Parent Diagnosed With Type 2 Diagnosed

[DHyland]

I'm seeking some advice on how to deal with one of your parents being diagnosed with Type 2. One of my parents have been diagnosed and they are both very set in a quite unhealthy routine in the case of their diet is not the best and they love going out on the weekend and having a few drinks and after seeing one my parents on the weekend become quite confused and dazed it is starting to become a real worry.

I know to get my father onto the right path, my Mother and Father are going to have to change. But all they have known all their life is the way they have been living, eating an okay diet but not the greatest and going out and having a drink whenever they feel like it.

So, my question is what experiences have people had of trying to change people’s habits of a life time as it’s not just one of my parent’s habits, I am going to have to change its both. I know it’s serious but I am finding very difficult to drilling into them that urgent change is needed.

Any advice of previous experiences, how to change diet and habits would be very much appreciated.

 

[JoKalsbeek]

I'm seeking some advice on how to deal with one of your parents being diagnosed with Type 2. One of my parents have been diagnosed and they are both very set in a quite unhealthy routine in the case of their diet is not the best and they love going out on the weekend and having a few drinks and after seeing one my parents on the weekend become quite confused and dazed it is starting to become a real worry.

I know to get my father onto the right path, my Mother and Father are going to have to change. But all they have known all their life is the way they have been living, eating an okay diet but not the greatest and going out and having a drink whenever they feel like it.

So, my question is what experiences have people had of trying to change people’s habits of a life time as it’s not just one of my parent’s habits, I am going to have to change its both. I know it’s serious but I am finding very difficult to drilling into them that urgent change is needed.

Any advice of previous experiences, how to change diet and habits would be very much appreciated.

https://josekalsbeek.blogspot.com/2019/11/the-nutritional-thingy.html <-- this is a quick start guide, maybe it'll give them something to think about. Yes, them. Because it's their diagnosis, their cross to bear... And the sad truth is, if someone doesn't want to change, they're not going to. What you can do is tell them exactly what their options are, so they have an actual informed choice to make, rather than just going with the status quo without knowing things can and should be better. After all, it isn't a whole lot of fun when there's a price tag to a weekend... Price tag being unwell and tired. (And in the long run, complications). It doesn't have to be like that. (And T2 doesn't mean alcohol is nixed either, should they dread that aspect: https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/alcohol The lower the carbs, the better.)

Mind you, T2 is a genetic condition. One of your parents coming down with it does mean you are more likely to develop it too, so it'd be a good thing if you got your own HbA1c checked once a year or so. Just to stay ahead of things. Not to scare you, but you know... If I'd known the risks, I'd've known how to avoid becoming a T2 to begin with.

Good luck with the parents! And hey, you could always invite them on here. It's a good place to ask questions and learn.

Hugs,
Jo

 

[DHyland]

Thanks Jo, honestly its massive learning curve for myself as I was totally clueless after reading up on type 2, I now understand drastic changes are needed to my parent’s lifestyle so I thank you for the information as it is very helpful. I will definitely get myself checked.


Kind Regards,

Dan

 

[xfieldok]

Jo is right. Diabetics have to decide for themselves to do something about their condition.

You can give them information , cook them suitable tasty food, even buy them meter.

But ultimately it is down to them. Good luck with the education.

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Thanks Jo, honestly its massive learning curve for myself as I was totally clueless after reading up on type 2, I now understand drastic changes are needed to my parent’s lifestyle so I thank you for the information as it is very helpful. I will definitely get myself checked.


Kind Regards,

Dan

It is a lot to take in, but no-one here got it right overnight... We all had to learn.

 

[lucylocket61]

I'm seeking some advice on how to deal with one of your parents being diagnosed with Type 2. One of my parents have been diagnosed and they are both very set in a quite unhealthy routine in the case of their diet is not the best and they love going out on the weekend and having a few drinks and after seeing one my parents on the weekend become quite confused and dazed it is starting to become a real worry.

I know to get my father onto the right path, my Mother and Father are going to have to change. But all they have known all their life is the way they have been living, eating an okay diet but not the greatest and going out and having a drink whenever they feel like it.

So, my question is what experiences have people had of trying to change people’s habits of a life time as it’s not just one of my parent’s habits, I am going to have to change its both. I know it’s serious but I am finding very difficult to drilling into them that urgent change is needed.

