Question about snacks

[angustia]

Hi,

I've just been recently diagnosed type 2, and given amounts of carbs I should have. For snacks and main meals, it's listed between 15 gr - 30 gr of carbs (snacks) and between 40 gr -60 gr carbs (main meals).
My question is: do I have to eat the minimum gr, or is it okay to eat less than that? I would like to get into more of Keto - can I do that now?

I'm also going to get the glucose meter - but I worry because I have no idea at all how to use it. Would I get the instructions from the pharmacy? Is there a reliable video somewhere that shows you how?

Thanks for this forum!

 

[Rachox]

Hi Angustia and welcome to the forum.
First let me post a link to our useful info:
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/basic-information-for-newly-diagnosed-diabetics.17088/
The advice which you’ve been given about carbohydrates is sadly the NHS advice which is basically ‘healthy eating’. It doesn’t actually prove helpful to the majority of Type 2s, as carbohydrates turn to sugar which is exactly what we can’t deal with!
I’m so glad you are considering the keto approach. I experimented with different levels of carbs and have settled on 30-50g carbs/day. This (along with Metformin) maintains my blood sugars at non diabetic levels.
We can give you info on which blood glucose meters are best, they all come with instructions, but I’ll have a little look around for a video for you.

Edit for typo

 

[catinahat]

Hello @angustia welcome to the forum
There are no essential carbohydrates so you can go as low carb as you are comfortable with.
Get yourself a glucose meter it will help you discover the meals that suit you and the ones to avoid.
This explains how to use a meter https://www.diabetes.co.uk/blood-glucose/how-to-test-blood-glucose-levels.html
It's easy you'll soon get the hang of it.

 

[Mr_Pot]

Hi,

I've just been recently diagnosed type 2, and given amounts of carbs I should have. For snacks and main meals, it's listed between 15 gr - 30 gr of carbs (snacks) and between 40 gr -60 gr carbs (main meals).
My question is: do I have to eat the minimum gr, or is it okay to eat less than that? I would like to get into more of Keto - can I do that now?

I'm also going to get the glucose meter - but I worry because I have no idea at all how to use it. Would I get the instructions from the pharmacy? Is there a reliable video somewhere that shows you how?

Thanks for this forum!

Medically there is no minimum amount of carbs your body needs. To be low carb you need to have less than about 120g per day, how you divide it up is what suits you. You need to get a meter to determine how meals affect your blood sugar and adjust the amount of carbs accordingly. Some on here are on a total of 20g a day or even less.

 

[Rachox]

Here’s a video about testing, it’s using the Spirit Health Tee 2 meter which is a popular one for self funding:

 

[bulkbiker]

I would like to get into more of Keto - can I do that now?

Yes.. and will probably bring the most benefits.. maybe throw in a bit of fasting too.. skip breakfast for example.
As for carbs as few as possible is the way I started.. now down to fewer than 10g per day usually.

 

[angustia]

Thank you, folks. I'm now off to plan my menu!! I'm getting the meter today, too!

 

[bulkbiker]

Thank you, folks. I'm now off to plan my menu!! I'm getting the meter today, too!

Oh yes try to avoid "snacks" eat proper food 2 or 3 times a day.
"Snacks" are completely unnecessary.

 

[Rachox]

Thank you, folks. I'm now off to plan my menu!! I'm getting the meter today, too!

Beware of buying a meter at the chemist, although the machine might be reasonably priced, the testing strips work out expensive.
Here’s some info on meters, and to be clear I have no commercial connections with any of the companies mentioned. For a meter with cheap strips go for the Tee2 + found here:

http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product/tee2-plus-blood-glucose-meter/ with the strips found here:

http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product/tee2-testing-strips/


With more expensive strips is the Caresens Dual which I currently use, this one has the advantage of glucose and ketone testing in one machine, it’s to be found here:

https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/collections/caresens-dual


And to be totally transparent I used to use the SD Code Free which has the cheapest strips available. However I found itto be becoming less and less reliable. Here it is for anyone wanting to give it a go:

http://homehealth-uk.com/product-category/blood-glucose/blood-glucose-monitor/

and here for the extra strips

http://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/sd-codefree-test-strips-to-be-used-only-with-the-sd-monitor/

There are discount codes if you buy in bulk.

