Silly Questions. Type 2.

[KimG]

Hello

First one: I was diagnosed with Type 2 yesterday. I'm seeing the Diabetic Nurse on the 27th I presume to talk about diet. I don't eat butter or spreads, however, I've been using mayonnaise or salad cream both thinly as a spread on brown bread. Can I continue to do this?

Secondly: I've already lost a stone on Slimming World/Hairy Bikers diets (without going to slimming world - cost!) Even these diets have ingredients I shouldn't have, like flour, Creme fraishe, potatoes and pasta. My problem is, even though I can tweak these, my husband who has been happy with these two won't change! He is a two meat, one veg man really, although he will eat peas, carrots and cauliflower at a push! He has been losing weight too. I don't particularly want to make two different meals, it's taken long enough to get these diets sorted. Can anyone help me please

Thirdly, and lastly for now: is SR Metformin better than Metformin? I'm being prescribed one of these on Monday by the Doctor. I feel nauseous, very tired, lethargic, shivery, very sweaty and thirsty. I don't really want to feel more nauseous. I've also been on Antidepressents for a couple of months - nothing to do with this diagnosis. So I'm very anxious right now.

Thank you

Thank you

 

[Squire Fulwood]

There are very few T2's who can tolerate bread of any colour so you will have nothing bread like to put your mayonnaise or salad cream on. You can save it for putting on chicken if its a bit dry. Coleslaw is also good for that.

The four worst things you can have are sugar, flour, potatoes and rice although some new potatoes sometimes do not raise blood sugar and you can always reduce the portion of rice. I will call @daisy1 to issue you with some more general advice on eating. Two meats and one veg is really a very good meal for a diabetic but I will let you find your own solutions there since you may not like the foods I like.

SR Metformin is much better than Metformin. You get fewer stomach upsets but you must always take it with meals

 

[KimG]

There are very few T2's who can tolerate bread of any colour so you will have nothing bread like to put your mayonnaise or salad cream on. You can save it for putting on chicken if its a bit dry. Coleslaw is also good for that.

The four worst things you can have are sugar, flour, potatoes and rice although some new potatoes sometimes do not raise blood sugar and you can always reduce the portion of rice. I will call @daisy1 to issue you with some more general advice on eating. Two meats and one veg is really a very good meal for a diabetic but I will let you find your own solutions there since you may not like the foods I like.

SR Metformin is much better than Metformin. You get fewer stomach upsets but you must always take it with meals

Thank you Squire Fulwood. I've read that brown bread and brown rice, maybe brown spaghetti aren't too bad in small portions?

 

[DeejayR]

Hello again. If you want to try the low-carb, higher-fat diet wholeheartedly you will have to let go of your slimmer's diet and also be prepared to vary the food you and your husband eat. It's not so hard -- I cook the same meat for me & Mrs D and bung a load of veg in the steamer, so she gets the peas, carrots, spuds and other root crops and I get all the greens like broccoli and green beans. There's a slight crossover when I'm wielding the slotted spoon but a few peas won't hurt me and she needs to have a bit of greenery.

 

[daisy1]

@KimG

Hi again Kim Have another look at the information I posted on your other thread. It should be helpful to you.

 

[Bluetit1802]

The good news is you can eat butter! Also cream, cheese, real mayonnaise, olive oil and rapeseed oil for cooking, bacon, eggs, mushrooms cooked in butter, any meat that isn't coated with breadcrumbs or sauces, any fish especially oily fish like salmon (tinned just as good as fresh), most but not all veggies, salads. If it is weight you want to lose in addition to controlling your blood sugar levels, then cutting all carbs right down will do this for you. Too many carbs will pile on the weight and raise your BS.

My husband does all our evening meal cooking. We eat much the same except he has much larger portions of the carb elements such as potatoes. I just have much smaller amounts (or none) plus extra vegetables.

