Hi everyone,
I was diagnosed as type 2 last month so this is all new to me. I have just had my first visit with my local diabetes nurse who was lovely. It was a very daunting appointment where I felt everything was thrown at me at once so found it hard to take it all in. I think the biggest thing is change. Does anyone have any tips on dealing with the change especially diet control as I am really fussy with foods. My partner is excellent with the support but sometimes comes across too strict for my liking, is it me or is the strictness adding more pressure to stay on the right path.
Any and all advice /hints/tips etc greatly appreciated
Hi ta1k2frank, welcome to the forum
🙂 Sorry to hear about your diagnosis - how did it come about? There is a huge amount of information to take in, but don't worry, we have lots of friendly, experienced and knowledgeable people here who can hopefully help out with any questions or concerns you may have
🙂
Regarding diet, the main thing you need to be wary of is carbohydrates - bread, potatoes, rice, pasta, as well as the more obvious sugary items, pies, cakes and biscuits, and even fruit. It sounds restrictive when you first read it, but really, it isn't - the key word is 'moderation'. A diet that is healthy for you as a person with diabetes would be a healthy diet for everyone. What is important, is to discover your tolerances for different things so that you can tailor your diet so that it suits your tastes, but at the same time has a good, steady impact on your blood sugar levels. I'd suggest having a look at the GL (Glycaemic Load) method of eating, which can help fulfil this criteria -
The GL Diet for Dummies is a very good introduction.
I would recommend reading
Jennifer's Advice and
Maggie Davey's letter so you gain a better understanding of what it all entails - the more you understand, the easier it is to deal with
🙂 Many of our members also find that
Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year by Gretchen Becker is a real helpful book for guiding you through these early months.
Have you been given any medication and/or a blood glucose monitor and prescription for test strips? If not, I would suggest asking for a monitor as this is the best tool for discovering your own individual tolerances to different things - these tolerances can vary greatly from person to person, and whilst some things may seem obvious, others may be things you might not have thought bad for you but the monitor tells you differently! Have a read of
Test,Review, Adjust by Alan S to understand a methodical approach to finding out what things are OK for you and what you might need to reduce or avoid. If you need to buy your own monitor and test strips, then the cheapest option we have come across is the
SD Codefree Meter which has
test strips at around £8 for 50 (High St prices for test strips can be £25-£30 for 50 strips).
Please let us know if you have any questions and we will be happy to help! Diabetes is a serious condition, but it is manageable and does not have to take over your life. Knowing what you are doing and making the right choices can often lead to people feeling happier and healthier than they have for some time!
🙂
