what do you think of food

[DeusXM]

I don't really think about it. Whatever I'm eating, I'll just bolus for. The only things I really now try to avoid are pizza, Christmas cake and pick 'n' mix because I just can't bolus for these properly. Although even then, I'll still indulge once in a while, you're allowed to have a day off!

As for eating around Christmas, this guy pretty much has it spot on:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYQcBgYm9V4

 

[Zuckerkranke]

Two years ago, I went out for a meal on New Year's Eve. When I made the restaurant booking, I informed one of the restaurant staff. I AM DIABETIC. "Okay, I'll tell the chef and we'll adjust the menu."

Starters - Small portions of salmon.

Main course - Potatoes, three veg and fish.

Dessert - Pavlova, or chocolate gateau or apple pie & cream

So much for menu adjustments. They might as well have handed me a 2lb bag of sugar and a spoon.

I eat no takeaway food, apart from shop bought sandwiches. Even then it's sometimes difficult to find plain chicken, ham or tuna on brown bread that isn't smothered in mayonnaise.

 

[AlisonF]

I was diagnosed young and have very similar experiences to Pumper_Sue - I was just brought up to carb count, work it out and to never let my diabetes stop me, so food was never really an issue. Plus I think it is much easier because I don't remember any other approach to eating/carb counting. Obviously if you're diet controlled, that's a very different issue.

Zuckerkranke - I have to say, if I had someone coming to dinner who just told me they're diabetic, even with my knowledge I'm not sure what I'd do. Some diabetics want low/zero carb, others don't, some want no sugar, others want to eat a normal meal and bolus accordingly. It's very hard for others to judge what's appropriate.

 

[Vicsetter]

I think that part of your diet ought to be making the food you do eat more interesting and tasty. This means using herbs and spices which do not add to your carbs intake and are usually good for you. I use quite a lot of rosemary (from the garden), paprika and garlic. Home made curry can be very exciting and doesn't need to cause too much concern on the diabetes front, just watch the rice/nan bread side of things, but you can have curried chicken without rice or bread. (if you can take the odd potate then have a bombay potato with your chicken curry).

 

[Abi]

I thought you were curbing the carbs Deux- from another post- or perhaps I misinterpreted it
Are you doing so to limit insulin dose and weight gain or mainly to improve control? Just wondering whether there had been much effect on the latter

 

[DeusXM]

I have to say, if I had someone coming to dinner who just told me they're diabetic, even with my knowledge I'm not sure what I'd do. Some diabetics want low/zero carb, others don't, some want no sugar, others want to eat a normal meal and bolus accordingly. It's very hard for others to judge what's appropriate.

I always think the approach of telling people you have diabetes is the wrong one, particularly if you don't furnish them with more information about what that specifically means for you.

I take the same approach as the guy in the video I posted - I ask people what's being served, and then I plan accordingly. Means I can get decent control and I don't disrupt someone else's plans.

I thought you were curbing the carbs Deux- from another post- or perhaps I misinterpreted it
Are you doing so to limit insulin dose and weight gain or mainly to improve control? Just wondering whether there had been much effect on the latter

I go through stages where I low-carb, both to lose weight and improve control. However, I'm not militant about it - there are days when I'll just eat what I like for the sake of my sanity or simply convenience. For instance, I've just got back from Thailand where I lived exclusively on rice and beer for a fortnight, so this week I'm on mostly salad, steaks and eggs to get myself back on track in time for Christmas. Generally yes, I aim for less than 50g of carbs a day but I don't make a particularly special effort to achieve this, it just sorta happens because my intrinsic preference for food has always been meat, butter, eggs and green veg anyway. Also, where possible, I'll make choices that make my life easier - for instance, instead of regular noodles, I'll just use shiritake ones if I'm cooking for myself because it's less effort, but that doesn't mean I won't eat regular noodles if that's what the takeaway offers.

The point I guess I'm making is I don't get worked up about food. It's there and I'll eat it. I don't really make any specific effort to eat in a certain way, it might just be that one week I won't buy a loaf of bread and get a few more eggs in than normal. Although I notionally am cutting down on carbs, I'm not going to be one of those people who panics when the only thing available is chips and sandwiches. That's one of the benefits of being a T1; I've got the tools that can cope with every situation.

 

[Abi]

I agree that informing people often is of little benefit
They want black and white info and diabetes is a condition where there are all sorts of grey.
Often they can;t grab the concept of needing to watch starchy food as well as sugar- or if they can they will serve you up a carb free meal on the one day that you have been excercising/ consuming alcohol and forgotten to turn down or reduce basal ( or perhaps not quite got round to fine tuning that basal )
Or you will decide to have that dessert and they will become the food police
Or they will assume that it is the mayonaise not the white bread which is the problem, and offer you a low fat alternative that is even higher in carbs...

I remember being a bit disgruntled when my cousin came to stay last summer- we were going to have an Indian but she had been ill and wanted something lighter. Being a vegetarian she made a pasta dish although with a huge salad as well. then a fruit salad with a sauce made from honey
I had not long prior to this reduced my basals due to hypos but they needed increasing again. Basals that are off plus pasta = disaster- even if not consuming quite as vast a portion as everyone else and making it up with salad. Plus I was craving meat...

I can't bolus for everything in any portion size
Too many other variables in my diabetes and it just confuses things more - and would involved a lot of controlled experimentation
Hence I don;t buy into "eat enything and bolus for it" but I still want a little spontaneity and don;t want to come across as "too precious" about what I eat. I'm not a low carber now but have benfited from a mdoerately low carb diet before

Best philosophy is - don't worry over much if that meal is a one off
If it's a recurrent problem - for example staying with friends on holiday- then contribute something that is easy on the diabetes control yourself

 

[Abi]

Sorry was cross posting...

I agree type ones have more flexibility but I don't think my digestion is predictable enough to cope with certain food situations- however, would not let diabetes stop my having moderate portions of some of the more tricky foods

 

[HOBIE]

Hi, a good few years ago when i went on to 4 injections a day & could "MISS" a meal. I thought i was in heavon. Now i reagularly miss meals (on pump) or just eat fish without any carbs. Even now i wont have a biggish meal without doing some work or exersize first. 🙂

 

[Steff]

I think of food with little respect same way it does me lol

 

[trophywench]

I kind of agree with both POV here; I know I've always said I was glad I was 22 cos I was able to eat Mars Bars and Crunchies and drink Tizer as a kid - not - like Sue - that they were on offer very often in our house either but when they were, YES !

But there again it's tedious when I bring 2 plates of dinner in from the kitchen and even with the fancy meter and the pump by the time I've tested and bolused my husband is halfway down his (no point in two dinners going cold and he eats stuff hotter than me anyway)

Other times I'll forget esp if we're engrossed in conversation or summat else and be halfway down mine when I say 'Why didn't you tell me I'm diabetic?' which is really annoying cos by that time my BG is going to have risen ..... so do I shoot assuming my BG was '5' pre meal Or What?

 

[PhilT]

Food is the bane of my life. Having had stomach problems since I was a teenager and during my life being diagnosed with among other things a Gastric Ulcer, IBS, an intolerance of penicillin which causes acute colitis so can't be prescribed it. Then earlier this year I was diagnosed with diverticular disease. That coupled with Diabetes makes it difficult to eat anything that I really enjoy and my diet is quiet bland as a result. Going out for a meal is a nightmare as there are so many foods I am unable to eat. I find it quiet depressing as most people can eat what they like .