food and drinks

[dingdong]

hi diagnosed with type 2 this week am on tablets seeing the nurse in 10days time at my doctors.but struggling with what to have at dinner time used to have a cake & a cuppa obviously no more cake .bought wholemeal bread & rolls but have no idea what to put on them .few things i like are tinned salmon .cheese ham pate.not sure if i can have any of these .any ideas for tasty fillings thanks

 

[ColinUK]

OK so firstly welcome to the forum. You're in the right place for help and advice and most importantly for support.

How did you come to be diagnosed, were you experiencing symptoms or was it just picked up from a blood test?

Could you share with us more details about you and also things like an average day of food and drink etc because then we can help empower you to make better informed decisions.

Technical question but do you also know what the HbA1c figure was from the diagnostic blood test you most certainly had?

 

[rebrascora]

Hi and welcome.

Sorry to hear about your diagnosis but you have come to the right place to learn about how to manage your diabetes.

Firstly can you tell us which medication you have been given and what the result of your HbA1c test was? This is the blood test which is used to diagnose diabetes and is usually a number of 48 or more if you got a diagnosis, but can be into 3 figures if things have gone seriously awry. If you don't know the result, it is worth asking the nurse when you see her as that is your starting point on your diabetes journey and helps you and medical professionals to gauge your progress. It also gives us an idea of where you are at so that we can adjust our advice/suggestions accordingly.

As regards food, the thing you should know is that all carbohydrates get broken down by our digestive system into glucose which gets absorbed into the blood. As diabetics we are unable to efficiently shift it from there to the parts of the body that need it and our Blood Glucose (BG) levels rise. That thick sweet gloopy blood can over time start to clog the small blood vessels and particularly in our feet where circulation may be less good, particularly if you sit around a lot and the eyes which have very fine, delicate blood vessels. Whilst medication will help a little, the biggest thing you can do to impact those raised BG levels is to reduce the amount of carbohydrate you consume.
As you have realised, cake is an obvious source of carbs and best avoided except for very special treats, but bread is also high in carbs and whilst wholemeal might release it's glucose slightly more slowly than white bread, they both contain very similar amount of carbs, so in fact the filling in your sandwiches may be much less of a concern than the bread you wrap around it, even wholemeal.
Meat, fish, eggs, cheese, salad etc. are all pretty low carb.
Same issue with pasta and rice and potatoes which are all high carb foods, so look at reducing your portion size of these things too. Not sure what you have for breakfast but cereals are all high carb because they are made from grains.
Milk also contains a few carbs and skimmed milk contains a higher percentage of carbs than whole milk and much more than cream, so you might want to consider having a little cream in your coffee instead of milk and creamy (whole milk) natural Greek yoghurt with a few berries and mixed seeds is a popular breakfast instead of cereal or toast, or eggs any which way you like them, but go steady on any bread/toast with them.

As @colin UK has mentioned whilst I have been typing... I'm so slow 🙄 , if you give us an idea of the sort of things you typically eat now for breakfast, iunch and evening meal we can make suggestions as to where you could most easily cut carbs. It can be quite surprising as to which foods may be best avoided and which might be better choices. For instance, I now eat pork scratchings as a very satisfying low carb treat. They are almost entirely protein and fat. Olives with Feta cheese is another low carb treat that I frequently have or a nice chunk of Blue cheese sometimes with a small glass of red wine..... You might not like these things but there will be low carb foods that you do like and it is all about reducing the foods which will inflate your BG levels and finding other nice foods that don't. It is difficult in the beginning but once you learn what to buy and how to cook it, it becomes so much easier and enjoyable.

 

[dingdong]

OK so firstly welcome to the forum. You're in the right place for help and advice and most importantly for support.

How did you come to be diagnosed, were you experiencing symptoms or was it just picked up from a blood test?

Could you share with us more details about you and also things like an average day of food and drink etc because then we can help empower you to make better informed decisions.

Technical question but do you also know what the HbA1c figure was from the diagnostic blood test you most certainly had?

im 74 picked up on a blood test for thrush .breakfast can be cereal ,crumpets .boiled eggs. beans on toast sausage or bacon on roll not all on the same day .lunch cake or pate teatime meals usually steak or lamb steaks .chips & ham .like a cooked english & a sunday roast they are probarly all the things i shouldnt be eating .i think the figure of the blood test was123 also drink lager& black or pernod & lemonade in the day i have sugar free canned drinks plus tea & coffee i am on 500mg metformin started today also like a bag of walkers crisps

 

[ColinUK]

An HbA1c of 123 would put you straight into the diabetic category hence the 500mg of Metformin.
If, and it is an if, you get side effects from the metformin then tell your GP and ask them to switch you over to modified/slow release version and they'll vanish soon enough. And you'll know if you get the side effects because it's not nicknamed "Metfartin" for nothing!