5 packs 264086

10 packs 975833


Don’t forget to check the box that you have diabetes so you can buy VAT free. (for all meters and strips)

 

[KK123]

Hi,

I've just been recently diagnosed type 2, and given amounts of carbs I should have. For snacks and main meals, it's listed between 15 gr - 30 gr of carbs (snacks) and between 40 gr -60 gr carbs (main meals).
My question is: do I have to eat the minimum gr, or is it okay to eat less than that? I would like to get into more of Keto - can I do that now?

I'm also going to get the glucose meter - but I worry because I have no idea at all how to use it. Would I get the instructions from the pharmacy? Is there a reliable video somewhere that shows you how?

Thanks for this forum!

Hi there, are you on any medication?

 

[Resurgam]

First of all - if you are not taking medication to lower your blood glucose then - well - I would expect that advice is going to cause problems in the long run.
I am right on the very top edge of normal Hba1c levels, and I eat less than 40 gm of carbs a day.
They come from salad stuff and low carb veges, and the rest of my diet is protein and fats. I eat twice a day, early and late, and don't get hungry.
Now I am approaching three years from diagnosis I can eat more carbs - they show up next morning when I step on the scales and I need to cut back for three or four days to lose them again. I have always been able to put of weight very easily and am told that I defy several laws of Physics - well me being Biology probably explains that, and a bit broken Biology too.

 

[angustia]

Hi there, are you on any medication?

Hi KK123,

No, my doctor said that she doesn't see any need for medication right now - that, we'll do it with change of eating habits and activities. About 4 years ago, she was concerned to see my blood sugar go up and I was prediabetic (I was borderline). But after another blood test, it had gone down.
I've always tried to follow a moderate to low carb diet -however, I tended to go on binges! It doesn't help too that it runs in the family! This time, I hit 7.0!

 

[ianf0ster]

Hi KK123,

No, my doctor said that she doesn't see any need for medication right now - that, we'll do it with change of eating habits and activities. About 4 years ago, she was concerned to see my blood sugar go up and I was prediabetic (I was borderline). But after another blood test, it had gone down.
I've always tried to follow a moderate to low carb diet -however, I tended to go on binges! It doesn't help too that it runs in the family! This time, I hit 7.0!

Hi angustia,
It is very good that you have a doctor who didn't immediately put you on medication, because with some unfortunates they are told to eat a minimum amount of carbs 3 times per day, just so the medication doesn't give them a 'Hypo'! This stupid advice makes Type 2 Diabetes control almost impossible, since the more carbs they eat the more medication they need - so they then need to eat more cars to avoid Hypos etc. etc. in a vicious circle!

I was officially diagnosed in late April/early May (2nd tHba1c in diabetic range) but had already started to cut out high GI carbs (bananas, bread etc) upon the first diabetic result in March/April. But is was still quite a shock when I got my BG meter ( Tee2+) and started testing before and after meals. There were so very many foods which boosted my reading to over 8, so I went Low Carb High Fat (LCHF) and basically eating to the meter (without starving) plus some 16x8 fasting (also called IF - Intermittent Fasting) .

Fortunately I can handle short-term fasts (up to 2 or 3 days OK - lots of practice because of regular colonoscopies for a genetic condition.

I have just got my 3 month re-test results and have gone from Hba1c of 53 (7% in the old measurement) to 45 (= 6.2%) which is nicely into the 'Pre-Diabetic' range. I have also lost 22lbs which is more than 10% of my original body weight. This is with no planned Calorie restriction and no additional exercise. I'm not a typical Type 2 because I am what is known as a TOFI (Thin Outside, Fat Inside) so I was only 2lbs into the 'overweight BMI' region at my heaviest.

 

[angustia]

Hi angustia,
It is very good that you have a doctor who didn't immediately put you on medication, because with some unfortunates they are told to eat a minimum amount of carbs 3 times per day, just so the medication doesn't give them a 'Hypo'! This stupid advice makes Type 2 Diabetes control almost impossible, since the more carbs they eat the more medication they need - so they then need to eat more cars to avoid Hypos etc. etc. in a vicious circle!

I really have a wonderful doctor. In Canada, if you're healthy - you get what used to be an annual doctor's check-up only every 3 years.
With this new diagnosis, she boosts my morale too by being humorous and said, the "good side of this is we'll be seeing more of each other!" (every 3 months)....and that, "we've got this!"
I've told her how lucky I am to have her!