Effect of "sugar free" on blood sugar
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| Mon, 07-30-2007 - 1:21pm |
I have read that one of the problems with diet soda (for instance) is that the body doesn't know how to differentiate between real sugar and sugar substitutes. What I read indicated that while diet soda -- carbonated, or non-carbonated like Crystal Light -- may be calorie free with zero carbs, it can still affect blood sugar levels. On another board I visit, a woman (who is diabetic) said that she noticed this was the case with her. Crystal Light caused her blood sugar levels to rise and she had confirmed this with her gluco-meter. I'm just curious if anyone else has noticed this.
I'm not diabetic and don't have a blood sugar monitor so I can't track this myself. But diabetes runs in my family and I have several risk factors, so I've been making an effort to eat better and exercise regularly and lose weight, and one of my primary goals has been trying to keep my blood sugar levels as steady as possible. (So, for instance, I've gotten familiar with the Glycemic Index and I tend to eat low-GI foods like fruit, veggies, beans, and low-GI grains.) I do drink Crystal Light at home, and I also have a can of Diet Dr. Pepper most mornings when I get to work. Obviously, since keeping my blood sugar stable is a goal, I wouldn't want to continue drinking Crystal Light (or the Diet DP) if it can in fact cause my blood sugar to go up.
(Part of the reason I'm curious about what others have noticed is because my mother has a friend, with Type I Diabetes, who REGULARLY drinks Crystal Light. Like...constantly. She's gotten my mother to do it as well.)


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Has anyone ever explained to you why you react that way to coffee? I would really like to know. I suspect that it has something to do with caffeine but I don't know for sure and I don't have any idea of where to look for this information. I hope it is black coffee that you are having without sugar or milk.
Thank you for bringing this interesting idea up.
Mick,
Thanks for posting these listings. I know that other countries have information for their citizens and this will be very helpful to others coming to the board. I know the addresses for a number of places on this side of the pond but none in England.
When I get to England I go to a needlepoint store if I can find one and buy gold thread because you have much better thread than we do here and I like to do gold work also. I also do some embroidery for my church. One year I was there the week after Easter and I got to see York Catheral and the Catheral in Bath. I really enjoyed looking at all the wonderful decorations.
I was driving along the Saulsbury Plain and suddenly I saw a sign announcing "Tank Crossing" and low in behold I had to stop for a tank. I think that is the first time in my life that ever happened. I wished I had my camera handy.
I never have any difficulty eating in England. I do in other countries because I can't read the labels. The only problem I ran into was understanding KCal readings. I pretty much eat the same as what I eat over here. I go to the grocery store and get fresh fruits and veggies, a good bread and some cheese or meats. I eat pretty simply here and so I try to do the same thing there.
Greetings, Mary Frances,
I'm glad I didn't 'tread on any toes' by posting links to other sites. If I do know of any sites that I feel may be useful (particularly if they relate to questions being asked), I will certainly post them.
My wife assures me that there are two major brands of needlework threads available in this country ... Anchor and DMC. She prefers DMC threads. There's also conversion charts available so that you can match between colours available between the two types of thread, though she says that the conversions are really not that good. It's best to go for a match based on your own preferences. (I'm not too sure on whether that applies to gold/silver threads as she doesn't often use those.)
Your comment about driving along Salisbury Plain tickled me somewhat. Salisbury Plain is one of the areas around the country that is used for tank training exercises. You didn't necessarily need to stop and allow the tank to cross in front of you, but I doubt that your vehicle would have come off best if you'd seen fit to 'argue'. lol. No doubt you'll appreciate why Salisbury is used for tank training. It's due to the sweeping plains. That's ideal tank training ground.
I've only ever had to utilise the labelling in this country. I wasn't diabetic when I travelled abroad, so I can't comment on labelling in other countries. I'm used to the way foods are labelled in this country, so it's sort of the 'norm' for me. As I don't have a weight 'problem' I've never related to Kilocalories (KCals). I simply count the carbohydrate content of foods that I've eaten and adjust my insulin boluses accordingly. (I'm sure you're well aware that a Kilocalorie is equivalent to 1,000 calories, and may be used by people to count how much they've eaten ... calorie-wise, rather than carbohydrate-wise. I'm sure this site: http://www.kilocalorie.com/index.htm would help people to understand about counting calories.)
