Hello everyone. I have been a very lapsed diabetic for a long time. Silly I know but been in denial. I am on gliclazide 40 mg x 2 morning and lunch time and Metformin SR 4 X 500 mg a day. my blood sugar readings were over 33 mmol. Around evening time. Hence being put on gliclazide . I would like to try low carb but am so confused and actually scared on what to eat and not to eat. I find it so hard to take it all in. I have spent years avoiding fats and eaten pasta, potatoes and bread. I am frightened and would appreciate any help. Thank you.
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Type 2 New to low carb and confused
- Thread starter Beth.uk
- Start Date
Art Of Flowers
Well-Known Member
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- 1,299
- Location
- Kent
- Type of diabetes
- I reversed my Type 2
- Treatment type
- Diet only
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- Statins
Low carb means avoid eating bread, breakfast cereals, rice, potatoes, pasta. As you cut down carbs, you can compensate by eating more fat e.g. cheese, full fat yogurt, cream, avocados, nuts etc. See https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb
You are eating lots of carbs which will make you have very high blood sugar levels and lead to some serious diabetic complications. Watch this video to understand low carb ...
You are eating lots of carbs which will make you have very high blood sugar levels and lead to some serious diabetic complications. Watch this video to understand low carb ...
Ok so you have already experienced that eating pasta potatoes and bread hasn't worked for you... so stop doing it?
There is a huge amount of info about low carbing on this site. Check out the success stories thread .. sign up for the low carb programme and try it out for a couple of months.. seriously what have you got to loose apart from weight and medications.
My caveat would be watch out on your gliclazide as you may well need to reduce the dose as your blood sugars normalise to avoid going too low.
https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb
great place to get food
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/lowcarb/?utm_source=top&utm_medium=dd&utm_campaign=dd
the low carb programme
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/category/success-stories-and-testimonials.43/
great place to read how others have done it...
Come back and ask any questions you may have.. we're a helpful bunch and don't bite (well not most of the time anyway.. hehe)
There is a huge amount of info about low carbing on this site. Check out the success stories thread .. sign up for the low carb programme and try it out for a couple of months.. seriously what have you got to loose apart from weight and medications.
My caveat would be watch out on your gliclazide as you may well need to reduce the dose as your blood sugars normalise to avoid going too low.
https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb
great place to get food
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/lowcarb/?utm_source=top&utm_medium=dd&utm_campaign=dd
the low carb programme
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/category/success-stories-and-testimonials.43/
great place to read how others have done it...
Come back and ask any questions you may have.. we're a helpful bunch and don't bite (well not most of the time anyway.. hehe)
Bluetit1802
Legend
Hi and welcome,
Use your meter to help you. Keep a food diary including portion sizes. Test immediately before you eat and again 2 hours after first bite. Record your levels alongside and take note of the rise from before to after. It won't be long before you see patterns and can attribute nasty rises to particular foods or portion sizes. The aim initially is to keep any rise under 2mmol/l and preferably lower. You can then adjust your food according to what you learn, either by eliminating certain foods or drastically reducing portion size. Once you are confident with all this you can lower your target to 1.5mmol/l or even lower.
Eat meat, bacon, fish, oily fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel etc), eggs, cheese, butter, plain full fat yogurts, green vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, sprouts, salads, tomatoes, mushrooms, peppers, avocados, olive oil, real mayonnaise, a few berries with cream or yogurt, seeds and nuts (in moderation).
Don't ever be afraid of fats, but do be afraid of bread, pasta, rice, breakfast cereals, potatoes and anything made with flour. There is no need to go overboard with fats, just change over from low fat/low calorie products and eat the real thing.
This site gives lists of foods to enjoy and to avoid. It is simple to read and understand.
https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/60-seconds
If you do have a go, you must test regularly because on Gliclazide you can get too low when not eating carbs and you may find you have to ask about reducing your dose.
Use your meter to help you. Keep a food diary including portion sizes. Test immediately before you eat and again 2 hours after first bite. Record your levels alongside and take note of the rise from before to after. It won't be long before you see patterns and can attribute nasty rises to particular foods or portion sizes. The aim initially is to keep any rise under 2mmol/l and preferably lower. You can then adjust your food according to what you learn, either by eliminating certain foods or drastically reducing portion size. Once you are confident with all this you can lower your target to 1.5mmol/l or even lower.
Eat meat, bacon, fish, oily fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel etc), eggs, cheese, butter, plain full fat yogurts, green vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, sprouts, salads, tomatoes, mushrooms, peppers, avocados, olive oil, real mayonnaise, a few berries with cream or yogurt, seeds and nuts (in moderation).
Don't ever be afraid of fats, but do be afraid of bread, pasta, rice, breakfast cereals, potatoes and anything made with flour. There is no need to go overboard with fats, just change over from low fat/low calorie products and eat the real thing.
This site gives lists of foods to enjoy and to avoid. It is simple to read and understand.
https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/60-seconds
If you do have a go, you must test regularly because on Gliclazide you can get too low when not eating carbs and you may find you have to ask about reducing your dose.
