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AFH

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Hi everyone,

I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes about 18 months ago and was lucky enough to reach remission within the year. My reason for joining is to find information and ideas regarding diet. I was introduced to a low carb diet which I was familiar with and which helped me to lose weight, however, I now find myself requiring to maintain a high fibre diet which has led to an increase in carbs. I realise that increasing vegetable and fruit intake will help with fibre but achieving 30g+ per day I am finding limits the food choices available in order to avoid weight increase and or sugar spikes. I would be grateful for suggestions regarding relevant books, recipes or hints and tips from others who also have this issue.
Many thanks
 
Hi there,

I chose not to give up too many fruits and vegetables for the reason you're describing - fibre. Not just that but all the good stuff that's in fruit and vegetables that may help with overall long-term health.

One compromise I chose was to buy small fruit and berries as they often have more fibre and nutrients by weight than larger fruit. The majority of the fibre and much of the nutrients are often in the skin, so the more skin by weight the better. Blueberries, small easy-peel oranges (clementines etc. - the skin being around each segment, not the peel) and little fun-size apples - that kind of thing. Not low carb, but small. I have a little fruit every morning with breakfast, wait 15 to 20 minutes to finish my coffee, then most mornings I go for a 35 min+ brisk walk. My hope is that the walking will help to burn off the carbs as I'm digesting my breakfast and reduce the size of the resulting spike.

I wouldn't be overly worried about weight gain with small amounts of fruit. There's more calories in fruit by weight than there is in very low carb veggies, but it's still not very much, particularly if the portions are small.
 
There are quite a few vegetables which are low carb and higher fibre, celery, broccoli, sprouts, some green beans, broad beans, and a cereal like All Bran which works well on Full fat Greek yoghurt and berries for breakfast. Black bean or edamame bean pasta is low carb and high fibre. Nuts and seeds that you can add to yoghurt or sprinkle on salads.
 
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AFH said:
Hi everyone,

I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes about 18 months ago and was lucky enough to reach remission within the year. My reason for joining is to find information and ideas regarding diet. I was introduced to a low carb diet which I was familiar with and which helped me to lose weight, however, I now find myself requiring to maintain a high fibre diet which has led to an increase in carbs. I realise that increasing vegetable and fruit intake will help with fibre but achieving 30g+ per day I am finding limits the food choices available in order to avoid weight increase and or sugar spikes. I would be grateful for suggestions regarding relevant books, recipes or hints and tips from others who also have this issue.
Many thanks
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It may be worth you checking, having gained remission, whether you are now reasonably carb tolerant, as if you are then these modest variations you’re considering may be immaterial, provided you do not regain weight. In my own case I got into remission on 65g daily carbs but have since done multiple careful 3-month experiments and established that I can have at least 180g, probably more, without making a scrap of difference to postprandial elevations or HbA1c. And that’s what remission should really mean, a return to normal capability in metabolising carbs.
 
Thank you all for the very helpful tips, which all resonate with me and are very reassuring. Just from the above I am reminded that there is a very good reason support groups are created, we all need the confirmation that we are not the only one dealing with these issues and a bit of confirmation from others who are also dealing with, at times a frustrating life changing issue, does you good.
 
Welcome to the forum @AFH

Well done on reaching remission!

Some of our members who were looking to increase fibre intake while maintaining their low carb approach seem to find that psyllium husk provided a useful supplement to the fibre in their veg.

Depending on your metabolism you might also be OK with pulses (some of the starch is ‘resistant’ and doesn’t get digested)

If I remember right @rebrascora is one who found psyllium husk helpful (but doesn’t get on so well with pulses I think!).
 
Thank for your kind comments. I will certainly research the psyllium husk suggestion. Luckily no issue with pulses so currently included in my food choices. Take care
 
Hi, many congrats on achieving remission.

Mike is right that I use psyllium husk and chia seeds to increase my fibre intake and improve my gut and bowel health. I did find that the psyllium worked at first but then less so but after adding the chia seeds I find the combination works really well. It is important to ensure that you take plenty of fluids with both psyllium and chia as the fibre they contain absorbs water to form a gel. If you don't take enough fluid with them they can cause an impaction. Psyllium is agually the main ingredient in Fibogel which is often prescribed to people who have difficulty with regular bowel movement and that comes in a powder form which you mix with water. Personally I prefer the less processed husks and whole chia seeds and if you stir them into a drink of your choice they absorb the water within a few minutes and go gloopy. Basically they form a soft gel mass which passes though your gut carrying everything else with it. It is a very gentle process and results in a daily movement for most people.
You can also add them to yoghurt or soups and stews to thicken and even to low carb cakes and batters as a binding agent. I also have some oat bran which I also use in soups and stews to thicken them. All these things are high fibre and low carb and provide a variety of different fibres which is important to gut health and none of them taste of anything particular so apart from the gelatinous consistency which some people find off-putting, there is nothing to dislike about using them. The chia seeds are also a source of omega 3 fatty acids, like oily fish so a bit of a super food in that respect.
I buy my chia seeds from Lidl so I imagine other supermarkets sell them, but I have to get my psyllium husk online.

I once bought the milled chia seeds but found they smelled and tasted a bit fishy after the pack had been opened for a while, so I always buy whole ones now and I think less processed is best anyway. They still absorb water really quickly and work just as well.

Generally I use a tablespoon of each in a tall glass of liquid and I rinse the glass with a bit of extra water afterwards to get the remaining fibre which has stuck to the glass.. I also eat a variety of veggies and a few daily berries to provide additional dietary fibre and other micro nutrients.
 
rebrascora said:
Hi, many congrats on achieving remission.

Mike is right that I use psyllium husk and chia seeds to increase my fibre intake and improve my gut and bowel health. I did find that the psyllium worked at first but then less so but after adding the chia seeds I find the combination works really well. It is important to ensure that you take plenty of fluids with both psyllium and chia as the fibre they contain absorbs water to form a gel. If you don't take enough fluid with them they can cause an impaction. Psyllium is agually the main ingredient in Fibogel which is often prescribed to people who have difficulty with regular bowel movement and that comes in a powder form which you mix with water. Personally I prefer the less processed husks and whole chia seeds and if you stir them into a drink of your choice they absorb the water within a few minutes and go gloopy. Basically they form a soft gel mass which passes though your gut carrying everything else with it. It is a very gentle process and results in a daily movement for most people.
You can also add them to yoghurt or soups and stews to thicken and even to low carb cakes and batters as a binding agent. I also have some oat bran which I also use in soups and stews to thicken them. All these things are high fibre and low carb and provide a variety of different fibres which is important to gut health and none of them taste of anything particular so apart from the gelatinous consistency which some people find off-putting, there is nothing to dislike about using them. The chia seeds are also a source of omega 3 fatty acids, like oily fish so a bit of a super food in that respect.
I buy my chia seeds from Lidl so I imagine other supermarkets sell them, but I have to get my psyllium husk online.

I once bought the milled chia seeds but found they smelled and tasted a bit fishy after the pack had been opened for a while, so I always buy whole ones now and I think less processed is best anyway. They still absorb water really quickly and work just as well.

Generally I use a tablespoon of each in a tall glass of liquid and I rinse the glass with a bit of extra water afterwards to get the remaining fibre which has stuck to the glass.. I also eat a variety of veggies and a few daily berries to provide additional dietary fibre and other micro nutrients.
Click to expand...
Thank you very much for this. Lots of food for thought (sorry about the bad pun 🙂). I am already on stuff from the doctor and relevantly stable at the moment as long as I keep the fibre up over 30 a day. Will check if I can use your suggestions as well though.

Take care and many thanks again
 
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