How much is too much?

[angelsbridges]

When you pick a snack or drink, how much sugar do you restrict it to?

I've taken to drinking a protein Ensure as a "snack" on occasion...although I just switched over to Glucerna drinks because they have lower sugar. I drank almost the entire small bottle of Ensure (total bottle has 19g of sugar), and my bs went up to 122 after an hour.

I assume I need to eat less, but any advice on guidelines to make it easier? I don't drink anything else with sugar in it...and all I ate today was half a chicken breast with about a cup of asparagus.

[art]

100 calories. 15 carbs.

That's a snack for me

Art

[angelsbridges]

How much sugar is in 15g of carbs?

I guess I am looking for just straight "sugar" numbers.

[lorilei]

angels bridges...it's not just the sugar you need to look at...the carb value is what you should focus on...minus dietary fibers to some degree..

[angelsbridges]

31g carbs, and I drank 3/4 of it.

WAHHH. I used to be able to eat carbs constantly with no problem! What happened? It used to be I couldn't not eat carbs without getting sick :(

[ShottleBop]

There are protein shakes out there (some fortified with lots of vitamins and minerals, some not) that have 6 or fewer grams of carbs, including fiber.

[genie86333]

WAHHH. I used to be able to eat carbs constantly with no problem! What happened? It used to be I couldn't not eat carbs without getting sick :(

If you were getting sick from NOT eating carbs, it sounds like you may have been hypoglycemic, which can lead to diabetes. (And, although it doesn't *seem* like it would help because you feel like you *need* more carbs, the correct dietary treatment for that is the same as diabetes - limit the carbs & spread what carbs you do eat throughout the day & combine with plenty of protein. This keeps the body from doing wild bg swings & keeps the lows from happening.)

Oh, and as for what was said about watching carbs, not just sugar, it's true. All carbs are all broken down in your body the same way - to glucose. A book my doctor recommended said 1 serving of pasta and a normal size candy bar break down about the same way...except the candy bar might be *better* for you depending on what ingredients it has (nuts, for instance.)

[EeyoreButterfly]

I will echo what the others have said. I don't even look at the sugar on the lable- carbs all the way. Nobody can tell you what is too much for you, just what they recommend based on what they have found. This is where you need to test. I really like SlimFast Optima or Glucerna. I find they don't spike me up. I use the SlimFast if I am running behind in the mornings and don't have time for breakfast. Glucerna makes snack shakes and those are good. I try not to use htem too often though, they are expensive. For a snack I am more likely to eat an apple, orange, or carrots. Some might find those too carb heavy, but I find they don't negatively impact me in the afternoon.

[angelsbridges]

The doctor today told my I am hypoglycemic, per my results from my OGTT.

He said just to eat every few hours to avoid any issues. I have Glucerna shakes (and I love them).

Jessi, what kind of Slim Fast bars do you like?

[sugardumplin]

angelbridges, my sister who is 16 seems to be very much like you. You and her seem to have a lot of similarities as far as symptoms go. And she goes low more often than high. Actually< i dont even know if she has ever gone high. But her doctor told her to just eat healthier. I bet she was eating junk and then crashing later. I think ur gonna find so much information here and youre gonna be just fine.... :D

its been a pleasure reading ur posts

[angelsbridges]

Thank you :)

That makes me feel better. So far the lows haven't stopped, but I assume it takes a while for your body to get used to eating only good foods...

[foxl]

Rest assured, they DO! :)

I just checked my BG and it was 87, no shakes, no irritability!

It seems my fastings just came down DRAMATICALLY this week ... so I am less sensitive to the lower BGs! Hooray. (I realize, if you become insensitive to REAL hypos, it is dangerous. These are those "false" hypos).

[angelsbridges]

These are those "false" hypos
Ooooooh, this is the first time I've heard of this, but it makes complete sense. I alway start to feel horrible when I hit low 80's, 70's and 60's. That's good to know!

[foxl]

You can get them as you come down off a spike, or just get them at higher numbers, but I was cautioned about them in the hospital (by nurses). I am six weeks out and they are much better now!

This is the nuts-and-bolts stuff you miss getting taught, a lot places ... forums are SO GOOD for that kind of info.

[angelsbridges]

Awesome!

Do you eat every few hours then, as well to help regulate it?

I've got to make a grocery list today, I think :)