Were you given any advice about what to eat or what to avoid or were you packed off with the diagnosis and the meds and that was all? (That's most often what happens by the way.)

 

[dingdong]

An HbA1c of 123 would put you straight into the diabetic category hence the 500mg of Metformin.
If, and it is an if, you get side effects from the metformin then tell your GP and ask them to switch you over to modified/slow release version and they'll vanish soon enough. And you'll know if you get the side effects because it's not nicknamed "Metfartin" for nothing!

Were you given any advice about what to eat or what to avoid or were you packed off with the diagnosis and the meds and that was all? (That's most often what happens by the way.)

dont see the nurse at my drs till 11th october but just need some advice till i see her also like a glass of wine

 

[ColinUK]

There are lots of posts about where to start but I can never remember where any of them are so I hope you don't mind me calling @adrian1der and @everydayupsanddowns to the thread so that they can point you in the direction of books and blog posts which might be of interest.

Overall though T2 diabetics, of which I am one, often find that we need to cut back on carbohydrate intake (because carbs are basically sugar and it's sugar which screws around with our blood glucose levels). So that would mean cutting back on bread, crisps, beer, cake etc. It generally doesn't matter whether it's white or brown bread or pasta - it's all carby and it's all going to impact what's happening inside our bodies.

I'd suggest doing things in stages though rather than coming off everything even vaguely carby at once as that can cause other issues. So consider cutting your cake, bread, pasta, crisp etc intake by 1/3rd and holding that level for a week and then cutting it by 1/3rd again before holding that for 2 weeks and then cutting that by a 1/3rd etc so it's a gradual reduction of carb intake.

Regardless of what the doctor or nurse suggests I'd also strongly recommend buying your own blood glucose monitor and testing before and then 2 hours after every meal. If you do that and keep a ruthlessly honest food diary you'll quickly determine which foods you can cope with and those you really would be well advised to steer clear of.

Of course there's nothing we can't eat but it is all about making an informed choice. So I have the odd piece or two of bread but I'm fully aware of how it impacts my BG levels for the next few hours and possibly even into the next day.

Once you start to get a handle on things then there are loads of things to experiment with regarding breakfast for example. This morning I had mooshed up half an avocado with a grated hardboiled egg, squeeze of lemon juice and a bit of chilli thrown in - all served on two slices of very low carb bread (today it was Liv Low from Sainsbury's) and it was delicious. Tonight I'm having home made chilli with cauliflower rice so that's next to no carbs in that meal. I'll likely have some chocolate though.

I know it can all seem overwhelming but it becomes clearer over time I assure you. We are all here to help and to empower you to make better decisions which will improve your control of your blood glucose and hopefully allow you to get your diabetes under control.

If you have any questions, which I'm sure you will, then ask away. Nothing is off limits and there's no such as a stupid question either.

 

[ColinUK]

Hi and welcome.

Sorry to hear about your diagnosis but you have come to the right place to learn about how to manage your diabetes.

Firstly can you tell us which medication you have been given and what the result of your HbA1c test was? This is the blood test which is used to diagnose diabetes and is usually a number of 48 or more if you got a diagnosis, but can be into 3 figures if things have gone seriously awry. If you don't know the result, it is worth asking the nurse when you see her as that is your starting point on your diabetes journey and helps you and medical professionals to gauge your progress. It also gives us an idea of where you are at so that we can adjust our advice/suggestions accordingly.

As regards food, the thing you should know is that all carbohydrates get broken down by our digestive system into glucose which gets absorbed into the blood. As diabetics we are unable to efficiently shift it from there to the parts of the body that need it and our Blood Glucose (BG) levels rise. That thick sweet gloopy blood can over time start to clog the small blood vessels and particularly in our feet where circulation may be less good, particularly if you sit around a lot and the eyes which have very fine, delicate blood vessels. Whilst medication will help a little, the biggest thing you can do to impact those raised BG levels is to reduce the amount of carbohydrate you consume.
As you have realised, cake is an obvious source of carbs and best avoided except for very special treats, but bread is also high in carbs and whilst wholemeal might release it's glucose slightly more slowly than white bread, they both contain very similar amount of carbs, so in fact the filling in your sandwiches may be much less of a concern than the bread you wrap around it, even wholemeal.
Meat, fish, eggs, cheese, salad etc. are all pretty low carb.
Same issue with pasta and rice and potatoes which are all high carb foods, so look at reducing your portion size of these things too. Not sure what you have for breakfast but cereals are all high carb because they are made from grains.
Milk also contains a few carbs and skimmed milk contains a higher percentage of carbs than whole milk and much more than cream, so you might want to consider having a little cream in your coffee instead of milk and creamy (whole milk) natural Greek yoghurt with a few berries and mixed seeds is a popular breakfast instead of cereal or toast, or eggs any which way you like them, but go steady on any bread/toast with them.

