New and no idea.

[MamfaB]

So yesterday I received a phone call from a nurse at my GP surgery, I was informed I have a Hba1c level of 47 and I am prediabetic; I was given no further information or advice apart from to stop eating sweet and sugary foods but I don’t have a sweet tooth and hardly ever eat things like that.
Online research helped me understand some of the basics but honestly the amount of conflicting advice when it comes to diet is astounding!!
So I am 42 years old. In the last 14 months I have jumped up in weight by around 120lb (due to a combination of self-isolating for the entire time and that causing a mild depression) and I was already classed as obese before that! I have degenerative disc disease and actute footdrop my mobility is virtually non-existent due to excruciating pain and breathlessness, I am now housebound. My BMI is over 80.
My downfall is 100% carbs, I don’t particularly have a sweet tooth but potatoes, pasta and to a lesser extent, bread I will eat all day long! I had already cut out fried foods and take-aways, switched to wholemeal/wheat/grain products, replaced crisps (my downfall) with fruit and started eating breakfast (marmite of toast or weetabix and a banana) and I am slowly loosing weight but I have a feeling that my ‘healthier’ diet is not going to help lower that Hba1c level!
Please help me with food ideas (not too complicated as my 15yo son has to cook all main meals) and I’m allergic to fish & shellfish

 

[bulkbiker]

Please help me with food ideas (not too complicated as my 15yo son has to cook all main meals) and I’m allergic to fish & shellfish

Eggs bacon and all and any meat.
Veg grown above ground (including salad stuff) if you like that sort of thing.
Wholemeal stuff is usually just as bad as the regular stuff for T2 as its usually carbs that are the problem.
We need none so its best to reduce as much as possible. This will usually lead to fairly rapid weight loss too.

 

[HSSS]

Have a look here https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/blog-entry/the-nutritional-thingy.2330/

the same things that will reduce your bgl will also help with your weight. Dietdoctor.com has lots of recipes, many quite simple that my teens could manage.

 

[MrsA2]

Hi Mamfab
The good news is that once you cut out all carbs the weight will fall off. The first couple of weeks may be hard as your body tries to hang on to the carbs it loves and you may feel grotty and have cravings, but that soon passes.
The other good news is that healthy fat is good and will be your friend as it is more satisfying and satiating than carbs ever where.
A good crisp substitute is cooking cheese slices in the microwave for blasts of 30 seconds until crispy. You can flavour them with chilli or spices to taste and you only need eat at few until you feel very full. Gouda or other waxy cheeses work best, cheddar runs too far.
There are other food ideas and swaps if you Google keto... but there's a lot of silly restrictions out there among keto enthusiasts. Stay on here for sensible practical advice.
We know we all need to find way of eating that suits us for life so are very supportive

 

[Resurgam]

You certainly do not need to cut out all carbs - just the ones which are high starch or sugar, but you should be able to have stirfries, stews, salads - pick low carb options, but as you are still in the lower levels just swapping the really high carb foods should make a big difference

 

[tinmonkey]

Maybe you could buy yourself a copy of Jason Fung's The Diabetes Code, or something similar? It would go a long way towards helping you to understand what's going on with your body and how to put it right.

Once you understand the theory, the rest largely falls into place and you'll be healthier as a consequence.

 

[Dr Snoddy]

It is great that you are looking to turn your life around. However, I can see a couple of obstacles that may stand in your way.
The first is that your surgery may hand out the usual outmoded dietary advice of low fat, wholegrain bread, pasta etc. This already isn't working for you particularly well either in terms of weight loss or control of blood glucose. The advice already given above on low carbohydrate high fat diets works brilliantly for many of us. A doctor may also suggest certain medications that may help.
The second is re-educating your son on how to cook for you. I suspect he may be good at spag bol or macaroni cheese and other carb based easy and filling dishes.
Making salads, cooking vege in interesting ways etc may require support unless he is a born chef.
Thirdly, are you and your son getting any form of psychological support? Does your son's school provide mentoring for children in caring roles for example?
I hope that you are able to find a way forward.