Low Glycemic Index Foods - and the promo of carbs

memememeiii

Well-Known Member
Messages
147
Type of diabetes
Type 2
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Tablets (oral)
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Dunno. Strange question.
I am completely in agreement with you on this statement.

Unfortunately, the NHS actively discourages T2s from testing, and encourages them to eat lots of 'whole grains' and adopt a lower GI way of eating. With every meal.

When I was given a diet guidance sheet it told me to eat 9 portions of brown carbs a day, where a slice of brown bread was 1 portion.

9!!!

Without a glucometer, and sensible education on what those portion sizes should be, and a basic training on carb counting and how blood glucose works, the average T2 patient is just heading towards increasing HbA1cs, increased medications and eventual insulin. Lambs to the slaughter.

Add to that, my experience of low GI eating was basically that it didn't matter if I restricted my serving to a single tablespoon of wild rice, it was still too much for my body.

Thank heavens for self funded self testing, is all I can say!
That is just insane. 9 servings. Truly mad.
 

Ras101

Member
Messages
5
Type of diabetes
Type 2
I have followed a low glycemic way-of-life for 3 years and can tell you IT WORKS! I have been a type 2 for 17 years and had major issues trying to keep my blood sugar usnder control with more and more insulin. Trying to control using the standard exchange diet and monitoring portion size did not work for me (I always felt deprived) and trying to eat out was a nightmare. Since starting the low glycemic diet my blood glocose levels are NORMAL (I live in the US so my A1c is 5.2) with only minor amounts of insulin and often I take no insulin! I follow the "Southbeach diet" for those interested.
 

charliebarker

Well-Known Member
Messages
256
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
It is that sort of thinking which I believe has made it so difficult for me to even speak to doctors and nurses about the difficulty I have with their diets - carbs make me put on weight and become lethargic and dull witted.
That is all wrong as far as they are concerned - carbs are for energy, essential for the brain and muscles.
After 18 months eating low carb I know that I could cope with eating more carbs as part of my daily menu and my BG levels would remain fairly low - but it would mean gaining weight, and it would be fat, stashed away in my cells by the happy busy insulin response to eating carbs. It matters not at all if they are supposedly digested quickly or slowly - they would end up around my waist.
Interesting that many healthcare professionals think of carbs as foods for energy, brains and muscles etc.....I've just undergone an oesophogectomy and so now have a stupidly small stomach in the shape of a tube (the wonders of modern science!) and my nutritionist is telling me to eat PROTEIN for energy and to re-build muscle-mass after the operation, as a type II on the LCHF regime for nearly a year I can relate and understand , but it's no wonder people get confused ..... she equates energy with protein and and yet very few DN's seem to agree.
 

bulkbiker

BANNED
Messages
19,576
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Interesting that many healthcare professionals think of carbs as foods for energy, brains and muscles etc.....I've just undergone an oesophogectomy and so now have a stupidly small stomach in the shape of a tube (the wonders of modern science!) and my nutritionist is telling me to eat PROTEIN for energy and to re-build muscle-mass after the operation, as a type II on the LCHF regime for nearly a year I can relate and understand , but it's no wonder people get confused ..... she equates energy with protein and and yet very few DN's seem to agree.
I'm guessing that most DN's have even less training in nutrition than the minimal training that GP's get?
 

mytype1.life

Well-Known Member
Messages
455
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
I think the thing is...I've had oats for breakfast and it most definitely spikes my blood sugar. It's not logical, given the way they talk about this. Or have I got this wrong?

Have you tried overnight oats with other ingredients added? I generally eat low carb but when I fancy a change I make overnight oats and the approx carb count is about 20-25g carbs, still lower than most cereals and generally I stay steady without a spike in my levels
 

acs1951

Active Member
Messages
43
Type of diabetes
Type 2
It must depend to an extent on how effective the insulin is that is produced by the Pancreas and the only way to know is to test regularly. I find up to 30gm of Oats for breakfast is ok and keeps me full for about six hours whereas two slices of wholemeal bread and baked beans with 50gm carbs was a disaster and after two hours I was hungry again.
As was said you need to find out what works for you.
 

bulkbiker

BANNED
Messages
19,576
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
It must depend to an extent on how effective the insulin is that is produced by the Pancreas and the only way to know is to test regularly. I find up to 30gm of Oats for breakfast is ok and keeps me full for about six hours whereas two slices of wholemeal bread and baked beans with 50gm carbs was a disaster and after two hours I was hungry again.
As was said you need to find out what works for you.
I'm guessing that eggs and bacon would have been far better than both those and given you satiety as well.
 

