Stop messing with my head, accursed Diabetes Fairy!

Haven’t done a post about my running for a while, partly because it seems to have been very hit and miss this year. Had a poor month in February, great month in March, lazy again in April, and really starting to get back into it in May. Things have changed from my March regime though, principally the fact that, as the day begins much earlier I have been getting up at around 5:15, thus generally getting my run in before 8:00. As I now need to eat and inject before going for a run, and allow time for the food to digest and the insulin to start peaking, I usually step out around 90 minutes after eating. All well and good, but what I consequently have to deal with is that my regular lunchtime is now around 7 hours after my breakfast, a long time to go without food or further injections.

So, I have been trying a little experiment over the past few days. On the first occasion, a few days ago, I decided that I would eat some toast and inject a small amount of insulin to cover it, shortly after completing my run. The result? Hypos all the way through to lunchtime! On the next occasion I decided to see what would happen if I ate the toast but didn’t inject for it. Result? My level prior to eating was 6.8 mmol/l (122 mg/dl) and by lunchtime it was 5.7 mmol/l (103 mg/dl) – I didn’t need any insulin for that toast! I have just repeated the experiment today, after a much shorter run. I was 7.0 mmol/l (126 mg/dl) after the run, ate some toast, and then was 5.2 mmol/l (94 mg/dl) before lunch! So the scenario with me seems to be:

1) Eat nothing for breakfast, levels normally creep up to the 7s/8s by lunchtime.

2) Eat breakfast, no run, levels usually in 5s/6s by lunchtime

3) Eat breakfast, go for run but eat nothing after, levels in 7s/8s by lunchtime

4) Eat breakfast, go for run and have toast afterwards, levels in low 5s!

Nothing’s ever simple is it?

Go on! Have a pie!

Why is it in this health-conscious age, with government campaigns ringing in our ears, that so many food establishments fail to act and provide good, wholesome and healthy fare? Recently a lady on the forum related a tale of how, in a health and fitness club or all places, she had found it virtually impossible to purchase food that would satisfy her hunger without clogging up her arteries, spiking her blood sugar levels and sending her blood pressure through the roof. She was compelled to bring her own food, but warned by the manager that this was against the rules and she would risk getting her membership cancelled if she persisted. Here’s how I imagine the conversation went…

I’m so sorry madam, you can’t eat that here,
We’ve a rule against bringing in food,

You’ll find what we offer is healthy and fresh,
So don’t eat your own – that’s just rude!

Our menu is here, please read and you’ll see
The wonderful things that we sell!
Both savoury and sweet, vegetarian and meat,
And a wide range of soft drinks as well!

For our sandwiches we use only fine refined bread,
As white as the snows before Spring!
We can fill it with Spam, crispy bacon or jam,
Or sausages fit for a king!

Ah! I see our pork pies have just caught your eye!
They’re served with a big plate of chips!
Come on, don’t deny that you’d love one to try!
I can see that you’re licking your lips!

What’s that? A nice salad? No, I don’t think we do,
There’s never much call for that here…
We’ve some nice battered fish you could have if you wish –
We make all our batter with beer!

Now, to wash it all down, then you could go to town
With a full sugar energy drink!
The cups are so big if you fell in you’d drown,
And there’s no finer tonic – don’t you think?

What’s that? You’ll decline? Well, I feel I must say
That you look like you need a good meal!
For you’re thinner each day, like you’re wasting away,
Just imagine how much better you’d feel!