Why do hospitals push so much carby food?

[charlie000]

I’ve just come out of hospital today. Early morning around 0900 a chap in his 30s was brought in with suspected diabetes type 2.

He asked for food and was given 6 slices of toast (white bread), he also opted for a hot chocolate and biscuits! When he asked what was available all the high carb options were given and there weren’t any low carb options! I understand he may not be a diagnosed diabetic on paper, but still!

At 12 just before lunch, he given his routine once over, bm, bp etc. His blood sugars were 24mmol and all hell broke lose. He came in with bm of 7mmol.

Any long stays in hospital for me are a chance to fast and have soup and salads. All read goes in the bin, plenty of liquids for me. I’m sorry to say but nhs food is poor, not poor in quality or amount or taste, but poor for health.

Sorry to the chap as I could hear all that was going on, due to the panic. I was going to have a chat with him about keto low carb as I felt sorry for him but I don’t want to givee anyone medical advice who I don’t know

 

[Pasha]

Carbohydrates are cheaper than proteins , follow the money.

 

[charlie000]

Bread not read

 

[Dr Snoddy]

My neighbour who is, like me, a Type 2 diabetic was hospitalised last year. I visited when he was given a diabetic meal: orange juice, sausages, mash and peas and for pudding tinned fruit salad and custard. I was horrified but unfortunately it was also what he wanted. Breakfast had been cornflakes and toast with jam. A person with Type 1 may have been able to cope with this but hospital menus (and airlines) do not seem to distinguish between Type 1 and Type 2.

 

[Lamont D]

I’ve just come out of hospital today. Early morning around 0900 a chap in his 30s was brought in with suspected diabetes type 2.

He asked for food and was given 6 slices of toast (white bread), he also opted for a hot chocolate and biscuits! When he asked what was available all the high carb options were given and there weren’t any low carb options! I understand he may not be a diagnosed diabetic on paper, but still!

At 12 just before lunch, he given his routine once over, bm, bp etc. His blood sugars were 24mmol and all hell broke lose. He came in with bm of 7mmol.

Any long stays in hospital for me are a chance to fast and have soup and salads. All read goes in the bin, plenty of liquids for me. I’m sorry to say but nhs food is poor, not poor in quality or amount or taste, but poor for health.

Sorry to the chap as I could hear all that was going on, due to the panic. I was going to have a chat with him about keto low carb as I felt sorry for him but I don’t want to givee anyone medical advice who I don’t know

The problem we all have is in the teaching and experience of having diabetes.
Most of the current recommendations are designed for T1, because they use insulin to keep the blood glucose levels in control.
So as long as they have the correct dosage, if they wish, they can eat a certain amount of carbs.
Most doctors are not specialist in diabetes, like any GP out of their field, they use the recommended dietary advice. They do not have the training in type two.
The same in hospitals, the current thinking though there are some doctors who do advocate for low carb and have experience with why the blood glucose levels spike so high. Then higher after a diet on the eat well plate. I have had experience of being in this viscous circle and because of the carbs, it was slowly killing me.
The main reason why, is every doctor are told in their training to ensure that glucose derived from food is how to have a healthy brain function. Also, basic nutrition is about carbs and the energy you get, also known as complex carbs, which have fibre and other nutrients in vegetables and fruits.
Of course, you are aware that, this is not a quite right. How come my brain function is better in Keto?
Why am I not well when I eat carbs?
Why am I healthy when I don't eat carbs.
I am carb intolerant and so are a lot of diabetics.
Because of insulin resistance, circulating insulin, that cannot be used, and blood glucose levels keep climbing.
Also, the portion size is too big, we really don't need a lot of food.
In my first stay in the diabetic ward, I was on a fasting test. I was gobsmacked when I saw what these really ill patients were eating and drinking. At the end of the fast, the choice of food is carbs or more carbs. So I went to the staff cafeteria and went through sausage, bacon eggs and tomatoes
My second stay was interesting, and because I was down for surgery after a scan, the scan was clear, I was told I could eat. However due to covid and Easter they couldn't find anything suitable for me to eat. I phoned for a salad to be brought into the hospital.
Still offered toast and cereal a few times.
Stay safe

 

[zand]

Yes and they also insist on giving low fat spreads too

 

[Lamont D]

Yes and they also insist on giving low fat spreads too

Not only low fat but full of Palm oil and a lot of what I call plastic snacks, the ingredients are definitely not recommended.

You ok @zand?

 

[Mr_Pot]

Type 2 diabetics die from heart failure as opposed to suffering from other conditions. To prevent heart problems they are recommended to have a low fat diet particularly low saturated fat. If patients are going to have low fat then they need to get their calories from carbohydrates hence the high carb diet. It helps that carbs are also cheaper and generally easier to prepare of course.
All this is outdated and nonsense but it is taking a very long time to change their thinking. PHE or some similar organisation need to lead the change, it is difficult for a hospital to go against standard practice.

