Quote:
Originally posted by Diabetic-Canada
So, I guess that would mean that chocolate is slower releasing.
 {Not Necessarily}
I love chocolate :p I just have to limit myself now
and figure out how it affects me. |
I'll tell you exactly how it will affect you.
It will send your blood sugar
up.
The exact time for digestion may vary with
your particular metabolism, and the end results
will be affected by the amount of insulin that your
pancreas is able to produce in relation to the increased
BG from the candy bar.
When a diabetic has a low BG, and the body is
looking for carbs, juice is digested quickly in a matter of minutes,
but I have found that for me, even a chocolate candy bar
will act almost as quickly. I do believe that most people
would have the same results.
However, being low, is not an issue for you.
And therefore, the time for digestion may vary,
although it should not take two hours. Your BG should
rise, from the candy bar, in about 15 to 20 minutes,
if you have no digestive problems.
It may take up to two hours for it to come back down,
or even longer because your pancreas has slowed
down in the production of insulin.
My advice, no candy bars, whatsoever,
until you have your diabetes under control.
Then, you can experiment, by testing your BG
with your meter, before and after eating a candy bar.
You can also check to see if extra exercise helps to
lower your BG after having a candy bar.
It may turn out that you need to run about ten miles
to burn up the carbs, and you might decide that the
chocolate is not worth it. Same for chocolate cake or
ice cream. I like all of those things, and do have them,
on occasion, but as I am on insulin, I can take a little extra,
when needed to cover the extra carbs.
For now, as a newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic,
your doctor is tying to see if you can be regulated on
diet & exercise. He may add Glucophage/Metformin,
which helps to control the intake of Glucose into the blood.
Later, you may be put on drugs which stimulate the
pancreas to produce the needed insulin.
The less you make the pancreas work, the longer it
is going to last. Chocolate bars do not cause it to
work less
!
Some Type 2's prefer to follow a low carb diet,
along with lots of exercise, in order to avoid the meds for
as long as possible. If you can do that, it may help.
The fact is, your pancreas is not going to get better or
heal itself. It will only get worse, meaning less insulin
production, although no one can predict an exact time frame.
You may never need to go on insulin, but you
will need to follow a diet, which limits
high carbohydrate foods, and foods with a high
glycemic index. The better you take care of yourself,
the better you will get along. Chocolate bars are not
high on the list of low carb foods that are good for you.
Even if it would be absorbed slowly into your system,
that would keep your BG high for a longer period of time.
You have probably had slightly high blood sugars for
some time, but not high enough to have been of concern
for tests. There is current thought that a Type 2 diabetic
may have slightly high blood sugars for as much as ten years
before diagnosis. That can put a strain on other organs
such as the kidneys and heart. Type 2's are much more
prone to heart attacks or stroke from the risks
associated with high blood sugars.
Talk to a dietitian, as well as a certified diabetes educator,
and learn to make use of your meter for info on your BG level.