Hi Beth. Welcome. Have you seen the info Daisy usually posts for new people? I do not know how to link but I am sure someone will do it real soon. I agree with the aforesaid. Every one here is really helpful so always ask if you are unsure about anything. There are plenty of recipes, especially in the recipe part of this forum and links to helpful sites so you need never be short of ideas for meals.
daisyduck
Well-Known Member
Hi @Beth.uk . I know when you first try low carb it goes against everything we have had drummed into us for years. Don't be afraid, it's wonderful ! and it really works. There are loads of lovely things to eat.
Have a look at all these great success stories from here, and come back with any questions
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/low-carb-success-stories.3763/
Have a look at all these great success stories from here, and come back with any questions
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/low-carb-success-stories.3763/
kokhongw
Well-Known Member
Few things are more enjoyable and liberating than eating ribeyes, roast pork belly, eggs, cheese and nuts only to find that they hardly cause any glucose spikes...
Enjoy your low carb journey.
Enjoy your low carb journey.
Sid Bonkers
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- Customer helplines that use recorded menus that promise to put me through to the right person but never do - and being ill. Oh, and did I mention customer helplines :)
daisy1
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@Beth.uk
Hello Beth and welcome to the Forum
Here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful. Ask as many questions as 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 147,000 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:
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
Access to blood glucose test strips
The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:
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.
Take part in Diabetes.co.uk digital education programs and improve your understanding. They're all free.
Hello Beth and welcome to the Forum
Here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful. Ask as many questions as 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 147,000 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
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
- Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
- Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
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.
Take part in Diabetes.co.uk digital education programs and improve your understanding. They're all free.
- Low Carb Program - it's made front-page news of the New Scientist and The Times. Developed with 20,000 people with type 2 diabetes; 96% of people who take part recommend it... find out why.
- Hypo Program - improve your understanding of hypos. There's a version for people with diabetes, parents/guardians of children with type 1, children with type 1 diabetes, teachers and HCPs.
Thank you all for replying. At the moment I am trying to avoid bread , rice pasta, chocolate and crisps. Not actually counting carbs. Is there a rule of thumb? Trying to make sense of it all. Struggling more so with breakfast. Any pointers will be very much appreciated. thank you
Thank you
Resurgam
Master
- Messages
- 10,139
- Type of diabetes
- Treatment type
- Diet only
I can eat Lidl protein rolls without a spike, but nothing else remotely breadlike - but once you get into the swing of low carb eating it gets very easy.
Breakfast can be bacon and eggs, kippers, even kedgeree made with cauliflower instead of rice - low carb sausages, or maybe some leftovers from dinner. I often just eat an early lunch, usually salad, if I don't feel like eating first thing.
Breakfast can be bacon and eggs, kippers, even kedgeree made with cauliflower instead of rice - low carb sausages, or maybe some leftovers from dinner. I often just eat an early lunch, usually salad, if I don't feel like eating first thing.
I have been seeing a few mentions on the lidl protein rolls. I shall try them for breakfast. I am going to try and find a list of carb values. And try and work out an allowance for each meal and a couple of treats. Thank you for your advice.
Art Of Flowers
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 1,299
- Location
- Kent
- Type of diabetes
- I reversed my Type 2
- Treatment type
- Diet only
- Dislikes
- Statins
I usually have a one egg cheese omelette for breakfast
Just watched the video, very informative.
I usually have something egg based for breakfast. Either a couple of plain boiled eggs, or a crustless quiche (made with eggs, cream, bacon, onions), or bacon and eggs, perhaps with low carb (high meat content) sausages.
BarbaraG
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 294
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Non-insulin injectable medication (incretin mimetics)
The rule of thumb I started with was GPS - Grains, Potatoes and Sugar were the things to be avoided.
As a further refinement, I added most fruit (apart from berries, which are lower sugar, and avocados and olives, which most people don't think of as fruit) and processed foods to the "don't eat" list.
One key for me was adding plenty of natural fat to provide satiety. Butter, lard, bacon, olive oil, coconut oil, cream - knock yourself out with them. That enabled me to feel fully satisfied while keeping the carbs low.
Diabeticlifer_
Member
- Messages
- 9
- Location
- Cornwall
- Type of diabetes
- Type 1
- Treatment type
- Insulin
- Dislikes
- Wheat as I'm celiac
I am low carb but go against the general,
I have a whole grapefruit, a banana and another piece of fruit for breakfast.
Then salad and veg with meat and eggs/ omelette for my other meals.
I have no flours as I'm celiac, no potatoes or rice
NO dairy including cheese! I use soya milk.
The natural sugars in fruit seem to work well for me and only have one injection of tresiba a day and nothing else!
Good luck with your journey!
I have a whole grapefruit, a banana and another piece of fruit for breakfast.
Then salad and veg with meat and eggs/ omelette for my other meals.
I have no flours as I'm celiac, no potatoes or rice
NO dairy including cheese! I use soya milk.
The natural sugars in fruit seem to work well for me and only have one injection of tresiba a day and nothing else!
Good luck with your journey!
purplepenguin
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 319
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
Hi @Beth.uk Welcome to the forums. Have a good look around these forums and also go and read all you can at Dietdoctor.com. You can sign up for free for a month which I would highly recommend and then read and watch all you can.
Don't be shy about asking questions here either, there are so many wise people who will be able to help you or at least point you in the right direction.
Don't be shy about asking questions here either, there are so many wise people who will be able to help you or at least point you in the right direction.
