Stuck! Going round in circles... what to do next?

[s'nic]

@Moonstar As I'm sure others have pointed out, fats will help satiety so they will help banish those hunger pangs. You can choose fats to include in meals and recipes based on preference and on any other health conditions.

Where oils are concerned Olive oil is the most cited 'healthy' oil, but if needing an oil for high temperature use (eg frying) it is not ideal
Many people are wary over certain oils due to an imbalance of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. Additionally some may prefer to avoid chemically extracted oils.
If seeking a oil for high temperature use, Rapeseed oil has a good omega 3/6 balance (it has a 1:2 ratio), and is available as a cold pressed oil without the chemical extraction (if seeking cold pressed in a shop just check the label specifically says cold pressed). Rapeseed oil is also known as Canola oil.

EDITED to switch the 3 and 6 omegas to avoid the ratio reading as inaccurate / confusing

 

[Leadinglights]

@Moonstar As I'm sure others have pointed out, fats will help satiety so they will help banish those hunger pangs. You can choose fats to include in meals and recipes based on preference and on any other health conditions.

Where oils are concerned Olive oil is the most cited 'healthy' oil, but if needing an oil for high temperature use (eg frying) it is not ideal
Many people are wary over certain oils due to an imbalance of omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids. Additionally some may prefer to avoid chemically extracted oils.
If seeking a oil for high temperature use Rapeseed oil has a good omega 6/3 balance (it has a 1:2 ratio), and is available as a cold pressed oil without the chemical extraction (if seeking cold pressed in a shop just check the label specifically says cold pressed). Rapeseed oil is also known as Canola oil.

There is also rice bran oil which I sometimes use when I can find it. I've also had avocado oil, pumpkin seed oil, and a few other nut oils but they are better in a dressing than cooking with.

 

[snowball12]

Fully understand - your diabetes, your choice. In fact, creating anxiety is one of the reasons for HCPs advising against self-testing for those not on glucose-lowering medication.

Thank you but I have been on Metformin for 13 years and Glicazide for 1 year and have never seen my sugar lower than 7.5

 

[Martin.A]

Thank you but I have been on Metformin for 13 years and Glicazide for 1 year and have never seen my sugar lower than 7.5

Sorry if it seemed that my comment assumed you weren't on any glucose-lowering meds. It was meant as a comment about HCP's views about self-testing in general.

 

[snowball12]

Sorry if it seemed that my comment assumed you weren't on any glucose-lowering meds. It was meant as a comment about HCP's views about self-testing in general.

No need to apologise. I agree HCP's views do vary a lot which I find concerning

 

[Moonstar]

Welcome @Moonstar 🙂

Thank you Inka, sorry it's taken me so long to reply. x

 

[Moonstar]

I think getting feedback on how diet effects blood sugars can be very motivating...if he thinks it a good idea, he should do it!

Thank you Tdm...He's now thinking of getting a monitor. I wish he'd not been told not get one at the start of all his trouble.

 

[Moonstar]

Sorry to hear that your husband is struggling but if it's help and advice you need then you've come to the right place, and you'll get it from members managing their diabetes day-to-day.

Can I just say that there's nothing wrong with nuts - they're low carb and although mostly fat it's predominantly unsaturated, the 'good' fat. They're my go to snack, either as they are or in the form of a nut bar - KIND, for example. There are others. However, nuts are high calorie, which might be an issue for anyone counting calories.

I would forget what the nurse at your surgery said about self-testing. Most HCPs will tell you that but many of us have found it helps us manage our blood sugar, especially in relation to sorting out our diets. I wouldn't be without my meter.

I embraced low carb straight after diagnosis, keeping to less than 130g per day, and have stuck with it having worked out a low carb diet that's sustainable. It doesn't mean having to go hungry.

Thank you Martin A... do the nuts have to be non-salted? And for example, how many would you eat as a snack, his problem is always knowing whern to stop. Thanks for your comment about the meter... it seems they're pretty indispensable really. Very helpful to have the 130g a day for carbs... I think that's the way he intends to go. He's always hungry, his biggest problem. Thanks again.

 

[Moonstar]

Welcome to the forum @Moonstar

Sorry to hear about your husband’s diabetes, but glad you have found us 🙂

Diabetes is a serious condition, but it’s also one that can usually be managed well with a few changes and adaptations - it’s something that he can learn to live well with, and it shouldn’t stop him doing things he enjoys. Just that some of them may need a little adjustment or rethinking 🙂.

