Carbe Diem, in Moderation!

D-Blog Week Day 4: To carb or not to carb

I’ve always been a meat and potatoes kind of guy, and when I was first diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, the idea of having to give up those carb loaded potatoes was not something I was very happy with.  So, I didn’t give them up entirely.  What I did, though, was learn how to eat them in moderation.  That’s the key!

Anything done in excess is bad for you. The same is true with the amount of carbs I eat.

Sure, if I eat a whole pan of mashed potatoes I’m going to have major problems. A spoonful of them isn’t so bad, though, as long as it is paired with some protein and a salad or some other no carb food items.  The protein and salad help to balance out the meal, and provide padding so my blood sugars don’t take off like a rocket, or drop like a meteor.

And, if I go eat that whole gallon of cookies and cream ice cream in my freezer in one sitting, you can bet I’m going to have problems. A scoop or so every now and then, however, isn’t so bad. Again, moderation is the key.

Each body is different, and in the end, it comes down to knowing what our bodies can handle.  Since diagnosis, I’ve learned a lot about which foods effect my blood sugars, and how my body processes them. I’ve figured out what I can eat safely, what’s OK to eat every now and then, and what I really have to stay away from at all times.  And, I’ve got a system that works for me, and the proof is in my A1c numbers. The last one was 6.0.

Having said that, though, what works for me, may not work for everyone.  And that’s perfectly fine.  Diabetes is not a “one size fits all ” disease, and no two people are alike, so, of course we’re all going to have different approaches to what we eat, how we treat, etc…  That’s just how it works.  We shouldn’t judge others.

One bit of advice to the diabetes police out there, and I’m quoting that awesome SugaSheen video, “All The Diabetics”,

“Don’t tell me I am bad, cause if you do, we’ll be through, and then you’ll get an ear full!”