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Abbey

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Hi, I have joined as my daughter's boyfriend is a type 1 diabetic and I'd like to understand more about this disease.

I look forward to learning more and speaking to you all.
 
Hi,

Welcome to the forum..

It's very sweet you'd like to learn more about diabetes as i see from another post it seems the relationship your daughter has with him is a serious one.

Have a look around as there is lots to read and learn, ask any questions you like and someone is always happy to take time to answer :)
 
Hi Abbey and welcome to the forum :) Here is some information to help you to understand your daughter's boyfriend's diabetes care. It was written for new members by our friends Sue and Ken, former monitors. As Ebony said, there is always someone who will answer any questions you have.

Here is the advice that Ken and I, as Forum Monitors, usually give to newly diagnosed Diabetics. We hope that these few ideas gained through experience help you to gain control and give you some understanding of Diabetes. This forum doesn't always follow the recommended dietary advice, you have to work out what works for you as we are all different.

It's not just 'sugars' you need to avoid, diabetes is an inability to process glucose properly. Carbohydrate converts, in the body, to glucose. So it makes sense to reduce the amount of carbohydrate that you eat which includes sugars.

For more information on CARBOHYDRATE see here:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=20306

This is NOT a low carb diet suggestion, just a reduction in your intake of carbohydrate. You have to decide yourself how much of a reduction will keep your blood glucose levels in control.

The main carbs to avoid OR reduce are the complex or starchy carbohydrates such as bread, potatoes, pasta, rice, starchy root veg and also any flour based products. The starchy carbs all convert 100% to glucose in the body and raise the blood sugar levels significantly.

If you are on Insulin you may find that reducing the carb intake also means that you can reduce your dose of insulin. This can help you to keep weight gain down as Insulin tends to make you put on weight and eventually cause insulin resistance. This should be done slowly so as not to cause hypos.

The way to find out how different foods affect you is to do regular daily testing and keep a food diary for a couple of weeks. If you test just before eating, then two hours after eating, you will see the effect of certain foods on your blood glucose levels. Some foods, which are slow acting carbohydrates, are absorbed more slowly so you may need to test three or even four hours later to see the effect that these have on your blood glucose levels.

Buy yourself a carb counter book (you can get these on-line) and you will be able to work out how much carbs you are eating, when you test, the reading two hours after should be roughly the same as the before eating reading, if it is then that meal was fine, if it isn’t then you need to check what you have eaten and think about reducing the portion size of carbs.

When you are buying products check the total carbohydrate content, this includes the sugar content. Do not just go by the amount of sugar on the packaging as this is misleading to a diabetic.


As for a tester, try asking the nurse/doctor and explain that you want to be proactive in managing your own diabetes and therefore need to test so that you can see just how foods affect your blood sugar levels. Hopefully this will work ! Sometimes they are not keen to give Type 2’s the strips on prescription, (in the UK) but you can but try!!

For TIPS FOR STRIPS see here:

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=19002#p173253

If you are an Insulin user in theory you should have no problem getting test strips.

The latest 2011 NICE guidelines for Bg levels are as follows:
Fasting (waking and before meals).......between 4 - 7 mmol/l...(Type 1 & 2)
2 hrs after meals........................no more than 8.5 mmol/l.....( Type 2)

2hrs after meals......................... no more than 9 mmol/l ......(Type 1)

If you are able to keep the post meal numbers lower, so much the better.

It also helps if you can do at least 30 minutes moderate exercise a day, it can be split into 10 min sessions to start with. It doesn't have to be strenuous.

The above is just general advice and it is recommended that you discuss with your HCP before making any changes. You can also ask questions on the forum on anything that is not clear.

Finally a few QUESTIONS TO ASK AT DIABETES CLINIC.

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=17091



Sue/Ken.
Click to expand...
 
Hi, abbey. Welcome to us all here, any questions or help just pop back n ask us, we're here to help n support. Anna.x :)
 
Thank you for the warm welcome and the information. I feel it's very important for my husband and I to understand as much as we can about Diabetes as my daughter's boyfriend is very much a part of the family. I know that his mother has spoken to my daughter who knows how to help him should he appear unwell. It does worry me that when he is here that he eats a lot of sugary junk food that they have gone out and bought. My understanding of this is that it could cause long term complications? He clearly isn't allowed/doesn't get certain foods at home...which I'm guessing is why he will eat them when down here. Are there certain meals I should avoid him having when he stays at the weekend? He likes quite 'stodgy' things and politely declines offers of salad with chicken and cold meats.

All advice is great.

I look forward to speaking to you all and thank you x
 
Abbey said:
Thank you for the warm welcome and the information. I feel it's very important for my husband and I to understand as much as we can about Diabetes as my daughter's boyfriend is very much a part of the family. I know that his mother has spoken to my daughter who knows how to help him should he appear unwell. It does worry me that when he is here that he eats a lot of sugary junk food that they have gone out and bought. My understanding of this is that it could cause long term complications? He clearly isn't allowed/doesn't get certain foods at home...which I'm guessing is why he will eat them when down here. Are there certain meals I should avoid him having when he stays at the weekend? He likes quite 'stodgy' things and politely declines offers of salad with chicken and cold meats.

All advice is great.

I look forward to speaking to you all and thank you x
Click to expand...

Hi,

It's not exactly the food that causes complications, rather the high Blood glucose levels that result in eating sugary/highcarb foods without taking insulin to cover the amount of carbohydrates eaten.

I certainly understand your worry though. I personaly tend to eat 'naughtier' foods away from the watchful eye of family, especially my mum. But that doesn't mean i can't control my diabetes when i do eat sugary or high carb foods. aslong as your daughters boyfriend is checking his blood glucose and taking his insulin then it should be fine.

I think the only way you will know if he is being responsible is to ask him, of course this is best done politely and tactfully. Afterall he is an adult and responsible for his own diabetes. If he has had diabetes since childhood he has probably had his own parents and family constantly looking at what he eats and weighing food, so as he's gotten older he probably enjoys the freedom of choosing his own food and treating himself too (as we all love to do :))

You could always talk to his parents too, but i would think that should be a last resort as you don't want to make him feel uncomfortable coming over to your place either.

It's quite tricky but hopefully he will understand your concern and explain to you that he is able to eat those sort of foods as he can use insulin to keep his blood glucose levels regulated.

Hope this helps a little :)
 
Find a way of asking him to teach you about diabetes. If you tell him you'd like to learn, it gives him 'adult' status instead of the 'child' status he will always have at home - even when he's 50!

Viv 8)
 
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