Portion size

[Kathleen C]

Hi All
Its me again!!!! I'm still trying to get my head around this diabetes thing, I was told by my practice nurse my HbA1c is 53, this means absolutely nothing to me. I have been started on 500mgs of Metformin in the morning for one week then increasing to another 500mgs at night. My cholesterol is also high and starting a Statin the week after next, the nurse didn't want me to start both medications at the same time in case of any side effects.
Can someone explain a bit more around this diabetes "thing"!!!!, what I should and should not be eating and also what portion size is recommended.
Warmest wishes
Kathleen.

 

[Martin.A]

There's no simple answer to your question as we are all different, and what portion size one person can manage might be too much for someone else. The only way you'll know what a manageable portion size is for you personally is to test before eating and then 2 hours later, and adjust your portions depending on your results. Do you have a BG meter?

Someone's seems to have been a bit trigger happy with the prescription pad if you've been put on meds with an HbA1c of 53. Were you not offered to try lifestyle changes first? You might find that a few simple changes to your diet are all that's needed.

By testing before and after eating I discovered that I can eat pretty much the same meals as before as long as I make some simple swaps to take out the high carb elements. Tonight, for example, we're having a Chicken Chasseur but whereas my wife will have hers with a portion of rice (59g carb) I'll have mine with a portion of riced cauliflower (8g carb). That's the kind of swap I mean. The rest of the dish is fine and my food diary tells me that I average 5.9 post-meal.

 

[Kathleen C]

Hi
Many thanks.
Reading about it I didn't think it was that bad.
Wasn't offered anything, was told she was going to start me on Metformin then a statin a couple of weeks later, I wonder if its because of the statin she has started me on the other. I'm trying everything to try and get my weight down, (not that I'm severely over weight) although to be honest this has given me a fright and probably the kick up the backside I needed to lose some weight.
Portion size? Yes I do like my food but was wondering if I was having too much.
Kathleen.

 

[Inka]

It depends what your portion is of. Extra green veg is great, but if you’re having a double
portion of pasta, then not so good. Begin with what you would have had pre-diagnosis and cut it down.

It’s hard to remember everything to start with so jotting a few things down might help. Here’s your Meal Planning thread:

Meal Planning

Hi I have recently been diagnosed with Type 2, can anyone advise what I should be eating and avoiding. Many thanks Kathleen

forum.diabetes.org.uk

And your Carbs thread:

Carbs

Hi all Please excuse my ignorance to diabetes!!!! I have just been diagnosed and wondered if anyone could advise of how many carbs I should be having, I don’t know my weight!!!! Or want too!!!! I’m slightly overweight. Warmest wishes Kathleen

forum.diabetes.org.uk

.

 

[JITR]

Hi Kathleen, in a way you are right, this 'diabetes thing' is pretty simple. I used to wear 32 inch trousers. I ate a little too much for 40 years. I bought some 40 inch trousers, then things went haywire.

A GP phoned. My bloods were sky high. I was diabetic for life. T2D was a progressive condition. She ordered me to build up to the max dose of Metformin asap. Side effects: bad. T2D's potential complications: worse. Another way? Found! Professor Roy Taylor's 'Life without Diabetes' and this presentation describe how to reverse it by losing 15 kg, by any means.* His team discovered blood glucose can come down to a normal level in 7 days. No medication. No complications. Back to my former self. A no brainer.

Wrote down my targets:
1. Lose 15 kg to put my T2D into remission and prove my GP wrong (information for GPs)
2. Go on to 22 kg to get back into my old 32 inch trousers (motivation)
3. Keep my weight down for good (a challenge)

Downloaded Cronometer to track my nutrients on Christmas Eve, blood glucose down to normal on New Years Eve, in remission by Easter (A1c: 39, 104 at diagnosis), wearing my trousers 3 months later (A1c: 32) and still wearing them 9 months on.

That's all there is to this 'diabetes thing' if you are lucky.

* Only for T2D caused by fatty liver, which the vast majority of the newly diagnosed and prediabetics are said to have.

 

[Leadinglights]

The book or app Carbs and Cals has carb values of various portion sizes of a whole range of foods so help you see what combination of portions of foods would keep you within your chosen amount of carbs for that meal. Keeping some scales on your worktop so you can weigh your portions of the more carby foods as it easy to under estimate means you will start to get an idea of portion size.