like a big salad with tuna or something.

Thoughts?

not t1 diabetes related at all, just thought i would put it out there!

Aneka K. — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 04:33:54 GMT

After reading this article i find it crazy how people go out and have these smoothies/etc. every single day! i'm going to try & never drink any of these.

http://eatthis.womenshealthmag.com/slide/worst-beverage-america?slideshow=184612#title

Sugar the Bitter Truth

ClaudetteSanDiego — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 19:13:40 GMT

Did you know that high fructose corn syrup has sneaked into almost every food product on the market and how a high fructose diet to the body is just like a high fat diet. It is metabolized in a similar way. Below is my link . Read on. Would love your comments.

http://juvenation.org/groups/jdrf_san_diego_chapter/forum/default.aspx

Raw food is the cure - NOT

AnnB — Sat, 29 May 2010 12:30:14 GMT

I've had a friend send me an article about how the Pharmacy companies are brain washing us into thinking we need insulin and that if we only followed the raw food diet, we'd be fine.

I was furious! But then i realized she (and the author) are completely naive. I tried to explain to her what would happen with raw food. For example she made a spinach smoothie and added a banana. Well, the banana has a bit of carbs in it and if I didn't take a small amount of insulin for it, my blood sugars would go high. Which it did. Her reply is that I assume you know what to do with whatever I'm giving you. Well, yes but by not taking insulin that is not the answer.

Oh, yes, I did explain that if I could control everything by diet and not insulin that'd be news! Of course none of us have every thought of that! (ok, a bit sarcastic)...

From now on I'm going to try and educate her a bit more. Just venting!

Advice requested from a certified nutritionist, dietician or diabetes specialist please

BlakeT1 — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 17:57:54 GMT

My son is 2, has had diabetes since July '09, and his sugars are pretty well controlled. However, recently I wanted to see if doing 25 carbs at each meal (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) would help control his sugars.

So far, and it's only been 9 days, is that I'm giving roughly the same amt of insulin each time, but he is still spiking way up for about an hour after each meal. His patterns are different after each meal though. Here's what they do:

Breakfast, he wakes up on or near target (150), he eats b/w 0630 and 0700

BG then spikes up into the high 300's for 1.5 - 2 hours

We check his BG at 0900 and then again at 0915. If he is trending down, it usually happens very quickly, so a 10-15 carb snack is given to catch his low (10-15 b/c it depends on what the snack is).

Lunch BG is taken at 1015 and is usually b/w 100-170.

He naps from 1100-1315. We check his BG around 1330 and it is usually around 170. I give direction to my daycare staff that if his BG is >130, then recheck in 15 for a downward trend and if is coming down, then give his 5 carb snack.

However, unlike the morning, where he shoots way up, then comes down nicely...when he wakes from his nap, his BG just keeps on steadily going up until 1800.

At 1800, before dinner, his BG is always higher than 250, so I tend to give his Novolog about 15-20 minutes b/f he eats and that gets him through the night.

His regimine is: Lantus: 3 units (am), 2 units (pm).

Target: 150 Correction Factor: 200

Novolog: 1:5 breakfast / 1:9 Lunch / 1:11 Dinner

I normally will manipulate his ratios if I see a trend for more than 3 days.

Question 1: Why does his sugar spike way in the morning and come down nicely in time to give a snack, but doesn't do that b/w lunch and dinner? Particularly if he's eating the same carb amount (25) at each meal and a majority of his food is on the Low Glycemic side.

Question 2: How can I get his sugar to not spike up so much after breakfast? I've tried low carb (8 or less carbs for breakfast) and now I'm trying a consistant 25 carbs, but they both have the same affect.

I don't get it. Thanks in advance for your help!

Ryan

~Blake's Mom!

Does any one have an ideas on good low carb or no carb snacks?

Robby — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 21:59:24 GMT

My personal favorite: ALMONDS!

"Free Foods"

Janna — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 22:21:29 GMT

I just started the pump and the doctor wants me to not have snacks unless they are free foods. I'm really used to munching throughout the day..and not the good foods! Do you guys have any sugestions on what free foods are good?

How many carbs did you have today? (thanksgiving version)

Greg Borkman — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 04:05:11 GMT

I came no where close to that ridiculous 926 I had that other time but I was at a solid 472 anyways.

How many carbs did you have today?

Greg Borkman — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:39:47 GMT

I went back into my pump today to look at the daily totals and this is what it read:

709 carbs

51 units total bolus

0% of those boluses involved a correction!

Crazyyyyy

Agave: not safe for diabetics.....thoughts?