All bread, rice and pasta will raise your levels and prevent you losing a lot of weight, no matter what the colour. Wholemeal food takes a bit longer, but will still raise the BS levels and calories. There are low carb breads on the market (Bergen is one, sold in supermarkets) and Livelife (Waitrose). Personally I use Hovis Original Wholemeal Seed Sensations bread, but can just about manage 1 slice toasted with a couple of poached eggs. Without the fat from the eggs, or more than 1 slice, would send my levels rocketing.

You really do need a meter so you can test these foods out for yourself, because we are all different in what our bodies can cope with. For example, you may find you can manage 2 or 3 small new potatoes, or you may find you can't.

 

[Robbity]

The best way for you to find out what suits you is to get a glucose meter to test your glucose levels before and after meals ( have a look at the Codefree brand - it has nice cheap test strips). This way you can find out what your body will tolerate - large increases post meal will tell you you should probably to avoid that food.

You could also try low carb bread - have a search through the forum for this. And don't use spreads use real butter - it's much better for you diabetes-wise! Many low fat items have added sugars.

Robbity

PS NO question is silly if you ask it - it's only silly if you need help and don't ask...

 

[amanda19640]

The best way for you to find out what suits you is to get a glucose meter to test your glucose levels before and after meals ( have a look at the Codefree brand - it has nice cheap test strips). This way you can find out what your body will tolerate - large increases post meal will tell you you should probably to avoid that food.

You could also try low carb bread - have a search through the forum for this. And don't use spreads use real butter - it's much better for you diabetes-wise! Many low fat items have added sugars.

Robbity

PS NO question is silly if you ask it - it's only silly if you need help and don't ask...

Hi there, id done slimming world many times over the years and always lived it but it really isn't possible now unless you only choose red days, then you need to watch some veg, fruit etc, so just turn it all around and go full fat, it feels really naughty but does work, iv lost 8llb in 2.5 weeks! Iv started my metformin test and tum was off last night, taken this am,felt bit nauseous but only 4 a while, been fine rest of the day so give them a go. Iv also started testing tod, so getting to know which foods suit me. Only diagnosed end of July & this site has given me all the above info. Its brilliant. Good luck with food keep us posted.

 

[Daibell]

Hi. Very much as others have said. Metformin SR is the best and should give no problems. Yes to the low-carb diet and have as much protein and fat as you want to feel full. Steamers can be quite useful in preparing different veg. We both have raw carrots instead of cooked as they are lower-GI carb and the cooking doesn't destroy them. Finally beware NHS diet advice as it's usually nonsense. If they start taking about low-fat and having carbs with every meal then run a mile!

 

[KimG]

Hello again. If you want to try the low-carb, higher-fat diet wholeheartedly you will have to let go of your slimmer's diet and also be prepared to vary the food you and your husband eat. It's not so hard -- I cook the same meat for me & Mrs D and bung a load of veg in the steamer, so she gets the peas, carrots, spuds and other root crops and I get all the greens like broccoli and green beans. There's a slight crossover when I'm wielding the slotted spoon but a few peas won't hurt me and she needs to have a bit of greenery.

Thank you deejayR

 

[KimG]

The good news is you can eat butter! Also cream, cheese, real mayonnaise, olive oil and rapeseed oil for cooking, bacon, eggs, mushrooms cooked in butter, any meat that isn't coated with breadcrumbs or sauces, any fish especially oily fish like salmon (tinned just as good as fresh), most but not all veggies, salads. If it is weight you want to lose in addition to controlling your blood sugar levels, then cutting all carbs right down will do this for you. Too many carbs will pile on the weight and raise your BS.

My husband does all our evening meal cooking. We eat much the same except he has much larger portions of the carb elements such as potatoes. I just have much smaller amounts (or none) plus extra vegetables.

All bread, rice and pasta will raise your levels and prevent you losing a lot of weight, no matter what the colour. Wholemeal food takes a bit longer, but will still raise the BS levels and calories. There are low carb breads on the market (Bergen is one, sold in supermarkets) and Livelife (Waitrose). Personally I use Hovis Original Wholemeal Seed Sensations bread, but can just about manage 1 slice toasted with a couple of poached eggs. Without the fat from the eggs, or more than 1 slice, would send my levels rocketing.

