Type 1: What to eat?

Hi. You need to think about carbs (not just sugar). When on insulin you can always match the insulin to your carbs. Let us know what insulin regime you are on e.g. Basal/Bolus and whether you are carb-counting yet to match the Bolus to your mealtime carbs.

Char1994 said:

Hi, I have only been diagnosed a week ago with Type 1. The most thing I am struggling with is what to eat? What do they class as high sugar, how much is high? Can anybody help. Thank you

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Go by what your DSN told you to start with. Are you on fixed doses of insulin before meals? If so, try to eat a similar amount of carbs each time.

There's a thread here asking a similar question. I'll try to,find it for,you.

Here we are @Char1994 :

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/type-1-what-to-eat.109146/

Test your blood sugar regularly so you can make sure it's ok. It will also help you and your team get your insulin ratios correct. Make sure you have some hypo treatments just in case you go low. Something like Lucozade or regular sugar Coke are fine, or sweets, etc

Eat well - I guess you probably lost weight before you were diagnosed, so you may feel extra hungry as your body recovers.

Hi @Char1994
welcome to the forum
it is an absolute enormous amount to take in at first.
definitely keep in constant communication with your DSN ( Diabetic specialist nurse ).

I try to eat 4-5 portions of vegetables at every evening meal ( things like broccoli , cauliflower , green beans , cabbage , carrots , kale , mange tout , courgettes.)
I usually either grill a chicken breast , or put a piece of fish in the oven , or sometimes lamb chops .
most evenings I have a portion of new potatoes with the above.

part of what you eat will be dependant on your pre diagnosis routines -- if you do a lot of cooking then carry on as you have done.
if you are used to eating a lot of ready meals or takeaways I might think about getting your chef skills going

right now it is important to realise you can only get to know what works and what to do in real time -- so try to be kind to yourself if not every blood sugar reading is in range -- it is a learning curve.

we will be here to help as well !!

@Char1994 try the carbs and cals app to help with carb counting. @himtoo offers good advice about keeping carbs moderate to avoid big swings in BG while you learn about all the different aspect of diabetes. 'Think Like a Pancreas' is a useful book to get too.

Char1994 said:

Thank you everybody. I'm just struggling with the carb counting. Since leaving hospital I haven't been told any information

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as you are newly diagnosed you are most likely on a fixed dose of fast acting per meal.

it is pretty important to try and eat similar type meals for the next few weeks --

do talk to your nurse for guidance on meals

Hi @Char1994

Firstly your mind will be on overload at the minute, so don't panic about taking it all in. I remember being so ill at diagnosis (hba1c of 101), that my DSN simply put me straight onto a fixed dose of insulin to start to get those levels down.

I was told that my sugars were too high, so naively just cut out sugar in drinks and on cereal, and thought it would fall - some hope!

As others have said, it's the carbs in your food which cause the sugars (glucose in your blood) to rise, but you need to fully understand how your body is working before rushing to make big changes.

I have found a lchf lifestyle works very well for me, but initially simply covered the carbs in my meals with insulin. My DSN set the initial doses for me based on my usual diet at that time.

Take little steps just now while the brain fog clears.