Backcountry Forum
Backpacking & Hiking Gear

Backcountry Forum
Our long-time Sponsor - the leading source for ultralite/lightweight outdoor gear
 
 
 

Amazon.com
Backpacking Forums
---- Our Gear Store ----
The Lightweight Gear Store
 
 WINTER CAMPING 

Shelters
Bivy Bags
Sleeping Bags
Sleeping Pads
Snow Sports
Winter Kitchen

 SNOWSPORTS 

Snowshoes
Avalanche Gear
Skins
Hats, Gloves, & Gaiters
Accessories

 ULTRA-LIGHT 

Ultralight Backpacks
Ultralight Bivy Sacks
Ultralight Shelters
Ultralight Tarps
Ultralight Tents
Ultralight Raingear
Ultralight Stoves & Cookware
Ultralight Down Sleeping Bags
Ultralight Synthetic Sleep Bags
Ultralight Apparel


the Titanium Page
WM Extremelite Sleeping Bags

 CAMPING & HIKING 

Backpacks
Tents
Sleeping Bags
Hydration
Kitchen
Accessories

 CLIMBING 

Ropes & Cordage
Protection & Hardware
Carabiners & Quickdraws
Climbing Packs & Bags
Big Wall
Rescue & Industrial

 MEN'S APPAREL 

Jackets
Shirts
Baselayer
Headwear
Gloves
Accessories

 WOMEN'S APPAREL 

Jackets
Shirts
Baselayer
Headwear
Gloves
Accessories

 FOOTWEAR 

Men's Footwear
Women's Footwear

 CLEARANCE 

Backpacks
Mens Apparel
Womens Apparel
Climbing
Footwear
Accessories

 BRANDS 

Black Diamond
Granite Gear
La Sportiva
Osprey
Smartwool

 WAYS TO SHOP 

Sale
Clearance
Top Brands
All Brands

 Backpacking Equipment 

Shelters
BackPacks
Sleeping Bags
Water Treatment
Kitchen
Hydration
Climbing


 Backcountry Gear Clearance

Topic Options
Rate This Topic
#117162 - 06/12/09 09:05 AM Diabetes and backpacking
Glenn Offline
member

Registered: 03/08/06
Posts: 2617
Loc: Ohio
Just this week, during a routine annual physical, blood and urine tests indicated that I may be developing diabetes (male, 59, mother who developed diabetes in her late 60's, father's sister ditto in her 60's, etc.; both control it by diet and exercise, so I'm hopeful I can, too.) Although the urologist wouldn't go so far as to make a diagnosis, he indicated that he'd almost guarantee that's what my primary care physician was going to call it.

I won't start that evaluation process for a couple of weeks, and assume that I'll eventually meet with a dietitian/nutritionist. I wanted to start now getting my ducks in a row for that meeting, and I intend to force a discussion of how to eat on the trail. I thought I'd put together a food bag with a typical day's food items, and let him/her critique it. I don't have any other medical conditions (except mild - ? - obesity) to consider as complicating factors.

What I'm seeking are some thoughts from anyone with experience or training in dealing with diabetes, on how to manage a trail diet, what to take (or avoid), etc. That way I'll have some information to forward the discussion in case the dietitian isn't familiar with backpack eating.

My "style" has always leaned toward minimalist (aka Colin Fletcher's "barbarian.") I'm not a fan of multi-course meals, or dishes that take multiple pots, stirring, simmering, etc. For the last 10 years or so, I had fought a losing battle with weight, and was 20 - 30 pounds overweight on each trip; since my trips were usually 4 nights or less, I tended to eat less than my hiking buddies, with no ill effects - I always told myself my spare food wasn't in my pack, and usually lost a couple of pounds on a trip. Luckily, I started making a concentrated effort a couple of months ago to get the weight off in a sustainable manner; I've lost 20 pounds so far, and can probably get another 10 off to reach a sustainable weight for me. (That's still about 10 pounds more than my doctor would like, but it may be the best I can do; we'll see.) Most of the changes I've made to lose the weight (no "fries with that," a lot less soda and candy bars, etc.) will, I hope, help deal with the diabetes, too.

