more confused than ever

[mrs gimli]

Hi today I attened a juggle group for type 2 diabetics..todays topic was food..there was one diabetic nurse and a dietician they all insisted that we need carbs with each meal..ie pot or pasta or rice. They did make big deal of portion sizes..and explained about fruit and fruit juice and so forth..my confusion is the carbs..I asked about low carb and although they all said yes its ok and you will loose weight long term the weight will slow and creep on again and that the low carbs means that our body won't have enough energy to function..I don't want you all to shout at me but which is right ..low carb or small portions of sensible food ie granery bread and wholewheat and wild rice.limited oranges and grapes and so forth.I have lost weight on low carb but I'm now worried it will pile on again....

 

[mo1905]

Think we're all pretty much agreed lower carbs are best. The actual amount is personal preference though. As long as you enjoy your food and can maintain a good HbA1C then you're at the right level.


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[Squire Fulwood]

All foods are fine unless they raise your blood glucose levels to unacceptable highs. If a particular carby food does that then you have to eat less of it in future and then you can consider yourself as a low(er) carber.

The very low carbers just set themselves a limit and only eat enough carbs up to that limit. Whichever of these philosophies you follow you are trying to keep your sugars low by eating less carbs.

If you are trying to lose weight then limiting your carbs and exercising (walking for example) should work. Providing you adopt this as a new lifestyle and keep to it there is no reason why any weight lost should come back again. Most dieters regain weight because they adopt an unsustainable diet and fall off the wagon when they are fed up with it.

 

[Kat100]

My body needs some carbs, I follow more portion control rather than low carb.....x

 

[Andy12345]

i would ask them if they have personal experience of this? or they just read it

 

[mrs gimli]

Thanks guys andy I did ask the diabetic nurse was diabetic type 2 she said for 8 yrs..was just tottaly confusing..the bit about the weight coming back on even if I ate the same did worry me so thought I'd ask you nice lot..is this just the standard tosh they chuck out or is the medical evidence to back this up

 

[Andy12345]

the problem is you can find medical evidence to back up anything lol far as i can tell although i dont understand any of it so thats just what ive read here

 

[mo1905]

Thanks guys andy I did ask the diabetic nurse was diabetic type 2 she said for 8 yrs..was just tottaly confusing..the bit about the weight coming back on even if I ate the same did worry me so thought I'd ask you nice lot..is this just the standard tosh they chuck out or is the medical evidence to back this up

There's evidence to back anything unfortunately. That's the problem, too many scientific papers/studies/opinions that contradict each other. If there were a definitive answer it would be easy and there would be no disagreements on thus forum. You need to find what works for you, that may mean trial and error and experimenting with certain foods. Most here agree that at least reducing carb intake will help your BG levels. As for high fat, that's personal taste and certainly doesn't suit all.


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[mrs gimli]

Thanks yes I suppose your right there will be evidence to back up all..just wish there was a definate Yes this will work..oh well I shall plod on I have another group next sat all about food labels and high fat

 

[Andy12345]

just smile and wave

 

[mrs gimli]

Ha ha andy I use this method on my grown up kids so I shall adapt it for the group..

 

[bernie.freeman]

Hi Mrs Gimli,

I totally agree with Andy and Mo. It is personal choice, however it is good to keep a tab on the amount of carbs that you eat. I like the odd treat now and then, that keeps me from straying too far. I can't tolerate a lot of fat but I don't over do the carbs either. The only way to see what suits is to test regularly, before meals and two hours later.

Good luck.

 

[mrs gimli]

Thanks all I have kept to low carbs as I feel ok

 

[Nic51]

totally agree with what has been said we are all different, im only 5 weeks in and still learning, but i do still have odd naughty things, but got blown out of the water on a facebook forum for saying id had a mcds and a mc flurry last week, yes it did make my blood glucose raise a little but i as good the rest of the day, only ate half the bun etc, but low carb is working for me but not low low still not on meds not seen the DN yet, bot have gone from a reading of 20.8 on the first day to average 7 to 9 most days now

 

[douglas99]

Thanks all I have kept to low carbs as I feel ok

That's the important answer.
Do it because it works for you.

 

[mrs gimli]

Thank you douglas and nic well done that's great...

 

[douglas99]

totally agree with what has been said we are all different, im only 5 weeks in and still learning, but i do still have odd naughty things, but got blown out of the water on a facebook forum for saying id had a mcds and a mc flurry last week, yes it did make my blood glucose raise a little but i as good the rest of the day, only ate half the bun etc, but low carb is working for me but not low low still not on meds not seen the DN yet, bot have gone from a reading of 20.8 on the first day to average 7 to 9 most days now

There is far more to life than desperately scratching around for the lowest bs reading recorded. It's all a balance. Yes, a Mcflurry may make my bs rise. Once, - then it'll fall again. But I also have all the good things that went with it. Like eating it, sharing the time with my family, the actual taste of the mcflurry, and above all, the fact I didn't die, my toes didn't fall off, and I could accept life goes on, and diabetes doesn't control me. Not everyday, but when I decide I can, I will.

 

[Andy12345]

thats weird advice. thinking like that gave me diabetes, scratching around for the lowest bs reading sounds like a good idea to me but as always we are all different

 

[mj14]

Douglas99 I salute you, good for you! How many of your FB friends are diabetic and know what it is like to live with it on a daily basis. A little of what makes you happy once in a while is what keeps us sane....... X


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[douglas99]

thats weird advice. thinking like that gave me diabetes, scratching around for the lowest bs reading sounds like a good idea to me but as always we are all different

Donuts, chips, pasties, pies, mars bars, door stop bacon sandwiches on white bread, family size bars of cadburys, deep fried onion rings.....me, I reckon that's what gave me diabetes.
Not a mcflurry once every blue moon, getting a figure that wasn't a 5 once or twice won't kill me now, but obsessing over getting a 4 will make me wish it had done eventually.
I stand more chance of drowning from diving, or canoeing, or jetskiing, or simply falling off the roof of the house I'm replacing tiles on at the moment.
As you say though, each to their own