Carb confusion - And more......

[Krafty sue]

all i seem to read is lower your carbs, less carbs, count carbs..... I totally understand that carbs are in most everything we eat. I know to change rice, bread, pasta etc... and I am doing my very best. however, I am so in need of sound advice and cannot wait till I can ask the silly questions. My dietician appointment is not until February and I have a diabetes check up in January.... I feel lost and confused and although I can type away on here, I am finding it hard to know what is safe and what is not..... I am beginning to get bored, hungry and frustrated.
Just want good wholesome food and not feel left out of family treats. Dreading Christmas...
I hate recipes that expect or assume you are a kitchen goddess. I can cook but spending hours over 5he stove is not my idea of fun. Also not like fish. And to add to the fun I have reactions to a lot of fruit (tongue gets sore and with some fruits it swells too)
Yep I am moaning..... but it’s not because I am a grump but sheer frustration and wanting to feel normality again.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

I feel for you @Krafty sue and completely understand your frustration. It would be so much easier if there was just one perfect solution for everyone, but unfortunately diabetes doesn’t work like that and differences in each person’s metabolism, gut biome, physiology and levels of activity mean that you really have to work it out for yourself and use a BG meter to establish which and what amount of carbohydrate your body is happy to use effectively without upsetting your BG too wildly.

perhaps you could try posting some of the things you like or enjoy eating and members cod suggest swaps, adaptations or give their own ideas?

 

[rebrascora]

The problem is that we all respond differently to different types of carbs due to our own gut biome, so the dietician will most likely give you just general advice about choosing so called healthier "brown" or low GI carbs and reducing portion size. Getting yourself a Blood Glucose meter and testing will tell you what your body will tolerate and what it will not and enable you to tailor what you eat to your own diabetes. They are inexpensive to buy @approx. £15 however the on going purchase of test strips for them can run up the costs, so it makes sense to buy a meter which has the cheapest test strips and for that reason the SD Codefree meter is recommended her with test strips costing £8 for a pot of 50. It is available on Amazon I believe.

Fruit needs to be rationed anyway as it contains sugars, so just have occasional small portions of those fruits you can tolerate and have them with cream or full fat Natural yoghurt which slows down the release of the sugar into the blood stream. Berries like rasps, blackberries and strawberries are lowest carb but if you can't manage those but more exotic fruits like pineapple banana, mango and oranges are acceptable then they need to be more carefully rationed as they are higher carb. I occasionally have a half a banana with chopped nuts and cream or a half an apple and save the other half for the next day. Go very easy with grapes as they are moreish and little sugar bombs, so if you are going for those, just have 3 or 4 at a time and put the rest out of reach.

I find it is important to have low carb treats in the house, so that I don't feel deprived. Cheese and nuts and olives are my "go to"treats. A packet of pork scratchings is my really naughty very occasional treat. I don't know what you like so it is difficult to suggest others. These are all low or carb free treats. Many of us buy Nature Valley Protein Bars which are just under 10g carbs per bar and taste like a sweet treat. They come in packs of 4 and the Salted Caramel is highly recommended. A high cocoa, (70%+) dark chocolate bar is also a good idea if you are a chocoholic but again it needs to be rationed to just a couple of squares every now and then. A glass of red wine is also a nice treat over the festive season and can even have the effect of lowering your BG temporarily.

What I find key to feeling sated whilst eating a low carb diet is to increase my fat intake. Fat takes longer to be digested and releases less glucose into the blood and as a result you feel full for longer. Cream (or butter since I am currently out of cream) in my morning coffee. Creamy Greek Yoghurt with berries. Cheese, mushroom and onion omelette with lots of salad, avocados with eggs or prawns. Cheese on it's own or with pickled onions. Green leafy veg all gets cooked in a knob of butter or gets a good dollop of cream cheese when it is served. Fattier meat cuts like lamb chops or belly pork work well. Pigs in blankets are great Christmas treats for us diabetics instead of sausage rolls, if you can get them filled with cheese, even better. For the big day, just make sure you have lots of lovely veg... leeks with cream cheese, cabbage in butter, Brussels with bacon lardons and just have one or 2 small roasties. A chocolate eclaire or meringue nest with berries and cream is a lighter alternative to xmas pud and whilst they are not low carb, they are definitely lower than most of the alternatives.
I hope that gives you some ideas of things you can eat. It took me several months to figure out what to buy when I went shopping and looking at nutritional info on the back of labelling is key as well as self testing, to see what your body will let you get away with and being open minded about finding new things to eat.
Many of us now love our low carb diet and would not want to revert to our old regime. The surprising thing is that fat does not make you fat providing that you are not also eating lots of high calorie carbs and there is a growing number of scientists who now believe that the research 70 years ago which linked fat and cardiovascular disease was flawed, and I am certainly swayed by their argument. Either way, I need to get my calories from some source and since my body will no longer tolerate carbohydrates which were previously my main form of fuel, my body now runs leaner and healthier on fat and it is not addictive like sugar.

 

[grovesy]

Also I have found over the last 16 years what I have been able to tolerate has changed.

