Hi I’m new

[Sallyh]

Hi thanks for accepting me.I’m looking forward to hearing about what foods I should avoid and any advice x

 

[rebrascora]

Hi Sallyh and welcome.

If you are just "at risk of diabetes" also sometimes referred to as pre-diabetes you should be able to push things back into the normal range with some relatively simple dietary and lifestyle changes.

Most people hear "sugar" mentioned in conjunction with diabetes (ie blood sugar) and assume that is what they need to cut out but the body breaks down all carbohydrates (sugars and starches) from our food into glucose (the simplest form of sugar) which is absorbed into our blood stream.... so "blood sugar" is actually more correctly Blood Glucose or BG. The first steps to take are obviously to cut the unnecessary sugar from your diet but also be aware of the sugars in fruit in all it's forms (fresh, dried, juiced and frozen) so it is pointless stopping putting sugar in your coffee but eating a banana with it as the banana contains the equivalent of 3.5 teaspoons of sugar.... yes there are other benefits in eating a banana but it's sugar content still counts. Not saying you shouldn't eat a banana occasionally but just to be aware it is carb rich and will impact your BG levels. Bread and pasta and rice and potatoes and breakfast cereals are all starchy foods which are rich in carbohydrates so being aware of your portion size with these foods is important and reducing them slightly will help. Wholemeal versions usually contain a very similar amount of carbs to the white versions but the extra fibre may slow the release of the glucose from them (Low GI) Swapping wholemeal for white can work for some people but not always, so a reduction in portion size as well is usually helpful.
Foods which are low carb are meat, fish, eggs, cheese, mushrooms, most nuts but some like cashews and peanuts are higher than walnuts, Brazils, almonds and hazelnuts. Green leafy veg and salad is all good and coleslaw is fine... my preference is cheese coleslaw. Full fat natural Greek yoghurt is usually better than low fat flavoured varieties and many of us have it with a few berries and or chopped nuts or mixed seeds. Cauliflower is probably one of our favourite veg on this forum because it can be cooked and mashed instead of or with potatoes to reduce the carb content.... Always good with a dollop of cream cheese and perhaps a teaspoon of mustard (I like wholegrain) but it can also be grated or chopped finely and used instead of rice or couscous.
Anyway, hope that gives you a few ideas of how to get started. If you don't understand anything, just ask.

 

[rebrascora]

Forgot to mention exercise as being a useful tool to reduce levels. It doesn't have to be anything strenuous but a daily walk if you can manage., it will often show significant impact. If you already walk, then increase the pace a bit or the length of walk or incorporate a hill or steps into the walk and push yourself a bit so that you get a little out of breath. If you are unable to walk, then there are seated exercises which can all help to stimulate blood flow and lung capacity and will benefit overall health not just diabetes.

 

[Cherrelle DUK]

Hi Sallyh,

Welcome to the forum! There's a lot of info on the forum so do have a look around. We also have some more tailored info o the main site so do pop over there too https://www.diabetes.org.uk/.

 

[Martin9]

Hi Sallyh and welcome.

If you are just "at risk of diabetes" also sometimes referred to as pre-diabetes you should be able to push things back into the normal range with some relatively simple dietary and lifestyle changes.

Most people hear "sugar" mentioned in conjunction with diabetes (ie blood sugar) and assume that is what they need to cut out but the body breaks down all carbohydrates (sugars and starches) from our food into glucose (the simplest form of sugar) which is absorbed into our blood stream.... so "blood sugar" is actually more correctly Blood Glucose or BG. The first steps to take are obviously to cut the unnecessary sugar from your diet but also be aware of the sugars in fruit in all it's forms (fresh, dried, juiced and frozen) so it is pointless stopping putting sugar in your coffee but eating a banana with it as the banana contains the equivalent of 3.5 teaspoons of sugar.... yes there are other benefits in eating a banana but it's sugar content still counts. Not saying you shouldn't eat a banana occasionally but just to be aware it is carb rich and will impact your BG levels. Bread and pasta and rice and potatoes and breakfast cereals are all starchy foods which are rich in carbohydrates so being aware of your portion size with these foods is important and reducing them slightly will help. Wholemeal versions usually contain a very similar amount of carbs to the white versions but the extra fibre may slow the release of the glucose from them (Low GI) Swapping wholemeal for white can work for some people but not always, so a reduction in portion size as well is usually helpful.
Foods which are low carb are meat, fish, eggs, cheese, mushrooms, most nuts but some like cashews and peanuts are higher than walnuts, Brazils, almonds and hazelnuts. Green leafy veg and salad is all good and coleslaw is fine... my preference is cheese coleslaw. Full fat natural Greek yoghurt is usually better than low fat flavoured varieties and many of us have it with a few berries and or chopped nuts or mixed seeds. Cauliflower is probably one of our favourite veg on this forum because it can be cooked and mashed instead of or with potatoes to reduce the carb content.... Always good with a dollop of cream cheese and perhaps a teaspoon of mustard (I like wholegrain) but it can also be grated or chopped finely and used instead of rice or couscous.
Anyway, hope that gives you a few ideas of how to get started. If you don't understand anything, just ask.

Brilliant advice as per usual @rebrascora x

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @Sallyh

Hopefully, by acting now, you can avoid or delay a full-blown diagnosis, but even if in time you are diagnosed take heart, diabetes is a serious condition, but it’s also one that can usually be managed well with a few changes and adaptations - it’s something that you can learn to live well with, and it shouldn’t stop you doing things you enjoy.

Try not to be disheartened - many people on the forum later reflect that their diagnosis, or being told they were at risk of diabetes was a kind of catalyst which finally prompted them to make positive changes towards a healthier and more active life. Perhaps changes that they had been intending to make for years.

It’s best to make changes to your menu and activity levels gradually - partly because they need to be sustainable long term, but also because very rapid and sudden changes to blood glucose levels are harder on the fine blood vessels, and changing things more gently will give your body time to adapt.

Feel free to ask away with any questions you have. We are a friendly bunch, and there are literally centuries of lived diabetes experience on the forum. No question will be considered too obvious or ‘silly’ 🙂

For a bit more background information, the ‘useful links’ thread is a mine of helpful information - useful-links-for-people-new-to-diabetes