The wrong mentallity

[Bibleteacher]

After reading many posts here I got the feeling that many diabetics think that they have to give up everything in their diet and feel sorry for themselves. they feel deprived and given a rotten deal.

I think that is the wrong mentality to assume.

It is not about giving up anything up, it is about making wise substitutions.
I have not given up anything, I have substituted one bad thing for a good thing.

Instead of white bread I eat Ezekiel bread, multigrain, sprouted and whole wheat bread
Instead of sugar I use Stevia, agave and on ocassion a little honey.
Instead of coffee I now drink herbal teas.

you have to stop the mentality of deprivation and instead adopt a new mentally, if you do not change your mind you will not only have diabetes but also a miserable existance always thinking about what you can no have.

[princesslinda]

You do make a very valid point about the deprivation mentality. However, for those of us who have had a lifetime to get use to all the "bad" things we can no longer have without complications, adjusting to the restrictions (and they are restrictions) can be difficult and sometimes depressing.

It's amazing to me what a large part food plays in our everyday lives (or at least it's that way in my family). Every time we are together, there's food. When there's a wedding, there's food, a funeral, food, a holiday, more food. It's sad, but true.

Even if I were to adapt the lifestyle that has worked so well for you, i'd pretty much be stuck eating at home or carrying my own meals, as the rest of the world (or MY world, anyway) would be eating as always.

I'm hoping the feelings of deprivation are just a part of the process of adjusting to diabetes...just as anger, denial, depression, etc. , and i'll get over it as well in time.

[June91]

I get a bit impatient with advocates of "all natural" and "God given" solutions to diabetes. Left to nature's devices, without the science we have now, all Type 1s died within months or weeks.

And I don't mind switching to new kinds of bread, but with what, pray, can one replace spontaneity?

[Bibleteacher]

Dear June91

I am sorry you feel that way.

I do know that type 1 is different than type 2, they actually should have different names, so what works for one disease might not work for the other.

I am an advocate of "all natural" and "God given" solutions to diabetes, because it works for me and others.
I have faith in my system, but I also go by solid results confirmed by my A1C and my daily BG readings.

Today I woke up to a BG of 86. my monthly average for this month is 91.96.

I do not mean to offend you or anyone else in any manner, but I do what works even though others may disagree, and I would think it selfish of me not to share a method that might be useful to others.

[nancyral]

I am glad you can control your diabetes with diet and excercise. I did so for four years and now the honeymoon is over and I am going on pills. Someday I will be on insulin. Just switching to different foods and walking my fanny off doesn't work anymore.

Enjoy your honey moon.

[BriOnH]

Bibleteacher is new here and has been attacked rather frequently. "Enjoy your honey moon"? wtf. June - he has a different diabetes. Nancy - what's relative to you doesn't mean it will happen to everyone. The guy is confident and believes in God please don't hold that against him. Even with his faith he has not once said to put all your faith in God and that's it. As a matter of fact all of his reccommendations have been rather scientific.

[cheryl]

Hi bible teacher,

Don't get too offended, someone out there will read this and take what you are saying seriously......I grew up in a home where my Mom desperatley and slowly changed our diet around......but once you introduce certain foods it is quite hard to give up.....my mother is a vegan, which means no dairy either, unless the occasional nyc food winds up on our laps and then she is eating a bagel......lol, but seriously, My grandmother was a vegan, and just I hope you heed my warning.......if you ever ever ever need surgery since you metioned you drink herbal teas and I am sure you are experimenting with herbs and what not......My grandmother needed surgery on her cataracts.....well anyway, no one told her you cannot eat certain herbs before you are put under, it will cause stroke, or worse heartattack........or death......Well, and now this puts tears in my eyes, my grandmother had surgery in 2004, and she had a stroke and a heart attack, because she was using glinko bilba (however you spell that), you can't use that with anetesia, atleast none in system for 72 hrs......well at 79 she was almost 80, she survived because of the healthy healthy eating habits, but now she is in a nursing home because she is paralized on the left side of her body.....this is such a long story, but just remember what I told you. Keep records with you of the herbs you use, you never know if you can get into car wreck or what not and need immediate surgery, let people know close to you what you are using........I just thought I'd let you know.......Thank you for your words....


Cheryl

[Funnygrl]

I could see how the other post was controversial.

I see no controversy in this post though. Is there something wrong with feeling happy for what you can do, instead of dwelling on what you can't, like some people do?

[mzizgayle]

Every body is different with this disease, you cannot say "well this works for me, why not you" I was once told on another board that diabetes is like a game show, and the host (diabetes) constantly changes the rules. And not everybody can do it alone with diet and exercise, I have tried it, I was very active before they made the official diagnosis, I was hiking in the mountains for exercise when weather was good, I ate heart healthy before this and obviously it was good enough to keep me in control enough to fool the doctor's tests done each year, but as they said above, my honeymoon is over and now I need drugs to help guide me to keep this in control.

And not everyone can accept this and deal with it as efficiently as you seem to be doing. They need help, support of others, the emotions alone having this disease, and the complications that can result can be very frightening. I feel I can handle most anything given to me, but I have to admit, that being told I had this disease when I did not fit the norm to begin with, based on what I read, saw how my family was healthwise, etc, was frightening to me, and a day does not go by that I am not reminded of it.

