THE RIGHT KIND OF EXERCISE FOR OLDER DIABETICS

When I was morbidly obese, I knew I should be exercising. But my back and knees would not let me. I could walk for short stretches, but I had to rest.

So, I decided to lose weight first, then exercise. Since the balanced carb and protein diet puts on muscle mass, I was actually ahead of the game by losing weight that way. When I started, I had 100 pounds of muscle pushing around 283 pounds. Now I have 130 pounds of muscle pushing 170 pounds around. Ask me how different I feel now!

At any rate, there are a couple of pieces of exercise gear that really help people with weak knees and backs. I work out every day for 20 minutes on my Healthrider. This exercises every muscle in your body except your neck, and it does it without hurting your back and knees. I am very fond of it.

I also do 2 sets of 12 back extensions on the Roman Chair pictured above. This has strengthened my back tremendously and chased away all my back problems.

I have just added a set of women's free weights, 1-2-3 lb sets, and I am adding them for resistance work. Resistance work gets the insulin into your cells better than any other type of exercise. Do cardio for your heart, but do resistance work for your insulin resistance.

I aim for 30 minutes exercise per day. That is good for about 60 points post prandial, and keeps my blood sugar under control the entire day.

MOST FRUIT IS 15 GM CARBS PER CUP

I love fruit. And I love fruit salad. So, I usually just choose 3 fruits that mix well, and mix one cup of salad. I always match this with 15 gm protein - something like a whey protein drink, or a piece of ham, or maybe 2 eggs. Consult your Book of Food Counts to find matching protein and carbs.

Here are some of my favorites:

1 oz ham with 1 cup mixed pineapple and cherries salad

1 oz cheese with red raspberries, strawberries, and cherries salad

Chocolate whey protein with 1 cup banana, grape, and kiwi salad

Vanilla whey protein with 1 cup cantaloup, grapes, and strawberries.

HOT TIP: USE SUGAR FREE WHIPPING CREAM ON TOP OF THE FRUIT!

All of these will be about 150 calories, wonderful for a mid afternoon snack. And they are all balanced protein and carb.

MEATBALLS AND SPAGHETTI SQUASH

MEATBALLS AND SPAGHETTI SQUASH - SERVES 3

6 Turkey Meatballs
2 cups spaghetti squash
1 cup marinara
1/4 cup mozzarella

Split spaghetti squash lengthwise and place face down in casserole dish. Cover with 1 inch water and microwave on high for 25 minutes. Remove seeds.

Heat frozen turkey meatballs in pan and add marinara. Spoon over scraped squash, 1 cup per serving. Top with cheese and microwave until cheese is melted.

Fat 12 gm, Carbs 15 gm, Protein 15 gm, Fiber 3 gm, Cal 229

METFORMIN TO THE RESCUE

As you may know from reading previous posts, I had gallstone pancreatitis and lost half my pancreas, making me diabetic for life. I am a mixture of Type 1 (fewer beta cells) and Type 2 (insulin resistance.) Because of the tragic way I came to use insulin, I did not follow the usual route of Metformin or glucophage as a stepping stone to manage blood sugar before the use of insulin.

My doctor agreed that I needed Metformin a few weeks ago. I have done everything I can to manage my blood sugar by diet, exercise, and supplements, but my A1C was still at 7.2.

Metformin is a medication that attacks the Type 2 problem of insulin resistance. Some people have problems with it because it can give you diarrhea as a side effect. I was forearmed before I started taking it. I loaded up on acidophilus (probiotics) to make sure I had plenty of the good bacteria in my intestines, and I also use a product called Stevia Balance from Now Foods. This product feeds the good bacteria. The result is that I had no problems at all with loose stools with metformin. I am also on the Metformin ER version, where there is less problem with intestinal upset.

I am happy to say that the Metformin has lowered my A1C to 6.5, with no other changes in diet. If you would like to see what a prominent holistic physician has to say about Metformin, please read here:

http://www.antiaging-magazine.com/interviews/interview_1.html

As you may know, I have a strong bias against using insulin, because it increases insulin resistance over time, making the problem worse for Type 2 diabetics. But I am proud to say that an old medication fits the bill for getting at insulin resistance. So I am not against pharmaceuticals, only against using insulin for Type 2. Metformin is a very good addition to a diabetic treatment plan, and in the interview above, the good doctor recommends it for anyone over 35.