My current (for the last 10 years or so) menu is:

Breakfast: Oatmeal to Go bar and water; in winter, this sometimes changed to one or two packets of instant oatmeal and a pint or so of hot, unsweetened tea.

Lunch: beef jerky, dried fruit (or trail mix), granola bar or Clif bar

Snacks: Usually granola bars, sometimes replaced by trail mix.

Supper: a Mountain House or Enertia one-person freeze-dried entree, occasionally a granola bar or Payday candy bar for dessert. Sometimes, in cold weather, a cup of cocoa or pint of hot tea.

Mostly, I drank water (except for the tea and cocoa in cold weather.)

This menu always worked well for me - I was never hungry, never lacked energy (or, if I hit a low in the late afternoon, while trying to do more miles than normal, a granola bar fixed it.) Again, long-term nutrition on the trail isn't a concern for me, since my trips are weekends, long weekends, and every couple of years 5 nights at Isle Royale. Final info-nugget: I've been takin a multi-vitamin every day for the last 5 years or so (doctor's advice.)

However, I now suspect that sodium, sugar, and carbohydrate management might render some or all of that menu obsolete. Any suggestions any of you might have would be greatly appreciated as I learn to deal with this.

Top
#117188 - 06/12/09 02:55 PM Re: Diabetes and backpacking [Re: Glenn]
Dryer Offline

Moderator

Registered: 12/05/02
Posts: 3591
Loc: Texas
My main backpacking buddy became a type I diabetic about 10 years ago. He otherwise is a very fit person, and a serious cyclist. On multi-day hikes, he never watches his food intake all that closely, but monitors his blood sugar at least two times a day. He's on an insulin pump, which makes insulin management much easier. He seems to 'bonk' a little easier than before and carries snacks of various kinds to stay ahead of the bonking. There are volumes written about athletics and diabetes. The main thing is to get evaluated and stable and you'll find your niche.

Side note....as an insurance agent, the last 5 males I wrote life insurance on in the last two weeks were all type II diabetics, all adult onset, all but one very physically fit.
I run across it and other immune disorders, like asthma, more and more since my career began 30 years ago. As long as good sugar control is maintained, and a person is fit otherwise, the risk is treated as 'standard'. Ten years ago it would have been though of as a "rate-able" or sub-standard risk, so times are changing.
_________________________
paul, texas KD5IVP

Top
#117223 - 06/13/09 01:27 AM Re: Diabetes and backpacking [Re: Glenn]
sarbar Offline
member

Registered: 07/15/05
Posts: 1453
Loc: WA
Glen...if I can suggest a couple things from helping my good friend Mike over the years (Type 1).

Cut out as much white grains as you can - that means no Enertia, no Mt. House. Those are NOT your friend! Beyond the high sodium you want grains that work with your body.

For Mike's meals when I do them I use whole wheat pasta or multi grain pastas, only whole wheat couscous, cooked and dried barley (for this year!), etc, etc. These give him a solid fuel source that slowly is used, no spikes up and down.

Take a look at Mike's advice on www.rainforesttreks.com - he is proof you can do crazy hiking and have good health smile
_________________________
Freezer Bag Cooking, Trail Cooking, Recipes, Gear and Beyond:
www.trailcooking.com

Top
#117227 - 06/13/09 07:21 AM Re: Diabetes and backpacking [Re: sarbar]
Glenn Offline
member

Registered: 03/08/06
Posts: 2617
Loc: Ohio
Thanks, Sarbar; that link was incredibly informative. At this point my urologist indicated that his best guess (he wouldn't diagnose, since it's out of his specialty) is Type 2, with a good chance to control it with diet and exercise. So, if I don't have to manage insulin, that will simplify things.

Good to know that this is do-able.

Top
#117228 - 06/13/09 07:36 AM Re: Diabetes and backpacking [Re: Dryer]
Glenn Offline
member

Registered: 03/08/06
Posts: 2617
Loc: Ohio
Good to know that it can be done. Also, thanks for the insurance info - that may come in handy if I ever have to switch policies.

