Denial

[AdrianBollans]

Hi ... Today I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, of course I realise that this is a total fabrication, I am indestructible obviously and to even consider that this could happen is rediculous.
You will realise that I am having difficulty coming to terms with this bombshell, in a bid to get to grips with it I have plunged headfirst in to every diabetes website ever produced and am now suffering information overload and what I have learnt make no sense at all.
So ... now I am taking my time and reading through the "newbies" post I have realised how widespread this curse is but it is not the end of the world. I am going to have to contact my doctor again tomorrow and ask her to repeat all the numbers she gave me as I was so taken aback I haven't a clue what she said. I did get something about fatty liver and an ultrasound and I know my prostate is normal but my thyroid ? is slightly up.
It is good to know this forum is here I thank everyone in advance for the shoulder and advice.
My partner has just asked what I want for my meal this evening ...... My answer ... How the hell should I know.

 

[Vonny]

HI @AdrianBollans and welcome to the club that no one wants to join 🙂 It is a bombshell to start with. My first thought last April was that my life would never be the same again. And actually, that was correct....ish. I am now far fitter, much lighter and enjoying exercise and life in general for the first time in years. It will take some time to sink in, but you will get there.

Regarding what meal to have this evening...just go lightly on the carbs. Although I just cut out all bread, spuds, rice and pasta straight away (and hardly eat them even now, I just don't miss them), I believe it's recommended to reduce gradually as a rapid reduction can cause eyesight problems, which I wasn't aware of before I joined this forum.

A great place to start looking is in the "what did you eat last night" thread; it is full of useful ideas for low carb options.

Let us know what your hba1c is once you've spoken to the doctor again. It may be that you just need some tweaks to your diet, or it may mean some harder work ahead.

Best of luck 🙂

 

[NotWorriedAtAll]

If you have it in the house - bacon and eggs will do nicely.
I was diagnosed two years ago with early non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, high blood pressure and type two diabetes.I did exactly as you have done and researched thoroughly.

The one thing that seemed common sense to me was that carbs (they all turn to sugar in the blood after digestion) were not a good thing to eat and so I cut out all the biscuits, potatoes, bread, beans, rice - all of them - anything starchy no matter how good people said they were because of them being brown and wholemeal etc - if they were carby they were ditched and so were all fruits except for lemon and strawberries and blackberries and raspberries and those only in small amounts - like one or two at a time.

Leafy green veg are fine, you will learn if you are lucky to love the celeriac which will do anything a potato can do but with a tiny fraction of the carbs and twice the flavour, cauliflower as well is a miracle veg that will transform into rice for a carb-free curry and can be combined with other ingredients to make a pizza base of all things!!!

I was scared to begin with that fatty foods would be bad for me as I'd had a bout of gall stone problems and the advice then was to eat carbs and cut out fats (prolly part of why I ended up with diabetes) but I was lucky to find that increasing fats (butter, double cream, extra virgin olive oil - fatty cuts of meat, bacon, oily fish, cheese, eggs) while reducing carbs right down had the opposite effect and my fatty liver disease cleared up, my blood pressure settled down to a normal unworrying level and best of all my diabetes 'reversed' and my blood sugars settled to good levels.

There is a thread on here with ideas and recipes of how to make favourites using diabetic friendly ingredients https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/lets-learn-how-to-bake-cook-keto.90754/

Almond flour will become your friend. I hope your partner likes cooking - this is a bit of a learning curve but do not be dismayed - it is all doable and I actually found my diagnosis was the best thing for my health ever and for my happiness level. I enjoy my food much more now and have bags more energy in my late fifties than I did in my thirties.

 

[AdrianBollans]

HI @AdrianBollans and welcome to the club that no one wants to join 🙂 It is a bombshell to start with. My first thought last April was that my life would never be the same again. And actually, that was correct....ish. I am now far fitter, much lighter and enjoying exercise and life in general for the first time in years. It will take some time to sink in, but you will get there.

Regarding what meal to have this evening...just go lightly on the carbs. Although I just cut out all bread, spuds, rice and pasta straight away (and hardly eat them even now, I just don't miss them), I believe it's recommended to reduce gradually as a rapid reduction can cause eyesight problems, which I wasn't aware of before I joined this forum.

A great place to start looking is in the "what did you eat last night" thread; it is full of useful ideas for low carb options.

Let us know what your hba1c is once you've spoken to the doctor again. It may be that you just need some tweaks to your diet, or it may mean some harder work ahead.

Best of luck 🙂

Thank you for your reply and reassurance, my head is still spinning, I think maybe there is such a thing as too much information. Once I have found out what thee numbers were I shall go public. I felt victimised, like I am the only one ever that has had to stop eating all the things that I have ever eaten. Clearly that isn't the case so thank you for listening.

