This made me laugh, and I wanted to share.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Friday, August 12, 2011
Blogging is harddddd
It's tough to post on a regular basis! Sometimes I just don't know what to write about. Perhaps I could pick one day and walk you through what goes on (related to blood sugar and insulin, of course). I'll do that soon.
For today though I will touch on the topic of weight loss! Intentional weight loss that is. My freshman year of college I thought, "Good thing I have this nutritional plan, otherwise I'd gain the Freshman 15 just like everyone else!" Well guess what happened, I totally gained my Freshman... 10 maybe. Things like peanut butter mixed with vanilla soft serve ice cream might've done the trick (man that was so good). Peanut butter and cheese are foods considered "free" in the diabetes world because they aren't carbohydrates. Vegetables are more of a free food than PB and cheese are, but still. I love me some peanut butter. And peanut butter loves it some... me. Anyway, after freshman year was over I was at a weight I wasn't comfortable with, so decided to shed a few ell-beez. I honestly can't remember exactly what I did, but going into my Sophomore year I was probably down about 15 pounds! I don't think I even weighed myself, I can't remember. I'm sure I just controlled my portions more strictly. For the rest of college my weight probably fluctuated within 5-10 pounds but I never went to one extreme or the other thank goodness!
October 2010 I had my yearly physical at the doctor and they weighed me (which I never do for myself) and it was at a number I wasn't a huge fan of. So I decided to read some labels, and start thinking about calories more carefully. Even though I've been exercising since high school I never gave two hoots about calories and didn't even look at what was in anything. Once I started looking and calculating calories in combined with calories burned, I realized what I'd have to do if I wanted to lose some weight. Since then, I've just been noticing what I've been consuming. I still treat myself to certain things if I feel like it, but just being more aware is helpful. The flip side of all this is that calorie counting can make anybody go insane if they become too obsessed. And for me particularly since treating low blood sugar = more calories. It's tough sometimes, but obviously treating low blood sugars is priority over consuming a certain number of calories in a day. And then the actual working out comes into play... the longer I work out, the more sugar/carbs I need to 'cover' myself so my blood sugar doesn't dip too low. So I could just start my workout with really high blood sugar so that I don't need to eat anything, but... who wants to work out while hungry?! NOBODY! It's horrible. Even worse than that though is that high blood sugar is not good. Yet another balancing act I've become quite good at! All of these things take practice. When I got diagnosed I thought I'd be the same weight for the rest of my life since I was on a meal/carb-counting plan. But uhdoy, who stays on the same meal plan for the rest of her life? Not this guy. I gained weight, woops. I figured out how to lose it. Hooray! As long as I'm feeling well and happy where I am... that's all I need.
Bullet Point: I'm not really sure. Happy FRIDAY!!
For today though I will touch on the topic of weight loss! Intentional weight loss that is. My freshman year of college I thought, "Good thing I have this nutritional plan, otherwise I'd gain the Freshman 15 just like everyone else!" Well guess what happened, I totally gained my Freshman... 10 maybe. Things like peanut butter mixed with vanilla soft serve ice cream might've done the trick (man that was so good). Peanut butter and cheese are foods considered "free" in the diabetes world because they aren't carbohydrates. Vegetables are more of a free food than PB and cheese are, but still. I love me some peanut butter. And peanut butter loves it some... me. Anyway, after freshman year was over I was at a weight I wasn't comfortable with, so decided to shed a few ell-beez. I honestly can't remember exactly what I did, but going into my Sophomore year I was probably down about 15 pounds! I don't think I even weighed myself, I can't remember. I'm sure I just controlled my portions more strictly. For the rest of college my weight probably fluctuated within 5-10 pounds but I never went to one extreme or the other thank goodness!