Top
#117232 - 06/13/09 08:37 AM Re: Diabetes and backpacking [Re: Glenn]
Dryer Offline

Moderator

Registered: 12/05/02
Posts: 3591
Loc: Texas
Glenn, also, after re-reading my first response to you, I didn't mean to imply that my friend doesn't watch what he eats.
It's only on camping/backpacking trips that he lets the vigilance slide a bit. He tends to burn of the excess carbs and bumps up the insulin pump dose a tad to help.
In day to day life he watches it like a hawk. Weight gain is his biggest struggle...even after riding his bike a couple hundred miles a week.
_________________________
paul, texas KD5IVP

Top
#117241 - 06/13/09 05:03 PM Re: Diabetes and backpacking [Re: Dryer]
Glenn Offline
member

Registered: 03/08/06
Posts: 2617
Loc: Ohio
No problem. I figured that you were only talking about periods of heavy exercise.

After I get my the results from blood tests and consult with the primary-care doctor, I want to try to work in a weekend backpack (5-8 mile hiking day, camping by the car, just in case.) I'm going to try a modification to my diet, and I suspect I'll have to adopt a more disciplined approach to the walking part. Now, I tend to hike until I want a break (sometimes one hour, sometimes nothing till lunch, etc.); I also tend to vary my pace from a relaxed one mile (or less) per hour to a two-mph, get-this-over pace. I want to start adopting a more steady pace (maybe a mile and a half an hour), take a standing break (long enough to drink some water) every half hour or so, and a sitting break every two hours, to eat a granola bar or dried fruit or nuts. Lunch will probably be more regularly scheduled, and will involve stopping for an hour or so to rest. (Now, I sometimes just let it be a 10-minute break, and spread part of the food into the morning and afternoon breaks.)

It's a new world. Obviously, I'll follow whatever medical advice I get. However, my approach is to acknowledge that I can't "beat" diabetes, so I'm going to make it as least intrusive as possible into my life.

Top
#117250 - 06/14/09 05:07 PM Re: Diabetes and backpacking [Re: Glenn]
wandering_daisy Offline
member

Registered: 01/11/06
Posts: 2865
Loc: California
Your diet seems high on sugar. Commercial bars tend to have more sugar than you will want. Dried fruit is basically sugar. Packaged oatmeal also has lots of sugar.

Breakfast - mix your own - regular oats, flavored with nuts and butter. Regular oats only need to be boiled a minute then let sit. The cereal will still be nicely crunchy yet warm and I think better than instant mush.

Lunch - use a simple jerky that does not have a sugar coating. Rely more on nuts than fruit. Ditch the granola bar. Try wasabi peas, or soy nuts. Whole grain crackers are also good - read label and be sure there is no added sugar. Try cheese sticks.

Dinner - be careful of added sugar. It is better to make your own then use commercial meals. A friend of mine is diabetic and she says that each person is different - some can tolerate rice better than potatoes, other visa versa. You need to ask a nutritionist about what grains would be best for you.

If it tastes sweet, it probably has added sugars. You may have to develop a taste for "salty, spicy" food. I also found that you can buy freeze dried cottage cheese. You can order freeze dried meat and vegetables in small tubs or #10 cans. Just mix your own f.d meals using only ingredients that your nutritionist approves of. There are lots of good ingredients out there - you just probably will not be able to rely on the standard packaged f.d. meals. It will involve a little more work but that is what I do anyway, because I think I can mix a better meal - and I am not even diabetic. Good Luck!

Top
#117257 - 06/14/09 07:09 PM Re: Diabetes and backpacking [Re: wandering_daisy]
Glenn Offline
member

Registered: 03/08/06
Posts: 2617
Loc: Ohio
Thanks, Daisy. I knew my old backpacking menu had to go. You helped me understand why, and provided a lot of alternatives.

When you talk about "regular" oats - are you talking about something like steel-cut Irish oatmeal, or something else?

