I know low carb might be the only way but I don't want to.

[Nayshiftin]

Hi I am really struggling no matter how low I think I am going my blood sugars are not really coming down anymore they have remained in the 7 to ten and although the highest has not gone back to over 15 (which is in the night) why it does that I do not know, I had one spike after exercise too which I was told lowered it. But I would love to get it to about 4-6 as that would be normal.
I know some of you eat 20g of carbs per day but I do not like meat and without any fruit/ bread, pasta, rice a lot of vegs. There is little left already. I do go between 40g and 80g but I do like veg and fruit. Even a pear or a carrot has carbs. I have been using courgettes and celeriac and cauliflower so I am trying hard. i do not have low-carb bread on a daily basis either and I do watch what I eat. To go low carb I don't know where to even start and cannot think what I would eat. Full fat yoghurt and nuts. I have already but that's a lot of calories. i do not like cream as it makes a mess in coffee. I would have to give up milk which is most of my daily carbs. Lunch would be easy as I can have coleslaw cheese and salad or crustless quiche frittata things but I get fed up Id not want it on a daily basis. For dinner, I have things like courgette, aubergine parmesan bake. Tonight it will be chicken curry for him and me the veg from it. I am not a meat fan. So even the peppers have carbs it's not easy. I am not on medication. Should I go back to Gp and go on meds that make me feel ill bloat and put on weight or what else can I try. I am moving as much as I can with my arthritis and drinking lots.

 

[Inka]

Hi @Nayshiftin I wonder if you’ve seen this thread:

https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/a-broad-church-low-carb-is-not-the-only-way.91369/

You don’t have to go very low carb. Yes, peppers have carbs in as does broccoli and the like, but the amount is tiny. Could you set yourself a moderate carb limit per day - ie not ultra-low? Do you have weight to lose that would help things? Have you explored other diets eg Joel Fuhrman has a diet that includes lots of veg, and Neal Barnard has a similar diet but with more carbs, I think.

 

[Leadinglights]

Hi I am really struggling no matter how low I think I am going my blood sugars are not really coming down anymore they have remained in the 7 to ten and although the highest has not gone back to over 15 (which is in the night) why it does that I do not know, I had one spike after exercise too which I was told lowered it. But I would love to get it to about 4-6 as that would be normal.
I know some of you eat 20g of carbs per day but I do not like meat and without any fruit/ bread, pasta, rice a lot of vegs. There is little left already. I do go between 40g and 80g but I do like veg and fruit. Even a pear or a carrot has carbs. I have been using courgettes and celeriac and cauliflower so I am trying hard. i do not have low-carb bread on a daily basis either and I do watch what I eat. To go low carb I don't know where to even start and cannot think what I would eat. Full fat yoghurt and nuts. I have already but that's a lot of calories. i do not like cream as it makes a mess in coffee. I would have to give up milk which is most of my daily carbs. Lunch would be easy as I can have coleslaw cheese and salad or crustless quiche frittata things but I get fed up Id not want it on a daily basis. For dinner, I have things like courgette, aubergine parmesan bake. Tonight it will be chicken curry for him and me the veg from it. I am not a meat fan. So even the peppers have carbs it's not easy. I am not on medication. Should I go back to Gp and go on meds that make me feel ill bloat and put on weight or what else can I try. I am moving as much as I can with my arthritis and drinking lots.

Maybe you are setting yourself an impossible challenge by expecting to get to between 4 and 6. my HbA1C is now down to 36mmol/mol but I am never lower than 5.5 mmol/l and that is before dinner when I have not eaten for 6 hours.
I am keeping to 60-70g carb per day.
Perhaps if you go back to keeping a strict food diary and recording your blood glucose before and 2 hours after your meals you could pin point any foods which are causing you to go higher.
You have made some good substitutions and your meals sound good if a bit lacking in variety which I suppose can become boring.
Look for some recipes which are low carb vegetarian and give some of those a try to see if they suit you.
If you want a pasta dish try edamame or blackbean pasta which is only 15g carb per 100g so a 25g portion which I find plenty would be only 4g carb so even when you add the sauce could be under 15g carb for your meal. Do you like halloumi as that can be grilled and had with stirfry veg for a low carb meal. Do you eat fish as that would be low carb, I have found one they call 'lightly dusted' so minimal crumb which are 15g ish carb per fillet.
It is certainly more difficult to get variety if you don't eat meat.

 

[Nayshiftin]

Hi @Nayshiftin I wonder if you’ve seen this thread:

https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/a-broad-church-low-carb-is-not-the-only-way.91369/

You don’t have to go very low carb. Yes, peppers have carbs in as does broccoli and the like, but the amount is tiny. Could you set yourself a moderate carb limit per day - ie not ultra-low? Do you have weight to lose that would help things? Have you explored other diets eg Joel Fuhrman has a diet that includes lots of veg, and Neal Barnard has a similar diet but with more carbs, I think.

