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Thread: Diabetes

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    Senior Member GreatUsername's Avatar
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    Default Diabetes

    Something I've wondered about for a while: what solutions are available for diabetics in situations where insulin cannot be resupplied for several days, such as a natural disaster or getting lost on a camping trip? I know most diabetics have extra insulin (my grandfather always has roughly four doses with him at all times) but are there any solutions that can be used as stop-gaps once those run out?
    Last edited by GreatUsername; 01-23-2013 at 06:06 PM.
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    Quote Originally Posted by GreatUsername View Post
    Something I've wondered about for a while: what solutions are available for diabetics in situations where insulin cannot be resupplied for several days, such as a natural disaster or getting lost on a camping trip? I know most diabetics have extra insulin (my grandfather always has roughly four doses with him at all times) but are there any solutions that can be used as stop-gaps once those run out?
    One! You cannot eat any carbs what so ever or better yet, do not eat anything until you have an insulin supply handy

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    Senior Member GreatUsername's Avatar
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    Great. I guess heavy or even moderate activity is out of the question until the emergency passes then. Diabetes is one of those many things I'm very thankful to NOT have.
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    Quote Originally Posted by GreatUsername View Post
    Great. I guess heavy or even moderate activity is out of the question until the emergency passes then. Diabetes is one of those many things I'm very thankful to NOT have.

    It is bad on so many levels. A friend of my dad's is 90 and he is on insulin 4 times a day, but he watches it very carefully and breaks the rules like 2-3 times a yr.

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    Actually, the body will begin to metablize fat, so starvation won't help a "severe" diabetic for long.
    If one thinks they are going be separated from insulin resupply longer than their current supply, they can reduce insulin consumption, using a higher target.
    For example, my plan would be to target the low 200's, as I can tolerate that well. Doing that would reduce my consumption more than half.
    Remember, also, that if you are going to eat only protein, you are going to need a lot of water. The body uses water to metabolize protein, period.
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    Cinnamon may help a mild diabetic. For someone who is insulin dependent you've got a real problem.

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    I am type 2 diabetic and once I lose the weight and maintain a more healthy lifestyle I can get off the drugs completely. I look forward to this.

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    Senior Member GreatUsername's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dropy View Post
    I am type 2 diabetic and once I lose the weight and maintain a more healthy lifestyle I can get off the drugs completely. I look forward to this.
    While that's encouraging, my grandfather (for whom I asked about this, since I want to be able to account for him if need be) weighs 305 lbs, and that's AFTER years of trying to lose the 60 lbs he has lost so far. It's going to be years before he loses the next 60 lbs, and at his age I rather doubt he'll be able to get down to a drug-free weight before he expires. Good to know about the other tips though, thanks guys!
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    Quote Originally Posted by wildgarlic View Post
    One! You cannot eat any carbs what so ever or better yet, do not eat anything until you have an insulin supply handy
    Do you have some info on why that would be the better thing to do? I 'm curious because I have an insulin dependant cat. She won't let anyone near her but me. So when we go away for a weekend she just goes without. The vet said that while it's not ideal she would be OK as long as she eats. I would think it would be the same as a person.

    I would think following a strict diet in that type of circumstance should help unless you have a really uncomtrolable type of diabetes where you have to adjust your insulin daily depending on your blood sugar.
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    I know one person that with a strict diet and a dedicated exercise routine she went from insulin to metforman to no meds at all and she was insulin dependent for years and she was told by a nutritionist that Carbs are an absolute no no. she has been med free for 3 or 4 years now, My sister who was taking metforman for over a year changed her diet and exercise program and has been off meds for over a year now
    I Wonder Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, "I think I'll squeeze these dangly things here, and drink what ever comes out?"

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    Quote Originally Posted by cowgirlup View Post
    Do you have some info on why that would be the better thing to do? I 'm curious because I have an insulin dependant cat. She won't let anyone near her but me. So when we go away for a weekend she just goes without. The vet said that while it's not ideal she would be OK as long as she eats. I would think it would be the same as a person.

