Newly Diagnosed - trying to process the news

[krishk]

Hi @krishk
Some opinions are that the sweetners in diet versions of fizzy drinks are just as bad as the sorts that have sugar in them.
This article could be of interest to you.
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/diet-soft-drinks.html

I do still have some sugar free colas, like Pepsi Max, and sugar free tonic water. Sparkling mineral water, too. No more than one glass a day, usually. That is my personal choice. I drink, mainly, water, coffee without milk, or peppermint tea. I find these are all ok, and don’t spike blood glucose levels. I know that because I check my blood regularly. You will be able to see for yourself through testing.

Hello @Pipp,

Thank you for your message and the shared links. I have heard the same about diet fizzy drinks. I don't crave colas or Pepsis anyway, but I'd love to have a glass of sparkling water from time to time. I mostly enjoy lemon tea and green tea (without sugar). I will definitely start testing it once I have my machine. Thank you again I also like the new design of the forum; it's cleaner.

 

[Pipp]

Hello @Pipp,

Thank you for your message and the shared links. I have heard the same about diet fizzy drinks. I don't crave colas or Pepsis anyway, but I'd love to have a glass of sparkling water from time to time. I mostly enjoy lemon tea and green tea (without sugar). I will definitely start testing it once I have my machine. Thank you again I also like the new design of the forum; it's cleaner.

Thank you for a positive response, about the forum design, @krishk , and for your very polite posting style.

 

[krishk]

Thank you for a positive response, about the forum design, @krishk , and for your very polite posting style.

Pleasure! And thank you for the kind words

 

[MrsA2]

Sparkling water (soda water) is fine. Just check though that if it is bought flavoured that it doesn't raise your bg. Some of the so called natural flavours they add do raise some people, and I find the flavoured ines taste unnatural and synthetic.
I just add a slice of lemon or lime or cucumber to mine

 

[krishk]

Sparkling water (soda water) is fine. Just check though that if it is bought flavoured that it doesn't raise your bg. Some of the so called natural flavours they add do raise some people, and I find the flavoured ines taste unnatural and synthetic.
I just add a slice of lemon or lime or cucumber to mine

Hello MrsA2,

Thank you for your message. That's good to hear. Yes, I will definitely avoid the flavoured ones. I also like to add lemon to my sparkling water. It tastes pretty good, never tried adding cucumber though. Thank you so much for the answer

 

[Debandez]

I am yet to receive my BGM(blood glucose monitor). Although, I have already made a diary. Thus far, I have only written the food advice I have been given here and from the various recommended websites. I am planning to add everything I eat along with my body's reaction to it.

Cauliflower rice sounds nice. I am gonna give it a try. I had cauliflower today only, but it was made in Indian style with herbs and spices.

It's great that there are so many alternatives once you start looking. I am not taking bread of any kind. I used to eat Roti/Chapatti (Indian bread) but I have given that up as well. Basmati rice was my favourite dish that I had to give up, but no regrets. Currently, I am taking 2-3 spoons of cooked barnyard millet with Dal(pulses), vegetables, and lots of cucumber and tomatoes as a salad. I am also taking buttermilk/curd. This is mainly my lunch. For breakfast, I just have some fruits and nuts. I am trying to optimize it along the way.

The same with me, but now I know to a certain degree what were the causes behind it. I got overweight. I am not saying that we should fat-shame people, but we should definitely, out of love, ask them to lose weight for their own good. Apologies if I offend anyone with this.

Yes, It is fantastic. I just love the fact that people are ready to help others and are giving their precious time to save people's lives. I don't even think it is a pompous statement. You all are definitely saving lives. So, thank you!

Also, I watched the YouTube video that you have in your footnotes. It was quite lovely, full of information.

You are finding your own way already. The blood glucose monitor will help so much.

So many people are overweight nowadays. When I look around in my hometown I feel so sad. Many children are overweight too. They will think this is normal. If you watch old footage of times gone by most are slim even just 40/50 years ago.

