I was diagnosed on Saturday morning of this week, on the 24th. Since then, my lifestyle hasn't changed that much, especially with regards to my diet since my father has type 1 diabetes (He was diagnosed 21 years ago, at the age of 30, 21 years later, I was diagnosed). My diet has always been in line with my father's, whole wheats, organic, no sugar and all, the biggest difference I am seeing is when I go out with friends and they order drinks. I find myself always ordering coffee, but there is only so much coffee I can drink! I love it but 2 espressos at 9pm, isn't always the best idea.
What do you all order when you go out other than water and coffee?
I honestly order whatever I'm craving lol. Over time you'll see that the more you learn how your body responds to insulin and with proper carbohydrate counting, you can eat/drink your heart's desire. Type 2 diabetes requires more extensive dietary changes than T1 to fight the resistance developed to insulin. Being T1, I like to think of myself as a normal person who has insulin on the outside instead of on the inside. With that rationale, I can eat all the carrot cake I want and so long as I know 1) how many carbs I consumed and 2) how much insulin per carb I take, that way I can inject the same amount of insulin into my body that a normal person's pancreas would usually account for (and develop no fluctuations in my blood sugar). :)
That being said, I usually just order diet cola or iced tea that way I don't have to worry about counting carbs at all.
P.S. I was diagnosed at 19 at it was a really awkward time to be diagnosed, so I have an idea of that feeling you have, but I keep telling myself (and you should too) that it's waaaay better than being diagnosed as a kid, we had normal childhoods, yay! You'll get a hang of it over time, it's really hard at first, but keep pushing forward. It's pretty sweet that your dad's around to give advice too. Keep learning and best of luck to you!
I usually order diet pop (diet clearly stated to the server), coffee, tea, water ...anything else I drink, I make sure to balance it with fast acting insulin, or else I trade it for carbs in my meals.
Well I would have to agree with Andrea, that as you get to know your body and how it responds to different drinks then it should be no problem when you go out. But maybe during this adjustment period you may want to stick with ordering the diet pop for when you go out & then start ordering the drinks that you once may have had.
I to was diagnosed at the age of 19 and it was tough and I didn't just drink diet pop I used to have everything and I wasn't always smart about it until I learned the hard way what it does to me, for me alcohol will 1st raise my BG then rapidly drop my BG afterwards so I've learned to have fast acting carbs with me and to have someone with you that knows the difference between you being drunk and dropping low. It happened to me one night and thank god that I had a very close friend with we because she saved my life.
I don't mean at all to scare you, but as long as your carb counting for your drinks like Andrea said then it shouldn't be a problem, and I'm happy for you that you have someone like your dad there to help you along the way.
"If it's true that we are what we eat, then I am fast, easy and cheap" -- Barbara Johnson
i drink pretty much whatever i'm in the mood for..and depending on the time of day/what day of the week it is. obviously, i won't order a beer if it's a workday and i'm on lunch! but i generally stick to diet pop(though i'm trying to cut back again), juice, tea, coffee(very rare though) or milk. once in a while i treat myself to a milkshake if we're at a place i know makes very yummy ones and my blood sugar isn't too high already(anything above 12mmol/L & I won't order one). if it's not a workday, if other people are having alcohol, i usually will too.
I normally drink just water, milk, and tea (I hate soda). However, I like to use sugary drinks to treat lows. I like chai lattes but I have absolutely no idea how many carbs are in one so my blood sugars are usually through the roof afterward. Luckily my friends and I don't go to coffee shops very often. Last time I had one, I ended up at 450, but I think it was just misfortune and my site had failed.
I normally drink just water, milk, and tea (I hate soda). However, I like to use sugary drinks to treat lows. I like chai lattes but I have absolutely no idea how many carbs are in one so my blood sugars are usually through the roof afterward. Luckily my friends and I don't go to coffee shops very often. Last time I had one, I ended up at 450, but I think it was just misfortune and my site had failed.
