ARTICLE – I used to be recognized with kind 2 diabetes again in 2004 however I’ve by no means taken insulin injections or different meds for it. With just a few modifications to my life-style and weight loss program, I’ve been in a position to get into the pre-diabetes vary and keep there for the previous 17 years. Listed here are some suggestions and methods utilizing tech, devices, and weight loss program hacks that I take advantage of to handle my kind 2 diabetes.
Earlier than I share my suggestions and methods for managing kind 2 diabetes, I wish to make it clear that I’m not a doctor and I don’t declare to know the whole lot that there’s to learn about diabetes. The issues that I’m sharing on this article work for me. I cannot promise that they’ll be just right for you, so don’t blame me in the event that they don’t, and speak to your physician if you’re combating managing your well being points. With that disclaimer out of the way in which, let’s get proper to the information and methods. If you wish to know extra about kind 2 diabetes and insulin resistance, skip to the underside of this text for a fast overview.
Tip #1 Verify your blood glucose with a meter or a CGM (steady glucose monitor)
The very best gadget that you may want to trace your kind 2 diabetes is a blood glucose meter. This system will inform you what your blood glucose is at any given time. Purchase your self a reasonable meter from Amazon or Walmart and test your blood (with a comparatively painless finger stick) typically.
One of the best time to test your blood glucose stage is very first thing within the morning after you get up. If you happen to don’t have diabetes or insulin resistance, your fasting glucose (after 12hrs of not consuming) ought to be below 100.
The following finest time(s) to test your blood glucose stage is earlier than you eat after which 1hr and 2hrs after you eat. Why? As a result of these readings will let you understand how sure meals could cause your blood glucose to spike. This brings me to tip #2.
Common finger stick blood glucose meters work simply advantageous, however if you wish to actually monitor your blood glucose ranges, a continuous glucose monitor is a game-changer – at the very least it was for me. I’ve been utilizing the Freestyle Libre 14-day CGM for months now and it’s a brilliant simple technique to monitor my blood sugars.
In contrast to conventional blood glucose meters which require a handbook finger stick for a blood drop, the Freestyle and Dexcom CGMs allow you to use your cellphone to scan the sensor which is taking readings routinely within the background. So as an alternative of simply understanding what your blood sugar was if you did a handbook finger stick 3 instances in sooner or later, you’ll see a full graph of your blood sugar ranges all through the day. This can allow you to affiliate spikes with sure meals, train, and so forth.
The LEVELS metabolic health tracker is much more wonderful as a result of it makes it tremendous simple to see how meals affect your blood sugar ranges. It enables you to acquire information about sure meals and even run your individual experiments.
Tip #2 Minimize means again on the variety of carbs that you simply eat
Carbohydrates are the enemy of diabetics. They’re one of many predominant causes of blood sugar spikes. Sure, different issues could cause a spike like stress and sicknesses, however carbs are the biggy and it’s a simple repair. I say simple as a result of all you must do is cease consuming so many carbs. I do know that may be simpler mentioned than accomplished as a result of sugar/carbs are addictive and it’s robust to give up chilly turkey.
Once I first discovered that I used to be diabetic, I instantly stopped consuming sugary sodas and switched to Food plan Coke. That made an enormous distinction for me. However, I ended consuming Food plan Cokes just a few years in the past because of the synthetic sweeteners which are in them. Today, I drink Bubly, Waterloo, and LaCroix flavored seltzer water which have 0 energy or sweeteners in them. I add just a few drops of liquid stevia sweetener to them and so they style superior (to me) and I don’t miss common sodas in any respect.
I’ve additionally stopped consuming potato chips with my sandwiches. This was a troublesome one as a result of I take pleasure in salty crunchy chips with my lunches. However I discovered that pork rinds are a fantastic different. I didn’t look after pork rinds at first, however now I really like them and revel in making an attempt completely different manufacturers and flavors. Pork rinds have zero carbs, so you possibly can have salty crunchy “chips” with out glucose spikes that go together with them. My present favorites are the generic retailer manufacturers of plain pork rinds. I like them higher than the favored Mac’s model.
One other change I made was buying and selling out bread with excessive carbs to decrease carb breads and wraps. My present favorites are Aunt Millie’s Live Carb Smart 5-seed bread which has 1 carb per slice and Mission’s Carb Balance wraps which solely have 4 carbs per wrap. I discover each of those at my native Walmart.
For breakfast, I ditched carby cereals and sugary protein bars for bars from Perfect Keto and Ketobar.com. I really like love love the whole lot from Perfect Keto. Simply interested by their peanut butter chocolate chip bar makes me wish to go upstairs and get one proper now. They promote a number of flavors like cinnamon roll, almond butter brownie, birthday cake, and extra. However the peanut butter chocolate chip bars are flat out AMAZING. They style precisely just like the peanut butter fudge that my mother used to make once I was a child. AND, they don’t spike my blood sugar in any respect.
