Diabetes Tips and Applications

The previous month, I received an email asking questions that are quite common and important for people recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. First, this person wanted to know why he was having such a difficult time managing his diabetes. This reminded me of my blog here. Then he wanted to know if there were any applications that he could use to upload the readings from his blood glucose meter to his doctor. There were several other questions which I have answered in my emails with him and I may do another blog on reasons for using insulin and for avoiding some foods.

In exchanging emails, I discovered he was following the directions of a registered dietitian (RD) and eating the high carbohydrate – low fat meal plan. He also was still attempting to determine what I was talking about in self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG). He stated that the certified diabetes educator (CDE) had covered testing and how to do it and then just told him to test one hour after finish eating and moved on to confirm what the dietitian had told him about eating a set number of carbohydrates at each meal and snacks. Sounds like a mandate to do something without really educating him about the why, where, when, and how to use the results.

Is it any wonder I get upset with these “professionals” that cannot do education and live by mandates and mantras. I will not go any further with this, but get back to SMBG. I explained why we test our blood glucose so often at the beginning. This is done to determine how our bodies react to the foods or combination of foods and testing is the only way to determine this. His return email asked why the RD or CDE had not explained this to him. I explained to him that the CDE must tell him about testing and where to test, but generally this is where they stop, as they do not want you to realize the benefits of testing and finding out how the foods affect your blood glucose levels.

Of course, the RD will not explain this, as they want you to just follow their instructions without question. It is using the knowledge you gain from SMBG that tells you how the different foods affect your blood glucose levels and this in turn will let you know that what the RD and CDE issue in their mandates is not the whole truth. Some of the foods will spike your blood glucose readings to a high level. This tells you that you must limit the number of carbohydrates by reducing the quantity of these foods or removing them from your food plan. In addition, you will be looking for different results from different food combinations and also for determining if you are on the correct path to achieving your goals. If you are not moving in the right direction, as was the case for this person, you need to reevaluate the food plan and see what needs to be changed.

For this person, I suggested removing most whole grains and all highly processed foods. He reported back about a week later that his blood glucose levels were greatly improved and he had also reduced the quantity of potatoes he was eating. His fasting blood glucose levels were generally under 100 mg/dl and most of his after meal (post prandial) blood glucose levels were under 140 mg/dl. He was still having some problems with his evening and bedtime testing, but felt that with some additional reductions in food quantities and changing foods this was improving. His final comment was how much better he was feeling and that he was not gaining more weight and actually dropping a few pounds.

He commented that he felt he was gaining more benefits from his exercise and felt this was also translating into better blood glucose readings. Next we covered applications for transferring information from his blood glucose meter to an app and then on to the doctor. I discovered that he travels within a block of his doctor's office to and from work and asked if his doctor could read his meter. He checked and found out that his doctor could and had the software program to download his meter. They talked about how often the doctor wanted to do this and over the six weeks we have been corresponding, the doctor is happy with his readings and now has him doing it only at his appointments.

I had suggested that he purchase the software program and download the meter readings to his computer on a monthly basis. After comparing the two apps he had discovered, plus the cost of a new cell phone to handle the application and needing to manually log his readings to the application, he feels very good about not having purchased any and that the software cost was much cheaper, he wonders why he had not thought of that in the beginning. He now has the software download his meter daily and he is able to compare readings for the preceding week and any period of time.

He admits that he still has trouble maintaining his food log and health log, but as he solves more problems, he says that is getting easier as well. He is comfortable with his daily carbohydrates being in the 120g to 160 gram range and very happy that his weight is nearing the goal he and his doctor wanted. We have discussed his activity (exercise) level and carbohydrate level and he says that he may increase the carbohydrate level to avoid losing excess weight below the goal. He does not want to reduce his exercise level, as he feels good about this now.

He has a job that keeps him fairly active and is not a desk jockey. This helps him and he now feels much better with how he is managing his diabetes. His last A1c was 6.5 which is down from the 8.9 at diagnosis. He is now gaining confidence that he will get to 6.0 or lower in the months ahead. He is asking many good questions now and gaining confidence that he will be able to learn more on his own. He has canceled the next appointments with the RD and CDE, because he feels they would not be a help to him. I said that was up to him, but that maybe he should have kept the CDE appointment to see what was said, but he was determined not to waste any more time with them.