I have been told I am prediabetic. I am getting little or no help from my GP surgery and all the info about what I should be eating seems to be a bit contradictory. Already only eat wholegrain bread and pasta with occasional white rice & really don't like fish. I am aware I lack fruit and veg but have been trying to including this pre diagnosis. Have other symptoms that don't seem related to any diabetes info I have read. Weight has rocketed by a stone over the last year despite trying to control it. Could anyone give me some pointers re what I should and shouldn't eat? x
-
Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
Hi
- Thread starter Kay E
- Start date
- Status
Kaylz
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Hi and welcome to the forum 🙂
Do you test your blood glucose at all? Many find that they prefer to self fund a meter and strips as that's the only real way you'll know how foods affect you as an individual
The key to keeping better control of blood glucose is to limit the amount of carbohydrates in your diet so cut down on things like bread, pasta/rice, potatoes etc as these turn to glucose very quickly when eaten, many pre diabetics and Type 2 diabetics opt for a low carb diet in order to gain control
What was your hba1c reading if you don't mind me asking?
xx
Do you test your blood glucose at all? Many find that they prefer to self fund a meter and strips as that's the only real way you'll know how foods affect you as an individual
The key to keeping better control of blood glucose is to limit the amount of carbohydrates in your diet so cut down on things like bread, pasta/rice, potatoes etc as these turn to glucose very quickly when eaten, many pre diabetics and Type 2 diabetics opt for a low carb diet in order to gain control
What was your hba1c reading if you don't mind me asking?
xx
Ljc
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1.5 LADA
Hello @Kay E . Welcome to the forum. I am really sorry to hear that you are getting little help from your Gp surgery.
With pre diabetes , it means that with the right info you stand a very good chance of turning this around , so I am really disappointed that you are getting little help.
Their may be a diabetes prevention course available in your area, your nurse /Gp should know.
Their is an awful lot of wrong and misleading info out there and sadly lots of conmen to who really only want to part you from your cash. On this site you will get info fro people who live with all types of diabetes
It is carbohydrates we need to be careful with. We are usually fine with protein and this is likely going to surprise you,
Good fats, so you need not exclude things like dairy ,eggs, unsalted nuts or the frying pan .
With pre diabetes or glucose intolerance as it is sometimes called, it may be that you don’t need to make drastic changes , we are all different in what and how many carbohydrates we can tolerate, a few find they are ok with a small amount if wholemeal varieties, others are not, fruit can be problematic too due to the fructose (fruit sugar) anything with berry in its name is often tolerated better.
The thing is, without a glucose meter and some regular self testing you won’t know if you tolerate that, eg healthy bowl of porridge, pasta etc.
Many here buy this meter as it has relatively cheap testing strips, £8 for a pot of 50 where other meters use strip that cost £15+
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Codefree-Glucose-Monitor-Monitoring-Testing/dp/B0068JAJFS/ref=as_li_ss_tl?s=drugstore&ie=UTF8&qid=1506485682&sr=1-1&keywords=sd+codefree+meter+mmol/l&linkCode=sl1&tag=xfm-21&linkId=f39210144fdc26c27738e45b6d957003&th=1
This is how we check to see what we tolerate well
test-test by Alan S
You said you had other symptoms that don’t seem to be related to diabetes , I trust they are being
Investigated ?
Some of the usual symptoms of T2 diabetes are.
Tiredness
Peeing a lot
Unquenchable thirst
Hunger
Blurry vision
Slow healing of wounds
Weight loss/gain.
I never had any of them.
With pre diabetes , it means that with the right info you stand a very good chance of turning this around , so I am really disappointed that you are getting little help.
Their may be a diabetes prevention course available in your area, your nurse /Gp should know.
Their is an awful lot of wrong and misleading info out there and sadly lots of conmen to who really only want to part you from your cash. On this site you will get info fro people who live with all types of diabetes
It is carbohydrates we need to be careful with. We are usually fine with protein and this is likely going to surprise you,
Good fats, so you need not exclude things like dairy ,eggs, unsalted nuts or the frying pan .
With pre diabetes or glucose intolerance as it is sometimes called, it may be that you don’t need to make drastic changes , we are all different in what and how many carbohydrates we can tolerate, a few find they are ok with a small amount if wholemeal varieties, others are not, fruit can be problematic too due to the fructose (fruit sugar) anything with berry in its name is often tolerated better.
The thing is, without a glucose meter and some regular self testing you won’t know if you tolerate that, eg healthy bowl of porridge, pasta etc.
