Newbie - diet confusion

[demonmoonglow]

I'm in my 60's and was diagnosed Type 2 about 4 or 5 years ago on tablets. Despite increases in my medication my blood sugar is still mainly too high and I'm being nagged about my diet.My problem is this, the "official line" is eat meals based round carbs but then I'm told carbs contain sugar and starch which are responsible for high blood sugar.Now this seems a contra-diction.When I query what I should be eating I'm told there's no need to go on a special diet just eat healthily, but that obviously doesn't seem to be working either.Is this just me or anyone else as confused?

 

[vince13]

Well I certainly am - and I'm glad someone else has articulated my thoughts ! I'm the same age as you (well, nearly 62 so you make the comparison) and was only diagnosed a very short time ago. I was also told just eat healthily - which I did, and do, but I find my blood sugar levels still react badly when I think I'm doing the right thing and then surprise me by going down when I don't know what I was doing right to get them to do so..........I don't keep a food diary (I'm not that organised) but I do know more or less when what I've eaten is supposed to be good or bad for my levels.

Counting carbs sounds complicated and I really don't want Diabetes to take over my life - which it seems to at present.

Anyone got any simple answers please ?

 

[Corrine]

Not sure if this will help but I thought low carb was the way to go - if you divide your plate into 4 sections - 1 for carbs, 1 for protein and 2 for veg and or salad (according to the dietician I saw)? Everyone is different and its a matter of experimenting with particular carbs to find the best for you - ie wholemeal bread versus multigrain etc. Diabetes.org.uk have a great section on food and menu planning which you might find helpful - I know I did. You may find a food diary helpful if you detail exactly what you eat in terms of carb experiments. A lot of people on here also recommend the DAFNE course?

 

[kojack]

If only we all had metabolism which matched what was in the dieticians' textbooks

It's great for them to say "eat a healthy diet" but for many of us the world is not that simple.

Corrine's advice is excellent and as she says, you use it as a base and then find out what is best for you.
Some medications can cause weight increase but if you cut down too much on your food intake you can become unwell.

 

[demonmoonglow]

Thanks for the replies and especially vince13, glad to know I'm not the only one who is confused. I think after much reading on the internet that low carb does seem the only way to go, something that none of my health professional seem to mention. I don't really find the plate analogy helpful but trying out carbs and then testing blood sugars is something I am now working on.

 

[busman]

Hi I am new to all this as I have only been type 2 about 18 weeks now but I was told carbs are ok so long as you dont have to many but I am on a low fat diet as I need to lose weight but dose it get any better or can it take over your life as it seems to have done to me.

 

[Vanessa]

Like anything "new", all the diet stuff can seem to take over your life as you work out what is right for you. All I can say is that taking it at my own pace worked for me and I'm only now (14 months on) beginning to look more seriously at things like low carbs and glycaemic index. Then again, I'm trying to change diet habits permanently this time and my first goal was to get the blood glucose levels down. Trouble is I've over 50 years of learning bad habits and yo-yo dieting to overcome and, as they say, Rome wasn't built in a day!