Ok. I too stand in the grocery store at times and just want to scream. I have found out several things. A carb is NOT a carb but that you can eat carbs and even simple sugars such as candy just in REALLY small amounts.

You don't have to totally cut out bread just look for breads that are high in fiber. Fiber is a big componant of Diabetes. The more fiber the better. Carbs that have larger amounts of fiber affect your blood sugar levels less.

I have also found that one of the very big factors is actually portion size. It isn't so much what you eat as HOW MUCH you eat. That seems to affect my blood sugar more and for longer than a bite of chocolate will do.

There are tons of new and wonderful sugar free candies out there and they have their own failsafe when trying to lose weight. They are not low calorie just low in the types of sugars that change your blood sugar. But over consumption does create intestinal discomfort.

There is also a thing called the Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load. It is confusing but it is a helpful guide as to what you can eat and what not. A lower GI number is better. Under 55 is ideal but the way you prepare the foods also can change the number. So a sweet potato is much better for you than a white potato. It has more fiber too. Cantalope and Watermelon are not the best fruits to eat. Better fruits are berries, cherries, grapes, oranges and even a banana as long as it isn't REALLY ripe. You want a slightly greener banana or one that is JUST ripe. All these fruits have more fiber and less sugar. Watermelon has a GI number of 70 something. But it isn't horrible in small quantities because it has so much water that the amount of the sugar you get is reduced.

And yes...eat protien. Cheese, nuts, legumes, lean meats etc are all good. But if you are on weight control you have to be careful of the amount of fats so cheese must be eaten more carefully.

The big things to watch for when purchasing prepared foods are Corn Syrup, High Fructose and sodiums. You really want to pay attention to sodium amounts and try to eat lower sodium. Blood sugars and high blood pressure can go hand in hand.

So.....*L*....read read read your labels. Be careful of things that advertise as low fat and healthy because they can be high in sugars. Increase the amount of fiber in your diet and decrease your portions. And they say that exercise is great, I am just lousy at getting my chubby rear end up and moving. Especially when it is hot and humid.

Denyce