Daily Carbohydrate Intake and Cinnamon?

[Debbie Sue]

What amount of carbs should I not go over for an average day? I know the lower the better, but sometimes I get really sluggish when I know I haven't had enough.

Also, does cinnamon really help in lowering bg? If so, what type? Supplement form or the type I have in a can in the kitchen?

[princesslinda]

You can search "cinnamon" and find lots of old posts about it. Bottom line, some say it works, some say it doesn't, you have to try it and see if it has any effect on YOUR blood sugars.

As for amount of carbs,you'll find lots of different ideas, as we all manage our diets differently. The best way to determine what works for you is try eating something, then test 2 hrs after your first bite to determine your blood sugar response. I was given a 140 blood sugar goal for 2 hr readings, but I prefer it lower and have modified my diet to get the results I want. I generally stay between 70 - 100 carbs per day, but many do much lower with good results. Find what works for you.

I find that if I avoid bread, rice, pasta and potatoes, my blood sugar does well overall.

BTW, the sluggish feeling may be from higher than normal blood sugars. I have found that when my blood sugars are elevated I feel very tired.

[Debbie Sue]

I can't wait for the education classes! I wish I could have gotten in sooner than June 16th. I need them now. I still feel like I'm floundering. I do appreciate all the help I'm getting here. It's like trying to put a puzzle together with all the information I'm getting. I am supposed to call in my numbers after 7 days of taking the Metformin and Actos. Then, in a month, I go back to see my endo PA. And the emotional roller coaster I have been on... *sigh*

I test 4 times a day. I still screw that up from time to time and waste a strip or 2 before I get it right. Why are those strips so time sensitive? It's like making a mad dash for the finish line once I open the strips container.

[princesslinda]

What do you mean your strips are "time sensitive?" The only time I waste a strip is if I don't get enough blood on it.

[fgummett]

What do you mean your strips are "time sensitive?" The only time I waste a strip is if I don't get enough blood on it.I was going to say that I have had my test meter "time out" if I wait too long to put on the blood after inserting the test strip... but I just tried this with my latest 5 second Ascencia Contour Link and I waited 2 minutes without it timing out. I suspect, although I'm not 100% sure that if your meter does "time out" you can simply remove and re-insert the test strip so it should start over. :) Too expensive to waste. I still screw up all the time, Debbie Sue and sometimes end up having to stick another finger :o

[slipperyelm]

If your meter is blinking at you that too much time has passed, but you have not yet put blood on the strip, that does NOT mean the strip is expired. You just need to take the strip out of the meter and restart the meter with the same strip.

Is your trouble in getting enough blood on the strip? We can help you with that, if so.

DebbieSue, I am anoter whose best success in controlling my blood sugar levels is through eating low carb. I think it is very unlikely that your diabetic class --even if nutrition focused-- will tell you how much difference very low carb eating can make.

I don't think it is a good idea to think about how many carbs you can eat in a day. Better to focus on how many carbs you can eat at any single time that you eat. Because, maybe you can handle, say, 120 grams of carbohydrate in a day if you split that up into 24 grams at each of 3 meals and each of two snacks. But if you try to eat 60 grams of carbohydrate at each of two meals and then no carbohydrate for the rest of the day, then maybe that is too much carbohydrate for you at one time. How do you know if it is too much? Well you test your blood glucose 2 hours after eating and see how high it is.

[Debbie Sue]

I think what I'm asking is why is it required to snap the lid shut on the test strips container so fast after taking the strip out?Will something bad happen to the strips if the lid is left open? My meter will give me an E-2 error reading if I don't get blood on my strip in less than a minute. If that happens, I just pull the strip out and reinsert it.

[Debbie Sue]

If your meter is blinking at you that too much time has passed, but you have not yet put blood on the strip, that does NOT mean the strip is expired. You just need to take the strip out of the meter and restart the meter with the same strip.

Is your trouble in getting enough blood on the strip? We can help you with that, if so.

DebbieSue, I am anoter whose best success in controlling my blood sugar levels is through eating low carb. I think it is very unlikely that your diabetic class --even if nutrition focused-- will tell you how much difference very low carb eating can make.

I don't think it is a good idea to think about how many carbs you can eat in a day. Better to focus on how many carbs you can eat at any single time that you eat. Because, maybe you can handle, say, 120 grams of carbohydrate in a day if you split that up into 24 grams at each of 3 meals and each of two snacks. But if you try to eat 60 grams of carbohydrate at each of two meals and then no carbohydrate for the rest of the day, then maybe that is too much carbohydrate for you at one time. How do you know if it is too much? Well you test your blood glucose 2 hours after eating and see how high it is.

Yesterday's lunch consisted of reheated roast beef and a glass of Crystal Light Lemonade and my bs reading after 2 hours was 173. That's the lowest reading I've had so far. No carbs, just protein. Maybe I can get through life without carbs.

[princesslinda]

You will probably see better #s as your metformin "kicks in," (which can take approx. 3 weeks to reach optimal levels).

I have very few carbs for breakfast, as my fasting #s are generally a little higher than my 110 or less goal. I have the most carbs for lunch, as i'm up and about then, and at dinner, since I eat late, I avoid many carbs, as I go to bed not long after I eat (I work 2 jobs and don't get home until late).

