Confused about Carbs !!! Type 2 diabetes

[sunnysnowdrop]

Hi there. I am a bit confused about carbs and diabetes. I have looked on the diabetes uk site and it says to have starchy carbs - 7+ portions a day as this is needed. My son who has a friend that has type 2 diabetes says I should lay off the carbs and not have my granary roal at lunch or potatoes with my tea. Can anyone advise please. Thanks. Sam

 

[Northerner]

Hi Sam, welcome to the forum 🙂 It's true that diabetes is mainly concerned with carbs. The trick is discovering what types of carbs, and in what quantities, your body can tolerate whilst keeping you blood sugars in a good range. There is no 'one size fits all' as some authorities might have you believe - the only real way you can discover how best to modify your diet is by testing your blood sugar at regular times to see when the levels peak after eating.

Some types of carb are generally better than others, and people are generally directed towards the 'GI' (Glycaemic Index) or 'GL' (Glycaemic Load) diets. These offer a way of selecting foods or creating meals that will give a slower, steadier release of glucose over a longer period of time - especially important to Type 2 diabetics.

Have a look at the following links for some good articles on how best to approach blood testing:

Maggie Davey's letter to newly diagnosed Type 2s:

http://www.diabetessupport.co.uk/boards/showthread.php?t=5836

and also Jennifer's good advice:

http://www.diabetessupport.co.uk/boards/showthread.php?t=5835

There is an excellent book on Type 2 diabetes that is worth adding to your bookshelves: Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year by Gretchen Becker.

Also, for ideas for meals, using GL diet principles:

http://www.diabetessupport.co.uk/boards/showthread.php?t=7719

http://www.diabetessupport.co.uk/boards/showthread.php?t=7337

Hope this helps! Please feel free to ask any questions you may have and we will try our best to answer them - nothing is considered silly! 🙂

 

[Andy HB]

And I just wanted to add ... Oh no, Northey's already said it.

And then .... Nope, he's covered that too.

I'll end with .... Strewth, he's copped that as well.

So, all I can say is ....

Welcome to the forum! There is plenty of experience here that you can tap into and hopefully have a bit of fun while you're at it.

Andy 🙂

 

[Copepod]

Welcome Sunnysnowdrop.
There is conflicting advice about diet for people with type 2 diabetes (by the way, can you change your profile, as it says type 1).
The other big areas to consider (and much less controversial) is exercise - any physical activity, including walking, cycling, gardening etc as well as gym, sports etc; and weight control - avoiding being overweight.

 

[Alan S]

Hi there. I am a bit confused about carbs and diabetes. I have looked on the diabetes uk site and it says to have starchy carbs - 7+ portions a day as this is needed. My son who has a friend that has type 2 diabetes says I should lay off the carbs and not have my granary roal at lunch or potatoes with my tea. Can anyone advise please. Thanks. Sam

G'day

Try asking your meter instead of duk or your son's friend. Your meter will tell you exactly how that granary roll (and all your other meals) affects YOU.

Begin here (click on it): Test, Review, Adjust

 

[chrismbee]

Hi sunnysnowdrop and welcome 🙂

What with Northerner's reply and AlanS' link, you've already got loads of stuff to get your teeth into!
The thing is, none of it is rocket science - there's just loads of stuff to take on board, but do it progressively and it should start to make sense.
There are plenty of T2's on here, varying in treatment from diet/exercise alone, through tablets to insulin injections (it's not only T1's that inject!), so you have a forum full of experience to help you along the way.
Ask loads of questions.
The "silver lining" to the diabetes "cloud" is that when you improve your blood sugar control, you will almost certainly feel a lot healthier than you have done for ages. You'll undoubtedly learn a lot more about food, and the effect it has on your body.
Good luck.