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I just joined the T2 club :(

BenCP

Member
Messages
9
Location
Leicestershire
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Gym!
Hi to all.


I've recently been diagnosed with T2 but not on meds yet! I'm male, 63, with pre-existing high blood pressure, COPD, and sleep apnoea.


The T2 diagnosis came about when I had my annual bloods to check on the blood pressure meds, and I was told that I'd now crossed the line into T2. Irritating as they had never warned me that I was getting close! I’m due another blood test next month, which will be 3 months after the diagnosis and I’m hoping I’ve managed to reduce the sugars back below the line (fingers crossed.)


Meanwhile I have massively reduced bread, rice, pasta, below-ground vegetables and sugars. I’ve started eating a lot more fish, above-ground vegetables, and certain fruits and berries. I’ve changed to Skyar with berries and seeds for breakfast (I can’t stand conventional yoghurt!) I’ve also started swimming twice a week again after a 2 year Covid lay-off, and swim reasonably long distances but very slowly!


All this has helped me loose about 20lbs which I needed to loose.


One thing that intrigues me from the posts that I have read is that dairy and cheese are okay? I’ve mostly cut them out as being high fat but would love to start eating them again.


Also, I gather that most people advocate self-testing? Any recommendations on a good, reliable, testing kit?


And lastly, thanks for all the tips and advice already here. It’s made some very interesting reading.
 
I’m just off out but quickly I’ll post this! Members will be along to help you soon.

Here’s some info on UK meters, and to be clear I have no commercial connections with any of the companies mentioned.


HOME HEALTH have the Gluco Navii, which is a fairly new model and seems to be getting good reviews, links to the strips and the meter:

https://homehealth-uk.com/all-produ...ose-meter-test-strips-choose-mmol-l-or-mg-dl/

There are also discount codes for when you come to buy more strips - "navii5" and "navii10" will give you 20% off purchases of 5 packs of strips and 25% off 10 packs of strips respectively.


Then they sell the older SD Code Free, details to be found here!

https://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/codefree-blood-glucose-monitoring-system-mmoll-or-mgdl/

Discount codes for the Code Free strips

5 packs 264086

10 packs 975833





SPIRIT HEALTHCARE have a meter called the Tee2 + found here:



https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/co...e2-blood-glucose-meter?variant=19264017268793

with the strips found here:



https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/co...py-of-tee2-test-strips?variant=19264017367097

Some members have got a free Tee2+ by phoning up to order, with a large order of strips they often throw the meter in for free:

Phone number 0800 8815423


With more expensive strips is their Caresens Dual, this one has the advantage of glucose and ketone testing in one machine, it’s to be found here:

https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/collections/caresens-dual



If there is a choice of units of measurement then ‘mmol/L’ are the standard units in the UK, ‘mg/dl’ in the US, other countries may vary.


Don’t forget to check the box if you have pre diabetes or diabetes so you can buy VAT free. (for all meters and strips)
 
Welcome. Read the link in my signature. Never mind cutting down on the carbs, cut them out! You can slowly add them back in once your glucose is under control. Plenty of substitutions for carbs. Google whatever you fancy just put keto first.

Visit dietdoctor.com for useful information.

Yes, a meter is essential.
 
Hi @BenCP and welcome to the forum.
The thing about fats and dairy is that there are 3 macro-nutrients Protein, Fats and Carbs and there are only 2 essential macro-nutrients Proteins and Fats. Essential means that if we don't eat them our bodies can't make them from other macro-nutrients and so we die.

While it is possible (at least in theory) to reduce both carbohydrates and fats, it's very difficult since most decent bioavailable protein come packaged naturally with some fat. And in any case that would entail eating more protein than most could face unless cutting down very hard on calories.

It tends to be carbs together with some fats which cause us to over-eat and make us fat - not protein with it's natural fats, and since Women's Health Initiative study has shown great holes in the the diet heart hypothesis , there is no need to fear traditional fats such as in eggs and cheese. Indeed it was found that those women with pre-existing cardio vascular disease together with those with pre-existing high blood pressure did better on the control diet (meaning what they had already been eating) than those who were switched to the 'Low Fat' diet. In fact there was a less significant improvement for those with Diabetes on the control versus the intervention. o Low Fat is only a good way of eating for the very healthiest individuals!
However the medical profession, food companies and drug companies are still fighting back against this revelation, so you will find many claiming low fat is good (just not in diabetic forums either here or in the USA).

I myself had a 3x Cardio Artery Bypass some years before being diagnosed as T2 D ( I blame the low fat high carb 'heart healthy' diet for both of those). I now eat Low Carb with high Protein and Moderate (traditional ) fats - not seed oils. So that means I eat cheese, cream, full fat plain yogurt, eggs and I no longer cut the fat off my meat. My Lipid profile is now better than it was before my T2 diagnosis.
But do your own research and decide what you believe.

Video about the hiding of unhealthy heart outcomes in Low-Fat diet trials ( Women's Health Initiative):
 

Righ! The carbs are GONE!
 

And again, tyhanks for the explanation. The carbs are gone but cheese is BACK!
 
Sounds a pretty good deal to me!

Once you are committed to no-carb, it really is a revelation.
 
Hi. The debate about fats continues but many now challenge the view that fats are harmful and clog the arteries. Fats go thru a complex metabolic process in the body compared with carbs that turn to glucose in the stomach and will be stored as fat if not needed. It's the liver that decides what cholesterol goes where and not directly the fat you eat. Some glucose may be re-absorbed from fat going thru the gut but it's small compared with carbs.
 
Welcome and good luck. Yes, cheese is back, in fact double cream is available should you want it. I started off roughly where you are - you can see change very quickly. I've not felt as good for years. I wrote up some of my early experiences - it might or might not be useful. Link in signature.
 
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