"Wheat and diabetes are closely interwoven. In many ways, the history of wheat is also the history of diabetes. Where there's wheat, there's diabetes. Where there's diabetes, there's wheat. It's a relationship as cozy as McDonald's and hamburgers. But it wasn't until the modern age that diabetes became not just a disease of the idle rich but of every level of society. Diabetes has become Everyman's Disease." (Davis, pg. 97)
Surprise source of wheat for the day - Cheerios! Made from whole grain oats, but includes wheat as well.
It's the end of day 3 and I am TIRED. I've also had some stomach upset. I'm chalking it up to wheat withdrawl and hoping for the best tomorrow. Even though I am tired, it is a physical tired. I feel sharper mentally. I have been so tempted to step on the scale just to see if there's any change, but I am waiting for that first full week to be done. My blood sugars have been doing fairly well. Breakfast was pineapple, turkey sausage, cheese and cashews. Levels measured at 138. Lunch was a hamburger cooked in worcestershire sauce and butter with provolone cheese and carrots. Levels were 113. Dinner I snacked early on some crackers and a slim jim...then had some leftover chinese. Levels were up at 164. However, looking at an article from a diabetes magazine, it says the ideal 2 hours after the start of a meal is below 180. I have been hitting that and then some all week. My fasting levels are another story though. This morning was 149. Ideal first thing in the morning is 90-130. I'm not going over by a lot, but I still need to get it down. I realized that the last 2 nights I forgot to take my Metformin (diabetes medication) so that may have contributed. The hope is to eventually get off the meds, but it's going to take some time and some lost weight. I took my meds tonight, so now I'll see what happens in the morning. I think in an effort to save some money, I will stop checking after every meal. Meals that contain more carbs I will check, but otherwise I will stick to my fasting levels. Those test stripes are EXPENSIVE!
One thing I haven't really touched on is exercise. I have been having issues with my sciatic in my leg, so I've been sidelined a bit. I admit I have been curious to see if changing my diet at all would affect my leg. It could be all in my head, but it hasn't been as bad the last few days. The pain is not gone and I still have issues, but the ibuprofen has been working better and the pain is not as constant. I was reading in the book today how wheat can affect so many functions of the body, including the nerves. In the coming days, I will put together some summary information on Davis' finding about wheat. I also am curious to see if I have noticable changes without the benefit of exercise, as many people who have reviewed the book claim. I'll get the exercise in the routine in the coming weeks however....it will only help my cause.
Other than some mild side effects, the removal of wheat has not been too hard at all. I don't know why, but going wheat free is so much easier than when I tried to go low carb. I think part of it is because I don't count anything. I eat things that are wheat free. I don't go crazy on the portions, but I don't measure anything out either. I'm eating more fruits and vegetables too. I feel very positive about this change of pace.
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