Hi I have just been diagnosed with high blood pressure,high cholesterol and pre-diabetes.I have found it all a bit over whelming has I have always eaten very healthy and there are no health issues in my family.My doctor has put me on a healthy diet with limited carbs,no salt (I could have 6 grams a day but I decided to cut it out all together) no red meats,dairy products basically cutting out carbs.I am having blood test again in August then my doctor will decide if I need meds and the next steps to take.I am eating chicken, turkey,salmon,tuna lots of vegetables and a little fruit (which I hate) I find that I am getting bored because my food is bland.Can any of you lovely members recommend a good cook book or ideas.I would really appreciate your advice....thankyou xx
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Pre-diabetes
- Thread starter Holly may
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D
Deleted member 21371
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Pinch of Nom everyday light is a good one for me.
Drummer
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
We need salt - I have to add it to several meals a week or I get excruciating cramps.
I eat red meat - any meat for that matter as it seems benign.
I eat all dairy products as they appear to be good, and eggs.
Eating a low carb diet is likely to lower blood pressure, so be careful if you start to go dizzy on standing up as a fall can be lifechanging. Several people on the low carb list have reported falling as they continued to take BP lowering medication - one was very serious as they fell on steps.
You might be OK with lots of vegetables, as there are a lot which are not all that high in carbs, but potatoes and some roots are rather high in starch. Similarly berries and lower carb fruits are ok, but some are quite a significant load.
I don't find my diet bland as I use spices and herbs when preparing meals, though if you have been used to prepared dishes with lots of pepper or other flavourings your taste buds might need time to recover.
I used to work for Allied Lyons doing tasting tests and had a very sensitive sense of taste and smell - various things, including Covid have changed that. One of the weirder things in life was eating plain full fat Greek yoghurt and weeping as it tasted exactly like my mother's beef stew.
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Welcome to the forum @Holly may
Sorry to hear you have some of the components of the metabolic syndrome emerging (blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose). It can come as a shock, and it can feel very overwhelming at first as it seems what is good for one aspect (eg low fat to help with cholesterol) doesn’t help others (as fats can be helpful as part of a BG reducing lower carb menu, adding flavour and keeping you feeling full).
Many members find aiming for ‘a little bit of everything’ is a helpful and sustainable approach, rather that trying to avoid some things entirely. So moderate or low carbohydrate intake (150-130g of total carbs a day is a common starting point), with good fats (oily fish, eggs, olive oil, dairy) and perhaps a mediterranean vibe.
And yes as @Drummer suggests, liberal use of herbs and spices - plus things like cider vinegar to add astringency, can help to give your meals some zing.
There are some suggestions here which might give you some ideas?
www.diabetes.org.uk
www.diabetes.org.uk
As with any suggestion around food - your tastes and your body’s tolerance to certain foods and amounts of carbohydrate will be unique to you, so not all of these suggestions will be helpful, give good blood glucose outcomes, or even be appealing to you.
Managing diabetes is a question of experimentation, and finding the approaches that suit you and keep your metabolism happy.
If you want to check how your body is reacting to foods and meals, you might consider getting a BG meter and using before and after meal checks to aim for a rise of no more than 2-3mmol/L by 2hrs after starting the meal.
Sorry to hear you have some of the components of the metabolic syndrome emerging (blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose). It can come as a shock, and it can feel very overwhelming at first as it seems what is good for one aspect (eg low fat to help with cholesterol) doesn’t help others (as fats can be helpful as part of a BG reducing lower carb menu, adding flavour and keeping you feeling full).
Many members find aiming for ‘a little bit of everything’ is a helpful and sustainable approach, rather that trying to avoid some things entirely. So moderate or low carbohydrate intake (150-130g of total carbs a day is a common starting point), with good fats (oily fish, eggs, olive oil, dairy) and perhaps a mediterranean vibe.
And yes as @Drummer suggests, liberal use of herbs and spices - plus things like cider vinegar to add astringency, can help to give your meals some zing.
There are some suggestions here which might give you some ideas?
Low-carb diet and meal plan
Eating a low-carb diet means cutting down on the amount of carbohydrates (carbs) you eat to less than 130g a day. But low-carb eating shouldn’t be no-carb eating. Some carbohydrate foods contain essential vitamins, minerals and fibre, which form an important part of a healthy diet.
Mediterranean meal plan
Mediterranean diets have been associated with reduced risk of high blood pressure and cholesterol which are risk factors for heart disease. A Mediterranean style diet can therefore provide a great option for people with diabetes, as it could help reduce the risk of certain diabetes...
