diabetics

[Staci]

i am hoping that some of you here can give me some insight. hubby was just diagnosed with type II. now from the medical side i know what to do and what to look for. the problem that i am having is the diet. i have no clue what he is and is not supposed to have.

anyone here to give advice would be great!

 

[Natasha]

Well the advice my brother's doctor gave him was "if it tastes good, spit it out." :24: :24: :24: I don't think it's quite THAT serious. The biggest thing would be cutting out the white stuff. White bread, potatoes, white rice, sugar, pasta...replace it all w/ whole wheat (make sure it's 100% whole wheat).

Google "glycemic index" and it will tell you about where different foods fall on the index. Those w/ lower glycemic indexes have less effect on your blood sugar and will help keep it steady longer. As a side benefit, it helps reduce cravings as well.

Not to shill for them...but South Beach is an EXCELLENT diet for diabetics.

 

[MoonOwl]

http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/?utm_source=WWW&utm_medium=GlobalNavDB&utm_campaign=CON

This should start you off til Red comes around.

 

[Staci]

thanks ladies. i did some googling today and its carbs this carbs that, glycemic index...

then i had to go run a call LMAO

 

[Natasha]

If you can find an actual glycemic index chart it will help show you which foods are on the high end and which are on the low end. Like I know w/ fruits pineapple is way high while berries are much lower.

 

[pjbleek]

do some sort of exercise...even if its a walk......more is better, if he has time, mix up his workout routine

 

[Staci]

this is gonna be a fight for him LOL i also told him he had to cut down on the beer as well

 

[pjbleek]

this is gonna be a fight for him LOL i also told him he had to cut down on the beer as well

especially the booze...replace it with water!!!!!

 

[Staci]

like i said this is gonna be a huge struggle for him. no cokes, no beer, no alcohol......plus he actually needs to start excersing now.

 

[Natasha]

do some sort of exercise...even if its a walk......more is better, if he has time, mix up his workout routine

Good point...but also watch the blood sugar afterwards. It's recommended that you check blood sugar about 45 minutes after exercise to make sure it hasn't dropped too low.

this is gonna be a fight for him LOL i also told him he had to cut down on the beer as well

That's a definite. All that does is turn to sugar.

 

[Guyzerr]

Well the advice my brother's doctor gave him was "if it tastes good, spit it out." :24: :24: :24: I don't think it's quite THAT serious.

If a person is serious about getting their diabetes under control it is.

The biggest thing would be cutting out the white stuff. White bread, potatoes, white rice, sugar, pasta...replace it all w/ whole wheat (make sure it's 100% whole wheat).

You are correct about the group of foods you listed foods but don't for one minute think whole wheat is a lot better than white bread. Both have the same sugar content per slice which is an average of 3 grams. It doesn't sound like much but multiply that by two, add your sammich goods and the sugar count goes up in a hurry.

A big thing is weight. I'm assuming he's above average in size so if he lost some weight that will help keep his levels down. Exercise is a biggie as well. The more he gets the better he will feel.

All fruits have an over abundance of sugar. As much as I love grapes and oranges I haven't eaten one in years. Apparently apples are the best in the fruit category so once in a while I'll chomp on one but it takes a few short minutes and I feel the effect.

Never eat ice cream and never drink beer. Both are laced with sugar.

I know it sucks to hear this stuff but speaking from experience if he gets it under control he'll feel a hell of a lot better than what he does today. He's probably been " sweet " for quite a while and forgets what feel good means.

 

[Guyzerr]

like i said this is gonna be a huge struggle for him. no cokes, no beer, no alcohol......plus he actually needs to start excersing now.

Diet drinks have no sugar... whiskey and vodka etc in moderation is ok providing he uses a non sugar mix.

As far as exercising is concerned if he starts by going for daily walks he'll feel better..... after um... say the first 200 miles.

 

[Natasha]

If a person is serious about getting their diabetes under control it is.

If you think healthy food can't taste good, you need a better cook in your life...IJS We have tons of healthy food that tastes great...eating well doesn't HAVE to mean "if it tastes good, spit it out."