I sincerely apologise please moderators take the post down. I was searching for help and not endorsing any diet . I love the forum and feel safe bc snd never ever meant to lead anyone wrong . I am very sorry. Thank you inks for leading me to the post but you could have asked mods to take it down . I am never ina way that I want to mislead or upset people. I’m just a confused idiot

 

[Nayshiftin]

Maybe you are setting yourself an impossible challenge by expecting to get to between 4 and 6. my HbA1C is now down to 36mmol/mol but I am never lower than 5.5 mmol/l and that is before dinner when I have not eaten for 6 hours.
I am keeping to 60-70g carb per day.
Perhaps if you go back to keeping a strict food diary and recording your blood glucose before and 2 hours after your meals you could pin point any foods which are causing you to go higher.
You have made some good substitutions and your meals sound good if a bit lacking in variety which I suppose can become boring.
Look for some recipes which are low carb vegetarian and give some of those a try to see if they suit you.
If you want a pasta dish try edamame or blackbean pasta which is only 15g carb per 100g so a 25g portion which I find plenty would be only 4g carb so even when you add the sauce could be under 15g carb for your meal. Do you like halloumi as that can be grilled and had with stirfry veg for a low carb meal. Do you eat fish as that would be low carb, I have found one they call 'lightly dusted' so minimal crumb which are 15g ish carb per fillet.
It is certainly more difficult to get variety if you don't eat meat.

I am trying to follow a diet and with my fitness pal I record all I eat . It’s in percent so I do okay and try snd keep things low. Just maybe have to be content . Thank you for your advice . It’s what I was looking for . I apologise if I am leading people the wrong way. Just read that ho lower it the carbs are low . I will plod on . I have lost over 10 kg so far but have many more to go. The marathon that the link on inks talked about is proving difficult . Thanks though you have giving me pointers

 

[Leadinglights]

I sincerely apologise please moderators take the post down. I was searching for help and not endorsing any diet . I love the forum and feel safe bc snd never ever meant to lead anyone wrong . I am very sorry. Thank you inks for leading me to the post but you could have asked mods to take it down . I am never ina way that I want to mislead or upset people. I’m just a confused idiot

Sorry but I see nothing wrong with your post.

 

[silentsquirrel]

I sincerely apologise please moderators take the post down. I was searching for help and not endorsing any diet . I love the forum and feel safe bc snd never ever meant to lead anyone wrong . I am very sorry. Thank you inks for leading me to the post but you could have asked mods to take it down . I am never ina way that I want to mislead or upset people. I’m just a confused idiot

I see absolutely nothing in your post that you should apologise for, nor anything that would mislead people or upset them.

Take small steps, think reduce rather than cut out, and find things you enjoy that work for you.

 

[Ljc]

I sincerely apologise please moderators take the post down. I was searching for help and not endorsing any diet . I love the forum and feel safe bc snd never ever meant to lead anyone wrong . I am very sorry. Thank you inks for leading me to the post but you could have asked mods to take it down . I am never ina way that I want to mislead or upset people. I’m just a confused idiot

I too see nothing wrong with the earlier post.
You do not need to apologise at all.

 

[rebrascora]

@Inka wasn't criticizing your post in any way, I am sure of that. I think she was just suggesting that if you are struggling with low carb, then try a different approach like those mentioned in that thread.
Your opening post is entirely justified and not a problem in any way so please don't concern yourself on that score.

I have had reservations from early on that you may not be a regular Type 2 diabetic (possible slow onset Type 1) because you do not seem to be responding to low carb eating and I think you have given it a good go. I think I would be pretty demoralized if I was you, so don't feel like you are failing. It would be worth you trying a different approach, even if that means eating more carbs or trying the fast 800 (Newcastle Diet) if you think you could manage it (Not sure I could).

Ultimately, it may be that you need medication if other approaches don't work. That is not a failure either although I know it felt like it for me when I was first started on insulin, but you eventually learn that your body needs help and sometimes diet alone is not enough.

 

[Ljc]

You are obviously trying very hard to control your diabetes . sometimes it’s like trying to hold onto a wriggly worm.
I agree you do not have to go ultra low carb that some ppl do, it is not fir everyone, when it was believed I had T2 , it wasn’t for me either .
You are doing your best and that is all you can do.

We all get spikes even non diabetics do, it’s just that their body can handle things , where ours us rather naff at it . When I get a spike I can if needed correct it by jabbing in a bit more insulin , those with T2 who are diet controlled with or without tablets or are on non insulin injections don’t have that option.

