Hi, I'm using the name Bones,I've been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes

[Bones]

I'm upset that I've recently been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, thanks to medication I was placed on, my blood sugar levels have shot up to 6.5 and it has affected my liver. I need to bring it down as I don't want to go on meds. I'm here for your support and advice on how to lower it and to lose 1 stone in weight without raising my diabetes further. Thank you

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Sorry to hear about your diagnosis @Bones

Which medication has been affecting your BG levels? Were you taking a steroid for example?

Many new members find it can be really helpful to keep a brutally honest food diary for a week or two. Note down everything you eat and drink, along with a reasonable estimate of the total carbohydrate content in your meals and snacks - it doesn’t have to be gram-perfect, the nearest 5-10g is fine. And it’s the total carbohydrate content, not just the ‘of which sugars’ which is most informative.

It might sound like it would be a bit of a faff, and it will involve weighing portions on scales, squinting at the fine print on packaging, and possibly looking up things on the internet, but it will give you a really good idea of which foods are the main sources of carbs in your menu. Once you can see which meals or snacks are your ‘big hitters’, and where carbs might be unexpectedly lurking, the diary might also suggest some likely candidates for swaps, portion reductions, or using lower carb alternatives (eg celeriac or swede mash, or cauli ‘rice’).

Once you have established your starting point, you can begin making some sustainable tweaks and changes, to develop a more BG friendly way of eating. This usually has the benefit of weight loss as part of the process 🙂

 

[Docb]

For me it is a good idea to understand what the numbers mean. You say that your blood sugar levels have shot up to 6.5. What number is this referring to? If it is the result of a finger prick test, then 6.5 mmol/l is not high, indeed it is the sort of value anybody without diabetes might get. If it is the result of an Hba1c test expressed as a percentage, that is 6.5%, which is just on the diagnosis threshold. Either way there is nothing to panic about.

I suggest you take a deep breath and start to learn about diabetes and the ways of dealing with it. Read around the forum and look at the learning zone via the red tab at the top of the page. Ask questions on here where you will get balanced answers from people who have been where you are now and worked their way through it. Above all don't get into a panic from reading the stuff you find in the popular press or on the internet. Nearly all of that is aimed at attracting readers or money making clicks.

 

[Leadinglights]

Which ever result those numbers represent (either an HbA1C, the test normally used for diagnosis or a random finger prick test) they are not desperately high and some modest changes to your diet should be sufficient without the need for mediation. Being aware of your situation and preventing blood glucose from increasing by taking some action now is a good plan. Some modest changes to your diet in reducing portion sizes for high carb foods and cutting out sweets, cakes, biscuits and sugary drinks including fruit juice will go a long way.
This link has some good information on which to base some changes and is an approach which many find successful. https://lowcarbfreshwell.com/

 

[Bones]

Sorry to hear about your diagnosis @Bones

Which medication has been affecting your BG levels? Were you taking a steroid for example?

Many new members find it can be really helpful to keep a brutally honest food diary for a week or two. Note down everything you eat and drink, along with a reasonable estimate of the total carbohydrate content in your meals and snacks - it doesn’t have to be gram-perfect, the nearest 5-10g is fine. And it’s the total carbohydrate content, not just the ‘of which sugars’ which is most informative.

It might sound like it would be a bit of a faff, and it will involve weighing portions on scales, squinting at the fine print on packaging, and possibly looking up things on the internet, but it will give you a really good idea of which foods are the main sources of carbs in your menu. Once you can see which meals or snacks are your ‘big hitters’, and where carbs might be unexpectedly lurking, the diary might also suggest some likely candidates for swaps, portion reductions, or using lower carb alternatives (eg celeriac or swede mash, or cauli ‘rice’).

