Controlling type 2 diabetes

[Nanajana59]

Hi all
As only been diagnosed since April 2017, I am struggling to get levels back down. My blood levels are 73.0 & blood glucose is 23.5 of a reading of Hi. This is my finger Rick test.i am on a diet have lost 6 lbs in a week I dunno what else I can do to bring it down. Any help greatly appreciated. I am on Metformin 500mg twice a day too.

 

[Resurgam]

Unfortunately weightloss is not a guarantee of lower blood glucose levels.
Many people find that eating fewer carbohydrates is a sure and certain way to see their readings drop.
I will tag @daisy1 as she has a useful description of foods which will help - if it works, that is - the tag should show up a different colour and alert is sent off.

 

[AM1874]

Hi @Nanajana59 .. and welcome

You have made an excellent move coming here. Since joining this forum, the folks here have given me so much info, advice and support that I am now much more confident about the journey ahead. So ask your questions and be assured that you will receive the answers that you need .. It's still early for me but, in my experience, it gets easier .. very quickly ..

Managing and controlling your diabetes through exercise, diet and testing your Blood Glucose seems to be the best way forward. For me, committing to an LCHF (Low Carb High Fat) lifestyle and testing 3-5 times a day seems to be working and you'll find that there is a wealth of info, relevant advice and positive support about LCHF on the forum ..

I see that @Resurgam has already tagged @ daisy1 for you and I would suggest that you read up on the Low Carb Program in the information that she will soon be sending you. You might also find the discussion on the Low Carb Diet forum helpful .. and the following websites ...
Low Carb Intro and Information
Low Carbs in 60 Seconds

Hope this helps

 

[Daibell]

Can you let us know what your 'diet' is? Well done on getting the weight down which needs to continue to reduce any insulin resistance that comes with excess weight.

 

[DavidGrahamJones]

committing to an LCHF (Low Carb High Fat)

Or just low carb?

 

[AM1874]

Can you let us know what your 'diet' is? Well done on getting the weight down which needs to continue to reduce any insulin resistance that comes with excess weight.

Hi @Daibell ..
I don't really follow a diet .. I have adopted a LCHF (Low Carb High Fat) lifestyle, which means that I eat pretty much anything that meets these criteria and nothing that doesn't .. this includes:
Full English breakfast minus hash browns and beans
Chicken, Ham, Fish, Steak, Gammon, Eggs (fried. boiled, scrambled) and/or omelettes
Cheese, full fat yoghurt (with live cultures) and Mayo (lots of)
Salad or mixed (above ground) veg with most meals, including avocado
Also started to make and eat fermented cabbage and mixed veg (easy and excellent), cold cuts
I don't do recipes, I just have most of the above in at any time and prep whatever I fancy
I also follow intermittent fasting and I only eat between 11am and 7pm .. either two or three (smallish) meals
Oh .. and I have stopped drinking the 2 (or sometimes) 3 pints of lager that I used to have every day

For me, the key to LCHF is as described on the Diet Doctor website ..
# eat real food
# eat when you're hungy
# stop eating when you're full

My lifestyle also now includes daily exercise .. one or more of: golf, jogging, exercise bike and walking everywhere .. and because it's a lifestyle it means I don't have any problems with sticking to it (as I probably would if I was following a diet) and I won't be going back to how I lived BD (before diabetes)

Hope this helps

 

[AM1874]

Or just low carb?

For me LCHF = Low Carb, High Fat

 

[Daibell]

For me LCHF = Low Carb, High Fat

Hi. Sounds a pretty good diet but bear in mind that as you increase the fats there will come a point where they can cause weight gain which is why many of us say Low Carb Higher Fat

 

[Totto]

Hi. Sounds a pretty good diet but bear in mind that as you increase the fats there will come a point where they can cause weight gain which is why many of us say Low Carb Higher Fat

High fat on a low carb diet rarely causes weight gain as fat is very filling.

 

[AM1874]

Hi. Sounds a pretty good diet but bear in mind that as you increase the fats there will come a point where they can cause weight gain which is why many of us say Low Carb Higher Fat

Hi @Daibell ..
And when / if that happens, I will adjust my macronutrients ratio accordingly
At present, it's still LCHF = Low Carb, High Fat for me but I will have no problem amending this to Higher (or Healthy) fat as required ..

 

[Resurgam]

I had stopped losing weight, and was struggling a bit to prevent gaining - then I gave in to strawberries and cream, and my weight is going down again now.
I just love LCHF

 

[DavidGrahamJones]

For me LCHF = Low Carb, High Fat

No question that LCHF works for a lot of people. I just feel that newer members should be aware that it's not 100% exactly what everyone follows because HF doesn't always work for everyone. Even the low carb bit has stopped working for me so it's important to remember that we really are so very different.

Low carb is the important bit and I say that because I have mentioned to doctors my low carb diet and they have immediately jumped on the HF bit, which of course I hadn't said, they assumed that the two things were synonymous which I don't believe they are or should be.

It's quite right that we should mention our personal experiences to others, but the caveat should be added, it might not be for everyone.

 

[serenity648]

High fat on a low carb diet rarely causes weight gain as fat is very filling.

for some. For me, I have to be careful to restrict my fats. I have full fat foods, but I dont actively eat more fats or I gain weight.

 

[AM1874]

No question that LCHF works for a lot of people. I just feel that newer members should be aware that it's not 100% exactly what everyone follows because HF doesn't always work for everyone. Even the low carb bit has stopped working for me so it's important to remember that we really are so very different.

Low carb is the important bit and I say that because I have mentioned to doctors my low carb diet and they have immediately jumped on the HF bit, which of course I hadn't said, they assumed that the two things were synonymous which I don't believe they are or should be.

It's quite right that we should mention our personal experiences to others, but the caveat should be added, it might not be for everyone.

That's why I always say .. "for me" ..

 

[Lampman]

I was diagnosed at the beginning of March, and found this site soon after. I found what made my blood glucose go high by testing with a meter after every meal. By eliminating all of those things and adopting the approach of buying ingredients and making my own food, I am able to control exactly what I eat. I only eat things I like so I will continue to eat the right things. I eat lots of eggs, oily fish, cheese, vegetables, fruit and so on but now very little carbohydrate. No potatoes, rice, cakes, biscuits, pastry, snack foods, sweets, fruit juice, and only tiny amounts of pasta. I have taken the opportunity to cut out E numbers, and add many things like Linseed, nuts, and other things you will find recommended by members of this community. Results? I feel a whole lot better, have lost 3 stone in weight(!) and my blood glucose is almost back to the non diabetic level. Also being lighter, the extra exercise I now do is much easier. You must be brutally honest with yourself about what you eat. There can be no cheating, its only yourself you are cheating if you do. Lecture over, I am sure you will get plenty of good advice here, and good luck!