30 Tips from Diabetes Forecast Magazine

An interview with Tracey Neithercott from Diabetes Forecast Magazine ended up with a photography session in Norwalk.  Andrew Kist is the photographer who met with me at Italia's Restaurant on Main Avenue.  The photo shoot took about 2 hours from start to finish.  The magazine placed a full page picture of yours truly in the April 2011 Issue of Diabetes Forecast.  I post this for your information and to share what I am learning about Diabetes. 
The title of Tracey's article is
Back To Basics: Carb Counting Tips
30 top pointers from real people with diabetes


By Tracey Neithercott

The article has 30 tips that Tracy harvested from several Diabetics who were interviewed for this helpful article.  Please take the time to follow the link and print out a copy for your reference or share a link to this blog with a loved one who may benefit from the information. 
 
The tips she harvested from our 40 minute interview are below, numbers 6, 7, and 9.
 

Back To Basics: Carb Counting Tips



photo by Andrew Kist

 6. Enlist help.
“In the beginning, I needed the team to help me,” says Denise Costabile, 57, who was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in April 2010. So when she ate at her favorite Italian restaurant, her husband put the bread on a chair so she wouldn’t be tempted to snatch a slice. “Having his help was key. I needed to surround myself with people who will help me.”

7. Learn from setbacks.
“Last night, I cheated completely, which I never do,” says Costabile. Instead of looking up a food’s carbohydrate content, she guessed. “When I do that, it prompts me to learn that number. I really try to be ready.”

9. Keep it simple.
“When I was first diagnosed, I found things I really love,” says Costabile. “I find comfort in keeping it simple. I have a certain salad dressing on my salad that I like. I stick to it. It’s simpler that way.”

Unsolicited Media Attention

I received some unsolicited media attention in the month of January when a video clip I was in went out the over a few television stations across the country.

Last winter I hired a Lifestyle Coach, Dr. Cynthia Barnett to help me make some changes in my routine. In the process I learned that I have Type 2 Diabetes which affects everything. Over the course of the last ten months since diagnosis, I've learned all kinds of things I did think I'd ever need to know. I remember how frightened I was the first time I tested my BG level after my first visit with the Diabetes Educator. I am not a cryer and I believe I wept. I didn't want to have to stick myself every day.

While I am not happy that I have Type 2 Diabetes. I am grateful for the opportunities this disease affords me. I have a long way to go and I still have a lot to learn. What I learn, I am happy to share what I am learning with others. While needing to exercise more, I chose to walk carrying a camera with me. Time passes quickly when I am absorbed in shooting nature scenes.

In November, Dr. Cynthia shared my name with someone filming a story on people who hire retirement coaches. The story was filmed and aired putting me on the spot to keep blogging and to continue learning about diabetes. I discovered TuDiabetes.org and now have a whole new place to come to learn and share.

Recently I discovered there are many educational videos available through my Netflix account. There are Type 2 Diabetes films, Cooking for Diabetes Shows available and more. The videos range in time and content. From minutes to hours, from cooking shows to medical programs by well know Diabetes Educators and authors. I am happy to find such a wealth of information out there.

A Diabetes Story

I turned to the online community to find out what I need to bring with me to my initial Endocrinologist appointment. My doctors are under the umbrella of one medical center which makes records easy to keep track of. This appointment was a consultation.  Even so, I wanted to be prepared.  I read that Endo's like to look at a record of your blood sugar numbers.  I keep track on a calendar / food log.  To prepare for the upcoming visit, I spent the weeks prior to meet my new team member testing / tracking 2 and 3 times a day.

I am a type 2 diabetic who uses medication, exercise and food plan for controlling my diabetes.  I was told one test a day is enough by my GP and Diabetes Educator suggested I track it twice a day.  I had digressed to the one time a day routine unless I was planning for an evening out or if I felt off.  I took the extra time to follow a.m. and p.m. numbers, with random blood testing before and after meals. The recording showed something I had not realized.  My morning numbers are always the highest numbers of the day unless, I eat carbs after the evening mea. Over the course of the 5 weeks, the averages stayed within target however, the morning numbers were getting higher. I was not doing anything differently.  I was eating right, testing, exercising daily.  I entered the numbers onto a chart and went to my appointment with chart and my monitor in case the doctor wanted to check it's record too. 


Since diagnosis, my medication regime was one 500 mg. tablet of Metformin twice a day.I take my diagnosis seriously. I exercise 30 minutes 5 times a week at least.  I record what I eat and I count my carbs.  I do not want to see complications from diabetes creeping up on me and stealing a single  moment of my life from me.  I have worked hard and done an excellent job of controlling my numbers, and losing weight.  I was told losing weight, watching  carbs, and exercising may eliminate my high BG numbers and make possible a reduction or elimination of medication. My sister and a good friend both were able to go off their medication within a year of their diagnosis.  I aimed to do the same thing.   Despite my "ideal' success story, my new team member prescribed an increase in the Metformin to get lower morning numbers. 

If I were to say I am not disappointed, it would not be true.  I am.  I will adjust to the disappointment in about the same length of time it will take for my stomach to adjust to the increased dosing.  In the mean time, I tell myself that I haven't done anything wrong.  It's not my "fault" and I believe that others will benefit if I speak my truth and let it be known that stuff happens. 

Winter Blues

Letting the dog out after the snow storms was challenging. Blue had a rough month – she is our 11 ½ year old Blue Merle Collie. We use a ramp for her to get up and down the 2 front steps. We started covering the ramp with a table cloth so we didn’t have to shovel the ramp in order for her to be able to use it. Once we cleared space for her, the places for her to go do her business were limited. The roadways were covered with toxic salt. Though we had booties for her to wear and we worked at keeping her feet clean, salt got into her pads and she ended up with an infection that put her on antibiotics for 5 weeks.


The winter’s exercise was invigorating with frigid temps and heavy upper body work. I discovered I enjoy physical activity with a purpose. And the constant snowfall in January gave purpose to my physical activities. Even the mail box had to be dug out in order for the mail carrier to get near it. I would go out daily for 30 to 45 minutes at a time, being careful to not raise the shovel above my chest level when tossing snow. It was not unusual to see me out in the street breaking up ice and snow. I loved that my BG numbers responded nicely to the work outs. If I can discover a few purposeful ways to exercise, boredom will no longer be a deterrent from physical activity.