carb counting

[gettingby]

My doctor wants me to take classes on learning how to count carbs. Here lies the delimnia(sp?). I can't afford the classes out of pocket and I'm not sure if my ins. will cover it. Does anyone know of any helpful books or websites that I can use to learn how to do this? Any help will be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Cin:confused:

[Harold]

Here's a link (http://joslin.org/education/library/wcarbsug.shtml) for meal planning and carb counting. Many states do require insurance to cover classes. Don't know if yours does, but learn as much as you can first. Then you can ask better questions in class.
:)

[gettingby]

Hey Harold. Thanks for the reply. I'm gonna check out the link and go from there. I'm gonna talk to my Dr. at my July appt.
C

[vgray77]

There is more information available on the Internet than you could ever read. If you can post here you should have no trouble finding it. Just do a few searches.
In people with diabetes, the body either does not make enough insulin or cannot use insulin as well as it should. This causes sugars to build up in the blood. Elevated blood glucose levels can cause serious health complications.
What is sad is that by improving and keeping your blood glucose levels near normal you can prevent or delay these complications.
You need to know what is normal for people with diabetes to start with.
Before breakfast 90 to 130
Before lunch, supper and snacks 90 to 130
Two hours after a meal less than 160
Below 70 at any time is too low.
Each person with diabetes is different. The above goals are general guidelines. Your doctor can give you individual goals to maintain and tell you how often to monitor. When starting out you need to monitor more often. Record your readings, your exercise and what and when you eat. You will learn over time what is normal for you. Your blood sugar level is influenced by: your personal metabolism, how much food you eat, the kinds of food you eat, how the food is prepared, how much exercise you get and how much insulin or medication you take.
By monitoring your blood sugar levels and recording your meals you can work with a dietician to develop a meal plan for you. I found out that at my present level of medication and exercise I need to eat 150 to 180 grams of carbohydrates a day divided between three meals and three snacks. The type of carbohydrates also has an influence. The glycemic index (GI) value tells you how rapidly a particular carbohydrate turns into sugar indicating how fast a carbohydrate triggers a rise in blood sugar. Pure glucose is given a value of 100 while other foods are given an index number representing its relative effect on blood glucose levels. The higher the number, the greater and faster the blood sugar responds. So a low GI food will cause a small rise, while a high GI food will trigger a dramatic spike. A GI of 70 or more is high, a GI of 56 to 69 inclusive is medium and a GI of 55 or less is low. If your blood sugar were low, you would prefer to eat a carb that will raise your blood sugar quickly. On the other hand, if you would like to keep your blood sugar from dropping, you may prefer to eat a carb that has a lower glycemic index and longer action time. There are several good web sites with food list showing the GI. Basically foods that are high in fiber, that have not been overly processed have a low GI value, fruits, vegetables, whole grains. Foods with processed sugar and starch have a high GI value, breads, candy and potatoes.
I have read that it takes 30 days to form a new habit. You need to get into a routine of eating at the same time and eating the same amount of carbs, exercising at the same time and take any medications at the same time each day. I would test more often until you get stabilized. A lot of diabetics have to eat 3 meals and 2 or 3 snacks a day to stay level. I eat 3 and 3 with around 25 to 30 grams of carbs each time. I stated out writing down every thing I ate, when I ate, took medication, exercised and all my blood sugar levels. If I cheated and ate too many carbs it would take a couple of days to get stabilized again. Not all carbs are created the same. Do a search on line for GLYCEMIC INDEX. The body responds fastest to simple carbs, like sugar, they cause the blood sugar to climb fast then drop fast. Complex carbs, fiber rich vegetables and fruits, whole grains, take longer to be converted in the body. The blood sugar does not rise as fast or as high. You feel fuller and do not get hungry as fast. There are a lot of good web site about diabetes just do a search on any search engine for diabetes, diabetic, diabetic diet, diabetic forums, magazines and organizations.
The most important thing is to watch your weight, get plenty of exercise and eat a good balanced diet. Check out these web sites.
http://ndep.nih.gov/campaigns/SmallSteps/SmallSteps_index.htm
http://www.gifoundation.com/GI%20Food%20List.htm
http://diabetes.about.com/library/mendosagi/ngilists.htm
http://www.glycemicindex.ca/glycemicindex.html
http://www.healthchecksystems.com/glycemic.htm
http://www.diabetesnet.com/diabetes_food_diet/glycemic_index.php
http://www.mendosa.com/common_foods.htm
http://www.glycemicindex.com/
I hope this helps you. Just putting it down on paper makes me feel better. My father is diabetic, 79 years old and still gets around. Remember that you are in control of your future. If you take a proactive stance you can lead a long and fairly normal live.

[gettingby]

Hey vgray77!!!!!!! Thanks for the advice. I didn't know that there was so much info. out there. Again, thanks a lot.
C

[damianc]

Check out the USDA nutrient database: http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp
It contains loads of data on the constituents of foodstuffs (including bear meat!)