October 2010 I had my yearly physical at the doctor and they weighed me (which I never do for myself) and it was at a number I wasn't a huge fan of. So I decided to read some labels, and start thinking about calories more carefully. Even though I've been exercising since high school I never gave two hoots about calories and didn't even look at what was in anything. Once I started looking and calculating calories in combined with calories burned, I realized what I'd have to do if I wanted to lose some weight. Since then, I've just been noticing what I've been consuming. I still treat myself to certain things if I feel like it, but just being more aware is helpful. The flip side of all this is that calorie counting can make anybody go insane if they become too obsessed. And for me particularly since treating low blood sugar = more calories. It's tough sometimes, but obviously treating low blood sugars is priority over consuming a certain number of calories in a day. And then the actual working out comes into play... the longer I work out, the more sugar/carbs I need to 'cover' myself so my blood sugar doesn't dip too low. So I could just start my workout with really high blood sugar so that I don't need to eat anything, but... who wants to work out while hungry?! NOBODY! It's horrible. Even worse than that though is that high blood sugar is not good. Yet another balancing act I've become quite good at! All of these things take practice. When I got diagnosed I thought I'd be the same weight for the rest of my life since I was on a meal/carb-counting plan. But uhdoy, who stays on the same meal plan for the rest of her life? Not this guy. I gained weight, woops. I figured out how to lose it. Hooray! As long as I'm feeling well and happy where I am... that's all I need.
Bullet Point: I'm not really sure. Happy FRIDAY!!
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Addendum to the math post
I wanted to clarify that my intention was not to scramble your brain with mathematics, but only to show off my math skills. No, wait... that wasn't the goal either. I'm not really sure what the goal was, but it certainly wasn't to confuse anyone. In reality, all the calculations are easy (once you know how/why/when/zen), but writing them all at once even made my brain hurt. It's more difficult to explain than to DO.
I also wanted to note that of course not everything I eat has a label. So I do a lot of estimating, particularly when I go out to restaurants. Roasted chicken on a bed of risotto does not have the ADA exchange rate listed on the underside of the plate (or DOES it?!). After a short time, I got very good at the guessing and estimating. Naturally, sometimes the guessing is a bit off, but that's to be expected. A salad with apple slices for example- I think of the carbs in an apple (average 25grams) and check out about how many slices on the salad- probably about a whole apple, so that's 25grams right there. Maybe there are some crispy tortilla strips on that salad too! A whole small tortilla would be about 25grams of carbs also, and I'd bet that about 3/4ths of the tortilla was on the salad, so I'd add 20grams. Then I'd factor in a couple grams here and there for dressing, cheese (goat cheese for this salad thankyouverymuch), etc... so for this fictitious (but delicious, no?) salad, I would take about 5 or 6 units of insulin (because there were about 50-60 grams of carbs in it).
Anyway... don't be confused, count your foods (or I will)!
I also wanted to note that of course not everything I eat has a label. So I do a lot of estimating, particularly when I go out to restaurants. Roasted chicken on a bed of risotto does not have the ADA exchange rate listed on the underside of the plate (or DOES it?!). After a short time, I got very good at the guessing and estimating. Naturally, sometimes the guessing is a bit off, but that's to be expected. A salad with apple slices for example- I think of the carbs in an apple (average 25grams) and check out about how many slices on the salad- probably about a whole apple, so that's 25grams right there. Maybe there are some crispy tortilla strips on that salad too! A whole small tortilla would be about 25grams of carbs also, and I'd bet that about 3/4ths of the tortilla was on the salad, so I'd add 20grams. Then I'd factor in a couple grams here and there for dressing, cheese (goat cheese for this salad thankyouverymuch), etc... so for this fictitious (but delicious, no?) salad, I would take about 5 or 6 units of insulin (because there were about 50-60 grams of carbs in it).
Anyway... don't be confused, count your foods (or I will)!
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Math Lesson
Perhaps it's time for some technical information, mmm? Perhaps it's not, but here it comes. So as I've mentioned there are a few different types of insulin, and the 'fast acting' Humalog is what you're going to learn about right now! So exciting.