So much has changed since those days. We are literally surrounded by ultra processed food and drink, loaded with sugar, low fat products also loaded with sugar. Take aways on every corner in my home town (and so many others). We have one area full of take aways called 'fat man's corner'! Even coffee shops have a multitude of options that can have more sugar in than a dessert. Bars offering 241 cocktails. Even hospitals - dispensing machines offering nothing healthy. The list goes on and on. This is the world we live in and what people are up against. Last night I went out for dinner. A burger restaurant. I ordered a naked burger (no bread) no chips but extra salad cheese bacon and jalapeño. Delicious. But everywhere I looked..... burgers coming out looking like mountains with layers of bread, surrounded by a mega amount of chips and I would say 80% of the customers were very overweight.

I feel the low fat guidelines for 'healthy eating' don't help at all.

It all adds up to a disaster for people's metabolic health and most are seemingly oblivious :-(]

 

[Mbaker]

Hello Mbaker,

Thank you for your message. That's so good to hear. I don't eat fish but will try if I have no other option. Can I consume flax seeds or chia seeds as an alternative to fish for Omega3? I would also avoid taking supplements long-term. I am allergic to Vitamin B6 supplements for some reason.

I am trying to go low-carb to help my condition. I am making all sorts of lists and charts to help myself with the journey. I would love to resolve this issue with diet and exercise. Going the medicine route looks scary.

Your response is so refreshing by prioritising your health over dogma - excellent, some put ideology ahead of survival. My background is West Indian (Jamaican), this means that all food types from starchy yams, to meat, fish, fruit, beans, greens, literally everything I grew up on, so have had to make significant changes in my life....but I get to see my wife and children everyday, enjoying what I do eat and being truly fit and healthy.

I have previously used flax and chia seeds in my journey, but cannot advise if these are at the same efficacy as fish equivalents; this is highlighted by a comparison of plant based burgers to beef burgers. On paper the nutrition facts appear similar, in depth there are many differences:

A metabolomics comparison of plant-based meat and grass-fed meat indicates large nutritional differences despite comparable Nutrition Facts panels - Scientific Reports

A new generation of plant-based meat alternatives—formulated to mimic the taste and nutritional composition of red meat—have attracted considerable consumer interest, research attention, and media coverage. This has raised questions of whether plant-based meat alternatives represent proper...

www.nature.com

"....The plant-based meat alternative and grass-fed, beef studied in our work, have largely similar Nutrition Facts panels and may appear nutritionally interchangeable to consumers9. Despite these apparent similarities based on Nutrition Facts panels, our metabolomics analysis found that metabolite abundance between the plant-based meat alternative and grass-fed ground beef differed by 90% (171 out of 190 profiled metabolites; p < 0.05). Substantial differences in metabolites within various classes (e.g., amino acids, dipeptides, vitamins, phenols, tocopherols, odd-chain saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, antioxidants) indicate that these products should not be viewed as nutritionally interchangeable."

I would say flax and chia are well established. What is in the serum as a measurement is not the same as absorption. I am not surprised that you have noticed issues with supplements, humans think we know it all compared to nature (we don't).

 

[krishk]

You are finding your own way already. The blood glucose monitor will help so much.

So many people are overweight nowadays. When I look around in my hometown I feel so sad. Many children are overweight too. They will think this is normal. If you watch old footage of times gone by most are slim even just 40/50 years ago.

So much has changed since those days. We are literally surrounded by ultra processed food and drink, loaded with sugar, low fat products also loaded with sugar. Take aways on every corner in my home town (and so many others). We have one area full of take aways called 'fat man's corner'! Even coffee shops have a multitude of options that can have more sugar in than a dessert. Bars offering 241 cocktails. Even hospitals - dispensing machines offering nothing healthy. The list goes on and on. This is the world we live in and what people are up against. Last night I went out for dinner. A burger restaurant. I ordered a naked burger (no bread) no chips but extra salad cheese bacon and jalapeño. Delicious. But everywhere I looked..... burgers coming out looking like mountains with layers of bread, surrounded by a mega amount of chips and I would say 80% of the customers were very overweight.

I feel the low fat guidelines for 'healthy eating' don't help at all.

