Hello

[JamesB]

Hello ! Hospital doctor has said I have type 2 diabetes a couple of days ago (HbA1C 58) alongside tests for high blood pressure. Still trying to get my head around it. Been referred back to local surgery but not sure how long that will take / will work. No medication so far - hoping to avoid.

Doctor also suggested I start improving from now - have been reading a lot about weight loss (and everything else - it's a bit overwhelming) as they suggested Mediterranean / low-carb diet.

I've downloaded the nutracheck app (which seems extremely good) and am trying to tailor my diet (using some of the meal planners on here too for ideas) but have a couple of question make sure I am looking at it the right way.

1) If I count the Calories & Carbs (aiming for <1600 and <130g) - do I need to worry about Sugars ? Or can I ignore that info ?
[E.g. I stayed within my carb total - but my sugar total rocketed due to eating apples, carrots & sweet potato - is this ok ?)

2) What about saturated fats ? My cholesterol was good. It seemed like some of the good things for protein / low-carb were high in unsaturated fat. I can pick the leaner options for cuts of meat. But what about things like cheese, bacon, cured meats ? (these all seemed attractive options for me)

Thanks in advance,
James

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @JamesB

Sounds like you have leapt into action! And feeling a bit overwhelmed is completely natural!

Different people respond differently to different foods, and it can be hard to predict with any certainty based just on the numbers alone. Broadly speaking sources lower in ‘sugars’ ought to be absorbed more slowly, but diabetes does seem to love throwing curve balls into individuals’ reactions. It’s all about finding a balance that works for you, and is flexible enough that you’ll be able to stick with it.

In terms of saturated fats, the majority of the scientific evidence suggests that too high an intake of sat fats isn’t great for your heart health (higher sat fat intake can result in increased cholesterol levels). Additionally cured meats have a bit of a rough reputation in some research, because of the chemicals involved in the curing process.

It’s all a bit of a minefield, and can feel a bit bewildering and contradictory. And you are likely to get different suggestions from different members who have made up their minds in different ways about the approach that best suits them.

What really matters, I suppose, is the approach that you find ‘fits’ for you, and which you feel balances risks in a way that makes sense to you.

 

[Leadinglights]

This link will point you in the right direction if you are wanting to follow a low carb approach. https://lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk/
When it comes to carbs it is better to make your carbs worth it for enjoyment and flavour rather than 'empty' carbs like sugar.
Fruit can be tricky, berries are the lowest carb and tropical fruits like bananas, pineapple, mangos are high and apples. pears, melon somewhere in the middle.

 

[MissB]

Hi James. I'm a newbie too, and can completely relate to the overwhelmed feeling. But it's almost 6 months since my diagnosis and I have mostly got my head around it. Take your time, don't stress too much, and ask. There is no such thing as a silly question. Good luck.

 

[Docb]

Hi @JamesB.

In answer to your first question - sugar is a another carbohydrate and the simple thing is to include it in the carbohydrate total. Some might argue that the simple carbohydrates convert to glucose in the gut more rapidly and should be treated differently, but for me that is overcomplicating things. To start with, bundle them all together and see how you get on before worrying about the subtleties is my suggestion.

As for fats and cholesterol - I tend to keep out of that discussion! It can get a bit heated with disparate views being passionately argued over. Again, my thought is that it is best to keep things simple whilst getting your head round things. If your cholesterol is fine then I would experiment with your diet without worrying too much. If things do go awry then it will show up in later blood tests.

Those were the broad principles I used after diagnosis and it worked for me. Keep things simple and focus on the big things is my philosophy with most things.

 

[harbottle]

I tend to stick to a low saturated fat diet and cholesterol levels are fine - a lot of nuts & Olive oil. I tend to stick to small portions of cheese (I find it very filling!) and double cream - maybe a tablespoon in a stir fry dish one in a while.

Lots of nuts and Olive oil!