I think you did exactly the right thing by sticking to eating what you're used to. It doesn't make a great deal of sense for someone to suddenly attempt to measure things in a different format to what they're used to. (Actually, I tend to spend a considerable amount of time answering questions on Yahoo! Answers related to diabetes ... amongst other topics, and it never ceases to amaze me how people confuse the measurement systems used in the United States of America and the United Kingdom.)
Anyway, enough from me, I think.
Be well, dear lady.
Lots of Love and Light.
Mick
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When I have brought it up to doctors in the past- they seemed unresponsive. I don't think that it's really been studied that thoroughly- so they were hesitant to comment on it- but I have talked to exercise trainers and they have told me that it makes sense. They said that caffiene releases sugar from your body- making up the adrenaline rush.
I've noticed that as long as I'm doing something- like exercising or walking around at my job a lot- caffiene doesn't seem to affect my blood sugars that much. I went to Lagoon the other day- and I had a cup of coffee in the morning. I was walking around all day and my blood sugars stayed around 115 the entire time. On the other hand, I work at a library- so if I drink a cup of coffee and then sit for four hours- my blood sugars would go up to 300 easily.
I've heard of other diabetics experiencing the same thing- all of them confused at why caffiene does that to them, and I've found some research on it.
"A report from the Netherlands showed that caffeine in coffee raises blood sugar levels... Anything that raises blood sugar levels too high increases cell damage in diabetics. This study shows that caffeine raises blood sugar levels by causing the body to put out large amounts of adrenalin that makes cells less responsive to insulin.
When caffeine was removed from the coffee, blood sugar levels did not rise higher than normal. On the basis of this study, diabetics should drink decaffeinated coffee, rather than one with caffeine, in addition to severely restricting sugar-added foods, bakery products, pastas, fruit juices and they should eat root vegetables and fruits only with meals.
Canadian researchers writing in Diabetes Care showed that caffeine significantly reduced insulin sensitivity. In another study in the same journal, scientists from Duke University Medical Center reported that drinking coffee could upset a diabetic’s ability to metabolize sugar.
Blood sugar levels are supposed to rise after you eat. To keep your blood sugar levels from rising too high, your pancreas releases insulin. The researchers found that taking caffeine causes blood sugar and insulin levels to rise even higher after meals. If your blood sugar rises too high, sugar sticks to cells. Once sugar is stuck on a cell membrane, it cannot be released and is converted to a poison called sorbitol which destroys that cell. High levels of insulin constrict arteries to cause heart attacks and act directly on the brain to make you hungry, on your liver to make more fat, and on the fat cells in your belly to pick up that fat. If these studies are confirmed, diabetics will be advised to restrict coffee as well as those foods that cause the highest rise in blood sugar after meals."
http://www.drmirkin.com/diabetes/9897.html
There's more articles out there on the subject- but scientists haven't made their "final verdict" on whether caffiene affects blood sugar or not. It's probably confusing them because they don't see the same results with people who are active after they drink caffiene.
Anyways- it all boils down to our own individual responses. Some people may react to it- other's don't. If you drink coffee... you should try not drinking it for a few days and see where your blood sugars go.
Hope that helps!
Emily
I think those little kits I saw attached to several of the magazines were what attracted me first!!
The series that interested me was a number of years ago, and I would have to dig to find the magazine. But I did find them fascinating. AT least one of them seemed like stepping into a "sewing cirle" type of group, with really friendly women!!
