Hi Sarah, I see where you are coming from now with the Portion control header, thanks
I can't say that I ever feel hungry, but I guess my portions are not that small in total, as the only thing I restrict is carbs.
Yes, learning about what carbs are can be an eye opener, I and there are " hidden" carbs and carbs that are not obvious, too many to cover in a 2 hour course but in the links people have posted there is much more information. Mostly, I've found, it's down to self education and experimentation as to what works for you as we are all different. I read labels , on everything and for example discovered Asda Smart Price muesli was the lowest in carbs out of all the brands and supermarkets, not surprising really as it was sugar free, low on dried fruit (hidden carb) and cost a lot less
I it though, as for me the carbs are still too high but it may be fine for someone else.
Be aware that your dietician may give some outdated advice the party line for diabetics is still mostly in favour of "plenty of carbs", but this is slowly changing. There are fashions in health advice as there is in everything else. There is a family history of Type 1 , and a fair few type 2's in my own tribe, and we have all seen dietary advice come and go. From a child my Grandmother was told to "avoid all starches" so nothing with sugar or flour, no potatoes or rice, dried fruits etc. She did so all her life and died aged 89,a farmer's wife who for the main was fit as a lop
I also remember the non diabetics dieting to lose weight back in the day by cutting out starches, and it worked
We have now come full circle, with low carb (starch) being seen as the way to go for glucose control and weight control, there is nothing new under the sun
Other advice given to diabetics has been tried, and sadly for many it just hasn't worked. However your dietician or DSN May help you with identifying what foods would be a good substitution for you, and the timing of meds and Lantus. Take on board what hey say, and research and experiment with what works for YOU, given that there isn't a one size fits all solution
It can seem overwhelming, but Baby Steps make it all more manageable, and sustainable in the long term
That hypo - it's true that if your BG has been running high for a while, you may feel the symptoms of a hypo at a higher level of BY, even within the parameters of a "normal" BG. When this happens, it's best to treat the symptoms with a small amount of rapid acting carbohydrate such as 1 or 2 dextrose or glucose tablets, which raise the BG enough to alleviate the hypo symptoms without setting a trend for high readings for the rest of the day.
Do you get test strips on prescription? If you do, test often to see how different foods affect you and when. It makes it easier to identify what foods spike your BG and what needs to be cut out or substituted. I appreciate this can be difficult whilst at work, but it takes just a few minutes to hide in the loo if necessary, and test
but it's well worth the effort .
Signy