• 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.
  • We seem to be having technical difficulties with new user accounts. If you are trying to register please check your Spam or Junk folder for your confirmation email. If you still haven't received a confirmation email, please reach out to our support inbox: support.forum@diabetes.org.uk

Numbers - what to look for?

Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
Newtothis said:
Last night after dinner I was 5.5, this was at 9pm. Went to bed at 10pm and when I tested this morning at 7am I was 5.4.... Not tend to snack but been told I may need to increase by having some fruit at 11am and something between lunch and dinnner. Would you say this is right? Amanda 🙂
Click to expand...

Those levels look pretty well perfect to me. I certainly wouldn't add any carby snacks in unless you understand what they are intended to achieve. Do you know why they were suggested?

If it's not broke, don't fix it! 🙂
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
Those levels look pretty well perfect to me. I certainly wouldn't add any carby snacks in unless you understand what they are intended to achieve. Do you know why they were suggested?

If it's not broke, don't fix it! 🙂
Click to expand...


I haven't met with the diabetic nurse yet but was given a copy of a healthy eating plan by the nurse who took my first Hba1c blood test. The book states that you should have a starchy carb at each meal. I had porridge this morning (made with 1% fat milk) didn't add a banana or anything else - was quite tasty. I had 1/2 an apple at 11am and have a massive bowl of salad and a tin of sardines (not sure about the sardines) and a slice of rye bread (I only bought the rye because its a starchy carb; might not have it; then again....) for lunch. Will have 1/2 an apple and a few grapes around 3pm. I'm throwing in the snacks because I've been told by a friend, who isn't a diabetic, that I am starving myself inbetween meals (hence chronic belching - excuse me). Dinner tonight is a lean pork chop and a plate of vegetables. I'm just worried that I might be doing myself a mischief if I don't add carbs. I havent' tested myself today because I need to buy some strips but will test when I get up first thing in the morning. Is the first test of the day a reflection of the day before??? Sorry to ask so many questions. Don't want to check things up on the net because I keep scaring myself... Thank you x Amanda 🙂
 
Can I ask another stupid question. I understand that porridge; potatoes; rice and bread are starchy carbs, but what exactly is a carb? 🙄
 
Katie - we really need to speak more. The amount of information on this site is amazing. So glad I joined. Buying a meter has given me a sense of control and, touch wood, I'm not as anxious as I was. Saying that have appointment with diabetic nurse next week - then I'll be anxious 🙄 Take care. Amanda 🙂
 
It might be worth you putting together a food diary and writing down what you are eating. If you want to be adventurous you could always sketch in the amount of calories/carbs as well. If I use the carbs and cals app, then I would guess (possibly badly):

Porridge ? 164 cals / 18g carb

1/2 an apple ? 40 cals / 10g carb

bowl of salad ? probably negligible anything
tin of sardines ? 220 cals / 0g carb
slice of rye bread. ? no idea, but burgen is about 111 cals / 14 carbs

1/2 an apple ? 40 cals / 10g carb
a few grapes ? 39 cals / 10g carb

lean pork chop ? 175 cals / 0g carb
a plate of vegetables ? probably negligible unless there are potatoes

That comes to about 60 carbs, which is low, but not critically low I think. Your calorie intake comes to a worrying low 750 cals. You really shouldn?t be dropping below 1500 cals if you can help it!

If you want something that is low carb but adds extra calories then you might want to consider adding nuts for snacks.
 
Newtothis said:
Katie - we really need to speak more. The amount of information on this site is amazing. So glad I joined. Buying a meter has given me a sense of control and, touch wood, I'm not as anxious as I was. Saying that have appointment with diabetic nurse next week - then I'll be anxious 🙄 Take care. Amanda 🙂
Click to expand...

