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diagnosed end of march and a must say totally overwhelmed at the lack of info from doc and practice nurse, eat a healthy diet take the tablets and see you later .
so main problem is need to lose weight, so bought lots of different diabetes books to get ideas for snacks for lunches ect as a work shifts , and to be totally honest a would not actually like most of them . so what to do that is the question
Hi @madhat and welcome to the forum.
Personally I would concentrate on reducing your Blood Glucose readings, raher than just weight. To do that you need to reduce your consumption of carbohydrates.
Hi @madh and welcome to the forum! I'm sorry to hear about your experience during your diagnosis. Please feel free to ask as many questions as you like on here as I'm sure someone will provide a sensible answer.
What medication have you been put on for T2? Do you have a blood glucose meter?
Hi @madh and welcome to the forum! I'm sorry to hear about your experience during your diagnosis. Please feel free to ask as many questions as you like on here as I'm sure someone will provide a sensible answer.
What medication have you been put on for T2? Do you have a blood glucose meter?
Metaformin sorry a forget the actul name starts with a g , and a was told they didn't provide moniters, so I bought one and doc told me to put it in a drawer and to forget about that , am trying my best , but finding it hard to cut carbs altogether, also a would have a smoothie for breakfast with Greek yogurt and fruit, but if you blend fruit does that increase the sugar level ?
Hi @madhat and welcome to the forum.
Personally I would concentrate on reducing your Blood Glucose readings, raher than just weight. To do that you need to reduce your consumption of carbohydrates.
Metaformin sorry a forget the actul name starts with a g , and a was told they didn't provide moniters, so I bought one and doc told me to put it in a drawer and to forget about that , am trying my best , but finding it hard to cut carbs altogether, also a would have a smoothie for breakfast with Greek yogurt and fruit, but if you blend fruit does that increase the sugar level ?
If you blend anything then the carbs in it will be turned into glucose faster than if you hadn't blended it.
The only fruit that is pretty much guaranteed to be OK for Type 2's are berries (Strawberry, Raspsberry, Blackberry or BlueBerry - though some blueberries are pretty sweet).
A handful of any or those accompanied by greek yogurt makes a good breakfast or a desert. Though the best breakfasts are things like eggs (boiled, fried, poached or scrambled but no toast).
Did you buy a blood glucose (finger prick) meter, or was it a (much more expensive) Continuous Glucose monitor?
If you have a BG meter then the best use of it is to test before a meal and then 2hrs after (first bite) in order to see how that meal suited your body. Aim for a rise of 2.0 mmol or less also aim for a maximum reading of 8.0 mmol or less if you can. Keep a food and Blood Glucose diary and do that testing for a few weeks and you will know exactly how most of the food you eat affects you and will be able to adjust portions or cut out those that give you too high a BG spike.
Doctors in the UK are very much against BG meters purely because they don't want to provide the Test Strips for them on prescription. But to try to control diabetes without using one (at least in the first months) would be like driving but only looking at your speedometer once a week!
Metaformin sorry a forget the actul name starts with a g , and a was told they didn't provide moniters, so I bought one and doc told me to put it in a drawer and to forget about that , am trying my best , but finding it hard to cut carbs altogether, also a would have a smoothie for breakfast with Greek yogurt and fruit, but if you blend fruit does that increase the sugar level ?
Metaformin sorry a forget the actul name starts with a g , and a was told they didn't provide moniters, so I bought one and doc told me to put it in a drawer and to forget about that , am trying my best , but finding it hard to cut carbs altogether, also a would have a smoothie for breakfast with Greek yogurt and fruit, but if you blend fruit does that increase the sugar level ?
So your GP expects you to control your blood glucose without the benefit of any information on what your levels are and what foods you can eat without spiking.
That is like driving around without looking at the speedometer and relying on the parking fines coming through the letterbox to inform you of how good you are at judging the speed of the vehicle.
It is certainly not necessary to cut carbs entirely, just check after meals to see how you react to various foods once you have lowered blood glucose levels to around normal by eliminating the obvious high carb foods, then check particular foods one by one to see if they are going to be OK.
I found that I get spikes from legumes, beans and peas, far higher than expected from their listed value. Others eat them no problem. It is whey there is a need to check.
So your GP expects you to control your blood glucose without the benefit of any information on what your levels are and what foods you can eat without spiking.
That is like driving around without looking at the speedometer and relying on the parking fines coming through the letterbox to inform you of how good you are at judging the speed of the vehicle.
It is certainly not necessary to cut carbs entirely, just check after meals to see how you react to various foods once you have lowered blood glucose levels to around normal by eliminating the obvious high carb foods, then check particular foods one by one to see if they are going to be OK.