The tiredness and low mood might be associated with his elevated glucose levels? Often after diagnosis, you don’t realise how weary, worn down and lethargic you have been feeling. Erratic and elevated blood glucose levels can be exhausting and are linked with low mood, but this may have come on quite gradually. Making a few positive changes should give him more energy, a clearer mind, and a brighter outlook.

Several forum members find a different sort of snacking works for them. More substantial meals with lower carb but good amounts of protein and good fats and lots of leafy/low carb veggies can help you feel fuller for longer. Then if nibbles happen people say they reach for things like nuts, cheese, olives, cold meats. Even things like pork scratchings.

Of course the suitability of snacks will depend on whether he is living with overweight. Carrying extra weight, especially around the abdomen, can stop internal organs working properly, and increase insulin resistance. So weight loss can be a vital piece of the puzzle too.

Thank you so much for your encouraging and helpful reply. Very keen to tell him about the snack ideas... he loves everything you have mentioned... have to watch the amounts though, always an issue!

I'm interested in what you say about carrying extra weight, which he does, and it's all around the abdomen. He aims to go low carb, and I shall try to cook suitable meals etc... will that be enough to move the excess weight I wonder. Thank you.

 

[Moonstar]

@Moonstar As I'm sure others have pointed out, fats will help satiety so they will help banish those hunger pangs. You can choose fats to include in meals and recipes based on preference and on any other health conditions.

Where oils are concerned Olive oil is the most cited 'healthy' oil, but if needing an oil for high temperature use (eg frying) it is not ideal
Many people are wary over certain oils due to an imbalance of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. Additionally some may prefer to avoid chemically extracted oils.
If seeking a oil for high temperature use, Rapeseed oil has a good omega 3/6 balance (it has a 1:2 ratio), and is available as a cold pressed oil without the chemical extraction (if seeking cold pressed in a shop just check the label specifically says cold pressed). Rapeseed oil is also known as Canola oil.

EDITED to switch the 3 and 6 omegas to avoid the ratio reading as inaccurate / confusing

Thank you s'nic. It's hard to get my head around how fats can be useful for once! Hubby is always hungry no matter how often and how much he eats, so using fats is obviously the way to go to achieve satiety. Obviously have to get used to thinking differently about food! And getting knowledgeable about what to use, and when, and how, when the receiver is diabetic. Thank you.

 

[Moonstar]

There is also rice bran oil which I sometimes use when I can find it. I've also had avocado oil, pumpkin seed oil, and a few other nut oils but they are better in a dressing than cooking with.

Thank you... another way to ring the changes in flavours on a salad!

 

[Martin.A]

Thank you Martin A... do the nuts have to be non-salted? And for example, how many would you eat as a snack, his problem is always knowing whern to stop. Thanks for your comment about the meter... it seems they're pretty indispensable really. Very helpful to have the 130g a day for carbs... I think that's the way he intends to go. He's always hungry, his biggest problem. Thanks again.

My two nut staples are walnuts and dry roasted peanuts. I always measure out a 30g portion and only have 2 portions a day, plus one less-than-10g-carbs nut bar, such as KIND or my recently-discovered Plants brand by Deliciously Ella. I find walnuts very dry so I always have them with some bite-size pieces of apple.

 

[JITR]

He's always hungry, his biggest problem.

I may have missed something, but the simple answer is to have two or three satisfying meals every day and no snacks in between. Here are a couple of links I had intended to add to my previous post. Similar approaches, both with a good track record:

- Dr David Unwin's Conference talk 2023, The nuts & bolts of drug free T2 diabetes remission and diet sheet .
- Zoe Harcombe's What should we eat? and handy table

Maybe something of use to you in those. FWIW I find the principles in What should we eat? helpful to bear in mind for weight maintenance, and I wish I had followed them for weight loss.

P.S. Plenty of protein seems to be the secret of satiety, 1.2-1.6 g/kg body weight per day. I'm about 70 kg so my mid-range target is 98 g (1.4x70). Made a big difference.

