So I returned to California on Saturday after living for two years in Guatemala. I was very much looking forward to the increased convenience of living as well as diabetic ingredients, etc. So I had a hell of a time figuring out the process for sharps disposal in California. I had heard that Walgreen’s gave you free containers and then took them for disposal. When I went to Walgreen’s they looked at me like I was nuts and directed me to the $26 containers for mail in and said I should call waste management. I looked online and none of the waste management places were nearby (I don’t have a car). When I went to my doctor’s today and asked an acupuncturist in the office said "that’s nonsense, I take my sharps to Walgreen’s for disposal all the time and there is no charge. She lives across the bay in San Francisco, but I figured Walgreens is Walgreens. I went back and asked to speak to the pharmacist. She explained that San Francisco has different laws than Berkeley and so the Walgreen’s there accepts sharps but the one in Berkeley does not. She handed me a flyer. When I read the flyer it said that disposal of sharps generated at home is not regulated by waste laws in California and suggested you use a heavy plastic with secure top and put it in the regular garbage. I guessed that the “rules” are not easily accessable because basically there ARE no rules! Do you have any idea how similar that is to Guatemala…lol
Ok, Dreamfields. I felt sure I would find it in Berkeley Bowl or Whole Foods our local healthy-oriented stores, but nope!! Lots of products that are low fat or gluten free, but very little low carb! So do you all get Dreamfields sent to you from their website?
I guess I’ve returned to the land of opportunity, but not necessarily for diabetics! Btw I was reading the magazine “diabetic living” in the doctor’s office and there were cakes on the cover…yikes!
What a pain when you were trying to do the right thing! Many locales allow putting sharps in a plastic jug, securing the top with heavy duty tape & labeling the container. I’m lucky because my vet allows me to bring her mine & she diposes of it with her medical waste. Walgreen’s in my area doesn’t accept sharps, if that makes you feel any better.
Dreamfields on-line, yep. Have you asked a local health food store to order it? Mine will order me anything. Good luck with Dreamfields. It sent me soaring & it was just a small portion. Some people aren’t effected, but others have spikes hours later.
Yes, that is what the flyer I read said I can do, so I’m going to get plastic jugs and tape and just put it in the garbage.
My supermarket is sort of like a giant health food store (hey, it’s California!) but didn’t have it. I’ll try an actual health food store and if not try online. I don’t want to order too much since I may be just as lucky as you and find it doesn’t work at all!
Whole Foods is awesome. Surprising they didn’t have Dreamfields. I’m glad I only ordered one box. Tasted good, but I might as well have eaten regular pasta. Actually, it was worse than regular pasta because the spike hit after the bolus insulin was gone. So much for those slow acting carbs:) Maybe Dreamfields works better for Type 2s. Wishing you better success!
It’s not Italian pasta, but Miracle Noodles have zero calories, zero carbs. Pure fiber & don’t effect BG at all. They’re clear Asian noodles & are good in Asian recipes. I use them in soup, stir fries, with peanut sauce & shrimp. I tried other brands, but www.miraclenoodles.com are by far the best. I’ve only used the angel hair variety.
I just use my old clorox plastic containers ( I use alot of clorox lol) and dispose my used syringes into them and put the lid on and tape and throw in the garbage.
I drink alot of coffee and Fokgers comes in a plastic comtainer. So that is what I use for my syringes and lancets. When it is filled I use duct tape to tape the lid and then just throw away. At least I don’t feel bad about just throwing away plastic containers one after another.
California has alot of good places to buy foods, you just need to shop around and find what suits you. Many farmers markets and organic places…just get out the phone book in your area or ask somebody that lives near you.
Many happy and healthy diabetics live in California…including me.
Hi Gerri & everyone, Can anyone direct me to a store(s) that sells Asian noodles similar to Miracle Noodles? Gerri wrote above that he’s “tried other brands” of Asian noodles. I live in Maryland. I’d like to save the cost of shipping. Thanks in advance for any help finding Asian noodles over the counter.
In Nevada Raleys carries Dreamfileds as well as Safeways–might try those
I buy my sharps containers at Wallmart–$4 aand then toss them in the garbage (NV doesn’t have disposal laws either)–I figure they are better marked and have a lid that permanently closes (yes a knife will take care of that prob…but still stronger than duct tape)
I live in Illinois and I’m not sure what our disposal laws are but… I was advised by my diabetic educator and Walgreens that I can do the heavy plastic bottle, seal & toss thing too. I just don’t feel right about that. I spoke to our (private) disposal company and they have a sharps program. I place the needles in a fabric softener bottle (it keeps them fresh smelling too…LOL!), duct tape the top. mark the bottle “SHARPS” and place in the recycle bin. They do the rest. Normally, they do not allow the heavy plastics in the recycle bin. I know I am lucky to have a disposal company that does that type of recycling.
As far as Dreamfields Pasta, I am a type 2, and maybe this is true for type 2’s only, but I have NO spike with “one serving”. I was buying it from my local supermaket chain (Jewel) in the regular pasta aisle. Unfortunately, they have only recently discontinued carrying it to make more shelf room for Ronzoni Smart Taste. Ugh!! Ill informed buyers think it’s the same thing! I spoke to the stock manager and asked if they could stock it in the"diabetic" food section along with the Glucerna cereal, snack bars and drinks. He said he would speak with the buyers. He, like they probably do, thought only sugar free mattered to diabetics.
Anyway, Whole Foods will not carry Dreamfields as it is not “organic” or “natural”…so I was told by my Whole Foods. Your best bet then, sorry to say, is ordering it online. I will be unless my store rethinks how & where they stock it.
I have a subscription to Diabetic Living and know what you mean about the covers! They are SO tempting! However, the recipies really do work…and if I allow for the carbs, lowered from conventional cake, I can have my cake and eat it too!
I wasn’t seeing the cakes as tempting…I haven’t eaten sugar in 15 years…but as misleading, that we can eat whatever we want and be just fine.
We don’t have Kroger in California, but we do have Safeway. I never thought to go there because I expected to see it at the more health oriented places like Berkeley Bowl and Whole Foods, so I’ll try Safeway and then give up and order that and miracle noodles online. I’m having so much fun with the increased options for food here. Being a vegetarian in Guatemala was hard enough without adding being a diabetic…lol
Thanks for the suggestion, Robyn. I’m subletting right now and I found a large nearly empty dishsoap container that became my sharps container. I can’t believe Walgreen’s is selling them for $26!! (sharps containers, not dishsoap!). Let’s cash in on the diabetics!!
The others I tried (hate paying for shipping also) I found in Asian food markets, if you have any of those close by. They’re called shiritaki noodles. Some have tofu added for more body. I have a thyroid condition & so don’t eat soy. The tofu adds carbs. Those that are just shiritaki have no calories, no carbs. I bought several different brands & they were pretty bad. The Miracle Noodles were definitely the best.
Miracle Noodles donates a portion of their sales to diabetes research.
