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Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
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- Thread starter surelynot
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Vonny
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Hi @surelynot and welcome to the forum 🙂 As you are only at risk of developing diabetes, it should be fairly simple to get you back to "normal" levels. I wasn't diagnosed until it was too late, and I'd had a fatty liver for years, but by cutting down the carbs, I not only got back to normal blood sugar levels, but also reduced my cholesterol and no longer have a fatty liver!
I just cut carbs out completely when I was first diagnosed, but I learned from this forum that it is actually better to reduce them gradually to avoid problems with eyesight. If you're struggling on what foods to eat, take a look at the thread "What did you eat yesterday" for ideas for meals.
I'm sure others will be along soon to help you. Best of luck to you x
I just cut carbs out completely when I was first diagnosed, but I learned from this forum that it is actually better to reduce them gradually to avoid problems with eyesight. If you're struggling on what foods to eat, take a look at the thread "What did you eat yesterday" for ideas for meals.
I'm sure others will be along soon to help you. Best of luck to you x
Thanks Vonny. I'll take a look at that. I'm quite good at following meal plans etc so I'm hoping that part of it kinda easy...
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
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- He/Him
Welcome to the forum @surelynot
Sorry to hear you’ve been hit with a bit of a triple-whammy of health challenges. Quite a bit to be getting on with!
Can you remember the result of your HbA1c which suggested you were at risk of diabetes? It will be a number between 42 and 47.
One of the biggest questions when trying to get to grips with your risk of diabetes will probably be ‘what can I eat’ and while there are obvious things like cakes, biscuits, sweets and sugary drinks that you will want to cut out straight away, you might be surprised how much *all* carbohydrate affects your BG levels, including rice, pasta, potatoes, bread, pastry, grains, cereals and many fruits.
Many new members find it can be really helpful to keep a brutally honest food diary for a week or two. Note down everything you eat and drink, along with a reasonable estimate of the total carbohydrate content in yoir meals and snacks - it doesn’t have to be gram-perfect, the nearest 5-10g is fine. It might sound like a bit of a faff, and will involve weighing portions, squinting at the fine print on packaging, and possibly looking up things on the internet, but it will give you a really good idea of which foods are the main sources of carbs in your menu. Once you can see which meals or snacks are your ‘big hitters’, and where carbs might be unexpectedly lurking, the process might also suggest some likely candidates for swaps, portion reductions, or using lower carb alternatives (eg celeriac or swede mash, or cauli ‘rice’).
As someone who has been told you are at risk, it is likely that some relatively modest adjustments to your menu may be all that is required.
Try not to be disheartened about your risk of diagnosis, many people on the forum later reflect that their ’wake up call’ became a kind of catalyst which prompted them to make various positive changes towards a healthier and more active life. Perhaps changes that they had been intending to make for years.
Good luck, and let us know how you get on 🙂
Sorry to hear you’ve been hit with a bit of a triple-whammy of health challenges. Quite a bit to be getting on with!
Can you remember the result of your HbA1c which suggested you were at risk of diabetes? It will be a number between 42 and 47.
One of the biggest questions when trying to get to grips with your risk of diabetes will probably be ‘what can I eat’ and while there are obvious things like cakes, biscuits, sweets and sugary drinks that you will want to cut out straight away, you might be surprised how much *all* carbohydrate affects your BG levels, including rice, pasta, potatoes, bread, pastry, grains, cereals and many fruits.
Many new members find it can be really helpful to keep a brutally honest food diary for a week or two. Note down everything you eat and drink, along with a reasonable estimate of the total carbohydrate content in yoir meals and snacks - it doesn’t have to be gram-perfect, the nearest 5-10g is fine. It might sound like a bit of a faff, and will involve weighing portions, squinting at the fine print on packaging, and possibly looking up things on the internet, but it will give you a really good idea of which foods are the main sources of carbs in your menu. Once you can see which meals or snacks are your ‘big hitters’, and where carbs might be unexpectedly lurking, the process might also suggest some likely candidates for swaps, portion reductions, or using lower carb alternatives (eg celeriac or swede mash, or cauli ‘rice’).
As someone who has been told you are at risk, it is likely that some relatively modest adjustments to your menu may be all that is required.
