More Questions for the Helpful Diabetics (HC?)

[NotQuiteCockney]

Recent news (dead mom, dad is diabetic) have made me even more interested in avoiding diabetes myself. So:

1. Are you generally trying to keep your sugar values under a specific number? In a range? Too low is really really dangerous, right? (Does this apply to type II as well?)
   
   
2. How bad are white carbs? Much difference between white pasta/bread/rice/peeled potatoes?
   
   
3. How big a difference between white and brown pasta/bread/rice/unpeeled potatoes?
   
   
4. What about other root veg?
   
   
5. How does exercise fit in? Is it ok first thing in the morning, or is it better after some food? Does exercise affect sugar just then, or for some period afterwards?
   
   thanks in advance ...

[CarolinaMoon]

this is a bump really. Am not diabetic myself (but hey, I like to think I'm helpful ), dp is type 1, diagnosed two years ago.

Sorry to hear about your mum . Is your dad type 1 or 2?

this is what I think based on dp's experience so far:

1. he tries to keep his sugar values under 10 at all times, although this isn't always possible. 4-7 is the normal range and ideally that's what diabetics should strive for. If you aren't diabetic atm, your pancreas should do this for you. Too low is risky - if you don't get out of a hypo (by eating something carby) you would fall into a coma which could (worst case) be fatal, and before that you would get very confused and aggressive, as if really drunk, which isn't very safe in itself. Hypos only happen if you're taking insulin - untreated diabetes can only result in high blood sugar levels, whether it's type 1 or 2.
   
   
2. I've read that pasta (made with durum wheat) and basmati rice are better than your average white carb. New potatoes are better than old ones, so jacket potatoes aren't such a great choice (the starch breaks down into sugar as they get bigger I think).
   
   
3. Noticeable, although just eating fewer carbs overall is better. They should apparently make up a quarter of a plateful at each meal, with another quarter being protein and the other half being veg (this is probably a big generalisation, but you get the idea).
   
   
4. Things that taste sweet (carrots, parsnips) aren't that great. They aren't a massive problem though. You can slow down the process of digestion/absorbtion of glucose (not entirely sure which tbh) by eating some fat with the food.
   
   
5. If you are type 1, a burst of exercise (e.g. sprinting for a bus) can reduce your blood sugar levels pretty quickly, so it's probably safer to have eaten something first rather than being on a completely empty stomach. Otherwise, regular exercise has a beneficial effect overall, as far as I can see.
   
   Treating Type 1 is a delicate balancing act of insulin, diet and exercise, almost from one hour to the next. Type 2, from what I've heard (in the earlier stages at least), is more about keeping your weight at a sensible level and not overloading your pancreas with too much sugar at a time. So regular exercise and a GI-type diet is v important.
   
   My dad was diagnosed last year with Type 2 (he's 71) and so far his is controlled by diet alone (mainly through cutting out sweets and boxes of chocs ).
   
   As for avoiding diabetes, type 2 possibly can be avoided by eating sensibly and not putting on more weight than you should (I'm in the same boat as you on this). Type 1 is an auto-immune disease and no-one's quite sure what triggers it - possibly it's a reaction to a virus - but there's definitely a genetic predisposition to it.

[NotQuiteCockney]

Oh, your DP got type 1 as an adult? Isn't that relatively rare? My mom was type 2, my dad is type 2. All four grandparents were type 2. So getting type 2 diabetes is really a "when" not an "if" (ok, unless I get hit by a bus, first).

What I've been told is, the best way to postpone/avoid type 2, is to pretend you already are type 2 diabetic. Hence all the questions.

Oh, another question:

6. How much do tiredness/stress make a difference?

[maomao]

Hi NQC,

I'm not diabetic, but wanted to let you know that HC is on holiday this week.

[NotQuiteCockney]

Oh, thanks maomao.

Isn't she our resident helpful diabetic? What sort of service is this? Sheesh.

(I'll bump again when she's back.)

[NotQuiteCockney]

Oh, and where'd she go?

[CarolinaMoon]

I think about 10% of type 1s are diagnosed around that age (he was 29 then) - only 50% have it by 15yo. It's not quite as "juvenile" as you might think.

I know stress makes dp's blood sugar rise, but I think that's because of the effect of adrenalin on the liver (am ready to be corrected on this ). So I'm not sure how it would affect a healthy pancreas to accelerate type 2 diabetes.

I think you're right to be cautious though. I had polycystic ovaries before ds was born and that is linked to type 2 (PCOS is often caused by insulin resistance), so I try and eat that sort of diet too in the hope that it won't come back or end up leading to type 2.

[NotQuiteCockney]

I think I've read that stress can bring on type 2, if you're likely to get it anyway.

Oh, and how do legumes (lentils, beans) affect blood sugar?

[CarolinaMoon]

I guess so - stress is never that great for your body is it?

lentils etc are v good - great blood sugar levels and v nutrious too .