What I am trying to say is, cut yourself a little slack, I mean this in the nicest possible way.

 

[Ljc]

Just read @rebrascora post above , some folks no matter how hard they try (and you are trying hard) they just can’t do it without medication.
And if you do not have T2 but are a slow onset T1 (LADA) then gradually or not so gradually T2 diet and medications stop working.

 

[Inka]

I sincerely apologise please moderators take the post down. I was searching for help and not endorsing any diet . I love the forum and feel safe bc snd never ever meant to lead anyone wrong . I am very sorry. Thank you inks for leading me to the post but you could have asked mods to take it down . I am never ina way that I want to mislead or upset people. I’m just a confused idiot

Why would I ask mods to take your post down? I only linked to that thread to show you that low carb isn’t the only way and that you shouldn’t feel you have to follow a very low carb diet or that you’ve somehow failed if you don’t eat 20g per day or whatever.

I think you’ve read my post wrong. I was encouraging you to explore other diets and to choose a carb limit that suits you as an individual. Not every Type 2 eats very low carb and you shouldn’t feel that you have to. Simply that. X

 

[Inka]

Thank you @rebrascora for replying and you’re completely right. I was in no way criticising @Nayshiftin and would hate to think my post was taken that way.

 

[Nayshiftin]

Thank you @rebrascora for replying and you’re completely right. I was in no way criticising @Nayshiftin and would hate to think my post was taken that way.

I'm sorry Inka It's a very bad day for me here. I read the link everydayupsanddown moderator had in your link and the first thing I read was the gentle reminder. I thought you were saying that I was wrong and well I am in a mess today so forgive me. I probably read the moderator wrong too. I am going to speak to the Gp or nurse when I can to get an appointment to see if I can get help. Reading above whatever type of diabetes anyone has it is their struggle. Not sure I'd not worry about counting carbs and taking insulin and all sorts. I am really grateful you are there as I feel very alone with this without having the forum, I get enough somedays to get me through. I am glad you set me straight Inka as I was so upset as forums can be black and white and not taken as they are meant and I truly do not like drama. Tomorrow is another day.

 

[Inka]

Be kind to yourself @Nayshiftin Diabetes is hard and we can only do our best. We also have to cope with everything else in life too. I’ve had Type 1 almost 30 years and it’s still a pain, and it can get me down some days too. When I find myself thinking negative thoughts, I try to think positive things - that I’m doing ok. I also remember that I’m not alone. There are many, many people here who understand.

Sending you my best wishes and my support. X

 

[Nayshiftin]

Be kind to yourself @Nayshiftin Diabetes is hard and we can only do our best. We also have to cope with everything else in life too. I’ve had Type 1 almost 30 years and it’s still a pain, and it can get me down some days too. When I find myself thinking negative thoughts, I try to think positive things - that I’m doing ok. I also remember that I’m not alone. There are many, many people here who understand.

Sending you my best wishes and my support. X

Many Thanks for your understanding

 

[Sally W]

@Nayshiftin please don’t beat yourself up. I tried very low carb & found I was eating food I didn’t enjoy. What I’ve done now is read Tim Spector & Michael Mosley approach to eating a rainbow of colours with probiotic & prebiotic foods. I have reversed my diabetes now and actually enjoy what I eat. Books are available at the library. There is mostly reduction on highly processed foods such as bread, pasta etc but there are ways of cooking and certain varieties that are less starchy. I’d like to add that just because it reversed my levels to normal we’re all different so whatever you try I’d recommend testing levels to see how certain foods affect you. Good luck on your journey

 

[Nayshiftin]

Thank you, I'll look them out and see what to try next. Was out with my Nordic walking man who also put me through exercises and came back and it was 16 again. I know what I had for lunch did not affect it the other day so know that exercise makes it higher. It's down to 9 again very quickly but I have felt cranky all day. If it's at 6 I seem to feel better pain wise too. I shall look into Tim and Michael's books thanks.

 

[pm133]

@Nayshiftin, I'm afraid I have a terrible memory for things. Are you taking medication for your diabetes? If so, low carb absolutely isn't necessary so that's good news.
If you are attempting to do this without medication then that might be more difficult.

 

[Leadinglights]

@Nayshiftin, I'm afraid I have a terrible memory for things. Are you taking medication for your diabetes? If so, low carb absolutely isn't necessary so that's good news.
If you are attempting to do this without medication then that might be more difficult.

I think @Nayshiftin is wanting to do this without medication and does seem to have been really trying to make adjustments to her diet but is still experiencing high levels and is understandably getting disheartened.