Try not to be disheartened about your risk of diagnosis, many people on the forum later reflect that their ’wake up call’ became a kind of catalyst which prompted them to make various positive changes towards a healthier and more active life. Perhaps changes that they had been intending to make for years.
Good luck, and let us know how you get on 🙂
Hi @everydayupsanddowns 🙂
It was 42.
Tbh I have no idea what diabetes is all about, so I need a dummies guide!
I've been reading through a few posts and I'm a bit what on earth.... lots of people wanting to lose weight, restricting foods, etc. So now I'm worried. Is it all about carbs?!
When I've looked at various sites about what I shouldn't and should be eating, my diet for the vast majority is all in the *should* category. So I'm a bit flummoxed.
Do I need to be weighing/measuring myself? How do I go about measuring my blood glucose levels - and do I need to?
It was 42.
Tbh I have no idea what diabetes is all about, so I need a dummies guide!
I've been reading through a few posts and I'm a bit what on earth.... lots of people wanting to lose weight, restricting foods, etc. So now I'm worried. Is it all about carbs?!
When I've looked at various sites about what I shouldn't and should be eating, my diet for the vast majority is all in the *should* category. So I'm a bit flummoxed.
Do I need to be weighing/measuring myself? How do I go about measuring my blood glucose levels - and do I need to?
Windy
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Hi Surelynot. I was in a similar position six months ago, except I'm definitely diabetic, rather than at risk. I had fatty liver and had high cholesterol. I went on a big diet, cut out most of the bad food I knew I shouldn't be eating, and when I had my six month review, I didn't have a fatty liver any more, and my cholesterol was normal too.
The 42 is a measure of how much glucose is attached to your red blood cells (the haemoglobin bit). To be pre-diabetic, yours would need to be between 42 and 47 (as @everydayupsanddowns says). Over 48 and you're diabetic, so you've only just pipped into the "pre" category. It's fixable, and well explained by Mike.
My non medical understanding is that diabetes is where you have too much glucose (sugar) in your blood. For type 2 diabetics, like me, it's linked to carrying too much weight, you can get skinny T2 diabetics too, as it's not about being fat, just having too much fat for your liver and pancreas to cope with.
The body needs glucose to keep powered up,and in non diabetic people, the pancreas kicks in and gives out insulin to balance out the glucose so there's not too much, and not too little. It works less well in type 2 diabetics, the pancreas can't keep up with the sugar and it builds up and can cause damage as it moves round the body.
Type 1 diabetes is a different disease caused by the immune system attacking the beta cells in the pancreas and stopping it from making insulin.
You can weigh yourself and find out if you need to lose a little bit of weight. The NHS or google should be able to give you a range for your "ideal" weight. If you do need to lose weight, make a plan, ie think how you're going to do that. Maybe go on a diet, or use a smaller plate for your dinner, so you have a smaller portion, or do intermittent fasting two days a week, or take the dog for an extra walk each day, or go swimming, or whatever works for you. Set a realistic goal on how much weight you want to lose and weight yourself once a week, to keep an eye on how it's going.
You don't need to do anything drastic, if you have a plate of dinner, have half the potatoes and twice the broccoli, or a single slice of toast for breakfast, with an egg, instead of two slices. Or make soup to take to work, instead of popping to Greggs for a sausage roll, or make mashed potato with half mashed cauliflower, as it has less carbs and less calories.
Making little adjustments to what you do now is easier than going on a big diet.
If I were you, I probably wouldn't buy a blood glucose monitor. Losing a bit of weight and cutting out some of the sweet food and carby meals will hopefully get your HbA1c down from 42.
Best wishes, Sarah
Leadinglights
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
- Pronouns
- She/Her
No wonder you are mystified if you have been left to your own devises to figure things out. Although diabetes is basically when the body has an inability to handle carbohydrates as they convert to glucose and that is what can't be coped with. The reason for that can be very different in different people which is why you will see the ways in which people manage the condition will vary.
Type 2 diabetes is often found when the body cannot use the insulin it produces particularly effectively so glucose builds up in the body this is caused by what is called insulin resistance and often occurs when people are over weight but sometimes it is because the pancreas does not produce enough insulin. How people need to manage the condition so as not to get high blood glucose levels will be different depending on those factors. Many people can get to normal levels by cutting down on carbohydrates but some may also need medication.
