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Now THIS is Useful

OK, you’ve heard it before. But a picture is worth a thousand words, no? It was actually the DexCom sales rep who gave me this slide. Take a good, long look. Try to memorize it. Try to think on it when you open the fridge. In fact, paste it on your fridge! If you have diabetes, no image was ever more worthy of that honor.

Learn it.

Live by it.

Like it. (Or if that’s too difficult, revert to Step 2).

Explore posts in the same categories: Diabetes Essentials

Wednesday, August 2nd, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (13)

Comments

Nice!
Posted by: Scott K. Johnson | August 2nd, 2006 at 7:24 am
I tend to ignore charts like this.

Why?

The whole YMMV-everybody’s-bodies-are-different thing. And charts such as this are just too generalized. You’d be much better off getting an actual glycemic index listing different foods/food brands and posting that on your fridge.

Hey, Amy, you should try what I’m doing. I’m using the continuous monitor on my Paradigm 522 to create a detailed listing of the GI of foods that I eat. I’ve got a big worksheet in Excel, and I’ve been noting the foods that I eat every day. I’m hoping to end up with a completely personalized listing of how each and every food I ingest affects my blood glucose level, and subsequently how to cover it with insulin.

But somehow I don’t think it’s gonna fit on my fridge…
Posted by: Tiffany | August 2nd, 2006 at 8:28 am
Tiffany

Don’t you think this diagram is a good starting point for folks? Especially anyone who hasn’t really thought about when a given food factors into your blood sugar readings.

I mean I already knew that if I took something like a low fat yogurt (high GI) and mixed in some fiber, the net effect is that the blood sugar spike goes up less in total and takes a little longer to get there.

So it’s just a way to visualize how food might affect you.

Tiffany - how is the 522 going? Care to post an update when you get a chance?
Posted by: Bernard Farrell | August 2nd, 2006 at 9:16 am
I use it on things I’m not sure of yet … But it is a good reference to start with when you’re starting out. Gal at work has gestational diabetes and I told her about it and it’s helping her a lot.
Posted by: Jo | August 2nd, 2006 at 4:24 pm
Neat graph!

That definitely explains why Bernstein’s diet is around
70% fat, 20% protein, 10% complex carbohydrates, and 0% fruit.
Posted by: Nick | August 2nd, 2006 at 4:48 pm
You guys, get real, I am a endo doc and if a fraction of my patients comprehended a bit of this information their HgbA1cs would drop by 30 percent or more. Please remember the vast majority of patients with diabetes in the US are not particpating on this site. They are poor, not online, etc. Whatever we can do to simplify caring for their diabetes is our goal. I bet that perhaps less than 20 percent of my (100 percent) endocrine practice is patients like you. I would love it to be 100 percent. I could retire. Patients like you take care your yourselves! It is the “other unfortunate majority” of diabetic patients that are the real challenge. So go ahead and debate the virtues of the glycemic index and realize that most diabetics in the US don’t even have a clue what a carb is…
Posted by: glasshalfflull99@yahoo.com | August 2nd, 2006 at 7:58 pm
And for all the greatly compliant and compulsive type 1s and gestationals, bravo to you to figure out your own glycemic index, I think it is the only way to go… The GI is a valid theory but everyone must find their own GI chart through careful trial and error! Glass
Posted by: glasshalfflull99@yahoo.com | August 2nd, 2006 at 8:01 pm
> most diabetics in the US don’t
> even have a clue what a carb is

It might help if you just called them sugars. A complex carbohydrate is nothing more than a complex sugar. And most people should be able to make the connection between sugar and diabetes, even if they find the word “carbohydrate” a bit hard to swallow.
Posted by: Mo | August 3rd, 2006 at 6:50 am
My comment was both personal (you may have noticed the “I” in my first sentence) and directed toward Amy.

Bernard,
I think that chart is a good starting place for people who are new to carbs. However, the only problem with starting places is that they can often become stopping places as well. I worked in Geriatrics with a significant number of Type 2’s, and it became noticeable that some people will go no further than the information they are given. Sure, we want to make it simple for the Diabetic to care for him/herself, but what kind of care will they be capable of if they are not educated beyond the basics?

For those of you who missed the point of my first comment, I’ll reiterate the internet acronym that I initially used to sum it up:

YMMV - Your Mileage May Vary
Posted by: Tiffany | August 3rd, 2006 at 7:34 am
Hi Tiffany,
Good for you for being so meticulous! I personally found this slide very helpful.
Posted by: AmyT | August 3rd, 2006 at 10:57 am
Woohoo! A new reference for my thesis on glycemic control using computers. Thanks for sharing!
Posted by: JasonJayhawk | August 3rd, 2006 at 12:17 pm
As a type 1 for 13 years with a current A1C of 6.4, I found this chart helpful. Sometimes my blood sugar will raise 4-5 hours after a meal and it takes me awhile to connect the fact that I had a high protein or high fat meal!

Also, lately I’ve been using fruit almost exclusively to treat lows. This chart shows me why they’re a quick fix, but how I’ll need something more substantial if I’m going to keep the bg up for awhile.

Simplistic, perhaps… but this kind of visual representation of the glycemic index is a great reminder when you’re trying to factor in the many things that effect our blood sugars!
Posted by: Kelsey | August 3rd, 2006 at 4:19 pm
Tiffany, are you a minimed pump rep?
Posted by: Johnboy | August 4th, 2006 at 5:30 am