A healthy blood sugar target is around 80-150mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter, I've gone cross-eyed). If your (my) blood sugar is over that, it needs to be 'corrected.' That's where exercise can come in, but typically insulin takes that job. Each person's body is different and processes the insulin differently, so the 'correction factor' is different. There will be a quiz at the end of this post about how many times I used the word 'different' so pay attention. What you do first is determine the correction factor with your doctor, then decide on a target blood sugar, and that's where the fun math comes in! My correction factor is 50 (I'm going to be honest, I don't remember what that even means... it's just 50. That will have to suffice for now). My target blood sugar is 100mg/dL. Before you run away, let me give you an example: Let's say I check my blood sugar and it's at 250mg/dL, sacre bleu! No fear. Equation is as follows: actual blood sugar (250) minus blood sugar I correct to (100) then divide by 50 (correction factor) = 3. So what? 3. Congratulations. Neat number. No, no, it's more than that. That 3 means I have to take 3 extra units of Humalog in order to get my blood sugar to the wonderful 100mg/dL I want it to be! Not too bad? Still with me?
Next science tidbit is counting carbohydrates! That is how I determine how many units of Humalog I take with each meal. For anyone who's done Weight Watchers, you'd be surprised to know it is QUITE similar to diabetes and its carb-counting regimen. The American Diabetes Association once upon a time determined that "one" carbohydrate = 15 grams of carbs. Ask me how many carbs per serving on just about anything, I'll tell you without lookin! Anyway, when I have a meal, I look at the carbohydrates in the nutrition information (luckily the world is coming around and posting nutrition information in more and more places) and assess/mathematize from there. Example time! Let's go with a Nature Valley granola bar (a staple in my diet). The serving size is 2 bars (which come in one packet), and there are 29grams of carbs in that serving. I determined with my doctor that to maintain my healthy blood sugar, my body needs 1 unit of insulin per 10 grams of carbs. Ipso facto, if I eat that granola bar, I take (rounded) 3 units of insulin. 30grams of carbohydrates = 3 units of insulin (for Olivia).
Next time you read a label, there's a good chance you'll see at the bottom the "ADA Exchange". On the granola bar box it says the ADA Exchange is "2" because remember that 15grams of carbohydrates = "one" carbohydrate, that's why the granola bar is 2. Not every brand of food is associate with the ADA, but the ones that are will have this information listed on their label, rather convenient! This all makes sense to me because I learned it and have been living it. Don't fret if your head is spinning. And if it's not spinning, hats off to you and your non-spinning head beneath them!
Bullet points:
-15grams of carbs = "one" exchange in the ADA world
-Blood sugar correction factor
-Math is fun (no it's not)
Happy Tuesday!
A healthy blood sugar target is around 80-150mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter, I've gone cross-eyed). If your (my) blood sugar is over that, it needs to be 'corrected.' That's where exercise can come in, but typically insulin takes that job. Each person's body is different and processes the insulin differently, so the 'correction factor' is different. There will be a quiz at the end of this post about how many times I used the word 'different' so pay attention. What you do first is determine the correction factor with your doctor, then decide on a target blood sugar, and that's where the fun math comes in! My correction factor is 50 (I'm going to be honest, I don't remember what that even means... it's just 50. That will have to suffice for now). My target blood sugar is 100mg/dL. Before you run away, let me give you an example: Let's say I check my blood sugar and it's at 250mg/dL, sacre bleu! No fear. Equation is as follows: actual blood sugar (250) minus blood sugar I correct to (100) then divide by 50 (correction factor) = 3. So what? 3. Congratulations. Neat number. No, no, it's more than that. That 3 means I have to take 3 extra units of Humalog in order to get my blood sugar to the wonderful 100mg/dL I want it to be! Not too bad? Still with me?
Next science tidbit is counting carbohydrates! That is how I determine how many units of Humalog I take with each meal. For anyone who's done Weight Watchers, you'd be surprised to know it is QUITE similar to diabetes and its carb-counting regimen. The American Diabetes Association once upon a time determined that "one" carbohydrate = 15 grams of carbs. Ask me how many carbs per serving on just about anything, I'll tell you without lookin! Anyway, when I have a meal, I look at the carbohydrates in the nutrition information (luckily the world is coming around and posting nutrition information in more and more places) and assess/mathematize from there. Example time! Let's go with a Nature Valley granola bar (a staple in my diet). The serving size is 2 bars (which come in one packet), and there are 29grams of carbs in that serving. I determined with my doctor that to maintain my healthy blood sugar, my body needs 1 unit of insulin per 10 grams of carbs. Ipso facto, if I eat that granola bar, I take (rounded) 3 units of insulin. 30grams of carbohydrates = 3 units of insulin (for Olivia).
