Hello!

[rebrascora]

Pleased you feel welcome and that joining the forum will be a benefit. It has been a game changer, if not a life saver for me..... certainly a sanity saver, during the past year since my diagnosis.

I assumed your HbA1c was going to be higher than that when you said your doctor was really concerned. It should be reasonably straightforward to reduce it down from 58 to pre diabetic, if not normal levels, by careful choice of foods.
I think the biggest problem with a completely plant based diet is obtaining enough protein without carbs. For me pulses and lentils are still too carby to have daily. I come from a farming background so I am partial to a bit of meat, really enjoy the eggs from my own chickens and love dairy. Also used to enjoy the honey from my bees but not had any since my diagnosis. The non meat/dairy vegetarian options for protein are a bit too "manufactured" for my liking.

Do you limit yourself to a specific amount of carbs per day?

I find it amazing that I no longer feel hungry and can survive quite happily on so much less food, since I cut the carbs out. Eating more fat has made a huge difference in me enjoying my food and feeling sated and not feeling deprived.

 

[Lucylemonpip]

Hi from me! 🙂

I was diagnosed T2 last year. Luckily came to this website not long after and have found a wealth of info and lovely helpful people. I had an HbA1c of 50 and since then have lost around 20lb in weight with eating a lowish carb, high fat diet. Now have an HbA1c of 47, so currently in the pre-diabetes bracket and aiming to lose more weight, continue exercising and keeping bg spikes at bay by eating sensibly and getting into remission and then, of course, staying that way! 🙂🙂🙂

 

[ianf0ster]

Hi Black Vegan, I'm afraid that most of us who control our BG by 'Way Of Eating' alone are non-Vegan, in fact probably more almost completely Carnivore than there are Vegans.
T2D made me move from an almost vegetarian diet to a much more flexitarian because it is so much easier to get the protein(without the carbs) and traditional fats from fish and animal sources. But I really admire people who will suffer for their principles.

 

[Eddy Edson]

Hi Black Vegan, I'm afraid that most of us who control our BG by 'Way Of Eating' alone are non-Vegan, in fact probably more almost completely Carnivore than there are Vegans.
T2D made me move from an almost vegetarian diet to a much more flexitarian because it is so much easier to get the protein(without the carbs) and traditional fats from fish and animal sources. But I really admire people who will suffer for their principles.

I get plenty of protein from seeds, nuts, edamame, soy milk. As do large numbers of other people. I eat some fish and poultry because I like to eat it every now and then, and for the vit B12 (mainly).

There is AFAIK no data to support a contention that more diet-contolled T2D's are almost-carnivores than vegans. Though I guess it wouldn't surprise me, given that I thnk there are probably more almost-carnivores than vegans in the general population. But this would imply zero about the efficacy of either approach for BG control, and also says zero about impact of either approach on other, often more important health markers, beyond BG control.

 

[Drummer]

I really enjoy what plant based foods I can eat and would probably eat more salads and stirfries and roasted veges if I could manage it, but my maximum is probably 200 calories a day from such sources - so I'd be in a fix if I had to give up the rest of my diet.

 

[Wirrallass]

@The Black Vegan
I've posted more meal recipes in the food thread under the heading Vegan Dinner *Recipes

Food/carb queries + recipes

Coming to terms with diabetes and food can be very difficult - this forum is for all your food and carbohydrate queries and a place to post your favourite recipes!

forum.diabetes.org.uk

WL
Edited*

 

[The Black Vegan]

I assumed your HbA1c was going to be higher than that when you said your doctor was really concerned. It should be reasonably straightforward to reduce it down from 58 to pre diabetic, if not normal levels, by careful choice of foods.
I think the biggest problem with a completely plant based diet is obtaining enough protein without carbs. For me pulses and lentils are still too carby to have daily. I come from a farming background so I am partial to a bit of meat, really enjoy the eggs from my own chickens and love dairy. Also used to enjoy the honey from my bees but not had any since my diagnosis. The non meat/dairy vegetarian options for protein are a bit too "manufactured" for my liking.

Do you limit yourself to a specific amount of carbs per day?

@rebrascora your reaction is the same as many - I felt like total c**p. Fatigue, depression, very stressed.. Maybe the doctor had noticed the decline. The meds and carb control helped lower my HbA1c reading to somewhere around 52, but once I tried the plant based route, it accelerated the decline in my readings. I'm not a fan of processed foods, and when it comes to protein, it seems that plant protein is far superior. I don't get lathargic after eating any more. I enjoy my food..
I don't limit myself to an amount of carbs at the moment - i just try to eat more of things like celery, cucumber and other low carb veg. Pulses tend to have higher carbs, but also higher protein and I find that I can absorb the carbs from those sources far better. They don't make my face bloat out - which happens when I eat processed and high fat foods.
I do wish I had a small holding or a farm - I reckon I would eat the eggs and meat then! And the home grown fruit and veg...🙂