Can you give me a little advice about diet please

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sue63

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Hi everyone

my son was diagnosed 3 (long!) weeks ago with type 1. He comes home tomorrow from uni for the summer. Went shopping tonight and still feel very confused what he can eat. He injects just twice a day at the moment (breakfast and dinner) I am ok with the main meals but can he eat puddings, a couple of biscuits etc or should he stay clear at the moment? Are fruit juices off limit like Tropicana (his favourite!)

We hope to go back to the hospital in the summer and they are going to teach him to carb count I think, which I presume will give him more fexibility.
I still find it really painful to look at all his 'old' food and think he won't be able to eat that again! I don't want to nag all the time so would really like some advice.

Thank you so much the support I have had in these early weeks, it has been brilliant x
 
Hi there, I think deserts are ok as long as they are after meals. Its a long time since I was on 2 injections a day so am not quite sure with that anymore. I'm sure someone will be along soon to clarify on that one.

With fruitjuice, its best avoided unless your son goes hypo. The reason being is that it will shoot his bloodsugars through the roof if he can't bolus for it (its what its called when you're on multiple injections daily and can inject for snacks) - he can still have it but I would say not anytime he wants. It is a brilliant hypo treatment though.
 
Have you asked him what he's eating at uni? Basically, just carry on with whatever he's doing there. He is probably eating approximately the same amount of carbohydrate with each meal, balanced to insulin, so if he wants to eat pudding or biscuit, then he should eat less pasta / potato / rice etc before.
 
Hi Sue,

I'm also not familiar with the two injections a day, but your post is very lovely. It must be a difficult position that you find yourself in - my mum still isnt sure sometimes what I should avoid (which isnt much! I just have smaller quantities and bolus insulin to cover it) when I visit her and Ive had diabetes a while.

It will certainly help when he boluses more than twice a day, tests frequently to see the effects of food, and learns his carb counting. I am wracking my brains for a lower sugar alternative to tropicana and I cant think of one. I loved it too!

If he likes sweet stuff, dark chocolate with a higher cocoa content is a good indulgence instead of ordinary sweets and chocolates (I have grown to love that taste but I know its not for everyone). Biscuits- I buy dark chocolate kit kats 2 sticks in the multipacks because they arent too sugary, things like that. Be wary of things that actually look healthy with a higher than expected sugary content. Puddings are still very possible, dont worry. Look for low fat alternatives and reduced sugar and keep a close eye on your portion sizes.

I remember being a student myself and the poor diet I had at uni so Im trying not to say the obvious- substitute where possible for healthy snacks, fruit, nuts etc. I know its even harder comming home for mums cooking!

It will take time Sue, if I can just say not to be too disheartened if anything you do or say when he comes home isnt responded to well. I remember it as a difficult time with my mum- she would try to show me support and wasnt receptive. When she tried to accomodate a better diet for my diabetes I thought she was "fussing". Of course she wasnt and was doing what any good mum would do! It just took us time to adjust.

All the best x
 
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Hi Sue, as Copepod says, he will have an idea by now of the kind of meals he can eat and the effects on his blood sugar levels, so he will be able to tell you what he is OK with for now. And don't worry that he will have to give up on things he enjoyed in the past - most things are fine, and even the naughty stuff is fine in moderation! Once he is carb-counting and on multiple injections he will have flexibility of timing his food as well as greater flexibility in how much or little he wants to eat.

I have had to make very few adjustments to my diet since I was diagnosed 2 years ago. I just tend to eat less processed food like pies, pizzas, sausages etc., but I do still have them from time to time. In reality, his diet will become the sort of healthy, nutritious and varied diet we should all be following! 🙂
 
Hello, when I was diagnosed I too was on 2 injections and I was relived that I did not have to injected 4 times but now have been put on 4 injections and it is really not bad and provides more flexibility around meals. When it was all very new to this the one thing that people use to say was that I was not allow and chocolate and puddings ect..............when in fact like Northener said we need to eat a balanced diet that is recommended for everyone.

Your son is luck to have you looking out for him and interested in learning.

Donna 🙂
 
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