Next time you read a label, there's a good chance you'll see at the bottom the "ADA Exchange". On the granola bar box it says the ADA Exchange is "2" because remember that 15grams of carbohydrates = "one" carbohydrate, that's why the granola bar is 2. Not every brand of food is associate with the ADA, but the ones that are will have this information listed on their label, rather convenient! This all makes sense to me because I learned it and have been living it. Don't fret if your head is spinning. And if it's not spinning, hats off to you and your non-spinning head beneath them!
Bullet points:
-15grams of carbs = "one" exchange in the ADA world
-Blood sugar correction factor
-Math is fun (no it's not)
Happy Tuesday!
Friday, July 22, 2011
Monday, July 18, 2011
College
I get a little overwhelmed thinking back on how much was going on before I went to college. I had been living with diabetuss for about 2 months before I left for school. TWO MONTHS!! That is so absurd I'm not sure how I did it. And I wasn't going to school down the street, I was attending James Madison University... a 600 mile hop-skip-and-a-jump away from home. I honestly don't remember thinking much about whether or not I would still go to JMU, just thinking more along the lines of being really scared. There were certainly 'if' thoughts rolling around though. The final decision was indeed to buck up and go out to Virginia to begin my college career!
A typical college freshman has a lot to think about. A college freshman 600 miles from home and relearning how to live with diabetes has juuust a couple extra things to think about. I had to make sure there was a pharmacy nearby where I could refill and pick up my prescriptions (whew, CVS down the road... that I rode my bike to from my dorm), had to schedule classes that followed my medicine's schedule (a little bit more difficult). The insulin I was taking when I first started the diabetes regimen was the 'you-have-to-eat-lunch-4-hours-after-you-take-it' insulin, so I had to work around that. When I think back to my first semester and my class/food schedule, I almost have to laugh... then give myself a high five. James Madison's campus is huge. I had a class that let out at probably 11:50 or so, and it was at the tippy top of campus. Then I had to make it to just about the bottom of campus for a 12:00 class. And somehow I had to eat. Let me tell you, the first 10 minutes my 12:00 math class involved brow-wiping and heavy breathing. Oh, and sandwich eating. What I would have to do is use one of my meal plan "punches" (I can't even think of a synonym... ticket maybe?) the night before and get a to-go sandwich, and bring that with me for those sweaty/breathey math class days. After a couple weeks of being late to class, I went to Walmart and bought a bike. That made my downhill trek much faster (going from the bottom of campus back up turned my freshman quadriceps to STEEL!).
So the insulin timing with food and class and all that junk is one thing. Then there's that whole "you're in college, let's get drunk!" business. First of all, I never drank in high-school so it wasn't something I did to begin with. My lettuce-recommending-parents weren't strict about drinking and things like that (but weren't willy-nilly either, in their defense), so I wasn't aching to rebel and drink my face off the first chance I got. Also, there was that whole diabetes thing, remember? I forgot too. Binge drinking is dangerous for anyone. Binge drinking for somebody with diabetes is even more dangerous because (and I remember a nurse telling me this and I haven't forgotten it since) if my blood sugar dipped low enough that I passed out, an untrained/unaware eye would think, "Oh she's just passed out drunk" when in fact it was diabetic shock. RUH ROH. That is bad news bears. So, freshman year I think I might've had three drinks... total. In 180 days. I was petrified to drink anything. I thank my stars and garters that my angel of a roommate was in the same non-drinking boat as I was. We had the best year together just staying low key. As a matter of fact, we continued to live together for all 4 years of college! Love you, Hutch. :) I went out to a few parties and if I said I didn't drink, I would occasionally get asked why, and as soon as I said that I was diabetic, the response was usually, "Oh, ok cool!" No problems there.
