Grazing

I have always been a snacker. My girls have followed my foot steps as well; we'd rather 'graze' all day than eat large meals, but it isn't that easy to do with diabetes. Today, we were at a fundraiser that had little snacks available. Maddy had just been nibbling throughout the day with a cracker or a little bite here and there and her sugars paid for it. She ran steady in the mid 200's.. We were just so boggled by this. She wasn't eating very carby foods, and it was literally just a bite here and there. Of course, she would check her sugar every couple of hours, but we were taught if she was eating a snack under 15 carbs, she doesn't need to treat for it (as long as sugars are good). What happens if she prefers to just nibble throughout the day? Does she need to treat herself for every snack, every other snack, or is she not able to 'graze'? These were all questions going through my mind..

I did a little research and found that diabetics really just can't graze. It's tough enough to constantly check your sugars, treat with insulin, battle highs and lows, and watch every single thing you put in your mouth; now you can't be a snacker.. It seems a never ending losing battle for diabetics. But the good news is; you can be a frequent eater by eating 6 small meals a day instead of 3 large meals. I found a great article explaining this.

http://www.diabetesforecast.org/2008/oct/the-art-of-grazing.html

So afternoon sacking may not be an option, but frequent and well chosen meals can make your small appetite easier to manage.

Here is a blog that I read: http://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/Blog/Flashpoints/graze-or-gorge/