March 2010 TRUCKER TALK
TRUCKING WITH DIABETES
BY WRITER & DRIVER KIM GRIMM
As an overweight nation, we are suffering from several conditions and diseases that weight loss could help or eliminate. One of these diseases is diabetes, and it’s sweeping America at an alarming rate. The American Diabetes Association claims that 23.6 million Americans – 7.8% of the population – have diabetes. From children to adults, our eating habits are catching up with us, and it’s time to make some life-saving choices.
As truckers, our lifestyle already sets us up on an unhealthy path that includes truck stop food (and a job that requires us to sit all day long). But whose fault is that, really? Aren’t the truck stops serving what is in demand? If salads and low calorie foods were selling, don’t you think they would be offering more of them? Instead, we get choices like chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes and gravy, which is high in carbohydrates, fat and calories. Most of us are guilty of choosing these foods that are readily available and taste so good, but we know that these are not healthy choices. But it’s time to change – or else!
Since last November, I have been learning a lot about diabetes. I’ve also been learning a lot about what it can do and what you have to do about it. My significant other Pete Briggs has had borderline diabetes, along with high blood pressure, for about five years. Pete’s high blood pressure has been controlled with medicine, and the diabetes was being controlled (so we thought) through proper diet. He was pretty good about not eating bread, potatoes and most sweets, but he wasn’t testing his blood sugar regularly. I wanted him to do it, but you can’t make someone do it – they have to want to do it themselves.
Having recently lost over 40 pounds, Pete began to notice that his vision was getting a little blurry. He went to the eye doctor to get a new prescription for his glasses, and then to his regular doctor to have his blood checked (which he does about every six months). The results from the blood test were the scare that he needed to really change his ways. The HGB A1C test he took in early November, which measures his long-term average blood sugar levels by taking a sample of hemoglobin A1C cells, was 12.7 – up from just 6.4 in early April. The good range for that measurement should be between 4.2 and 5.8, so it was way out of whack.
Pete let me go with him to his doctor appointment when he was told about his poor blood test results. His blood sugar was over 400, his cholesterol was high and all those good and bad numbers were not where they should be. The only good thing was that his blood pressure was awesome. The doctor sent us home with a little book to record his blood sugar in four times a day and some advice regarding things he could change. He told Pete to have his blood tested in three months and set a goal for him to have the HGB A1C number down to 7.
I went online to get more information about diabetes and every site I went to had a place for you to go and buy a book. So, instead of waiting for books to arrive, I went to Barnes & Noble and bought books I thought would be useful. The one I really like is “50 Diabetes Myths That Can Ruin Your Life” by Riva Greenberg. I also got a couple cookbooks and am really enjoying making food that is good for us AND tastes good. The rewards are really worth the effort. Pete has made the decision to do all he can, and I will be there to help any way I can. The doctor told us that having someone to support you really helps in a patient’s ability to succeed.
By not testing his blood for so long, Pete didn’t know how high his numbers had become. If you have diabetes, testing will give you the knowledge you need to make changes before things get as bad as they did for Pete. The meter to test is only about $20, so we bought three of them – one for home, one for the truck, and one for my purse (for when we eat out). The test strips are about $1 each, and one pharmacist told us that we could get a prescription for them from the doctor. That really brought the cost down – instead of $100 for 100 strips, it is just $30 now with our insurance.
High blood sugar levels can change your moods and your vision. After waiting a week to get his new glasses, Pete was not happy – his vision was still a little blurry. We figured he just needed to get used to them, but that wasn’t the case. When he had his eyes tested the first time, the doctor also checked and confirmed that Pete’s diabetes had not damaged his eyes yet, so we were confused. Pete made another doctor appointment. At that appointment, his doctor told him that he needed to go and have his vision retested because now that his blood sugar levels (numbers) had dropped, his prescription had probably changed. Sure enough, after getting rechecked, his prescription had changed since the first test he had taken two weeks prior. After waiting another week, his second pair of new glasses came, and they were right on. And, as long as he keeps his blood sugar levels where they are now, nothing should change.
