AboutCatherine Burns. RN. BS. Expertise I will endevour to answer questions re daily "Self Management of Diabetes Care" for people who are currently under the care of a physician.
My focus would be Diabetes health care education and not diagnosis.
Experience I have 15 years experience as a Diabetes Nurse Educator.
Education/Credentials I am an RN for many years.
I have a BS in Healthcare Management.
I was a Certified Diabetes Educator for many years.
Question My husband was recently diagnosed with diabetes - blood sugar 138 and AIc 7.4. He is beng treated for high cholesterol, hypertension and monitoring artificial aortic valve by a cardiologist and monitored by a kidney specialist for slightly elevated creatinine levels (1.4). When my husband goes back to the internist in about a week, he will started on oral diabetes medication and of course monitoring his blood sugar. In the mean time, I have been trying to prepare foods at home that follow the American Diabetes Association guidelines. I am also using some old weight watchers recipes. I know that fruits and all carbs break down into sugar. I am puzzled when I read that the ADA recommends 5 fruits a day - then again years ago, when my husband did weight watchers, they also recommended 5 fruits. Doesn't eating fruits elevate blood sugar levels? Why are complex carbs superior to simple carbs when it comes to diabetes control? I love cooking with beans and grains. Do beans cause sugar spikes? What about grains such as couscous, brown rice, Bulgar wheat, whole grain bread? Are low fat dairy products such as ricotta cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese "diabetes friendly?" I have a wonderful humus recipe that is delicious for dipping raw veges into. The recipe is a weight watchers recipe using chic peas, lemon juice, garlic and a bit of low fat yogurt. Would chic peas cause sugar spikes? In a way, I feel that I am flying blind when it comes to cooking until we meet with the doctor again. I am just trying to cook in a more diabetes friendly way in the interim.
Answer Dear Amy,
I am a diabetes nurse educator and although I have knowledge re nutrition, I am not a certified nutritionist. You deserve the assistance of an expert in the field of nutrition.
My recommendation is to have the internist refer both of you
to a Certified Diabetes Nutritionist
He/she is the expert resource for you, and will provide a personalized medical nutrition plan that will address the numerous medical problems that your spouse is dealing with.
The key word here is personalized and this is not available on the Internet.
To answer your question below:
Why are complex carbs superior to simple carbs when it comes to diabetes control?
Simple carbs/sugars are considered bad carbs. Simple sugars are broken down quickly by your body and result in a surge in blood sugar. Complex carbohydrates are considered good carbs. Complex carbs are broken down more slowly and do not result in a rapid spike in blood sugar. Fruits are healthy carbs , and do raise the blood glucose.
All carbs raise blood glucose, but it is the total amount of carbs consumed at a meal that will affect the rate and level of post meal blood glucose
Examples: simple and complex carbohydrates
Complex Carbs.
Spinach Whole Barley Grapefruit
Turnip Greens Buckwheat Apples
Lettuce Buckwheat bread Prunes
Water Cress Oat bran bread Apricots
Zucchini Oatmeal Pears
Asparagus Oat bran cereal Plums
Artichokes Museli Strawberries
Okra Wild rice Oranges
Cabbage Brown rice
Celery Multi-grain bread
Cucumbers
Dill Pickles Yogurt, low fat Navy beans
Radishes Skim milk Lentils
Broccoli Garbanzo beans
Brussels Sprouts Cauliflower Kidney beans
Eggplant Yams Lentils
Onions Carrots Split peas
Tomatoes Potatoes Pinto beans
Simple carbohydrates are more refined, are usually found in foods with fewer nutrients, and tend to be less satisfying and more fattening.
Some examples of foods containing simple carbohydrates are:
Table sugar
Corn syrup
Fruit juice
Candy
Cake
Bread made with white flour
Pasta made with white flour
Soda pop, such as Coke®, Pepsi®, Mountain Dew®, etc.
Candy
All baked goods made with white flour
Most packaged cereals
I recommend learning about the Glycemic Index / Glycemic Load", re carbs, because not all carbs are equal. Type Glycemic Index / Glycemic Load into your browser
The glycemic index or GI describes the difference by ranking carbohydrates according to their effect on our blood glucose levels. Choosing low GI carbs - the ones that produce only small fluctuations in our blood glucose and insulin levels is a healthy choice.
“In a way, I feel that I am flying blind when it comes to cooking until we meet with the doctor again. I am just trying to cook in a more diabetes friendly way in the interim.”
One needs the knowledge re healthy nutrition and healthy cooking to meet individual
special health needs, and the nutritionist will empower you with this knowledge.
The above input is provided for informational purposes only, and not to be substituted for the advice of a personal physician.
I recommend discussing medical concerns with the personal physician, and that you share the above information with him/her for review.
Good health to you both,
