Really?

annie-p

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I went for part one of my diabetic review yesterday - blood pressure high (part white coat syndrome), weight the same as last year, feet ok. Awaiting results of urine and blood tests but I feel Sitagliptin isn’t doing anything for me but results will tell.

All well and good you might think but on my way out I was handed a print out containing the eat well plate and also what to eat daily .... apparently I should be eating a substantial amount of carbohydrates... I didn’t notice what I was being handed at the time as I just wanted to get out of there but, once I realised what it was, I couldn’t believe they are still handing out such rubbish. I’m in two minds whether to frame it for prosperity or throw it straight in the bin.

Looking forward to my telephone consult ....
 
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Oldvatr

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Do you mean this one?
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/the-eatwell-guide/

It has been updated recently, and you may find that it has almost eliminated meat (except fish) and butter and specifies vegetable oils as fats. Crisps and cakes are still allowed as are sweets, but ought to be reduced. Milk should only be 1%, and cheeses should be low fat, low salt, and not the hard varieties. This is what the government is laying down as a healthy diet for all.

Sad, but when I last looked, the committee members that define this diet (SACN) were to a large part vegetarian.
 
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annie-p

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91
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Type 2
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Do you mean this one?
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/the-eatwell-guide/

It has been updated recently, and you may find that it has almost eliminated meat (except fish) and butter and specifies vegetable oils as fats. Crisps and cakes are still allowed as are sweets, but ought to be reduced. Milk should only be 1%, and cheeses should be low fat, low salt, and not the hard varieties. This is what the government is laying down as a healthy diet for all.

Sad, but when I last looked, the committee members that define this diet (SACN) were to a large part vegetarian.

That’s the one!

I feel sorry for people who follow this. I am not newly diagnosed and, even if I were, then I like to do my own research before deciding on anything. I like my salad and vegetables but there is no way I’m cutting out meat.

Oh well, I’m off for a large plateful of fish & chips, followed by a huge chunk of gateau! (kidding!)
 

Flora123

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Do you mean this one?
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/the-eatwell-guide/

It has been updated recently, and you may find that it has almost eliminated meat (except fish) and butter and specifies vegetable oils as fats. Crisps and cakes are still allowed as are sweets, but ought to be reduced. Milk should only be 1%, and cheeses should be low fat, low salt, and not the hard varieties. This is what the government is laying down as a healthy diet for all.

Sad, but when I last looked, the committee members that define this diet (SACN) were to a large part vegetarian.

Omg!! I can’t believe that. So much bad info there. Recommending vegetable oils too which are known to be inflammatory.
 

SilverK

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That plate is terrifying ! I’d never really looked at it before. If I followed that I’d never get my BG down!
 

Oldvatr

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Sadly it is very believable. Eatwell in the UK is controlled by SACN which is a body of nutritionists and academics that advise us all what we should eat. I did some research into this body last year, and of the 8 members listed at that time, 6 were either vegan or vegetarian or were employed in occupations or research that promoted vegan diets, Especially, three of them were researching and speaking publicly about a vegan compatible source of vitamins D3 and K2 that is not derived from an animal product, which can be used to fortify vegan dairy and meat substitutes. One of these was also contracted to Tesco to advise on their new range of vegan snacks.

https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/scientific-advisory-committee-on-nutrition
NB this list is larger than when I last researched it, but I recognize many of the participants remain still.
 
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Daibell

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Adding to what @Oldvatr has posted, SACN (part of PHE who advise the NHS) use various Universities research departments for it's input e.g. Oxford. If you look at who funds that 'research' you will find they are mostly food companies who have an interest in proffering and profitable high carb foods. You couldn't make it up; it's almost criminal.
 
M

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Dietary guidelines are about money and ideology, nothing else. Ignore with extreme prejudice. Alternatively keep as a reference to eat the exact literal opposite of everything they recommend.
 

Oldvatr

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Dietary guidelines are about money and ideology, nothing else. Ignore with extreme prejudice. Alternatively keep as a reference to eat the exact literal opposite of everything they recommend.
Sadly it goes deeper than that. Eatwell or its cousins (SAD) are what NICE defines as good nutrition, Hence it is what is taught to all medical students, and all nutritionists. It is what governs Government actions such as subsidies, quotas, and now Tariffs. This is why meat products and animal imports and exports will carry a 48% surcharge from January, but grain products are tariff-free, It drives farming and agriculture policies, and its regime of charges and subsidies and land use. The diet is high carb low fat and seriously reduced animal-sourced food.
 

