Type 2 Dietideas!

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Brian Cullen

Brian Cullen

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
I have had Type 2 now going on 3 years, I know a lot about food, I am a qualified chef by trade and have been in and out of the Hospitality industry for a long time, I should know what foods to avoid with higher sugar levels, yet I am still struggling with my glucose levels, today 21.5 maybe I am still in denial. I get sugar cravings and give in to these weaknesses from time to time, It feels like I am being a naughty schoolboy eating my Mars bar behind the teachers back. I know I am only fooling myself and I do know the consequences of my actions. I haven't given in to any recent cravings although now my problem is with fresh fruit and not Mars Bars. I eat very healthily lots of fresh veggies and home cooked food, I've recently taken up jogging and attended a gym, but I still miss the sugar, anyone else out there with the same issues, or can anyone offer any help.
 
Hi Brian, welcome to the forum 🙂 Sorry to hear you are having problems :( When waas that 21.5 reading taken? Are you on any medication for your diabetes? Have you been offered an education course to help you understand your diabetes? It sounds like you have some idea of where things are going wrong, if you are giving in to sugar cravings, so that is certainly a place to start, but bear in mind that it is all carbohydrates that will raise your blood sugar levels, not just sugar. I would suggest starting a food diary and recording the carbs in everything you eat and drink for a week or so. Be methodical and perfectly honest - it can be a bit tedious, but it will give you a good idea of where you really stand and should identify areas where you can make adjustments - reducing portion size of some items, or substituting more 'diabetes-friendly' items for those that are causing you the most grief.

As you have a meter and strips I'd suggest reading Test,Review, Adjust by Alan S - this will help you to identify the foods that you tolerate well, and those you don't. It's a very individual thing, so you need to know how you personally react in order to tailor your diet correctly. I'd also suggest reading up about the GL diet (Glycaemic Load), as this is a method of selecting and combining food that will have a slow and steady release of energy. The GL Diet for Dummies is a good introduction. It also explains that some fruits are better than others e.g. berries are better than, say, bananas. Whilst I'm bombarding you with reading material, it would also be worth reading Jennifer's Advice and Maggie Davey's letter to see how good your understanding of diabetes and how best to control it is.

To try and curb your sugar cravings, you might like to try some dark chocolate with high cocoa content - the higher the better. Some people keep theirs in the freezer, so they are less likely to munch their way straight through a whole bar! A couple of squares melting slowly in your mouth can satisfy a sugar craving without having much impact on your levels.

Please let us know if you have any questions and we will do our best to help out! 🙂
 
Hi and welcome Brian - great place for support and information :D
 
Hi welcome to the forum. I was diagnosed in august 2015, i still miss and crave sugar some days. This forum is great for advice.
 
Hi brian. Welcome to forum.
 
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