Hi there

[Auds21]

I’m new to this site and am the spouse of someone with diabetes type 2. I’m hoping to understand more about the illness and how I can help my husband . Thanks for letting me join.

 

[Ieva DUK]

Hi @Auds21 and welcome to the forum! I'm truly sorry about your husband's diagnosis, but it's great that he's got someone beside him who's proactive and wishing to help. If either one of you will have any questions - you're more than welcome to ask, there's lots of knowledge and experience here gathered over the years, so someone will always have an answer. If you do choose to do so, it would help people to provide more personally catered advice if they knew some information (such as his HbA1c levels, has he been diagnosed for a while, how has he been managing so far etc.), but only share what you both feel comfortable with.

 

[Auds21]

Thanks for your reply. I would definitely like some advice from others . My husband is very fatigued and yet I don’t feel as if he is altering his eating habits enough to help his diabetes.

 

[Leadinglights]

Thanks for your reply. I would definitely like some advice from others . My husband is very fatigued and yet I don’t feel as if he is altering his eating habits enough to help his diabetes.

How much he needs to alter his eating will depend on how far into the diabetic zone he is, an HbA1C over 47mmol/mol would be the level for diagnosis. It will also depend on whether he is prescribed any medication.
Fatigue can be an indicator of high blood glucose but so can other things like anaemia or vitamin B12 deficiency so he should have that checked.
If he is on no medication or only metformin then reducing the carbohydrates in the diet will help but it doesn't mean NO carbs. The first step would be cutting out cakes, biscuits, and sugary drinks including fruit juice and alcoholic drinks like beer or cider as they are all high carb.
Reducing portion sizes of potatoes, rice, pasta, bread and having extra veg or salad and basing meals on meat, fish, eggs, cheese, dairy and fruit like berries.
This link may give you some ideas for making meals that will be suitable for you both. https://lowcarbfreshwell.com/

 

[Ieva DUK]

Has he had a meeting with a GP or Diabetes Nurse about his diagnosis yet? Depending on what his levels were at diagnosis, the changes that he would need to make would vary as well. It's not uncommon for people to feel reluctant and in a way discouraged to make those changes, especially when you start reading about it online. It can come off really extreme. What I'd suggest is looking at what both of you eat on a day-to-day basis and starting there. Small improvements, alternatives to your favourite go-to foods. When it comes to Diabetes, a lot of folk choose to go low-carb (not no carb), however depending on what he's used to eating, that can seem very impossible if you start cutting out everything. Take it one thing at a time - adding more veggies to meals instead of carb-heavy foods, finding new recipes or experimenting with your usual ones. One improvement is likely to lead to the next one. That often also goes hand in hand with exercise (or rather movement in general), which after a life-changing diagnosis can also feel like a drag. It doesn't necessarily instantly has to warrant a gym membership, but once again - small changes. Walks after meals, more active date nights during the weekends or whatever else would work for the both of you. It will be a bit of trial and error for a while, but I'm sure you'll find a new routine and a new 'normal' for you both