 

[AdrianBollans]

If you have it in the house - bacon and eggs will do nicely.
I was diagnosed two years ago with early non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, high blood pressure and type two diabetes.I did exactly as you have done and researched thoroughly.

The one thing that seemed common sense to me was that carbs (they all turn to sugar in the blood after digestion) were not a good thing to eat and so I cut out all the biscuits, potatoes, bread, beans, rice - all of them - anything starchy no matter how good people said they were because of them being brown and wholemeal etc - if they were carby they were ditched and so were all fruits except for lemon and strawberries and blackberries and raspberries and those only in small amounts - like one or two at a time.

Leafy green veg are fine, you will learn if you are lucky to love the celeriac which will do anything a potato can do but with a tiny fraction of the carbs and twice the flavour, cauliflower as well is a miracle veg that will transform into rice for a carb-free curry and can be combined with other ingredients to make a pizza base of all things!!!

I was scared to begin with that fatty foods would be bad for me as I'd had a bout of gall stone problems and the advice then was to eat carbs and cut out fats (prolly part of why I ended up with diabetes) but I was lucky to find that increasing fats (butter, double cream, extra virgin olive oil - fatty cuts of meat, bacon, oily fish, cheese, eggs) while reducing carbs right down had the opposite effect and my fatty liver disease cleared up, my blood pressure settled down to a normal unworrying level and best of all my diabetes 'reversed' and my blood sugars settled to good levels.

There is a thread on here with ideas and recipes of how to make favourites using diabetic friendly ingredients https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/lets-learn-how-to-bake-cook-keto.90754/

Almond flour will become your friend. I hope your partner likes cooking - this is a bit of a learning curve but do not be dismayed - it is all doable and I actually found my diagnosis was the best thing for my health ever and for my happiness level. I enjoy my food much more now and have bags more energy in my late fifties than I did in my thirties.

I have a reaction to eggs ... it seems life would be so much easier if I didn't. However thank you for your reply there is a lot in there that I can use on this journey. Cooking is a skill we haven't master ... it is more like "assembly" of preproduced stuff that we thought was healthy. This is not so much a learning curve as a shear cliff face .... but have reassured me that it is all going to be OK.

 

[NotWorriedAtAll]

I have a reaction to eggs ... it seems life would be so much easier if I didn't. However thank you for your reply there is a lot in there that I can use on this journey. Cooking is a skill we haven't master ... it is more like "assembly" of preproduced stuff that we thought was healthy. This is not so much a learning curve as a shear cliff face .... but have reassured me that it is all going to be OK.

In that case look at the carb content on the nutritional info on packets and tins - if the carb count is 0.5 - 1.0g per 100g you are fairly safe with it. 1.0 - 5.0g per 100g it is ok but don't eat large amounts. 5.0g - 7.0g eat sparingly over 10g per 100g be very careful unless it is something you only use tiny weights of it - like herbs or mustard - but keep a close eye on quantities.

Make sure you look at the small nutritional info panel and not the traffic lights panel on the front. Low sugar or sugar free doesn't always equate to low carb or even a low sugar because it often just means no refined sugar but there will still be naturally occurring sugar and that is just as much of a problem for your body as the refined stuff. xx

Raw meat and chicken etc and tinned tuna and such like are usually very low to almost zero carbs.

 

[AdrianBollans]

In that case look at the carb content on the nutritional info on packets and tins - if the carb count is 0.5 - 1.0g per 100g you are fairly safe with it. 1.0 - 5.0g per 100g it is ok but don't eat large amounts. 5.0g - 7.0g eat sparingly over 10g per 100g be very careful unless it is something you only use tiny weights of it - like herbs or mustard - but keep a close eye on quantities.

Make sure you look at the small nutritional info panel and not the traffic lights panel on the front. Low sugar or sugar free doesn't always equate to low carb or even a low sugar because it often just means no refined sugar but there will still be naturally occurring sugar and that is just as much of a problem for your body as the refined stuff. xx

Raw meat and chicken etc and tinned tuna and such like are usually very low to almost zero carbs.

I guess the shopping is going to take substantially longer to do. I have put you "carb count guide" on my phone cos I have a memory like a sieve.
I might feel a bit better about all this after a good nights sleep, tomorrow is another day and I can start with a clear head.