I found that I get spikes from legumes, beans and peas, far higher than expected from their listed value. Others eat them no problem. It is whey there is a need to check.
If you blend anything then the carbs in it will be turned into glucose faster than if you hadn't blended it.
The only fruit that is pretty much guaranteed to be OK for Type 2's are berries (Strawberry, Raspsberry, Blackberry or BlueBerry - though some blueberries are pretty sweet).
A handful of any or those accompanied by greek yogurt makes a good breakfast or a desert. Though the best breakfasts are things like eggs (boiled, fried, poached or scrambled but no toast).
Did you buy a blood glucose (finger prick) meter, or was it a (much more expensive) Continuous Glucose monitor?
If you have a BG meter then the best use of it is to test before a meal and then 2hrs after (first bite) in order to see how that meal suited your body. Aim for a rise of 2.0 mmol or less also aim for a maximum reading of 8.0 mmol or less if you can. Keep a food and Blood Glucose diary and do that testing for a few weeks and you will know exactly how most of the food you eat affects you and will be able to adjust portions or cut out those that give you too high a BG spike.
Doctors in the UK are very much against BG meters purely because they don't want to provide the Test Strips for them on prescription. But to try to control diabetes without using one (at least in the first months) would be like driving but only looking at your speedometer once a week!
I have been using berries in my smoothie with plain Greek yogurt. I bought the one were you prick your finger , my freind got one from her nurse and is provided with the strips, but she stays in the boarders so it must just be were your situated and what health board your under, but surely it's better to monitor and manage the blood glucose in the long run to prevent complications I will do as you suggested and keep a log . Thanks
I think many newly diagnosed diabetics are underwhelmed and confused by the information provided to them by GP's and support staff - dieticians, nurses. And I too have some of those cookbooks, which horrify me with the amount of carbs some of the recipes contain. I try and stick to what I have learned through this website's Learning Zone, and my home blood glucose monitoring. I plan the day in advance, make sure I weigh my portions - no guessing, and I get in 180 minutes of exercise a week in the swimming pool. I also aim for around 90gm carbs only per day. DUK suggests under 130gm, others go much lower than me. We are all different and it's what suits you best.
As for meals I'm pretty boring. Boiled or poached egg with grilled mushrooms and tomatoes, or 80 gm berries with Greek yogurt for breakfast. Lunch is a salad with a portion of protein like tuna, chicken, salmon, mackerel, egg, prawns, cottage cheese and a low fat dressing like lemon/pepper- no made up salads laden with oils or mayonnaise. In winter I make my own vegetable soups without potato, and thicken with beans like haricot or butterbeans. Dinner is 3/4 plate of vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage, spring greens, broccoli, kale, spinach, green beans, squash, swede and carrot, plus a portion of protein.
So as a working person, I suggest you invest in one of those thermos containers suitable for soups, and a chiller container suitable for salads. I try to do without snacks, but others may have some suggestions.
I think many newly diagnosed diabetics are underwhelmed and confused by the information provided to them by GP's and support staff - dieticians, nurses. And I too have some of those cookbooks, which horrify me with the amount of carbs some of the recipes contain. I try and stick to what I have learned through this website's Learning Zone, and my home blood glucose monitoring. I plan the day in advance, make sure I weigh my portions - no guessing, and I get in 180 minutes of exercise a week in the swimming pool. I also aim for around 90gm carbs only per day. DUK suggests under 130gm, others go much lower than me. We are all different and it's what suits you best.
As for meals I'm pretty boring. Boiled or poached egg with grilled mushrooms and tomatoes, or 80 gm berries with Greek yogurt for breakfast. Lunch is a salad with a portion of protein like tuna, chicken, salmon, mackerel, egg, prawns, cottage cheese and a low fat dressing like lemon/pepper- no made up salads laden with oils or mayonnaise. In winter I make my own vegetable soups without potato, and thicken with beans like haricot or butterbeans. Dinner is 3/4 plate of vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage, spring greens, broccoli, kale, spinach, green beans, squash, swede and carrot, plus a portion of protein.
So as a working person, I suggest you invest in one of those thermos containers suitable for soups, and a chiller container suitable for salads. I try to do without snacks, but others may have some suggestions.
I have been through the learning zone , and have been trying to cut down carbs , but when you look at individual things your eating and count the carbs in each a find it difficult , I have been trying to keep it to 90 gr split through 3 meals
I think many newly diagnosed diabetics are underwhelmed and confused by the information provided to them by GP's and support staff - dieticians, nurses. And I too have some of those cookbooks, which horrify me with the amount of carbs some of the recipes contain. I try and stick to what I have learned through this website's Learning Zone, and my home blood glucose monitoring. I plan the day in advance, make sure I weigh my portions - no guessing, and I get in 180 minutes of exercise a week in the swimming pool. I also aim for around 90gm carbs only per day. DUK suggests under 130gm, others go much lower than me. We are all different and it's what suits you best.
