Here we go

[Andy HB]

The recipes on Diabetes UK's own website are just as dire. Cherry Meringue for example

Sorry, I'm with Deus, unless DUK change their dietary advice substantially i.e not just adjusting the healthy eating plate by 10% of recommended carbs, then they are doing people with diabetes a disservice. It really is time they did some proper research into the effect of carbs on BGs.

This may need a separate thread of its own, but I'll make the point here!

I wonder whether the problem with doing any kind of carb vs BG research is that the range of how people react to carbs is so large! On what basis would such research be undertaken?

For example, I can have a bowl of porage with honey and a banana in the morning and within 2hrs can be back down in the 4's again. Other people having the same may soar into double figures.

On the other hand, a small bowl of granola sends my levels into the stratosphere (relatively speaking!). White bread is the same (which is ok because I never touch the filthy stuff 😉)

I think it is too individual an exercise for there ever to be a sensible result from any research!

But, there are a lot of clever people out there! So perhaps someone can come up with something. 🙂

Andy

 

[DeusXM]

But, there are a lot of clever people out there! So perhaps someone can come up with something.

I won't claim to be massively clever, but here's an idea for how you could handle this?

Why not simply tell people that:

* Everyone's diet will be different
* What affects blood sugar the most is carbohydrate intake, so you need to work out for yourself what's appropriate for you
* Carbohydrates convert at different speeds for everyone so you'll have to work out for yourself what doesn't cause you problems
* High fat is probably only bad if it's combined with high carb, but see what results you get first
* There are no rules

All I really want to see is dietary guidance that isn't prescriptive and lets people make their own choices. At the moment the approach is a bit like getting t-shirts for everyone and then ordering only XXXXXL ones because you're terrified someone might get a t-shirt that's too small for them.

I get that there are people out there who simply want to be told what to eat without thinking about it, but that won't ever encourage people to actively make healthy lifestyle choices.

 

[LeeLee]

Or just add a footnote saying 'Every diabetic is an individual, and this advice will not suit everyone. For help and advice contact your GP, DSN or online forum.'

 

[PattiEvans]

Why not simply tell people that:

* Everyone's diet will be different
* What affects blood sugar the most is carbohydrate intake, so you need to work out for yourself what's appropriate for you
* Carbohydrates convert at different speeds for everyone so you'll have to work out for yourself what doesn't cause you problems
* High fat is probably only bad if it's combined with high carb, but see what results you get first
* There are no rules

You missed one thing out Deus. Give them a supply of strips and explain when to test i.e. before and at 1 & 2 hours after meals (until you find your own peak time and then that's when you test after meals). That way people can tailor their own diet to suit. It's bog simple! I'm sure all those peeps who go off and "sneak naughty things" might just stop it if they saw the actual affect on them.

 

[Abi]

I wonder whether some of the funds squandered on bits of research proving that what we already know is correct ( the study recently mentioned about reducing hypo frequency improving hypo awareness for example) would be better diverted into a fund enabling everyone to have a reasonable quantity of strips and maybe a few vouchers for those on the poverty line or really struggling to afford decent foot- for help towards cost of non starchy veg, good quality protein etc.

D UK sometimes seem to come out with some more reasonable balanced recipes . I recall about 15 years ago them doing "low fat guacamole" made out of mushy peas, and a pizza with sliced potatoes on top- I think even they now accept that some type of fat are healthy and that bread and potato together does not constitute a health meal
However, in the last couple of years saw some vegan recipes mainly consisting of root veg with a side of rice or pasta- didn;t seem to occur to them that not everyone is on basal bolus and knows how to carb count, and that even those of use who do sometimes struggle with high carb meals. Don't know why they did not bulk out the meal more with non starchy veg and a few nuts and seeds
There was also a meal with a pork and potato casserole ( of course minimal pork, lots of spuds) but they suggested serving with noodles and a type of coleslaw with chopped apple in it and a honey and lemon juice dressing- nothing wrong with these individual components ( apart from the dressing- I would have gone for plain vinaigrette) but too high carb in combination
And there are pudding recipes in their cook books where they reduce sucrose and fat but sweeten with concentrated fruit- dried prunes etc and have all the normal amounts of flour. If these recipes are only supposed to be a treat why not go for the full fat and flavour variety- regular consumption of the almost as carby " healthy" alternatives would be detrimental to health anyhow
Rant over- I know I'm preaching to the converted