You are correct about the group of foods you listed foods but don't for one minute think whole wheat is a lot better than white bread. Both have the same sugar content per slice which is an average of 3 grams. It doesn't sound like much but multiply that by two, add your sammich goods and the sugar count goes up in a hurry.

And there is a HUGE difference in the way your body processes whole wheat vs. white bread. It all has to do w/ the glycemic index.

All fruits have an over abundance of sugar. As much as I love grapes and oranges I haven't eaten one in years. Apparently apples are the best in the fruit category so once in a while I'll chomp on one but it takes a few short minutes and I feel the effect.

Again, huge difference in NATURAL sugars from fruit vs. actual sugar. Totally different effect on blood sugar. But yes, apples and cherries are 2 of the lowest sugar fruits when it comes to the glycemic index.

Never eat ice cream and never drink beer. Both are laced with sugar.

Tomato sauces and salad dressings as well. Don't do low-fat salad dressings...they're full of sugar so they'll taste better. And there ARE some no-sugar-added ice creams on the market that are made w/ Splenda instead of sugar...try those.

Diet drinks have no sugar... whiskey and vodka etc in moderation is ok providing he uses a non sugar mix.

Be careful w/ diet drinks, though, b/c some of them contain High Fructose Corn Syrup and that's just another fancy word for, you guessed it, SUGAR!!!

 

[Dana]

this could be a major kick in the pants for him. I don't have diabetes but going through a lifestyle change like I did last year when i had the blood clot was a real eye opener.

 

[Staci]

thanks yall! im hoping that this is the kick in the ass that he needs. i have been telling him for years that he needed to change his eating habits and get back to the gym.

 

[Panacea]

It's hard, for sure, but if he is able to do the things Natasha has listed (she's right ) for even a few weeks, he will likely notice a change in his energy, and just feel better overall. Blood sugar spikes and dips feel horrible. It really is something he can control, he doesn't have to be a victim, so to speak, but he has to want it. My coworker's husband is so stubborn, he suffers so much eating bad food and drink. He's lost a toe, and now he's losing his foot. Some people just don't seem to get it or care, hopefully your husband won't be like that. Hope it all goes well

 

[Staci]

i told him that i will be more than happy to take him around to multiple places that i see daily and show him how non-compliance with diabetes will end up!

 

[rback33]

i told him that i will be more than happy to take him around to multiple places that i see daily and show him how non-compliance with diabetes will end up!

I hope it doesn't come to this, but that's a good idea. The step dad to one of my high school classmates passed away several years ago because he did not properly manage his diabetes. He should have been 56 this year.... Horrible thing to watch someone kill themselves that way... losing a toe.. then a foot... then legs...

 

[Panacea]

I hope it doesn't come to this, but that's a good idea. The step dad to one of my high school classmates passed away several years ago because he did not properly manage his diabetes. He should have been 56 this year.... Horrible thing to watch someone kill themselves that way... losing a toe.. then a foot... then legs...

I agree, it's so sad...such a waste. Trust me, I loved me some food but it's really not worth the burger and pop to spend every day sick or losing limbs.

 

[Natasha]

i told him that i will be more than happy to take him around to multiple places that i see daily and show him how non-compliance with diabetes will end up!

Ugh...I can deal w/ tons of things as far as EMS goes, but there is little I hate worse than the SMELL of a Dialysis Center. :yuk

I hope it doesn't come to this, but that's a good idea. The step dad to one of my high school classmates passed away several years ago because he did not properly manage his diabetes. He should have been 56 this year.... Horrible thing to watch someone kill themselves that way... losing a toe.. then a foot... then legs...

My neighbor is the same way. She thinks if she has fries for lunch then she needs to have a baked potato instead for dinner. I tried and tried to explain carbs to her and she thinks I'm just being over-cautious. She also has a habit of giving herself more insulin if she wants to have a piece of cake. We took her to Savannah w/ us a few months ago and her blood sugar spanned the range of 75 to 367 all in one day. I was seriously concerned that we were going to have to take her to the hospital. She's already lost her peripheral vision b/c of how non-compliant she is w/ her diabetes. She also progressed from a Type II diabetic to a Type I diabetic for the same reason.