 

[charlie000]

My neighbour who is, like me, a Type 2 diabetic was hospitalised last year. I visited when he was given a diabetic meal: orange juice, sausages, mash and peas and for pudding tinned fruit salad and custard. I was horrified but unfortunately it was also what he wanted. Breakfast had been cornflakes and toast with jam. A person with Type 1 may have been able to cope with this but hospital menus (and airlines) do not seem to distinguish between Type 1 and Type 2.

Depending on airline, I’ve managed Keto. Places I travel to and the airlines I use always have plenty of seconds and don’t mind giving them. I’ll take a few spoons of rice, and take the chicken or meat or fish from the extra packets and have that. Also depends on class you travel! But unless you fly everyday, or regular enough to ruin your meals I guess airline food can be a cheat.

Hospitals are for care people stay there for long periods

 

[charlie000]

The problem we all have is in the teaching and experience of having diabetes.
Most of the current recommendations are designed for T1, because they use insulin to keep the blood glucose levels in control.
So as long as they have the correct dosage, if they wish, they can eat a certain amount of carbs.
Most doctors are not specialist in diabetes, like any GP out of their field, they use the recommended dietary advice. They do not have the training in type two.
The same in hospitals, the current thinking though there are some doctors who do advocate for low carb and have experience with why the blood glucose levels spike so high. Then higher after a diet on the eat well plate. I have had experience of being in this viscous circle and because of the carbs, it was slowly killing me.
The main reason why, is every doctor are told in their training to ensure that glucose derived from food is how to have a healthy brain function. Also, basic nutrition is about carbs and the energy you get, also known as complex carbs, which have fibre and other nutrients in vegetables and fruits.
Of course, you are aware that, this is not a quite right. How come my brain function is better in Keto?
Why am I not well when I eat carbs?
Why am I healthy when I don't eat carbs.
I am carb intolerant and so are a lot of diabetics.
Because of insulin resistance, circulating insulin, that cannot be used, and blood glucose levels keep climbing.
Also, the portion size is too big, we really don't need a lot of food.
In my first stay in the diabetic ward, I was on a fasting test. I was gobsmacked when I saw what these really ill patients were eating and drinking. At the end of the fast, the choice of food is carbs or more carbs. So I went to the staff cafeteria and went through sausage, bacon eggs and tomatoes
My second stay was interesting, and because I was down for surgery after a scan, the scan was clear, I was told I could eat. However due to covid and Easter they couldn't find anything suitable for me to eat. I phoned for a salad to be brought into the hospital.
Still offered toast and cereal a few times.
Stay safe

The care is great, no complaints. But food needs to be improved massively. Not asking for 3 course, but I’ll be happy with cooked beef and veggies than mash and chips with ice cream for dessert. Lol feels like being at school probably where we all started

 

[KK123]

I’ve just come out of hospital today. Early morning around 0900 a chap in his 30s was brought in with suspected diabetes type 2.

He asked for food and was given 6 slices of toast (white bread), he also opted for a hot chocolate and biscuits! When he asked what was available all the high carb options were given and there weren’t any low carb options! I understand he may not be a diagnosed diabetic on paper, but still!

At 12 just before lunch, he given his routine once over, bm, bp etc. His blood sugars were 24mmol and all hell broke lose. He came in with bm of 7mmol.

Any long stays in hospital for me are a chance to fast and have soup and salads. All read goes in the bin, plenty of liquids for me. I’m sorry to say but nhs food is poor, not poor in quality or amount or taste, but poor for health.

Sorry to the chap as I could hear all that was going on, due to the panic. I was going to have a chat with him about keto low carb as I felt sorry for him but I don’t want to givee anyone medical advice who I don’t know

Did the man ask for low carb? I agree that there should be options and I agree that each individual should at least be informed about choices etc, but if there is one thing I absolutely hate it's someone 'feeling sorry' for me when they know nothing about me. Maybe he wasn't type 2 at all, maybe he was a type 1 on the verge of DKA, who knows? I think you made a very good choice not approaching a stranger and talking about 'keto'. It's as bad as saying to a diabetic 'Can you eat that', another one of my bugbears. I also think hospitals should make sure conversations are kept confidential, who wants their business being listened to.

 

[Lamont D]

Did the man ask for low carb? I agree that there should be options and I agree that each individual should at least be informed about choices etc, but if there is one thing I absolutely hate it's someone 'feeling sorry' for me when they know nothing about me. Maybe he wasn't type 2 at all, maybe he was a type 1 on the verge of DKA, who knows? I think you made a very good choice not approaching a stranger and talking about 'keto'. It's as bad as saying to a diabetic 'Can you eat that', another one of my bugbears. I also think hospitals should make sure conversations are kept confidential, who wants their business being listened to.

