Control of Weight and Sugar
In response to my last entry, Derek (spwebdesign) asked, "Would it help to be on a strict regular schedule for eating?" The basic answer is, "Yes, but that, by itself, isn't enough."
Several years ago, Delia went off to Panama on vacation for over four months. While she was gone I spent a lot of my time writing. I would get up fairly early in the morning, have a small breakfast, then sit at the computer downstairs all day writing. Sometimes I would have a small meal in the evening, sometimes I wouldn't bother. I was never hungry. I gained about forty pounds.
I wasn't eating junk food or trash, but my metabolism had adjusted to my intake and to the long periods without any intake by becoming very conservative and hoarding the energy as fat. My insulin needs shot up as a result.
That taught me a lesson. Now I keep a timer running and I always have three or four meals per day so my body will know I'm not starving. Still, I'm walking a thin line, unable to directly control my metabolism enough to do more than prevent a runaway or emergency situation.
Every once in a while something unexpected will happen. If I suddenly start to feel hungry or to crave sweets, the chances are my blood sugar will shoot up whether I give in to the cravings or not, I will have to increase my insulin dose and, more often than not, I will gain a few pounds. It is much more rare for me to completely lose my appetite, as I did recently, this being a signal for a blood sugar drop, time for me to adjust the insulin carefully downwards. I have dropped it one step already and will drop it another step tonight.
My weight has fluctuated over a range of about fifteen pounds during the past year but it is about the same today as it was a year ago. During that same period I have reduced my insulin dosage by ten percent. Perhaps I'll reach a point where I begin to lose weight again, which will help in many ways.
But I have no control. Eating is difficult sometimes -- sometimes all food seems revolting and the thought of eating makes me feel sick, preparing food being completely out of the question. I have to eat frequent small meals to keep my blood sugar low and to keep from gaining more weight. Exercise has become increasingly difficult because of problems with my feet, knees, back and, now, with my heart rhythm. Trying to avoid stress in my family and in this modern world is almost hopeless but I deal with it the best I can. I do what I can to stay where I am and hope things will get better.
So, Derek, regular eating habits are a necessary minimum condition for my continued good health but are not enough by themselves.
Message Board
Comments (3)
Thanks.
One of my friends, who is in the medical profession, gave me a lecture the other night when I told him of my irregular eating habits. He is a counselor and is trained in counseling diabetics, so he knows what he is talking about. I had admitted to him that I sometimes forget to eat and then have dinner around nine o'clock.
I have begun taking insulin, so I'm trying to be better about my habits. It is interesting to hear about your experiences with some of the same problems.
The regulation of diabetes is very tricky. What you are saying is true of everyone's metabilism, but I have found that the metabolism of diabetics is very unpredictable at times, so you are right, regular habits are not the total answer.
Comments are closed.