 

[Krafty sue]

I feel for you @Krafty sue and completely understand your frustration. It would be so much easier if there was just one perfect solution for everyone, but unfortunately diabetes doesn’t work like that and differences in each person’s metabolism, gut biome, physiology and levels of activity mean that you really have to work it out for yourself and use a BG meter to establish which and what amount of carbohydrate your body is happy to use effectively without upsetting your BG too wildly.

perhaps you could try posting some of the things you like or enjoy eating and members cod suggest swaps, adaptations or give their own ideas?

Thank you for suggestions. Much appreciated. I do have to ask what a BG meter is.

 

[Drummer]

I don't spend hours at the stove as I find low carb foods don't take as much fussing about with as the high carb ones.
A salad does need a bit of chopping - the beetroot, tomatoes, radishes, sweet peppers and celery are sliced, but that is a five minute job. I have a chopping board by the fridge, take a bowl for the bits to go in as I work, and another for the salad itself. For a stir fry I take the things to the stove, chop them there, with a bowl for the bits which is tipped at the end of preparation, then it is just a matter of stirring it a few times.
There are no carbs in meat, eggs, cheese - or very few, there are some low carb breads if you need them - Livlife is 4 gm per each small slice, but it fills a gap if necessary. I choose low carb veges, and fruits, but I would only have some frozen berries twice a week at the most, so a small serving of the fruits you can eat could work for you, but there are things not regarded as fruits which are, botanically, and would supply the same benefits.
I use the carb containing foods more to get variety than nutrition, I also use herbs and spices.
Low carb foods are highly nutritious and tasty too and there is no need to be hungry.

 

[rebrascora]

BG Meter = Blood Glucose Meter/Monitor so that you can test your blood at home by pricking your finger with a spring loaded lancet (like at the blood donors to test for anaemia) and test the droplet of blood you get. Most people here on the forum advocate self testing even though the Health Care Professionals discourage it with Type 2s unless they are on insulin/gliclazide when it is necessary to be safe to drive. It is essential for us Type 1s to test, so that we know how much insulin to inject but for Type 2s it will show you how much your Blood Glucose spikes after eating certain foods, so we recommend you test before and 2 hours after food and if you get an increase of more than 3 you need to reduce or remove that food from your menu.
Hopefully someone else will post a link to where you can buy the SD Codefree BG meter but I believe it is available on Amazon

 

[Krafty sue]

Thank you loads for advice. One thing I a man picking up is need to check blood sugar levels to know how my body reacts to differing carbs?
I have no knowledge of these meters etc. And no idea what levels would be acceptable.
I need to speak to doctor I think.
It’s like punching in the dark.....

 

[Krafty sue]

BG Meter = Blood Glucose Meter/Monitor so that you can test your blood at home by pricking your finger with a spring loaded lancet (like at the blood donors to test for anaemia) and test the droplet of blood you get. Most people here on the forum advocate self testing even though the Health Care Professionals discourage it with Type 2s unless they are on insulin/gliclazide when it is necessary to be safe to drive. It is essential for us Type 1s to test, so that we know how much insulin to inject but for Type 2s it will show you how much your Blood Glucose spikes after eating certain foods, so we recommend you test before and 2 hours after food and if you get an increase of more than 3 you need to reduce or remove that food from your menu.
Hopefully someone else will post a link to where you can buy the SD Codefree BG meter but I believe it is available on Amazon

I am going to do,some homework. Thanks loads x

 

[rebrascora]

Thank you loads for advice. One thing I a man picking up is need to check blood sugar levels to know how my body reacts to differing carbs?
I have no knowledge of these meters etc. And no idea what levels would be acceptable.
I need to speak to doctor I think.
It’s like punching in the dark.....

Exactly! We sometimes compare it to driving a car without a speedometer. You can bimble along thinking you are doing ok until a speeding fine comes through your door/ you go back to the docs in 3/6 months and get your next HbA1c reading and it's through the roof and what you were doing diet wise was not good enough or it may possibly be that you were cutting things out of your diet that you could happily continue to eat and so depriving yourself unnecessarily. It can also help to motivate you to stick to your diet when you see "the score on the door" before a meal and/or get exercise to help bring it down.

Your GP will most likely advise against self funding a BG meter but he/she doesn't have to live with diabetes and it affects so many aspects of every day life, it can be incredibly frustrating and restricting. The NHS used to fund meters and test strips for Type 2 patients but unless you are on certain medications which mean you are at risk of hypos they can no longer afford to do that but if you can afford to self fund and as I mentioned, it is not prohibitively expensive, then the vast majority of experienced members here on the forum (particularly those who have pushed theirs into remission) would highly recommend doing so.

 

[Ditto]

There's tons of books at the library, keep reading you'll be an expert in next to no time. 🙂 There's even a Diabetes For Dummies, I haven't read that one yet, I'm gonna put my name down.

 

[Krafty sue]

Exactly! We sometimes compare it to driving a car without a speedometer. You can bimble along thinking you are doing ok until a speeding fine comes through your door/ you go back to the docs in 3/6 months and get your next HbA1c reading and it's through the roof and what you were doing diet wise was not good enough or it may possibly be that you were cutting things out of your diet that you could happily continue to eat and so depriving yourself unnecessarily. It can also help to motivate you to stick to your diet when you see "the score on the door" before a meal and/or get exercise to help bring it down.

