GI...carbs..low this..high that....Aaaaaaaahhh!!

[Jual]

Having had a phone call to say I have type 2 10 days ago and an appointment in a couple of weeks to see someone I find myself thinking...right...well I'll just eat that because they'll probably tell me I can't!

Add to that a glucose monitor I was given at a health fair which I used yesterday...12.4 before my tea and 12.1 at midnight...I figure perhaps I need to start finding someone who can help me back from the nether regions now.

My problem is I have no idea where to start or what anything means.I have tried to read some of the advice you guys are giving but need to know what to start with...so...answers on a postcard please asap.:?:

Q. of the moment....can I still eat mango's and Australian Licquorice?

 

[Dennis]

Hi Jual and welcome to you,

As you seem to have worked out for yourself, you need to know what things are safe for you to eat and what you should avoid. Your first and best plan of action is to find out as much as you can about carbohydrates and their effect on blood sugar. You will find a huge amount of information in this forum in the section called "Diabetes Discussions", under the topic "Sticky - General Links for Diabetes".

The sugar levels shown by your meter are very high - around double what they should be in a pre-prandial (i.e. before eating) test. By understanding the effects that different types of carbohydrates and sugars have, and a good bit of trial and error on your part, you will work out what is good for you and what you need to avoid. This tends to differ from person to person, so what works for me won't necessarily work for you.

To answer your specific question - a mango has the same carbohydrate value as an apple or an orange. Mangos won't do you any harm - in moderation. But I'm afraid that liquorice is an absolute no-no for a diabetic. It severely reduces glucose tolerance so is one of the worst things a diabetic can eat.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Jual,
I have been registered with Diabetes for years, and used to be able to do a Blood test at any time and it was four, all the time. My Damage lines at the clinic were permanantly out of the zone and were very good. But now mine are 12 to 20 most of the time the clinic told me at an appoitment that i visited some years ago that if the Insulin is taken in a three hour gap you should be alright. But the two insulins I was on a ew years ago have both been taken off the market and were called Actrapid the fast insulin in a yellow bottle and Monotard a slow insulin in a blue bottle. But now I am on Humalog the fast insulin and Insulatard a slow insulin. So you should be alright as I had to eat lot's of extra biscuits years ago for Hypo's . And extra before to try to avoid the hypo's.I go to the clinic in Preston Lancashire in about a month.


mark halliwell

 

[saffy]

Hi....iam type 2...ive only been on here about 6 weeks and followed advise from these lovely people..my bgs were between 13/20 since ive cut out carbs that shoot my bgs up..(bread potatoes cereal rice pasta)im down to under 8...in fact im so excited at this moment as 2 hrs after my lunch my bg was wait for it.....5.3...wow isnt that great...the nhs told me to eat plenty carbs..so ive proved them wrong..for Mark whose going to see them at Preston...be aware thats were i go...they just seem to want to put you on drugs...if id listened to them last month...(they gave me actos...which after looking into it and reading about it i didnt take )since being on here and changing my diet my bgs are getting better and better...Saffy

 

[fergusc]

Saffy, I'm delighted to hear of your success.

You've shown, once again, the benefits of questioning the dogma!

All the best,

fergusc

 

[Jual]

Wow...I feel like you're all next door or down the road and picking up my calls straight away! Thanks for all the advice,I'm going to read up on the messages here to try and sort it all out.
Anyone any idea what I can swap apricots for as a high fibre option. I have needed to eat them every day to help with my underactive thyroid but now find they shoot my reading up.

 

[Dennis]

Hi Jual,

Apricots shouldn't push up your blood sugar too much unless you are eating too many! A 40g apricot contains only 3g carbohydrate.

Dried apricots are 15g carb per 40g portion.

 

[Jual]

Thanks Dennis...I eat about 30gm of dried apricots every morning..is that a lot? Is there a figure of gms of carbohydrates I should be looking to keep under a day...or a meal...?Where do I find a carb.value book?
:?:

 

[Dennis]

Hi Jual,

30g of dried apricots is only about 12g of carb. When you think that a single slice of wholemeal bread is about 16g carb, that makes the apricots a healthy option - but even better if you were to have fresh ones instead of dried.