Need to know the basics

[bala]

About a year ago I had a blood test which came back with a reading of 48 (on some unknown scale) and was told that I was just diabetes 2. Recently I have been dropping off very easily and become overweight (15 stone @ 81 years) so have had a second blood test which came back with a reading of 73.
I haven't really done anything since being diagnosed so need to start and learn what to do.
Some advice please - I need to cut back on Sugar and carbohydrates are there any tables that I can refer to?

Advice welcome - thank you

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Hello @bala

Welcome to the forum 🙂

Sorry to hear about your diagnosis. The 48 you refer to is a blood check called the HbA1c it is measured in mmol/mol. It measures how much glucose in the bloodstream has stuck to your red blood cells. The higher your blood glucose values, the more cells become ‘glycated’ and the more the consistency and behaviour of your blood changes (potentially affecting fine blood vessels, like those in the eyes, over time). Red blood cells last 120 days, so the HbA1c gives you an idea of blood glucose values over the last 3-4 months. If you can get your HbA1c back down below 48mmol/mol with no medication your diabetes will be classed as in ‘remission’.

For some basic info, the ‘useful links’ thread is a mine of helpful information - useful-links-for-people-new-to-diabetes

Members her frequently recommend Maggie Davey’s Letter and Gretchen Becker’s book, as very helpful starting points.

One of the biggest questions is often ‘what can I eat’ and while there are obvious things like cakes, biscuits, sweets and sugary drinks that you will be wanting to cut out straight away, you might be surprised how much *all* carbohydrate affects your BG levels, including rice, pasta, bread, pastry, grains, cereals and many fruits. The really tricky thing is that blood glucose responses to food are highly individual, and it can be impossible to say which forms and amounts of carbohydrate will ‘spike’ your BG without checking for yourself. But the good news is that it is possible to check this for yourself and tailor your own ideal way of eating that suits you and your BG levels. You can use a BG meter, checking before and after meals, and checking what the differences are. Then identify any foods that seem to be causing you difficulties and try varying or reducing them (sometimes just having things at a different time of day makes a difference)

If you are interested in using a BG meter to find out how different foods affect you, you may find test-review-adjust by Alan S helpful.

One of the most affordable meters members here have found is from SD, and has been recently updated to the SD Gluco Navii which has test strips at around £8 for 50

Good luck, and keep asking questions!

 

[Drummer]

It might help you understand labels etc. to know that carbohydrates are sugars and starches, they are not separate groups. Carbohydrate is digested to become simple sugars in the bloodstream, glucose and fructose mostly.
The things to target to either reduce or replace are the dense sugary foods, usually baked things and tropical fruits, and also things made from grains, plus starchy vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, parsnips and some people find peas and beans a problem.
What we can eat are meat, fish, eggs, cheese, full fat yoghurt, cream and the like - our ability to deal with protein and fats isn't broken, and I have found that I feel so much better avoiding all the stuff considered healthy - I have sausages and mushrooms lined up for breakfast tomorrow.

 

[bala]

Thank you guys for your response.
Reading comments a lot mention using a test meter. My health centre only issue them to certain Diabetes 1
Do I need one? Where can I buy one? what make and model should I look for?
Lots of questions, sorry
What readings will it show, what are good and what are bad? Lastly what are Spikes?

 

[trophywench]

I'll let someone else give you the link to a cheapish meter to run.

Normal BG is between 4ish to 7ish. If your reading was 4 before you started to eat and then over 10, 2 hours later, that's a spike. If it was 7 before eating and 10, 2 hours later that isn't a spike because whatever you ate only increased the original reading by 3.

 

[Kaylz]

Thank you guys for your response.
Reading comments a lot mention using a test meter. My health centre only issue them to certain Diabetes 1
Do I need one? Where can I buy one? what make and model should I look for?
Lots of questions, sorry
What readings will it show, what are good and what are bad? Lastly what are Spikes?

The cheapest meter to self fund is the SD Codefree and available online, I think the strips are under £10 for 50 whereas most other meters strips are far more expensive, I would suggest the use of one until you establish what type of diet you as an individual can manage while maintaining good control and not seeing spikes otherwise there's no way of knowing what foods you could regard as "safe" xx

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

The SD Codefree Meter, has been with a new model from the same company called the Navii @bala

SD Gluco Navii which has test strips at around £8 for 50.

Spikes are rapid increases in blood glucose values, especially where they rapidly increase and then decrease again, resembling a pointy spike in the BG graph.