Guzzler

Master
Messages
10,577
Type of diabetes
Type 2
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Diet only
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Poor grammar, bullying and drunks.
I have followed a low glycemic way-of-life for 3 years and can tell you IT WORKS! I have been a type 2 for 17 years and had major issues trying to keep my blood sugar usnder control with more and more insulin. Trying to control using the standard exchange diet and monitoring portion size did not work for me (I always felt deprived) and trying to eat out was a nightmare. Since starting the low glycemic diet my blood glocose levels are NORMAL (I live in the US so my A1c is 5.2) with only minor amounts of insulin and often I take no insulin! I follow the "Southbeach diet" for those interested.

"Standard Exchange Diet"?
 

MrsGruffy

Well-Known Member
Messages
147
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
The dietician I saw explained low GI quite well by using standard ice cream as an example of low GI - in that, anything with fat slows down digestion and delays but doesn't prevent the blood being flooded with glucose. So even white bread smothered in butter and jam would be low GI, right? Possibly the peak BG hits in the night when you're not measuring? Sorry if I've got it wrong.. I'm just repeating what I was told. On the other hand, he did recommend low GI bread, but the brand he suggested was not only low GI, it was also lower in carbs compared with other breads AND quite a bit smaller per slice by weight. I'm ignoring low GI. I bought one loaf of the fancy expensive bread and 2 hours post salad sandwich, my bg shot up to 14. After two weeks of following dietician and diabetes educator advice on what to put in my gob, I realised by my bg graph that it wasn't doing me any good. Nearly every meal was followed by a double digit spike 2 hours after. So I've been LCHF and edging towards zero carb since then. I'm also finding I'm edging towards eating to live rather than living to eat, and I'm not too sure how I feel about that.
 

dbr10

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,237
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
The dietician I saw explained low GI quite well by using standard ice cream as an example of low GI - in that, anything with fat slows down digestion and delays but doesn't prevent the blood being flooded with glucose. So even white bread smothered in butter and jam would be low GI, right? Possibly the peak BG hits in the night when you're not measuring? Sorry if I've got it wrong.. I'm just repeating what I was told. On the other hand, he did recommend low GI bread, but the brand he suggested was not only low GI, it was also lower in carbs compared with other breads AND quite a bit smaller per slice by weight. I'm ignoring low GI. I bought one loaf of the fancy expensive bread and 2 hours post salad sandwich, my bg shot up to 14. After two weeks of following dietician and diabetes educator advice on what to put in my gob, I realised by my bg graph that it wasn't doing me any good. Nearly every meal was followed by a double digit spike 2 hours after. So I've been LCHF and edging towards zero carb since then. I'm also finding I'm edging towards eating to live rather than living to eat, and I'm not too sure how I feel about that.
I ignored the no need to test advice, saw withing two months that the Metformin and diet advice were not working. I'd read this forum, Bernstein and Rhule, and adopted a low carb diet. That was three years ago. I've had HbA1c of 33-36 ever since.
 
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MrsGruffy

Well-Known Member
Messages
147
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
"Standard Exchange Diet"?
I'm thinking that means a diet like the weight watchers type thing.. having x points a day to spend on the various food groups, where you can swap around what you have in each of the groups based on their point value. eg: 1 point = half a muffin or 1 slice of bread or 37.5g of steel cut oats. That sort of eating plan/diet.

ETA: Like who ever in the universe ate a half of a muffin, apart from my 93 yr old Mum?
 
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Brunneria

Guru
Retired Moderator
Messages
21,889
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
So I've been LCHF and edging towards zero carb since then. I'm also finding I'm edging towards eating to live rather than living to eat, and I'm not too sure how I feel about that.

Yes. I have this too.
I love food in all its myriad tastes textures colours and aromas. Maybe I should have been a perfumer, a wine taster or a chocolatier.

Switching to keto, now almost 100% carnivore is something I did from necessity, not choice. The benefits are (so far) great. But I do wonder whether boredom will do me in, in the end.
 
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memememeiii

Well-Known Member
Messages
147
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Dunno. Strange question.
Have you tried overnight oats with other ingredients added? I generally eat low carb but when I fancy a change I make overnight oats and the approx carb count is about 20-25g carbs, still lower than most cereals and generally I stay steady without a spike in my levels

Now that I have read the recommended article below...I am certain to not touch any form of refined/processed carbs again for a very long time. Terrifying.

http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/14046782.php
http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/14045524.php
http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/14045678.php