Yes, doxies are dachshunds or weiner dogs, hot dogs, and a number of other names they get called. My sister's first set(brother and sister) lived to be 17 & 18 years old. Gretel was the sweetest dog I ever knew and then I got one of my own for about 12 years but Twinkie is gone now. My sister now has a standard red girl who we keep dreaming up new names for. She is called Zena, but I sometimes say her name shoud be "Life is a racetrack and I AM IN the lead!!!" or else ZOOOMMMM!! If i had a teensy bit of her energy I would have all the energy I need for the rest of my life!! It is funny though she is now about a 1 1/2 years old, and she sort of switches between speed demon and a mellow sweetie! Funny to watch because it is almost like a switch gets flipped and in seconds she goes from one to the other. Every once in a while though I see smidges of Twinkie in her(who was what I called a Granny dog, very laid back as long as she was not protecting me!!)
Not sure in England if they have the 3 sizes of dachshunds or just 2. In Europe there is supposed to be a 3rd size(rabbit hunting size I believe) and smaller than the mini dachshunds. But the mini's are more than small enough for me!! It always amazes me how fast one of those mini's with feet about an inch long can run!! They seem to fly!! Some people assume short legs, well they will be easy to keep track of! They can't run fast!! WRONG!!
Mick,
The last time I was in England I hadn't started counting carbs and so it would be probably easier now than it was then. I pretty much know the amount of carbs in most common foods so I can eat out without too much difficulty except for the huge portion sizes! Frequently my husband and I will get one meal and two plates. That satisfies both of us!
It isn't fun translating US numbers to the numbers the rest of the world uses. Sometime I do the math but if I am lazy I use the chart which Cheryl found on the Joslin website. Joslin is part of Harvard University and has very accurate information on its website. Check it out! www.joslin.org
Thanks for spelling Salisbury correctly. It really isn't a steak!! I don't think I had ever seen a real tank until that day and I certainly didn't want to tangle with it in my small rental car. I would be squashed like a bug! The Salisbury plain is so pretty. It was great fun driving around and looking at all the little towns and villages. I tasted various cheeses there also. It is amazing how different each of them tasted depending upon who made them.
I had fallen the night before I left for England and had injured my knee and I could barely walk. So we didn't wander around as much as we usually do when we come to England. I was actually glad to have an easier time of it. My husband is one of those folks that thinks he has to see everything and do everything as those he was at work. I keep trying to remind him that we are on vacation and marathons aren't allowed!
You asked me about my issues with super low blood sugars. It is a problem that we have been trying to conquer since I was started on long acting insulin. I am now also on Januvia which is the oral version of Byetta and I have been able to decrease the amount of insulin from 28 units to 22. I have permission to drop it further if I need to. I am also taking the insulin in the morning so that I can deal with the hypoglycemia during the day and not wake up at night with it. My doctor is also trying to decrease the amount of oral sulfonylurea that I am on which should also help. Type 2's are usually not so sensitive to insulin but I am not that way. So I have never been on the average amount of insulin that a type 2 needs. We are trying to preserve my ability to make insulin and if my present regime doesn't work I will need to be treated like you with long and short acting insulin. If that happens I am thinking that I would like a pump.
Well I am off to answer some other messages and then to work on my stitchery. I am designing a plaid which will be made into a pillow eventually. Incidentally, tell you wife that I love to do counted cross stitch. I switch between needlepoint and cross stitch. I just finished a baptismal sampler for a friend using cross stitch and other ancient stitches.
Cheers and have a good day.
Emily,
Thank you for the information. It was very interesting. Because I am really sensitive to caffeine I drink decafinated coffee when I drink coffee. Mostly I drink not terribly strong tea. As Auntidoxzz would say your YMMD! (Your Milage Might Differ!) Everyone one of us is different and our response to things is so different. That's why your meter is your friend and helps you figure out what is going on.
Hi Mary Frances,
Thanks for your lovely email.
I suppose I'm lucky in that I was only ever taught to count carbohydrates contents of foods. (Shortly after, they started talking of 'exchange values' but I preferred to stick with something that I knew.)
