Type 2 Low carb diet

CV36Steve said:

Thanks for all the replies, unfortunately my doctor gave me no info about diabetes, he was very apologetic that the diagnosis was overlooked previously and gave my an extra fact sheet on metaformin but said nothing about diet etc, the only thing he told me to do was make an appointment with the diabetes nurse
Maybe because i've been losing weight since the new year he thought that was enough, my favourite take to work lunch is a tin of tuna and a bag of micro rice, I just looked at the carbs for this, the tuna is good but the rice is 80g, I think I need to seriously re think my meals
Fingers crossed that the diabetes nurse is more clued up than the doctor seemed to be

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It is the policy in most surgeries for the GP to devolve diabetes care for T2s to a nurse. I have never seen a GP for diabetes, not even when I was diagnosed. So your surgery is not at all unusual. In many cases the nurses are far more clued up than the GPs, although they still spout out the rubbish NHS dietary guidance called the Eatwell Plate. Take that with a pinch of salt because it recommends eating carbs with every meal, and a lot of them. Your nurse will sort out a referral for an annual retinal eye screening, and will give you annual foot sensitivity tests. She should be your point of contact should you need assistance in between reviews.

Yes ..... rice is one of the major carbs that most likely will cause you to have raised BS levels. But when your meter arrives you can check this for yourself. Tuna and all fish and meat (unless coated with something) is fine. In fact tuna and salmon, along with mackerel and other oily fish are recommended.

CV36Steve said:

It would have been much better if he'd arranged for the nurse to see me straight after dropping the bombshell on me, instead I have to wait 6 weeks and the only info I have is what I can gather from people like you for which you'll never know how grateful I am
I'm sitting here with a tab open dithering about paying for the low carb program and another tab with books on amazon about carbs and I have no idea which if either to do, it's a minefield and I haven't got a clue

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We have all been through that initial phase of total confusion. All I can say is, it will pass and it will all fall into place. I promise you. This isn't a mad sprint to a finish line. This is a life long journey. Waiting 6 weeks to see your nurse will give you the opportunity to read up as much as you can about this disease. Not just which foods are good or bad, but how the pancreas and liver work together, along with hormones, to keep control of blood glucose levels, and the role of carbohydrates.

It is a very long learning curve - for all of us. I am still learning things now, after 4 years, and others will say the same after much longer than 4 years. That is why this forum is so good - newbies or old timers, we all learn from each other because we are all in the same boat. Doctors and nurses very often are not in the same boat, and don't have the vast experience there is to be found in this forum.

I didn't join the low carb programme because I had already lost all my excess weight and was well into low carb before it started, so I can't speak from a personal point of view. However, many thousands are doing it, and many thousands have seen amazing success. If you have a lot of weight to lose, it is well worth considering.

If the book on Amazon you have tabbed is Carbs & Cals then I do urge you to buy it. It was the best thing I had after my meter.

The diet doctor site has also a wealth of information on foods with and without carbs. You have already been given links to this, but here it is again
https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/foods#foodlist

https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/60-seconds

The low carb course isn't much use as it is so painfully slow that I could not be bothered to go and look to see if I had access to any more of it - I waited until it was all open and looked through it is half an hour, closed it and forgot about it.
Basically - do not eat the heavy starch and sugar foods which are thought of as normal these days.
Try the Lidl protein rolls to replace normal bread, or make your own crackers or low carb bread, or there are some loaves to buy which are lowish carb.
I eat a lot of salads, but they are huge and hefty salads with tuna or eggs and cheese, celery tomato coleslaw half a bag of mixed green salad, radishes sweet pepper - not much chance of feeling hungry after munching though one of them.

Bluetit1802 said:

If the book on Amazon you have tabbed is Carbs & Cals then I do urge you to buy it. It was the best thing I had after my meter.

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I second that, the book is very useful and I still refer to it sometimes even after 2.5 years of LC.