If you happen to test your grocery retailer for Keto friendly meals, you’ll be capable of discover loads of options for treats that may hold you glad with out elevating your blood sugar. Excellent Keto additionally provides a fantastic number of cookies that style incredible to me. Swapping out common sugary snacks for decrease carb and Keto variations might be the best factor you are able to do to enhance your blood glucose ranges.
Tip #3 My favourite YouTube channels for Keto and low carb recipes
If you wish to study extra about Keto and low carb consuming, you must take a look at a few of my favourite YouTube channels. These channels have loads of wonderful information and 100’s of simple to make recipes that can allow you to simply ditch carbs with out feeling disadvantaged.
Serious Keto, Keto Twins, Beat Diabetes, KetoFocus
I realized concerning the Chaffle from Severe Keto, which led to a assessment of the Dash mini waffle maker which is a staple of many low-carb followers.
I additionally realized about chia seed pudding which is a scrumptious and really simple to make chocolate (or nearly any taste) pudding that you may make that doesn’t increase my blood sugar. I simply made a batch this morning that I’ll have as a deal with tonight. Right here’s a fast recipe.
Chia seed chocolate pudding
2 T of chia seed
1 t of cocoa powder
1/2 C of unsweetened almond milk
1 pinch of salt
1 T of heavy cream
2 packets of no calorie sweetener like Stevia or Splenda
Put all of the substances in a small jar, stir the whole lot up, put the lid on the jar, put it within the fridge in a single day or for at the very least 10hrs or so. Take it out, put some Redi Whip on high and revel in!
Tip #4 Eat your dessert instantly after your meal
I eat low carb all week, however I’m not a robotic. I nonetheless love cheeseburgers, fries, pizza, muffins, pies, ice cream, and so forth. For that purpose, I’ve a cheat day every week which is often on Saturday. We often have one meal that’s quick meals adopted up by a dessert. I’ve discovered that if I’m going to be “unhealthy”, that it’s finest if I eat all of it on the similar time. That implies that I eat dessert proper after the meal. I don’t wait just a few hours after which eat the dessert. Ready and consuming the meal after which the dessert later implies that I’ll have 2 sugar spikes. One from the meal after which one other one later with the dessert.
Tip #5 Train after consuming a excessive carb meal
A good higher tip is to observe up a excessive carb meal with some train. Don’t groan, it’s actually not that onerous. If you happen to eat one thing that you recognize goes to spike your blood sugar, go for a 15 minute stroll after you’re accomplished consuming. I’ve accomplished some experiments and have observed that consuming the identical actual meals with a stroll instantly afterward ends in a blood glucose studying of fifty factors lower than once I don’t stroll. That’s an enormous distinction. I often stroll all the way down to get the mail (.7 miles spherical journey) or I get on the treadmill. You can even do laps round the home (inside or out).
Tip #6 Get an Apple Watch or one other health tracker watch
Along with a blood glucose meter, one other nice gadget to have that will help you handle kind 2 diabetes is a health tracker watch. I’m rocking a collection 6 Apple Watch proper now as a result of I actually like the way in which it integrates with my iPhone and iHealth apps. I additionally love the built-in Exercise tracker that lets me hold monitor of my each day steps, flights of stairs that I’ve climbed, my exercises, hikes, coronary heart charge information, and extra. And for those who use a Dexcom CGM, it would present you proper on the watch face what your present blood sugar stage is.
What’s kind 2 diabetes and what’s insulin resistance?
If you’re studying this, you probably already learn about kind 2 diabetes and insulin resistance. However for individuals who don’t have this situation and are all in favour of studying extra, I’ll provide you with a fast overview.
Kind 2 diabetes is a power situation that impacts the way in which the physique processes blood sugar (glucose). With kind 2 diabetes your pancreas both doesn’t produce sufficient insulin or your cells don’t reply usually to the insulin which is known as insulin resistance.
Diabetes is a silent illness that causes injury to your organs and nerves with out you even understanding it’s occurring – till issues are loopy uncontrolled.
Aside from checking your blood glucose ranges with a meter, how are you going to know for those who’re a diabetic? Some signs embrace being thirsty on a regular basis, numb and tingling ft, at all times hungry, blurred imaginative and prescient, very dry pores and skin. If you happen to’re anxious that you simply may be insulin resistant or a diabetic, you possibly can ask your physician for an A1C blood check which provides a share that correlates to a median blood sugar stage for the previous 3 months or so. It’s an excellent indicator of insulin resistance.
Ultimate ideas
Diabetes is a horrible illness. I do know this from my very own expertise with my mother who was a brittle diabetic who had very excessive and really low readings on a regular basis. She died at age 58 after a number of amputations and strokes. That was MUCH MUCH too younger and it may have been averted if she had been critical about her well being. I feel that’s why I carry on high of my very own well being. I’m only one 12 months away from being the identical age that my mother was when she died and I plan to reside many many years longer as a result of I train and watch my weight loss program so my very own diabetes (pre-diabetes proper now) doesn’t get uncontrolled.
I hope the following tips and methods helped!