You really do need a meter so you can test these foods out for yourself, because we are all different in what our bodies can cope with. For example, you may find you can manage 2 or 3 small new potatoes, or you may find you can't.

Thank you Bluetit. So, more or less the Atkins diet without too much fat? Plenty of veg. I do like fruit, seeds and nuts.

 

[KimG]

Hi. Very much as others have said. Metformin SR is the best and should give no problems. Yes to the low-carb diet and have as much protein and fat as you want to feel full. Steamers can be quite useful in preparing different veg. We both have raw carrots instead of cooked as they are lower-GI carb and the cooking doesn't destroy them. Finally beware NHS diet advice as it's usually nonsense. If they start taking about low-fat and having carbs with every meal then run a mile!

Thank you daibell. All this info is good for me

 

[Bluetit1802]

Thank you Bluetit. So, more or less the Atkins diet without too much fat? Plenty of veg. I do like fruit, seeds and nuts.

Similar but you can eat fat. Be careful with fruit. Most fruits have far too much fructose (another sort of sugar) and seem to have more negative impact on BS levels than other forms of sugar.

 

[KimG]

Hi there, id done slimming world many times over the years and always lived it but it really isn't possible now unless you only choose red days, then you need to watch some veg, fruit etc, so just turn it all around and go full fat, it feels really naughty but does work, iv lost 8llb in 2.5 weeks! Iv started my metformin test and tum was off last night, taken this am,felt bit nauseous but only 4 a while, been fine rest of the day so give them a go. Iv also started testing tod, so getting to know which foods suit me. Only diagnosed end of July & this site has given me all the above info. Its brilliant. Good luck with food keep us posted.

Thank you Amanda. I'm getting the message that an Atkins toe diet is the way to go?

 

[CollieBoy]

Hi @KimG,
as the others have said a low carb, and possibly Higher fat diet should work but restrict the fats to the GOOD ones (natural saturated and unsaturated, aviod the unaturals from margarine). The reason to keep the fructose low is that it tends to be metabolised in the liver to body fat! ( I tend to stick to berries and the occaisional temparate climate fruit like an apple).
On the meter front, a way to get one from your HCP is to "lay it on thick" that you just want to understand how your body deals with the various foods. That angle may get you some strips for a couple of months! If not the "Code-free" meter is nice & cheap!

 

[poohtiggy]

Welcome to the forum. I agree with all the above but if you have a meter you can test all the foods you like and you may find you can tolerate some that others can't. I get away with one slice of seeded bread, and I can tolerate weetabix for brecky and tonight I had reheated pasta with bacon, mushrooms peppers and cheese pre dinner my bg was 4.5 and 2hrs after eating is was 5.2 I don't do rice or potatoes and I don't miss them at all, I eat all the things Blue Tit listed and pate on Aldi crackers, it'surprising how quickly you adjust to a new way of eating, I'm just tucking into an apple

 

[Totto]

Thank you Amanda. I'm getting the message that an Atkins toe diet is the way to go?

Not necessarily Atkin's, LCHF works fine for many.

http://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb

 

[Robbity]

Thank you Bluetit. So, more or less the Atkins diet without too much fat? Plenty of veg. I do like fruit, seeds and nuts.

There's an important difference between the Atkins diet and the low carb diet many of us eat on this forum: the Atkins diet recommends eating rather more protein than our low carb diet high(er) fat diet does, and excess protein can be turned into glucose in the absence of carbohydrates, which we don't want. Atkins has also now been turned into a commercial diet since he died, and a lot more (of their own brand) processed food are promoted. So if you go that way just be aware and be careful.

Robbity

 

[KimG]

Thank you for that. I'll try the LCHF diet as above.

 

[Bluetit1802]

Have a look at this thread, which may help you

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/a-new-low-carb-guide-for-beginners.68695/