New user needs help with everything.

[kimmyliz]

Hi everyone
I have just had 2 toes amputated, and suddenly realised how serious this all is!!!
I have to change my whole diet cheaply, and don`t know where to start?
Help very ,much appreciated 🙂

 

[stephknits]

Sorry to hear this, but great that you found us. There is loads of helpful recipes in the food section. What do you normally eat? Perhaps we can make some suggestions about easy swops you can make to lower your carb intake.

 

[kimmyliz]

I have a big appetite and have always had a really sweet tooth I am on a low income which doesn`t help?

 

[Northerner]

Hi everyone
I have just had 2 toes amputated, and suddenly realised how serious this all is!!!
I have to change my whole diet cheaply, and don`t know where to start?
Help very ,much appreciated 🙂

Hi kimmyliz, welcome to the forum 🙂 I'm very sorry to hear what you have recently been through, with the loss of your toes I'm glad you have joined us though, because it's much better to try and turn things around with the help and support of people who can fully appreciate your position and the anxiety this must be causing.

Are you currently on any medication for your diabetes? How long is it since your diagnosis? It is certainly possible to eat a more 'blood sugar friendly' diet without breaking the bank - it's just a case of knowing what sort of food choices you need to make and excluding, replacing or reducing those things in your diet that you do not tolerate well 🙂 I would suggest treating this as Day One on your steps towards the new you. Begin by reading the excellent Maggie Davey's letter, which will give you lots of ideas of where to start 🙂 Also, although you are not newly-diagnosed, I would recommend getting a copy of Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year by Gretchen Becker which will guide you through the coming months, and hopefully give you new ideas that you maybe hadn't been aware of before.

Are you able to test your blood sugar levels at home? If so, then it's of great benefit to test before and after eating so you can discover how well - or otherwise - you tolerate particular food choices. We all have our own unique tolerances for things, and although there are some general principles to consider, it's important to know how you as an individual cope. Have a read of Test,Review, Adjust by Alan S to understand how this can be done efficiently and effectively 🙂

If you don't have a monitor and a prescription for test strips then ask your GP or nurse to prescribe them - without this source of information you can only guess at how things affect you, and can therefore get things wrong unknowlingly. If they refuse then it is worth getting your own monitor and strips whilst you conduct this exercise. You won't need to test forever, just whilst you establish a good, safe and varied diet you can be confident will improve your control. The cheapest option we have come across is the SD Codefree Meter which has test strips at around £8 for 50 (most High St brands will charge up to £30 for 50 test strips 😱).

Please feel free to ask any questions you have or let us know of any concerns and we will do our best to help! 🙂

 

[Jeandp]

Welcome @kimmyliz there are lots of useful tips on this forum. Have a good look round.

I have never had a sweet tooth myself so cutting out sugar was not a problem for me. But I was a bit of a carboholic, so I have had to make big changes in my diet. Luckily there are delicious alternatives and options. Check out the food and carbs section for ideas.

 

[HOBIE]

Hi everyone
I have just had 2 toes amputated, and suddenly realised how serious this all is!!!
I have to change my whole diet cheaply, and don`t know where to start?
Help very ,much appreciated 🙂

Welcome ! You are not the only person who does not know how serious it is.

 

[Mark T]

Unfortunately a lot of the bad foods are cheap!

One of my friends swears by things like chicken and turkey being available fairly cheaply. Some cheeses are not to bad in terms of cost/calorie, but if you want variation then it can get pricey. Unfortunately, it's gone past christmas! I tend to find that I can pick up large sizes of peanuts (and other nuts) around christmas at fairly cheap prices. Peanuts generally keep for quite a long time.

 

[Zillah]

Hi Kimmyliz- so sorry to hear about your amputation. It is easy to ignore the seriousness of this Bloomin D but this forum will give you lots of help from experienced members and friendly advice. Local shops are worth a visit at the end of the day as they sell a lot of food off and you can freeze it (if you have a freezer that is) - it is a pain that all the less expensive foods are off limits to a certain extent but definitely get a meter to see what carbs you are more tolerant to- sorry I can't be more help. Good luck lovely🙂

 

[Lilian]

Hi Kimmyliz. Very sorry to hear about your toes. These videos might be of help to you. They are about low carb high fat diets (which a lot of member here are on to keep blood glucose in check).

- why are fat people hungry. Good explanation about low carb high fat and fasting.

- why eating more fat less carbs works and low cal doesn’t

- what high fat actually means - dont eat sticks of butter.

- round the shop – what to buy what to watch for

- about artificial sweeteners

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OD1M8Ycq_wg – you gotta get sugar out of your life

 

[Ralph-YK]

Hello Kim and welcome to the forum, from a fellow T2
I'm sorry to hear about your toes.

I have a big appetite and have always had a really sweet tooth I am on a low income which doesn`t help

That's the same as me.

It's worth a go getting a meter and prescription for test strips. The strips are an ongoing cost.
Carbohydrates are the thing to manage, not just sugar. Unfortunately, this includes breakfast cerial. Try having eggs instead on some mornings.

There might be a support group in your are. Info can be found on the Diabetes UK website.

 

[kimmyliz]

Hi everyone
Thank you for all your comments and advice. It has all been very helpful!!!
I have the strips and meter, so can check my sugars on a regular basis luckily. It`s just hard changing my whole diet and understanding. what I can and can`t eat. Things you think are okay, are not, and its very complicated. So thanks once again!!🙂

 

[Ralph-YK]

Yes It can be hard. Try just one or two things to start.

 

[Drummer]

Maybe take a look around the supermarket to see what the cheapest options are - I go to lidl and get packs of pork steaks, divide the pack into meal sized units and freeze them, packs of chicken thighs (delicious roasted and crispy) sausages, tins of tuna, the marked down section for anything useful.
It can be useful to haunt the charity shops for such things as halogen ovens and pressure cookers.
I also buy frozen veges and berries - as there is no waste and no temptation to finish off the pack before it goes off.