After getting used to my body, how it worked with diabetes, and what I could and couldn't (and did and didn't want to) handle, I learned how to drink safely. Alcohol lowers your blood sugar, so having a snack before and/or during drinks is crucial. And never getting to the oh-so-dangerous black-out point. Even without diabetes, I would never choose to do that. I don't like the feeling of not being in control of my own body. My good ole motto of "everything in moderation" rears its head again! For college students who are newly diagnosed, or high school students who haven't gotten to college yet... my advice is just to be careful, be safe, and make sure you have a friend around who knows your dealio. I have to admit that sometimes it just felt annoying and a little nerdy to have to do those things... but if push had come to shove, it would've saved my life, and could save yours.
BULLET POINT: Drinking is allowed, but be smart and safe (that goes for everyone, really)!
A typical college freshman has a lot to think about. A college freshman 600 miles from home and relearning how to live with diabetes has juuust a couple extra things to think about. I had to make sure there was a pharmacy nearby where I could refill and pick up my prescriptions (whew, CVS down the road... that I rode my bike to from my dorm), had to schedule classes that followed my medicine's schedule (a little bit more difficult). The insulin I was taking when I first started the diabetes regimen was the 'you-have-to-eat-lunch-4-hours-after-you-take-it' insulin, so I had to work around that. When I think back to my first semester and my class/food schedule, I almost have to laugh... then give myself a high five. James Madison's campus is huge. I had a class that let out at probably 11:50 or so, and it was at the tippy top of campus. Then I had to make it to just about the bottom of campus for a 12:00 class. And somehow I had to eat. Let me tell you, the first 10 minutes my 12:00 math class involved brow-wiping and heavy breathing. Oh, and sandwich eating. What I would have to do is use one of my meal plan "punches" (I can't even think of a synonym... ticket maybe?) the night before and get a to-go sandwich, and bring that with me for those sweaty/breathey math class days. After a couple weeks of being late to class, I went to Walmart and bought a bike. That made my downhill trek much faster (going from the bottom of campus back up turned my freshman quadriceps to STEEL!).
So the insulin timing with food and class and all that junk is one thing. Then there's that whole "you're in college, let's get drunk!" business. First of all, I never drank in high-school so it wasn't something I did to begin with. My lettuce-recommending-parents weren't strict about drinking and things like that (but weren't willy-nilly either, in their defense), so I wasn't aching to rebel and drink my face off the first chance I got. Also, there was that whole diabetes thing, remember? I forgot too. Binge drinking is dangerous for anyone. Binge drinking for somebody with diabetes is even more dangerous because (and I remember a nurse telling me this and I haven't forgotten it since) if my blood sugar dipped low enough that I passed out, an untrained/unaware eye would think, "Oh she's just passed out drunk" when in fact it was diabetic shock. RUH ROH. That is bad news bears. So, freshman year I think I might've had three drinks... total. In 180 days. I was petrified to drink anything. I thank my stars and garters that my angel of a roommate was in the same non-drinking boat as I was. We had the best year together just staying low key. As a matter of fact, we continued to live together for all 4 years of college! Love you, Hutch. :) I went out to a few parties and if I said I didn't drink, I would occasionally get asked why, and as soon as I said that I was diabetic, the response was usually, "Oh, ok cool!" No problems there.
After getting used to my body, how it worked with diabetes, and what I could and couldn't (and did and didn't want to) handle, I learned how to drink safely. Alcohol lowers your blood sugar, so having a snack before and/or during drinks is crucial. And never getting to the oh-so-dangerous black-out point. Even without diabetes, I would never choose to do that. I don't like the feeling of not being in control of my own body. My good ole motto of "everything in moderation" rears its head again! For college students who are newly diagnosed, or high school students who haven't gotten to college yet... my advice is just to be careful, be safe, and make sure you have a friend around who knows your dealio. I have to admit that sometimes it just felt annoying and a little nerdy to have to do those things... but if push had come to shove, it would've saved my life, and could save yours.
BULLET POINT: Drinking is allowed, but be smart and safe (that goes for everyone, really)!
Monday, July 11, 2011
Sometimes it rains
Okay, I went from 0-100 on the posts, then forgot how to use a computer. I'm back, and know where the space bar is.
