Thursday, October 4, 2012

Bolus-Worthy??

When I use the term Bolus-Worthy, I’m talking about something that can be difficult on my blood sugar, or that will require a larger than usual amount of insulin, but is absolutely worth the trouble.  I’ve been thinking quite a bit about Bolus-Worthiness lately, after a conversation with a T1 friend and also after spending the day at The Big E. (Nothing like fair food to really get you thinking about boluses!!)

My conclusion?  We probably all have a very different list of treats that are bolus-worthy and treats that are just not worth it.  And my list has many qualifiers to the items.  Curious about what I am and am not willing to drain my pump reservoir for?  Well, here are a few things that come to mind . . . .

BolusWorthySODA:  Never, ever bolus-worthy.  First of all, I don’t really drink that much soda anyway.  And when I do, I’m perfectly happy to choose a diet option rather than try to bolus for the big sugar spike.

CUPCAKES:  I’m tempted to say “always bolus-worthy”, but upon further reflection I find that’s not quite true.  Cupcakes form Crumbs, yes, are always bolus-worthy in my book.  But a crappy vanilla cupcake with icky-sweet frosting from my local grocery store’s less than stellar bake shop?  I think I’ll pass, thank you very much.

CHOCOLATE:  If it’s the high-quality, decadent stuff, I will always deem it bolus-worthy.  If it’s the cheap, waxy stuff, then no.  Except, of course, during that time of month where I will rip someone’s head off if I don’t GET SOME CHOCOLATE NOW . . . . then even the crap chocolate is worth the insulin.

ORANGE JUICE: never bolus-worthy
MIMOSA: always bolus-worthy
BLOODY MARY: even better, because I usually can drink one and not bolus at all!!

LOBSTER RAVIOLI:  oh hell yes!!  And also?  CHEESECAKE!

I’m sure I can go on and on, but first I’m curious to hear what you absolutely do and don’t deem Bolus-Worthy.  Care to share?

11 comments:

  1. I like your list!

    Every time we go to the Cheesecake Factory, someone recommends that I get the "sinless" cheesecake, which frankly sounds very boring. The chocolately cheesecake is totally bolus-worthy!

    Most of the time I'd rather have a beer or glass of wine than bother with the insulin for a mixed drink, but I make an exception for special occasion mimosas!

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  2. That's funny because we go through this when my daughter (8yo) is fixing her lunch or thinking about what she wants for dinner. For instance if we're having burgers, dogs, fries, chips, etc (you know the really good for you stuff, LOL), she'll totally skip the buns so she can have extra chips or tater tots, or a milkshake or something. I'm gonna teach her the term bolus-worthy

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  3. The pumpkin spiced lattes from the coffee shop where I work are definitely bolus-worthy for me this time of year. I love those things and they don't raise my BG too much.

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  4. Three words: Key.Lime.Pie.

    Or a good glazed donut.

    Thanks for asking!

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  5. The carrot cake I had at lunch today for an office b'day. Still doing some correcting but it was sooooo good.

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  6. A good grilled cheese sandwich fills a spot on my "bolus worthy" list.

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  7. Interestingly enough, my husband who does not have D has adopted the term bolus-worthy as a rule of thumb for snacking: "If I had to do what Val does to eat this, is it really bolus-worthy?" Sometimes yes, sometimes no. For me; homemade cookies or real maple syrup (not together) = always bolus worthy; french fries = meh.

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  8. Chocolate chip cookies. Not the crummy ones from the grocery store, but real cookies warm from the oven. Oh, and I am with you on waxy chocolate. Yuck.

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  9. I agree that certain items are bolus-worthy, while others are not. In general, I feel few desserts are truly bolus-worthy because sticky, gooey or sweet really is something that IMHO is aimed at children, but adults? I'm not so sure. You're right about things like juice; I don't understand people who find it so appealing. And, on the alcohol-related beverages, I discovered something awesome this summer: Crystal Light Mocktails, including margarita flavor. The only thing is I add the tequila, but not only are they pretty darn good, but the calorie counts make them superb relative to the real thing. Anyone who has a real margarita for taste over the Crystal Light version has to explain how over 100+ calories for a drink is ever bolus-worthy when you can cut it down to just the teens? Still, I would say that taste is very personal, and when someone claims something is bolus-worthy, the value one puts into those decisions isn't universal.

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  10. I don't inject insulin but I have a similar word for those things I wish to indulge in: exercise worthy! I know that if I exercise, even for just 15 minutes, it can lower my bg. So, if I want a treat badly enough I need to decide if it's exercise-worthy. Cheesecake? heck yeah. I have other faves like peanut butter pie and enchilada casserole but I've been able to tweak the recipes so sometimes I can eat them without the exercise!

    My son and daugher-in-law have been in New Hampshire for a couple of weeks and they had lobster ravioli. Sounds like heaven!

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  11. If I had an "always bolus-worthy" list, I'd find myself always indulging in those things (and always bolusing, and always getting myself into trouble). To me, bolus-worthiness is defined more "in the moment", based on where I am, who I'm with, and what the occasion is.

    Though tonight I made a mistake. I was at an event that was serving Dunkin Donuts Munchkins. I decided I wanted one, so I took a bolus and ate. A few minutes later, I wanted another, but as soon as I bit into it I felt more guilty than satisfied and changed my mind. But it was too late. The bolus was delivered and I had to eat it.

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