I have eaten at a variety of carb levels and never had better levels than when I did really low carb (30/day), but I personally couldn't maintain that level longterm. You'll find what works for you, and I agree with Elm, that its best to split your carbs throughout the day.

When I saw the educator at my doctor's office, she gave me a diet plan that included a LOT of carbs. I soon found I couldn't eat that many and get the results I expected.

Don't get discouraged. This is a new way of life for you and it takes awhile to get acclimated to it.


As for your meter, I use the One TOuch Ultra II and One Touch Mini, neither of which require you to shut the strips quickly, as the strips are separate from the meter. Check out the freebie thread here and order yourself one...they are quite handy.

[slipperyelm]

They want you to shut the container in order to keep out humidity. Moisture from the air ruins the strips over time. I would say do not get overly tense about closing up the container. Go ahead and finish your test fist if you like.

However, my meter does not even turn on until I put the strip in. So I can 1)take out my strip, 2)close the jar, 3)put the strip in the meter, 4)prick my finger, and 5)test. You don't have to hurry the test strip from the container to the meter. You've got plenty of time.

[Debbie Sue]

Ah, good to hear slipperyelm. I get so tense and stressed every time I go to test. I just want to be as relaxed as possible. I understand stress makes bs rise. Today I am actually feeling quite alert and very energetic. Getting a lot done around here since being in a fog for several months prior to my diagnosis.

[BrianSCohen]

Debbie Sue,

It will take some time to normalize your blood sugars. Don't stress over it, just take the right corrective actions and it will work out. I take cinnamon, generally a couple teaspoons a day in my morning oatmeal (my only real carb of the day). I can't really say it makes a difference, at least it does no harm.

Just keep up with a low carb diet, you can try for 100 grams of carbs or less for a day, but don't fret. You basically have been running around in a state where you just overwhelmed your poor pancreas. It tried and tried, but it could not put out enough insulin to bring your blood sugar down. Usually the pancreas stores up some insulin as a buffer for when you eat and that is called a phase 1 response. Your phase 2 response (direct production) is all you have left, and it is delayed and takes too long. You have to reduce the load to get things back to normal, but don't fret it will come pretty quickly.

The other thing you need to make sure is that you don't have a condition which is causing ongoing blood sugar elevation. Do you have an ongoing infection. When I was diagnosed, I had periodontal disease going on. The infection itself caused elevated blood sugars, and the sugars also made the infection worse.

Don't worry about the strips, we all blow tests all the time. My main problem when I started was a failure to clean my hands. Some things on your hands can badly contaminate readings. Hand lotion blow readings. Anything sweet remaining on your hands is also bad.

[Debbie Sue]

I take cinnamon, generally a couple teaspoons a day in my morning oatmeal (my only real carb of the day). I can't really say it makes a difference, at least it does no harm.

So, what else do you eat for the day? I love oatmeal and would like to start my day with it too. I like the cinnamon on the oatmeal idea. I'll have to try it and see what my #s tell me.

[Debbie Sue]

The other thing you need to make sure is that you don't have a condition which is causing ongoing blood sugar elevation. Do you have an ongoing infection. When I was diagnosed, I had periodontal disease going on. The infection itself caused elevated blood sugars, and the sugars also made the infection worse.

Yes! It's a UTI and I'm not on antibiotics for it. It's such a light case I hardly notice it, but I can feel something going on. Should I get an antibiotic? Can I take one and it not cause a problem?

[princesslinda]

Yes! It's a UTI and I'm not on antibiotics for it. It's such a light case I hardly notice it, but I can feel something going on. Should I get an antibiotic? Can I take one and it not cause a problem?


Do you think you may have a yeast infection? When our blood sugars are high, we are often prone to these.

If you have a UTI, i'd suggest increasing your water intake, avoiding carbonated beverages and maybe taking some of the cranberry supplements you can find over the counter at the pharmacy (cranberry juice may be hard on your blood sugar). If your symptoms don't resolve, i'd see your doc for some antibiotics.

[Debbie Sue]

Thanks for the cranberry supplement idea, d'oh silly me I should have thought about this. I usually drink cranberry juice but didn't this time because of the diabetes. I drink loads of water all day and still munch ice cubes. I'm also not drinking pop as I;m not real keen on diet pop. *shudder* That aftertaste just gets to me.

[BrianSCohen]

Debbie Sue,

You can still have some oatmeal, just be aware of what you are eating. The best is steel cut. As a whole grain it is a complex carb, digests slowly, is the best for you and will cause the least blood sugar rise. Eat a measure amount, don't eat two cups. I frequently prepare a large batch for the week at home, it takes a half hour or more to cook. Then I can spoon out a serving and nuke it in the morning with a bunch of cinnamon and splenda.

Take action on the UTI right away. As a diabetic, you won't react the same to this sort of condition and are unlikely to treat a UTI effectively with home remedies. If it gets real bad and your blood sugar rises too much you may spill glucose in your urine and then you are in real trouble. Don't mess with it, see a dr. and get it taken care of. Some antibiotics may increase blood sugar, but it is transient. When I took antibiotics for my perio problems, my fasting blood sugar ended up dropping 50 mg/dL. It can make a huge difference.