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New to forum...I have a question

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This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
Have to say, I cannot shake the feeling that I am on a slippery slope. I try cooking my own food so I don't get hidden sugars. I never touch cake or biscuits or sweets (except sugar free ones - sweets I mean) and yet my readings are mostly 8's and 9s to as much as 14.1 (just before bed). I have always had fruit in the evenings so now I have discovered that's bad, it's one more thing I'll have to give up. I don't drink alcohol, always have black unsweetened coffee or watery reduced sugar squash. My retinopathy was not good, my weight is high but mostly stable now...and I have lost some of that sparkle people always say is so wonderful. If I had to nail it down to one cause, I'd say I feel like I have no control over anything any more. My body just seems to have succumbed to diabetes without my consent....does any of this make sense? I am a writer but frankly, I don't feel very creative at all any more (I am half way through my 3rd novel and keep wondering if I'll ever finish it). Sorry to be such a drag....just having a bad time of it right now.
 
I get it Theresa. I am sorry you're feeling this way.
 
Don't despair Theresa. If you want fruit in the evenings why not have a handful of raspberries with a dollop of double cream? very satisfying, or a fun size apple with a small slice of cheese?
How is the testing going? Are you finding out which food spikes your levels and which your body is OK with? I admit, I don't test as often as I should, I just don't seem to get round to it. So I just cut carbs as much as I can. That is carbs of all varieties, shapes and colours. Luckily we have lots of other options and alternatives. Have a good look in the food and carbs section. I have brought my bg levels down to a pre-diabetic level and my cholestorol levels are excellent too just by cutting carbs and eating good fats. If I can do it anyone can! I am no angel and I do have occasional slips, but in the main I love this new WOE.
If you need any help or advice just shout out. 🙂
 
I find it quite astonishing how little people are told about diabetes - and it is simply that we cannot cope with carbohydrates.
Sugars and starches are digested and elevate the blood glucose, so eating a low carb diet with little sugar will restore normality for the really lucky ones like me.
Fruit - even a small apple, is full of sugar, a small amount of berries with cream is what I can tolerate, but I don't eat them every day, but I do eat loads of salad and low carb veges, and all the meat and fish and eggs I want.
Humans can live off protein and fat - they are essential parts of our diet, and most people can tolerate some carbs - but eating heavy starchy processed foods is not going to end well.
 
Hi,

What can the public do to pressure the food companies to put as much effort into providing sugar free/reduced sugar products, as they do for gluten, fat & milk free products.

Tesco appear to only have 2no products (out of 44,000!) that are produced for diabetics.

What is Diabetes UK's approach to this issue please?

Kind regards

Steve Tongue
 
I believe that it is not a legal labelling format - but anything which is 'just' meat or fish, boxes of eggs, just about any cheese, all the salad stuff, cream, quite a few veges, are all under my self imposed threshold of 10 percent carbs - but you need to know that avoiding high carb is the way to go for most people.
I ate low carb for decades for controlling weight and feeling well, and it controls my diabetes too.
 
stephen tongue said:
Tesco appear to only have 2no products (out of 44,000!) that are produced for diabetics.
Click to expand...
Drummer is right, companies are not allowed to describe things as 'suitable for diabetics' any more, because it was felt that it just led to inflated prices for goods that weren't actually any better than making your own choices.
 
Theresa Dawn said:
Have to say, I cannot shake the feeling that I am on a slippery slope. I try cooking my own food so I don't get hidden sugars. I never touch cake or biscuits or sweets (except sugar free ones - sweets I mean) and yet my readings are mostly 8's and 9s to as much as 14.1 (just before bed). I have always had fruit in the evenings so now I have discovered that's bad, it's one more thing I'll have to give up. I don't drink alcohol, always have black unsweetened coffee or watery reduced sugar squash. My retinopathy was not good, my weight is high but mostly stable now...and I have lost some of that sparkle people always say is so wonderful. If I had to nail it down to one cause, I'd say I feel like I have no control over anything any more. My body just seems to have succumbed to diabetes without my consent....does any of this make sense? I am a writer but frankly, I don't feel very creative at all any more (I am half way through my 3rd novel and keep wondering if I'll ever finish it). Sorry to be such a drag....just having a bad time of it right now.
Click to expand...
I totally get it Theresa...I have been having that terrible feeling for a few months and am fighting everyday to shake it and gain control again---testing testing testing....hate the sense that my body is doing whatever it likes but am staying positive (well mostly) ....keep at it 😎
 