It all adds up to a disaster for people's metabolic health and most are seemingly oblivious :-(]

Yes, I am getting the hang of it step-by-step. Thank you for pointing me in the right direction.

Yes, you are right. I think the main problem today is its glorification - it's okay to be fat. I think fat people should be helped and told what they need to do to lead a better life along with the consequences if they don't. I am overweight at the moment and juggling with T2D (courtesy of depression, gained almost 30 kgs in 2 year time), but I am thankful that a friend of mine asked me to join this forum and work on myself. We all need help when we are down. Granted, I will need to do the work myself, but a little help goes a long way.

Yes, Kids these days are overweight, partly because of the current lifestyle. When guests arrive, they bring chocolates and chips for them (as a gesture of love). They are used to eating fast food already. My nephew and niece are in the same boat. I have asked my sister to be mindful of it and after seeing my reports, she is changing their lifestyle. So, something came out of a bad situation.

Yes, our current food culture is a big problem, and part of the problem is the abundance of fast food restaurants and less information on its dangers. I remember, as a child, we used to eat homecooked food at home for the most part and used to eat out once in a while. I can even count the number of times I had Colas until I was 17. Hopefully, the information in this forum will reach the masses, and we return to our roots - eating healthy food and being mindful of it.

Yes, I have recently watched many YT videos and documentaries that show the changes in the guidelines over time. Hopefully, it will all change in the years to come if not months.

 

[krishk]

Your response is so refreshing by prioritising your health over dogma - excellent, some put ideology ahead of survival. My background is West Indian (Jamaican), this means that all food types from starchy yams, to meat, fish, fruit, beans, greens, literally everything I grew up on, so have had to make significant changes in my life....but I get to see my wife and children everyday, enjoying what I do eat and being truly fit and healthy.

I have previously used flax and chia seeds in my journey, but cannot advise if these are at the same efficacy as fish equivalents; this is highlighted by a comparison of plant based burgers to beef burgers. On paper the nutrition facts appear similar, in depth there are many differences:

A metabolomics comparison of plant-based meat and grass-fed meat indicates large nutritional differences despite comparable Nutrition Facts panels - Scientific Reports

A new generation of plant-based meat alternatives—formulated to mimic the taste and nutritional composition of red meat—have attracted considerable consumer interest, research attention, and media coverage. This has raised questions of whether plant-based meat alternatives represent proper...

www.nature.com

"....The plant-based meat alternative and grass-fed, beef studied in our work, have largely similar Nutrition Facts panels and may appear nutritionally interchangeable to consumers9. Despite these apparent similarities based on Nutrition Facts panels, our metabolomics analysis found that metabolite abundance between the plant-based meat alternative and grass-fed ground beef differed by 90% (171 out of 190 profiled metabolites; p < 0.05). Substantial differences in metabolites within various classes (e.g., amino acids, dipeptides, vitamins, phenols, tocopherols, odd-chain saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, antioxidants) indicate that these products should not be viewed as nutritionally interchangeable."

I would say flax and chia are well established. What is in the serum as a measurement is not the same as absorption. I am not surprised that you have noticed issues with supplements, humans think we know it all compared to nature (we don't).

Thank you! My family is quite supportive - they never had non-vegetarian food and avoid cooking it in the house, but they are asking me to consume non-vegetarian food if it helps my health. For sure, they are terrified by my reports, as no one in my family tree has diabetes or any such disease.

Thank you for your advise. I will try flax and chia seeds for a month and if they don't feed my requirement, I will start consuming fish, and perhaps eggs and chicken too (Not sure yet). Here, In India, there's a chicken alternative - called soya chap - that is getting much traction. From what I have read and heard, it tastes like chicken. I have had it and it tastes pretty good.

I agree with you on that. We should get our dietary requirements from food items alone with no scope for supplements. Thank you so much for your suggestions and the link to the article. I just skimmed through it but I am going to read it all once I can.

 

[Omar51]

Your response is so refreshing by prioritising your health over dogma - excellent, some put ideology ahead of survival. My background is West Indian (Jamaican), this means that all food types from starchy yams, to meat, fish, fruit, beans, greens, literally everything I grew up on, so have had to make significant changes in my life....but I get to see my wife and children everyday, enjoying what I do eat and being truly fit and healthy.

