I've been wanting to write about a couple of things, but have been more busy than usual. I'm half way done writing an interview for Diabetes Resource Page, and I'm putting together an employment resume for the first time in about 10 years. I am going to see if I might do some additional teaching at the local community college.
I thought I'd just quickly discuss something that's been going on. I've had a strange pattern going on with my sugar levels lately. I have been seeing my numbers start going up at about 3pm and get up to 250 before leveling off and then responding to insulin overnight. I have a theory that it's caused by the fact that I ran out of Alpha Lipoic Acid Sustained Release. I normally take it on a daily basis. When I ran out it took about 2 days for it to totally wear off and I started seeing this happen. I think if I were to stop using it altogether, I would need to sort out a new basal rate to fix it. But, I'm going to order it and keep using it. I think it's a very useful supplement. In the meantime, it's a pretty bizarre thing to have happening. I had gotten so used to seeing my levels stay under 150 after meals.
I will report back if getting back on ALA fixes it.
There are a list of supplements that are supposed to make your body use insulin more efficiently, and process sugar better. Here is a list:
Alpha Lipoic Acid
Evening Primrose Oil (enhances of the effect of ALA)
Vanadyl Sulfate
Gymnena Sylvestre
Chromium Picolinate
So far I have only been using ALA and EPO (recommended by Dr. Bernstein), and they definitely seem to work to reduce my insulin requirements. I plan to try the others as well.
I read an interesting article (maybe you sent it?) that said Vitamin C combined with GLA (Evening Primrose Oil) multiplies the effectiveness of the GLA by at least four times. The study had to do with intravenous dosing, but the author surmised that taking Vitamin C with GLA on an empty stomach would improve the utilization. I was doing that mid-way between meals for a while--500 Mg of C in a soft gel cap along with the 1300 Mg gel cap of Evening Primrose Oil. My goal was to prevent neuropathy. If it should also enhance insulin efficiency, that is another reason to try it again.
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