A sigh over something not very important

[Romola]

Our WI decided to take up an offer from Hintlesham Hall to go as a party for either lunch or afternoon tea. I had my name down, looking forward to a special lunch, but the committee had decided to opt in for the tea.

The tea would have been very nice - but it comprised sandwiches, scones, cake etc made from refined white flour.

I said that I would have come if it had been the lunch, but sadly had to turn down the tea. Sypathetic noises made - but I said not to worry - I don't do too badly for meals out etc.

The thing that got me was that two other ladies, who I know have T2 diabetes enthusiastically put up their hands to go along. I asked them later if they had realised what would be available, and they both said "That's all right dear, we just won't have any jam on our scones, so we'll be fine."

Now, I am not a low carber by the standards around here - but like everyone who controls their bg successfully, I restrict my carbs. I do eat cake, scones, chocolates etc - but only small amounts at any one time.

Was I being over cautious in turning down the outing?

 

[totsy]

it is each to their own really, whatever you feel happiest with,
i am type 1 but at a funeral recently there wasnt really much i was willing to eaat while two type 2 ladies had mountains of food, we later had a civil conversation and they say they are happy their way so as i say, do what u feel you must do

 

[Synonym]

Hi Romola

I suppose that you could have asked the organising committee to find out what was on offer to diabetics as most good establishments do have alternatives if asked. It may well have been sufficiently scrummy to make the other diabetic ladies feel slightly envious and then may have provoked an interest.

There does seem to be a culture of ‘pat them on the head and let them eat carbohydrates’ and if that is what is being fairly universally pedalled, as every other diabetic of my own acquaintance assures me is so, I suppose we can expect people to blithely eat scones and cakes. :roll:

It is less than 6 months since my own diagnosis and I am so grateful that I stumbled on this forum. I have learned so much and have consequently been enabled to take strict control of my diabetes and got my numbers down to 'normal' levels. 8)
Prior to my diagnosis I was not really aware of diabetes and how it comes about or even how people are affected by it in their daily lives. In the light of my own experience, which is fairly typical of the general populace, I ought not to be shocked by the ignorance of most diabetics to their own condition and to the fact that they can actually help themselves. BUT I AM!! And that is probably because of all that I have learned.

I have already helped one of my friends to take control of her diabetes and hear that she has managed to get some weight off for the first time in years and gone down by two dress sizes! 8)

We really need to spread the word and also try to get the standard advice changed! :roll:

 

[hanadr]

Someties we are talking to the walls.
Few T2s are encouraged to test their blood, so don't know what effects their food is having. In addition, they haave likely been told they can eat the same as everyone else.
My own Mum, ridicules me for not eating Bread andd tells me how her T2 neighbour gets reports of "perfect!" from his doctor,despite having sandwiches for luncch EVERY day.
She herself has carb issues, but at almost 92 ISN'T going to change her eating.
Hana

 

[IanD]

Hello Romola, the best you are likely to get from the non-diabetic is food without sugar - sandwiches, etc.

You need to educate them gently by telling them what you do eat on such occasions - e.g. slices of cheese, a stick of celery & an apple, & of course tea. Remember it takes years for most of us to realise what we can & can't eat.

You could even make some diabetic delicacies for the WI tea. A useful idea is to fill celery with cream cheese. I make jelly from gelatine or vegegel, flavoured & sweetened with no-added-sugar squash, topped with plain yoghurt. The low carb minute muffin variations are useful. The latest variant is carrot cake.

I sing with a choir & when we go out, we are often served cakes which look delicious ... I've learnt to say, "No, thank you." As for church teas - our Indian ladies are generous with their rice & chapattis & sweets & battered fried savouries. They are used to me saying, "No, thank you," & provide meat without rice & chapattis, & fruit. But the diabetics among them still eat what I will not touch.

"Healthy" vegetarian Indian samosas comprise potato & peas wrapped in pastry & deep fried in oil. Saying "No, thank you" gets easier with practice.

 

[witan]

Over the 18 months since diagnosis i have eaten out many times and suffered several 'Business lunches'. In every restaurant bar none getting a suitable desert has ben impossible (they don't call them sweets for nothing!!). I am feed up with just being dumped with cheese and biscuits, when I'd prefer some fruit and un-sweetened Yoghurt (low fat preferred) at least.