 

[Drummer]

If you can work out a basic list of things which are OK to eat and then - assuming that you have a freezer, you can stock up with things which should keep you adequately nourished, and maybe find time to make various useful items, such as low carb crackers to have with cheese, I watch for whatever is on offer this week - usually - more like this month, then add in things which are always cheap - chickens, whole and packs of thighs, any other meat, fish or seafood, cheese soft and hard, cream for coffee and to put on berries. Packs of frozen stirfry and other low carb vegs, frozen berries as well as fresh ones, fresh salad stuff and low carb veges.
It is possible to make low carb bread, and even pies, trifles, cakes - though you might have to send off for the ingredients or make them yourself - I buy nuts to make nut butters or flours using a food processor. I also cook swede under a chicken or joint to use instead of potato, cauliflower is a good substitute for rice in curry, roughly chopped, and cauliflower cheese is much nicer than pasta - there is only cauliflower, cream cheese and then hard cheese, plus some herb or spice, so it is low carb as well as very tasty.
It really can be difficult to feel at all deprived.

 

[Spozkins]

I've never been a type 2 or gone through diagnosis , however just wanted to say welcome. It will all sink in with time.

Whenever you have questions there is a collective of experience here to call on and everybody is so kind.

I reckon just take each day as it comes and focus on it bit by bit until it's less overwhelming.

 

[NotWorriedAtAll]

I guess the shopping is going to take substantially longer to do. I have put you "carb count guide" on my phone cos I have a memory like a sieve.
I might feel a bit better about all this after a good nights sleep, tomorrow is another day and I can start with a clear head.

You can do all this ahead of the shopping day by using something like Tesco online. Nearly all their products have a full nutritional breakdown.You can browse through the online grocery store and find the things you usually like and check their carb content and then the app gives you a link to rest of shelf or suggests similar items. You can then check for the lowest carb count version and then favourite it or add it to a list you keep yourself so you don't have to do this over and over. If you shop in a different store most of them have nutritional info but if it is a known brand you can find it on the Tesco site if the store you use doesn't have good nutritional value lists.

Once you have sorted out the things you would regularly buy you will only need to so something like that again when you want to try a new product and eventually you will have a good idea of what to buy that works for you.

One example is longlife unsweetened roasted almond milk from Alpro - zero carbs and works well instead of dairy milk and the almonds are from Spain to it is kind to bees. Plus it is longlife so you can buy a few and keep them in your cupboard and just fridge the one you are using. It also has the amazing property of frothing up into a foam and you can mix it with a couple of liquidised berries to make a nice very low carb milkshake or eat it with a spoon. xx

 

[Cherrelle DUK]

Hi AdrianBollans, welcome to the forum.

Just popping in to say hi and that it's not the end of the world but the start of a new less sugary one 🙂. It's come as a shock to most of us at first but you'll soon find your stride.

We're here to support you along this journey so keep checking in and let us know if you have any questions.

 

[Pine Marten]

Hi @AdrianBollans, welcome from me too.

I won't add to all the info except to say that there is a handy paperback (or app too I believe, if you're techy) called Carbs & Cals, which has photos of different foods and drinks with their carb and calorie values - very useful as a quick guide!

 

[adrian1der]

Hi @AdrianBollans and welcome from me as well. I was diagnosed not that long ago and well remember the feelings on diagnosis. You will get your head around everything. In the meantime there are lots of friendly and knowledgeable people on here all willing to help so please feel free to fire away with any questions you have, and I'm sure you have lots!

 

[Ditto]

Hello and welcome. 🙂

 

[AdrianBollans]

If you can work out a basic list of things which are OK to eat and then - assuming that you have a freezer, you can stock up with things which should keep you adequately nourished, and maybe find time to make various useful items, such as low carb crackers to have with cheese, I watch for whatever is on offer this week - usually - more like this month, then add in things which are always cheap - chickens, whole and packs of thighs, any other meat, fish or seafood, cheese soft and hard, cream for coffee and to put on berries. Packs of frozen stirfry and other low carb vegs, frozen berries as well as fresh ones, fresh salad stuff and low carb veges.
It is possible to make low carb bread, and even pies, trifles, cakes - though you might have to send off for the ingredients or make them yourself - I buy nuts to make nut butters or flours using a food processor. I also cook swede under a chicken or joint to use instead of potato, cauliflower is a good substitute for rice in curry, roughly chopped, and cauliflower cheese is much nicer than pasta - there is only cauliflower, cream cheese and then hard cheese, plus some herb or spice, so it is low carb as well as very tasty.
It really can be difficult to feel at all deprived.

Hi ... your overview of this predicament is a whole lot more optimistic than I was feeling after my diagnosis, thank you for that. I see now, after everyones input that this is absolutely more achievable than I thought was possible and I have taken all the advice onboard.

