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Have a look at the recent Supplements thread - there is a link there that might be of interest. In short some people claim to find that it helps a bit - and there is both theory and clinical evidence to back that up. It is pretty marginal, though, it won't make a big difference. If you like...

Good stuff. Less good, a green salad would be better. Alternatively there are some low carb "rice substitutes". For example, if you grate cauliflower until it is about the consistency of rice and then microwave it for about five minutes, you get something that you can use instead of cooked...

The HbA1c test is important for all of the reasons given above, but the rationale for testing - particularly the relatively infrequent testing - can be confusing. Also, there are a few wrinkles in interpreting the results of this test, of which you should be aware. Haemaglobin (Hb), or...

It is hard to say absolutely how much sugar (or anything else for that matter) you can safely eat, because everyone is different. The important thing is for you to learn how various foods effect you. I suggest that, if you haven't already done so, you get a blood glucose monitor and start...

I have looked in to the cinnamon situation, though not the other supplements you mention. There is some theory to suggest that cinnamon might help (it contains a number of substances that have been shown to increase insulin action - both in test tubes and in mice). As far as I know there...

Do get tested ASAP - all GPs do this very routinely. You might have diabetes, but there are also many, many other things that it could be - or maybe there is nothing wrong with you at all. If you do have diabetes, then it is important that you find out as soon as possible. If that is the...

Admittedly this was a Diabetes nurse, and not a dietician, but the advice that I was given was low fat, low sugar and low salt. My GP told me that I wouldn't go far wrong following the GI diet. I was also told to eat regularly, and to make sure that there is fiber-rich complex carbohydrate...

I was in exactly your situation a few weeks ago, and it turned out that I have Type 2. I can reassure you that things really aren't that bad! A nuisance, yes, but not a disaster. Although your symptoms could be caused by many things, given your family history it is quite likely that you do...

I have been experimenting with low carb pancakes, modifying a recipe from Richard Bernsteins book. The base is a "flour" you make by grinding up GG Bran Crispbread (which you can get in most health food shops) in a blender. Make this by mixing the flour from two crispbreads with an egg and a...

Tiredness is another classic symptom of diabetes. Before I was diagnosed, what I noticed was tiredness and thirst. However, like I said, it could also be many other things. If it is diabetes, the good news is that once you get it under control these symptoms should disappear. I have got my...

There has recently been quite a lot of publicity about some studies that suggest that treating newly diagnosed T2s with insulin for a few weeks might be able to drive the diabetes into remission - or at the very least help with its control. The theory is that this gives beta cells a chance to...

You can consider thirst to be excessive if you now get thirstier than you used to - what you described is definitely excessive thirst. This is a classic symptom of diabetes, but it could also be lots of other things (one of my trusty sources lists 114 possible causes of thirst - ranging from...

I have only quite recently been diagnosed, so I am currently working this out myself. However, it really depends what you want to know from the test results. If you are simply monitoring things to make sure that you have BG under control, then a fasting test (i.e. before breakfast) will...

Yes, for the time being. I have been told to try diet and exercise alone for the next few weeks - if my 3-month A1c is then well down, all to the good. If not then I will be put on tablets (I think I am a fair way off needing insulin). The GP in question did say that he is in favour of people...

True :cry: His argument is that his considered advice is don't test. He said that many (well he says most) people who test, don't act upon the results and thus testing is counterproductive. To be fair to him there have been some studies (in particular recent papers in the BMJ) which, although...

BTW - those of you who have to ration tests because they have a limited number of strips on prescription should think themselves lucky! My GP has made it quite clear that he considers testing unnecessary for diet controlled T2s, and so if I want to test at all then I have to pay for it entirely...

I think it really depends upon why you are testing. If you are on insulin or drugs that make you potentially vulnerable to hypos, then you are testing to make sure that BG doesn't go dangerously low - in which case it is going to have to be several times per day (probably before meals, but...

Hi Alan, I am in a very similar situation to you. I was diagnosed with T2 a few weeks ago, and am initially aiming for control by diet. The difference is that I got to see a nurse within a couple of days - the end of June sounds really bad, but I guess that this is the usual NHS postcode...

I have a little experience with Phlebitis (sic.), as a close relative of mine suffered from it many years ago. Phlebitis is an inflammation of veins, and if those inflamed veins are superficial then it is a minor condition (although painful). However, if deep veins are affected then there is a...

If you like nuts then almonds have the big advantage that despite containing quite a lot of fat they actually lower blood cholesterol levels. They aren't quite as low carbohydrate as macademia nuts, so you might have to be a bit careful if you are on a low carb diet - but in moderation they are...