I've just been diagnosed. I am a bit scared (Type 2)

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lynsababe

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Type 2
I am a bit scared, I don't really know what I can and cannot eat as yet... my nurse said we have to go through a list of 21 things, and we only got through 2 at our first meeting, and because I work full time, I am not seeing her again until the end of the month. She told me that I need to work it out for myself, as this is for life, and not just a quick fix diet. I have been looking on the World Wide Web, and there is lots of stuff, but not the sort of ansers I want. Nursey told me to go shopping and look at the labels - I thought I had a healthy balanced diet before but I ate lots of fruit, nursey says try to limit this to 3 pieces each day........ and yoghurts which I thought were the biz - it seems are not. I haven't got one of those monitor things yet, either. Nursey has promised to give me one and show me how to use it next time we meet. I don't like salads (my friends call me a salad dodger). Help me.....:confused::confused::confused:😉
 
Hi, I moved your post to its own thread so it wouldn't get overlooked. As I mentioned in my earlier reply, Low GI food (or Low GL) is what you want to look out for. This is food types and combinations that will digest slowly and evenly so that your blood sugar levels remain more of a gentle curve than a big spike. There is a lot to take in at first, but don't panic! Go for low sugar, low fat and low salt food to begin with. When you get your meter you will be able to experiment and determine what food you can happily tolerate and what is an absolute no-no.

Try to avoid anything overly processed. The occasional biscuit is fine, but try to eat it when you have a meal. We all need a treat from time to time! Don't worry that you're going to end up eating salad all the time - I hate the stuff too, except for once in a while!:D I eat yoghurts too - low sugar is better than low fat, as they replace the fat with even more sugar and it is the sugar that you want to avoid.
 
Hi lynsababe and welcome to the forum

I was diagnosed last month and I agree it is a total nightmare how you are just left to it. I see on another thread northerner mentioned the type2 diabetes book by gretchen becker, it is really good! I was told not to test myself and so no chance of having a monitor or strips so I bought my own. A few weeks in and I seem to be making good progress and I am sure you will too. I was told to eat nothing with more than 5g of sugar per 100g and the same for fat and so far so good - it works! :D It is hard work, planning meals, cooking from scratch but if this is what it takes it will be worth it. It's been four weeks now, so this weekend I have allowed myself a couple of treats and levels have stayed
stable.

You will get plenty of advice from this forum so don't feel you are alone.
 
Hi welcome to the forum xxx have a good look around you'll finds lots of hints in the recepie section xxx good luck
 
Hello there,

Firstly, don't panic and don't worry (I know that's easy to say!).

Next, if you can afford it, don't wait, go get a blood glucose meter for yourself and start testing and then have a read of this forum, there is plenty of advice about when and how to test - but if in doubt just ask - it isn't difficult or painful. The meters themselves are not too expensive, but the test strips can be (mine are ?25 for a pack of 50). I use a Bayer Contour and that is really easy to use.

Finally, get yourself on to an X-pert course. It is run by the NHS and usually consists of an afternoon for 6 weeks. It'll really give you a good grounding about what diabetes is and how you can control it. It'll also give you the chance to ask all the questions you need to ask!

Good luck,

Andy
 
Andy HB said:
Finally, get yourself on to an X-pert course. It is run by the NHS and usually consists of an afternoon for 6 weeks. It'll really give you a good grounding about what diabetes is and how you can control it. It'll also give you the chance to ask all the questions you need to ask!
Click to expand...

Might have been nice if my diabetic doctor/nurse had told me about these courses 3 years ago...
 
Hi🙂

Like the others have said, don't panic! The advice about looking and the sugar content on products is sound - I do this myself and am often shocked at how much sugar is in so called "healthy" foods- including "diet" cereals (Weetabix and shredded wheat are the best to have). Make sure you look for the 5g per 100g bit and don't go by the amount per portion. My nurse did say that Muller Lite yoghurts were a safeish bet - unfortunately they pack sugar in low fat diet products to enhance the flavour. You can get sugar free jelly - Hartleys do handy sachets of powder which is a breeze to make up - chuck in a few blueberries or something and you can have a low sugar emergency sweet treat in the fridge! I get 3 portions from one sachet (they come in twos, so almost a week's serving there) and they have saved me from the sweet munchies on many occasion! Do beware though - most sugar free products have artificial sweeteners which can give you the runs if eaten in excess.

If you can, switch to wholemeal breads and rice etc - they digest much more slowly and are healthier all round.

Re the testing - if you are on medication, you should get all medication and the testing strips and lancets free- the latter can be a sore point (no pun intended!) with some surgeries but do ask about this.
 
thedame said:
... If you can, switch to wholemeal breads and rice etc - they digest much more slowly and are healthier all round.
...
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Seeded bread is even better than wholemeal, and basmati rice is even better than brown rice🙂 Every little helps! There is so much more flavour in seeded and granary breads - never understood the popularity of white bread!
 
Welcome tot he forums. The whole thing is scary at first, but with practice and patience things become easier. Have a good look round the boards and see what is on offer.

Please feel free to ask as many questions as you like, someone is sure to have a suggestion or two for you. We are all individuals, so different things work for all of us, but it is always worth trying.

We are all about help and support and we all have different startegies for coping. Good luck. I know it is easier said than done, but try not to worry about things too much.
 
Could you contact the surgery and see if the nurse will give you some handouts on the things she hasn't covered with you ? Or if she could point you in the direction of a web-site that she knows will give you solid information on these items. There is so much contradictory information out there and it can get really confusing.
 
rice

Northerner said:
Seeded bread is even better than wholemeal, and basmati rice is even better than brown rice🙂 Every little helps! There is so much more flavour in seeded and granary breads - never understood the popularity of white bread!
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Hi Northener,

I notice you mention basmati rice is better than brown would this be white?


Many thanks
Avril
 
Basmati is white in colour - but its not the standard white in the shops. Most supermarkets stock it though. Standard white rice should be avoided if you can.
 
rice

I have the brown basmati rice but I prefer the white basmati is the white ok to have
in moderation?


Thanks,
Avril
 
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