I have this problem everywhere I go. My bugbear is so called specialists and those that think they understand but really don't, numerous times I have had to explain myself, so that they assume, I'm diabetic.
I'm not.
You are diabetic?
No, I'm not.
Well what are you?
I have RH!
Isn't that diabetes?
No it's not! All my fasting and Hba1c levels are normal.
And so on.

 

[charlie000]

Did the man ask for low carb? I agree that there should be options and I agree that each individual should at least be informed about choices etc, but if there is one thing I absolutely hate it's someone 'feeling sorry' for me when they know nothing about me. Maybe he wasn't type 2 at all, maybe he was a type 1 on the verge of DKA, who knows? I think you made a very good choice not approaching a stranger and talking about 'keto'. It's as bad as saying to a diabetic 'Can you eat that', another one of my bugbears. I also think hospitals should make sure conversations are kept confidential, who wants their business being listened to.

Yes you’re right. I over heard the team suspecting he has type 2.

It was an open ward, they should do though

 

[coby]

The problem we all have is in the teaching and experience of having diabetes.
Most of the current recommendations are designed for T1, because they use insulin to keep the blood glucose levels in control.
So as long as they have the correct dosage, if they wish, they can eat a certain amount of carbs.
Most doctors are not specialist in diabetes, like any GP out of their field, they use the recommended dietary advice. They do not have the training in type two.
The same in hospitals, the current thinking though there are some doctors who do advocate for low carb and have experience with why the blood glucose levels spike so high. Then higher after a diet on the eat well plate. I have had experience of being in this viscous circle and because of the carbs, it was slowly killing me.
The main reason why, is every doctor are told in their training to ensure that glucose derived from food is how to have a healthy brain function. Also, basic nutrition is about carbs and the energy you get, also known as complex carbs, which have fibre and other nutrients in vegetables and fruits.
Of course, you are aware that, this is not a quite right. How come my brain function is better in Keto?
Why am I not well when I eat carbs?
Why am I healthy when I don't eat carbs.
I am carb intolerant and so are a lot of diabetics.
Because of insulin resistance, circulating insulin, that cannot be used, and blood glucose levels keep climbing.
Also, the portion size is too big, we really don't need a lot of food.
In my first stay in the diabetic ward, I was on a fasting test. I was gobsmacked when I saw what these really ill patients were eating and drinking. At the end of the fast, the choice of food is carbs or more carbs. So I went to the staff cafeteria and went through sausage, bacon eggs and tomatoes
My second stay was interesting, and because I was down for surgery after a scan, the scan was clear, I was told I could eat. However due to covid and Easter they couldn't find anything suitable for me to eat. I phoned for a salad to be brought into the hospital.
Still offered toast and cereal a few times.
Stay safe

Wow how crazy is that!
Can they not see that they are making the patients more poorly?
It's time the system had proper training in the effects of those bad foods

 

[Daibell]

Apart from the fact that carbs are cheap. Public Health England's diet advice is crazy and based on bad science. They believe in low-fat, low-salt and low-sugar. They don't seem to know that sugar is just another carb. The sheer ignorance is appalling but Group Think is seriously at work together with the food industry who fund the 'research' that PHE rely on.

 

[charlie000]

Apart from the fact that carbs are cheap. Public Health England's diet advice is crazy and based on bad science. They believe in low-fat, low-salt and low-sugar. They don't seem to know that sugar is just another carb. The sheer ignorance is appalling but Group Think is seriously at work together with the food industry who fund the 'research' that PHE rely on.

I was watching a talk by a doctor who’s white famous in lchf he’s Asian I believe and he outlined how much food companies have influence on phe

 

[Rachox]

Did the man ask for low carb?

When I was in hospital for 5 days a couple of years ago, I asked to see the dietician regarding providing me a low carb diet. My request was refused. I lived on omelettes, salads and stuff bought in from home!

 

[Riva_Roxaban]

A different hospital system in Australia, but here are some of the meals I have had in the Queensland Health public hospital system over the past year.

Not a good public hospital breakfast (**** on a shingle) which completely stuffed my day up.

A recent overnight stay in a private hospital breakfast.

Lunches were good if you stuck with salads.

Evening meal at a public hospital, some sort of a fritata and salad.

 

[KK123]

When I was in hospital for 5 days a couple of years ago, I asked to see the dietician regarding providing me a low carb diet. My request was refused. I lived on omelettes, salads and stuff bought in from home!

Hi Rachox, I actually meant did the man ask for low carb as in how do we know he wasn't happy with what he was offered. I can imagine most responses if anyone did ask for low carb, they'd probably write you off as faddy.

 

[Rachox]

Hi Rachox, I actually meant did the man ask for low carb as in how do we know he wasn't happy with what he was offered. I can imagine most responses if anyone did ask for low carb, they'd probably write you off as faddy.

Oh I see, sorry crossed wires!