NEWBIE FROM JAMAICA

[gglennie876]

HEY IM FROM KINGSTON JAMAICA, I OWN A BUSINESS THUS STRESS LEVELS ARE VERY HIGH ON DAILY BASIS THUS HAD A EARLY SCARE WITH HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE EARLIER IN THE YR AND TRYING TO KEEP IT UNDER CONTROL, WELL 2 WEEKS AGO I CAUGHT AN INFECTION AND WAS ON SOME MEDICATION PRENDIZONE, SPAROSPEC (IF I SPELL DAT CORRECT) AND ZITHROMAX N SIDE EFFECTS FROM THOSE WAS METALLIC TASTE AND PEEING FREQUENTLY AS NOTICE I WAS PEEING OFTEN N HAD A BITTER TASTE THUS RESAERCHIN ON THE MEDS, BUT THE MEDS HAS BEEN FINISHED SUNDAY N I NOTICED IN THE NIGHTS ESPECIALLY I'M GOING BATHROOM LIKE VRY 2 HOURS, LAST NIGHT AT 8PM DRANK A HERBAL LIFE SHAKE AND ATE PASTA N DRANK 2 GLASSES OF WHINE IN D NIGHT AFTER EACH BATHROOM BREAK DRANK A GLASSES OF COCONUT WATER, N WENT TO MY DOC THIS MORNING AFTER NO EATING JUST DRANK 1 GLASS OF WATER AND CHECKED MY BLD SUGAR LEVEL , IT WAS (18) ON D LITTLE MACHINE, HE THEN GAVE ME PILLS AND A SHOT OF INSULIN AND AFTER A HOUR IT DROPPED TO 14.5, SO HE PUT ME ON 1 MONTH MEDICATION AND EDUCATED ME ON LIFESTYLE CHANGE DIET AND EXERCISE........................SIGH TRYING TO UNDERSTAND BLOOD SUGAR LEVEL READINGS, IM 6FT2 250LBS (DEF NEED THE GYM) WHATS DOES 14.5 MEANS AND HOW DO I GO FORWARD WITH MY LIFE HERE ON

 

[Guzzler]

Hello and welcome. Tagging @daisy1 for the info pack offered to all newcomers.

Has your doctor arranged further blood tests, the HbA1c test is used to confirm a diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes.

The wisest thing to start with is to address your diet. Cut down on high carbohydrate foods as they are turned into glucose as soon as you start eating them. The worst of the carb heavy foods are potatoes, rice, pasta, breads, sugar and anything made with white flour. Fruit should really be kept to a minimum
Using your glucometer will teach you which foods your body can tolerate, which ones to cut down on and which ones you may have to cut out completely.

Have a wander around the forum and ask as many questions as you like.

 

[daisy1]

@gglennie876

Hello and welcome to the Forum Here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful and interesting. Ask as many questions as you like and someone will be able to help.


BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS

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 235,000 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

Reduce your 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 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

Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (adults)

• Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l

Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (children)

• Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l

However, those that are able to, may wish to keep blood sugar levels below the NICE after meal targets.

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. Most of these are 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.
  

 

[gglennie876]

WELL HAPPY TO REPORT SINCE FINDING OUT 1 WEEK AFTER, 360 RADICAL DIET CHANGE NO CARBS NO SUGARS N EXERCISE AND MEDS I WENT DOC A WEEK AFTER FOR A REVIEW AND IT WAS DROPPED TO 7.2, AND WENT BK TO 7.2 AGAIN THIS SATURDAY SO MY NEW ROUTINE IS 1HR WORK OUT IN D GYM 3 DAYS A WEEK PLUS A FULL DIET CHANGE INCLUDING HERBAL LIFE TEA AND BREAKFAST SHAKE, EATING ON TIME PLUS OTHER LOCAL JAMAICAN ROOTS AND HERBAL LOCAL REMEDIES, MY AIM IS TO PUT THIS THING IN REMISSION, SO HAPPY I CAUGHT IT VERY EARLY BEFORE ANY PERMANENT DAMAGE, DID AN EXECUTIVE PROFILE SATURDAY TO CHECK EVERYTHING AND TO MAKE SURE ALL IS WELL SO WAITING ON THOSE RESULTS, THANK YOU GUYS FOR THE SUPPORT AND INSPIRATION

 

[Robinredbreast]

Hello and welcome @gglennie876

 

[Guzzler]

Fingers crossed that your results show great improvements, well done on making the changes.

 

[Prem51]

Welcome to the forum @gglennie876! Well done on reducing your bg readings. You will find a lot of good advice and support on here.

Just one thing though, typing in capital letters online is regarded as shouting, so you should take your capital lock off!

 

[gglennie876]

i'm sorry my bad with the caps, well its now at 6.2 wen i checked it Thursday morning after a fast the night before n no meds, doc reduce my medication to 2 metformin a day only, still maintaining my exercise routine diet eating time eating vegetarian lunches at work or cooking my own meals, no rum no carbs no starch no process sugar a lot of water daily, coconut water certain fruits, just feeling slight little numbness in my left little fingers that comes and goes, haven't felt the needle pain in feet but i'm slowing getting my life on track, did a full executive profile in June all was well doc even said it was better than the one December as i'm now more health conscious since finding out the diabetic stuff, only thing was borderline was my cholesterol as i ate a lot of shrimp that week when i did my test, sugar reading on that blood-test was 6.5, but i'm giving god thanks for life and taking everything a step at a time. funny it is i went to do a echo cardiogram at another office and the nurse did a urine test and would believe not one ounce of glucose was in my urine i wasssssss so elated to hear lol

bless and nuff love to everyone
nb#mywatsapp is 18764715915 if any body wana chat

 

[briped]

PLUS OTHER LOCAL JAMAICAN ROOTS

Please be aware that roots generally tend to be very starchy and therefore rich in carbs. Stay with us and let us know how you're doing.

 

[gglennie876]

Please be aware that roots generally tend to be very starchy and therefore rich in carbs. Stay with us and let us know how you're doing.

well the roots im refering to are tonic roots to mek a drink like ginseng,ginger, Chaney roots, sarsaparilla, morenge, leaf of life boil it n let soak for like 2 days n drink

 

[briped]

well the roots im refering to are tonic roots to mek a drink like ginseng,ginger, Chaney roots, sarsaparilla, morenge, leaf of life boil it n let soak for like 2 days n drink

In that case I hope that somebody way more knowledgable than I will comment, if there's anything further to add

 

[Mbaker]

A generation removed from yard, but brought up on the food so here's my take. For drink boil ginger and galangal for 10 minutes fresh each day. Other drinks, coconut water, coffee, teas of all kind. Fried chicken and fish should be cooked in butter and coconut oil or ghee, not vegetable oil. Jerk seasoning should be made minus the sugar. Callaloo, okra, run down, tripe, stew peas (not so much peas), ackee and salt fish.

All of the herbs and spices are good, and pepperpot, curry goat, etc are great minus the rice and peas, dumplings and potatoes. Breadfruit, yam, green banana, hard dough, plantain, porridge, bread, bulla cake, corn bread (corn meal anything) and fruits should be avoided.

 

[LooperCat]

I love making curry with callaloo and ackee, am going to have a go at some low carb rice and beans using konjac or cauliflower rice and Sainsbury’s black beans, which are only 8.4g/100g carbs. The lowest beans I’ve found in the U.K.! I have some jerk marinade I bought in London that doesn’t have any carbs too.

 

[NewTD2]

Eat lots of 'above ground' vegetables instead mate.

Avoid tropical fruits and root vegetables including sweetcorn, yam, cassava, sweet potatoes, bananas, pumpkin etc.