You have been diagnosed as being 'at risk' which is basically a wake up call to be watchful of the amount of carbs in your diet as you have a reduced ability to handle them, losing some weight if you need to will help.
Many people think they have a healthy diet but what is healthy for non diabetics is not necessarily so if diabetic. So just being careful of your intake of sugary foods like cakes, biscuits, and sugary drinks but also potatoes, rice, pasta, bread, breakfast cereals and tropical fruits and fruit juices by reducing the portion size of what you have.
Have a look at the Learning zone for some more explanation.
Thanks @Leadinglights and @Windy 🙂
Yep, I'm overweight. To be a size 14 (my 'normal' weight when super healthy, pre-menopause) I'd have to lose 7st. Since having kids, and peri-menopause for the last 6 or so years, I've put on about 6st.
I rarely eat rice, pasta, cereal never, biscuits and cakes extremely rarely (my stomach hurts when i have anything sweet), bread once a day at most, potatoes probably 3 times a week, cous cous once or twice a week. I have egg noodles once or twice a week. Don't eat much fruit except in smoothies, but not every day. Veg every day, along with beans and pulses, nuts, tofu, eggs, fish, salads, cheese...
My activity level varies, but I don't do regular exercise as I'm too tired, and my bones hurt! (Having test for psioratic ? arthritis)
Yep, I'm overweight. To be a size 14 (my 'normal' weight when super healthy, pre-menopause) I'd have to lose 7st. Since having kids, and peri-menopause for the last 6 or so years, I've put on about 6st.
I rarely eat rice, pasta, cereal never, biscuits and cakes extremely rarely (my stomach hurts when i have anything sweet), bread once a day at most, potatoes probably 3 times a week, cous cous once or twice a week. I have egg noodles once or twice a week. Don't eat much fruit except in smoothies, but not every day. Veg every day, along with beans and pulses, nuts, tofu, eggs, fish, salads, cheese...
My activity level varies, but I don't do regular exercise as I'm too tired, and my bones hurt! (Having test for psioratic ? arthritis)
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
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Ah right at the bottom end 🙂
This is perfectly natural. There’s a lot to get your head around! There’s a good overview and introduction here that might help:
Type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is high blood sugar levels due to your body not making enough of a hormone called insulin, or the insulin it makes not working properly, known as insulin resistance. High blood sugar levels over time can cause other health problems like heart attacks and strokes, as well as...
Carrying extra weight (especially around the middle) can be associated with a build up of visceral fat around organs which can prevent them from working properly.
Additionally carrying extra weight can be associated with increased insulin resistance, making it difficult for your metabolism to successfully cope with the food your are eating, and specifically to process the carbohydrates in your menu (of which sugar is one).
Losing weight can help many people at risk of diabetes or living with T2 to cope more effectively with the carbs in their menu.
Do you think you are carrying extra weight?
Whether you choose to monitor your blood glucose levels is a personal choice. Many members find it very helpful to check BG levels immediately before and 2hrs after meals to see what the effect of the meal was on your blood glucose levels, and then aim to limit rises to 2-3mmol/L by choosing foods which are more gentle on your BG levels.
Leadinglights
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
- Pronouns
- She/Her
From the things you say you eat, I assume you are a pescatarian but there may be some of the foods which depending on the portions size may be not tolerated too well. cous cous, noodles, potatoes, bread and smoothies can be foods that could be too high carb.
Keeping a food diary and estimating the total carbohydrates you are having may give you a clue where some saving could be made. As you say losing weight would help you become more mobile and help your other conditions.
Keeping a food diary and estimating the total carbohydrates you are having may give you a clue where some saving could be made. As you say losing weight would help you become more mobile and help your other conditions.
Yes I'm pescetarian, have been for 32 years (44 now). What I don't understand is how many carbs I should be having. I remember about 5 years ago, i went to slimming world briefly. I tried their 'diet' but it made me feel very ill. It removed all fats and most carbs. As a result, my diet was very limited. There was no advice for vegan/vegetarian, or balance. It was just "don't eat X, only eat a bit of Y" etc. I guess I'm a bit afraid of feeling that unwell again. Some people *need* higher natural fat diets, some people *need* high animal protein diets, some people *need* a clean vegan diet, etc. I've only ever felt 'well' on a high protein and natural fats diet. So that's what I eat. Its bizarre that what makes me feel best is actually, according to the results today, the worst thing for me. Its very disconcerting.