For a restaurant surely that is not as difficult as they usually make it seem, but I always make a point of asking, increase awareness of what many diabetics want. So if I was you I would have gone to the tea, and if I had only drunk the tea would have made the point, not a scene, just encouraging them to appreciate what a growing part of their clientel wanted.

At Hintelsham Hall I am sure they could have got you almost anything you wanted - based on their reputation as I have never actually had the pleasure yet...

 

[Sid Bonkers]

One of the most important things I've learned in the last 12 months of living with diabetes is that you can relax on occasion, one sandwhich every couple of months at a WI meeting isn't going to kill you.

If you wanted to be absolutely safe you could have just gone and had a cup of tea and eaten your own 'tea' when you got home.

I see no reason to cut yourself off from social gatherings, because a sandwich a scone and a piece of cake is offered doesn't mean it has to be eaten.

 

[SophiaW]

I agree, don't miss out on an enjoyable outing, even if you just had the cup of tea it will still be fun to go out somewhere special and be with friends. Don't feel embarrased either to phone ahead and ask if they can in some way cater for you, most people and businesses are very pleased to be able to accommodate people with special requests. My mother-in-law has a friend who has an allergy to virtually everything. They go out once a week for tea each time to somewhere different and she takes along her lemon and special snack. Most of the places are only too happy to slice the lemon and put it into a mug of hot water for her hot lemon drink and they don't mind her bringing along her own snack because of her special dietary needs.

 

[Romola]

Hintlesham Hall is not cheap - and I don't have the cash to throw about for just a cup of tea!
fortunately I get lots of outings, as I said in my original post - so not going made very little impact on my social life.

The point I was *trying* to make was that many T2s seems not to realise the harm that these carb loaded junkets could cause. A lunch with a glass of wine - and I do have a pudding, but not the bread roll or potatoes - would have been much more of a gourmet treat. Having lost a lot of weight following a low GL regime - I have also lost the desire for mountains of cake etc anyway.

Of course I take suitable things along if it is my turn to provide some food on a meeting night, but that wasn't the point.

OH has booked us a lunch at Baumann's - so my inner greedy pig is very happy : )

 

[dragongirl]

I have survived learning how to manage at my relations' houses when staying there (I hate being different or looking like I'm making a fuss) but at a recent day's committee meeting that I couldn't avoid, I rang and asked about low carb food and was then told it would be easier for me to take my own lunch - which I did, although previously I had been told this was not possible. I would have accepted any or all of the usual low carb stuff we low carbers eat, but it was clearly going to be too much bother for them to give me it.

This week, I even took my snack and ate it surreptitiously in a woollen mill (where notices said it was expressly forbidden!) while drinking their tea and waiting for my car to be serviced. Had I been challenged I would have simply told them that nothing on offer was okay for me. But oh, sometimes I would like to turn the clock back and fit in!

You see, unless you're inulin dependent type 1, everyone knows too many people who are just eating normal food - the silent comment being "why can't you? you're making a fuss about nothing, you're pretending you have something serious", because most people don't think type 2 is anything to take notice of. I find this the hardest bit about taking control of my own body.

Right now, I'm debating if I could in future ever survive a plane journey as I once used to. Not sure if you can any longer take your own food on board!
DG

 

[witan]

Hintlesham Hall now Baumans, you do have a 'high' social life
But this time phone ahead and tell them the sort of thing you want. It works well on plane journeys too, if you pre-book as a special dietary requirement you often get better quality, fresher food than the standard fare - and usually served first. (I've known people claiming to be vegetarians just to get theirs first on a crowded flight :twisted
I just live in hope that reastaurants learn about their customers requirements and eventually a section of sugar free, low carb options are on every menu; for main courses and 'sweets'.

 

[clearviews]

Went out recently for dinner, me T2, daughter Candidas Albicans and husband pre-diabetic and on booking told them we were all a little challenged with food choices. Predominantly low carb and no sugar was our need. They had a 3 course special but felt they could work out something acceptable.
It was brilliant and they knew their stuff. We had choices like Cauliflower Soup, Sushi and where the mains had a potato or starchy concoction they just excluded that and topped up green vegetables. We traded the dessert for an extra vegetable side dish and were well pleased with our meal and my BG confirmed it an hour later with a low 5.
Afternoon Teas are just about impossible I agree. It would be useful to begin lobbying tea houses for a healthy option for all who are challenged with diet like celiacs and diabetics.