I have previously used flax and chia seeds in my journey, but cannot advise if these are at the same efficacy as fish equivalents; this is highlighted by a comparison of plant based burgers to beef burgers. On paper the nutrition facts appear similar, in depth there are many differences:

A metabolomics comparison of plant-based meat and grass-fed meat indicates large nutritional differences despite comparable Nutrition Facts panels - Scientific Reports

A new generation of plant-based meat alternatives—formulated to mimic the taste and nutritional composition of red meat—have attracted considerable consumer interest, research attention, and media coverage. This has raised questions of whether plant-based meat alternatives represent proper...

www.nature.com

"....The plant-based meat alternative and grass-fed, beef studied in our work, have largely similar Nutrition Facts panels and may appear nutritionally interchangeable to consumers9. Despite these apparent similarities based on Nutrition Facts panels, our metabolomics analysis found that metabolite abundance between the plant-based meat alternative and grass-fed ground beef differed by 90% (171 out of 190 profiled metabolites; p B]

I would say flax and chia are well established. What is in the serum as a measurement is not the same as absorption. I am not surprised that you have noticed issues with supplements, humans think we know it all compared to nature (we don't).

I use 3-4 times a day, non fat plain fage yogurt with a full spoon of golden ground flaxseed. This is a regular part of my diet and it’s good for my metabolism. I am pre for over 12 years and do not use diabetic medicine.
-Omar

 

[Debandez]

Yes, I am getting the hang of it step-by-step. Thank you for pointing me in the right direction.

Yes, you are right. I think the main problem today is its glorification - it's okay to be fat. I think fat people should be helped and told what they need to do to lead a better life along with the consequences if they don't. I am overweight at the moment and juggling with T2D (courtesy of depression, gained almost 30 kgs in 2 year time), but I am thankful that a friend of mine asked me to join this forum and work on myself. We all need help when we are down. Granted, I will need to do the work myself, but a little help goes a long way.

Yes, Kids these days are overweight, partly because of the current lifestyle. When guests arrive, they bring chocolates and chips for them (as a gesture of love). They are used to eating fast food already. My nephew and niece are in the same boat. I have asked my sister to be mindful of it and after seeing my reports, she is changing their lifestyle. So, something came out of a bad situation.

Yes, our current food culture is a big problem, and part of the problem is the abundance of fast food restaurants and less information on its dangers. I remember, as a child, we used to eat homecooked food at home for the most part and used to eat out once in a while. I can even count the number of times I had Colas until I was 17. Hopefully, the information in this forum will reach the masses, and we return to our roots - eating healthy food and being mindful of it.

Yes, I have recently watched many YT videos and documentaries that show the changes in the guidelines over time. Hopefully, it will all change in the years to come if not months.

Dealing with depression isn't easy, my dad suffered terribly and I saw this first hand, and I have family members and friends who struggle. I read only this week about a link between depression and insulin resistance (Psychology Today). I know that many people have seen improvements in their mental health following a low carb way of eating. Oh absolutely, we all need a little helping hand from time to time. Life can throw some challenging curb balls that's for sure.

So many children are brought up on fast food and rubbish ultra processed food. In my line of work I see this all the time. And get togethers and celebrations are all about eating 'treat' food and drink. But on a much more positive note your sister is listening to you and making change too. A ripple effect right there from little seeds acorns grow. The more we share this invaluable information the quicker these changes that are desperately needed will happen.

 

[valann]

Can I consume flax seeds or chia seeds as an alternative to fish for Omega3? I would also avoid taking supplements long-term.

I am trying to go low-carb to help my condition. I am making all sorts of lists and charts to help myself with the journey. I would love to resolve this issue with diet and exercise. Going the medicine route looks scary.

Hi krishk,

Welcome to the forums. You can most definitely eat Flax and Chia seeds along with all above ground vegetables including cauliflower. I personally love cauliflower done the Indian way with herbs and spices and according to my meter it does not spike me at all. Once you get your meter take a reading just before you eat something and then 2 hours after the first bite, that will tell you what spikes you and what doesn't.

