Too much salt in your meal can cause your blood sugars to go up. A blood sugar of 500 needs to be treated either with pills or insulin. A walk after eating before you get in the truck might help-but if your blood sugar is already high, don't excercise, because it won't drop your blood sugar and may actually cause it to rise. Instead of eating a full meal at a Micky-D's or wherever, you might try ordering the kid's Happy Meal with a sugar free drink, or a small sandwich instead of sandwich and fries. Or just order the fries. Portion size is everything-smaller is better. Take the skin off the fried chicken and ask for gravy and salad dressings on the side. Order food any way except fried. Watch out for shakes/soft serve ice cream-they contain no milk and a lot of sugar.
About 2 years ago I was introduced to an amazing energy drink (2nd in sales to Red Bull and comparable in price, belive it or not) that tastes good and is good for you. Since that time, I have met so many people who are either diabetic or lacking energy and looking for an alternative to the unhealthy energy drinks and costly B-12 shots. The ingredients in this drink are awesome. Here are just a few: adaptogenic herbs, L-glutamine, L-taurine, and ginseng. That may not be exciting, but here's what got my attention: THERE IS 100% OF YOUR DAILY RECCOMMENDED VALUE OF B3 AND B5 VITAMINS, 300% OF B6, AND 4900% OF B-12! THAT'S ALMOST A WHOLE B-12 SHOT IN ONE CAN!!! Another great thing is that there is NO SUGAR AND NO CARBS. This drink is great for diabetis and definately great for "on-the-go" folks.(You order it by the case, 12 cans come in one case). What makes this drink unlike any other is that its formula is patented and FDA approved. The drink is called XS and comes in 9 different flavors (3 are caffine-free). Go to cfarley.qhealthzone.com and check it out!
Getting back to diet, a sandwich should not cause blood sugar levels to rise to the levels you mention if you are a type 2. It does sound like you need to talk to your doctor and be re-evaluated and possibly put on some sort of medication. A reading of 500 is not borderline, but is full-blown diabetes, especially if this is not a one-time reading, but is a common reading. Medication is not something to be afraid of, but will help you feel much better and will protect you from harm.
I agree with the above post. Managing with diet alone is certainly not working for you, and if you are a type 2 on pills, then it is reasonable to assume they are not working well enough either. I would recommend talking to your doctor about taking insulin. It seems like a lot of trouble at first but you will feel better and be heathier for it.
Good luck.
Hi, I'm not a medical professional, just the parent of a kid with diabetes. I'm also not a dietician. Are you type 1? If so, why are you not using insulin? Consistent scores of 500 are doing horrible things to the internals of your body, damaging organs and weakening your eyes. I would strongly suggest that you get on insulin to get your blood sugars under control. With your lack of exercise from riding with your husband, it is even more important to do something extra to get your diabetes under control. Even if you are type 2, it is imperative for you to get some insulin into your system. Managing it by food alone is not enough for you.