Karol and I spent some time at a good local grocery yesterday, checking out some options to what we've always eaten. I was paying particular attention to what might be useful for backpacking, and came up with a few things.

I've started putting together a new menu - very tentative, since I haven't seen the nutritionist yet. I want to go in armed with a menu, and ask him/her, "What do I need to do to fix this for a backpacking trip of 2 - 4 days in the eastern US?" rather than "I backpack - got any ideas?"

I'd also prefer to carry only one pot (1L, with a frypan/lid that would get used as a bowl) and cook only one meal a day (to reduce the fuel I need to take.)

For breakfast, I'm probably going to take your advice, and cook some oats, with raisins and wlanuts or pecans for flavor. I'd like maybe a teaspoon of brown sugar, but we'll see what the nutritionist says. I might also drink a cup or two of herbal tea (I don't like sweet tea, so no problem with sugar there.)

For lunch, I'm thinking along the lines of a whole-grain/multi-grain/whole-wheat English muffin with a thin (not "slathered") layer of peanut butter, along with a couple of pieces of dried fruit (I like whole dried fruits; I'm thinking maybe a peach and a couple of prunes.) I could add a cheese stick, too.

For snacks, I'm wondering about a couple of cheese sticks and one or two Nature Valley chewy peanut bars. (Again, the bars are high in sugar, but they will be the sweetest thing I'll eat; I looked at the pack and they're really not too bad, especially compared to other bars. I'm thinking that since I'll be burning a lot more calories than normal, that little boost might be a good thing?)

For supper, I came up with something that actually sounds good. I got to thinking that when I eat out, and order salmon or a sirloin with rice pilaf, there's usually no sauce anywhere in sight - so why do I always think I have to have a saucy casserole? I'm thinking a supper along the lines of: a 2-serving boil-in-bag of Success whole-grain brown rice, with some Tone freeze-dried mushroom slices, Tone dried vegetables (mostly bell peppers), some parmesan cheese, and a foil packet of chicken, salmon, or turkey (maybe even crab?) all mixed together, without sauce; some Mrs. Dash, or maybe Molly McButter, added for a bit of flavor. I tried cooking a bag of the rice: it works well, and leaves a "broth" in the pot - I thought I might through the mushrooms and veggies into the broth to rehydrate.

My beverages would consist mostly of water; in cold weather, I might throw in a couple of herbal tea bags (I don't like sugar in my tea.)

Like I say, this is all very tentative and tenuous - I'd appreciate any critique or suggestions you might have - and thanks again for the informative post.


Edited by Glenn (06/14/09 10:20 PM)

Top
#117267 - 06/15/09 12:25 AM Re: Diabetes and backpacking [Re: Glenn]
wandering_daisy Offline
member

Registered: 01/11/06
Posts: 2865
Loc: California
Ask your nutritionist, but I do not think sugar will give you a "boost". A good idea may be to experiment at home - eat the trail bar and then test your blood to see what it does to you. Everyone is different.

You probably will need to carry some glucose cubes for low blood sugar problems, but mostly I think complex carbohydrates will give you a better steady energy level. Low blood sugar usually happens when you do not eat often enough. Think of lots of small snacks instead of big meals. My Mom who is diabetic has to eat a small snack in early AM (about 2AM) Dried fruit contains lots of fructose - still a problem for diabetics. And because the fruit is dried, the fructose is concentrated. Again, this is something to ask of your nutritionist.

I use Quaker Old Fashioned oats. The Irish cut oats take a lot longer to cook. Instant oats are also OK and fast (I happen to not like the gummy texture of instant oats), just avoid the pre-packaged kind that have added sugar. If you still need the sweetness, try some artificial sweetener. This will not add calories, but just for the taste. Slathering oats in butter or margarine works well for me. You also have to add a small amount of salt.

Top
#117270 - 06/15/09 01:06 AM Re: Diabetes and backpacking [Re: Glenn]
sarbar Offline
member

Registered: 07/15/05
Posts: 1453
Loc: WA
Glenn,

You can make nearly anything work for a one pot meal. You may need to precook some items and dehydrate them and or buy freeze dried versions. But you can!

