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Advice please

B

Barkingmad2

Member
Messages
14
I have just joined. I am 70 years of age, type 1 for about 20 years. Recently had heart attack and surgery so really need to help myself as much as possible. I would like to try the carb diet and, would be grateful if anyone can tell me how I can access this. Many thanks
 
Hello and welcome to the forum @Barkingmad2 :)

Are you on a basal/bolus - multiple injections regime ?
 
Hi @Barkingmad2 So are you eating the same thing at each meal time or are you carb counting your food ? Also are you comfortable adjusting your own doses or does the nurse help there ?
 
@Barkingmad2 . Welcome to the forum.
If I was in your position. Recent heart attack and surgery. This forum wouldn't be my first point of call for changing to a different diet. Your post asks about carb diet, I'm thinking you probably mean low carb. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
Without doubt lowering carbs is a great idea but I would be very cautious of adding high fat to your diet, purely because of your recent circumstances. I would be having a very serious talk with the people who recently saved my life before making drastic changes to diet.
All that said I wish you the best of health now and going forward.
 
Juicyj said:
Hi @Barkingmad2 So are you eating the same thing at each meal time or are you carb counting your food ? Also are you comfortable adjusting your own doses or does the nurse help there ?
Click to expand...
Hi, At the moment not counting carbs but looking for best diet for me. Need to lower my sugar levels and lose weight. I can easily adjust my own levels of insulin and nurse is happy for me to do thid
 
therower said:
@Barkingmad2 . Welcome to the forum.
If I was in your position. Recent heart attack and surgery. This forum wouldn't be my first point of call for changing to a different diet. Your post asks about carb diet, I'm thinking you probably mean low carb. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
Without doubt lowering carbs is a great idea but I would be very cautious of adding high fat to your diet, purely because of your recent circumstances. I would be having a very serious talk with the people who recently saved my life before making drastic changes to diet.
All that said I wish you the best of health now and going forward.
Click to expand...
Hello
At the moment just looking for the best diet for me. Not seen the low carb diet yet and the surgeons who deal with heart only refer me to my own GP, or diabetic nurses. I need to do research myself I think. I hope you are recovering well
 
Barkingmad2 said:
Hello
At the moment just looking for the best diet for me. Not seen the low carb diet yet and the surgeons who deal with heart only refer me to my own GP, or diabetic nurses. I need to do research myself I think. I hope you are recovering well
Click to expand...
That's unfortunate that more " expert" advice isn't available. Definitely do as much research as possible.
 
@Barkingmad2: Ask the diabetic nurses about a carb counting course and to see a dietician. After a heart attack you normally attend a cardiac rehab course with cardiac nurses that advise on diet and exercise etc. Are you seeing a cardiac nurse?
 
Last edited:
Barkingmad2 said:
Hello
At the moment just looking for the best diet for me. Not seen the low carb diet yet and the surgeons who deal with heart only refer me to my own GP, or diabetic nurses. I need to do research myself I think. I hope you are recovering well
Click to expand...

Hi there Barkingmad - I'm not an insulin user, but I do know if you're going to be thinking about making changes to your regime, especially one with the potential to alter your insulin needs, it is important you learn to carb count, before trrying it. Trying to get to grips with that, whilst changing your diet could lead to some tricky spots you'd probaably rather not go to.

D you understand about carb counting?

I wonder if my colleague @Jaylee might have any wisdom to offer you around this.
 
Hello @Barkingmad2 ,

Welcome to the forum.

Heart conditions are not my forte, I'm afraid.
Neither am I prescribed metformin. (Which would suggest a certain amount of insulin resistance with your condition?)
I'm not a doctor either.

But I do low carb.. & take Lantus & Novorapid.

Now the advice. :)

Follow your doctor's & HCP's advice is my advice..

Now that's not to say there is nothing you can do yourself!
Focusing on blood sugar control, thus stabilising a healthy HbA1c would be the foundation for any recomended diet for a heart condition patient?

Understanding how your insulin works in conjunction with this is paramount before any other diet changes.. (If needed at all?)
Your lantus is where it starts, then understanding your bolus to carb ratio with the diet.
Link here regarding basal testing. https://mysugr.com/basal-rate-testing/

If you've ever worked with wood. A good "leading edge" is needed before measuring & commencing an acurate cut to size.. ;)

I hope this helps..
 