I've been trying to think of posts that will be interesting to any and everyone, and that's impossible. I'll just have to write what my brain tells me and if you like it, then hot diggity dawg! And if not... then cold dawgs. In all of my preaching about how living with diabetes is now routine for me and I hardly think much of it anymore, I have to say that isn't always the case. I'm not Superwoman... yet. There are days when I just don't feel like checking.my.dang.blood.sugar! Days I don't want to think about how people will react if I tell them, times I don't want to have to plan ahead and figure out how many syringes to bring with me on a trip (and bring a note from my doctor so I don't get kicked off a plane), and on and on. But I do it all anyway, because it's my life and taking care of myself is priority number ONE.
In addition to that, I was blessed (I think I sometimes might take this for granted) with a healthy upbringing. My family is a healthy one in terms of food and exercise. I was always an active kid, and I vividly remember hearing, "Have at least a little something green" at nearly every dinner. Nothing was ever forced, just recommended. And consistent recommendations stuck with me (thanks Mum and Dad). If I have a dinner without a salad, piece of broccoli, or a green crayon, it feels incomplete. That pattern of healthy eating was with me even before diabetes became a part of my life; and I'm certain that has aided in my success at maintaining my health. That being said, just because somebody didn't grow up the way I did, most definitely does not mean those habits can't be learned. If I learned about 7/10 (estimated) of 'what diabetes is' in 3 days at a hospital... anybody can learn about how eating vegetables is helpful, and that they don't necessarily taste gross.
Creating a routine is the key to managing diabetes well. Balancing blood sugar, insulin dosages, eating well, and exercising: get a pattern down with those 4 components, and the aggravating ups and downs won't happen as often. Another piece of sound advice is to allow yourself to get mad and be pissed of at Sir Diabetuss for a minute. He's a jerk sometimes and can handle some scrutiny. It's okay to feel down about having to deal with this disease. At the same time, remember it's not the worst thing in the world. Another scale to balance. It takes time, and is of course different for each individual. "Everything in moderation" is a motto (motto? adage? thing?) I live by, and it hasn't steered me wrong. Give it a go!
I've been trying to think of posts that will be interesting to any and everyone, and that's impossible. I'll just have to write what my brain tells me and if you like it, then hot diggity dawg! And if not... then cold dawgs. In all of my preaching about how living with diabetes is now routine for me and I hardly think much of it anymore, I have to say that isn't always the case. I'm not Superwoman... yet. There are days when I just don't feel like checking.my.dang.blood.sugar! Days I don't want to think about how people will react if I tell them, times I don't want to have to plan ahead and figure out how many syringes to bring with me on a trip (and bring a note from my doctor so I don't get kicked off a plane), and on and on. But I do it all anyway, because it's my life and taking care of myself is priority number ONE.
In addition to that, I was blessed (I think I sometimes might take this for granted) with a healthy upbringing. My family is a healthy one in terms of food and exercise. I was always an active kid, and I vividly remember hearing, "Have at least a little something green" at nearly every dinner. Nothing was ever forced, just recommended. And consistent recommendations stuck with me (thanks Mum and Dad). If I have a dinner without a salad, piece of broccoli, or a green crayon, it feels incomplete. That pattern of healthy eating was with me even before diabetes became a part of my life; and I'm certain that has aided in my success at maintaining my health. That being said, just because somebody didn't grow up the way I did, most definitely does not mean those habits can't be learned. If I learned about 7/10 (estimated) of 'what diabetes is' in 3 days at a hospital... anybody can learn about how eating vegetables is helpful, and that they don't necessarily taste gross.
Creating a routine is the key to managing diabetes well. Balancing blood sugar, insulin dosages, eating well, and exercising: get a pattern down with those 4 components, and the aggravating ups and downs won't happen as often. Another piece of sound advice is to allow yourself to get mad and be pissed of at Sir Diabetuss for a minute. He's a jerk sometimes and can handle some scrutiny. It's okay to feel down about having to deal with this disease. At the same time, remember it's not the worst thing in the world. Another scale to balance. It takes time, and is of course different for each individual. "Everything in moderation" is a motto (motto? adage? thing?) I live by, and it hasn't steered me wrong. Give it a go!
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