 

[bulkbiker]

1) If I count the Calories & Carbs (aiming for <1600 and <130g) - do I need to worry about Sugars ? Or can I ignore that info ?
[E.g. I stayed within my carb total - but my sugar total rocketed due to eating apples, carrots & sweet potato - is this ok ?)

Starvation is rarely a good idea. Eating more satiating foods is far better than restricting "calories" for long lasting weight loss.
Look at total carbs and try to get a bit lower than 130g er day if you can. I usually go for 20-30g full on ketogenic.

What about saturated fats ? My cholesterol was good.

Saturated fats are not a problem you will be using fat for energy if you have cut your carbs enough and the weight will likely fall off.

I can pick the leaner options for cuts of meat.

Fattier cuts keep you fuller for longer so personally I tend to aim for those.

But what about things like cheese, bacon, cured meats ? (these all seemed attractive options for me)

Me too I eat all of those .

Diagnosed in 2015 with an HbA1c of 87 mmol/m have been 30 or lower since 9 months after that date.

A host of other health issues went away along with putting T2 into remission.
Sleep apnea, acid reflux, hypertension, obesity all went along with the incessant peeing and inability to walk very far.

I look upon my diagnosis as a major benefit to my overall health.

 

[42istheanswer]

Hi @JamesB I have tended to record the sugars as well as the carbohydrates in the food recording app I use (I have a Samsung phone so just use Samsung Health and add the foods which aren't in its database/recipes I have made) but not overly worried about them, and I haven't noticed any massive impact on post-meal Blood Glucose readings from the percentage of carbs which are sugar.

I went for a similar strategy to the one it sounds like you are thinking of following (I aimed for around 1200 calories as being female I "need" fewer calories since I'm not pregnant or lactating) and it was very successful for me, 5 months between my blood tests and I reduced my HbA1c from 54 to 39 as well as losing a significant amount of weight. I hope it works for you too! Some days I have had fattier meat products like pepperoni in my diet choices and other days I have had lower fat protein choices like lentils and lean mince. My total cholesterol level has still come down, and the overall balance/ratio has improved as my HDL level has increased. I don't know for sure but suspect that is probably mostly linked to the weight loss, as some of my liver enzymes were also deranged at diagnosis so I suspect that my liver was encased in a bit too much visceral fat to function optimally. (Liver function tests all normal also at my recent check).

 

[Deleted member 21371]

Hello ! Hospital doctor has said I have type 2 diabetes a couple of days ago (HbA1C 58) alongside tests for high blood pressure. Still trying to get my head around it. Been referred back to local surgery but not sure how long that will take / will work. No medication so far - hoping to avoid.

Doctor also suggested I start improving from now - have been reading a lot about weight loss (and everything else - it's a bit overwhelming) as they suggested Mediterranean / low-carb diet.

I've downloaded the nutracheck app (which seems extremely good) and am trying to tailor my diet (using some of the meal planners on here too for ideas) but have a couple of question make sure I am looking at it the right way.

1) If I count the Calories & Carbs (aiming for <1600 and <130g) - do I need to worry about Sugars ? Or can I ignore that info ?
[E.g. I stayed within my carb total - but my sugar total rocketed due to eating apples, carrots & sweet potato - is this ok ?)

2) What about saturated fats ? My cholesterol was good. It seemed like some of the good things for protein / low-carb were high in unsaturated fat. I can pick the leaner options for cuts of meat. But what about things like cheese, bacon, cured meats ? (these all seemed attractive options for me)

Thanks in advance,
James

I follow a similar diet to your suggested one.
Mediterranean style, low fat, mostly good fats, not saturated if I can avoid it.
I don't focus on BG alone, I tried to cover all my bases, weight, cholesterol, blood pressure, some on here don't.

Mostly I followed the low fat low calorie option, reversed my diabetes, my annual blood test shows everything else is good, I can eat mostly anything now though.
Roast vegetable pizza this evening for example.