    I would think following a strict diet in that type of circumstance should help unless you have a really uncomtrolable type of diabetes where you have to adjust your insulin daily depending on your blood sugar.
    There are tons of info all over the web,
    here is diet info for Felines. Diet is a critical component of treatment, and is in many cases effective on its own. For example, a recent mini-study[10] showed that many diabetic cats stopped needing insulin after changing to a low carbohydrate diet. The rationale is that a low-carbohydrate diet reduces the amount of insulin needed and keeps the variation in blood sugar low and easier to predict. Also, fats and proteins are turned into blood glucose much more slowly and evenly than carbohydrates, reducing blood-sugar highs right after mealtimes.
    Latest veterinary good practice is to recommend a low carbohydrate diet for cats[11][12] rather than the formerly-recommended high-fiber diet.
    It's now becoming clear that lower carbohydrate diets will significantly lower insulin requirements for diabetic cats. Carbohydrate levels are highest in dry cat foods (even the expensive "prescription" types) so cats are best off usually with a low carbohydrate healthy canned diet.[13] Some prescription canned foods made for diabetic cats are effective, but some ordinary ones work just as well. Between 3 and 9% calories from carbohydrates seems to be optimal. You can use the cat food calculator found at http://www.scheyderweb.com/cats/catfood.html to determine the carbohydrates and calories in any cat food, though numbers in American brands are given as minima and maxima rather than actual estimates, and may be very inaccurate. If in the US, try these commercial food contents lists which are kept up-to-date with actual manufacturer's as-fed content amounts. Numbers in most other countries are "as fed" rather than "guaranteed" values. "As fed" values are generally more accurate and you can use them directly in the calculator. Taken from wikipedia .
    I Wonder Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, "I think I'll squeeze these dangly things here, and drink what ever comes out?"

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    There is a well documented case of a person with multiple personality disorder with one healthy personality, and one who was diagnosed with diabetes (it's mentioned in this article http://www.nytimes.com/1985/05/21/sc...pagewanted=all ). That makes me wonder if shamanism might be the survivalist answer to treatment of diseases that require "advanced" medication and such. If you can "construct" a healthy alter in a person with a difficult disease, that could be the answer.
    True enough, my final home is still out there, but this is most certainly my home range and I love it. I love every rock I fall off and tree I trip over. Even when I am close to dying from exhaustion, a beautiful sunset doesn't lose it's power to refresh and inspire me and that, in itself, is enough to save me sometimes.

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    Type 2 diabetes is your body is not reacting to your insulin. For some reason, cinnamon helps the body to utilize insulin. Type 1 is you are not producing it. If you do not eat, you do not need it. But how long can that go on: especially in the wilderness

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    Quote Originally Posted by welderguy View Post
    There are tons of info all over the web,
    here is diet info for Felines. Diet is a critical component of treatment, and is in many cases effective on its own. For example, a recent mini-study[10] showed that many diabetic cats stopped needing insulin after changing to a low carbohydrate diet. The rationale is that a low-carbohydrate diet reduces the amount of insulin needed and keeps the variation in blood sugar low and easier to predict. Also, fats and proteins are turned into blood glucose much more slowly and evenly than carbohydrates, reducing blood-sugar highs right after mealtimes.
    Latest veterinary good practice is to recommend a low carbohydrate diet for cats[11][12] rather than the formerly-recommended high-fiber diet.
    It's now becoming clear that lower carbohydrate diets will significantly lower insulin requirements for diabetic cats. Carbohydrate levels are highest in dry cat foods (even the expensive "prescription" types) so cats are best off usually with a low carbohydrate healthy canned diet.[13] Some prescription canned foods made for diabetic cats are effective, but some ordinary ones work just as well. Between 3 and 9% calories from carbohydrates seems to be optimal. You can use the cat food calculator found at http://www.scheyderweb.com/cats/catfood.html to determine the carbohydrates and calories in any cat food, though numbers in American brands are given as minima and maxima rather than actual estimates, and may be very inaccurate. If in the US, try these commercial food contents lists which are kept up-to-date with actual manufacturer's as-fed content amounts. Numbers in most other countries are "as fed" rather than "guaranteed" values. "As fed" values are generally more accurate and you can use them directly in the calculator. Taken from wikipedia .
    Thanks,
    With 3 cats it's nearly impossible to control what that one eats.
    But that info is good to have in case there is some emergency and I run out of her insulin.


