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Eat well for less

Confused by differing advice said:
If they really eat like that, how come they’re not very ill or worse? It was like they deliberately shunned anything healthy- they walked past the fruit and veg section in the supermarket. I don’t believe anyone eats like that.
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Oh yes they do! I know a T2 woman who daily gets through a large supply of sweets, chocolates etc. (When she doesn't feel up to going out to buy them, she sends her husband. He knows she shouldn't have them, but he doesn't dare go back without.) The annoying thing is, she has made it to over 80 without any obvious complications. Whereas I can't even look at a head of broccoli without my bg rising.
 
It's up to the individuals I suppose how they wish to live their lives with diabetes. So no comment from me on the folk involved. Although? The woman did say she was a nurse............... Shocked me a wee bit. Since finding this place my diabetes approach has changed almost 100% and I'm glad it has. I genuinely felt saddened for the husband and wife involved in the show. And on watching them my words to the wife? “Oof the diabetes forum will be buzzing about this“
As I said, it's all down to the Individual and I'm guessing there might have been a few diabetic viewers watching this sadly in the same boat.
Sad indeed.
 
When I attended a busy Diabetic Clinic at my hospital last year I was astounded by the amount of other diabetics that queued at the tea trolley to buy hot chocolate, NON diet coca-cola, sweets, chocolate and crisps! All that whilst waiting to have their blood, feet and weight checks done (before speaking to their consultant). I could feel my bg rising just looking at the stuff on that trolley!

Think the lady in this programme has been very lucky to just be starting to get some diabetic complications (changes behind her eyes). I've not been that lucky despite not eating all that kind of junk
 
It makes me wonder just how many people just carry on eating **** and rely on ever increasing amounts of meds to deal with it. Lunacy.
 
Glasgow Stevie said:
It makes me wonder just how many people just carry on eating **** and rely on ever increasing amounts of meds to deal with it. Lunacy.
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To put things in perspective, it is possible to eat a ***** diet that is impeccably VLC. Have you come across "dirty keto"? To me, the challenge is to eat as healthily as possible on 20-30g carbs a day.
 
This is a very good point. Diabetes affects everyone differently. Obviously a lot of people on this forum will find the dietary advice given in the programme totally wrong. This forum is heavily steered in a certain direction where diet is concerned. It doesn’t necessarily mean that the dietary direction of the forum is a diet that everyone needs to follow.
The dietary advice in the programme is no better or no worse than any other diet. You may disagree with the advice in the programme in the same way that people visiting this forum may disagree with the dietary advice on offer.
NHS guidelines v DCUK. Unfortunately or fortunately the media tend to follow NHS guidelines.
Remember that box in the corner does have an off button.
 
A friend diagnosed a few years ago with T2 was put on metformin and thought that meant she could eat what she liked and the tablets would take care of everything.

Wouldn't listen to us when we advised her that that was not the case.

It took blood sugars at 33+ and a diabetic comma to disabuse her of that .

Her consultant has now advised a low carb diet which she is keeping to.

And has much better control.
 
My mother was diagnosed with type 2 and put on metformin.
Cut back on sugar in drinks and biscuits/ cakes.
Within 6 months she was off metformin and pre diabetic levels achieved.
Low carb? Most definitely not.
Pre diabetic levels still after 5 yrs or so.
Everyone is different.
 
Methinks the folk on the TV show probably think dirty keto is the bloke from the local takeaway who empties the bins. Where's that off switch?
 


Unfortunately some people do. A person I know has a room in his friends house, they both have type 2 diabetes. The friend needs a mobility scooter to get out and about, him and his wife go to Macdonalds KFC etc. The friend goes to hospital 3 times a week for kidney dialysis, he has to have hospital transport to get there, he has had toes removed and is obese and it looks like he may have to have his foot amputated. The wife brings home boxes of cakes and eats them all, husband eats about 3/4 of them. Dinner is served in a extra large bowl.
He also has a very ulcerated foot that needs dressing, but he refuses to go down to the surgery , he could go in his mobility scooter, so insists the nurses visit him in his home. He sleeps in the lounge and has a fridge next to him full of Coca Cola and other sugary items, he is just 50 years old.
 
JohnEGreen said:
New A friend diagnosed a few years ago with T2 was put on metformin and thought that meant she could eat what she liked and the tablets would take care of everything.
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According to my DN that is a very common attitude. I suppose if you take tablets that normalise your blood pressure or tablets that correct your thyroid or tablets that prevent angina, then it is an easy mistake to make that diabetes tablets will work the same way.
 
I’ve just watched this on catch up and was amazed at how two seemingly intelligent people could get it so wrong particularly as one was a nurse. It makes me think that they have either had no guidance at all or just hoped that if they ignored it it would go away. The dietitian had also not researched into a diet best suited for T2 diabetics as they were still eating quite a few carbs - I nearly had a heart attack when she suggested a snack of a slice of bread, peanut butter and banana and he was eating cornflakes and banana for breakfast - that would be too carby even for me and I average between 100 - 130g per day! However, whilst I was disappointed that a lower carb diet was not suggested for them, they have changed their eating habits and diet, lost weight and saved money which, in theory, is what this programme is all about. It was a shame they did not say at the post 3 month point whether or not their BS levels had improved as I’m sure many of us here would have been interested.
 
Of course it does depend a lot on where you're starting from if you are diagnosed when just in the diabetic range then just cutting back a bit may make a big difference others who are starting from a point a lot further along in the diabetic range may need much more drastic action to bring the levels down. As you say not every one is the same. Some are more fortunate than others.
 
Reading your post made me feel so sad because we all know that following this path is not going to end well.
 
I know to my cost that things are even less predictable than this. With an A1c of 41 I thought it would be really easy just to cut back a little on fruit and chocolate to bring the numbers crashing down. Two years later, doggedly eating a VLC diet of c.20g (absolute max 30) carbs a day, I am clinging on by my finger nails to 38. Judging by what I see on my meter, I suspect my next A1c will be higher again. Exercise raises my bg, as does getting at all tired, and even just living between the hours of 3pm and bedtime. Food is by no means the only factor.
 
So true, if only things were more straight forward life is a lottery I suppose.

In fact when I was diagnosed with MG the consultant registrar said to me it's like coming up on the lottery John as the chances of getting this are about the same.

And of course that diagnosis eventually lead to the diabetes aren't I a lucky fellow.
 
I presume MG stands for Myasthenia Gravis? So sorry to hear about that, the diagnosis must have been an awful shock. How long have you had it? And doea it make your diabetes harder to control?
 
Yes that's right Myasthenia Gravis that was about 17+ years ago MG's worst effect in its self as far controlling diabetes is that exercise is not an option open to me as my MG has never really been fully controlled and as the treatment is prednisolone, preds can make things very difficult strict control of diet is necessary and for me that means low carb and counting calories but we all do what we have to so it's no worse for me than many others

And in fact I am not the only myasthenic on the forum.

Forgot to say the diagnosis though a shock because it virtually happened over night literally the onset that is went to bed one night perfectly fine when I opened my eyes the next morning I was myasthenic. it was strangely at first a relief as I thought I had some form of cancer that sense of relief I know now was misplaced..
 
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