Many here buy this meter as it has relatively cheap testing strips, £8 for a pot of 50 where other meters use strip that cost £15+
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Codefree-Glucose-Monitor-Monitoring-Testing/dp/B0068JAJFS/ref=as_li_ss_tl?s=drugstore&ie=UTF8&qid=1506485682&sr=1-1&keywords=sd+codefree+meter+mmol/l&linkCode=sl1&tag=xfm-21&linkId=f39210144fdc26c27738e45b6d957003&th=1
This is how we check to see what we tolerate well
test-test by Alan S
You said you had other symptoms that don’t seem to be related to diabetes , I trust they are being
Investigated ?
Some of the usual symptoms of T2 diabetes are.
Tiredness
Peeing a lot
Unquenchable thirst
Hunger
Blurry vision
Slow healing of wounds
Weight loss/gain.
I never had any of them.
Last edited:
Thank you all.
Will look at my carb intake. Fruit is a struggle as most seem to upset my stomach bananas and citrus fruit especially.
Reading was 42 which I'd borderline I know only regular symptoms I have is tiredness bordering on exhaustion and the weight gain. Its the breathlessness on exertion and aches that dont fit.
All I got was a letter saying there was something wrong with my Hb1Ac and ti come back in a month. Have made a nuisance of myself again at the dr and have another appointment for Friday.
Will look at my carb intake. Fruit is a struggle as most seem to upset my stomach bananas and citrus fruit especially.
Reading was 42 which I'd borderline I know only regular symptoms I have is tiredness bordering on exhaustion and the weight gain. Its the breathlessness on exertion and aches that dont fit.
All I got was a letter saying there was something wrong with my Hb1Ac and ti come back in a month. Have made a nuisance of myself again at the dr and have another appointment for Friday.
Drummer
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
I had almost two years of a cholesterol lowering diet - I was almost sperical by the time I was diagnosed with Type two diabetes, almost by accident.
The advice on diet is just wrong - and deadly for some people.
An ordinary type two like me needs to avoid the high starch and sugar foods we are told are a healthy option - so no grains, potatoes or starchy veges, no smoothies, no high sugar fruit.
The safe foods are meat - with fat - seafood, eggs and cheese, full fat yoghurt with a few berries, and I add sugar free jelly to bulk it out a bit. I can eat salad stuff and low carb veges pretty freely and not see spikes after eating. I have never been hungry on this way of eating, even on just two meals a day. I eat when I get up and have no appetite for lunch. I eat again in the evening. I drink coffee with cream a couple of times a day. I do have small amounts of bread - I get LivLife loaves from Waitrose and my Asda has a protein bread, and they are both 4 gm of carbs a slice, so not at all bed and something I can cope with.
On this diet I have lost over 50lb since diagnosis, without even trying, and my waist is much smaller.
You don't need to cut back as severely as me, as I was a full blown diabetic, but the food choices should be along the same lines if you need to lose weight.
The advice on diet is just wrong - and deadly for some people.
An ordinary type two like me needs to avoid the high starch and sugar foods we are told are a healthy option - so no grains, potatoes or starchy veges, no smoothies, no high sugar fruit.
The safe foods are meat - with fat - seafood, eggs and cheese, full fat yoghurt with a few berries, and I add sugar free jelly to bulk it out a bit. I can eat salad stuff and low carb veges pretty freely and not see spikes after eating. I have never been hungry on this way of eating, even on just two meals a day. I eat when I get up and have no appetite for lunch. I eat again in the evening. I drink coffee with cream a couple of times a day. I do have small amounts of bread - I get LivLife loaves from Waitrose and my Asda has a protein bread, and they are both 4 gm of carbs a slice, so not at all bed and something I can cope with.
On this diet I have lost over 50lb since diagnosis, without even trying, and my waist is much smaller.
You don't need to cut back as severely as me, as I was a full blown diabetic, but the food choices should be along the same lines if you need to lose weight.
Hi and welcome, the others have said it all really, reducing carbs, limiting fruit is the way to go that worked for me taking me from a starting point of 22 😱 to a nice steady 5.5 
I didn’t think i would survive without my rice, pasta and bread, I do eat the LivLife bread when i need a quick lunch and actually enjoy it now. I dont miss the carbs at all, cant imagine having rice with my curry ever again!!
I didn’t think i would survive without my rice, pasta and bread, I do eat the LivLife bread when i need a quick lunch and actually enjoy it now. I dont miss the carbs at all, cant imagine having rice with my curry ever again!!So I got my second lot if blood results back today and despite cutting carbs to 100g a day usually less, cutting sugar to minimal, running when my breathing allows (ongoing issue they have no idea about) and losing half a stone results have gone up I dont know what else to do. Struggling with life in general and this isnt helping
Drummer
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
There is no need to go running, particularly if it puts stress on your body to do so. You might find that a couple of short walks a day is more beneficial.