Gwynn
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Yup it's the carbs, but what you can tolerate will be down to your own physiology. A bit of an unknown, but its not just that. Quite a few members keep a food diary and calculate (with the help of an App) the amount of carbs being consumed daily.
I aim for below 130g of carbs a day. Today it will be 94.4g
Of the three food types that our bodies use to provide energy, protein, fats, carbohydrates, its the carbohydrates our bodies cannot cope with.
Why? Well, for a T2 it is often a build up of fat around the internal organs that stops them working properly.
At diagnosis I was obese at 94kg. I went on a strict low carb, higher protein, higher fat diet and the weight just fell off. Gradually I introduced some exercise. Gradually, because my bones ached and I was exhausted and tired all the time. But I kept going. Small steps. A bit more each day.
And for me it worked but it took hard work and determination and a lot of learning.
This forum has been a Godsend. Great people. Great advice. Great support. Great experiences. Worth listening to and asking questions.
At diagnosis I knew nothing about diabetes. I was given almost no information and very little support, but, with the help of this forum I managed to find my way. But I noticed that there is a lot of conflicting and just plain wrong information on the internet. Even the 'eat well' NHS advice is not good for diabetics. So we diabetics have to become sleuths, investigating all information and even our own bodies, to find out really who we are and what our bodies can cope with and do well on.
The way I do it is by setting myself some small, short term goals and some larger long term goals and aim squarely at those. Things like 'reduce weight by 5Kg' or 'aim for XXKg' and 'carbs to below 130g a day', 'exercise at least 30 minutes each day', etc
So, good luck, if you can find your way through, you will feel much much better, fitter, you name it. I hope you do succeed, but do remember there will be ups and downs, just keep going.
I aim for below 130g of carbs a day. Today it will be 94.4g
Of the three food types that our bodies use to provide energy, protein, fats, carbohydrates, its the carbohydrates our bodies cannot cope with.
Why? Well, for a T2 it is often a build up of fat around the internal organs that stops them working properly.
At diagnosis I was obese at 94kg. I went on a strict low carb, higher protein, higher fat diet and the weight just fell off. Gradually I introduced some exercise. Gradually, because my bones ached and I was exhausted and tired all the time. But I kept going. Small steps. A bit more each day.
And for me it worked but it took hard work and determination and a lot of learning.
This forum has been a Godsend. Great people. Great advice. Great support. Great experiences. Worth listening to and asking questions.
At diagnosis I knew nothing about diabetes. I was given almost no information and very little support, but, with the help of this forum I managed to find my way. But I noticed that there is a lot of conflicting and just plain wrong information on the internet. Even the 'eat well' NHS advice is not good for diabetics. So we diabetics have to become sleuths, investigating all information and even our own bodies, to find out really who we are and what our bodies can cope with and do well on.
The way I do it is by setting myself some small, short term goals and some larger long term goals and aim squarely at those. Things like 'reduce weight by 5Kg' or 'aim for XXKg' and 'carbs to below 130g a day', 'exercise at least 30 minutes each day', etc
So, good luck, if you can find your way through, you will feel much much better, fitter, you name it. I hope you do succeed, but do remember there will be ups and downs, just keep going.
Windy
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
I'm a lacto-ovo vegetarian, so no fish, but similar, also "doing" the menopause. I'm trying to eat low carb (approx 50g of carbs per day) and only 1500 calories a day as I used to be a size 22, and have managed to get to an 18 now. I'm 24Kg (3 stone 10lbs) off my idea weight, so have a long road ahead of me.
I read a book by Prof Roy Taylor (who's a scientist who studies diabetes) and he said if you're pre-diabetes, and you can lose 10kg (1 stone, 8 lbs), you can stop moving towards diabetes, and also get out of the pre-diabetes. I know 10kg seems a lot to lose, but I've managed 16kg (2 stone 7lbs) so far and it's made exercising, or walking up the stairs, or into town/work so much less effort. I'd got used to carrying my weight, and losing some has been a revelation, my knees don't hurt and I'm not wheezy going up the stairs. I still don't really exercise, I had plans to go swimming and cycle and walk more, but they've not really happened yet, though the nice weather is tempting me out.
