Newly diagnosed, scared and confused

I eat butternut squash but some here will not eat it saying that is to high in carbs

 

Maybe they've tested their bgl's and found that it doesn't suit them. Clearly it suits you and that is the important point. Test and we'll find out what we can eat and what we can't. IMO it's a bit daft ruling something out from eating if it doesn't cause our bgl's to go beyond what we want them to.

 

I think that I can remember someone on here saying that they've found that it's better. The only way that you'll know if it suits you is by testing.

 

If you leave out everything that others have said they can't eat then yes all you will eat is meat fish and some vegetables. It doesn't work like that you have to find out about you personally and it does not matter what others can or can't eat it is about what you can eat and you find that out by trial and error. Just cut the starchy carbs like rice pasta bread potatoes and sugar stuff to start with that may be all you need to do We are all so different so low carb is different for everyone. I just wonder why you are walking up and down the stairs after you eat wouldn't it be more enjoyable to go for a walk if you feel you must have exercise after eating. I think this thread has given you to much information over load and you are stressing out about it just as you are about testing your blood don't do it until you feel you are ready.

 

@Red_river_

Part of the reason you are confused and getting upset is because you don't know what you can eat, what you shouldn't eat, and how much to eat. You will hear many people say they can eat sweet potato, and many who say they can't. Some people can mange 100g carbs a day. Some people can only manage 20g carbs a day. How do they know this? They test! Personally, I can manage a couple of small white potatoes (new boiled or roasted) or half a dozen chips. I know this because I test, test, test. It is the only way to conquer this UNLESS you cut out all the worst culprits completely (bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, breakfast cereals, white/brown flour) and you will never know if you have deprived yourself of something!!

If you buy an Accu Chek Fastclix lancet device for doing the finger pricking, you don't see any needles at all. They are hidden inside a plastic drum. You can use this device with any sort of meter. It doesn't have to be an Accu Chek one.

 

I agree with Pinkorchid until her last sentence.

Testing saved my sanity. So I'd start today, in fact now. Once I started to SEE what my blood glucose levels were and how the foods that I ate affected them my stress levels dropped. I had started to get control back over my life. I started to understand my body. I had, oh I can eat that, moments and I had, I'm never eating that again, moments. But I wasn't trying to take in 101 things other people were telling me to do. I was sorting it out for myself. In the early days I ate simple meals as in meat and veg or fish and salad. I made sure that I didn't drink anything with sugar in it. I told myself that it was just an experiment and if it didn't work I'd rethink at that point. I lived for the moment and on a daily basis hoping that I could keep going for 3 months (that was the time that I set myself). After all what's 3 months of not eating pizza, or pasta etc. Really it's nothing in a lifetime.

 

Good. Bite the bullet and get that meter. It will become your best friend.

Cutting out carbs drastically and quickly can give you withdrawal symptoms that are a little like flu symptoms. It is known as carb flu. It does pass. I didn't go down that route, I started on about 120g carbs a day and reduced bit by bit, learning from what my meter and food diary told me. I didn't have any carb flu, nor did I get any cravings. It just took me a bit longer to get there! How you do it is up to you, but do learn from the meter and be prepared to having to keep reducing the carbs.

 

I said that about testing because Red River is obviously very stressed about the whole thing at the moment including testing and does not know what to do for the best Just cutting out the obvious starchy foods for a while will give her time to take it all in

 

Any sort of grain based flour is not a wise idea. Gluten free makes no difference at all. No white or brown flour is advisable. Nut based flours are popular on this forum. (almond flour for example)

 

Breakfast is the worst time to eat carbs. Later in the day (evening meal) is normally the best providing you don't eat very late.

 

A quick look on Tesco dot com says that gluten free flour has more carbs than normal flour

 

I use almond flour (well ground almonds, just as good but cheaper) or coconut flour.

 

It is a long learning curve, and you are at one end of it right now. Sit back, enjoy your weekend, take some deep breaths. This is not a sprint. You will get there, no need to rush.