Newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic here!

[everydayupsanddowns]

Well I struggle with dairy as I love the stuff BUT I've been researching and there are a lot of like alternatives. I'm worried because I know I don't like almond milk or like nutty milks and I don't know if I like soy. I don't really drink a lot of milk only for cereal or eat a lot of meat. But I love cheese so that's what I want to find more vegan alternatives for it

Vegan cheeses can be a bit weird. You'd need to try a few to get one that suits you. Independent deli's might be worth a browse if mainstream supermarkets don't have anything to your taste.

Oat creams are pretty good replacements where you need single cream to stir into things.

We've only been experimenting recently, but have found lots of options that suit.

Not sure if choose those options if we didn't have a vegan in the house though. I'd prefer dairy dairy. 🙂

 

[Grogg1]

All the vegan cheese we've had in this house have a horrid smell but mostly taste okay

 

[Matt Cycle]

It's a good while since I've had any vegan cheese but from recollection Cheezly by Redwood Foods (now V-bites) was quite good. This is probably the most common one as it's now available in a lot of the big supermarkets. Scheese (now called Sheese) by Bute Island Foods I found a bit rubbery although it may be a different texture now. Not sure about availability nowadays but I don't think I've seen it any of the big supermarkets so it'll be health food shops and H & B. The best I tried was Biddy Merkins Vegerella - again will only be available in health food shops. This was 15-20 years ago so there may be new kids on the block.

 

[Simone rahman]

Hello everyone. I am 3 years in now and I still don’t like being diabetic. The exciting side of trying new foods, being healthy etc has worn off and I just like to eat what I want and do what I please but I’ve had to go on more medication to do so. So now I take x4 500mg of metformin, x1 dapafloziga- however you spell it and 4ml of levemir insulin. I know it’s my own fault but I can’t seem to pull myself out of the mindset I’m in of wanting to ignore the fact I have diabetes. I’ve been an emotional wreck the past 2 days and feel like I’ve fell into yet another deep depression of crying constantly and feeling frustrated and annoyed. Any advice or is there anyone that can pump me up and make me feel happy again and make me want to actually take care of myself lol. Thanks x

 

[SB2015]

Hi Simone

The nature of Diabetes is that we cannot just ignore it. It requires some monitoring and adjustments.
Someone told me to think of it as an irritating friend who just will not go away. You are stuck with the friend so you might as well get on, (but I find it helpful to be very rude to mine, who I named Deirdre.

Do you monitor your glucose levels. I know that many HCPs advise not to as there is no funding for the tests strips. However many with T2 choose to test before and after meals in order to identify what foods and the portion sizes that their Pancreas can cope with. This enables them to adjust what they eat and so get better control.

 

[Simone rahman]

Hi, I check them every so often. I know I should do it more but I check maybe once a day?

 

[SB2015]

The idea of checking is so that it gives you some information that you can then act on.
It would be more useful to test before a meal, and then again two hours after the meal.
If you keep a record of this alongside the amount of carbs, and what foods that was from you could make adjustments to reduce the impact and keep the glucose levels in check.

Read back through the advice you were given at the start of this thread and see if you can start acting on a specific thing. Take small manageable steps.

 

[Toucan]

Hello again @Simone rahman
Just to say as in previous message - it is definitely not your fault, but it is very hard to come to terms with.
I wish I could be a magician and make you happy again!
Can you may be have a think about particular things that trigger your depressions, it sometimes helps to write these down. Then in better times you can may be try to work out a way to deal with this. Such strategies as distraction - get involved with something else that absorbs you, phoning or talking to an empathetic friend can help.

On the diabetes side is it worth a re-think of what you are doing that does and doesn't work. If you didn't look at it previously then Maggie Davey's letter, can be a good pointer towards ways to cope.

Very best wishes

 

[grovesy]

I aim to be on track more than off track.

 

[Ditto]

Hello Simone, (((hugs))) I'm right there with you. I can't get my head around any of it, in constant denial, three years... I hope you can get a handle on it soon.

 

[Drummer]

Years - decades ago, I was taught various defensive martial arts but there was one teacher who was also a philosopher, and his own master. He taught that an attacker expects resistance and can usually be overcome by using their momentum against them.
By accepting that my ability to deal with carbohydrate in my diet was broken, and by not resisting the need to reduce them I now eat a low carb diet - but only to avoid gaining weight. My Hba1c is just at the top of normal, but my day to day blood glucose is in the normal range, usually in the low 7s if I eat dessert after dinner. I used to check my levels after dinner just to see that I was not high then decide if I would eat dessert that day. Over time I saw that the same main meals were being dealt with more easily, levels fell week by week even though I was eating the same foods.
I use the carbohydrates I can cope with to provide variety nutrition and interest in my diet. I chose them carefully so they are an advantage, not a detriment.

 

[Simone rahman]

I wish I was on track like you guys. I love my food and throughout my working week I have fruit and porridge for breakfast or special k red berries and for lunch I have either have m&s balanced meals, uncle bens rice (on its own) or sometimes a sandwich with brown bread, ham and cucumber and I always have fruit. Every single day. I have water a lot every single day. I eat more fruit than chocolate or any other sweet food to be honest and I felt like I’d been doing well. Whenever I did check my reading they were between 5-10. Apart from if I ate bad which I do occasionally but my problem is when I do eat bad, I kinda binge rather than eating a healthy amount. I know I do it to myself. But I went for a hospital appointment the other day and they said my HB1AC has risen from 6.9 to 7.9. So since then it’s just got me really depressed and down and on edge about what to eat.

 

[Drummer]

Your list of food is carbs, carbs carbs carbs and then some more carbs.
Your blood glucose levels are far far lower than mine would have been - I really am surpriesed - so by making a few changes, stopping all the starchy grains, the porridge and bread and rice for instance, you could well see a big improvement. There are lots of lower carb foods to chose from, vegetables which grow above ground are usually far better choices. If you still needed to reduce further, selecting berries, which are lower in sugar then most fruits would be a good idea, and would probably help your liver, as it has to deal with the sugar from fruit.