Do you have a glucose meter?
If not there are ones which are cheap to run, I got my Tee 2 meter from Spirit Healthcare.
By testing two hours after starting a meal you can see how good your food choices were, and how it has affected you.
I could not manage 100gm of carb a day, at the moment I set my maximum at 40 gm per day, but I reached normal numbers on 50gm a day, just after diagnosis.
Do you have a glucose meter?
If not there are ones which are cheap to run, I got my Tee 2 meter from Spirit Healthcare.
By testing two hours after starting a meal you can see how good your food choices were, and how it has affected you.
I could not manage 100gm of carb a day, at the moment I set my maximum at 40 gm per day, but I reached normal numbers on 50gm a day, just after diagnosis.
Thanks Drummer I run anyway it's part if my life thats how this all turned up. I'm struggling with the low carbs seems all I eat is veg and protein 100g is low for me but struggling to do any exercise on this with the added breathing issues. It's all really getting me down
Drummer
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
You need to have fats in your diet - the normal fat which comes with meat or fish is what sustains your body in ketosis, burning off the fat but maintaining lean body mass, which you don't want to lose.
The foods I eat are so sustaining that I need to eat very little, I eat first thing and late, usually a salad for one meal and a stir fry with the other. I have mushrooms, green sweet pepper, bean sprouts, courgette or aubergine, sometimes the outer stems of celery, sliced up and fried in light olive oil. Salads are coleslaw, radish, walnuts, beetroot, celery, cucumber, red or yellow sweet pepper, bags of prepared salad - along with meat, fish, seafood, eggs or cheese. I have coffee with cream, and occasionally frozen fruit with cream and I make sugar free jellies with full fat Greek yoghurt mixed in and whisked when it has cooled almost to room temperature
I find it really makes me feel very well, mentally more alert and cheerful as well as keeping my blood glucose in the normal range.
rebrascora
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Hi
I agree with @Drummer.
Walking briskly is better for lowering BG than running anyway and if you are struggling with running then take a step back from it and try walking. Same with carbs. It takes a while to overcome your craving for them.... a few weeks or months even, but once you get past that you really don't crave them anymore and it is quite liberating not to want them. You do need to find an alternative source of energy when you eat low carb and fat is the obvious choice. It takes a leap of faith after a lifetime of being told fat is bad but the scientific tide is turning on that advice. Make sure you have plenty of low carb treats for when you feel the need to snack..... I use nuts and good quality cheese and olives and boiled eggs or veggie sticks with sour cream and chive dip and if I am feeling really naughty, a bag of pork scratchings. The odd square of dark 70% + chocolate is also helpful when you get the urge. It isn't moreish like milk chocolate, so one or two squares serve the purpose.
Have they checked your thyroid function. That may be part of the issue with weight increase but it may be linked to your diabetes and perhaps you have suddenly become insulin resistant. It may be that some medication like Metformin will help to activate the insulin your body is producing.
Being able to test before and 2 hours after food and before and after exercise will help you tailor your diet and exercise regime to your diabetes, so I would also encourage you to invest in a Blood Glucose Meter and test strips.
I agree with @Drummer.
Walking briskly is better for lowering BG than running anyway and if you are struggling with running then take a step back from it and try walking. Same with carbs. It takes a while to overcome your craving for them.... a few weeks or months even, but once you get past that you really don't crave them anymore and it is quite liberating not to want them. You do need to find an alternative source of energy when you eat low carb and fat is the obvious choice. It takes a leap of faith after a lifetime of being told fat is bad but the scientific tide is turning on that advice. Make sure you have plenty of low carb treats for when you feel the need to snack..... I use nuts and good quality cheese and olives and boiled eggs or veggie sticks with sour cream and chive dip and if I am feeling really naughty, a bag of pork scratchings. The odd square of dark 70% + chocolate is also helpful when you get the urge. It isn't moreish like milk chocolate, so one or two squares serve the purpose.
Have they checked your thyroid function. That may be part of the issue with weight increase but it may be linked to your diabetes and perhaps you have suddenly become insulin resistant. It may be that some medication like Metformin will help to activate the insulin your body is producing.
Being able to test before and 2 hours after food and before and after exercise will help you tailor your diet and exercise regime to your diabetes, so I would also encourage you to invest in a Blood Glucose Meter and test strips.
SueEK
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Hi Kay, is your GP investigating your breathlessness as a separate issue as I feel they should be. If this is not then I would encourage you to make a nuisance of yourself at the surgery to find out why you are breathless. The tiredness/exhaustion I can understand, I had this as a symptom myself but didn’t realise at the time it was down to the diabetes.
- Status