Diabetes

I did a search, and couldn't find an existing thread, so...

Some of you already know I have type 2 diabetes. I suppose if you've seen the recent video I posted, you might have picked up the subtle hints.

Zeroth, I'm not going to try to tell anyone what to do. I'm not a medical professional at all. (I'm barely professional in my profession!)

First, I don't know everything. I have learned some things, and some of what I've learned might apply to others, but I have so much more to figure out.

Second, a lot of what I might want to figure out will be left up to me to do so. My doctor is good, but he's not in a position to advise me on specifics related to me, my condition, and my activities. As I've already been doing, I'll have to continue to use trial-and-error to an extent in order to figure out how to keep doing the things I like to do.
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So maybe this is a good place to discuss things related to diabetes, blood sugar, endurance activities, food, supplements...but primarily anyone's questions and experiences they've had with any of this.

 

I'll start.

My name is Patrick, and I'm a Tailwind Abuser.

Sugar Too Soon: When prepping for 'long' rides (say, PCE) I used to drink an entire bottle of Tailwind somewhere in the 60 minutes before the ride; 200-250 cal of almost all sugar. My thinking was something like "I've eaten breakfast 2 hrs ago, and I'll be on the bike for 3-4 hrs minimum (depending on the route), so I should get some calories while I can. 'Prime the pump' so to speak." I now know this was counterproductive, and likely contributed to accelerating my decline in health with blood sugar and A1c levels.

What I learned: I don't start consuming any calories for the first 40-60 minutes of any ride. If the ride is going to be less than about 2 hrs long, I probably won't have any calories at all, just water.

Application Beyond MTB: I can't eat a carb-based snack and then just sit around for an hour or two. So of course I find myself still doing exactly that once in a while , and I usually notice the lower energy levels, more difficulty staying focused, etc. from the blood sugar spike.

 

I've been borderline diabetic my entire adult life.

 

Hi... Barney here. I know nothing about diabetes. But in reference to your Tailwind experience above, I can say that I got in the habit of over-using the stuff also. My bar for bringing Tailwind is now in the 3-4 hour ride range. I also factor in temperature. If it's 100 outside, and I know I'm going to sweat like a pig, the Tailwind might make an appearance on shorter rides...

I've also dabbled with the "soccer mom" version of Tailwind, but it's expensive...

I hope to meet some of you guys for a ride someday!

 

Here's a pic of "Barneys" Tailwind Pusher... AKA @Mikie



I have nothing to add since I'm not diabetic, doesn't run in my family. But you know what does? Fatness and a shitty heart, so i got that going for me.

 

I have heard many stories of people eliminating their type 2 diabetes by changing their diet. Most of them have used the Whole30 plan as a method to eliminate. Link below should any of yous be interested in learning more.

I've done the plan twice, not for diabetes. But, to simply figure out which foods were causing harm to me. i.e. inflamation, congestion, stiffness, poor blood flow, etc. It was stunning to realize how just a little bit of cheese (dairy product) with a meal would cause inflamation in my throat and esopagus & make my nose congested.

Clicky linky for more info.
https://whole30.com/

 

^^^^^What Redman said!
I believe we had this short conversation on Boyscout? Remember I said I reversed it? Screw doctors! The system is broken!

 

Yeah, unfortunately, there's no money in healthy eating.

 

@UPSed whatchyou talkin ' 'bout Willis. Healthy eating costs twice as much

 

Yes, but it's much cheaper in the long run.

 

Vegis are "dirt cheap". You can save enough to buy a house in one year buying fresh vegis at the market vs. buying a junk food meal out on the blvd.

OK, that may have been a slight exaggeration but you get get my drift, I'm sure.

 

So… you can never over use tailwinds… I joke because I have not sold a bag in like a year now. It’s scary to realize how close I be looking to breaking bad in the mirror. Having a rough week and on my fourth beer on an empty stomach.

All I can contribute it is breaking (bad) my heart you having to deal with D2, diet is the answer to most everything, I’m sick and tired of doctors focused on the symptoms and not the cure. There is no money in healthy people in American medicine, and how much do I really look like Bryan Cranston?

Hang in there brother!

 

I'm in total agreement that "the system" (in this case meaning the medical system) is broken, but that doesn't mean parts of it don't still function. Let's make sure we're discussing our way toward more clarity, if possible.

The info that I can find regarding reversing type 2 diabetes centers around obese people who lose significant weight along with correcting their diets and activity levels, and then show normal or close-to-normal blood sugar and A1c levels. I'm not trying to argue that it doesn't happen - but it can really depend on many factors, which is why I'm not crazy about blanket statements. Diet contributes to diabetes, but is not the sole cause, and therefore shouldn't be thought of as a "cure". Besides, such a cure is only as permanent as the corrected behaviors and health stats are, right?

@hill^billy , I remember that conversation. I vaguely remember the numbers you quoted to me about your condition, and the correction's you've been able to achieve, which is awesome! But, I shared with you the extent of my condition as well, as it was when I found out. I wasn't simply suffering the effects of a bad diet, though I had some corrections in my eating behavior that had to be made, and they've helped me. I'm agreeing with you in a sense - diet matters a lot. But if diet (and weight loss, and increased activity) can get someone from an A1c of 7.5, to 6.5, and maybe to 5.5, that's awesome indeed. So when I apply that to myself, I'm still very diabetic after all the corrections I could make alone. I wasn't more than about 20 lbs overweight at the time (not any more), didn't (and don't) have high blood pressure, didn't (and don't) have high cholesterol or triglycerides, wasn't sedentary...and still my blood sugar and A1c were higher than Snoop Dog in a music video.

Some people, like myself, are not going to be "cured". We're going to "manage". If you or someone you love has eliminated their diabetes problems, that's excellent! The rest of us are also working on it. The thing I want to focus on here is that it isn't an easy thing for anyone (cured or managing), and it may be worth sharing our experiences, questions, frustrations, etc.

 

As do you I also will always manage because I am incurable, a hypoglycemic low blood sugar the opposite, but I was headed to type two and reversed it only because luckily I hooked up with a fantastic nutritionist that broke it all down for me , the what where and when to eat. Wasn’t easy finding the protocol, things like 1 banana is two servings of sugar, one apple is two servings of sugar, glass of orange juice every morning all my life, sugar bombs! What healthy fats to eat and how many, what food stays with you longer and manages that sugar.
Bottom line for me was managing blood sugar and coming to an understanding on how to do it, which I had no idea how to do it. I still suggest seeing a pro and breaking it down and sticking to it, try not to be convinced you can’t turn it around or make improvements. I know you are new to this, there is hope.

 

Isn't it wild how it all works out to sugar?

I hate giving people fitness advice ... but two movies people should probably watch are "Fed Up" and "That Sugar Film." The former is a bit politically charged, and the latter is better.

I will put it this way .. the only thing I look at on food labels is "Added Sugar."

 

Take a look at or listen to the book/audiobook Dr. Neal Barnard's Program for Reversing Diabetes.

This guy

 

Wow. Don't Recall this thread. Do I really want to know how much damage I'm doing to myself? Type 2 here also. With a horrible horrible sugar addiction.