Yet another newbie

[Malcolm Long]

Hi all. I'm new to the forum. But I suppose that is obvious as I am posting in the newbies section. I was diagnosed with a Type 2 in August last year, after having a heart attack in July. Both were a total shock. My doctor prescribed Metformin, which I take twice a day. I be also cut down a lot on biscuits and chocolate, which I have struggled with. And I eat a bit more fruit. But other than that, my diet hasn't changed drastically. But since being diagnosed I have lost about a stone and a half in weight. I was only 12st 6lbs to start with, so at 5ft 7in was not massively over weight. My first review in November was good. My colestral had reduced from 6 to 2.7, and my HbA1c from 68 to 60. I have my second review next week.
In the meantime I have one question. When I eat jacket potatoes, is it ok to eat the skin as well?

 

[Ralph-YK]

Hi from a fellow T2 who's 15 months in. Also got heart problems.
Eat the skin??? I wasn't told this!!!!!

 

[Northerner]

Hi Malcolm, welcome to the forum 🙂 Potato skins are fine - it is the potato itself that will raise your blood sugar levels. Eating the skins should offset the impact a little by making the food longer to digest. Do you test your blood sugar levels to find out the impact of your food on them? Have a read of Test,Review, Adjust by Alan S to see what I mean by this. Testing can really help you to understand your tolerances for different food choices and result in much better blood sugar control in the long run. You are already doing pretty well - no doubt from cutting out the sweet stuff! - but remember that it is all carbohydrates that will raise your levels, not just sugary ones. If you don't have a meter and strips it can be worth getting them whilst you learn about how food affects you personally - people can have quite different reactions to the same things. The cheapest option we have come across is the SD Codefree Meter which has test strips at around £8 for 50.

Please let us know if you have any questions and we'll do our best to help! 🙂

 

[SB2015]

Welcome to the forum Malcolm
Your levels are all heading in the right direction, so well done.
I hope your next review is another good set of results.

I can't think of a reason not to eat the skins on potatoes.

 

[KookyCat]

Hi Malcolm
Welcome aboard. The skin of the potato is the most nutritious and where all the fibre lives, in fact I often scoop the flesh out of a baked potato and fill it with creamed cheesy cauliflower because it lower carb than a jacket spud and thus has lower impact on blood sugars , but it's very much like a jacket, yum

 

[Malcolm Long]

Thanks for the replies, and no Northener, I don't monitor my blood sugar levels. It's not been suggested as yet.

 

[Robin]

Welcome to the forum, Malcolm. There's a wealth of information here, and a lot,of it goes into far more detail than your GP surgery will ever have time to tell you!

 

[trophywench]

Hi Malcolm - the root to any of us controlling our own diabetes - whatever Type it happens to be - is to stay one step ahead of it.

Mostly they don't suggest Type 2s testing for the simple reason (whatever complicated one they may SAY the reason is) is purely because the strips (- not the meters! - the manufacturers give a lot of them away - on the basis they'll make their money selling the strips!) are expensive! Yes - even to the NHS who have to pay for millions of the things year in year out - because every single person on insulin, and all of the folk on certain T2 tablets and other drugs (but not Metformin) absolutely HAVE to do tests. It isn't safe to take those things, in the absence of fingerprick blood testing. Plus they are used all the while in hospitals - in A&E they automatically test your BG even if you go in with a broken leg, and if you ever need an operation they have to do it - even when you are eg me, already testing my BG multiple times every day!

Anyway - if we sat round waiting for people in the NHS to suggest something - we'd never get anywhere! We have to use our own initiative - WE treat our own diabetes, the NHS don't! (They just help sometimes and hinder at others LOL)

Testing is a massive help. Please do read 'Test Review Adjust' that Alan pointed you to, before you decide one way or the other. If that doesn't make you want to, I'll be surprised!

 

[Ralph-YK]

in A&E they automatically test your BG even if you go in with a broken leg

They didn't when I was in A&E, twice, in 2014.

 

[@Fractis]

The skins are my favourite bit!

Welcome Malcolm, well done with the weightless; it's having a positive effect on your blood glucose levels already which is good news.

 

[Lynn Davies]

Hi and welcome to the forum

 

[Carolg]

Hi Malcolm
Welcome aboard. The skin of the potato is the most nutritious and where all the fibre lives, in fact I often scoop the flesh out of a baked potato and fill it with creamed cheesy cauliflower because it lower carb than a jacket spud and thus has lower impact on blood sugars , but it's very much like a jacket, yum

Great idea kookycat

 

[Carolg]

Hi all. I'm new to the forum. But I suppose that is obvious as I am posting in the newbies section. I was diagnosed with a Type 2 in August last year, after having a heart attack in July. Both were a total shock. My doctor prescribed Metformin, which I take twice a day. I be also cut down a lot on biscuits and chocolate, which I have struggled with. And I eat a bit more fruit. But other than that, my diet hasn't changed drastically. But since being diagnosed I have lost about a stone and a half in weight. I was only 12st 6lbs to start with, so at 5ft 7in was not massively over weight. My first review in November was good. My colestral had reduced from 6 to 2.7, and my HbA1c from 68 to 60. I have my second review next week.
In the meantime I have one question. When I eat jacket potatoes, is it ok to eat the skin as well?

Hi and welcome to forum

 

[trophywench]

Ralph - I'm totally amazed - automatic at the triage stage at ours, name, address, GPs name, BP, BG, and then - why are you here!!