As with any suggestion around food - your tastes and your body’s tolerance to certain foods and amounts of carbohydrate will be unique to you, so not all of these suggestions will be helpful, give good blood glucose outcomes, or even be appealing to you.
Managing diabetes is a question of experimentation, and finding the approaches that suit you and keep your metabolism happy.
If you want to check how your body is reacting to foods and meals, you might consider getting a BG meter and using before and after meal checks to aim for a rise of no more than 2-3mmol/L by 2hrs after starting the meal.
Leadinglights
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
You have had lots of good ideas in the posts above and comments to take on board like you do need some salt otherwise your electrolyte balance will be out of whack.
You are only pre diabetic so modest changes only will probably be needed so be careful of overdoing things. Just to add into the mix is this link which you may find useful. https://lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk/
You can pick the bones out of different ways but whatever you choose has to be enjoyable, there is no reason to have bland food as there are so many herbs and spices you can use, I go for dry spices or spice mixes rather than jars.
The fruits with the lowest carbs are berries of various sorts but there is no need to eat foods you do not like just because.
You are only pre diabetic so modest changes only will probably be needed so be careful of overdoing things. Just to add into the mix is this link which you may find useful. https://lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk/
You can pick the bones out of different ways but whatever you choose has to be enjoyable, there is no reason to have bland food as there are so many herbs and spices you can use, I go for dry spices or spice mixes rather than jars.
The fruits with the lowest carbs are berries of various sorts but there is no need to eat foods you do not like just because.
That's kind of nonsensical as red meats contains virtually zero carbs.. dairy can also be very low carb so...
I suspect the no-red-meats is for the high bp not the pre-D?
I definitely recommend a BG monitor - I got one, and it's really helped to show me what my body is doing in respect of blood glucose, and what affects it and when etc. It's like a 'map' to me. Like you, I am pre-D, but close to the boundary (which in itself is somewhat arbitrary after all, though obviously needs to be taken seriously) (What I mean is, the body doesn't suddenly switch over to 'Now I am Diabetic' the moment the HbA1C hits 48 or whatever). I also have high bp and though my LDL (bad cholesterol) is 'OK' my 'good' (HDL) is 'too low' (the docs like to see a ratio between the two types so mine told me).
I am glad you are being retested, but August seems a long way off to my mind. My GP is doing a three month blood test on me for Hba1C and HDL, which I think is far wiser. I've been 'fighting back' since my diagnostic (you are pre-D my girl!) test, with low-carb and higher exercise, so I HOPE my next Hba1C coming up in a couple of weeks will show I'm moving in the right direction.
The BG monitor has been really, really helpful, and my only regret is that I didn't get one the moment I got DX, as then I would have known what my BG levels were at the point of DX, not after I'd already been 'fighting back' for a few weeks.
All the best with it, and don't forget, exercise is key too (whether we like it or not, sigh)
I definitely recommend a BG monitor - I got one, and it's really helped to show me what my body is doing in respect of blood glucose, and what affects it and when etc. It's like a 'map' to me. Like you, I am pre-D, but close to the boundary (which in itself is somewhat arbitrary after all, though obviously needs to be taken seriously) (What I mean is, the body doesn't suddenly switch over to 'Now I am Diabetic' the moment the HbA1C hits 48 or whatever). I also have high bp and though my LDL (bad cholesterol) is 'OK' my 'good' (HDL) is 'too low' (the docs like to see a ratio between the two types so mine told me).
I am glad you are being retested, but August seems a long way off to my mind. My GP is doing a three month blood test on me for Hba1C and HDL, which I think is far wiser. I've been 'fighting back' since my diagnostic (you are pre-D my girl!) test, with low-carb and higher exercise, so I HOPE my next Hba1C coming up in a couple of weeks will show I'm moving in the right direction.
The BG monitor has been really, really helpful, and my only regret is that I didn't get one the moment I got DX, as then I would have known what my BG levels were at the point of DX, not after I'd already been 'fighting back' for a few weeks.
All the best with it, and don't forget, exercise is key too (whether we like it or not, sigh)
D
Deleted member 21371
Guest
Guess you listen to your doc, or you go for salted red meat?
I listened to my HCP, that worked for me.
I listened to my HCP, that worked for me.
Felinia
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Lots of great advice above. I would just add that many of us keep a daily honest food diary, which I record on my app. I plan my food at the beginning of the day and enter it on the app, so I know just what I am having. I tinker with it to make sure I stay under 130gm total carbs (I actually aim for around 75gm, which suits my body). Several on the market: Cals and carbs; MyFitnessPal; NutraCheck for example.
Thankyou.....I am a member on Nutracheck and log my food daily like you I find it helps me to keep track on my food intake.I like seeing what I eat wrote down it really does help me.xx
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