Author: Frank

The Things I Don’t Tell You About My Diabetes

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Inspiration has struck me at bedtime on this Monday night at the end of a long weekend, after mulling over something to write for much of the day. And I know I won’t be able to get to sleep until I’ve put pen to paper. Or, in this case, fingers to keyboard.

Yesterday on the Coffee and Insulin blog, author Sarah shared her thoughts on diabetes before her diagnosis at age 13 – which was basically vague, unsubstantial ideas about a disease she didn’t need to know about at the time. And over the past week, I’ve been watching Twitter explode with #IWishPeopleKnewThatDiabetes tweets. Inspired by Kelly of the Diabetesaliciousness blog, people have been sharing their thoughts using the hashtag to raise diabetes awareness.

And it got me to thinking about my own very complex diabetic life. There are so many aspects of my daily life that those around me would have absolutely no idea about. Of course most people around me know that I check my blood sugar levels and inject myself with insulin. But what about all those other invisible things that nobody ever sees, the things I choose to keep to myself.

Thoughts. Its been almost five years since I’ve been able go to bed without being plagued with worrying thoughts. What will my blood sugar level be in an hours time? In two hours? Four hours? Tomorrow morning? Do I still have active insulin in my system from dinner? How much more am I likely to drop? Will I go hypo? Or will my blood sugar rise later on because of the fatty food I had earlier?

Hypos. Being woken up at 2am drenched in sweat and shaking like mad. The frustration of having to open my eyes and get up from my comfy position under the covers. I know I’m hypo, but I’ll still reach for my meter just to be sure. Yep. I’ll reach for the bag of jellybeans sitting beside my bed, begrudgingly shoving them into my mouth. I hate them. The dry, sugary taste that will stick to my tongue for hours and leave my throat dry. I’ll be dying for a drink by the time I wake up. And then I’ll have to fall asleep all over again.

Hypers. Waking up in the morning thinking of one number while my meter is showing something ridiculous like 20. I’m so furious, so frustrated at the thought of my blood sugar being that high for that long. Then cue the scary thoughts of diabetes complications and damage I’ve done to my body. Desperate to being my blood sugars down ASAP, I’ll dial up a big dose of insulin. Only to find a few hours later that I’ve overcorrected and am hypo instead.

And then there’s those public situations. Like Work. Having to refuse that spontaneous treat that my workmate has brought in to share, and then being asked why not. Or accepting it and then racing back to the bathroom for a quick jab of insulin while nobody is around. And then waiting for that private moment to test my blood sugar level away from prying eyes. I’m doing myself a favour. Saving myself from that conversation where I’m asked if I can’t eat sugar and told stories about that friend or relative who has diabetes too.

But I take it all in my stride. I don’t complain to my family. I don’t tell those well meaning conversationalists to shut up. I just deal with it. And most of the time, I dont even stop to actually think about what I’m doing. Its just something I have to do. Its a part of being me.

Well, its 11.52pm and I really should go to sleep. If you do want to hear more about me in real time, you can find me on Twitter @FrankSita. I’m always keen to connect with fellow people with diabetes, and bloggers out there. Cheers.

Falling Off The Wagon

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In all honesty I have kind of fallen off the wagon in the past few days, which I could put down to a couple of things.

Temptation. Mine was in the form of 25 cent Malt-Easter chocolate bunnies and Cadbury Marvellous Creations Easter eggs (seriously, if you have not tried these, what are you even doing with your life?) And even though I had the best of intentions to share them around, not all of them made their way to the chocolate basket at home.

Cooler weather. If there’s one thing I do love at the moment, its the cooler nights and being able to get cozy in front of the telly. But sadly, its also the perfect climate for being lazy and comfort eating. On Sunday I settled down in front of Despicable Me (how have I not seen this sooner?) and ended up chowing down a whole bag of Red Rock Deli Chips (Honey Soy Chicken, of course).

Exhaustion. Mostly work related and just feeling run off my feet all day. By the time I get home I’m ready to flop and can’t really be bothered with much else. Cue the lotto Gods (yeah right). But more realistically, I am perservering with my blog and want to make some sort of career from it in the future.