(Look at it this way - I live on a lower sodium diet. Only by making most of my food could I stay on my diet. It isn't easy at first but after 6 months it will be habit - and normal)
_________________________
Freezer Bag Cooking, Trail Cooking, Recipes, Gear and Beyond:
www.trailcooking.com

Top
#117275 - 06/15/09 06:42 AM Re: Diabetes and backpacking [Re: sarbar]
Glenn Offline
member

Registered: 03/08/06
Posts: 2617
Loc: Ohio
Thanks, Sarbar and Daisy - sounds like I'm on the right track, and can have a fairly informed discussion with the nutritionist.

Top
#117284 - 06/15/09 10:41 AM Re: Diabetes and backpacking [Re: Glenn]
Roocketman Offline
member

Registered: 03/10/07
Posts: 203
Originally Posted By Glenn

For lunch, I'm thinking along the lines of a whole-grain/multi-grain/whole-wheat English muffin with a thin (not "slathered") layer of peanut butter, along with a couple of pieces of dried fruit (I like whole dried fruits; I'm thinking maybe a peach and a couple of prunes.) I could add a cheese stick, too.

For snacks, I'm wondering about a couple of cheese sticks and one or two Nature Valley chewy peanut bars. (Again, the bars are high in sugar, but they will be the sweetest thing I'll eat; I looked at the pack and they're really not too bad, especially compared to other bars. I'm thinking that since I'll be burning a lot more calories than normal, that little boost might be a good thing?)

For supper, I came up with something that actually sounds good. I got to thinking that when I eat out, and order salmon or a sirloin with rice pilaf, there's usually no sauce anywhere in sight - so why do I always think I have to have a saucy casserole? I'm thinking a supper along the lines of: a 2-serving boil-in-bag of Success whole-grain brown rice, with some Tone freeze-dried mushroom slices, Tone dried vegetables (mostly bell peppers), some parmesan cheese, and a foil packet of chicken, salmon, or turkey (maybe even crab?) all mixed together, without sauce; some Mrs. Dash, or maybe Molly McButter, added for a bit of flavor. I tried cooking a bag of the rice: it works well, and leaves a "broth" in the pot - I thought I might through the mushrooms and veggies into the broth to rehydrate.

My beverages would consist mostly of water; in cold weather, I might throw in a couple of herbal tea bags (I don't like sugar in my tea.)

Like I say, this is all very tentative and tenuous - I'd appreciate any critique or suggestions you might have - and thanks again for the informative post.


It often appears that people going on a "diet" have to throw out good tasting things --- because "If it tastes good, it is likely bad for you".

Your approach to the " English muffin with a thin (not "slathered") layer of peanut butter, along with a couple of pieces of dried fruit (I like whole dried fruits; I'm thinking maybe a peach and a couple of prunes.) I could add a cheese stick, too." suggests this.

Some argue that type II diabetes is a metabolic disorder of carbohydrate digestion. Type I diabetes used to be treated that way with "ketogenic" diets (very low carbohydrate". When Insulin was made available cheaply from the synthetic chemistry route, it became possible to "cover" carbohydrate ingestion by adding the insulin that was lacking in those with Type I diabetes. Somehow, this taking of insulin is "healthy", except it doesn't cure anything, just raises insulin to hopefully temporarily knock down blood sugar.

From the carbohydrate disorder line of thinking, the idea of the muffin with almost no peanut butter would be replaced by a big gob of peanut butter on a thin as possible cracker (possibly whole wheat).

Peanut butter is a very low glycemic index food (about 7 GI) while the whole wheat bread is much higher.
http://www.peanut-institute.org/images/FFTDiabetes_Fact_Sheet.pdf

The link also includes the information that the Harvard Nurses Health Study showed that peanuts in the diet lowered the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. So, don't make that layer of peanut butter too thin.

The fats in the peanuts decrease the glucose blood sugar response that the carbohydrates in the peanuts would otherwise induce.

I urge you to do your own reading on this subject, and not to expect to be "fed the right data" by the medical community.

