Explaining to unhelpful relatives.

[douglas99]

People only ask me or comment on my food once because I immediately show them the pictures I've got saved on my phone of people who have had amputations, etc due to uncontrolled diabetes. They never ask or comment a second time.

Or invite you back?
Or point to the pate?

 

[Dark Horse]

Thanks for the replies. My diet is fine and my bg's rarely go much above 4 What I'm looking for is some good articles on diabetes and the side effects and how it progresses over time and how having raised blood sugars is harmful and the effects. It doesn't help that I also have a lot of food intolerances as well so my diet is a full time job lol

Here are some links to good quality websites.
This page explains how HbA1c relates to the risk of retinopathy progressing:- http://www.diabeticretinopathy.org.uk/prevention/hba1c_and_retinopathy.htm

This page explains how HbA1c affects the risk of kidney disease:- http://patient.info/health/diabetic-kidney-disease-leaflet

This page talks about the relationship of glucose control to the development of peripheral neuropathy:- http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Peripheral-neuropathy/Pages/Causes.aspx

 

[ziggy_w]

Thanks for the replies. My diet is fine and my bg's rarely go much above 4 What I'm looking for is some good articles on diabetes and the side effects and how it progresses over time and how having raised blood sugars is harmful and the effects. It doesn't help that I also have a lot of food intolerances as well so my diet is a full time job lol

Hi @ Leomonie,

This is an article on the complications associated with diabetes by Jason Fung . It might be exactly the information you are looking for.

https://intensivedietarymanagement.com/end-organ-damage-t2d-17/

When I first read the article a couple of months ago, I found it pretty scary.

 

[Indy51]

There's an article at the Blood Sugar 101 site that's a good starting point:
http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/14045678.php

 

[Tophat1900]

Have come off meds and am now diet controlled with very good control. My family does not know anybody else with diabetes and don't understand. I often get told to go on, it's only one, it's special occasion, what's the worst that can happen.

I have insulin resistance and before controlling my bg's I had neuropathy and my eyesight deteriorated really badly over the course of one year. I have tried googling but can't seem to find my way through all the quack doctor sites to read good articles as to be honest I could do with educating myself so I can answer the questions asked of me confidently.

Can anybody point me in the right direction?

When you google something.... example. Say you wanted to know more about astaxanthin and it's impact on liver health, or diabetes or inflammation, try then adding the following words to the search.... studies, pubmed, diabetes journals, medical studies

That should help you get actual documented info. Unlike some of the rubbish posted by so called wellness sites and natural sites which often make claims that are simply not evidenced and simply not true. Not always the case, but there is a lot of garbage being thrown around out there.

 

[ickihun]

Keep reading on here. We'll back you up.
Oh by the way give lettuce man his fav food (e.g marmite if he does like it) I'd play him at his own game. He'll get the picture. I'd make sure of it.
Not everyone likes cakes or chocolate! We shouldnt feel compelled to eat something to please another. They are just bullies. They wish they had your stamina! I bet.

 

[Geordie_P]

Just on a bit of a tangent, Lemonie, your bg rarely goes over 4?
That sounds very good indeed- how are you keeping it so low?

 

[dawnmc]

I just thank God for the internet and forums like this. If you ever need a reason to continue eating lchf, up pops folk with good links to remind you to keep going.

 

[MikeTurin]

Not everyone likes cakes or chocolate! We shouldnt feel compelled to eat something to please another. They are just bullies. They wish they had your stamina! I bet.

I agree. I personally don't like some foods like potato mash, pasta and beans, oven baked pasta. I don't like pasta with cheese, especially grated cheese with tomato sauce based pasta. Why I have to eat them if I don't like them, the remember me the nun's cafeteria and they're also bad for calories an carb intake...
I don't eat mushrooms too because I don't like them.

 

[Eurobuff]

Have come off meds and am now diet controlled with very good control. My family does not know anybody else with diabetes and don't understand. I often get told to go on, it's only one, it's special occasion, what's the worst that can happen.

I have insulin resistance and before controlling my bg's I had neuropathy and my eyesight deteriorated really badly over the course of one year. I have tried googling but can't seem to find my way through all the quack doctor sites to read good articles as to be honest I could do with educating myself so I can answer the questions asked of me confidently.

Can anybody point me in the right direction?

