New with Type 2

[Nikki_D]

Literally just diagnosed today sooo no clue what im doing need to try control it with diet etc for 3 months but where do i start? seems like most of the things I like to eat are bad for me now anyone else having this struggle?

 

[SueEK]

Hi Nikki, all of us are or have had this problem, what to eat is the hardest question for me too. I do know that low carbs is the way to go so potatoes, bread, rice, pasta is all pretty much a no-no or certainly limit it. There is such a lot to learn but learn it and quickly you will especially by looking on this site. Lots of people to help and give advice. I was only diagnosed beginning of Jan so I’m still learning and I’m a really fussy eater so have struggled with what foods to eat and not feel hungry all the time. Seems like you’re not on medication so maybe you could reverse yours by diet and exercise. Don’t get too overwhelmed, take it day by day. Ask any questions you want, there is always someone online to help. Good luck

 

[Madeline]

Welcome, you’ll find a wealth of experience here; I was diagnosed in November, and this forum has been a lifeline.

 

[merrymunky]

Hi Nikki and welcome. I was only diagnosed in January and yes, the struggle is real. I’ve just posted a rant myself about food. I have been so strict at limiting foods I know are terrible and today blew that eating half a can of baked beans and living with the regret as it’s sent my levels soaring.

You will find so much advice and support here. You have to find a way through that works for you though. Xx

 

[Nikki_D]

Thanks everyone im just so confused as all the info seems to suggest that meds are needed? but i literally got nothing they havent even done my HBA1 test thing all i got was healthy eating info and ive to make an appointment with a nurse which is also gonna prove challenging with work shifts

 

[Drummer]

If you are a type two, and lucky, just by stopping the high starch and sugary foods which are now normal you might get back to what you should be seeing, no elevated blood glucose or high Hba1c numbers.
I was put on tablets straight away, was utterly wretched and just about incapacitated by them - but then I stopped, felt a lot better and found that I never needed them in the first place.
After testing my blood glucose after meals I set a limit of 10 percent carbs for any foods other than chocolate, but I am careful with foods at the top of that range - beans in particular seem to make my levels soar far higher than the numbers would expect.
You might be told to eat a healthy diet - but in the almost two years of healthy eating I did to supposedly lower cholesterol I was on a high carb diet and got 'healthied' into massive weight gain and full blown type two diabetes - I burnt all the diet paperwork in the garden, used it to light a barbecue.

 

[Nikki_D]

If you are a type two, and lucky, just by stopping the high starch and sugary foods which are now normal you might get back to what you should be seeing, no elevated blood glucose or high Hba1c numbers.
I was put on tablets straight away, was utterly wretched and just about incapacitated by them - but then I stopped, felt a lot better and found that I never needed them in the first place.
After testing my blood glucose after meals I set a limit of 10 percent carbs for any foods other than chocolate, but I am careful with foods at the top of that range - beans in particular seem to make my levels soar far higher than the numbers would expect.
You might be told to eat a healthy diet - but in the almost two years of healthy eating I did to supposedly lower cholesterol I was on a high carb diet and got 'healthied' into massive weight gain and full blown type two diabetes - I burnt all the diet paperwork in the garden, used it to light a barbecue.

I defo need to try to stop the sugary foods im going to struggle with the carbs though for sure hopefully when they do check my Hba1 number it wont be too bad then cus they havent done that just stuff showed up on a blood test and then they did a urine one today

 

[Docb]

Hi Nikki, I tried to put some of the basics in this post:

https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/lowering-blood-sugar.80196/

See if that starts you off on the road to understanding. If nothing else it might give you some ideas about what to talk to the nurse about. Making the appointment, then making a friend of the nurse is a good place to start.

 

[Nikki_D]

Hi Nikki, I tried to put some of the basics in this post:

https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/lowering-blood-sugar.80196/

See if that starts you off on the road to understanding. If nothing else it might give you some ideas about what to talk to the nurse about. Making the appointment, then making a friend of the nurse is a good place to start.

Oh thank you! i do kinda feel in limbo because I cant make the appointment yet the nurse is only in two days a week and of course im working them for the next 4 weeks or more so gotta see if i can move things around with work. I did have a peek at that post and I do notice meds are mentioned but my dr seems to not want to go there for 3 months even though they havent gotten my HBA1 number yet so im a bit confused if that is normal

 

[Drummer]

But sugars are carbs - carbs are all the sugars and the starches, they are digested to make the simple sugars and absorbed into the bloodstream.
Sugary foods are a good place to start, but you still need to watch the starches, I'm afraid.
Also - be aware that wholemeal or brown versions of starches are not going to make much difference unless you are fortunate with your digestion.
My gut works really well and digests efficiently - so brown rice and wholemeal bread are no problem at all, and my blood glucose just goes wooosh upwards.

 

[Nikki_D]

If i have to completely cut out pasta, bread and potatoes im gonna be so stuck on what to eat

 

[Drummer]

Sorry - but they are high in starch - exactly what you can't cope with if you are a typical type two.
There are tastier options.