Any advice of previous experiences, how to change diet and habits would be very much appreciated.

How old are your parents? Do they do their own shopping and cooking?
It's great that you are taking an interest in helping them. It can run in families, so looking around on here may help you to avoid type 2 as well, if you have any risk of it. Have you had any tests on your blood sugar levels?

 

[AloeSvea]

Hi y'all - just a heads up - type 2 is EPIGENETIC - meaning it is about the interplay between one's body type (ie - genes making you the body and brain that you are) and the environment. In most cases - that means the food environment. As some know, it can also mean a surgery outcome or the outcome of pancreatitis. You do not inherit type two the way you inherit eye colour and hair colour - and your body type!

@DHyland - yes - I feel for you wanting to save your dad from ill-health. My dad also got a disease that points to excess carbs (rheumatoid arthritis), and I have not been able to affect his health by helping him change his diet. And not for want of trying. I have not been able to affect my mother either, with blood glucose issues. Old dogs, new tricks, and all that.

Both my parents, separately, have chosen to continue eating as they have done at this late stage of their lives, and after much thought about why I have not been able to affect either of them - if their doctor has not told them about excess carbs than who I am to tell them otherwise? If the Government told them margarine was better than butter , for example, then the same. They were brought up with the doctors as gods thing, and cannot shake it, it seems. I don't understand that, as the fact that the medical profession have the same limits as the rest of we humans seems very obvious to me.

Unless you offer to shop for them and cook for them, or pay someone else to do this, and - your parents agree to this - I don't see how you can actually control what they eat, if you are not able to convince them of the need to change his food environment, and both of their drinking habits? Good luck with that one too!

 

[mouseee]

I have to agree with the above in terms of your parents having to make their own changes but with your support.

I have a mother who has been t2 for the past 20 years and is now insulin dependent. She eats badly and hasnt managed her condition.

I have had to realise that I can't force her to change her diet or habits. I can give her advice and support her but I can't make changes for her. Shes an adult and it's not my job. It's really hard.

Collect information and be there with as much of it as your parents can cope with.

 

[lucylocket61]

You do not inherit type two the way you inherit eye colour and hair colour - and your body type

I say we can inherit the succeptability for type 2.

Do you have any links to evidence that type 2 has no genetic component?

 

[Geordie_P]

What does 'healthy' mean though?
I think they can eat sausages and egg for breakfast, pork chop and greens for lunch then steak and mushrooms for tea, and their sugars should start going down. If they want a few drinks at the weekend, that would be ok too, if it's a couple of glasses of dry wine or gin and diet tonic.
Good luck to you and them. Healthy might be more palatable than they realize!

 

[TriciaWs]

I've been a carb junkie all my life, and been on several diets in the past but unfortunately all low fat instead of low carb.
The thing that has got me to go low carb and stay low carb (21 months so far) was the knowledge that I was putting my sight at risk.
On the other hand I found some great recipes, and have some new favourite foods.

Background
I already had some non-diabetic peripheral neuropathy; treatment had helped reverse it a little but some of the damage is permanent and I wasn't risking more damage.
My mother was diagnosed with T2 when she was about five years older than me, and went on metformin. She wouldn't stop eating cakes, bread, sweets, etc.
She reacted badly to metformin, and as the dose was increased (because of her diet) it got so bad that it was difficult to leave the house. In spite of the stronger meds she lost sensation in her legs so she couldn't walk properly and lost a lot of her vision - she couldn't read in the last few years.
Going blind and not being able to walk is a bad mix that rules out using a scooter or wheelchair to get around.

So I was determined to go low carb and stay low carb. The advantage was that I did it immediately, as evidence so far suggests the quicker you do this the more likely you are to get into remission.

At the point when I was struggling, over a year in, I spent some time with the new widow of a friend. She was T2, ate badly, was by then on a couple of other drugs plus some insulin, had the same diarrhea, eye and leg issues as my mother but much worse. Last year she had a second toe amputated, this time along with some of her foot. Her blood sugars were so out of control she was in hospital for two weeks before they could operate.
She is registered blind; one problem now is that even if she wanted to try improving her diet she can't read the ingredients or cooking instructions on food labels.