Once you have established your starting point, you can begin making some sustainable tweaks and changes, to develop a more BG friendly way of eating. This usually has the benefit of weight loss as part of the process 🙂

 

[Bones]

Hi

Thank you. I was placed on Duluxotine for pain but this medication was awful and I had severe side effects, Dr took bloods from my arm and then put me on a course of steroids because I was scratching so badly all over, it was torture like hundreds of needle being poked into me. The course of steroids worked. I'm trying to bring my levels down, I've cut out crisps, biscuits, chocolate, puddings - except fat free yogs, although it says have skyr or activity, activity is the one I've purchased. I'm eating wholemeal, weighed myself and I've gained 2lbs, am so upset as I've written everything down, clearly I'm eating too much so will have to lower my portion sizes, going to decline potatoes as much as I possible can and bulk up on veggies. Are baked beans, tomatoes ok to have,what about eggs?

 

[Drummer]

Hi

Thank you. I was placed on Duluxotine for pain but this medication was awful and I had severe side effects, Dr took bloods from my arm and then put me on a course of steroids because I was scratching so badly all over, it was torture like hundreds of needle being poked into me. The course of steroids worked. I'm trying to bring my levels down, I've cut out crisps, biscuits, chocolate, puddings - except fat free yogs, although it says have skyr or activity, activity is the one I've purchased. I'm eating wholemeal, weighed myself and I've gained 2lbs, am so upset as I've written everything down, clearly I'm eating too much so will have to lower my portion sizes, going to decline potatoes as much as I possible can and bulk up on veggies. Are baked beans, tomatoes ok to have,what about eggs?

Why are you eating wholemeal? Has someone told you that brown carbs are somehow something a type 2 can eat due to some sort of magical vanishing of the starch?
I'm afraid that is all a fairy story.
An ordinary type 2 can reduce their glucose levels eating a low carb diet.
As we need fat and protein to survive only eat anything which is labelled fat free if it is also low carb - unless there is no other option available. I buy Lidl full fat Greek style yoghurt.
My personal take on low carb is 10% carbs or less except for chocolate, and I buy the highest cocoa content one I can find and eat just one square of it a few times a week.
It is actually rather difficult to overeat on low carb, I eat quite a few eggs and tomatoes, but no baked beans. Veges are chosen for their low carb values.
Reduced blood glucose led to weightloss for me as my metabolism recovered.

 

[ianf0ster]

I know it seems counter intuitive, but we T2 Diabetics in general need to cut down on carbs (all sugars and starches) and compensate by eating more fats and proteins. The combination of traditional meat, fish, eggs, cheese, the best animal sources of Protein+Fat for us. We bulk that up with low carb veg such as cruciferous veg and leafy greens.

Grains (breakfast cereals, bread, baked goods, pasta), starchy veg , tropical fruit and fruit juices all convert into glucose when eaten, so we try to limit how much we eat.

 

[Bones]

Hi

so are you saying I have to avoid all breads and wraps whether it is brown or white? I'm struggling to know exactly what I can eat without gaining more weight. I weighed myself this morning and I've gained 2lb, I'm gutted as I've been keeping a diary. Please write me a list of foods I can eat. Are tinned potatoes OK, salmon n veg, is there any veg I shouldn't eat. Fruits... what should i avoid. I've googled lots and followed thd advice on there but clearly it's making me gain weight. I've not been placed on meds yet as I've been given a month to see if I can lower my BG level.

 

[dalebyrne88]

I think you are getting yourself worked up and overthinking things trust me we all have done it.

You need to take a deep breath and put them scales away and if you want to loose weight I check once a month as your weight can change regularly depending on food and water intake.

What helped me is I cut breakfast completely out and eat 2 meals a day starting at around 1ish and eat lots of protein, fats green veg and some berries as my sweet go to I l have even given up milk in coffee and completely removed things like rice, pasta, potatoes and breads and my sugar levels reduced so dramatically I'm not on insulin anymore just metformin and hopefully next blood test I will see more reduction on hb1ac fingers cross put diabetes into remission.

It's not a quick fix it's not a diet to me but lifestyle change for the better.