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i've found that chai lattes from Starbucks(or Crapbucks as i call it) are the worst for bloodsugars(hell i had a steamed milk today with a shot of vanilla and shot up!).
a kid size (or "short" as they call it) w/ non fat milk: 22g
small (or "tall" as they call it) w/ non fat milk: 32g
Thanks, Batts. I don't think I've ever gotten one from Starbucks but they can't be that different. And it's weird because I go with the "short" or small options, bolus somewhere near that range, and still run high. Hmmm, I'll have to see what happens the next time I have one.
I'm addicted to diet coke...and and soda water...with whatever hard alcohol I choose. usually vodka or whiskey.
Truth be told, I like to stick to light beers since it keeps my bg pretty balanced but some people are different. Usually though, I'm too lazy to take a shot so I just drink water or diet soda..or unsweetended tea.
glad u liked the quote C, I was thinking so something similar when I 1st read the quote and totally agree that if i could reach my weight goals by eating a skinny person.....well then line them up and keep them coming!!!!LOL
"If it's true that we are what we eat, then I am fast, easy and cheap" -- Barbara Johnson
I drink a lot of water, and have acquired a yen for the sparkling kind too.
And I'm a tea addict. I especially love making different varieties of iced tea. My favorite is one made by Passport Tea called "Desert Fruit." It has a kind of sweet berry taste to it.
I love Chai, too. I often go for the David Rio brand, found at Cost Plus. They have 2 sugar-free kinds - vanilla and orca spice. The vanilla is caffeine-free.I also like the Tazo liquid concentrate tea, which I'll mix up with a lowfat soy milk.
When I'm out with friends, I generally drink coffee, tea, or water. I'll drink wine and beer too, when desired. But I generally stay away from any kind of pop (although I've been curious about making my own flavors with the help of a sparkling water machine.)
I drink whatever I want. I drink beer (I'm a craft brew beer snob). I drink liquor. I drink a lot of water and Diet Dr. Pepper (I'm a Texan dontchaknow!).
I keep a small 100% Juice Juicy Juice package in my bedroom by my bed in case of lows.
Beer lowers my blood sugar, but I don't spike later. I'm lucky. Liquor - especially at a bar - may be spiked with simple sugars (simple syrup) or sugary additives, which can be dangerous - so I stick to martinis, vodka tonics and gin fizz's. I was told by my nutritionist that distilled liquors are the ones that don't break down into sugar (like rum, bourbon, etc.) so they will still have a lowering affect, but they won't spike you.
And I'm just like you - my da is also a Type 1, so I grew up understanding the disease a lot better than your average bear - so my life with diabetes is much like it was before - I just test my BG now and wear a pump on my belt! I was super scared when I first got diagnosed, but just like the 4 stages of grief, eventually you come to acceptance.
If you do choose to "party" and drink liquor or beer, I heartily recommend you test yourself a lot, make sure and have a meal in your belly and be careful (read: don't get plastered your first time out).
I realize that, as a diabetic, drinking probably isn't the best thing to do... but I like to go out, drink beer and hang with my friends, and I figure that shouldn't change just because I'm a diabetic. (I do, however, not get #%$*&%$ - faced anymore!)
I was diagnosed with Type 1 3 years ago. And drinks have been one of the hardest things for me. When my friends & I would go to a gas station to get a "quick drink" I would find my self just standing there staring. LOL And my friend were like "come on grab a drink & lets go!" I love Iced Tea but almost all the the diet ones taste like aspartame. I don't a lot of soda. So, I have been hooked on lately the flavored seltzer waters. Drinking a great Polar Seltxer (cranberry-lime) right now. :)
At restaurants, the selection is usually slim. So, I stick with coffee, water, or diet soda. I like wine. One glass usually doesn't affect my BG too much. But I don't do that too often.
I love my Starbuck's Mocha's also! I just look up the nutrition facts on line 1st & know how much insulin to take.