Flaxseed & Newly Diagnosed

GeminiMum

Active Member
Messages
34
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hello, I'm mum to 3 boys and had gestational diabetes with all 3 pregnancies, so I've always been careful about what I ate and exercised at least 5 days a week however I was diagnosed with Endometriosis at 27 and put on hormone treatment. I went from 7st 4lbs (roughly) to 10st 7lbs in the space of about 3 months - new wardrobe but the plus side was I had quality of life and no pain (there was lots of pain).

I was always concerned I couldn't lose weight (hormone treatment), and knew I could develop diabetes at some point, well that was on 23 Dec 2017. My long range blood results were 55 and I've been given Metformin 500g (I feel so much better!).

As I already didn't eat wheat or cheese my culprits (bad foods) would be crisps (several packs a week), potatoes and a few squares of dark chocolate. So I drop potatoes (and crisps of course), carrots and dark chocolate but was surprised the Diabetes Nurse said to eat them - really? I'd swapped potatoes for cauliflower and given up the rest. Oh and I hardly ever drink.

As Glucose Monitoring machines aren't given out anymore (madness in my opinion) I bought one the day after I was diagnosed. Every test for every meal has come back within range, until today where I had a 7.4 after I added Flaxseed to my normal breakfast.

Normal breakfast is a pint of warm water with grated ginger and juice of half a lemon (drink). 1tbs of oats, 2tbs of natural yoghurt, a tiny squeeze of Agave syrup and approx 1tsp of ground almonds. Blood Glucose reading is normally 5.4, 2hrs after breakfast (without exercise - normally there's 1-2 mile school run/march but as its so dark and roads here have no pavements it's safer to drive kids at the moment).

I was under the opinion that Flaxseeds helped lower blood sugars, as I've only just started adding Flaxseed to diet was a bit shocked at a 7.4 today. Has anyone else tried Flaxseed and noticed the same thing?

I've also started taking Inulin Fibre to help good gut function and lower blood sugars (hopefully).

Sorry for long post, thanks for reading, you seem like a very supportive group, I've read lots of posts and found so much helpful advice, Debbie
 

dipsydo

Well-Known Member
Messages
175
We are all different and I guess It is possible that you got a rogue reading - or the amount you ate or it could be that flax seed does not agree with you - I have two heaped teaspoons of milled flax seed every morning and no increase is blood sugars - but I cannot eat oats as raise blood sugars . I believe that this is why people on this forum suggest that it is a a good idea to eat to the meter to find the best food to eat as it can be quite individualistic as to what causes higher blood sugars.
 
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sally and james

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,093
Type of diabetes
Family member
Treatment type
Diet only
Just checked in the kitchen cupboard and the label on my pack of flax seeds says 1.6g carbs per 100g, so the amount you are likely to be adding to your breakfast is probably negligible in terms of carbs, so most unlikely to raise blood sugars. Can I suggest that you don't think in terms of some foods bringing blood sugars down, rather that certain foods put them up. The amount of carbohydrates (not the "of which sugars") is a very good guide to the effects of different foods, though some people react differently in different contexts. Looking at your breakfast, I would be more concerned about oats and agave syrup, especially the syrup, though you seem to be managing with these. I would suggest that the reading of 7.4 today was just one of life's little blips.
Sally
 
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TheBigNewt

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,167
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
What's an "st"? I mean don't you folks use "kilograms" still? Or is it now stones, pebbles, and boulders?
 

Metabolism_Boss

Well-Known Member
Messages
170
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Reality TV shows. Celebrities that are famous for being famous
What's an "st"? I mean don't you folks use "kilograms" still? Or is it now stones, pebbles, and boulders?
A "st" is 14 pounds or about 6.35 kilograms. Personally I would love to be weighed in pebbles, stones and boulders - just not too many boulders...
 

Resurgam

Expert
Messages
9,849
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Your agave syrup is just a solution of sugar, oats are grain, again high carb - and although you are having only a small amount of each, added together they could amount to a fair few carbs.
You can still, most likely have some dark chocolate, as long as it is low carb and high cocoa content.
I add milled mixed seed or milled flax seed to various things - salads, omelettes, coleslaw - though only a teaspoon full - too much is as bad as too little for my insides, but there are no glucose lowering foods.
 
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