From Sugar to Parking Meters...

My midwife, Amy, called today with the results of my blood tests.  My glucose levels at 1 hour after drinking 50 grams of sugar were 99, which she said is fantastic but means nothing to me.  Knowing how big my baby is for her age, though, I've been a bit concerned, so I decided to look up some information on it online.  I've learned (from Wikipedia) that 40-60% of women with gestational diabetes have no known risk factor and most show no signs of having gestational diabetes (which include thirst, excessive urination, nausea and vomiting, and fatigue- isn't that the same as being pregnant???), which is why all women are screened.  A result of 140 would lead to a second, longer blood test, and 130 is considered borderline.  So I'm not really close to that- but I still have no clue what a result of 99 means.  I kept looking and learned that normal people have fasting sugar levels between 70 and 110.  That gave me something else to compare my results with.  

By the way, according to the American Diabetes Association, women should limit sugar intake to 7 grams per day, men to 9; however, the average American consumes 26 grams of sugar per day.  The number one source of sugar in American diets is soda.  No wonder we have health issues.  This week, Chicago increased the tax rate on candy to 6.25% (but "foods," containing flour or that need refrigeration, are not considered "candy") along with several other tax hikes (including spirits and wine, but not beer, which Chicagoans apparently need- and perhaps we do, seeing as we were just named Forbes' #1 Most Stressful City.  And good luck if you have a heart attack in Chicago!).  Chicago already had an extra tax on bottled water , a so-called eco-sin tax, much like the sin taxes on cigarettes and alcohol.  What about an extra sin tax on soda? It's already taxed at 6.25%, the general merchandise rate shared now with candy.  With all the health problems it is linked to, it makes sense.  If we tax soda sales, can we please get our old parking meter system back? 

I really don't think anyone would mind that proposal.