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Lunchtime woes

Hattonma

Hattonma

Well-Known Member
Messages
82
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi everyone. Hear me out first. I am looking for any alternatives to sandwiches at lunchtime. I will be honest ad say I love sandwiches they r tasty and easy to make and store while at work.

I have recently purchased a libre machine in an attempt to finally get control of my sugars (type 1 for 35 years). My biggest issue now is post lunchtime highs caused by the bread spiking. I inject before I eat but it doesn't stop my levels shooting up.

Therefore I have decided I need to replace the bread with something more controllable so any ideas would be appreciated. Wondered if anyone had any experience with things like ryvita and whether they spike?

Cheers
 
How about a big piece of lettuce filled with your favorite sandwich toppings and some avocado slices ? Or a big salad topped with protein, avocado and a nice fatty dressing?

I make different mayo based dressing with either mustard, horseradish or hot sauce. Then I thin it with a little water for salads or just slather it on the lettuce wrap.
 
Are you on MDI or a pump? I've been having a similar issue, but being on a pump now worked out that if I do a dual wave, taking 50% about 20 mins in advance, and the rest over 1.5 hours, it seems to balance out. Alternatively, have you considered just reducing both insulin and carbs and going for something like salad + protein?
 
Have you tried the Lidl High Protein Rolls? Burgen Soya & Linseed Bread or the Marks & Spencers Sunflower & Spelt Loaf. As a T2 these are my go to's when only bread will do
 
Hi guys thanks for the suggestions. The filled lettuce is intriguing me slightly and I might try that.

Will also check out those breads and give them a try. Not on the pump so I don't have that luxury I am afraid. I have alternated with timings but the spikes seem uncontrollable
 
Hattonma said:
Hi guys thanks for the suggestions. The filled lettuce is intriguing me slightly and I might try that.

Will also check out those breads and give them a try. Not on the pump so I don't have that luxury I am afraid. I have alternated with timings but the spikes seem uncontrollable
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I'm on MDI and could NEVER get flat bs with any amount of carbs. I was chasing bs all the time. Eat for lows inject for spikes. Too time consuming. I ended up reducing carbs to just above ground low carb veggies and reduced insulin a lot and avoided hypos and spikes this way. The veggies I prefer are lettuce, celery, radish, scallions, cucumber, mushrooms. They are staple but there is of course asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, zucchini.

I adore lettuce wraps! I either use a big piece of romaine or Boston ( Bibb)
Today I had sliced leftover steak.. Topped it with mushroom, scallion, radish, a few slices of avocado and a blob of horseradish mayo. I do the same for dinner. I never get sick of it. Cold, crunchy and gooey.
I do it with almost every protein and change the flavor with the dressing. The avocado is very filling and great for bs.
If I don't just eat guacamole and celery for breakfast I have a slice of deli turkey with mustArd and mayo. I tolerat no carbs for BF. Just fat and small amounts of protein. I eat more protein at lunch and dinner. I also found over and over again if I screw up bs at BF the whole day is a mess.

If you try it please post how you liked it !
 
Hattonma said:
Hi everyone. Hear me out first. I am looking for any alternatives to sandwiches at lunchtime. I will be honest ad say I love sandwiches they r tasty and easy to make and store while at work.

I have recently purchased a libre machine in an attempt to finally get control of my sugars (type 1 for 35 years). My biggest issue now is post lunchtime highs caused by the bread spiking. I inject before I eat but it doesn't stop my levels shooting up.

Therefore I have decided I need to replace the bread with something more controllable so any ideas would be appreciated. Wondered if anyone had any experience with things like ryvita and whether they spike?

Cheers
Click to expand...
Use whole meal or 50?50 because it wont have such a spike wholemeal wraps or pittas don't bm till 5 hours after you've eaten, go on a dafne course!
 
Nick Loakes said:
Use whole meal or 50?50 because it wont have such a spike wholemeal wraps or pittas don't bm till 5 hours after you've eaten, go on a dafne course!
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I use wholemeal pittas or make wraps with corn tortillas when only a sandwich will be convenient i.e. when travelling and I need to eat on a bus or train. Make sure there is no carb in the filling.
 
I hate sandwiches LOL What I have for lunch could be:

- Salad with olive oil- or mayo-based dressing and a small amount of protein (smoked salmon, boiled egg, cold meat, few beans)
- Spiralised courgette with thick avocado-based pesto (omg.....)
- Soup/stew
- Raw veggies/salad and then some kind of low-carb bread (https://iquitsugar.com/recipe/zucchini-coconut-lunchbox-bread/ with small amount of banana and no sweetener) with an insane amount of butter
- Leftover dinner (tomorrow I will have Thai red curry with broccoli rice)
- If I really cannot manage to bring anything, I go and get an omelette, maybe a jacket potato filling, some greens/salad and extra butter, or a chicken salad and extra olives
- If I depend on catering, @Kristin251 inspired me to take olive oil with me, just in case :)
 
Munkki said:
I hate sandwiches LOL What I have for lunch could be:

