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Which explains a few things
Feb. 12th, 2003 03:04 pmWell, it's official - I was having some weird symptoms shortly after getting something that wasn't the flu so they couldn't treat it but might as well have been in its behaviour, and went to the doctor to have my glucose metabolism checked and I've got diabetes. Not that this is any great surprise - it does run in the family. So he's got me on pills and glucose monitoring. The monitor's the kind that doesn't need much blood so at least the sampler doesn't hurt particularly (No other problems at least - all my other functions seem to be.. well.. functioning normally.).
I think I weirded out my doctor a bit by NOT being shocked - about the third time he emphasized not eating desserts (and I had patiently explained that I generally *don't* - or if I do it's a piece of fruit which he said was ok) I had to ask him if he had a lot of trouble getting through to most patients because I really *had* heard him the first time. Then again most patients are probably not expecting it, and I've known this was probably coming for years. (I also got the impression he also didn't expect people to read the info that comes with medicine about the possible side effects and so-forth which seems strange. Don't folks want to know what they're taking? Good thing I've hit menopause btw, about half the things *I* take have "don't do this if you're pregnant" on them.)
I must admit it's a good thing I usually cook from scratch - it's amazing how many prepared things they put refined sugar in. I mean... chicken broth? Bouillon? Tums? Toothpaste??? (why would ANYBODY put sugar in toothpaste?) I make my own chicken broth anyway and I suppose I can make my own bouillon too if I can't find a sugarless one over at Rainbow Acres. Get rid of the extra salt too, come to think of it. I've already got a box and a half of Splenda on hand that substitutes nicely for sugar in baking and such (got it when making things for Mom, who has had diabetes for quite awhile herself). And I can still eat sashimi - sushi too, though probably not from Gelson's market where they put sugar in the rice. Have to have a chat with the sushi chef before I eat at Kabuki next (ask about the rice and the stuff they put on eel.). And I can always go over to Mitsuwa market and buy sushi-grade fish and rice wine vinegar (without sugar) and do it myself. There are advantages to living in a major port city in an area with an eclectic taste in markets. :->
Upon reflection, while it IS annoying, the fact is that for the first time in my life I actually have a direct handle on my metabolism. I may finally be able to get rid of some of this irritating excess weight. I know too many fat diabetics to expect it to work automatically, but at the same time I *am* already down ten pounds from when I was sick and while most of that's probably just water loss, it's still trending downwards very slowly. Not so much as to suggest something else is wrong, thankfully... but removing all refined sugar from my diet probably isn't going to hurt. (I must say I feel sorry for anybody who doesn't know the thousand names of sugar on labels though - sucrose, fructose, glucose, corn syrup etc... Thank goodness I already have the label habit after years of tracking down milk products because of Vicky's allergy - which she seems to be outgrowing... also thank goodness!)
I think that's enough blathering for now. Prayers and well wishes appreciated.
I think I weirded out my doctor a bit by NOT being shocked - about the third time he emphasized not eating desserts (and I had patiently explained that I generally *don't* - or if I do it's a piece of fruit which he said was ok) I had to ask him if he had a lot of trouble getting through to most patients because I really *had* heard him the first time. Then again most patients are probably not expecting it, and I've known this was probably coming for years. (I also got the impression he also didn't expect people to read the info that comes with medicine about the possible side effects and so-forth which seems strange. Don't folks want to know what they're taking? Good thing I've hit menopause btw, about half the things *I* take have "don't do this if you're pregnant" on them.)
I must admit it's a good thing I usually cook from scratch - it's amazing how many prepared things they put refined sugar in. I mean... chicken broth? Bouillon? Tums? Toothpaste??? (why would ANYBODY put sugar in toothpaste?) I make my own chicken broth anyway and I suppose I can make my own bouillon too if I can't find a sugarless one over at Rainbow Acres. Get rid of the extra salt too, come to think of it. I've already got a box and a half of Splenda on hand that substitutes nicely for sugar in baking and such (got it when making things for Mom, who has had diabetes for quite awhile herself). And I can still eat sashimi - sushi too, though probably not from Gelson's market where they put sugar in the rice. Have to have a chat with the sushi chef before I eat at Kabuki next (ask about the rice and the stuff they put on eel.). And I can always go over to Mitsuwa market and buy sushi-grade fish and rice wine vinegar (without sugar) and do it myself. There are advantages to living in a major port city in an area with an eclectic taste in markets. :->
Upon reflection, while it IS annoying, the fact is that for the first time in my life I actually have a direct handle on my metabolism. I may finally be able to get rid of some of this irritating excess weight. I know too many fat diabetics to expect it to work automatically, but at the same time I *am* already down ten pounds from when I was sick and while most of that's probably just water loss, it's still trending downwards very slowly. Not so much as to suggest something else is wrong, thankfully... but removing all refined sugar from my diet probably isn't going to hurt. (I must say I feel sorry for anybody who doesn't know the thousand names of sugar on labels though - sucrose, fructose, glucose, corn syrup etc... Thank goodness I already have the label habit after years of tracking down milk products because of Vicky's allergy - which she seems to be outgrowing... also thank goodness!)
I think that's enough blathering for now. Prayers and well wishes appreciated.
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