Getting To Know Glycemic Index

The glycemic index itself is a ranking (0-100 score, the lower the better) which classifies foods based on the degree they raise blood sugar levels during digestion. Foods with a high glycemic index (GI) tend to be absorbed rapidly, which cause a dramatic rise in blood sugar levels since they're digested and broken down very quickly.
By contrast, foods with a low GI only have a mild effect on insulin and blood sugar, take longer to digest because they aren't comprised of simple carbohydrates or refined sugars, and have a more balanced digestion with only gradual rise in blood sugar and insulin. This makes you feel fuller for a longer period of time, prevents insulin crashes and binges, and promote healthy lipid and triglyceride levels.

This site tells us which are the food that has high, medium or low GI. Useful site for me, who is Type 1.

http://www.southbeach-diet-plan.com/glycemicfoodchart.htm

Basically, the idea is that low GI is good for us. However, when we have hypo, low GI food is definitely a no no....

Cooking Lessons @ TDS

Last Saturday, went TDS to attend a cooking session. Though I like to know more about cooking and baking, I really never get the hang of doing it at home because mom is the boss of the kitchen. Nontheless, that does not stop me from getting receipes and learn cooking.
The chef is Annette. She is also Type 1 diabetic. When she was sharing about when she was dignosed and how she felt when she was dignosed with Type 1, I share the exact same feelings too! She is very lucky to have a very supportive husband and 2 beautiful daughters as well.

She went on to teach us how to prepare western salad. Volunteered to help her cut the veges but frankly speaking, I have no idea how I should cut the veges..hence, was slow in my cutting.
After salad, she taught us how to make Apple Muffins! Yippee!! I love to muffins! It's so great that she is teaching us how to make muffins! I listened attentively to her instructions.
What surprises me was that she actually added honey to the muffins! Eversince I was dignosed with diabetes, I have never touch honey everafter......
She also used apple sauce for the sweetness and fruity taste (Instead of adding sugar). This was something new to me too.... From the demonstrations, it seems like the muffins are not that difficult to make afterall.
So, maybe I shall make them one day. :)

CoverGirl for TDS Magazine

Remember in my May post, I mentioned that I attended Certificate in Basic Diabetes Education? The organizers actually requested me and some others to appear in their next edition of TDS magazine as their coverboy and girl.
The few of us were quite nervous of this phototaking session. Other than this, we were worried (at least for me) about the test later part of the day.
Maybe because this is my first time taking photos for magazine, I do not know what to do and how to pose naturally. Also partly because I was tired and sleepy.... Somehow, I am not able to smile naturally or happily.... and my pose looks weird! hahaha.....
Anyway, other than me, the rest of the coverboy and girls look good with their mega watt smile! ;-) The picture turn out to be nice.
This month, everyone who is a member of TDS should receive the magazine with all of us appearing in the coverpage.

My first time as Covergirl.

Thanks to Clarissa from TDS ;-)

Latest Check Up

This is a delayed post.

Went for my quarterly checkup at the hospital last week.
It was raining very heavily and gosh, there was still so many people in the hospital. Where did all these people come from?
Anyway, waited almost 1 hour (as usual) for doctor....She read out my HbA1c result....7....
Just managed to pass.....I am not satisfied with this result. Recently I have been very 'on' in monitoring my glucose level and will do adjustments to my insulin intake but why am I getting HbA1c of 7? Don't understand......I remembered I ever had a result of 6.3 before. Well, that was some years ago and that time, I seldom do blood test and not monitoring my blood test results very often. Obviously there are times when my glucose level went sky high without me noticing at that time but I still able to get <7 results.
Controlling glucose level is though look simple but it is actually not that simple. To get a good result, I will need to make sure I eat right, do exercise and right amount of insulin to be given.
My goal now is simple, HbA1c of < 7.
My next appointment with doctor is Sept. We shall see if there are any improvements.

Humans Are So Contradicting...or is it only ME?

Eversince I am dignosed with Diabetes, I withdraw myself from my friends for 1-2 years. I felt that they will look at me at a different way. I even felt that the whole world will look at me at a different way. I was very demoralised.....
Slowly, I began to realize that Diabetes is going to be part of me for the rest of my life. From denial and withdrawal, I moved on to acceptance. Accepting that diabetes will be with me for the rest of my life. I start to let some of my closer friends and colleagues know that I have a condition. Not because I wanted to announce to the world but I need their understanding and also to look out for me when I have hypos.....They will know what to do and not let me pass out.
Somehow, more people know that I am diabetic. Some of my friends told me that its common now and they do not feel I am any different from other people. Nothing to be shy away just because I am diabetic. At the back of my mind, I still have this impression that people will look at me at a different way because I am different from them. I am type 1 and I need to live with needles.
Though I will appear in a diabetes related magazine soon but I still feel I will be ostracized by "normal" people. [Devil is working now to tell me that i will be ostracized, even when Angel is trying to tell me that I am normal]

Completed by Certificate in Basic Diabetes Education Course

It's been a long time since I update my blog. Sorry to my readers....