ABOUT THE DIET AND SUPPLEMENTS

Apply it and it really works. Hunger and tiredness go away immediately. Make about half your protein as whey protein and half your carbs as fruit. Don't forget your omega 3's - up to 10 gm per day. It is OK to go over on protein by about 10%, but don't try to get any less carbs. The fat is the hard part. When you need more protein to hit your protein target (that is your FIRST concern) and you are at your fat limit, have a protein drink.

Also, the water cure works for insulin resistance and weight loss. Drink half your weight in ounces of water, divided into doses 30 minutes before meals. I drink 90 ounces of water - but it needs to have SEA SALT in it, not regular salt. You need the minerals.

Take a good multi vitamin - I like Life's Fortune, but Vibe is great if you have the money.
And take alpha lipoic acid and reishi mushroom with each meal and snack.

Digestive enzymes are needed on this small number of calories.

You should be feeling mildly hungry for about 30 minutes before you eat the next time. Anything more than mild hunger and you are losing muscle, and slowing your metabolic rate down. So don't skip any meals or snacks, your are already at rock bottom for the number of calories. Any less and you are losing muscle.

Also, if you walk for half an hour daily, you can have an extra protein bar. Eat the bar before you exercise.

This is so successful. Find a good protein bar that has equal grams protein and carbs. Good brands are Healthwise, Kanani Falls, and so on. They are handy for your midafternoon snack.

Also, find a protein loaded breakfast shake recipe, the Reese's shake recipe on my blog is wonderful, tastes like a chocolate peanut butter shake. Just use the high protein chocolate pudding mix in it, or you can use chocolate whey protein - about 15 gm worth.

You can find a log sheet to use to hit your target numbers in the previous posts.

Welcome to the next part of your life! I help hundreds of people lose weight, and I don't charge for my services. This is my "right work" for all the help I got to lose my 110 pounds.

Best wishes,

Martha

OMEGA 3'S AND INSULIN RESISTANCE

Omega 3's are fish oil and flax oil. Every cell membrane in your body uses omega 3's in the membrane, but we have been eating trans-fats, that clog the membranes and make it so insulin cannot get inside the cell with glucose. It is like building a house with bricks for windows.

So, when you take fish oil and flax oil, you are helping insulin resistance. You are also helping appetite control, and a nice side effect is that your skin gets soft. If you have cracks on the backs of your heels, that is a sure sign you need omega 3's in a major way.

You need 10 gm of omega 3's every day, a mixture of fish and flax oil. Get the kind that say 1,000mg - which is a gram of oil per pill. Take 10 of them daily, most people do 5 in the morning and 5 in the evening. This is in addition to your 25 gm of dietary fat daily.

In this diet, omega 3's also keep the gall bladder flushing the extra cholesterol from the fat you are losing. They help keep gallstones away. Gallstones are the most significant risk factor to weight loss. You are already at risk for gallstones if you are obese, but dieting increases that risk. So, if you have any pain under your breastbone area, go see a doctor immediately. It is a simple blood test to see if gallstones are the problem.

COCONUT OIL FOR WEIGHT LOSS AND DIABETES

Coconut oil works, too. Start small (1 teaspoon) and work your way up to 2 to 3 tablespoons per day. If you take too much, it will give you diarrhea, but that is only temporary. It lowers blood glucose, cholesterol, and helps with weight loss and blood sugar control. I put my coconut oil in my protein drinks - the hot ones, like cocoa. Don't count the coconut oil in your target numbers because it is a thermogenic and will help you burn caolries. Just hit your targets for fat, protein, and carbs, and add the coconut oil without recording it on your log sheet. If you are using a glucose meter, you will see a very nice drop in blood sugar when you use the coconut oil. That drop means calories are being burned.

But, as with all supplements, you can only see the benefit of the supplement if you are hitting your targets for fat, protein, and carbs. It is always food first, then supplements. Food is the primary way to manage diabetes, the supplements only help when you are already hitting your fat, protein, and carb targets.

Avoid bad fats: transfats, and seed oils. Just use olive oil, butter, and coconut oil. The bad fats are what clogs the insulin receptors on your cell membranes.