Eating the foods I love

[Clifford47]

In order to properly manage my diabetes, do you believe I have to be extremely religious about carb/calorie counting?

[marshp47]

It helps to make sure you're watching your calories. Tracking carbs is very helpful as well.

[Clifford47]

I find it difficult to keep up with tracking calories. Most apps out there want me to remember the specific foods I eat. I mainly remember if it was a big or small meal.

[Clifford47]

What apps can you recommend that make the process simpler?

[diabetes86]

since the carb count in any food veries very widely from 4 for a cup of brcokoly to 68 for ice cream. knowing the "big or small" of a meal is useless.  you need to know how much of what you ate.

Back to the OP post
if you can eat 20 gr of carbs and have good BG (BG under140) then eating more than 20 gr is going to lead to elevated BG.  Elevated BG leads to going blind, going on dialyses, hart attacks, excuseating pain in the feet which leads to gang green and foot/leg amputation.  
All cause from high BG.  So yes counting carbs is important.

Yes

[diabetes86]

Get a meter and test your BG 1 hour after you eat. if the BG is over 140 you are doing damage to blood capillaries and nerves that will lead to complications.  how soon the complications start depends on how long your BG is over 140.

[spamninja47]

It helps to at least start tracking that information in some sort of app or at least a spreadsheet. I don't know if you necessarily if you have to be "religious".

[alamoana47]

I agree. The first step is to make it a habit of tracking that information if you're not already doing so.

More data is probably better, at least in the beginning. Then you can discuss with your primary care provider the data that are most important.

[marshp47]

Yeah, that makes sense to me, too.

[alberthung]

Yeah, as much data as you can track will help but any amount will help to create a general awareness

[Clifford47]

Good feedback. Should try to be a more quantified self.

[artemesia2]

A board certified endocrinologist highly recommends food that are in the low glycemic index range.  Not enough time to explain the glycemic index except the lower the range the less spiking of blood sugar.  A food that is 50 or lower should be okay to eat. There are sites and books. One I bought and read is the "Low GI handbook" Includes charts and recipes.  Good luck to you.

[diabetes86]

carb counting? depends on your BG