Would you say that because diabetes (or any other disease)is widely treated by the medical community that that PROVES they are treating it correctly?

You face a dismaying set of claims for treatment if you are diagnosed as Type 2 diabetic, and I wish you good fortune in navigation of this mine field.

Top
#117287 - 06/15/09 11:24 AM Re: Diabetes and backpacking [Re: Roocketman]
Glenn Offline
member

Registered: 03/08/06
Posts: 2617
Loc: Ohio
Thanks for that info. I had already rejected the Crocodile Dundee approach: "Tastes like shite, but it will keep you alive." I don't believe that healthy backpacking food (or food while on a diet) needs to taste bad. Portion control and preparation (grilling v. frying, etc.) appears more important.

I tried the muffin for breakfast yesterday, with 2 small Jimmy Dean sausage patties, before a round of golf. Used a thin layer of peanut butter (as opposed to the way my granddaughters do it, where you end up with peanut butter on your nose), but thick enough that you couldn't see the muffin through it. Tasted very good, and kept me going quite well. Ate a banana and a six or eight Triscuit wheat crackers while playing golf, and felt really good the whole time. (I'd been having energy highs and lows, and a generally crappy feeling, for the last couple of weeks, before seeing the urologist.)

I also eat a fair amount of peanuts (in fact, I just had a handful as a mid-morning snack) - and some mixed nuts. Of course, before I found out what was going on, many of them were in the form of a chocolate nut sundae. Guess those days are over, or at least greatly diminished. But, hey, nuts taste good by themselves, too, and have been a consistent part of my hiking menu for years.

Those nuts were mostly salted. Does Planter's dry-roasted versus something like Planter's large Virginia peanuts with sea salt make a huge difference? (And yes, I do like the dry-roasted variety, too.)

I don't intend to let breakfast or supper be ordeals, either. Last night, to see how it affected preparation, fuel usage, etc., I cooked up a bag of Success brown rice. My GSI Soloist handled the details quite well (it used a bit more fuel, and my days of freeze-dried meals where pot=bowl=cup are over, so its going to cost me a couple of ounces - but that's a truly negligible setback.) I sprinkled a little parmesan cheese over it, and ate a couple of bites - tasted great.

So, I think I've got the start of a menu, and probably hashed out most of my kitchen equipment/method.

The last week or so, I've been finding that this doesn't appear to be too hard for me to manage, and I'm still getting to eat a lot of flavorful food - just not all of it at once. I don't mean it to sound like I'm gloating, or that it's a snap. I know it's not that simple, and we haven't done the full range of blood tests yet, so I may be in for a very abrupt, rude awakening. However, after cutting out all obvious sugars (no soda, ice cream, cookies, candies, etc.), avoiding fried/fatty foods, adding a little more fruit and a lot more vegetables, going on a more regular eating schedule, and using a little better portion control, most of the energy sags and I-generally-feel-like-crap that I'd experienced for the last 3 or 4 weeks have gone away, and I'm back to probably 95% of normal. This makes me hopeful that diet will control it.

As far as changes in my hiking habits, I'm going to clean up my act as far as menu, then take a couple of "simulated" trips (5 or 6 mile days, on loops where I'm never more than a couple of miles from the car and where I have cell service, just in case) to start working on a more regular hiking schedule: regular snacks & breaks, regular meals, and a steadier hiking pace.

I'm cautiously optimistic.


Edited by Glenn (06/15/09 01:19 PM)

Top
#117341 - 06/16/09 08:47 PM Re: Diabetes and backpacking [Re: Glenn]
Roocketman Offline
member

Registered: 03/10/07
Posts: 203
It is probably good for you to learn basics of food and nutrition, and nutrition from a physiology point of view rather than a dietary nutritionists' point of view.

There are four Macronutrients in foods which give you calories. These macronutrients are, in alphabetical order, 1) Alcohol at roughly 7 Calories per gram, or about 190 Calories per ounce, 2) Carbohydrates at basically 4 Calories per gram or about 110 Calories per ounce, 3) Fat at basically 9 Calories per gram or about 250 Calories per ounce and 4) Protein (animal and vegetable) at about 4 Calories per gram or about 110 Calories per ounce. Some people give backpacking food planning guidelines as wanting to have 120 to 140 Calories per ounce so that the weight of the food needed to balance your high calorie burning will not weigh too much. The only way this will happen is to add fat.