 

[Leadinglights]

Weight can vary day to day and may well change quite a bit when you start to make dietary changes, this is often because your hydration can change. Remember 1 litre of water weighs 1kg so 2 couple less visits to the loo and you can appear to have put weight on. the longer term trend is the better thing to look at.
As for what you can eat, meals based on meat, fish, eggs. cheese. dairy, most vegetables (smaller portions of starchy veg like peas, parsnips, broad beans) and salads. Fruit like berries are the lowest carb. Foods to be wary of are potatoes, rice, pasta, bread, breakfast cereals and keep those to very small portions.
If I have interpreted you blood glucose levels correctly you only need some modest changes.
The link I posted was developed by a forward thinking GP practice to support their patients who are Type 2 and need to loose weight so have a look.

 

[Bones]

Am I allowed zero drinks at all, tonight I'm having steamed salmon, brocoli stems, home grown carrots and white cabbage and a few tinned potatoes, is this an OK meal? I will avoid tatties after this and bulk out with other veg, are peas and sweetcorn ok as I've got a large bag of frozen veg in the freezer. Are there any veg I should avoid? I'm trying some light sofa exercise due to back problems, can't do impact workouts, I also have ME and Fibromyalgia amongst other health issues, therefore I'm not as mobile as I used to be but I try to move around. I'm 5ft7 and 13st 13lbs. Before my health issues I was a healthy 10 st, then was placed on Gabapentin and my weight ballooned.

 

[Leadinglights]

Am I allowed zero drinks at all, tonight I'm having steamed salmon, brocoli stems, home grown carrots and white cabbage and a few tinned potatoes, is this an OK meal? I will avoid tatties after this and bulk put with other veg, are peas and sweetcorn ok as I've got a large bag of frozen veg in the freezer. Are there any veg I should avoid? I'm trying some light sofa exercise due to back problems, can't do impact workouts, I also have ME and Fibromyalgia amongst other health issues, therefore I'm not as mobile as I used to be but I try to move around. I'm 5ft7 and 13st 13lbs. Before my health issues I was a healthy 10 st, then was placed on Gabapentin and my weight ballooned.

Diet drinks are fine. Your evening meal sounds good and peas and sweetcorn are higher carb veg but not having any other carby veg at the same time is likely ok so have with broccoli or cabbage.
Having a blood glucose monitor so you can test at home will tell you if your meals are OK or not and best avoided.
Test before you eat and after 2 hours and if the increase is no more than 2-3mmol/l or no more than 8-8.5mmol/l then the meal is OK.

 

[Bones]

Diet drinks are fine. Your evening meal sounds good and peas and sweetcorn are higher carb veg but not having any other carby veg at the same time is likely ok so have with broccoli or cabbage.
Having a blood glucose monitor so you can test at home will tell you if your meals are OK or not and best avoided.
Test before you eat and after 2 hours and if the increase is no more than 2-3mmol/l or no more than 8-8.5mmol/l then the meal is OK.

Thank you. Thank you all for you help and advice, it's most appreciated

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Thank you. Thank you all for you help and advice, it's most appreciated

Your salmon meal sounds delicious @Bones. I’d suggest it’s not about avoiding carbs entirely, and it may not be necessary for you to reduce your carb intake as dramatically as some members here. It’s more about getting your portion sizes right for your individual metabolism. eg Some members here are fine with porridge for breakfast, or a single Weetabix - but for others the idea of breakfast cereal is a complete nono! There isn’t a simple list that will work for everyone - as everyone’s diabetes behaves differently. So trying smaller portions can be very effective, and can be more flexible initially, while you are finding your feet. Then based on the results you see, you may want to adjust further

I‘m not sure you’ve mentioned what your HbA1c was at diagnosis? This can help understand your starting point, and where you are on the range of possible values, from just sneaking over 47mmol/L to starting in the 100s!

 

[Leadinglights]

Your salmon meal sounds delicious @Bones. I’d suggest it’s not about avoiding carbs entirely, and it may not be necessary for you to reduce your carb intake as dramatically as some members here. It’s more about getting your portion sizes right for your individual metabolism. eg Some members here are fine with porridge for breakfast, or a single Weetabix - but for others the idea of breakfast cereal is a complete nono! There isn’t a simple list that will work for everyone - as everyone’s diabetes behaves differently. So trying smaller portions can be very effective, and can be more flexible initially, while you are finding your feet. Then based on the results you see, you may want to adjust further

I‘m not sure you’ve mentioned what your HbA1c was at diagnosis? This can help understand your starting point, and where you are on the range of possible values, from just sneaking over 47mmol/L to starting in the 100s!

