One year already!

nomoredonuts

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,848
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Current American Presidents.
Today marks the day that I made changes to diet and lifestyle in a bid to undo the damage inflicted on my body by a sneaky silent saccharine foe. How I am seen by family and friends changed in a subtle way. Well meaning advice like "this is for life, you know", was offered unbidden. I began to see eyes glazing over when I explained how I was eating fat to lower my blood sugar.
When, after six months, I announced astounding results, instead of congratulations I got cautions - "but is this diet doing longterm damage?". It's a tough old journey, but I console myself that for 99% of my life I have eaten and drunk as I pleased. It isn't a great sacrifice to have restrictions from here on, when the reward is better health. I thank my many friends on here who have made the journey with me.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Prem51 and Jamesuk9

13lizanne

Expert
Messages
8,262
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
The Gym, + unkindness and rudeness
Well done from me, I know that it's not easy but it is so worth it. Congratulations!
 
  • Like
Reactions: dbr10

dbr10

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,237
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Today marks the day that I made changes to diet and lifestyle in a bid to undo the damage inflicted on my body by a sneaky silent saccharine foe. How I am seen by family and friends changed in a subtle way. Well meaning advice like "this is for life, you know", was offered unbidden. I began to see eyes glazing over when I explained how I was eating fat to lower my blood sugar.
When, after six months, I announced astounding results, instead of congratulations I got cautions - "but is this diet doing longterm damage?". It's a tough old journey, but I console myself that for 99% of my life I have eaten and drunk as I pleased. It isn't a great sacrifice to have restrictions from here on, when the reward is better health. I thank my many friends on here who have made the journey with me.
Learn to ignore people. It saves time, effort and upset
 
  • Like
Reactions: Prem51

13lizanne

Expert
Messages
8,262
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
The Gym, + unkindness and rudeness
  • Like
Reactions: catephoenix

catephoenix

Well-Known Member
Messages
52
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
  • Like
Reactions: Prem51

daisy1

Legend
Messages
26,457
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Cruelty towards animals.
@nomoredonuts

Well done you are making good progress. 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.

@catephoenix as you will find this useful as well.


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 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
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 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
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. 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.
 

Prem51

Expert
Messages
7,393
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
*
Congratulations @nomoredonuts on getting your HbA1c down to non-diabetic levels on your anniversary of the beginning of your journey. Keep up the fight! :)
 

Chook

Expert
Messages
5,095
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
People who think they know everything.
Well done @nomoredonuts - you have worked hard and it has paid off :)

I think more that half the battle with our new way of eating is other people's reactions. It makes me smile that the people who freely give this criticism or dietary advice are invariably the ones who love tucking in to pizza or doughnuts.
 
S

Sean01

Guest
Today marks the day that I made changes to diet and lifestyle in a bid to undo the damage inflicted on my body by a sneaky silent saccharine foe. How I am seen by family and friends changed in a subtle way. Well meaning advice like "this is for life, you know", was offered unbidden. I began to see eyes glazing over when I explained how I was eating fat to lower my blood sugar.
When, after six months, I announced astounding results, instead of congratulations I got cautions - "but is this diet doing longterm damage?". It's a tough old journey, but I console myself that for 99% of my life I have eaten and drunk as I pleased. It isn't a great sacrifice to have restrictions from here on, when the reward is better health. I thank my many friends on here who have made the journey with me.
Top man