Help With Food

[BROOKLYN12]

Hello everyone,

I am brand new to this forum and i would like to ask if anyone can help me please?

My husband has type 2 diabetes controlled by tablets, but he has been given a 7 week deadline to lower his bloods significantly otherwise they will put him on insullin.

We have tried really hard lately to eat the "right" foods whatever they may be, i get so much conflicting advice!!!!!!!!!!!

His bloods are still spiking even after eating really healthily, i think maybe the stress of the deadline may not help?? also he has been porrly with a viral infection.

Do we eat LOW CARBS,,,,, HIGH PROTEIN??? OR do we try and concentrate on LOW SUGARS???

Thankyou in anticipation.

 

[Northerner]

Hi Brooklyn12, welcome to the forum 🙂 How long has your husband been diagnosed? What sort of information/education has he been given about how to manage his diabetes well? Is he able to test his blood sugars with a home monitor? Just trying to see how the doctor can justify issuing a 'deadline' in this way Insulin should not be seen as a threat, it should be introduced when it is necessary in order to keep blood sugar levels under control, not as some kind of punishment!

That aside, the thing about diabetes is that there is no one size fits all dietary solution, you need to determine what your body can tolerate and what it cannot, whether it is generally regarded as healthy or not - for example, fruit juice is normally healthy, but not for a person with diabetes as it will quickly raise blood sugar levels. One of the best approaches to take is to keep portion sizes of carbohydrates relatively low, and follow the principles of the GI/GL diet (Glycaemic Index/Glycaemic Load). This gives a way of combining foods so that they release their energy slowly and steadily, and therefore have less impact on blood sugar levels. A useful introduction is The GL Diet for Dummies.

It would be worth starting a food diary so you can record exactly what is being consumed - record the grams of carbs in everything eaten or drunk - and then ask to see a dietician to discuss possible adjustments that can be made to improve the diet.

What sort of things does he eat currently?

 

[Mark T]

Welcome to the forum Brooklyn12 🙂

Much of the material on the newbies useful links thread is very helpful, especially the Gretchen Becker book.

If he has got a meter and is testing, then Alan S's Test, Review, Adjust advice is really helpful!

 

[slipper]

Welcome to the forum Brooklyn12. Much depends on what you have been eating when deciding what may be the best action to take.

I cut or really lowered my intake of refined carbs such as potatoes, white rice and pasta, bread too. So if these where a large part of your diet, reducing them could help to bring the spikes down, with luck, but as said, each of us varies.

 

[jhardisty]

Hey Brooklyn,

when I was diagnosed my BG was sat at 15.8 5 hours after eating on the day that I got the blood test results back from the doctor. I basically cut all of the carbs out of my diet apart from those that I got from veg and fruit, So this meant no potatoes,bread,pasta,rice and cereals after two days I felt like crap so much so that I went to the doctor. my BG was tested and it was down to 10.8 still two high (again five hours after eating). All the symptoms I had were signs of low blood sugar but my BG was way to high to be that. It was basically phantom hypo, my body going where all the sugars. At that point the doctor took me off the gliclazide and told me to stay on the metformin. I was also given a blood glucose tester at this point.

4 days in and I was feeling better and more importantly my BG was down within normal range and for the last week and a half I have not gone above 7.8 after eating except for once (8.8 after eating a small portion of rice.)After a week I was off the metformin so the last week has been without medication support.

I am eating an egg omelet for breakfast and eating lots of steamed fish with salads or steamed veg. (though I have eaten out 3 times since my diagnosis I have just made wise choices, Last night for example I was out for a friends birthday and I had spanish ham with marinated veg to start, a filet mignon steak with mushrooms for main and cheese platter for after. not the healthiest choices but I thought what the hell. I even went for two Carr's water table biscuits with the cheese and a bit of a thin crispy bread thing. I only did that though because my BG was at 4.5 before I ate. two hours after I was at 5.6 I was quite surprised to be honest with you. I skipped the wine and just drank the sparkling water.)

The other key thing for me is swimming. I am lucky that the apartment complex where I live in Hong Kong has a pool, so I have been swimming nearly every day for 30 minutes of as much activity as I can do in that time. I am getting stroger every day.

As a result of this I have lost weight already, I am feeling great and I am getting to the stage with testing where I am working out what I can eat and its impact on me.

I am no expert on diabetes I am learning more and more each day. But I though I would share what worked for me.