I know the feeling. I am diet controlled. Originally I was told I would have to go on meds but given 3 months to see how I got on. I followed lchf and because me results had improved so much I was given another 3 months, after which I was controlling it with diet. I have 2 colleagues at work both on meds, but eat all the wrong things and will eat cake when it's someone's birthday. They think I'm being awkward because I won't. Also I'm told, it's a good thing if you have to go on meds as you'll get all your prescriptions for free. Another colleague says I'm overreacting, he has MS and says this is more serious than diabetes! My mother is diabetic (undiagnosed for about 10 years they think) she has now lost her sight. This is what I say to them, they still say I'm overreacting though

 

[Element137]

Depends on your family.

What's the worse that can happen?
'F*** off' works for me.

Be yourself.

made me laugh - I don't get too concerned about how people react - if people show interest I will expand - if not - then don't want to bore people with it - the one thing that does wind me up though is after having lost a lot of weight in a fairly short period of time - I do get asked what the secret is - when I tell people its butter, bacon, eggs, pork scratchings I get told its impossible to lose weight eating that ! -

 

[dunelm]

There are always some folk who instantly seem to have all the knowledge about how some thing ought to be - the normalisers. Thing is their idea of what the norm is comes usually from just opinion or some daft rubbish on the interweb.

We need 6 glasses of water each day, we need 5 a day, fat is bad for you, eat more carbs - It's life by soundbite. Interestingly the original article on water goes something like; "Adults need 6 glasses of water per day, most of which will come from normal food and drink".

It's my wife's birthday today and our family (children and grandchildren) are all going out to dinner. I already know what I will be having - Greek salad and a naked chicken burger sans the bun and fries. Luckily they all understand why.

 

[JeanCL]

Thanks for the replies. My diet is fine and my bg's rarely go much above 4 What I'm looking for is some good articles on diabetes and the side effects and how it progresses over time and how having raised blood sugars is harmful and the effects. It doesn't help that I also have a lot of food intolerances as well so my diet is a full time job lol

I found changing to Goat or Sheep versions of dairy don't cause my cowsmilk triggered migraines, which makes life a fair bit tastier, and blue-style soya cheese from the healthfood shop is a tasty LCHF addition, as is course pate from the Co-op, and Burgen bread seems not to cause a spike, and a tiny smear of chutney seems ok on cheese. Breakfast porage of jumbo oats and barley and perhaps buckwheat flakes, with lots of plain yoghourt seems to work well for me, with nuts or pumpkin seeds, lecithin to reduce cholesterol, and cinnamon or nutmeg. Berries and Soya Cream always for pudding are a great consolation, again with lecithin granules. No pasta or potatoes, but loads of fresh veg to compensate and console! I am low BMI prediabetic and trying not to 'progress' as my brother did. The Diabetes UK Low carbon High Fat Programme has given me a very helpful understanding. All the best to you

 

[Moosepig]

Have come off meds and am now diet controlled with very good control. My family does not know anybody else with diabetes and don't understand. I often get told to go on, it's only one, it's special occasion, what's the worst that can happen.

I have insulin resistance and before controlling my bg's I had neuropathy and my eyesight deteriorated really badly over the course of one year. I have tried googling but can't seem to find my way through all the quack doctor sites to read good articles as to be honest I could do with educating myself so I can answer the questions asked of me confidently.

Can anybody point me in the right direction?

I am alongside you here - I'm very lucky with my husband and daughter but my mother and brother follow your line of "oh go on, one won't hurt" or "oh but I made/bought this specially for you!" I hate hurting feelings but like you - this is our life and health! Sorry I cant point you in any direction except the Low Carb Program and to suggest you scan the questions and answers within the various sections. Good luck though, you're among friends

 

[Freema]

Thanks for the replies. My diet is fine and my bg's rarely go much above 4 What I'm looking for is some good articles on diabetes and the side effects and how it progresses over time and how having raised blood sugars is harmful and the effects. It doesn't help that I also have a lot of food intolerances as well so my diet is a full time job lol

rarely over 4 !

.. what do you eat then.?... 4 is very close to being too low... will your blood glucose not raise when you eat even then ?????

 

[rfmiles]

made me laugh - I don't get too concerned about how people react - if people show interest I will expand - if not - then don't want to bore people with it - the one thing that does wind me up though is after having lost a lot of weight in a fairly short period of time - I do get asked what the secret is - when I tell people its butter, bacon, eggs, pork scratchings I get told its impossible to lose weight eating that ! -

You could reply to ask at a cattle ranch how the cattle are fattened for sale. It is usually feeding them a diet high in BOTH fat and starch, such as mostly grain. Research has shown that removing EITHER the fat or the starch is sufficient to lose weight, unless there is a very large amount of the other one.