We'll skip discussion of Alcohols.

Carbs and Proteins at 4 Cal/gm and Fat at 9 Cal/gm.

Carbs are cheap and processed carbs are convenient especially for backpackers. They come in packages and cardboard boxes and have a very long shelf/pack life. Carbs also digest to yield sugars such as blood glucose and frucose. The good thing is that carbs are convenient to carry such as pasta, instant mashed potatoes, instant rice as well as ordinary rice, dried fruits, dried beans, some breads or crackers and dried vegetables.

Fats are the greatest package for raw calories, and winter hikers are ordinarily especially encouraged to pack enough fats because the energy requirements of winter hiking and winter staying warm require calories.

Fats are the scum of the earth, according to vegetarian oriented nutritionists and are "tolerated" by more enlightened nutritionists and encouraged by a few more.

There are "good fats" and "bad fats" and "good calories" and "bad calories". It is modern to call "bad calories" those accompanying high glycemic index carbs. Everyone agrees, now, that omega 3 fats are "good" as well as monounsaturated things like olive oil and an enlightened few will look at the increased High Density Lipoprotein cholesterol and allow that saturated fats are good as well and the lack of small dense Low Density Lipoprotein is a bonus that outweighs the large fluffy LDL that comes from eating saturated fats.

Protein is needed to rebuild muscular and structural proteins that degrade with living and heavy exercise. Proteins are the only source of biologically useful Nitrogen in man, and that comes from the amino acids that combine to make up the proteins.

There are Essential Amino Acids, about 8 of them, that must be consumed because the liver cannot make them from other substances in the body. So, one can logically call proteins as essential.

There are essential fats as well. Your brain is about 1/2 fat and the cell walls of virtually every cell in your body is composed of fats, called the bilipid layer (lipid = fat). Without fats, you are just a blob of liquids and chemicals. If fats are so bad, how come nobody advocates a diet of less than 10% calories from fat, and even the major medical associations go along with 20% to 30% calories from fat. If it were really evil, wouldn't even less of it be advocated?

There are no essential carbohydrates. There are no essential carbohydrates. There is a food and diet report from the National Academy of Sciences that states that - Congress requires that this diet and nutrition report is updated every 3 years.

There is a claim that you need 130 grams of carbohydrates to generate the glucose that your brain runs upon, and there have long been claims that you only use 10% of your brain.

Surgeons have never been able to find the unused 90% of the brain, and physiologists have never been able to find brains wiped out by a week or two of fasting (no carbohydrates eaten). In fact, periodic fasting is long argued to be healthy. The 130 grams of carbs per day is a weak argument.

Your liver can convert both fat and protein to glucose, and there is an additional energy system called the ketogenic system which is based upon the burning of fat. Quite a few of your organs can run on it, as evidenced by "healthy fasting", and the pre-insulin treatment of diabetes which was a nearly carbohydrate free diet (ketogenic).

For backpacking, you will find that because of convenience of buying and carrying, your diet will be high in carbohydrates. It is very hard to create a low carbohydrate backpacking diet, unless you invest in equipment to do your own meat product processing. Oils are fairly easy to carry, but oils/fats in the form of cheese are much easier to eat in quantity. Buying hard cheeses in wax (NOT PROCESSED CHEESE)every week is a good option. Cheese is also the way the ancient Greeks used to preserve milk... they had no refrigerators, you know.

Peanut butter spread thickly is also great for your nutrition even if it has some fat.

Remember that neither fat nor protein cause much spike in your blood glucose, but carbohydrates do. You will find that the glycemic index is not defined/measured for either fat or protein, and there is a very good reason for that. When you find out WHY this is so, you have taken the first step to intelligently managing your backpacking diet.