We tend to be reluctant about what happens if you can't get diabetes under control, but the risks are very real. However, once they commit, there is a great food adventure. Happy to share some of my favourite recipes and how to cope with eating out.

 

[Chris26111980]

I've been a carb junkie all my life, and been on several diets in the past but unfortunately all low fat instead of low carb.
The thing that has got me to go low carb and stay low carb (21 months so far) was the knowledge that I was putting my sight at risk.
On the other hand I found some great recipes, and have some new favourite foods.

Background
I already had some non-diabetic peripheral neuropathy; treatment had helped reverse it a little but some of the damage is permanent and I wasn't risking more damage.
My mother was diagnosed with T2 when she was about five years older than me, and went on metformin. She wouldn't stop eating cakes, bread, sweets, etc.
She reacted badly to metformin, and as the dose was increased (because of her diet) it got so bad that it was difficult to leave the house. In spite of the stronger meds she lost sensation in her legs so she couldn't walk properly and lost a lot of her vision - she couldn't read in the last few years.
Going blind and not being able to walk is a bad mix that rules out using a scooter or wheelchair to get around.

So I was determined to go low carb and stay low carb. The advantage was that I did it immediately, as evidence so far suggests the quicker you do this the more likely you are to get into remission.

At the point when I was struggling, over a year in, I spent some time with the new widow of a friend. She was T2, ate badly, was by then on a couple of other drugs plus some insulin, had the same diarrhea, eye and leg issues as my mother but much worse. Last year she had a second toe amputated, this time along with some of her foot. Her blood sugars were so out of control she was in hospital for two weeks before they could operate.
She is registered blind; one problem now is that even if she wanted to try improving her diet she can't read the ingredients or cooking instructions on food labels.

We tend to be reluctant about what happens if you can't get diabetes under control, but the risks are very real. However, once they commit, there is a great food adventure. Happy to share some of my favourite recipes and how to cope with eating out.

What recipes would you recommend?.

 

[AloeSvea]

I say we can inherit the succeptability for type 2.

Do you have any links to evidence that type 2 has no genetic component?

Not no genetic component - that it is epigenetic - the interplay of genetic factors and the environment, in layman's terms. And genetic factors does not mean there is a 'diabetes gene', but many genes that contribute to diabetic risk, and the dysfunction comes from additional factors affecting the disease 'on top' of one's genes, if you like.

It was one of the first scientific pieces I ever read about type two. And of course it makes sense. Especially to me, being the first and only person on both sides of the family with full-blown type two. Also, I was the fattest.

My original reading was by Swedes, in Swedish, from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Claes-Göran Östensen, translation being 'The Interplay of Environment and Inheritence Decides who Gets Diabetes'.

I just did a search online, and this one is pretty straight forward:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31250127

This is also a good one with more detail and a great diagram:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5501211/#!po=4.05405

but now I have to get ready for work!

But I attach the great graph.

 

[TriciaWs]

What recipes would you recommend?.

I still like a roast dinner, but dropped peas and carrots. I make mash with a mix of cauliflower and butternut squash, gravy is just the meat juices with a stock cube. Plus two or more green veg from: cabbage, broccoli, leeks, green beans, spinach.
Spaghetti bol with less tomato, extra mushrooms but no pasta, but loads of cheese on top
egg and bacon
cheese omelettes served with lettuce, etc.
curry - a low carb sauce, loads of meat or fish, cauliflower rice
baked salmon, wrapped in foil to save washing fishy pans - I add black pepper and lemon juice.
I recently tried the prawn and mushroom 'risotto' from the headbanhers site - delicious but the portions were huge.

I make a keto chocolate mug cake - alldayidreamabout food has several recipes for keto breads and cakes
I do coconut pancakes to eat with fresh blueberries for breakfast at weekends - using a mix that include cream cheese as that cuts the eggy taste.
90 second ground almond bread with some milled flaxseed added in is delicious with cheese. try splitting the bread and toasting it for a few seconds.

And I just made some almost sugar free marmalade with truvia sweetener. I boiled it down to help set it so it is very a strong - a small teaspoon does a whole slice of toast (livlife bread is very low in carbs, great for an occasional treat of one slice, the rest goes in the freezer)