Your GP will most likely advise against self funding a BG meter but he/she doesn't have to live with diabetes and it affects so many aspects of every day life, it can be incredibly frustrating and restricting. The NHS used to fund meters and test strips for Type 2 patients but unless you are on certain medications which mean you are at risk of hypos they can no longer afford to do that but if you can afford to self fund and as I mentioned, it is not prohibitively expensive, then the vast majority of experienced members here on the forum (particularly those who have pushed theirs into remission) would highly recommend doing so.

Thank you so much. Positive is as positive does. Going to see about getting a meter. But will be speaking to the docs after Christmas. Want to look after myself and any thing that can assist is going to be embraced.
Thank you again.

 

[Krafty sue]

There's tons of books at the library, keep reading you'll be an expert in next to no time. 🙂 There's even a Diabetes For Dummies, I haven't read that one yet, I'm gonna put my name down.

Going to ask for the Dummies book for Christmas.....rather than sweeties.

 

[Krafty sue]

Is there a tasty alternative to hot mince pies and cream...
This is one of my fave Christmas treats.

 

[rebrascora]

Yep I am moaning..... but it’s not because I am a grump but sheer frustration and wanting to feel normality again.

Oh and feel free to moan anytime..... That is part of the purpose of the forum, so that we can sound off to people who really understand the frustrations... and support each other.

 

[rebrascora]

Is there a tasty alternative to hot mince pies and cream...
This is one of my fave Christmas treats.

I have to be honest and admit that mince pies are one of the few exceptions that I have made to my very low carb diet.... but I am fortunate in that, being Type 1, I can inject insulin to cover it. Having cream with it is a good idea as it will slow down the sugar rush from all that dried fruit and pastry. Maybe limit yourself to half a pie with cream and eat it very slowly and really savour every mouthful and have the other half another day. That is what I do with anything that I really, really love, but I have to be very aware that it is a special treat and still very much restrict the number of occasions on which I indulge because once I get a taste for sugar, I could easily slide back into my old ways.
It amazes me how much more I enjoy things like that now that they are severely rationed. It is like taste explosions going off in my mouth and brain.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

If you’ve not found it already, many new members here find Maggie Davey’s letter a useful overview of T2 diabetes

https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/maggie-daveys-letter-to-newly-diagnosed-type-2s.61307/

And AlanS’s ‘test review adjust’ a simple, methodical way of using BG meter information to improve blood glucose outcomes around food and in understanding how different amounts and varieties of carbohydrates affect each of us individually.

https://loraldiabetes.blogspot.com/2006/10/test-review-adjust.html

 

[Ljc]

Hello @Krafty sue . Many here who self fund their own blood glucose meter use the SD Codefree as it uses the cheapest testing strips we know of £8 for 50 where others use strips which cost £15 or more , when you are initially testing directly before eating then two later cost is important. All BG meters sold in the U.K. have to comply to the same standards, it’s just that the SD Codefree doesn’t have all the bells and whistles that some other brands have.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Codefree-Glucose-Monitor-Monitoring-Testing/dp/B0068JAJFS/ref=as_li_ss_tl?s=drugstore&ie=UTF8&qid=1506485682&sr=1-1&keywords=sd+codefree+meter+mmol/l&linkCode=sl1&tag=xfm-21&linkId=f39210144fdc26c27738e45b6d957003&th=1

You will find lots of info here . Including links mentions by some others above @nd myself
useful-links-for-people-new-to-diabetes, for future reference it’s at the top of the newbies forum.
I suggest you start with the previously mentioned ,
Maggie Davies letter and Test review adjust.
Then painless pricks by Alan S . You will also find a link to a much recommended book by Gretchen Becker, Type 2 Diabetes the first year.

Please do let us know what foods you normally eat, that way we can suggest alternatives , we honestly won’t nit pick or go OMG .
I sure don’t live on salads and fresh air nor do I starve myself. If your often hungry it’s likely that your not eating enough . as already mentioned fats help keep us fuller longer, so do have your two or three square meals a day and if hungry in between a suitable snack.

I too a am not into spending loads if time at the oven , I enjoy eating eating though .

You might get some inspiration from these two threads
We have some very innovative cooks on here
So check out these
recipes.

This long running thread where we bare our sins as well as shine our halo’s
what-did-you-eat-yesterday

I hope you find the above helpful.

 

[GrandpaGra]

Hi, my first thread. Hope this is the right page? I am so confused! GP has said I need to reduce my carbs and look at low GI foods. Did some searching and don't know if I should be looking at GI or GL or both? Constantly hungry, am a vegan. Any pointers would be greatly received. TIA.

 

[Drummer]

As a vegan you are difficult to advise, as plant based is often also carb based - hence the advice to try low GI, but for me that was totally ineffectual - yes the spike arrives later - but it still arrived.
Swapping high carb foods for lower ones - potato, pasta, rice and other grains for cauliflower broccoli courgette celeriac or bean sprouts should help. You might need to increase your fat intake if you have been eating low fat options.