Please share the secrets of your success

[ramblingspider]

Hi, We are looking for advice from those that have been there and succeeded. My OH has just been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and my blood sugar is on the high side of normal. We both lost fathers to diabetes so it is important to us to get this right. OH has an appointment with an NHS diabetes lifestyle advice clinic but not for six months. We would really like to get started on getting healthy now.
So if you have been successful in controlling your diabetes over a decent period of time and have managed to get your blood sugar/ Hbac1 levels down please can you share the secrets of your success so we have an idea of what we have to do.
In particular I am looking for dietary and exercise advice. Our situation is slightly complicated by the fact that my son can't eat yoghurt/cheese/buttermilk and soy sauce (in short anything fermented) and wont eat anything spicy.
Thanks for your help.

 

[donnellysdogs]

My advice with a son as well to consider would be just stick to meat and good veg and salads. Try to avoid pasta, potatoes and processed ready meals...

Has OH been given a meter?


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[Avocado Sevenfold]

Keep food simple and unprocessed. Lots of people have success with this http://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf

Exercise need not be strenuous. Just walking or dancing is enough. Do something you enjoy.

Get a meter and test foods to see what agrees with your OH.

 

[Mazzer]

Hi and welcome to the Forum. I was diagnosed in February this year, I have booked myself on to the X-Pert course, which covers dietary information, but does'nt start until 20th May. In the meantime, I decided to follow the LCHF diet which has helped me tremendously. I have reduced my bg and also lost weight. I do not eat bread, potatoes, pasta, rice, cereals as these really spike my bg. I eat any type of meat or fish, salads, leafy vegetables, broccoli, cauliflower, courgettes, eggs, asparagus and avocado pears. Carrots are better raw as cooking them raises the carbohydrate in them, swede, turnips, parsnips can be eaten in moderation, but the only way you can tell what foods are right for your OH is to test bg before and 1 to 2 hours after eating as everyone is different.

Hope this helps, good luck

Marilyn

 

[ramblingspider]

Hi all, thanks for the advice. OH measured his blood glucose this morning and it is half what it was when he was diagnosed and is almost into the normal range. This was despite the excesses of an Easter weekend that involved a curry and a big family lunch. So we are doing something right I'm glad to say. We have not given up carbohydrates completely - rather we are going for a low GI approach (so only a few roasted baby new potatoes with Sunday dinner). He's lost a bit of weight and bought a bike too - I'm sure that is contributing to his success.

Thanks again,

Julie

 

[donnellysdogs]

You should NOT give up carbs completely!! Your familt needs a sustainable lifestyle of foods. Just better choices to suit your health.

Its great to hear that bloods have improved from previous and long may it continue!!!

What ever your choices you make, they have to be for a long term basis and better living. This is also important for your son, as this will shape his future too.


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[donnellysdogs]

Is your Oh testing more than once a day? OH needs to really be testing pre meals and 2 hours after meals... If these are starting to drop to near range ir within range then you really are doing fantastically well for your family... And I say your family because having a diabetic eating better choices should include family.. And improve their health too.

Well done so far.. Especially bicycle..!!


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[Andy12345]

i see no harm in trying to give up carbs completely as its almost impossible anyway, i eat as few as possible and would never think to myself oh dear ive only eaten 15g of carbs today, id better have a slice of bread,

sounds like your doing all the rights things, keep it up

another vote for checking out www.dietdoctor.com


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[donnellysdogs]

Trying to give up anything completely is **** hard and with health its impossible and stupid. Nobody should have nothing of anything. Even a lettuce leaf has the minutest carb of it if you ate enough of it.
Extremes is not good. Low or lower is achievable and thats what OP NEEDS.


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[donnellysdogs]

Trying is different to doing.


Trying leads to being p*****d off when you dont achieve. Why? Normally because you werent prepared in the first place or it was just unachievable and stupid in first place. The thought of trying to get anybody to go no carb is the latter.


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[donnellysdogs]

Trying to eat as few as possible is far different to trying to not to eat any!!!!


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[ramblingspider]

Thanks everyone. I can see that this whole subject is emotive - everyone has strong opinions and theories. What I have read so far (outside of this forum) is confusing and contradictory although everyone agrees eat no sugar, less carbs, consume more veg and exercise!

The things we miss are desserts. OH loves yoghurt but hasn't quite come round to the unsweetened stuff. I can make big fancy tofu and fruit affairs for family do's but I'm not keen on cooking dessert on a weekday because I havn't got time or energy. So, apart from fruit, what's an easy, healthy dessert?
Thanks,

J

 

[cath99]

i do low carb as it suits me alot . im at 5 stone down in weight in 6 months i bought a tredmill second hand its the best thing and now walk hour half every day at 15 min slots to fit in with the day , x good luck to you on ur journey

 

[andcol]

Not really a long time period - just 3 months but you can read my story from diagnoses with an HbA1c of 91 to an HbA1c in the normal range (40) in this thread http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/got-my-first-3-month-hba1c-results-this-morning.55719/
During April my numbers have been improving further (except yesterday when I pushed it with my wife's birthday cake but still only peaked at 10mmol/L and no exercise )

 

[donnellysdogs]

I just buy full fat yogurts.... And then a small handful of walnuts with my vitamin tablets and a single cream coffee. Yummee..


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[Squire Fulwood]

So, apart from fruit, what's an easy, healthy dessert?

A couple of times lately I have had rhubarb and double thick cream. You mustn't put sugar on it of course. Now thats what I call LCHF.

 

[donnellysdogs]

Lovely....


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[Alanp35]

A couple of times lately I have had rhubarb and double thick cream. You mustn't put sugar on it of course. Now thats what I call LCHF.

Me too,Squire,
Much needed too



Late onset T1, several auto immune issues.
Humalogmix25 twice a day, Methotrexate 25mg once per week, FolicAcid 5mg once per week, prednisolone 5mg daily, Allopurinol 300mg, Calcichew-D3 800iu, Levothyroxine 50mcg, Atenolol 50mg, Losarten 100mg, Aspirin 75mg, Nicorandil 20mg, Nitrolingual GTN spray, Metformin 2000mg, Allimemazine 10mg, Lanzoprazole 30mg, Atorvastatin 20mg, Co Codamol 8/500mg, Depo Medrone (Methylprednisolone) or double Prednisolone for 7 days in case of RA flare.

 

[popsy]

My routine? Low carbing. Nothing more, my HbA1c has come down nicely, I feel great on it too. Takes some adjustment and it does depend on which, if any, meds your OH is on. I am currently in the process of giving up my Glipizide, I simply don't need it. My BG results are still good on only Metformin, my weight is still going down and I feel better altogether as I was starting to hypo badly with low carbing plus Glipizide. I would much rather eat less carb a day and take less drugs too. I don't say this course would suit everyone and it's something that must be done carefully with a lot of testing to start with, at least that's what I have done.

Some may say it's irresponsible to do this except under a doctors supervision but quite honestly, my routine is now light years away from anything the doc ever advised so their advice would be completely irrelevant to me, It's my life and my body.

Work out what works for you and your OH. Combined with that you have to work out what will work for your son too. Maybe a lot to take in but the effort is so worth it!

Good Luck

 

[Thommothebear]

30 grams of carbs today, no problem at all, manage this most days now and don't miss the starchy rubbish at all. LCHF plus exercise is working for me and has been for quite a while. Getting quite fed up with people telling me I can't do it when I can quite easily. Also happy to say I possibly eating more veg than ever before and loving it.


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