-
Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
-
Learn more about joining the Diabetes UK Support Forum team here: https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/volunteering-opportunities-why-dont-you-join-us.112862/
Newbie says Hello
- Thread starter HarleyJoe
- Start date
- Status
Inka
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Welcome @HarleyJoe 🙂
Leadinglights
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
If you are only taking metformin or looking to manage to reduce your blood glucose by diet only (which is unlikely with such a high HbA1C) then have a look at this link for some good explanation and meal plans and recipes for a low carb approach which many find successful. https://lowcarbfreshwell.com/
Leadinglights
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Metformin helps the body use the insulin it produces more effectively and reduces the glucose released by the liver but it is important to reduce the carbohydrates in your diet as the medication does not magically remove the carbs from food.
Vonny
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Hi @HarleyJoe. My balanced diet is to eat exactly what I ate before diagnosis, but without the starchy carbs found in spuds, pasta, rice and bread. You don't need to give them up completely, but the amounts need to be reduced. I cook "normal" meals for the family but put extra veg on my plate instead of potatoes, rice etc. Obviously puddings, biscuits and cakes etc are a no-no, but I was lucky that I didn't eat much sweet stuff. Try putting chilli or curry on top of a base of green beans and broccoli. Sounds disgusting but it's actually really nice, honest! 
You can have as much protein as you like but avoid low fat stuff as you need the fats to keep you feeling full. Bacon and egg for breakfast is a great low carb meal, or a large omelette. Not necessarily what would once been classed a healthy meal, but for us with T2 it really is.
You can have as much protein as you like but avoid low fat stuff as you need the fats to keep you feeling full. Bacon and egg for breakfast is a great low carb meal, or a large omelette. Not necessarily what would once been classed a healthy meal, but for us with T2 it really is.
Martin.A
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Like @Vonny I'm eating pretty much the same meals as before diagnosis, but with some swaps - riced cauliflower for rice, mashed celeriac or mashed cauliflower for potatoes, chips made with celeriac and I have half-portions red lentil pasta, which is non-grain. Everything else on my plate is as before. One example, - if we have a rice dish my wife has a portion of long grain rice (58g carb) and I have a portion of riced cauliflower (8g carb). On my low carb diet of no more than 130g per day that's a huge carb saving.
Leadinglights
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
There are recipes for low carb cakes and biscuits as well as savoury recipes on the web site sugarfreelondoner. If you are into baking then some of those should satisfy your sweet tooth but it is better to re-educate your taste to less sweet foods.
Your tastes will change and things will soon start to taste too sweet and sickly.
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Welcome to the forum @HarleyJoe
Sorry to hear about your diagnosis but glad you have found us 🙂
Sounds as if you are determined to make some changes to begin to get your diabetes back on track. We have lots of members who have been through what you are facing. A diagnosis can come as quite a shock, but just take things gradually, and be kind to yourself. Lots of members here have successfully been able to learn to live well with their diabetes. Some later reflect that their diagnosis became a kind of catalyst which prompted them to make positive changes towards a healthier and more active life. Perhaps changes that they had been intending to make for years, but never quite managed.
Sorry to hear about your diagnosis
but glad you have found us 🙂Sounds as if you are determined to make some changes to begin to get your diabetes back on track. We have lots of members who have been through what you are facing. A diagnosis can come as quite a shock, but just take things gradually, and be kind to yourself. Lots of members here have successfully been able to learn to live well with their diabetes. Some later reflect that their diagnosis became a kind of catalyst which prompted them to make positive changes towards a healthier and more active life. Perhaps changes that they had been intending to make for years, but never quite managed.
- Status