 

[Moonstar]

Hello @Moonstar. I am in my early 70s, and have been eating low carb for 7 years now.
I would recommend eating natural fats - I don't have seed oils in the house these days and this morning I ate mushrooms cooked in butter and scrambled eggs, 3 of then, done in butter.
Brains are made from cholesterol, as are hormones and other essential substances, so I don't understand why having low cholesterol is automatically a good thing. Atorvastatin and Metformin were really bad for my memory and dreadful for my self esteem - I reached a point where I knew I would rather be dead than in that situation.
I used a Tee 2+ meter to check how my blood glucose levels were coming down - they are essential in my opinion, at least for the first 6 months or so. I bought it online from Spirit Healthcare. When I established that I was diagnosed with diabetes I did not have to pay VAT.
On a low carb diet there is always something you can eat.
There are various nuts which are low carb, and chocolate can be bought up to 100% cocoa, rather than the 50% sugar 'normal' bars. At Christmas I make little concoctions of ground and slivered almonds with chocolate in some small silicon trays. I used tiny paper cups at first but they are really not necessary. A little melted chocolate, a sprinkle of ground almonds, a little more chocolate, then slivered almonds and a blob more chocolate to hold them together. I do some with a single golden sultana on the top, or a sliver of washed glace cherry. On ordinary days I just have one square off the bar, but it helps to know that there are other options for holidays.

Hello Drummer, thanks for your reply. Hubby is in his early 70s too and he is going to try to go low carb. What are seed oils? And is a Tee2+ meter the same as a monitor for checking sugar? I'll take a look on Spirit Healthcare... all this is so new, and taking it all on board is not easy at first. Thanks for the tips for holidays, handy! I'm writing everyone's suggestions down in a notebook to keep for reference. Thank you.

 

[Leadinglights]

Hello Drummer, thanks for your reply. Hubby is in his early 70s too and he is going to try to go low carb. What are seed oils? And is a Tee2+ meter the same as a monitor for checking sugar? I'll take a look on Spirit Healthcare... all this is so new, and taking it all on board is not easy at first. Thanks for the tips for holidays, handy! I'm writing everyone's suggestions down in a notebook to keep for reference. Thank you.

TEE2, GlucoNavii and Contour Blue are monitors which have the cheaper test strips (at the moment), on line cheaper tha the pharmacy.

 

[Moonstar]

When people try low carb then the preoccupation with the low fat, low fat means they do not compensate for the reduced carbs by having more healthy fats and protein both of which will help to stop people feeling hungry. Snacks like nuts, protein nut bars like Nature Valley or KIND which are only about 10g carb per bar, full fat yoghurt, Kvarg deserts, are all good. But having filling meals will also help people not to need to snack.
Have a look at this link as it might encourage you/him to give low carb another go when you see what variety of meals can be had. https://lowcarbfreshwell.com/

Thanks for that link... it looks like a mine of information.

 

[Moonstar]

TEE2, GlucoNavii and Contour Blue are monitors which have the cheaper test strips (at the moment), on line cheaper tha the pharmacy.

Useful to know, noted, thanks very much.

 

[Moonstar]

My two nut staples are walnuts and dry roasted peanuts. I always measure out a 30g portion and only 2 have portions a day, plus one less-than-10g-carbs nut bar, such as KIND or my recently-discovered Plants brand by Deliciously Ella. I find walnuts very dry so I always have them with some bite-size pieces of apple.

Thank you... every bit of info is soooo helpful. Now I know how much to measure out of nuts and I must find less than 10 carbs nut bars, not seen them as yet. Good tip about eating walnuts, I shall pass it on.

 

[Moonstar]

I may have missed something, but the simple answer is to have two or three satisfying meals every day and no snacks in between. Here are a couple of links I had intended to add to my previous post. Similar approaches, both with a good track record:

- Dr David Unwin's Conference talk 2023, The nuts & bolts of drug free T2 diabetes remission and diet sheet .
- Zoe Harcombe's What should we eat? and handy table

Maybe something of use to you in those. FWIW I find the principles in What should we eat? helpful to bear in mind for weight maintenance, and I wish I had followed them for weight loss.

P.S. Plenty of protein seems to be the secret of satiety, 1.2-1.6 g/kg body weight per day. I'm about 70 kg so my mid-range target is 98 g (1.4x70). Made a big difference.

Good advice here, all noted, thanks so much. As hubby, 72, has a weight issue thanks for your comment about that in one of the links, I will certainly take a look. Also at David Unwin''s stuff as I have heard of him. Many thanks.

 

[Leadinglights]

Thank you... every bit of info is soooo helpful. Now I know how much to measure out of nuts and I must find less than 10 carbs nut bars, not seen them as yet. Good tip about eating walnuts, I shall pass it on.

Nature Valley PROTEIN bars, KIND, GRAZE, are some that are low carb. The bars do vary in size so do check that as well. Eat Natural is another one which is 14g per bar but it is a bigger bar so you could cut in half.