Matt — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:47:48 GMT

ACHES & CLAIMS
OCTOBER 27, 2009

Agave Syrup May Not Be So Simple

By LAURA JOHANNES

Agave is not just for tequila anymore. The sap from the Mexican plant is now increasingly being sold as a natural sweetener called agave nectar. Companies that sell it say it saves calories and raises blood sugar less than conventional sugar. Doctors are skeptical that it is healthier, and a major testing lab issued a warning that it is not safe for diabetics.

View Full Image

Tim Foley

Agave (pronounced ah gav ee), sometimes mistaken for a cactus because of its spiky, sword-shaped leaves, is a flowering plant in the lily family. Its nectar is popping up in beverages, baked goods and on restaurant menus; it is also gaining popularity as an all-purpose sweetener, often next to honey in supermarket aisles.

Marketing to Diabetics

Agave-nectar composition varies, but typically is primarily fructose. It has about the same amount of calories as sugar, or slightly more, but companies say its sweeter flavor allows you to cut the amount, saving calories. Agave's other claim to healthfulness is that it has a low glycemic index, meaning it breaks down more slowly creating less of a sugar rush. At least two companies have marketed their products as a good alternative for diabetics.

But the Glycemic Research Institute, a Washington, D.C., laboratory, issued a warning Friday that diabetics experienced "severe and dangerous side effects" during testing of an agave nectar. "The diabetics passed out on the floor and had to be taken to the hospital," says Ann de Wees Allen, chief of biomedical research at the lab. She declined to say how much of the product the diabetics consumed during the test, saying that would be disclosed after a complete analysis of the results.

The product tested was a maple-flavored version of the Volcanic Nectar brand agave, sold by Global Goods Inc., of Highland, Utah. Company President Brian Oaks said the product, which has never been sold, had a significant amount of maple syrup in it, which likely caused the problems. Dr. Allen says the nectar had an extremely small amount of maple syrup in it and is almost identical to the company's flagship agave product. Previous tests, in which diabetics consumed a small amount of Volcanic Nectar agave, had resulted in the lab awarding a "diabetic friendly" seal to the Volcanic Nectar product, which it has since rescinded.

The lab has stopped testing agave on humans amid safety concerns. Also, Dr. Allen says the lab refused to test four other agave products after a chemical analysis it commissioned from another lab found they were mixed with high-fructose corn syrup, which was not disclosed on the label. She declined to name the brands.

'Free-for-All Food'

If you're hoping to use agave to lose weight, nutritionists warn it has as many, or more, calories as sugar. "I worry that people may get confused and start thinking it is a free-for-all food," says Gillian Arathuzik, a dietician at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston.

Agave is 1.4 to 1.6 times as sweet as sugar, says Sabra Van Dolsen, president of Colibree Co., an Aspen, Colo., company that sells Nekutli brand agave nectar. Calories vary from brand to brand, but are typically more than sugar. Nekutli, for example, has 60 calories per tablespoon. A tablespoon of white sugar has 45 calories.

Since agave is sweeter, you can use less, proponents say. Stephen Richards, chief executive of BetterBody Foods & Nutrition LLC of Salt Lake City and author of a self-published agave cookbook, says each cup of sugar can be replaced by one-half to two-thirds cup of agave.

The Flavor Issue

But depending on how refined the product is, agave can have little or no flavor—or taste like honey or maple syrup, according to the companies and our subjective tests. Unscientific testing by a Wall Street Journal reporter found agave to be pleasant in tea, but it imparted a brownish tinge and odd taste to lemonade.

When baking, oil can be reduced because agave is liquid, says Mr. Richards. Agave makes baked goods rise slightly faster, which can result in a "cakier" texture, he adds. In our test, blueberry bran muffins made with BetterBody's Xagave brand nectar were identical in flavor to a batch made with brown sugar, though the test muffins rose slightly more. The agave version was nine fewer calories a muffin, a 7% saving.

Write to Laura Johannes at laura.johannes@wsj.com

good salad dressing

figure skater girl — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 03:47:13 GMT

here is a healthy and yummy salad dressing:

rennes gourmet pear and guava

here are some of the things it claims:

egg and milk free(vegan)

trans fat free

low in saturated fat(0.1 grams)

only about 2% of yopur daily fat total intake per tablespoon

What is your favorite no-carb/diet drink?

Melanie Marvin — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 20:58:42 GMT

i like diet dr. pepper and coffee

Sugar free Jell-o

Paul Glantzman — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 04:00:44 GMT

I've been eating at least two cups of sugar-free Jell-o daily. Does anyone know if this can make you sick? Even though I love it, I try not to put too much Cool Whip Free on it because this adds carbs. Is anyone else suffering from a sugar-free Jell-o addiction. My favorite flavors are: Peach, Cherry and Raspberry.