As for meals I'm pretty boring. Boiled or poached egg with grilled mushrooms and tomatoes, or 80 gm berries with Greek yogurt for breakfast. Lunch is a salad with a portion of protein like tuna, chicken, salmon, mackerel, egg, prawns, cottage cheese and a low fat dressing like lemon/pepper- no made up salads laden with oils or mayonnaise. In winter I make my own vegetable soups without potato, and thicken with beans like haricot or butterbeans. Dinner is 3/4 plate of vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage, spring greens, broccoli, kale, spinach, green beans, squash, swede and carrot, plus a portion of protein.
So as a working person, I suggest you invest in one of those thermos containers suitable for soups, and a chiller container suitable for salads. I try to do without snacks, but others may have some suggestions.
I have coolers and flasks ECT, and have microwave in work , I,m used to preparing lunches/dinners for work . Just overwhelmed 're the carb as am used to and like pasta, porridge, bread ECT. Think my best bet is to get my monitor out and kind of start again so to speak checking everything I eat , and I,m working my way through the resources DUK have .
Cheese and nuts are a good low carb snack if you get hungry between meals and handy to have as emergency rations when you are at work. Bread is my biggest spiker and bread is sadly the obvious go-to at work because sandwiches are so easy to grab and eat, so I've had to seriously adjust my lunches when I'm in the office (soup, salads and cheese).
I agree that keeping a food diary is a massive help. I kept one for the best part of a year and no longer test regularly unless I'm eating something new.
Cheese and nuts are a good low carb snack if you get hungry between meals and handy to have as emergency rations when you are at work. Bread is my biggest spiker and bread is sadly the obvious go-to at work because sandwiches are so easy to grab and eat, so I've had to seriously adjust my lunches when I'm in the office (soup, salads and cheese).
I agree that keeping a food diary is a massive help. I kept one for the best part of a year and no longer test regularly unless I'm eating something new.
Thanks I have got almonds , cashew nuts and hazelnuts that I take to work I usually put about 5 grapes in as well and measure the nuts . But I hav'nt had cheese which I love lol so can add that , I know it's a matchbox size bit
Thanks I have got almonds , cashew nuts and hazelnuts that I take to work I usually put about 5 grapes in as well and measure the nuts . But I hav'nt had cheese which I love lol so can add that , I know it's a matchbox size bit
Sorry, but cashews (apart from not really being a nut) are fairy high carb compared to most. Brazil and Macadamia are the lowest carb. followed by Walnuts. I do eat some almonds in my mix of nuts, but have to limit them because out of the different nuts I eat they are the highest carbs.
Hard cheeses make goo low carb snacks (unless you are also trying to cut calories too). I try very hard to avoid snacks as much as possible because almost any snack will produce at lease a small insulin response due to slightly raised BG and insulin works against you if you want to 'burn body fat'.
I consider that grapes are 'sugar bombs'. The only form I now consume them in is red wine!
Sorry, but cashews (apart from not really being a nut) are fairy high carb compared to most. Brazil and Macadamia are the lowest carb. followed by Walnuts. I do eat some almonds in my mix of nuts, but have to limit them because out of the different nuts I eat they are the highest carbs.
Hard cheeses make goo low carb snacks (unless you are also trying to cut calories too). I try very hard to avoid snacks as much as possible because almost any snack will produce at lease a small insulin response due to slightly raised BG and insulin works against you if you want to 'burn body fat'.
I consider that grapes are 'sugar bombs'. The only form I now consume them in is red wine!
Cashew nuts are relativity high in carbs but I like them and only have a handful once a week, I,m still trying different things and will get my monitor out the drawer and start over , I thought grapes were low on the glycimic index and didn't raise blood sugar, but am finding what works for one person dosnt work for another , so I will be keeping a log of food and if it spikes my glucose ditch it
Cashew nuts are relativity high in carbs but I like them and only have a handful once a week, I,m still trying different things and will get my monitor out the drawer and start over , I thought grapes were low on the glycimic index and didn't raise blood sugar, but am finding what works for one person dosnt work for another , so I will be keeping a log of food and if it spikes my glucose ditch it
Walnuts are true nuts, the only common 'nuts' I know of that are not truly a nut are peanuts (aka groundnuts) and cashews. Of course there are lots of 'vegetables' or items used as vegetables which are actually fruit e.g. tomato, cucumber, courgette, marrow and also vegetables which are used as fruit e.g. rhubarb.
So just concentrate on the carb content!
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