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Type 1 newbie

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lorna1984

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Type 1
Hiya.

I'm 31 and from Essex. I was diagnosed last Friday with type 1 diabetes when I was admitted to hospital with a fasting blood test reading of 30. Luckily my blood sugar is now down to about 13. I have novorapid and lantus insulin. I'm finding the diet issue my main problem. I'm really struggling to cope with it as I don't eat seafood and the only meat I eat is chicken. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!
 
There are plenty of vegetarian diabetics 🙂 What are you struggling with in particular? Or perhaps more to the point, what advice have you been given that is causing you problems?
 
My diabetic nurse has advised to cut carbs down but as I don't eat much meat, all I normally eat is carbs like pasta rice and potatoes, fruit and veg. I was also told no crisps, chocolate, cakes or biscuits. At the moment I'm on fixed doses of insulin and I'm feeling rather restricted food wise.
 
Have a look on the food and recipes threads. There are loads of alternatives to carbs, and lower carb versions of things, for example cauliflower rice, broccoli couscous, lidl hi protein rolls, burgen soya and linseed bread, courgetti, ground almond based pastry type things eg pizza bases, the list goes on! Have a good hunt around the food threads, there's bound to be something there floats your boat.
As for chocolate, learn to love very dark chocolate -85% and above -much lower in carbs, and you only need a square or two to satisfy. Nuts are a good snack to replace crisps - plain or salted.
 
Welcome from a fellow East anglian. I agree the fixed doses of insulin will be restrictive. When you are feeling up to it, I would ask for help with carb counting, that way you can eat much more freely. Lots of people substitute pasta for Cauli or courgette in various forms. I believe you can by low carb versions as well.
It is a very steep learning curve at the beginning, but you will get there. Ask away if there is anything we can do to help, you've come to the right place. 🙂
 
lorna1984 said:
My diabetic nurse has advised to cut carbs down but as I don't eat much meat, all I normally eat is carbs like pasta rice and potatoes, fruit and veg. I was also told no crisps, chocolate, cakes or biscuits. At the moment I'm on fixed doses of insulin and I'm feeling rather restricted food wise.
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Slow release carbs, like lentils, beans and other pulses are good, and nuts, ( some are lower carb than others, I like Brazils, which are at the lower end). Some people find porridge releases slowly into the system and doesn't cause their blood sugar to 'spike' others can't tolerate it at all, a lot of it is trial and error, finding out what suits you personally. A lot of people eat Lidl high protein rolls, or Burgen soya and linseed bread.
Depending on what your doses have been fixed at, you will find you need some carb to give them something to work on, otherwise your blood glucose will drop too low.
 
Hi and welcome to the forum. You have had some good advice above so I will just say hi.
 
Hi and welcome to the forum. I'm from Essex too! Where abouts in Essex are you from?
 
Hello and welcome to forum
 
Hi

I am in the same boat of fixed insulin until you get used to it.
I find things like cauliflower rice or courgette or carrot spaghetti helpful while you're getting your bloods down. They are easy to make, or tesco do packs of them
 
Eggs and cheese are both good if you eat them.
 
Welcome. There's lots of good advice above.🙂
 
Welcome to the forum. Life will get a lot easier when they show you how to carbohydrate count and then have more flexibility with your food. I know that doesn't help at the moment but I wanted to give you more hope for the future.
 
Hi Lorna, Welcome to the forum.

There is a lot to learn at the start and the DSNs will take you through things step by step. I think a lot of people start on fixed doses of insulin, which means that you need to match your food to the doses, but once you start to carb count you can swap over and match your insulin to the food you want to eat. So there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Take things step by step, and don't worry if it is difficult to get your levels steady at the start.

Keep asking questions as there are lots of people here to helphelp
'
 
You will get there. There's nowt wrong with chicken. Have you got a copy of Carbs and Cals? That really helped me.
 
Thanks everyone. Yes I've bought a copy of carbs and cals. It's a handy book.
Stitch147- I'm from Southend.
 
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