Hi. As others have said, counting the carbs and matching the insulin at mealtime is really essential to control weight and BS and give you recipe flexibility. My DN taught me in 10 minutes when she started me on insulin. A low-carb diet will mean 150gm/day max and for many it means a lot less. You will need to reduce your insulin as you reduce your carbs so be aware of that. You need to maintain your proteins and fats BUT you may want to keep the fats under some control and have fish oils etc (Omega-3) rather than saturated fats. Sat fats have been blamed for increased heart problems but that is now being challenged. Do discuss with your consultant.
 
Sweetheart66 said:
@Barkingmad2: Ask the diabetic nurses about a carb counting course and to see a dietician. After a heart attack you normally attend a cardiac rehab course with cardiac nurses that advise on diet and exercise etc. Are you seeing a cardiac nurse?
Click to expand...
Hi, yes I am starting rehab very soon and see my heart nurse regularly, I will ask next week about the low carb and my heart issues. Had a look at it and., not sure that the one for me. There must be others as the one the dietitians suggested just leave me so hungry.
 
DCUKMod said:
Hi there Barkingmad - I'm not an insulin user, but I do know if you're going to be thinking about making changes to your regime, especially one with the potential to alter your insulin needs, it is important you learn to carb count, before trrying it. Trying to get to grips with that, whilst changing your diet could lead to some tricky spots you'd probaably rather not go to.

D you understand about carb counting?

I wonder if my colleague @Jaylee might have any wisdom to offer you around this.
Click to expand...
Thank you, I will take my time before I do the changes
 
Daibell said:
Hi. As others have said, counting the carbs and matching the insulin at mealtime is really essential to control weight and BS and give you recipe flexibility. My DN taught me in 10 minutes when she started me on insulin. A low-carb diet will mean 150gm/day max and for many it means a lot less. You will need to reduce your insulin as you reduce your carbs so be aware of that. You need to maintain your proteins and fats BUT you may want to keep the fats under some control and have fish oils etc (Omega-3) rather than saturated fats. Sat fats have been blamed for increased heart problems but that is now being challenged. Do discuss with your consultant.
Click to expand...

Thank you will do some more research
 
Jaylee said:
Hello @Barkingmad2 ,

Welcome to the forum.

Heart conditions are not my forte, I'm afraid.
Neither am I prescribed metformin. (Which would suggest a certain amount of insulin resistance with your condition?)
I'm not a doctor either.

But I do low carb.. & take Lantus & Novorapid.

Now the advice. :)

Follow your doctor's & HCP's advice is my advice..

Now that's not to say there is nothing you can do yourself!
Focusing on blood sugar control, thus stabilising a healthy HbA1c would be the foundation for any recomended diet for a heart condition patient?

Understanding how your insulin works in conjunction with this is paramount before any other diet changes.. (If needed at all?)
Your lantus is where it starts, then understanding your bolus to carb ratio with the diet.
Link here regarding basal testing. https://mysugr.com/basal-rate-testing/

If you've ever worked with wood. A good "leading edge" is needed before measuring & commencing an acurate cut to size.. ;)

I hope this helps..
Click to expand...

Thank you for the advice, yes it has helped
 
Daibell said:
Hi. As others have said, counting the carbs and matching the insulin at mealtime is really essential to control weight and BS and give you recipe flexibility. My DN taught me in 10 minutes when she started me on insulin. A low-carb diet will mean 150gm/day max and for many it means a lot less. You will need to reduce your insulin as you reduce your carbs so be aware of that. You need to maintain your proteins and fats BUT you may want to keep the fats under some control and have fish oils etc (Omega-3) rather than saturated fats. Sat fats have been blamed for increased heart problems but that is now being challenged. Do discuss with your consultant.
Click to expand...

Will do, many thanks
 
Checked with my heart nurse today and unfortunately the low carb diet is not suitable with my heart problems. Think I will follow a low calorie diet. Thank you all for your advice
 
Barkingmad2 said:
Checked with my heart nurse today and unfortunately the low carb diet is not suitable with my heart problems. Think I will follow a low calorie diet. Thank you all for your advice
Click to expand...
You could try low carb, low fat, high proteine? I know I dropped a lot of weight on low carb, (40 pounds and still at it), but for some reason professionals still seem to think fat is the problem. (Carbs pack on the body fat). Read up some on dietdoctor.com, it might help. Good luck!
 
JoKalsbeek said:
You could try low carb, low fat, high proteine? I know I dropped a lot of weight on low carb, (40 pounds and still at it), but for some reason professionals still seem to think fat is the problem. (Carbs pack on the body fat). Read up some on dietdoctor.com, it might help. Good luck!
Click to expand...

Thank you
 
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