Thanks for the good vibes...is there a definitive list of low-carb foods or do I need to go in search? I found a couple of lists that were not very extensive in other sites and a suggested 2 week menu which does not appeal at all to me so I'd rather make my own menus using a reliable source of low-carb foods. I am quite "into" using my brand new pro-king pressure cooker for main meals at the moment but I am sure the novelty will wear off eventually and I am not really broadening my knowledge if I am honest, just sticking to a few safe things like chicken/veg casserole or beef and veg stew. I have breakfast out with hubby every day...could be porridge or eggs and bacon or scrambled eggs on toast. Lunch is a problem meal for me as I'd rather go without but my diabetic nurse said I can't now I am on this med.... I am rebelling today by not testing but I'll do it before and after dinner tonight....as I say, I am not really handling this very well lately. Before I started on meds, I was doing great and even when I was on metformin for the first year, I was ok....now I just feel like I've lost the plot. I had my 66th birthday a couple weeks ago but I've never cared much about getting older....suddenly it feels like 166.
 
Put simply, if it comes pre-packaged it is probably not low carb. As Drummer says
"anything which is 'just' meat or fish, boxes of eggs, just about any cheese, all the salad stuff, cream, quite a few veges," = low carb.
 
The other thing to think about is portion sizes with carbs. I eat porridge for my breakfast with very little rise in blood sugars as long as I stick to the 30g portion size, I tried 40g one day and my rise was 4, this also happens with other carbs, but some people find they can't tolerate things like porridge or rice at all, I can't eat pasta as even the smallest amount makes my sugars rise massively. I also eat carrots and parsnips which are higher carb veges with no issues, but what works for one person doesn't work for everyone. I hope you find what works for you.
 
Grannylorraine said:
The other thing to think about is portion sizes with carbs. I eat porridge for my breakfast with very little rise in blood sugars as long as I stick to the 30g portion size, I tried 40g one day and my rise was 4, this also happens with other carbs, but some people find they can't tolerate things like porridge or rice at all, I can't eat pasta as even the smallest amount makes my sugars rise massively. I also eat carrots and parsnips which are higher carb veges with no issues, but what works for one person doesn't work for everyone. I hope you find what works for you.
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I'm the same as you, @Grannylorraine. I stick to 30g of porridge & i'm fine. 40g spikes me. I bulk it out with some mixed nuts & seeds.
 
These tips are not wasted, believe me. I am making notes and will learn from them. I've already decided to ditch crisps and other such snacks altogether. I made a much smaller portion of dinner today and shall continue that way. I did make a mistake I shall not repeat. I had a tiny tin of fruit cocktail with cream and had a horrible flush for half an hour after it...then had to go to bed for a nap for a couple hours..I really am on a learning curve so thanks for all the help !!!
 
Theresa Dawn said:
These tips are not wasted, believe me. I am making notes and will learn from them. I've already decided to ditch crisps and other such snacks altogether. I made a much smaller portion of dinner today and shall continue that way. I did make a mistake I shall not repeat. I had a tiny tin of fruit cocktail with cream and had a horrible flush for half an hour after it...then had to go to bed for a nap for a couple hours..I really am on a learning curve so thanks for all the help !!!
Click to expand...
Tin of fruit cocktail!😱
 
I was a bit shocked that you are eating porridge and bread and fruit when your blood glucose levels are rising - and pot noodle!! Crisps too?
Your body can't cope with carbohydrates - you really do need to take it seriously.
 
Hi @Theresa Dawn Their is a book called Carbs and Cals which many here find useful. It contains lots of pictures of meals to give an idea 9f portion sizes and other info , as far as I am aware it comes as a book, a handbag sized book and an app for phones.

Personally I just check the carbohydrate content on food labels ,I don’t bother looking at sugar content as in the uk it’s already included in the carb content.

Is it because of Metformin you were told you must eat lunch or your other meds/conditions
If it’s only because of Metformin, so long as you take the with or soon after a meal you can miss out lunch safely. When I was on them I missed out lunch from time to time.

I don’t know if you have found the What did you eat yesterday thread, but seeing what we eat may give you some ideas
https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/what-did-you-eat-yesterday.30349/page-236#post-803575

We also have some great cooks on here who come up with some good low carbohydrate meals and treats , it’s in the recipe thread over in the food carb queries thread
https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/forums/recipes.21/

Once you start lowering your carbohydrate intake you will start to see lots of improvement in your blood glucose, the trouble is those fast acting carbohydrates are so so addictive, but in time our taste does change.
You should find this helpful too, Test review adjust, by Alan S
http://loraldiabetes.blogspot.co.uk/2006/10/test-review-adjust.html
 
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mikeyB said:
There you go Theresa, your body is protecting you from eating a pot of artificial flavours and colourings and, no doubt, reconstituted meat. Diabetes can be a bonus🙂
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Pot noodles don't contain any meat. It is just artificial flavourings & other harmful things.
 
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