Morning folks,
I was diagnosed type 2 last month, payback as a result of my own body abuse for years!
One of those people who "doesn't do doctors" , until recently, when my eldest announced my first grandchild was on the way...Unfortunately things didn't work out for her, but I continued with the health checks and here I am.
What am I looking on here for?
Positive support from people, which at times can be lacking at home. Guidance and advise, especially in the kitchen as I am generally the family cook.
It just appears that everyone I have spoken to, either diabetic or not, is an expert on the subject.
Mark
Hi MarkT, welcome to the forum
🙂 I was similar before diagnosis - only visits to doctors in the 25 years previously had been for a broken arm then a broken leg! You will soon become surprised at how much you learn about the workings of the human body - and the good and bad points of the NHS!
😱
Regarding diet/meals - I would suggest starting by writing a food diary, noting down the amount of carbohydrates in anything you eat or drink. Be meticulous, it's boring and tedious, but it will give you a good, true picture of your carb consumption and can be used to look for areas where you might improve things and make them more 'diabetes-friendly'
🙂 There are lots of ideas to do this -things like cauliflower rice, courgetti spaghetti, sweet potato mash etc. - have a browse of the food section to see what inventive ways people have come up with to reduce carbs (which are what raise your blood sugar levels - bread, rice, pasta, baked goods etc. - note, it's not just 'sugar' you need to watch for, that is just another type of carbohydrate). I'd also suggest looking at the GL (Glycaemic Load) diet. You can have a healthy, varied diet, it just takes planning and a bit of compromise here and there. Nothing is forbidden, but common sense needs to be applied for 'treats'!
The GL Diet for Dummies is a very good introduction to the 'Glycaemic Load' approach to selecting and combining foods so that they have a slow, steady impact on blood glucose levels.
Have a read of
Jennifer's Advice and
Maggie Davey's letter and treat yourself to a copy of
Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year by Gretchen Becker - these will all help to mkae things a lot less confusing
🙂 There is a lot to take in, but don't let it overwhelm you, you don't have to change everything overnight so take time to absorb things
🙂
If you don't have a blood glucose meter, I would really recommend getting one, as it is the best tool available to learn about how different foods affect you, and inform you what foods may need to be ditched from your diet and what things you can happily retain
🙂 The cheapest option we have come across is the
SD Codefree Meter which has
test strips at around £8 for 50 if your doctor hasn't given you one. Read
Test,Review, Adjust by Alan S to understand how to use the meter to best advantage
🙂
That lot should keep you going for a bit!
🙂 Please ask any questions you may have, nothing is considered 'silly'. Diabetes is a serious condition, but the good news is that it can be managed well with the right knowledge and effort, and well-controlled diabetes is the major cause of - absolutely nothing! So, no reason why you can't be fit and healthy for many, many years to come!
🙂