Daibell

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Someone posted a link to this Second Nature website. Although it does have some commercial stuff, the Guides area has a lot of sensible advice in line with low-carb thinking. One of the NHS websites points to it. I have no connection with this company:

https://www.secondnature.io/guides
 

Oldvatr

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Someone posted a link to this Second Nature website. Although it does have some commercial stuff, the Guides area has a lot of sensible advice in line with low-carb thinking. One of the NHS websites points to it. I have no connection with this company:

https://www.secondnature.io/guides
Interesting link, It does seem to be mainly Low Carb, but funnily enough, the science they reference is the Newcastle Diet which is CICO based.

It is not the only NHS Low Carb referral since Dr. Unwin's diet was also approved by NICE, but recently NICE has withdrawn their support for his plan.

This site is 'commercial' but it is low key which is refreshing. And useful to some who are new to diabetes. However I did feel that there was an overriding emphasis on it being a weight loss diet, and the diabetes connection goes into the background via the Rod Taylor message and is also linked to the weight-loss mantra. This may be the key to getting NHS support. The need for HCP support is implied in the finale where they point out that NHS referred people lost more weight than those going 'private' but there was no support or mention of possibly needing medication changes during the diet plan - again showing it as being marketed for weight loss not diabetes control.

Its a helpful start.

Edit to add: I believe that the Low Carb Diet course (LCHF) run by this very site (DCUK) is also approved for referral through the NHS
 
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SilverK

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It’s really unfair to those trying to do the right thing. I don’t really like the texture of a lot of meats so if someone could come up with a vegetarian low carb plan that works I’d jump at it. However, I do recognise that I can’t lower my blood sugar by eating carbs so I need fish/meat/dairy. Does the eat well plate work for anyone? Or is the idea to keep raising the amount of insulin you need until you need a tanker to follow you around??
 

bulkbiker

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It’s really unfair to those trying to do the right thing. I don’t really like the texture of a lot of meats so if someone could come up with a vegetarian low carb plan that works I’d jump at it. However, I do recognise that I can’t lower my blood sugar by eating carbs so I need fish/meat/dairy. Does the eat well plate work for anyone? Or is the idea to keep raising the amount of insulin you need until you need a tanker to follow you around??
Diet doctor has some vegetarian keto options so it might be worth checking out some of their recipes.
www.dietdoctor.com
 

SilverK

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Definitely checking that out! Thank you! If I find a single chewy, bouncy, slimy or gritty bit in any meat thing I’m eating it puts me off that for months - if I EVER eat it again!
 

Resurgam

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I have a Bamix hand held processor and on some cold dreary mornings I just gather together what is in the fridge and some vege mixture from the freezer, chop, simmer and then use the 'S' blade to make a broth.
If the texture of meat bothers you that is a good way to blitz it into oblivion.
 
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zand

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Definitely checking that out! Thank you! If I find a single chewy, bouncy, slimy or gritty bit in any meat thing I’m eating it puts me off that for months - if I EVER eat it again!
I thought I was the only one to have this problem!
 

Dr Snoddy

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Hi, I find it very easy to have a LCHF eating plan without any meat and my blood glucose levels have been normal for 6 years after diagnosis 6.5 years ago.
 

NicoleC1971

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It’s really unfair to those trying to do the right thing. I don’t really like the texture of a lot of meats so if someone could come up with a vegetarian low carb plan that works I’d jump at it. However, I do recognise that I can’t lower my blood sugar by eating carbs so I need fish/meat/dairy. Does the eat well plate work for anyone? Or is the idea to keep raising the amount of insulin you need until you need a tanker to follow you around??
To be fair, I suppose if you mainly ate at Greggs and MacDonalds etc. then this diet is better and you might lose some weight but most people aren't like that and are faithfully following this universal 'healthy' diet (how can there be any such thing?) when after 40 years it isn't working for most metabolically damaged people (75% or more of the population then) or occasionally works but not in the long term.
It can only change if new generations of dieticians and PH turn the tanker around against the combined interests of pill pushers, biscuit makers and the even scarier anti meat brigade.