I am also type 2 and even though I've been diabetic for several years I didn't have mine under control. Since joining this forum I have started to turn everything around and am following the low carb diet with much success, although I am not vegetarian I find most of my meals consist of many veg now. So hopefully very soon you will start to see those changes for the better very soon.

By the way curry tastes great with cauliflower rice

 

[jjraak]

The more we share this invaluable information the quicker these changes that are desperately needed will happen.

Absolutely agree.

Now, if only we could get the many to listen.

We have our work cut out, @Debandez
But he who dares, wins..

 

[jjraak]

Your response is so refreshing by prioritising your health over dogma - excellent, some put ideology ahead of survival. My background is West Indian (Jamaican), this means that all food types from starchy yams, to meat, fish, fruit, beans, greens, literally everything I grew up on, so have had to make significant changes in my life....but I get to see my wife and children everyday, enjoying what I do eat and being truly fit and healthy.

I have previously used flax and chia seeds in my journey, but cannot advise if these are at the same efficacy as fish equivalents; this is highlighted by a comparison of plant based burgers to beef burgers. On paper the nutrition facts appear similar, in depth there are many differences:

A metabolomics comparison of plant-based meat and grass-fed meat indicates large nutritional differences despite comparable Nutrition Facts panels - Scientific Reports

A new generation of plant-based meat alternatives—formulated to mimic the taste and nutritional composition of red meat—have attracted considerable consumer interest, research attention, and media coverage. This has raised questions of whether plant-based meat alternatives represent proper...

www.nature.com

"....The plant-based meat alternative and grass-fed, beef studied in our work, have largely similar Nutrition Facts panels and may appear nutritionally interchangeable to consumers9. Despite these apparent similarities based on Nutrition Facts panels, our metabolomics analysis found that metabolite abundance between the plant-based meat alternative and grass-fed ground beef differed by 90% (171 out of 190 profiled metabolites; p < 0.05). Substantial differences in metabolites within various classes (e.g., amino acids, dipeptides, vitamins, phenols, tocopherols, odd-chain saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, antioxidants) indicate that these products should not be viewed as nutritionally interchangeable."

I would say flax and chia are well established. What is in the serum as a measurement is not the same as absorption. I am not surprised that you have noticed issues with supplements, humans think we know it all compared to nature (we don't).

Most interesting,, @Mbaker

Cheers for posting

 

[jjraak]

I agree with you on that. We should get our dietary requirements from food items alone with no scope for supplements. Thank you so much for your suggestions and the link to the article. I just skimmed through it but I am going to read it all once I can

While in general I can agree with that idea
I think the consensus is that many of us, as we approach 60 & beyond, tail off in some vital vitamins .

And T2D's, mainly taking Metformin can be impacted,, but it can hit any of us, & we can find themselves deficient in B12.
So good to be aware

Not sure in India, but in UK, it wasn't offered a B12 test for my first 2 HBA1c tests .

I wasn't offered it on my 3rd one either, but
once I found out it could be any issue, there was no problem requesting it for that HBA1c test.

It's an acknowledged concern, it's even on the safety leaflet that comes with Metformin, the leaflet many of us ignore.

At your age, I suspect it's not an issue.
But B12 Deficiency can lead to some pretty nasty problems

So better to be aware rather then not


Btw, when I was tested my B12 was middle of the bottom 3rd of acceptable range


So I now supplement.

The Dr Barry link in my signature, is nice & short but very informative, explains it much better .

(A few others in my signature really expand & explain how essential B12 is for us )

 

[Debandez]

Absolutely agree.

Now, if only we could get the many to listen.

We have our work cut out, @Debandez
But he who dares, wins..

