Diabetes and Lessons Learned

Wow, did I get an eye opener yesterday. I felt as if someone blind-sided me with a sucker punch.
What upsets me the most is how I thought I was well educated in the world of diabetes and their diets and after spending three years pouring over sites like the Mayo Clinic, the American Diabetes Association and magazines like Eating Well, Cooking Light and Diabetes Forecast, etc.....in one day I came to realize, I have no clue how diabetics really eat.

I found out, quite quickly that my site fits into a very small niche in the overall world of diabetic eating. It fits into the lives of "people who are on the rim or are worried because diabetes runs in the family, can start now on learning how to eat to prevent them from sliding over that slippery slope into full blown diabetes".

Since it has been surmised that over 5 million people have diabetes and don't know it and 3x that many are like me, right on the verge of coming to grips with the insulin pen, you would think my small niche just grew into a huge part of the American public. You and me are so wrong. I really reach no one. If no one knows they have diabetes, how will they know how to eat healthy and be in control?

I am not Gluten Free, Weight Watchers, Paleo, South Beach, Atkins, Clean Living, Vegan, or Vegetarian.

I completely understand why diabetics world over constantly complain how convoluted the recipes and information out there can be. I used to think that recommending rice and pasta as a side dish went against everything I read.

It comes down to this....
Book smart does not make you life smart. Live a year in my shoes and then we'll talk.

I get it, I totally get it. I have been living with my head buried in the sand.
Diabetes is scary stuff. Scary because there is no exact formula. Sure, you could eat Vegan or follow a Paleo diet, but why give up foods if you don't have too.

My SIL eats potatoes, drinks wine, has a sandwich, pizza and dessert. She injects by calculating the amount of carbs she thinks she will be eating and tests before and 2 hours after. Once she gets a feel for how her body reacts to certain foods, she can control it, sometimes. There are days when 200 is a "wish" reading and she can't get below 400 without injecting more than she knows is not good. It is then that getting out and walking around the block would help, but when you have a house full of guests, it's something you just can't do. Why? Because people do not understand the logistics of diabetes.

When I post the food I eat, it is usually the meal I serve to The Nudge, not what I actually eat.
I did find out after talking about this newest revelation that The Nudge would not miss carbs in his diet. Yes, he loves bread but he can make a PB&J without me, and he does. When we go out to eat and I order the rack of dry rub ribs, he gets his meatball parmigiana sandwich.

If I expected this blog to be my career and business, I would have to specialize in one diet and commit to cooking with the foods from that diet. Maybe one day I will, but right now the whole purpose is to use this blog as a personal food diary and to document how far I have come to understand the world of diabetes and how it effects me.

While I do make lots of low carb dishes, I should not post a picture of what The Nudge eats for dinner unless I intend to change the blog to "Delish is the Dish".

Go hubby!!!!