As @colin UK has mentioned whilst I have been typing... I'm so slow 🙄 , if you give us an idea of the sort of things you typically eat now for breakfast, iunch and evening meal we can make suggestions as to where you could most easily cut carbs. It can be quite surprising as to which foods may be best avoided and which might be better choices. For instance, I now eat pork scratchings as a very satisfying low carb treat. They are almost entirely protein and fat. Olives with Feta cheese is another low carb treat that I frequently have or a nice chunk of Blue cheese sometimes with a small glass of red wine..... You might not like these things but there will be low carb foods that you do like and it is all about reducing the foods which will inflate your BG levels and finding other nice foods that don't. It is difficult in the beginning but once you learn what to buy and how to cook it, it becomes so much easier and enjoyable.

I've been typing my reply for almost an hour as I've been in work Zoom calls at the same time! #AsIfMenCantMultitask

 

[ColinUK]

dont see the nurse at my drs till 11th october but just need some advice till i see her also like a glass of wine

Is your preference for red or white?
If it’s white then do you go for the drier or sweeter end of the vine?

Generally red wine is negligible carb for a small glass. Dry white is about 1g for a small glass. Sweet white can be as much as 5g of carbs in a single small glass.

 

[adrian1der]

Dry wine is fine. I'm also partial to a G&T (with slimline tonic of course). Try the thread what did you eat yesterday for recipe ideas. https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/what-did-you-eat-yesterday.30349/

 

[trophywench]

There are so many alcoholic drinks - both grape and grain based - that I really don't like very much at all, I tend to stick with the ones I do like when I stop being a boring olde fart and having tea or coffee, so that's either a glass or more of Merlot or ditto of gin and slimline tonic. Not keen on beer really nor dry cider, though a slurp out of Pete's pint of draft eg Thatcher's on a hot day hits the spot. Really cold anything fizzy and sugar free/low would be just as good.

We were recently at a venue where the weather was hot and they had on offer a cocktail called a ginger donkey, made of local cider brandy (ie Calvados but they can't call it that in Zummerzet) which Pete asked if he could have a taste of from a friend who'd bought one to try and she agreed so he took a taste and pulled such a face I thought, Oh heck, is it like that 45 yo Calvados he tried that time we went to a tasting in Normandy years ago?

Eventually after taking a swig of coffee to enable him to speak he managed to tell us what was wrong with it - unbearably sweet! - it was normal ginger beer and far too much of it, which completely drowned out the cider brandy. Didn't hear friend say she'd had another either ...... she likes proper gin/vermouth Martini or dry wine - any shade - though prefers white for 'just drinking' so perhaps she found the same as my OH.

 

[Jenny105]

Dry wine is fine. I'm also partial to a G&T (with slimline tonic of course). Try the thread what did you eat yesterday for recipe ideas. https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/what-did-you-eat-yesterday.30349/

@adrian1der - i think this right. ! I'm away again, for a few days. This time static &menu choices known in advance. I'd like to have a small glass of wine with a steak meal ( plus a glass of water 😛). Is it too early, 7 weeks, ?
My readings (type 2 its thought ) are between 5.9 - 8.9 (occasional 9-11). Metformin slow release

I find pub restaurants don't seem to have many slimline drinks to enjoy and diet coke is NOT a fav of mine.

 

[adrian1der]

I had a very nice glass of rioja last night with a roast leg of lamb (one of my favourite food/wine pairings) and my BG was fine. A nice glass of cabernet sauvignon always goes down well with a steak. Enjoy!

 

[Drummer]

im 74 picked up on a blood test for thrush .breakfast can be cereal ,crumpets .boiled eggs. beans on toast sausage or bacon on roll not all on the same day .lunch cake or pate teatime meals usually steak or lamb steaks .chips & ham .like a cooked english & a sunday roast they are probarly all the things i shouldnt be eating .i think the figure of the blood test was123 also drink lager& black or pernod & lemonade in the day i have sugar free canned drinks plus tea & coffee i am on 500mg metformin started today also like a bag of walkers crisps

Do take things steadily, as your Hba1c is really high and your intake of carbs - well - problematic?
If you lower blood glucose levels too quickly you can get false hypos, where you feel rather queasy or dizzy and rather faint. There is a possibility of eye problems other than the normal response of fuzziness as the concentration of glucose in the fluids change at different rates.

 

[Jenny105]

I had a very nice glass of rioja last night with a roast leg of lamb (one of my favourite food/wine pairings) and my BG was fine. A nice glass of cabernet sauvignon always goes down well with a steak. Enjoy!

slimline tonic tonight. Cabernet Sauvignon tomorrow or Weds. Or pinot grejios if allowed.

 

[Jenny105]

@adrian1der Very small glass of blush Pinot Grigio tonight to accompany the beef . Chef made a small quantity of strawbs and cream. Tomorrow cheese and a very few strawbs for dessert. Id better behave my self tomorrow as Im having a ketones tests tomorrow if Dorset has a white topped sample bottle !! What are ketones ???