On Sunday morning I woke up to a beautiful blood sugar reading of 21.0. Not really a suprise considering all the fatty junk food I had eaten (fats raise your BGLs several hours later), but still a scare. I knew I’d gone too far. My blood sugar had been sitting at that horrible level for the past 8 hours (probably more) that I’d been sleeping. I absolutely hate when that happens. Nothing annoys me more. Then cue the feelings of guilt, followed by scary thoughts of possible diabetes complications from the damage I’d done to my body. How could I have been so irresponsible, so stupid?

I hastily jabbed myself with some insulin, before heading to the kitchen. My mouth was left dry from all of the sugar and sodium I had consumed the day prior, and I was dying for a refreshing cup of tea. I refused to eat until my levels went down, although I can’t say I was feeling very hungry anyway. Damn shame too, because weekend breakfasts are my favourite time of week. The two days where I can actually take my time and enjoy something better than a hasty bowl of cereal. And I’d ruined it.

There’s not much of a point to this post other than to tell you that I’m not perfect. Nobody is. And I’ve no doubt you’ve found yourself in a similar situation at some point. Which is why I felt it was so important to share this. While I truly regret what I did, I think it was also the perfect wake up call (or in my case, scare) that I needed to start being sensible again.

Please tell me I’m not alone in this – have you been in a similar situation before?

That Sugar Film

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After hearing a lot about ‘That Sugar Film’ over the past few weeks, I finally decided to go check it out on Easter Monday and see what all the watercooler chat was about. And after a few weeks of being in a bit of a diabetes slump, it was just the motivation that I needed.

Aussie man Damon Gameau is a healthy young male with a diet consisting of mostly fresh produce and no sugar. He embarks on a diet of seemingly healthy, low fat foods for 60 days in order to expose the effects of the hidden sugars in these foods. Think yoghurt, breakfast cereals, juices, flavoured milks, muesli bars and lots of other processed products. Its a format that reminds me of the ‘Super Size Me’ documentary several years ago.

Without giving the ending away, the results are shocking. Damon’s health deteriorates significantly, both physically and mentally. Basically, he was eating foods that were stripped of their healthy fats and proteins (that help you to feel full and maintain energy) and replaced with sugar. His calorie intake before and during the experiment was exactly the same, and he didn’t even touch any takeaway, fizzy drinks, lollies, chocolate or ice cream. Of course, I did have a few areas of doubt…

  • Damon was an extremely healthy guy, therefore the impact of his experiment would likely be greater as opposed to someone on a more average diet.
  • He seemed to eat home cooked meals 3 times per day (pre experiment), which is impractical for the busy or working person.
  • Damon seemed to ignore carbs like pasta, rice and low GI breads in his normal diet, which are an essential source of energy and assist diabetics to maintain stable blood sugars.
  • Cereals were presented negatively for their higher sugar content, despite being a good source of Iron, Protein and several other nutritional benefits.

Since I’ve had diabetes, I’ve always prioritised the fat content and glycemic index rating on products without really considering sugar. While I think its unrealistic to cut out sugar and processed foods completely, this film was a real eye opener. After a weekend of Easter binge eating, That Sugar Film has motivated me to cut back on sugar for the sake of my diabetes management and long term health. I also liked the health benefits there were to gain, including more energy, less lethargy, healthier skin and reduced sugar cravings – all without any exercise.

Today I resisted hot cross buns and easter chocolate on the staff room table at work, and I went easy on the leftover desert in the fridge at home. The box of biscuits in my desk drawer will be going once they’re finished, and I will be swapping muesli bars for fresh fruit and nuts. And when I begin to falter again, I will remind myself of this film.

That Sugar Film has plenty of intrigue, investigation, eye openers, humour and cringeworthy moments to easily sustain a feature length presentation. It’s had a huge impact on me, so I can only imagine the impact this film will have if it makes its way around the world.

That Sugar Film is currently screening in selected cinemas around Australia and New Zealand. You can watch the trailer below, or visit www.thatsugarfilm.com to find out more.

Taking a Break From Diabetes at Easter

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I am sitting here on this balmy Easter Sunday with an extremely full stomach after a big day of indulgence.

My day began with an early coffee and some leftover dolcini (Italian sweets) from our family get together last night. After early Mass a Baileys was in order along with plenty of helpings from the chocolate basket on the coffee table (that was my breakfast, in case you were wondering!). On the menu for lunch it was pasta bake (like lasagne but with pasta), which has become somewhat of a festive tradition in our house, accompanied by mini pizzas and red wine. After a brief rest in front of the telly an array of deserts including Rocky Road, Red Velvet Cupcakes, Cannoli and more Easter eggs awaited us.

