Wednesday, July 20, 2011

You can eat *that*?

One of the biggest questions/comments I get from others usually centers around my diet.  Most of the comments are innocent enough.  Let me just set the record straight.

Yes, we can eat ice cream.

Yes, we can eat grilled cinnamon rolls (see picture of yummy goodness).

Yes, we can eat birthday cake.

Yes, we can eat anything you can eat.  It's all about moderation, not deprivation.

"But I thought diabetics need to watch what they eat?"  Yes, we do, but so should you.  The way a diabetic "should" eat is not really different from how a non-diabetic should eat.  Should you eat a whole container of Ben & Jerry's ice cream?  No (though I will admit it is yummy!).  Did you realize there are actually *four* servings in what most people eat in one sitting?  Tell me that that's ok for anyone, diabetic or not.

Yes, I ate most of the yummy cinnamon roll pictured.  I shared a little with my two youngest as they enjoyed a special treat of ice cream.  Yes, I also know that I need to be mindful of those extra carbs and either do some extra physical activity or eat a lower carb lunch.  Those of us with diabetes still like all the foods that you like, and we can still eat them. 

(NOTE: No one commented about me eating this grilled cinnamon roll today. These are just some thoughts that went through my head as I ate.)

4 comments:

  1. Hey Sue
    Of course the biggest diabetes lie surrounds diet, you cant eat that, you ate too much sugar, stop drinking sugar pop and you will be cured of diabetes is my favorite. Most people do not differentiate with PWD's but as type 2's we get this the most. My type 2 diagnosis has a genetic background because I was never overweight and way fairly active before my diagnosis but yet I here I am. Blame the media or anyone who perpetuates these stereotypes, I mean don't get me wrong with the Obesity component in the equation, yes there are those in our community who got diabetes because they are obese and even to some small scale there are those who ate themselves to obesity and thus it can logically be concluded that they ate themselves to a diabetes diagnosis but how this small percentage of people ended up representing every diabetic out there is beyond me. well maybe its not, I mean 90% of the general public get their info from the media and what we see from the media is the star Jones of the world who get on the news and say " O my God, look at me, I lost 80 pounds and stopped taking my diabetes medication and ha now I am cured of my diabetes"... How can we fight against such a huge machine?
    Sorry for the rant but this subject is still raw from that the idiot Wendell and Mike Hoskins situation

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  2. Great post!!!! I'm glad nobody pestered you about the cinnamon roll - and I'm also glad you put this out there to educate the masses!! :)

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  3. I'm glad that you were able to enjoy your cinnamon roll in peace. I actually find that I'm much harder on myself about what I eat than the people around me. I worked so hard to get my A1c and my triglycerides down, I don't want to mess it up for a bowl of ice cream. I did eat a couple of chips at the Mexican restaurant today and until I read this, I was beating myself up about it.

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  4. Emmy, if I were to totally avoid even a bowl of ice cream, I would become depressed due to feeling deprived. Instead I have an occasional treat, knowing I have to plan for it. Either I have to cut out carbs from other meals/snacks or increase my activity. Yes, it's hard work having diabetes, but that doesn't mean there can be no fun!

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