It’s in the pin
Usually you would expect that a post would precede a Pinterest pin. In this case, I was working on a really cool Pinterest pin and it inspired a blog post. I was working on a honey Diabetic alternatives Pinterest pin and it inspired this post.
A1c and diet soda
Previously my doctor advised me that my A1c (an indicator of my sugar intake) was moving up, and I decided to do something about it. I was drinking regular soda. I drink soda because it has caffeine and the caffeine helps me fight the multiple sclerosis fatigue that I have. I switched to diet soda. It has 0 calories and no sugar. The aspartame and other artificial sweeteners make me a little dizzy, but it is tolerable. I decided that it was worth a little dizziness in exchange for a better A1c.
Kidney stones
I drink what is considered “clear” sodas. The reason is that towards the end of 2003 I had a kidney stone operation. A review of certain studies has led me to believe that “dark” sodas (mostly colas) are bad for kidney stones. They seem to promote the formation of kidney stones. I am not a physician but it looks like I should stay with “clear” sodas. My sodas of choice are Mountain Dew and Sunkist. This is because both have caffeine and neither are colas.
Cutting the A1c
I have begun to look into food alternatives, but I have to admit with less success. Anyway, switching to diet sodas significantly cut my A1c. It was cut down to 6.0. The last blood test showed it creeping up to 6.3. I am still trying to get it lower. This has resulted in me taking a substantial interest in Diabetic Diets. One of which I promote on my products and services page.
Reduce sugar
One way to deal with this is to cut down my sugar intake. Just put little or no sugar in my tea and coffee. Another is to use artificial sweeteners such as Equal or Spenda. I have been trying to use less sugar in the food I eat. Using less ketchup is also effective.
Chinese food
I like Chinese food, but staying away from sweet and sour chicken, and deciding on foods without sauce is helpful for me. I put a little mustard on the Chinese food. It does not have to be Chinese mustard, which I often find too hot. It can be regular hotdog mustard, which I like much better.
Tasting real food
I have been eating many foods plain, without sauce. This means I actually taste the real flavor of the food I am eating. I have found that I am actually rediscovering the flavor of foods. Plain chicken is really good. Plain fish such as fillet, Boston scrod and tilapia are great tasting even without tartar sauce. Tasting real food can be an experience in itself.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I was getting concerned about my sugar intake, and I have tried to do something about it. You can do the same if you need to reduce your sugar intake. It just takes a little motivation and a lot of guts to try foods plain that you didn’t think you liked.