    I was mostly just curious why someone would suggest for a person not to eat at all if insulin wasn't available for a limited time.
    "I enjoy surviving." Yes, well I certainly hope so as the other side of that is "DEATH!"
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    Quote Originally Posted by cowgirlup View Post
    Thanks,
    With 3 cats it's nearly impossible to control what that one eats.
    But that info is good to have in case there is some emergency and I run out of her insulin.


    I was mostly just curious why someone would suggest for a person not to eat at all if insulin wasn't available for a limited time.
    wildgarlic touched on that in the post above yours "Type 2 diabetes is your body is not reacting to your insulin. For some reason, cinnamon helps the body to utilize insulin. Type 1 is you are not producing it. If you do not eat, you do not need it. But how long can that go on: especially in the wilderness" .
    I Wonder Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, "I think I'll squeeze these dangly things here, and drink what ever comes out?"

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    Senior Member WolfVanZandt's Avatar
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    That's, of course, the problem. people with diabetes have issues with both hyper- and hypo-glycemia.
    True enough, my final home is still out there, but this is most certainly my home range and I love it. I love every rock I fall off and tree I trip over. Even when I am close to dying from exhaustion, a beautiful sunset doesn't lose it's power to refresh and inspire me and that, in itself, is enough to save me sometimes.

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    Senior Member WolfVanZandt's Avatar
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    Interesting....

    The Learning Company has a series called "The Science of Natural Healing". Lecture 12 is called "Healing Diabetes Naturally." Given that these are auditioned college level lectures given by renown college professors, it might be worth a look-see.
    True enough, my final home is still out there, but this is most certainly my home range and I love it. I love every rock I fall off and tree I trip over. Even when I am close to dying from exhaustion, a beautiful sunset doesn't lose it's power to refresh and inspire me and that, in itself, is enough to save me sometimes.

  18. #18

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    I thought I would just mention coconut oil.
    I had Type 2 for a while until I went from 238 lbs. down to 190 lean lbs.
    Good eating and lot of farming excercise(throwing hay)as well as bike riding.
    I still check my blood sugar and once in a while if I'm bad my glucose will spike.
    My wife told me about how coconut oil is suppose to help.So one day after being bad I used some in my coffee.
    It solidifies so warm drinks are best to disolve it.You can also eat it as a solid.My glucose level dropped immediatly 30-35 points.
    That's just with one teaspoon.

    Lot's of folks add this to their BOB.
    1)It's edible and has lot of nutrients and fats.
    2)It's flamible and can be made into a primitive candle
    3)It can be used to protect guns,metal from the weather similar to tallow
    4)It's been shown to have medical benifits(diabetes).
    5)can use it for cooking

    Here's an article.

    http://coconutoil.com/diabetes/
    Last edited by letslearntogether47; 02-07-2013 at 01:32 PM.

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    And best of all, you can make coco crack with it!

    Melt and dissolve some coco powder in some. Pour it out in a thin layer in a baking sheet and freeze. Break it up and put it in a ziplock in the freezer. Take a piece whenever you feel the need for something yummy.
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    I'm an advocate of talking to your doctor and explaining your concerns about something happening. Keep it in the weather related arena and they understand that. Not so much your concern on zombies or aliens. You should be able to get an additional 30 day supply for any necessary medications. If your doc won't do that then it might be time to find another doc. The biggest worry for some meds would be refrigeration. But there simply isn't any reason a doctor won't accommodate an extra 30 days of necessary medications in case of hurricane, tornado, blizzard or whatever calamity your locale might face.

    You might have to pay for it out of pocket but that's a decision you'll have to make on your own. Even some more exotic meds like analgesics or antibiotics should be accessible if you can explain the need.

    Good luck.
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