Try steamed cauliflower, place in a hot dish when almost cooked and allow to dry off for a minute or so then cover with soft cheese, then grate on hard cheese and add whatever you fancy in the way of maybe parmesan or pepper or sauce, cover and place in a warm oven until the cheese melts.

 

[Nikki_D]

Not sure what a typical type two is and how to tell if i am one, knowing my luck i probably will be! Does the HbA1 thing help tell that?

 

[Madeline]

I’m like a one woman konjac crusade

https://www.sainsburys.co.uk/webapp...ey=https:gb/groceries/bare-naked-noodles-380g

Drummer is right, sadly. Anything starchy is a carb - that’s all grains, root vegetables, fruit. So pasta, rice, bread, fruit (berries are tolerated by some of us), potatoes, and anything made with a grain like wheat or barley. You need to look at the carb content, not just sugar, and unless it’s low, reject.

 

[Nikki_D]

see now i am really confused all the info i got includes pasta, potatoes bread and all of that they steer towards better versions like baked potato etc but they are still all there

 

[Frenchy7181]

@Nikki_D I was diagnosed a few weeks ago, i have cut all carbs, no bread, no rice ,no pasta, no potatoes, 2 glasses of wine a week otherwise no alcohol. my blood sugar readings have drastically come down to almost normal level, my blood pressure is the best it has been in years. But what has the bigest impact in my case anyway is the excercise i ty to cycle 30/45 minutes a day and swim or thread water for th same time and my sugar level come down to where it should be. it is difficult but a very small price to pay to get back to better health. I eat lots of vegetable curry, stir fry, salads, grilled chicken, grilled fish bacon sausages don't miss the feeling of bloatiness that i used to get from eating too much carbs, lost 1 1/2 stone and feeling good for it. it is hard but plenty of advice and support on the forum.

 

[Browser]

If i have to completely cut out pasta, bread and potatoes im gonna be so stuck on what to eat

When I was diagnosed 2 years ago, I more or less cut out rice, pasta, potatoes and white bread. I ate well known substitutes like veg. spaghetti, cauliflower rice, celeriac etc. This got my BG well under control. More recently, getting a bit bored with the substitute type food, through experimenting, I have returned somewhat to the no-no foods but now I eat only Burgen bread, small portions of brown rice, wholemeal pasta and mashed potato and two or three boiled potatoes but have discovered that cooking batches and freezing small portions for individual use seems to be the answer for me. I don’t have many ‘very high’ BG spikes and my weight stays very stable. I have a HbA1c in a couple of weeks so I will find out if my ‘experimenting’ really is working or a return to substitute stuff is on the cards. Fingers crossed.

 

[Docb]

Not sure what a typical type two is and how to tell if i am one, knowing my luck i probably will be! Does the HbA1 thing help tell that?

Oh thank you! i do kinda feel in limbo because I cant make the appointment yet the nurse is only in two days a week and of course im working them for the next 4 weeks or more so gotta see if i can move things around with work. I did have a peek at that post and I do notice meds are mentioned but my dr seems to not want to go there for 3 months even though they havent gotten my HBA1 number yet so im a bit confused if that is normal

Looks like your doctor is going down the standard path which starts with "diet and exercise" before moving on to medication. Might change his mind when he sees an HBA1C result but lets hope that yours will be at a level where you can avoid pills for the time being. The idea that there is such a thing as a typical T2 seems to me to be one of the problems. There are some broad groups, and a lot follow similar paths but the idea that somebody with "typical" T2 can do a certain thing and get cured is a delusion. The idea that T2 can be managed is not, but the way it is managed varies depending on the individual. Read the experiences on here and you will see that.

 

[Pine Marten]

Not sure what a typical type two is and how to tell if i am one, knowing my luck i probably will be! Does the HbA1 thing help tell that?

HI @Nikki_D, I may have missed something but how did they diagnose you if you haven't had an HbA1c test yet? Was it a finger prick test?

Whatever your number turns out as, a good start is cutting out starchy carbs as the others have said. There are lots of ideas and recipes on the Food & Recipe and the What-did-you-eat-yesterday threads, so you could have a read around and see what takes your fancy. Green leafy veg, good quality meat, eggs, cream, are all low carb. There are several good recipe books out there if you're keen on cooking (I'm not ) so there is quite a lot of choice.

I have found that as time goes on I can tolerate small portions of, eg roast spuds, basmati rice, wholewheat pasta, etc, so things don't have to get worse! Let us know how you get on 🙂

 

[Drummer]

see now i am really confused all the info i got includes pasta, potatoes bread and all of that they steer towards better versions like baked potato etc but they are still all there

There is also the advice not to test. You can call me cynical but by not testing the bad advice is not so easily exposed.
As soon as anyone tests the reaction to carbs is shown quite clearly.
For me there are no better versions of carbs - they all caused my BG levels to rise when I first started out. Now my BG level goes up and my cells happily grow fatter. Not something I like, but that has always been a problem, all my adult life.