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Newly Diagnosed

Goonergal said:
Hi @Hammer1964 and welcome to the forum.

I think we all feel a bit like that on diagnosis but you have made a big step by finding this forum. You'll find a wealth of good information and a bunch of friendly people ready to provide support and advice.

So far as what to eat and drink, I'd take a look at the low carb program on this site and also websites such as diet doctor, which will give you some broad ideas about what to eat as well as recipes. As others have said, cutting back on carbohydrates such as sugar, bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, most fruits is generally a good idea. However each person will have a different tolerance level so I'd suggest getting a blood glucose meter and testing immediately before you eat and then 2 hours after the first bite to see which foods you can safely eat. There are sections on the website about meters and testing. When buying a meter check the price of the strips- they vary widely. Many people on here use either the SD Codefree or the Tee2, both of which have affordable strips.

Good luck and do ask as many questions as you like.
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Thank you, I have ordered the Tee 2 meter and bought the strips. Now just to get my head around the low carb diet as I love pasta and potatoes! Tracy
 
Enclave said:
To be honest, I was the same .. but I have a very pro active wife that did everything .. researched, carb counted, and cooked.. did a full blood sugar reading matched to what I had eaten and how I was feeling .. so in a long list of info she had carefully written down in a small book for me I was able to see how my food was directly affecting my moods and blood sugars. The most scary thing was the normal fats .. she stopped all low fat and changed them to normal or high fat foods.. I do have heart failure and have always been told fats were very bad for me. So that change was a big leap of faith .. She got me the code free test meter from home health like others have talked about here, and I tested my blood just before eating and 2 hours after.
Low carb med fat worked for me .. I am now in remission .. lighter and fitter than I have been for years ..
You do need to get your head around change and see it as a challenge that is going to be exciting and fun, is there anyone that can help or join you in your new journey into controlling your T2
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Hi, yes my husband is very supportive of my condition and of course this site is amazing so thank you. Tracy
 
Try strips of leek instead of lasagne, cauliflower instead of starchy vegetables - mashed swede or turnip, try celeriac both raw and cooked - there are many low carb alternatives if you look for them and try them out in various ways to find what suits you best.
You need not worry about the fats - my total cholesterol dropped eating Atkins, and my ratios are ideal according to the on line checker I found, so I am pretty sure that all the low fat equals low cholesterol dietary advice is total tosh.
Oh I just remembered - for a potato substitute, boil radishes in several changes of water, to remove the flavour.
 
Hammer1964 said:
Now just to get my head around the low carb diet as I love pasta and potatoes! Tracy
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It can be difficult at first - also love both of those things. Try spiralized courgettes (courgetti) as a pasta replacement. I was skeptical but it's actually really good. I prefer to do my own and have it raw, but you could experiment with the shop bought stuff to see if you like it.
 
purplepenguin said:
Welcome to the forums @Hammer1964 you have found the very best diabetes resource known to man!

I remember well the feelings you are having right now, I buried my head in the sand for years and got sicker and sicker, along with following the Eatwell plate that the NHS recommended. When I finally found this place and started on the Low carb diet, I have done a complete 360 turn around: weight is dropping off, sugars are stabilised for the majority of the time and I am off the gliclazide.
My advice to you is to ignore the dietary advice you get given by the doctor/nurse and start with low carb, research the low carb forum here, and test, test, test. Also, ask questions on the forums, there is no stupid question and you can bet your bottom dollar that if you have the question then there are thousands of others who also want to know the answer.

You may not have wanted to end up here and it is a terrifying prospect but it isn't as bad as you're thinking if you get it under control early, and you will make many new friends on this forum.

Good luck and welcome!
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Hi Purple penguin, thank you for the advice. I will certainly look up the low carb program. I don't really have any weight to lose as I am 9st and 5ft but will give it a go. Tracy
 
Hello and welcome. I was diagnosed in Feb and stumbled on this site by mistake. The best mistake I ever made, lots of good advice and support, no question has been too silly so ask away, there is always someone to offer help and guidance or just reassure and encourage. X
 
Prem51 said:
Celeriac is a good alternative to potatoes. It does taste a bit of celery but can be disguised with grated cheese or butter if you don't like the taste.
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I found it too sweet when I made chips out of it. Even when covered in salt and vinegar, the flesh was still too sweet. This is probably my problem though as I don't like sweet potato either.
 
purplepenguin said:
I found it too sweet when I made chips out of it. Even when covered in salt and vinegar, the flesh was still too sweet. This is probably my problem though as I don't like sweet potato either.
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Hi purple penguin I love sweet potato and mashed with swede is the best. I think I will be discovering lots of new veggie recipes. Tracy
 
I'll add a vote for using courgette instead of spaghetti. Never really liked courgette in most forms but certainly good spiralised and microwaved for a few seconds with a nice bolognese sauce.
 
Hammer1964 said:
Hi Purple penguin, thank you for the advice. I will certainly look up the low carb program. I don't really have any weight to lose as I am 9st and 5ft but will give it a go. Tracy
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Hi Tracy and Welcome,
I was fairly slim as well, but got diagnosed with prediabetes November last year. When you start the low carb diet you probably will loose some weight, it's almost impossible not to. If you don't want to lose too much weight make sure you have lovely mushroom sauce and lots of vegies, nuts, ice cream made with frozen berries and cream, and even cheesecake, with a bit of sweetener and almond crunch instead of biscuit. There's so many really yummy things to eat on LCHF. Make sure you test your BG to find out exactly what is best for you :)
 
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