 

[Sutherland53]

Hi Adrian and welcome, I was just like you 6 months ago or more, indestructible and into denial but with the help of the forum members I’ve turned it all around ! many thanks to Rebrascora, an absolute jewel of information and reassurance!! one little tip I picked up is to download an app called Nutracheck it’s brilliant!! choose the low carb diet option then just tinker with it and you’ll be amazed how helpful it is, I use it daily and find that I can cruise through meals quite easily! well best of luck and remember there’s only one Superman !!!

 

[AdrianBollans]

Hi Adrian and welcome, I was just like you 6 months ago or more, indestructible and into denial but with the help of the forum members I’ve turned it all around ! many thanks to Rebrascora, an absolute jewel of information and reassurance!! one little tip I picked up is to download an app called Nutracheck it’s brilliant!! choose the low carb diet option then just tinker with it and you’ll be amazed how helpful it is, I use it daily and find that I can cruise through meals quite easily! well best of luck and remember there’s only one Superman !!!

Congratulations on getting yourself sorted and thank you for the reassurances. It is a blow to the ego as much as anything else ... to think I was arrogant enough to think I was immune from such things. However this was the kick up the proverbial I needed. have learned a lot but I see there is a lot to learn. I shall have a look at the app but I am not good at keeping records (ask my bank manager) but I'll see how I get on. Thanks again.

 

[AdrianBollans]

Hi AdrianBollans, welcome to the forum.

Just popping in to say hi and that it's not the end of the world but the start of a new less sugary one 🙂. It's come as a shock to most of us at first but you'll soon find your stride.

We're here to support you along this journey so keep checking in and let us know if you have any questions.

Thank you ... it is reassuring that people will take the time to ease we newbies in to a new lifestyle.

 

[trophywench]

Well I've sort of found that when my life more or less depends on it - I'm rather better at keeping records of this that or the other than I thought I'd be! (and interpreting them)

 

[NotPink]

If you have it in the house - bacon and eggs will do nicely.
I was diagnosed two years ago with early non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, high blood pressure and type two diabetes.I did exactly as you have done and researched thoroughly.

The one thing that seemed common sense to me was that carbs (they all turn to sugar in the blood after digestion) were not a good thing to eat and so I cut out all the biscuits, potatoes, bread, beans, rice - all of them - anything starchy no matter how good people said they were because of them being brown and wholemeal etc - if they were carby they were ditched and so were all fruits except for lemon and strawberries and blackberries and raspberries and those only in small amounts - like one or two at a time.

Leafy green veg are fine, you will learn if you are lucky to love the celeriac which will do anything a potato can do but with a tiny fraction of the carbs and twice the flavour, cauliflower as well is a miracle veg that will transform into rice for a carb-free curry and can be combined with other ingredients to make a pizza base of all things!!!

I was scared to begin with that fatty foods would be bad for me as I'd had a bout of gall stone problems and the advice then was to eat carbs and cut out fats (prolly part of why I ended up with diabetes) but I was lucky to find that increasing fats (butter, double cream, extra virgin olive oil - fatty cuts of meat, bacon, oily fish, cheese, eggs) while reducing carbs right down had the opposite effect and my fatty liver disease cleared up, my blood pressure settled down to a normal unworrying level and best of all my diabetes 'reversed' and my blood sugars settled to good levels.

There is a thread on here with ideas and recipes of how to make favourites using diabetic friendly ingredients https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/lets-learn-how-to-bake-cook-keto.90754/

Almond flour will become your friend. I hope your partner likes cooking - this is a bit of a learning curve but do not be dismayed - it is all doable and I actually found my diagnosis was the best thing for my health ever and for my happiness level. I enjoy my food much more now and have bags more energy in my late fifties than I did in my thirties.

Interesting what you say about fats impacting your liver.
During the 70s the advice was to cut down on all butters, cheeses eggs etc as they had adverse effects on health.
The so called experts encouraged us to eat more carbs, margarines processed foods etc. A lot of the information they gave was not based on proper scientific investigation and testing.
Everyone has grown up thinking that natural fats etc were bad for us.
The big food companies who actually run these trials have been making a fortune on distorted advice and we all ate too many carbs...we went with the 'experts' dietary advice for years.
Now, however things are beginning to change. We need revolutionary advice in food and health education but the big carb production food companies make loads of money directing research for their own ends. Money!
Of course it is everyone's own decision to find out what works for them but reducing carbs consumption (not our fault) is a good and healthy way to begin.
My dear father b. 1901 d. 1984 ate butter, eggs, bacon etc and lard he ate fresh fruit ... he always cycled or walked and lived until he was 84 years...