- Salad with olive oil- or mayo-based dressing and a small amount of protein (smoked salmon, boiled egg, cold meat, few beans)
- Spiralised courgette with thick avocado-based pesto (omg.....)
- Soup/stew
- Raw veggies/salad and then some kind of low-carb bread (https://iquitsugar.com/recipe/zucchini-coconut-lunchbox-bread/ with small amount of banana and no sweetener) with an insane amount of butter
- Leftover dinner (tomorrow I will have Thai red curry with broccoli rice)
- If I really cannot manage to bring anything, I go and get an omelette, maybe a jacket potato filling, some greens/salad and extra butter, or a chicken salad and extra olives
- If I depend on catering, @Kristin251 inspired me to take olive oil with me, just in case :)
Click to expand...
Type 1's don't need to be on a low carb diet you just have to work out the carbs and take the correct amount of insulin providing your background is right, I eat anything chocolate pizza ect ect and my last HBA1c was 6.6mmol sorry im old money.
 
Nick Loakes said:
Type 1's don't need to be on a low carb diet you just have to work out the carbs and take the correct amount of insulin providing your background is right, I eat anything chocolate pizza ect ect and my last HBA1c was 6.6mmol sorry im old money.
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I certain.y need to be low carb to keep bs flat. I have no interest in chasing it with correction doses or food. I never want a hypo again. Carb counting in theory is great but it doesn't work for me. I'm all over the place. I like my well planned meals and know exactly how much insulin to take to keep it very flat. Far less stressful for me.
 
Hattonma said:
Hi everyone. Hear me out first. I am looking for any alternatives to sandwiches at lunchtime. I will be honest ad say I love sandwiches they r tasty and easy to make and store while at work.

I have recently purchased a libre machine in an attempt to finally get control of my sugars (type 1 for 35 years). My biggest issue now is post lunchtime highs caused by the bread spiking. I inject before I eat but it doesn't stop my levels shooting up.

Therefore I have decided I need to replace the bread with something more controllable so any ideas would be appreciated. Wondered if anyone had any experience with things like ryvita and whether they spike?

Cheers
Click to expand...
Little gem lettuce = no spike . Ryvita I spike , bread I spike so cut it out completely . Type 1 50 years plus
 
Kristin251 said:
I certain.y need to be low carb to keep bs flat. I have no interest in chasing it with correction doses or food. I never want a hypo again. Carb counting in theory is great but it doesn't work for me. I'm all over the place. I like my well planned meals and know exactly how much insulin to take to keep it very flat. Far less stressful for me.
Click to expand...
Have you been on a dafne course do you know what ratio your on ie 1to1, 1.5 to 1 2 to 1
 
I don't think we have Dafne coursed here and I just eat about 5 carbs per meal and take 1/2 unit.
I have eaten under 20 carbs a day for years and my body loves it.
When I first started insulin I was eating 20 carbs per meal and would plummet and spike every time. Same basic meals and foods. Finally I reduced carbs and insulin and have very flat bs so I'm sticking with it. I eat. Very healthy diet so no need to change. Grains are always out. I don't miss pasta potatoes or rice at all. If on the rare occasion I want pizza, the toppings of one slice is enough haha
 
Kristin251 said:
I don't think we have Dafne coursed here and I just eat about 5 carbs per meal and take 1/2 unit.
I have eaten under 20 carbs a day for years and my body loves it.
When I first started insulin I was eating 20 carbs per meal and would plummet and spike every time. Same basic meals and foods. Finally I reduced carbs and insulin and have very flat bs so I'm sticking with it. I eat. Very healthy diet so no need to change. Grains are always out. I don't miss pasta potatoes or rice at all. If on the rare occasion I want pizza, the toppings of one slice is enough haha
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yeah 5 carbs 1/2 a unit that's good means a 1 to 1 ratio basically dafne says 10 grams of carbs will raise your bs by 2-3mmol and 1 unit of insulin will bring it down 2-3mmol I eat about 60 grams of carbs per meal and try to consume about 3000 calories a day, trying to put weight back on after a long battle with depression!
 
So the last couple of days I have been eating a lettuce wraps for my lunch. Results well it tasted fantastic and the main result was that I lost the bread spike.

Thanks @Kristin251 I am now looking at different recipe ideas for the future
 
Hattonma said:
So the last couple of days I have been eating a lettuce wraps for my lunch. Results well it tasted fantastic and the main result was that I lost the bread spike.

Thanks @Kristin251 I am now looking at different recipe ideas for the future
Click to expand...
Main thing for me, is to have a decent flavoured leaf (I find Iceberg insipid and "watery") and include herb leaves to complement the filling e.g. mints with lamb!
 
Nick Loakes said:
yeah 5 carbs 1/2 a unit that's good means a 1 to 1 ratio basically dafne says 10 grams of carbs will raise your bs by 2-3mmol and 1 unit of insulin will bring it down 2-3mmol I eat about 60 grams of carbs per meal and try to consume about 3000 calories a day, trying to put weight back on after a long battle with depression!
Click to expand...
1 carb ( a stupid radish ) will raise me about 7 and 1/2 unit away from food can drop me up to 40 but usually I use 30 when trying to determine if I should take it or not. Also depends on my sensitivity at the time.
 
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