I do have a blood sugar conversion chart that was given to me when I was using a CGMS (Continuous Glucose Monitoring System) as the American measurements were what were called for to be input. If you'd like a copy, I don't mind sending it to you. It's only one A4 sized sheet. I do already have http://www.joslin.org saved in my favourites , along with, literally, thousands of other sites too .... not all of which are diabetes related, of course.
It's a good job you mentioned that you were carrying an injury when you came over here. I was about to ask you if you managed to see Stonehenge while you were in Salisbury. It's been many years since I last visited the place, but it was before the site was 'adopted' by National Heritage and fenced off. You now have to pay to visit the site ... which I think is a real cheek. It's not there's to determine who pays or not. In my humble opinion, it was built by the people, and should remain the property of the people ... not some faceless bureaucrat.
Hopefully, your knee is fully recovered, and there's no long-lasting effect to it.
I must admit, I didn't get the opportunity to visit the little villages/hamlets/towns when I was there. I was in the Army, and was down there for field exercises. From what I did see, though, the places around there looked absolutely delightful. (I bet my ex-Army buddies would be thinking I'd lost the plot speaking like that. Grunts (soldiers) aren't exactly renowned for having gentler thoughts. )
Actually, your husband sounds like we were from the same mould . I'm one of those kind of people. There's always more to see and do ... wherever you are. I'm definitely not one of the kinds of people that likes to lie and sunbathe. I can't see what the big attraction is.
I do hope your doctor makes some headway in helping you to deal with your diabetes. Believe me, I do know about hypos. I must have had, literally, thousands in my time ... most of them, over the last 10 years or so, have been, what I term 'severe' (when I lose consciousness).
I never did like having hypos during the night (I actually don't like having hypos, full stop ) as the first I usually know about them is waking up in hospital. What also compounds things is that I'm 'borderline narcoleptic' ... whatever 'borderline' is supposed to mean. If you're not aware of narcolepsy, it's often accompanied by sleep paralysis, meaning that I wake up, but am unable to move or make a sound. (This, in my case, involves been assaulted by 'demons' or small creatures.) Narcolepsy happens at any time of day or night, so there's really no way I can predict when the 'sleepiness' will happen, meaning that I frequently wake up in a state of hypo. (I often fall asleep two or three times a day.)
As for you opting for a pump, should the need arise, they are only usually used with fast acting insulin. The logic behind this is that they are meant to function in a way similar to a normal pancreas. You would program the pump to deliver a basal rate of insulin over the complete 24 hour period, and you would supplement this with a bolus of insulin at each mealtime, based on the amount of carbohydrate that you eat. (In theory, you can program your pump to deliver any number of basal rates, at whatever dose, for however long, in an attempt to keep your blood sugars at an optimum level. In reality, I only use 3 or 4 different basal rates, changing them when and if I see fit.) Obviously, there are going to be advantages and disadvantages to using a pump. From my own perspective, the advantages are: it's like having one injection every 2 or 3 days, rather than having 4 or 5 injections a day; it gives you the freedom to eat when, and if, you feel like eating. There's no long acting insulin in your system that could still drag your blood sugars down if you're late with a meal, or simply miss a meal; Quite precise amounts of insulin can be administered, starting at 0.1 unit of insulin ... there's no guessing with the accuracy of what you're infusing either. It's measured by the pump. This also aids when you need to make corrections (take extra insulin) to purposely bring down your blood sugar level; If you're going to undertake any strenuous activity, you can simply suspend any insulin delivery with just a few key presses.
The disadvantages include: more frequent blood testing. This is a necessity as you're using fast acting insulin, which can cause sudden drops in blood sugar levels. Also, if the cannula should become detached, there's no way the pump would be able to alarm as it would simply assume that the insulin it's delivering would be going into your system; If you're not used to counting carbohydrate values of food(s), you'll need to learn a new system; Being attached permanently to a little box. Some people find this embarrassing, some feel it is simply a hindrance. Where, for example, do you put it when you're in bed? How about if you're in the mood for a bit of fun with a lover? How about if you fancy taking a swim, or having a bath? (Not to worry. The pump can be removed for exercise or bathing. You shouldn't remove it at night though. It's no problem to simply lie it next to your body in bed.); You need to make sure that you've got a complete fresh change (set change) in case your pump alarms, malfunctions, etc.