The OP @Bones mentioned a blood glucose level of 6.5 but not what test that was the result of,

 

[Bones]

Hi all

Is it best to avoid dark chocolate and crunchy peanut butter, my daughter made me some, the size of a homemade jam tart.


Leadinglights

Are you saying I should purchase a kit to check my levels or not?

My Hba1c was 6.5

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

My Hba1c was 6.5

Ah OK. 6.5% is the old units for HbA1c so it’s a bit unusual to hear them these days. IFCC units of mmol/mol took over about 10 years ago I think!

6.5% is equivalent to 48mmol/mol, which is only just over the diagnostic borderline into T2, so you may find that some relatively modest tweaks to your menu may make a significant difference.

Do you have a follow-up appointment booked? Usually they would wait at least 3 months to repeat your HbA1c as this ensures good turnover of the red blood cells.

 

[Leadinglights]

Hi all

Is it best to avoid dark chocolate and crunchy peanut butter, my daughter made me some, the size of a homemade jam tart.


Leadinglights

Are you saying I should purchase a kit to check my levels or not?

My Hba1c was 6.5

Many people find that having a blood glucose testing monitor really helps them find foods which they do not tolerate well but also identifies foods which they may have imagined to be not good but actually they are fine for them.
Everybody is different in how they tolerate carbohydrates, we see here people who can tolerate say 30g of carbs if it is potatoes but not rice but for somebody else in will be visa versa.
It is just a tool that enables you to manage your condition better rather than waiting for 3 months or more to see if your dietary changes are being effective. A couple of monitors which people find reliable and have the cheaper test strips are the GlucoNavii or TEE2 which can be bought on -line.
Also dark chocolate and peanut butter are both fine.

 

[Drummer]

Hi

so are you saying I have to avoid all breads and wraps whether it is brown or white? I'm struggling to know exactly what I can eat without gaining more weight. I weighed myself this morning and I've gained 2lb, I'm gutted as I've been keeping a diary. Please write me a list of foods I can eat. Are tinned potatoes OK, salmon n veg, is there any veg I shouldn't eat. Fruits... what should i avoid. I've googled lots and followed thd advice on there but clearly it's making me gain weight. I've not been placed on meds yet as I've been given a month to see if I can lower my BG level.

Firstly, any meat, fish, cheese, eggs, full fat yoghurt - they are all fine, and they are both nourishing and satiating, so you don't need to eat much to be properly fed.
These days I eat at 12 hourly intervals.
When first diagnosed I needed a little while to reduce my blood glucose levels but then I lost weight very easily - so easily I was not even aware of it until my clothes started sliding south - even then I thought that the elastic must have failed. Even now when I swap to winter clothes I find that I have shrunk down a bit more.
I don't eat grains, potatoes, high carb fruit - I try to keep to 10% carbs or less, but I do have small amount of high cocoa chocolate.
I made a little notebook of things which are low carb - in no particular order carrot swede onion snowpeas khol rabi red yellow and green sweet peppers turnip leek spaghetti squash bamboo shoots celeriac red cabbage green beans aubergine salad tomato kale savoy cabbage rocket sprouts radish cauliflower cucumber lettuce bean sprouts courgette asparagus okra artichoke hearts celery chard avocado bok choy alfalfa sprouts curly endive mushrooms beetroot rhubarb and most berries.
There are cheese waffles, also called chaffles which can be useful if you have a waffle maker, and a similar mixture, diluted with a little warm water will make wraps, in a frying pan like pancakes.
There are various sites online which have low carb baking recipes - sugarfreelondoner seems a good one.
My local polish supermarket has a black bread chleb proteinowy, which is rather expensive but for the days when only a bacon and fried egg sandwich will do, it works the magic.