February 3, 2010

• I Hate Nutritionists....

  A great teacher meets the student where they are and coaches them through the process of growing. A good teacher meets the student where they are and tells them where they need to grow, while the bad teacher just tells the student what to do and how to do it. In my diabetic journey, I've met great teachers who were willing to listen to where I was and mentor me in the process that might someday make me in remission. (2% of all people diagnosed with diabetes beat it.) I've been determined to be part of that 2% which means a bit of more aggressive treatment plan and less room for sloppy blood readings. If a food makes my sugar level high- I don't eat it. I have spent the last fourteen months figuring out how diet impacts sugar levels and how to eat so that mine are more "normal". I still need the pills (because I don't exercise enough- if I'd swim every day, and lose more weight, I'd probably not need the pills in another year, but I can't manage swimming daily), and I'm trying Byetta in spite of the fact that I have stick a needle in my stomach twice a day and the side effects (which includes headaches among other things).

  I have done my homework. I know how and why diabetes happen. I know the pros and cons of Atkins and the possible side effects. I know that the key to being diabetes free is going to be weight loss. And I'm even ok with my doctors wanting me to eat a little more normally because Atkins is hard to sustain and it affects your emotions.

  What I thought was going to happen when I went to the Nutritionist at my new diabetes clinic today was that we'd talk about where I am currently with my eating habits and how we could refine them to make them more effective. What I got was Ms. Attitude and the typical Diabetic diet. (And a carb counting book because the one I had wasn't good enough apparently). My Diabetes doctor warned me that she was anti-Atkins, but I was stunned at how arrogant she was about it and how unwilling she was to listen to where I was. She made all kinds of assumptions- from my health to my diet- none of them true and acted like I was lying when I corrected her. Basically, she wants me to add three times the carbs to my current diet, which will be nearly impossible since I've decreased the amount I'm eating with the Byetta. When I told her carbs make me sick, she blew it off. When I told her that carbs spike my sugar level, she said that was normal. When I said some carbs make my sugar levels swing for three days, she said nothing. She said the reason foods make me sick was because my body wasn't used to the carbs but food made me sick before I was diagnosed with diabetes. She said that wasn't true.

  We eat very healthy here most of the time- very little processed foods, lots of lean proteins, very little fats and creams, no heavy sauces, lots of fresh veggies and fruits. I don't cook in oil. I cook white Japanese rice because I like it and for the amount of rice I eat, I am going to cook what I like and get the fiber from a different source. I rarely eat desserts (because I can't handle the feeling of being sick afterwards) and candy is a thing of the past for the same reason. You don't lose weight on the diabetic diet. It wasn't designed for weight loss. It was designed to keep your sugar levels even. It's the traditional diet that they "play with" and "modify" every so often, but I'm not sure I want to bother with it.

  I'm thinking that I'm going to just eat normally- protein, veggies, and a small serving of carb per meal and not obsess over it. I'm thinking I'm not going to track my food in the nifty pocket size food log she gave me and that I'm not going to count carbs any more. I'm not going to worry about how much butter I put on a baked potato or how much sour cream I put on a taco.

  This is the difference between a bad teacher and good teacher- the result. I have all of her information and resources. I know what's expected of me, but the motivation is entirely different. Instead of being more driven to accomplish the task, I'm stepping back and rethinking if I want to even start the journey. This happens every day in our classrooms. Well meaning, knowledgeable people step in the classroom door and when they're finished, students want to learn less than ever. But the bad teacher walks away, thinking, "Well, I did my job. I taught them everything I know. It's not my fault they won't use it." But they just spewed information. They didn't teach- and in fact- they did more harm with their actions than if they'd been absent that day. You hear it all the time. "The students today are different from yesterday. You can't teach them anything. They don't want to learn anything." Rarely do you hear, "Wow, I blew that lesson. It didn't reach most of the class. How can I do it differently tomorrow." But they're not prepared to learn, I hear back. Not true. I entered her office today, prepared and willing, and so do most of our kids. By the time I left thirty minutes later, I was frustrated and so was she. We both knew that the odds of me doing her diet were slim, but she was confident that it was all my fault. She did the job she was trained to do while I refused to comply to her goals. I bet she never once asked herself why that was. I suspect she'll talk about me to the rest of the staff as a difficult client. Yet, she failed. With all her degrees, trainings, knowledge, and letters after her name, she failed.

  The good news is that as an educated adult, I will take the time to process her advice, do some more research, and make a decision that's best for my life. The bad news is that our kids are left powerless, in an environment that doesn't encourage independence and self-responsibility, and there are more of them in classrooms with bad teachers than bad nutritionists.

   

  • 10:30 am
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