Recently, I attended a short course organized by Touch Diabetes Support. The course is called: Certificate in Basic Diabetes Education.

Spent 4 Saturdays at the Center learning more about diabetes and how to better to manage it by food and diet and also exercise. Frankly speaking, I had this condition for 12 years and should know all the basics about Diabetes Management. Eversince I had this condition, I would say I "alienated" myself from people. I do not want to join support groups because I think I can manage it myself on my own. As long as I stay away from sweet stuffs like ice cream, deserts, cakes, etc, I should be fine. If I monitor it and inject the right amount of insulin and visit doctor every 3 months, I should be ok.

Joining this course has helped me "open" myself up a little and also learn more about diabetes management. What I have gained from this course:

1) Make new friends with has the same condition as me. Somehow their acceptance level of this condition is higher and faster than me. It took me a few years before I can accept this condition is already part of me.

2) I used to shun away from muffins, cakes or biscuits with sweet fillings because they are sweet and will raise my blood glucose to a uncontrollable level. But I learnt that I can still enjoy these food as long as I test myself before consuming. Of course I still need to watch what I eat. Good thing is that I am not a person who loves to eat. I just eat to fill my stomach only. Once in a while I will still have cravings but if my blood glucose level is normal, cravings for these food will not cause me much harm.

3) Food labels reading. I used to wonder how to read these when I am in the supermarket. What they means to me and how I can apply them and eat healthily.

4) Carobohydrate counting. This is the most challenging topic because it can be very confusing for me. Maybe I am too hard up on the carbo exchange and food and try meeting it... I think I need lots of practise and guidance on this. I might get lost with the exchanges...

5) Glycemic Index. Some food has high GI and some has low GI. All along I thought ice cream able to help me get my glucose back when I am having hypos. Even doctors told me ice cream might not help me in my hypos but I do not know why. From this course, I know it has low GI, that's why it does not raise my glucose level fast enough.

6) Fruit juice will raise my glucose level. I have no idea before this. I all along thought that doctors and dietitans encouraged us to eat fruits so fruit juice will bring no harm. I am wrong. Fruit juice go into our blood stream faster and hence will raise our glucose level high faster than eating the real fruit.

7) Better off to be FAT and FIT than SKINNY and SEDENTARY. All along, I thought fat people are not healthy. But I am wrong again. FAT and FIT people in fact are healthier than THIN people. Next time when I talk to a FAT person, I will need to check if he/she does exercise. haha

8) Knowing new friends from the course also helped me to know there are many interesting things and food outside that is beneficial to us, diabetic.

On the last day, we had a short test. Phew....I passed the test. Before we leave for the day, we were sharing of our action plans. One of the course mates shared something very interesting:

He learnt to love his pancreas!

Well, my pancreas gave up on me. :( But I will need to love other organs like kidney, heart and my limbs.

Will try to join more activities and get support from friends who care about diabetes.

Exercise Really Does Affect My Sugar Level

In my earlier post, I mentioned that there is a difference running in the gym and at the open park. Eversince that run in the gym, I have decided not to go gym anymore and diligently go East Coast Park for my regular jog. Been testing my sugar level everytime before and after my jog. For the past 2-3 weeks, it seems like the jog in the park did not have any effect to my sugar level. I was very panic....Been asking myself: What Happened??? Why I did not see any reduction in my readings? Not been eating anything special but why did I not see my sugar level maintaining at the moderate level?
This week, has been diligently recording my readings. On Wednesday, I went to East Coast Park again for my regular jog.......Before my jog, I took my readings: 16.9 (so high coz I took a slice of bread earlier). I jogged for almost half hour and tested my sugar immediately after my jog...oh, my god! It went up to 18.3!!! That was high........told myself to test again before I take my dinner.....So, before my porridge dinner, my sugar readings was 15.3. Hmmm...still high....but if I recall, the reaction of my sugar will probably kicks in like 5-8 hours after my jog.....
So, I tested the next morning when I wake up from bed....4.2! Phew....finally came down......
Subsequently, the readings for the day has been good....between 5.5 - 6.7....in between there is hypo of 3.2. After that, has been stable in the readings.....
So, exercise does help to stabilize my readings .... but what happened to the past 2-3 weeks?