Top
#117412 - 06/19/09 09:31 AM Re: Diabetes and backpacking [Re: Roocketman]
finallyME Offline
member

Registered: 09/24/07
Posts: 2710
Loc: Utah
Rooketman...
I would guess that there are many that would disagree heavily with you. I am not one of those people. thanks
_________________________
I've taken a vow of poverty. To annoy me, send money.

Top
#117425 - 06/20/09 03:25 PM Re: Diabetes and backpacking [Re: wandering_daisy]
dkramalc Offline
member

Registered: 09/19/03
Posts: 1070
Loc: California
As far as sugar giving you a "boost", I think you will want to have something along to quickly raise your blood glucose if your exercise or medication has dropped it below the desired level. But otherwise you might be better off with getting a "boost" from more protein based food such as nuts, rather than simple carbs. I don't know if you're going to be monitoring your blood glucose, but that would be helpful to determine when you need to have something sweet. If you're not taking meds for the diabetes, your need for sweets would probably be lower in a backpacking situation than if you were taking meds (insulin, glucophage, etc).
_________________________
dk

Top
#117448 - 06/21/09 10:30 AM Re: Diabetes and backpacking [Re: finallyME]
Roocketman Offline
member

Registered: 03/10/07
Posts: 203
Originally Posted By finallyME
Rooketman...
I would guess that there are many that would disagree heavily with you. I am not one of those people. thanks


The American Diabetes Association diet guidelines for 2008 and 2009 allow low carbohydrate diets. The rational they give is that weight loss is so critical to the management of diabetes that the low carbohydrate diets are now allowed. The ADA was one of the sponsors of some of the low carb vs low fat diet trials published in the past few years.

2008 guidelines
http://www.dlife.com/dLife/do/ShowContent/food_and_nutrition/ada_backs_low_carbs.html

2009 guidelines
http://www.diabeteshealth.com/read/2008/...-low-carb-diet/

The current edition reaffirms the ADA's landmark decision in 2008 to accept low carbohydrate diets as one method people with diabetes can use to lose weight in the short term (up to one year). (It may be expecting too much to think that the ADA would suddenly completely reverse its very long held opposition to lower carbohydrate diets.)

The ADA recommends.....
Quote:
The new ADA guidelines state that both low-fat and low-carb diets are equally effective at helping people lose weight over a year. However, new ADA guidelines recommend that low-carb dieters make sure their blood lipids (cholesterol and triglycerides), kidney function, and medication levels are monitored.


It is common, but not universal, that the low carb diet results in improved lipids (lower LDL and higher HDL as well as decreased triglycerides and blood sugar levels). Associated with the diet change is that _some_ people can decrease their diabetes medication doses, particularly insulin if taking it. With their doctors consent, based on the blood tests, that is.

Top

Shout Box

Highest Quality Lightweight Down Sleeping Bags
 
Western Mountaineering Sleeping Bags
 
Lite Gear Talk - Featured Topics
Backcountry Discussion - Featured Topics
Make Your Own Gear - Featured Topics
Featured Photos
Spiderco Chaparral Pocketknife
David & Goliath
Also Testing
Trip Report with Photos
Seven Devils, Idaho
Oat Hill Mine Trail 2012
Dark Canyon - Utah
Who's Online
2 registered (), 174 Guests and 0 Spiders online.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Newest Members
Noodles, McCrary, DanyBacky, Rashy Willia, WanderBison
13240 Registered Users
Forum Links
Disclaimer
Policies
Site Links
Backpacking.net
Lightweight Gear Store
Backpacking Book Store
Lightweight Zone
Hiking Essentials

Our long-time Sponsor, BackcountryGear.com - The leading source for ultralite/lightweight outdoor gear:

Backcountry Forum
 

Affiliate Disclaimer: This forum is an affiliate of BackcountryGear.com, Amazon.com, R.E.I. and others. The product links herein are linked to their sites. If you follow these links to make a purchase, we may get a small commission. This is our only source of support for these forums. Thanks.!
 
 

Since 1996 - the Original Backcountry Forum
Copyright © The Lightweight Backpacker & BackcountryForum