Amanda have sent you a personal message which I think goes directly to your e mail. Best wishes Katiexx
 
Mark T said:
It might be worth you putting together a food diary and writing down what you are eating. If you want to be adventurous you could always sketch in the amount of calories/carbs as well. If I use the carbs and cals app, then I would guess (possibly badly):

Porridge ? 164 cals / 18g carb

1/2 an apple ? 40 cals / 10g carb

bowl of salad ? probably negligible anything
tin of sardines ? 220 cals / 0g carb
slice of rye bread. ? no idea, but burgen is about 111 cals / 14 carbs

1/2 an apple ? 40 cals / 10g carb
a few grapes ? 39 cals / 10g carb

lean pork chop ? 175 cals / 0g carb
a plate of vegetables ? probably negligible unless there are potatoes

That comes to about 60 carbs, which is low, but not critically low I think. Your calorie intake comes to a worrying low 750 cals. You really shouldn?t be dropping below 1500 cals if you can help it!

If you want something that is low carb but adds extra calories then you might want to consider adding nuts for snacks.
Click to expand...

Hi Mark,

I think I might add a few spuds tonight. If I drop below 1500 cals it won't affect the diabetes will it. I am calorie watching because I'm trying to lose weight - at leat 1 - 2lb per week, which I've managed to do since July. I don't want to pile my plate up because I'll leave half of it anyway. Do you know where you can buy the Burgen bread from; I've been to both Tesco and Sainsburys without much luck. Amanda x 🙂
 
Hi Amanda

From other T2 posts and stuff I've read you'd have to eat almost no carbs at all for it to become a problem. You'd be surprised how much carbohydrate there is in a meal even without the potato/bread/pasta element if you reeeeeally start looking.

The 'eat starchy carbs at every meal' and it's even sillier cousin 'eat LOTS of starchy carbs' are outdated standard-issue advice that have been dished out for years. Most modern thinking suggests better results are had with a moderated consumption of low GI carb. I've seen many T2's arrive at forums taking the 'lots of carbs' advice and finding their weight balloons out of control and their BGs stay dangerously high despite ever increasing medication. The same people, once carbs are moderated can sometimes reduce or even stop medication entirely. Many also seem to find that even though their fat consumption rises, they still lose weight. High carb = high blood glucose = body stores as fat

The 'standard' recommended carb intake for me is 250-300g. My intake is more often 130-140g so by some definitions I am 'low' carb. But on the days where I do eat 250ish g I know it's a high risk strategy and is likely to result in dodgy levels. And that's *with* the benefit of modern rapid-acting insulin I can administer to counteract them.

There are those on the 'Paleo' diet, based more on what our stone age relatives would have eaten (before mass agriculture and grain production) who flourish on very low carb levels. That approach though is not for everyone.
 
Last edited:
I would point out that drinks, etc will count to your calorie intake so you really need to keep a full diary before worrying if you're under eating or not. Mark's guess may be close, but you're better off getting a more accurate figure so you don't add in too much and spoil your already good results.

As for low carb diets, I would point out that humans have adapted since palaeolithic times to eat a wide variety of diets based on local availability and culture. Our gut flora and metabolism will be very different to someone living off the land in southeat asia for instance, let alone 5,000 years ago. Just my opinion, but I think a balanced approach with less refined and processed foods, in portions suited to your lifestyle would be easier to maintain.

Exercise is one of the biggest modifications to any diet you can make.🙂

Rob
 
Newtothis said:
Hi Mark,

I think I might add a few spuds tonight. If I drop below 1500 cals it won't affect the diabetes will it. I am calorie watching because I'm trying to lose weight - at leat 1 - 2lb per week, which I've managed to do since July. I don't want to pile my plate up because I'll leave half of it anyway. Do you know where you can buy the Burgen bread from; I've been to both Tesco and Sainsburys without much luck. Amanda x 🙂
Click to expand...
You don't need to pile on the spuds, and yes they would impact your levels (being sources of starchy carbohydrates).

You can get Burgen bread from Sainsbury's - my local one has it. But potentially any seeded loaf might do as the low GI element comes from the seeds and how long it takes the body to absorb the carbs from them.

Dropping below 1500 cals won't hurt the diabetes but I believe that if maintained for a long time it can hurt the body (you are essentially starving yourself). If you read the story on the 600 cal diet a while back you might recall that they had to be under medical supervision to be on that diet.

White meats, Dairy and nuts are good ways of boosting calories in the diet without impacting on diabetes.
 
Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
Back
Top