Quick Sticks

Carbohydrate Exchange vs. Carbohydrate Counting

jprado — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 19:08:08 +0000

As a CDE I get a lot of questions concerning carbohydrate exchanges vs. carbohydrate counting. So to simplify, let us explore exactly what a carbohydrate exchange is. Many of us know approximately how many grams of carbohydrate we should or we want to consume per meal or per day. For some, lunch could be 30 grams of carbs, and for others 45 or 50 grams of carbohydrate. Everyone is different based on individual dietary needs.

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A carbohydrate EXCHANGE is another way to prepare your meal plan. One exchange is simply equal to 15 grams of carbohydrate. So if lunch is 30 grams of something, that would be equal to two exchanges. One third cup of rice, for example, is equal to 15 grams of carbohydrate or ONE Carb Exchange. It’s another way to say something, and for some it simplifies a meal plan. Others do not use exchanges at all.

If you use a fast acting sugar like Quick Sticks to treat a low blood sugar, that would not be part of a meal plan. It’s more of a treatment plan and the amount of glucose you need to treat a low may vary, but will be determined by your own health care team. If you need to clarify further, please do not hesitate to contact us with your comments and observations. We welcome your feedback.

-Susan Sloane, CDE

Why do Glucose Quick Sticks have 10 grams of carbs in each stick?

admin — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 17:59:25 +0000

Diabetes is not a “one size fits all” disease. We have tried for years to standardize diabetes care, only to become frustrated with what works for one patient does not work well for another. That is not to say there should not be guidelines; we all need some starting points. Different patients have different levels of responses to drugs and food, and patients can be insulin resistant to different degrees. That is why we have Glucose Quick Sticks available in a 10gm size. My sons respond differently to glucose to treat a low blood sugar. One son may only need one stick at a blood sugar of 60 while another may need 2-3 sticks. It also may matter if a patient has or has not just eaten or exercised. Always try to document a low blood sugar and write down when and possibly, why it occurred. Include how you treated it and how quickly you started to feel better. How much glucose you need is up to your own health care team and may be based on blood sugar, weight, and your responses in the past to treatment. Eat following a low blood sugar according to your health care team’s direction. You will generally follow immediate dissolving glucose with a carb/protein snack.

-Susan Sloane, CDE

admin — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 14:04:49 +0000

Ginger from Newport, VT- “There’s a big difference between pixie sticks and [Quick Sticks]. Using a candy that comes with a variety of chemicals and unnatural flavoring, and dyes [slows] down the absorption of the dextrose and therefore slows down the rate at which your blood sugar will rise. On top of that, you’d have to eat 7 pixie sticks to get 16 grams of carbohydrates. 1 Quick Stick has 10 grams of carbohydrate.”

admin — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 14:04:35 +0000

Terri from Houston, TX- “My husband is a Type 2 diabetic and was working on his motorcycle and when I went outside; he was shaking and feeling faint. We check his blood sugar and he was at 51. I ran in and grabbed quick sticks. Since he was shaking, it was much easier to get him to swallow. Of course, his response was “mmmmmm…good” Within minutes he was feeling normal again.”

admin — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 14:04:20 +0000

Tiffany from Kathleen, GA- “Ariana has gotten to try the watermelon Quick Sticks and she just loved it! One of the things I love about Quick Sticks is how fast she can take them versus a juice box, which she can never drink all of because it just too much, and it’s faster to eat than any other snack we’ve given her to boost her blood sugar back up. I also love that I don’t have to fight her to take it. It’s like candy to her and that’s not something she gets very often so it’s quite a treat. All in all, it’s just amazing and I will definitely be recommending it.”

admin — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 14:04:09 +0000

Jeff from Frisco, TX- “I woke up at 5 am Saturday with a blood sugar reading of 78. Not really where I wanted to be considering I was riding 62 miles on a bike in 2 hours. Next thing I know it’s the opening ceremony and I have 10 minutes before I have to address the riders so I use two Quick Sticks and we take off riding. 16 miles in was the first stop, and I was at 170 which was perfect and never got below 130 which was awesome. If I didn’t have Quick Sticks I am not sure how they day would have gone. I imagine not as well. You sell a great product.”

admin — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 14:03:57 +0000

Dr Steve Edleman from TCOYD in San Diego, CA- “For people living with diabetes, anything to simplify day-to-day low blood sugar struggles and replace flavorless oversized tabs, messy gel tubes and liquids is a huge win.”

Are Glucose Quick Sticks safe for people who do not have diabetes?

jprado — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 15:45:10 +0000

Quick sticks are just basically flavored sugar. They are not meant to be eaten like candy, but are certainly as safe as candy when consumed by people without diabetes. I would often give one son a sugar treat while treating my older son for hypoglycemia. My younger son would often tell me he felt “weak” just to get a treat when he was a toddler. He was diagnosed with diabetes himself at age nine. This is a genetic disease and his overall diet was very healthy. I say this because some parents blame food as a cause for diabetes. Diabetes associated with obesity is often diet related and generally manifests in type 2 diabetes. Once weight is lost and a healthy BMI is obtained, blood sugars may return to normal, but still need to be watched. There is genetic testing available for those with type 1 diabetes and their siblings to see if a sibling is likely to become diabetic at some point. This testing can be fairly accurate.

-Susan Sloane, CDE

Children With Diabetes

admin — Sat, 13 Oct 2012 13:35:50 +0000

We stumbled on this new product at Walmart called Quick Sticks. $5.99 for 10 tubes. They come in watermelon or sour apple. Each one is 10g. They are like a giant pixie stick. My daughter gives them two thumbs up. I like the because they are slim and easy to carry. www.quicksticks.com.

TESTIMONIALS

admin — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 01:35:57 +0000