You've got to be in it to win it. Slow and steady wins the race. Over to you ;-)

 

[krishk]

I use 3-4 times a day, non fat plain fage yogurt with a full spoon of golden ground flaxseed. This is a regular part of my diet and it’s good for my metabolism. I am pre for over 12 years and do not use diabetic medicine.
-Omar

Hello Omar,
Thank you for your message. Yogurt is part of my diet as well. It has certainly made things easier for me. Surprisingly, I don't miss other things already, but then again, I have not been to a family party/gathering, haha. I am gonna try flaxseeds with yogurt as well. Thank you so much for your suggestions, means a lot

 

[krishk]

Dealing with depression isn't easy, my dad suffered terribly and I saw this first hand, and I have family members and friends who struggle. I read only this week about a link between depression and insulin resistance (Psychology Today). I know that many people have seen improvements in their mental health following a low carb way of eating. Oh absolutely, we all need a little helping hand from time to time. Life can throw some challenging curb balls that's for sure.

So many children are brought up on fast food and rubbish ultra processed food. In my line of work I see this all the time. And get togethers and celebrations are all about eating 'treat' food and drink. But on a much more positive note your sister is listening to you and making change too. A ripple effect right there from little seeds acorns grow. The more we share this invaluable information the quicker these changes that are desperately needed will happen.

Yes, It was certainly tough for me, as I was in Germany, away from my family, but I feel better now. It did do some damage, but hey, I am here, fighting and recovering I am not feeling that hungry anymore, Is that common on a low-carb diet?

That's true! Yes, family gatherings are going to be "fun". Hopefully, Diwali is in October, so I have time to form good habits and be resistant to any outside influence. Yes, that's true! It's indeed a ripple effect. It almost sounds corny now, but this forum is a lifesaver for the ones who are here or the ones whose family members are here - such a lovely community.

 

[krishk]

Hi krishk,

Welcome to the forums. You can most definitely eat Flax and Chia seeds along with all above ground vegetables including cauliflower. I personally love cauliflower done the Indian way with herbs and spices and according to my meter it does not spike me at all. Once you get your meter take a reading just before you eat something and then 2 hours after the first bite, that will tell you what spikes you and what doesn't.

I am also type 2 and even though I've been diabetic for several years I didn't have mine under control. Since joining this forum I have started to turn everything around and am following the low carb diet with much success, although I am not vegetarian I find most of my meals consist of many veg now. So hopefully very soon you will start to see those changes for the better very soon.

By the way curry tastes great with cauliflower rice

Hello Valann,

Thank you for the warm welcome. That's good to hear, as I am following the same at the moment. Oh yes, it tastes so good. Yes, I am planning to do the same. Many have suggested the same, and it does seem like a logical way to proceed

I am glad to hear that you are making progress. Yes, hopefully, thank you. I am putting in all the effort. Hopefully, we will both be out of it soon enough.

I haven't tried cauliflower rice yet, but I am quite tempted to. Rice was the hardest thing for me to let go of. Thank you so much for your message and suggestions.

 

[krishk]

While in general I can agree with that idea
I think the consensus is that many of us, as we approach 60 & beyond, tail off in some vital vitamins .

And T2D's, mainly taking Metformin can be impacted,, but it can hit any of us, & we can find themselves deficient in B12.
So good to be aware

Not sure in India, but in UK, it wasn't offered a B12 test for my first 2 HBA1c tests .

I wasn't offered it on my 3rd one either, but
once I found out it could be any issue, there was no problem requesting it for that HBA1c test.

It's an acknowledged concern, it's even on the safety leaflet that comes with Metformin, the leaflet many of us ignore.

At your age, I suspect it's not an issue.
But B12 Deficiency can lead to some pretty nasty problems

So better to be aware rather then not


Btw, when I was tested my B12 was middle of the bottom 3rd of acceptable range


So I now supplement.

The Dr Barry link in my signature, is nice & short but very informative, explains it much better .

(A few others in my signature really expand & explain how essential B12 is for us )

Yes, I understand what you mean. If you need supplements and you are deficient in them, you will have to take them. You can't wait to get them through food and all.

I wasn't offered a B12 test this time around, but I was when I was depressed, and my B12 and D3 came out to be quite low. So, I got the test done this time around as well. I am still deficient in D3 and barely making it to the range for B12. I will have to take supplements for those.

You are absolutely right: it's better to be safe than sorry. I would even go ahead and say that everyone should test their D3 and B12 levels.

Thank you for pointing it out. I am going to check the link.