Testing your blood sugar levels regularly teaches you what foods will make your numbers spike. As the numbers got back down to where they should be, Pete felt so much better and his moods got back to normal. And, in early February, his HGB A1C number was down to 6.8. We are working hard to lower that number even more, but that is a lot of progress in less than three months! The doctor was also able to lower the dosage for Pete’s high blood pressure medicine and thinks he will be able to get off of it completely at some point if the improvements continue. All these little accomplishments add up and make us both feel good about the changes we are making.
It’s easy when we’re home to make meals that help keep us on track. Pete was concerned about when we were out on the road, but we’re making that work, too. It takes a little extra effort, but it’s all worth it. Most trucks today have a microwave and a fridge, and there are things you can do to not only save money, but probably help save your life. Before we hit the road, I like to make a tub of “healthy” tuna salad. Starting with two big cans of water-packed tuna, I then add dill relish (a healthier replacement for sweet relish), chopped onion, celery, light olive oil mayo and lots of pepper – it’s pretty tasty. Then, I make sandwiches using wheat or whole grain bread.
Turkey isn’t just for Thanksgiving anymore – I like to buy just the turkey breast – and after I bake and slice it, this healthy and lean meat is really good for sandwiches. Instead of mayo, Pete really likes spicy mustard and a slice of fresh onion. The mustard and onion are good for the tuna sandwiches, too. If you have diabetes, stay away from all those deli meats – they are full of sodium. Excessive sodium can be really bad for you, especially if you have high blood pressure. Pete can have bread, but he tries to make it whole wheat or whole grain, which is not only easy to find nowadays, but it also stays fresh longer than white bread when packed in the truck.
One night I told Pete that I was going to make chicken breast for supper, and he banned me from the grill (he knew I’d cremate it). But, instead, I used a George Foreman grill and made an awesome supper. Sometimes I just cook the chicken plain with lots of pepper, and sometimes I buy it pre-marinated from the store – along with a salad, it makes a satisfying supper, and if I cook extra, we have something to warm up for lunch later or to take along in the truck. A little planning can go a long way to saving you from making bad choices.
A lot of the choices we now make boil down to moderation. If you have diabetes, you should eat better food, but that doesn’t mean you can’t eat the things you like, too. It’s okay to have a little baked potato, just don’t heap it with butter and sour cream and eat the whole thing. Another good tip is to share your meals (if you have someone to share them with). At breakfast, when on the road, we will share an omelet and skip the hash browns, opting instead for sliced tomatoes, and each have one of the two pieces of wheat toast that comes with it. You can do this with a lot of your meals, and after you get used to eating less, you really aren’t hungry afterwards (and it saves money, too).
The other biggie that we all know and have a long list of excuses for not doing is exercise! You can make that happen, too. It’s easier when the weather is nice to take a walk, but even in a snow storm in Des Moines, Iowa, while stuck in a motel room, we walked up and down the hall and made several runs up and down the stairs. If you are in a hotel with a pool, go for a swim. Swimming is great exercise and easier on your joints. We have found that when Pete has more exercise, his blood sugar levels are always lower.
Another thing the doctor suggested is to get a Medic Alert bracelet or necklace stating that you are diabetic. If you’re in an accident, it is important information for an EMT to have. A friend of ours, who is an EMT, told me to put a list of all the medications you are on in your wallet or purse. I wouldn’t have thought of that, but, apparently, they will look. It’s easier to write the names of all the medicines down directly from the bottles, because most of those ridiculous names are pretty hard to pronounce (and even harder to spell).
I hope that this article helps drivers who are on the same road that we are on. Diabetes changes your life, but with some of these tips, tricks and suggestions, hopefully you can decide to make the changes necessary to keep it under control, and maybe even save your life. Many other drivers out there are struggling with Diabetes, so know that you are not alone. And with some of the new health regulations that are coming soon, we are all going to have to change some things whether we like it or not, so you might as well take control of the situation now and make the best of it. If not for yourself, do it for your loved ones – but either way, do it! Put yourself on the road to better health!