I've swapped normal pasta for lentil pasta and only have 25g as a portion, and then add a load of mushrooms to make up the bulk of the plate, you could use tofu, quorn, eggs, salmon, or other fish to up the protein level of the meal. Also swapped spaghetti for edamame bean spaghetti, and don't have potatoes at all, but use cauliflower instead, sometimes roasted with some curry paste on, or mashed with a teaspoon of butter and 20g of mature cheddar. You could swap couscous for cauliflower rice (either make it yourself, or buy it frozen).
I've got about 15 meals of 500ish calories that I've worked out how many grams of carbs are in, and cycle through them. So for breakfast, I'll have a mushroom and cheese omelette; 2 eggs, 150g mushrooms, 20g mature cheddar, half a teaspoon of oil for frying), and 20g of blueberries, 15g walnuts and 60g of full fat Greek yogurt , which I worked out to be 463 calories, 8.8g carbs. I've done similar with soya spaghetti bolognaise, curries, soup, roasted Mediterranean veg with halloumi etc, and wrote the recipes down on index cards so they're easy to follow.
This works for me, but we're all individual, and you need to find something that works for you.
So, you're happy on high protein and natural fats, so design your meals around that - have a baked salmon steak, cooked in tin foil with a teaspoon of butter and some parsley, and bake broccoli or cauliflower or courgette or aubergine with a pinch of herbs/ chilli/ pesto/ curry paste and maybe put a spoon of cream cheese on top of the veggies before you serve them. Have a little bowl of Greek yogurt and a few walnuts and blueberries for dessert?
The secret is finding meals that you like and don't take an age to prepare, or that you can bulk cook to save time.
You can do it, make a plan, think about the meals you can eat, and go for it. Sarah
Mrs Mimoo
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
if you can lose 10kg (I used the Newcastle diet) that will set you right probably - reduce blood sugar and lipids. it seems scary but the newcastle diet works well.
Where did you get the idea that a high protein and natural 'diet' or way of eating isn't good for you?
For most Type 2 diabetics nothing could be further from the truth, it's the 'lots of whole grains ad fruit' thing that's bad for us! It may be healthy for people who are already 'healthy' but it certainly isn't for us! In fact I ate that way for over 10yrs slowly getting heavier and I blame the '5 a Day' and 'Eatwell plate' for my diabetes. I have now reversed it by eating Low Carb, Higher Protein and Higher natural Fat!
I meant, if my results are like this as a result of eating the foods I have been (and i agree with you, theyre *good* foods), then it can't be good for me? Do you know what I mean? Maybe I'm eating all the right things but just need to take out any carbs.
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Perhaps if you were happy to share a couple of days’ worth of example meals some of our low-carbing members could offer suggestions based on their own experience and what works for them?
Sure 🙂
Here, or somewhere else on the forum?
So today, for breakfast I had Greek style yoghurt with some berries and chia seeds thrown in, and coffee.
Lunch was 2 eggs and salad (leaves, a few cherry tomatoes, some feta and a few olives) with dressing.
Dinner was a roast - lots of veg, 2 roast potatoes and some salmon.
Drinks throughout the day are either squash or herbal/fruit teas.
Yesterday I had 2 eggs, spinach and a slice of malted toast. Coffee.
Skipped lunch as it was late breakfast.
Dinner was Mediterranean roasted veg with cous cous.
Drinks, squash & herbal/fruit teas.
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Have you ever tried the experiment of keeping a food diary for a week or two, and calculating the total carb content of your meals and snacks?
Looks like you are working really hard at your menu, and it sounds delicious, but perhaps it would help to get an idea of the carb load of meals which include things like couscous ?
You are only at the very bottom-end of the ‘at risk’ range, so it feels like a few minor tweaks might be all you need?
Looks like you are working really hard at your menu, and it sounds delicious, but perhaps it would help to get an idea of the carb load of meals which include things like couscous ?
You are only at the very bottom-end of the ‘at risk’ range, so it feels like a few minor tweaks might be all you need?
No I've never done a food diary. I'll start doing that.
That's just my normal diet, no changes, though there have been plenty of times when I've had bread of some kind, occasionally pasta. So that's what I need to work on I think.
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