Reversing symptoms of Diabetes 2

[nuway2health]

Thank you Pavlos for that very helpful meal plan that is brilliant I will try that and keep you posted.

Thanks to John too for your contribution and advice.

I really am so thankful for all the wonderful people I have found here.

Arlene

 

[Ehlana]

I'm confused now. I follow a low GL diet (I am type 2) and have checked and Pasta (esp wholemeal) is consider low GL. Now I tend to only have a small portion and always with a protein, but I wonder now if I should have it at all. I gave up potatoes and only eat brown rice and pulses.

I don't test my levels because I have difficulties getting strips but my HbA1C are never more than 6.

However, I am a runner and tend to run 20 miles a week and weight train twice a week - I was under the impression that I had to increase my carb levels to maintain energy.

Why is there so much conflicting information?

 

[cugila]

The reason there is so much conflicting information is because what is good for one may not be good for you. I can now, after losing nearly 5 stone, tolerate foods which were previously on my banned list. I too use a low GI/GL diet with seriously reduced carbs.

I can now tolerate, small portions of potato, rice, and some breads. Pasta is still out for me though. The only way to know what effect a food has on YOU is for YOU to test before a meal and then 2 hrs after it, with some foods like pasta which is slow acting test 3 - 4 hrs after. You have to get yourself a meter, even if you have to buy your own. A HbA1c is just a trend indicator and is no substitute for a daily test regime.

 

[nuway2health]

Can anyone advise me. This morning for breakfast I ate 2 wholemeal rolls filled with rocket, cress, spinach, tomato and red onion. I got new sensor strips today and tested my bs and it is 9.5. Can someone out there tell me what I am doing wrong?????

Arlene

 

[cugila]

2 Wholemeal Rolls could amount to something like 60g carbs........carbs means glucose......means elevated Bg levels.....put it down to experience.

It also depends what level your Bg was before you ate and when precisely you tested after your food, the normal time to test would be after 2 hrs.

 

[nuway2health]

2 Wholemeal Rolls could amount to something like 60g carbs........carbs means glucose......means elevated Bg levels.....put it down to experience.

It also depends what level your Bg was before you ate and when precisely you tested after your food, the normal time to test would be after 2 hrs.

I couldn't do a fasting test this morning before brekie as I hadn't any strips. I do find though no pattern as yet emerging with my readings. My morning fasting readings are high for my liking sometimes 9 or 10ish. I just cannot get a handle on what does what for me.

I am getting so obsessed now and worried that I nearly don't want to eat anything if that makes sense.

Arlene

 

[pavlosn]

Dear Arlene

Please do not be so impatient. I know you want to bring your levels down quickly but you will need to give yourself some time in which to do so.

Do not expect miracles overnight. T2 Diabetes is a long term disease. It will takes time, even years, before elevated blood sugars will cause any real damage, so although it is importand for you to get your blood glucose levels down in order to stay healthy, you have time during which to do so.

Do not put yourself under so much pressure and do not not worry yourself so much by any one individual reading, as Ken said, put it down to experience. You have only started testing so what you are doing is only just trying to find out how food affects you. For now, just record your readings and a record of the food they relate to. If you can see that your readings taken as weekly averages, show a downward trend you should be satisfied for now.

As you educate yourself on what to eat and as you lose any excess weight, you should be able to achieve better control.

Worrying only upsets you which causes blood sugar levels to rise irrespective of what you eat, so it really is counterproductive.

By the way, do not be afraid to eat, food is not only necessary for life, it is also one of life's pleasures. That still holds true for diabetics. So please enjoy.

Regards

Pavlos

 

[wallycorker]

Can anyone advise me. This morning for breakfast I ate 2 wholemeal rolls filled with rocket, cress, spinach, tomato and red onion. I got new sensor strips today and tested my bs and it is 9.5. Can someone out there tell me what I am doing wrong?????

Arlene

Arlene,

Two bread rolls sounds to be a lot of bread for a diabetic in one meal and that is likely to be your problem. Many Type 2s can't eat very much carbohydrate at breakfast time - I have almost none these days. However, like Ken has already told you, a lot depends on what your level was before the meal.

You sound very stressed by the whole thing - try to relax a little. You are on the right track by being on this forum. Just get some system into your testing - find out how different foods affect your levels most - and then make adjustments to your diet accordingly.

However, as indicated to you earlier, I think that you will find that you will need to reduce your starchy carbohydrate intake before your levels are likely to fall.

Try bacon and tomatoes for breakfast - even with an egg - grilled preferably or even fried.

John

 

[nuway2health]

Thanks to you all. Yes you are right this was the reason my diabetic nurse likely didn't give me a meter 2 years ago when I was diagnosed. She maybe knew I would become obsessed and anxious. I was getting on better before I started testing this past week.

You are all being very helpful but it seems no matter what I eat my readings aren't great other than on a few occasions.

For lunch I had a small bowl of vegetable broth and 2 nairns rough oatcakes. I tested after an hour and my levels are now 10.9

Would I get better results if I just ate salads and vegs .........oh I am soooooo stressed out with this.

Thanks to you all for you marvellous patience!

Arlene

 

[cugila]

Was this a home made Vegetable Broth, in which case what were the ingredients ? If it was tinned what was the carb content ?

Oats of any sort can make you 'spike' alarmingly, you need to test at the 2 hr interval.

 

[wallycorker]

.........She maybe knew I would become obsessed and anxious.........