And let’s just say that this was actually a good year. After failing last year, I actually managed to give up chocolate for the most part of lent (minus two accidents!). I also didn’t have this at home to tempt me this year…

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Its the prize I won at work last year for correctly guessing the 510 easter eggs sitting in that jar! 510! It ended up sitting on our coffee table until about July, tempting the whole family to grab one every time we walked past.

Needless to say I was sick of chocolate by the time it was over. Anyway…

All I really wanted to say today is that even though this behaviour would likely give my doctor a heart attack, diabetes is a 24/7 job, 365 days of the year. Its not something that I can leave at my office desk at 5pm on Friday and return to at 9am on Monday. And frankly, I’m sick of people telling me “oh, you shouldn’t be eating this, should you?” without fully understanding diabetes. So long as I am aware of what I am consuming and how I have to respond, I think I’ve earned a day (or two!) of indulgence.

Cheers for all the fantastic support so far, and wherever you are in the world, HAPPY EASTER!

Bring on the food hangover tomorrow…

Belvita Breakfast Biscuits

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Unless I’m hypo, biscuits are generally a no-no for me. But lets face it, a cuppa is pretty boring without something sweet to go with it. Earlier this year I stumbled upon Belvita Breakfast Biscuits in the supermarket, and seeing Low GI on the box pretty much sold it for me.

There are six different varieties including Chocolate, Cranberry, Fruit and Fibre, Milk and Cereals, Crunchy Oats and Honey and Nut that boast five wholegrain cereals and a slow release of carbohydrates. Each box contains 6 individually wrapped packets of four biscuits, which makes it a great long lasting staple for my desk drawer at morning tea time.

The ingredient list doesn’t look too shabby either, with some healthy-sounding ingredients comprising the 63% cereals and oats that Belvita is made of. I’m also impressed by the “4 hour slow release of carbohydrates,” meaning that my blood sugar levels aren’t likely to skyrocket from a little indulgence. Other health related research on the box, conducted by Belvita, gives me confidence in putting the product in my shopping trolley.

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On the downside, I’m not convinced that these biscuits should be consumed as a substitute for your breakfast carbohydrate source as the box suggest (they are biscuits, after all!). I normally opt for a smaller serving of 2 biscuits as a snack, rather than 4.

I would also be wary of the percentages of fat and sugar in the product per 100g (ideally 10 per cent or less). With the fat per 100g ranging from 14 to 17 per cent and sugar ranging from 20 to 28 per cent, I would recommend choosing one of the varieties at the lower end of the scale such as Milk and Cereals or Cranberry.

Belvita’s tastes have been a hit and miss for me. While the Honey and Nut variety was absolutely delicious, the Milk and Cereals was off the mark. Somehow I just don’t think the flavour of milk and cereal goes down well in a biscuit, but perhaps you’ll disagree.

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With that being said, I would still recommend the brand as a diabetes friendly snack (in moderation, of course!). I only purchase Belvita occasionally, mainly due to the fact that a box will last me several weeks and I like my variety! Belvita can be found in Woolworths, Coles and IGA supermarkets in Australia. At around $4 to $5 per box, Belvita is double the price of a packet of comparable Arnott’s biscuits. However, I don’t mind paying more for something that is better for me, and they are often on sale at up to half price.

There aren’t a lot of products in the biscuit aisle that can proudly identify as diabetes friendly, so well done to the guys at Belvita for coming up with something original.

NB: This information is an average across all six varieties, precise information can be found on Belvita’s website.

Carbohydrate: 

30-35g per serve of 4 biscuits

Fat: 

7-9g per serve of 4 biscuits; 14-17g per 100g

Sugars:

10-14g per serve of 4 biscuits, 20-28g per 100g

Glycaemic Index Rating (GI): 

GI rating of between 45 and 54 (low). NB: Not certified by the Glycaemic Index Foundation, information is backed by Belvita’s scientific studies involving the breakfast biscuits.

Varieties:

Milk and Cereals, Fruit and Fibre, Crunchy Oats, Honey and Nut, Cranberry

Price:

$4-$5 for a box of 24 biscuits (6 individually wrapped packets of 4)

Where to buy:

Coles, Woolworths, IGA and other major supermarkets.

Website: 

www.belvitabreakfast.com.au