If God's way works for you, than that is great, I believe in God wholeheartly but I also believe He gave us the ability to make the choices best suited for us. People with diabetes back in the early part of the century did die at a very early age since there was no science involved. And metformin orginally was derived from natural plants, etc.

And I don't feel sorry for myself, do I feel I got a rotten deal as you stated, yes I would be wrong to say otherwise, but I look at this as just a another challenge in my life.

Yes it is a constant challenge to monitor your food, to suddenly learn what they say is healthy for a person without diabetes is not healthy for a person with...I would have a garden each year and grew some great sweet corn and would roast it over the grill, now I find out if I now eat that corn, I spike to over 200 and those spikes up and down can cause just as much damage to your body.

I agree it is a matter of making substitutions for what is right for each person, but some people need to be able to learn how to find the right information, to experiment, that is why they have these forums to help guide people who feel so overwelmed by this disease, and it takes time.

As far as their attitude, their mentality....it is a human reaction to something that can be scarey to some (it can't be turned off) and I feel it is our responsiblity as humans to help guide the ones scared, not knowing, thru this journey that we have been sent on, not tell them they are mentally deficient or deprived.

[wiseguy]

I believe that Bibleteacher may have some valuable information to share with us if we could stop bringing religion into it and look at it from a diet and nutrition aspect. So what if his information is drawn from the Bible, it's just another source as far as I'm concerned.

I, for one, would like to know more about this Ezekiel bread. Like where to get it and it's nutrition information.

[cheryl]

I am going to say this and I hope no one even tries to offend me because I have seen some things too. You eat as natural as possible the better off you are, I seen it in my grandmother, and my Mom and my Aunt who had breast cancer and no chemo-therapy in 1979, and still is cancer free....I am noticing it in myself.....If I eat mostly natural I am dropping low like it ain't no tomorrow my insulin sensitivity goes up, my requirement goes down. For example last year, I needed like almost 50 units of insulin, I cut out dairy yes dairy and no red meats or pork, I am workin on the chicken sorry it is good.....and I am now down to 34 units of insulin a day, mind you I am only about 3 pounds lighter no big difference, and back on the 50 units I was working out almost 5 days a week, now since I go low all the time, I have done some but not consistant.....I see what cutting a lot of stuff out of the diet is even doing for me, I am no where near perfect, but I used to be so negative at my mom's side about the way they ate and I sounded like a lot of the comments stated above, but the more I have done now in just 2 months the lower my insulin requirements are period.......so I do believe what you are saying, but like a lot of other people it is my weaning process, I have issues of quitting everything I love it is hard and not as cheap as you think, and since I cannot force my eating habits on my husband, he is the bread winner in the home at the moment, I have to respect his choice of foods too, which leaves me on the back burner a lot too........Well, anyway, I am so glad your diet is working for you if my Aunt did it with breast cancer, I know it can work for others too, but you have to remember it is a personal choice by which others are not willing to except, it is hard for me too and that is what I am trying to state.....some need baby steps and others can just quit it cold turkey and others just want all the food that they can eat.....

Cheryl

[Dewey]

I agree Brian. Bibleteacher has brought some pretty helpful hints to the table here in terms of better foods. Ezekiel bread, whole wheat bread and things like Stevia (a natural sweetener) are far better for us than white bread, Splenda, or refined sugar. It takes a miniscule amount of stevia to equal the sweetness of refined sugar, and stevia is available at most health food stores.

Additionally, judging by Bibleteacher's A1C, I think the person is doing a great job of keeping levels in check through the use of diet & see nothing wrong with them trying to share helpful hints.

On another note, I think Linda made some good points in that some people do experience an upset with having to change a lifestyle they've become so used to....that's why for me, it was easier being diagnosed as a child (9). I only had 9 years to become used to the "bad stuff" (i.e. chocolate milk, Yoo-hoos - Yoo-hoos truly are nasty, aren't they!?, candy & other junkfood). While I did go through some rebellious times (teen years), I realized that eating that garbage just wasn't cutting it.

I haven't fully adopted a natural way of eating due to the fact that prices tend to be higher....However, I do my best to eat more naturally than I used to, and it does help to make a person feel healthier overall.

Lastly....Funny & Cheryl, both well said. Wiseguy's also right....why the heck are some making Bibleteacher's posts about religion!? Is it cause of their username!? I for one, saw NO reference to God or the Bible in the first post on this thread...

[June91]

I was wrong and honestly don't feel the way my post sounded and hope that Bibleteacher will accept my apology. I have been feeling angry and helpless recently and would have lashed out at anyone. I'll post about it somewhere else, just wanted to apologise.

[Funnygrl]

I was wrong and honestly don't feel the way my post sounded and hope that Bibleteacher will accept my apology. I have been feeling angry and helpless recently and would have lashed out at anyone. I'll post about it somewhere else, just wanted to apologise.
June, everyone gets frustrated with this disease once in awhile. It's our right!

[Harold]

Ran aground off topic, best to close.