Arlene,

I'm obsessive about improving my condition too. However, I'm not stressed in anyway whatsoever - it's a great feeling when you feel as though you are in charge of your own situation and getting somewhere.

Again, as regards your after lunch reading of 10.9 people would really need to know what your reading was before the meal - if you were high before then you will certainly be high after eating. However, it isn't such a bad reading one hour after eating considering how high you say that your fasting levels are at this stage.

Despite the advice you are getting, carbohydrate seems to be a big part of the way you are eating. Yes - try salads and vegetables and see what happens then. Try incorporating some fruit - e.g. grapes, apples, small orange pieces - into your salads if you think that you need some carbohydrate.

Be more patient! Stick with it - you'll get there! If you want to see quicker improvements cut out more carbs at least for the time being.

John

 

[Apricot]

Its fine to tweak the diet generally....I have been so very careful for weeks..readings, once daily only as I buy my own strips....are on average 6.8.....usually about 7am mornings...including weekends.

But then try adapting to suit a Coeliac diet as well....and you soon get trully pi55ed off with it all....plus parathyroid problems.

Am cold, often hungry, working too hard, not sleeping and totally fed up.

At work today..no heating on in the office...two windows open, and I am sitting there with a fleece on...(not a little one either), and a scarf around neck to try & keep neck comfortable

Tomorrow I am taking my "wheat bag" to fit around neck...(its cherry stones not wheat...but it works the same).
Bright ideas?
Apricot

 

[nuway2health]

Was this a home made Vegetable Broth, in which case what were the ingredients ? If it was tinned what was the carb content ?

Oats of any sort can make you 'spike' alarmingly, you need to test at the 2 hr interval.

This has really confused me with regard to oats as I have always been told that an oat breakfast is slow release and good to keep bs stabilised.

I think I am getting more confused the more I read aghhhhh

Arlene

 

[sugarless sue]

The only way to find out if you can tolerate oats is to test one hour and two hours after. I can't tolerate oat based products at all because of the high one hour spike but some can, you may be one of the lucky ones.
You did not mention if the broth was home made or tinned.

 

[nuway2health]

The only way to find out if you can tolerate oats is to test one hour and two hours after. I can't tolerate oat based products at all because of the high one hour spike but some can, you may be one of the lucky ones.
You did not mention if the broth was home made or tinned.

The broth was home made Sue but not by myself.

Thanks for your comments and that of all the others. I cannot understand how you folk seem to have it all down to a fine art and know what to eat and when and can almost predict what your readings will be after meals. I'm a mess at the minute yet diagnosed 2 years ago. My GP just sent me home to try a 'ruthless diet' which I did by simply cutting out the junk and sweet stuff and saturated fat and walking and never tested over those 2 years and my results at clinic went down to normal and did my cholesterol. Now that I am testing everything is going pear shaped big time!

I also suffer from ME and fibromyalgia which is why walking isn't always possible for me.

I am 13st 9lb and just 4ft 11ins so I really badly need to get weight off as well.

Oh I am stopping moaning as you must all be weary listening to me.

Thanks to everyone for their wonderful contributions. I'm away now to give your heads peace!

Arlene

 

[sugarless sue]

Thanks for your comments and that of all the others. I cannot understand how you folk seem to have it all down to a fine art and know what to eat and when and can almost predict what your readings will be after meals.

It's all about testing, Arlene. Keep a food diary for at least a week and you will soon begin to see a pattern in the foods that you can and can't eat. If the broth contained potatoes, carrots and broth mix then these will have a significant impact on your blood sugars as they contain a lot of carbs.

 

[nuway2health]

Woke this morning checked fasting bs and it is 9.1. Can anyone tell me how you get your fasting bs down??? It's hard enough to get a handle on my bs with eating food but I can't even get a normal reading when fasting. Awwwwwwww let the stress begin

Arlene

 

[cugila]

Check your Bg level before bedtime. If it is low then you might just have been a victim of the Dawn Phenomenon where your levels are too low so your liver dumps extra glucose into your blood and elevates your Bg levels.

Does also depend on what time you test, is it immediately on rising or have you done anything in between waking and testing. It is all about testing and trial and error. Nobody gets it right first time, stress in itself will elevate your Bg levels too.

 

[wallycorker]

Woke this morning checked fasting bs and it is 9.1. Can anyone tell me how you get your fasting bs down??? It's hard enough to get a handle on my bs with eating food but I can't even get a normal reading when fasting. Awwwwwwww let the stress begin

Arlene

Arlene,

In my experience, your 'on rising' (fasting) blood glucose level will come down once you get better control of your levels at other times of the day and that might take a little bit of time. Certainly don't expect it to happen overnight.

However, I'm not certain that you've understood yet the most important message and over-riding message that people are giving you that , to get an improvement, you will need to cut back quite sharply on the starchy carbohydrate foods that you are eating. Once you do that you will likely see a big improvement.

John

 

[nuway2health]

Thanks for that helpful information. Just think I am stressing too much and getting myself in a state. I am taking note of what i eat today and checking readings 2hrs later as advised. I need to overcome this dread of mealtimes I know.

I take your point John about needing to cut back sharply on the carbs and I wondered if anyone on the forum has posted a list of foods that would be beneficial for me to eat. It is hard to get a variety of foods when you take away the sugars and carbs.

I have cut out junk and sweet stuff and would have thought that would have helped the readings. I cannot deprive myself much more.

I also take the point I read elsewhere that losing weight does help the bs. I have about 5 stone to get off as I am very overweight for my height.

It is hard to eat salads all the time!

Thanks to everyone

Arlene