Seen GP today been told I’m diabetic Hba1c at 49i don’t need medication but was told to cut carbs to between 30 and 60 per meal also cholesterol levels up so have to take a statin any advice on meals please I’m used to cereals for breakfast eg porridge or weetabix but ideas for all meals would be appreciated
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Type 2 Diagnosed diabetic today
- Thread starter poppy659
- Start Date
- Messages
- 4,078
- Type of diabetes
- Treatment type
- Diet only
Hi and welcome.
You're exactly where I was when diagnosed - just over the "automatic diagnosis" line. The good news is that a reduced carb diet can educe your blood glucose very quickly - it did for me.
You'll find if you read around on this forum that there are many different approaches to contolling your condition. You need to find the one that works for you - not only in terms of reducing BG levels, but also in whether it fits with you and your lifestyle. It might all seem very confusing at first - there is a lot of dubious information around on the internet, much of it coming from people with something to sell.
This link might be very helpful as a starter - it's written by a member of this forum:
josekalsbeek.blogspot.com
I would strongly recommend buying and using a glucometer. Tagging @rachix who has a list of currently available models.
The usual testing routine is to take a reading directly before you eat, and then two hours later. This is not to see "how high you go" - the high point will probably happen after 30 minutes to an hour. What it does show you is how well your insulin system dealt with what you ate. The idea is that your system should return you to a low level close to your starting point after two hours. So you're looking for a second reading that is no more than 2 mmol/l higher than the first reading: and isn't above 7.8. If not, then there were too many carbs in that meal for your system to comfortably handle at the moment. The idea is you build up a record of food and readings so you know what affects you and how, and can make informed decisions.
Unfortunately the current official dietary advice for everyone stresses basing all your meals around "starchy carbohydrates" - this is no good for me as carbohydrates are digested to glucose, which is where we T2s have the problem. So I don't eat cereals, rice, bread, root veg like potato, fruit, beer, and sugar. I find it easier to not eat any of something than to try to judge weights and portions - you'll need to find what works for you.
One of the things about this way of eating is that I haven't ever been hungry - I rarely eat breakfast and usually have one meal a day in the evening with maybe a bit of cheese or salami at lunchtime.
Best of luck - I found this forum to be a terrific source of advice and help - do not be afraid to ask questions. And there's no "right way" to do this, but there is "your way". As long as you find your way that works for you, you'll be OK.
You're exactly where I was when diagnosed - just over the "automatic diagnosis" line. The good news is that a reduced carb diet can educe your blood glucose very quickly - it did for me.
You'll find if you read around on this forum that there are many different approaches to contolling your condition. You need to find the one that works for you - not only in terms of reducing BG levels, but also in whether it fits with you and your lifestyle. It might all seem very confusing at first - there is a lot of dubious information around on the internet, much of it coming from people with something to sell.
This link might be very helpful as a starter - it's written by a member of this forum:
The Nutritional Thingy
There’s a few things you should know. 1. Practically all carbs turn to glucose once ingested , so not just straight sugars, but starches...
josekalsbeek.blogspot.com
I would strongly recommend buying and using a glucometer. Tagging @rachix who has a list of currently available models.
The usual testing routine is to take a reading directly before you eat, and then two hours later. This is not to see "how high you go" - the high point will probably happen after 30 minutes to an hour. What it does show you is how well your insulin system dealt with what you ate. The idea is that your system should return you to a low level close to your starting point after two hours. So you're looking for a second reading that is no more than 2 mmol/l higher than the first reading: and isn't above 7.8. If not, then there were too many carbs in that meal for your system to comfortably handle at the moment. The idea is you build up a record of food and readings so you know what affects you and how, and can make informed decisions.
Unfortunately the current official dietary advice for everyone stresses basing all your meals around "starchy carbohydrates" - this is no good for me as carbohydrates are digested to glucose, which is where we T2s have the problem. So I don't eat cereals, rice, bread, root veg like potato, fruit, beer, and sugar. I find it easier to not eat any of something than to try to judge weights and portions - you'll need to find what works for you.
One of the things about this way of eating is that I haven't ever been hungry - I rarely eat breakfast and usually have one meal a day in the evening with maybe a bit of cheese or salami at lunchtime.
Best of luck - I found this forum to be a terrific source of advice and help - do not be afraid to ask questions. And there's no "right way" to do this, but there is "your way". As long as you find your way that works for you, you'll be OK.
Margarettt
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 367
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Diet only
Very little to add to @KennyA's reply, great advice there.
Only additional point I would mention is that tracking your food intake can be very useful, particularly at first when starting out on low(er) carb. I use an app, but you could also do it on paper, and you're primarily interested in totting up the carb amount in meals and per day. When combined with the testing approach Kenny outlined, it's a very effective way to see which foods/meals have caused issues with how your body handles the carb digestion. You can then take steps to eliminate meals/ingredients, substitute them for lower carb ones, or adjust portion sizes to a level you can handle.
Only additional point I would mention is that tracking your food intake can be very useful, particularly at first when starting out on low(er) carb. I use an app, but you could also do it on paper, and you're primarily interested in totting up the carb amount in meals and per day. When combined with the testing approach Kenny outlined, it's a very effective way to see which foods/meals have caused issues with how your body handles the carb digestion. You can then take steps to eliminate meals/ingredients, substitute them for lower carb ones, or adjust portion sizes to a level you can handle.
Thanks for the tags @KennyA and @Margarettt ,
@poppy659 ,here’s some info with links for UK meters, and to be clear I have no commercial connections with any of the companies mentioned.
HOME HEALTH have the Gluco Navii, which is a fairly new model and seems to be getting good reviews.
https://homehealth-uk.com/all-produ...ose-meter-test-strips-choose-mmol-l-or-mg-dl/
Links to the strips for future orders:
https://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/glucose-navii-blood-glucose-test-strips-50-strip-pack/
Then they sell the older SD Code Free, details to be found here!
https://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/codefree-blood-glucose-monitoring-system-mmoll-or-mgdl/
SPIRIT HEALTHCARE have a meter called the Tee2 + which is quite popular:
https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/co...e2-blood-glucose-meter?variant=19264017268793
The strips are to be found here:
https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/co...py-of-tee2-test-strips?variant=19264017367097
If there is a choice of units of measurement then ‘mmol/L’ are the standard units in the UK, ‘mg/dl’ in the US, other countries may vary.
Don’t forget to check the box if you have pre diabetes or diabetes so you can buy VAT free. (for all meters and strips)
@poppy659 ,here’s some info with links for UK meters, and to be clear I have no commercial connections with any of the companies mentioned.
HOME HEALTH have the Gluco Navii, which is a fairly new model and seems to be getting good reviews.
https://homehealth-uk.com/all-produ...ose-meter-test-strips-choose-mmol-l-or-mg-dl/
Links to the strips for future orders:
https://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/glucose-navii-blood-glucose-test-strips-50-strip-pack/
Then they sell the older SD Code Free, details to be found here!
https://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/codefree-blood-glucose-monitoring-system-mmoll-or-mgdl/
SPIRIT HEALTHCARE have a meter called the Tee2 + which is quite popular:
https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/co...e2-blood-glucose-meter?variant=19264017268793
The strips are to be found here:
https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/co...py-of-tee2-test-strips?variant=19264017367097
If there is a choice of units of measurement then ‘mmol/L’ are the standard units in the UK, ‘mg/dl’ in the US, other countries may vary.
Don’t forget to check the box if you have pre diabetes or diabetes so you can buy VAT free. (for all meters and strips)