Overall, I'd say that the pump has been the best thing that's ever happened for me during my time with diabetes. It's certainly made me feel like I'm more in control. My HbA1c levels have definitely improved since having it. I've spent more time at home than I did prior to having it. (I used to spend great deals of time in hospital ... sometimes more time in hospital than I was spending at home.)
I was interested to hear that you're doing a plaid. My aunt is into embroidery, and she's particularly interested in plaids. (She paid someone to research the family history, and it turns out that we're descended from a Sottish Clan ... the Camerons, which entitles us to wear that particular tartan. I've never worn it, but my aunt and uncle do. They go on frequent holidays to Scotland, and celebrate many Scottish traditions.)
Well, going by the time it is now here, you can't have been up for many hours, so I'll wish you a good day too.
Blessings to you and yours.
Lots of Love and Light.
Mick
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Apologies to you Auntydoxzz,
I fully intended to respond to your post yesterday but wasn't very well. (I bet that looks strange when you see that I responded to someone else's post. Unfortunately, I collapsed so was unable to continue with my original plans.)
I know what you mean about being attracted to purchase the magazines when you saw the kits attached. I'm a sucker for free gifts myself. There's absolutely no doubt that the magazine publishers realise this too, otherwise they wouldn't be giving stuff away.
You'll have to see if you can dig out your old magazines and let me know which ones they were. There's no harm in me trying to find out whether they have back issues available ... assuming, of course, that the magazines are still being published. We do seem to get through an inordinate number of magazine titles, for some reason, over here. Maybe they aren't making enough profit, eh? I've had a similar experience to that with a couple of computer magazines. One gave up or, rather, split into two separate magazines after just 13 issues. I guess they were able to make enough profit from having two magazines instead of one. Sadly, neither of them are now published.
I'm glad I didn't make a fool of myself by guessing that doxies are dachshunds. Even if I guess, I like to think that I'm guessing along the right lines. he he.
I'm not sure how long dachshunds normally live, but your sister's dogs seemed to have lived quite a long life. I'm basing my reasoning on the age our two Bassett Hounds died at, both of whom are buried in our garden. We couldn't leave them with the vet. Sadly, the older one of the two, Emma, had to be euthanased. She'd already suffered a couple of strokes, and seemed to be in some torment. She regularly walked into things, such as the door jamb, etc.
The younger one, Bert, simply gave up. I was with him when he died in our living room. Unfortunately, he too had problems. He'd been on steroids for non-functioning kidneys for months and months.
I'm sorry that you've lost Twinkie, Auntydoxzz. Hopefully, when it's your time, she'll be waiting for you just across the Rainbow Bridge.
Zena sounds a bundle of fun. I love dogs that can do a 'turn of speed' when the fancy takes them.
I'm afraid I can't shed any light on how many types of dachshund we have in the UK. Dogs really aren't my forte. I just know that I like them. We presently have three dogs ... all bitches. I think they're the daughters I never had. lol. We have two miniature Jack Russell Terriers and a Jack Russell Terrier x Yorkshire Terrier cross.
Well, I've just said I can't shed any light, but I've just clicked on "Dachshund" in a search engine and come up with this page on Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dachshund). According to that there are 5 standards recognised by the UKKC (United Kingdom Kennel Club). We're not as greedy as the Australian National Kennel Club though. They recognise 6 standards. lol.
If you click on the links on the right hand side of the page, it shows photographs of the various standards.
According to the Wikipedia page, dachshunds come in two sizes. I wouldn't exactly take this as gospel though. Anyone can make entries on Wikipedia. It's only when they find that there might be errors that they ask for citations. It's probably wiser to go with one of the standard encyclopædias , such as Encyclopædia Britannica or World Book.
Anyway, enough of my waffling. I'm out of here.
Stay well, dear lady.
Lots of Love and Light.
Mick
x x x x
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