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Hi, I'm Anna

Thank you. No, not Scottish but Welsh/English.
 
Hi @anna_fran and welcome to the forum. Cholesterol figures seem to be plucked out of thin air, and don't mean much unless you know the figures for HDL (good), LDL (mainly bad) and triglycerides. And their ratios to each other. An overall figure of 5 isn't very high. It is the target figure for non-diabetics.
Do you know what your HbA1c (blood sugar) figures are?
 
Well I did find my cholesterol went up quite a bit and some others I think found that to when we started higher fat. I had previously always been low fat. I went back to lower fat again with very little saturated fat like no red meat just mostly chicken and fish I do have good oils though like coconut to cook with olive oil and avocados. Many here say it is not the total level of cholesterol that is important but it is still that figure that most doctors go on
 
@anna_fran

Hello Anna and welcome to the forum Here is the information we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful. It has a lot on carbs and gives a link to the Low Carb Program which you could try. Ask as many questions you need to and someone will be able to help.


BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEWLY DIAGNOSED DIABETICS

Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.

A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you'll find well over 210,000 people who are demonstrating this.

On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.

The role of carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.

If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.

The bad news

Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.

The good news

People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.

Controlling your carbs

The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.

There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:

  • Reduce your carbohydrate intake
  • Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates
Reduce your carbohydrates

A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.

The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.

Choosing better carbohydrates

The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.

Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes.

Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a free 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.

Eating what works for you

Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.

To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.

The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:

Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (adults)
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (children)
  • Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
However, those that are able to, may wish to keep blood sugar levels below the NICE after meal targets.

Access to blood glucose test strips

The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:

  • structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
  • self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education

Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to blood glucose testing supplies.

You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic.

Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.
 
Thanks for reply. I'm not Scottish but Anglo-Welsh.
 
Hi Anna, there is a website Dietdoctor.com that may prove useful to you as a resource. Your body will get its energy from fat if you sufficiently restrict your carb intake. The Dietdoctor explains ketones. I also found two free apps: My Fitness Pal and Carbs & Cals useful in determining what carbs, fat & protein are in food.
 
hi Anna, I am only 6 weeks into being T2, and immediately chose the LCHF diet. I have found the info on here and support from everyone so much more helpful than the nurse or leaflets, so you are in the right place !
I need to lose weight so with the help of my fitbit I get a daily analysis of Fat/Carbs/Fibre/Protein intake, and have been surprised at how many carbs there are in some veggies. I am aiming for 50g carbs or less per day which is low, and achieving it by eating lots of green veggies, no fruit, haven't had much hunger at all. Whenever i feel extra hungry i eat more protein and its working for me, but i am really driven by my blurred vision, need to get the sugars down to be allowed to drive again ! As soon as that is achieved I will relax and include "some" fruit and bread. I have also started walking more, and am doing 5 miles per day, which given that i am allowing myself 800 - 900 calories a day has surprised me how energetic I feel !
With my GP's approval I am not yet doing the monitor as i hate needles, GP kindly said while I am losing weight and taking metformin and keeping carbs so low, i can wait till i stop losing weight to start testing, given that he has weighed me three times, he can see i really am losing weight ! He has been very supportive of the LCHF diet too.
I am on slow release 1 tablet a day metformin, so no tummy issues with it at all, we are not supposed to give medical advice on the forums so I won't - all I will say is no GP I know would prescribe expensive items unless they thought it necessary.
If you had said to me 6 weeks ago that i would be walking 5 miles per day and happily sticking to 800/900 calories a day or less, I would have laughed in your face, true i have done it by sufferance of blurred vision, and having to stop driving has been a very serious problem for me, but I am managing to feel positive on the whole.
 
Hello Anna and a very big WELCOME to the forum
 
Hi, Anna, welcome to the place where diabetics roam freely.
I'm have Type 1 (T1) for 48 years. I'm glad you're starting here. This is a great place for support and information. You may find it in short supply in the rest of the world!
Large debates about veggies here, so I'll throw in my 2 cents worth. I learned long ago that corn, potato, and peas actually count as bread, not vegetables, due to their carbohydrate count. Turnips and carrots (type b vegs) have more carbohydrates than cucumber, peppers, celery, broccoli, and lettuce (type A vegs), which are free (no calories/carbohydrates. They don't use terms like type A or B vegetables anymore, but I found it useful to think in these terms.
I agree with the LCHF way of life: I've reduced both my insulin and my A1C by going low carb. I still cheat; I can't resist popcorn at the movies once a week, but I try to avoid carbs whenever possible and my energy are just fine.
Welcome, Anna! You are now a "sweet pee." Did you know that the way they used to test people for diabetes was to have them pee in a cup and the pharmacist would taste it for sweetness? Yuck!
 
Hi Anna, I am also an Anna. I have been a Type 1 for 35 years. I have 1 husband and no other pets.
Wishing you the best of luck !!!!
 
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