ISO: ISO: DH has been diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, and I am learning a whole new way to cook for him.

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marianne

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We are being helped by a Registered Dietician, (which, by the way, is paid for by Medicare, FYI), but I'd like to know if there are web sites to learn more about this disease, and what his diet should consist of. Menus and recipes are my next search. Thanks so much if you can steer me in the right direction.

PS: Christmas is a LOUSY time to start on a Diabetic diet, but I've been following it along with DH, and I've lost 3 lbs!

 
Hi Marianne! I can guide you a little bit in the direction of

low-carb eating. I am also considered prediabetic and must watch to balance the proteins with the carbs and fats. It takes a little thought, but is pretty easy to follow once you get used to it.

I just heard, today, as a matter of fact, that some doctors even promote a lowish-carb way of eating to control insulin levels (read: blood sugar levels that affect hunger and mood swings, too) and find it reduces "belly fat" as well as controling diabetes.

More later, when I can get more detailed, but the first thing my doctor told me is to avoid the whites - white rice, white bread, white flour, potatoes, and even watch milk intake. Of course you'd be eating pretty UNhealthily if you omitted some of these, but he'll just have to limit them and make sure he does have some protein and fat whenever he has carbs. Several on this board following this woe, so I'm sure you'll get lots of good advice.

Sorry to hear you will have to change things, but he'll notice that he'll feel much better, now that it'll be under control! His blood sugar was probably spiking all over the place and he didn't even know it, just felt blaahhh. I know I did.

 
My mom got diagnosed before Thanksgiving last year, we found this site helpful

the American Diabetes association. I signed up with them and they sent her a cookbookl. It has a good explanation about Type 2 and what it means and lots of good support.

At first she wasn't allowed to eat any carbohydrates so watching labels was really important. If you search here under diabetes and my id you should find the string where so many of the wonderful folks offered up some great advice.

It has taken my mom about a year to be able to get in the swing of a new food plan and to understand what affects her blood sugar ratings, so be patient. It's great that your insurance covers a dietitian, my mom's didn't so she had to learn on her own.

If it helps you feel any better, within 3 months she had lost 20 pounds and was feeling overall pretty good (despite additional health problems that she conquered during that time - breast cancer, hernia). She's feeling really good now and if she can get the drinking more water and walking more every day nailed down she could potentially not have to take any daily medication (non-insulin medication).

I hope your husband and you feel better/great as you embark on this, it's been an adjustment for our family but it's been so positive for mom to feel good these days that we don't mind some changes to holiday meals.

Merry Christmas to you both!

http://www.diabetes.org/

 
I've been living well with Type II for the last five years or so. In reality,...

...it has been a blessing in disguise!

I've lost 85 lbs. and I'm enjoying exercise more than ever. I will tell you that I'm healthier now than when I was 30 (I'm 49).

One thing to keep in mind is that everyone is different and the goal is to find an eating/exercise pattern that serves him (and you) well. Trial and error and close monitoring of blood glucose levels can be stressful, but it pays off handsomely in the end.

I can't stress the exercise factor strongly enough. Obviously his doctor needs to give appropriate recommendations for him personally, but the more attention and effort that goes into staying active, the sooner he'll be healthy and at the top of his game.

Good luck!

Michael

 
You are absolutely right, Dawn. He's been very careful to follow his new food plan, and prick his

finger every morning. His blood sugar started out a week ago at 123, and I've watched it come down little by little every day, and this a.m. it was 103!

He also told me that he feels much better than he did before this started. Yes, he just felt blaahhh, too.

Thanks so much for your help.

 
Thanks, Heather. I'm checking the site out now. DH is taking this very seriously, he's learning to

read food labels, and is counting and measuring stuff. This is a real change for him. A year ago, he came home from a Doctor's visit with a blood glucose monitoring kit. I asked him what it was, and he said, "Oh, just something the Doctor gave me." He threw it in his sock drawer and never opened it. Since then, I've started going with him to his 3-month check-ups, and questioning everything that he is told. The last visit, two weeks ago, are what triggered the change. The Doctor told him that different levels in his blood test were way too high or low, and started him on an injection of Byetta, every morning and every night. I felt so sorry for him, sticking a little needle into his tummy every day, but the dietician said this is a very good drug, and it will help him lose weight and balance out his blood sugar. Eventually, she said he will probably be able to stop some of the other meds he is on. He's a tough Marine, and poking himself has become routine.

Thanks again for your good advice. You may not remember, but you and I are going to share a glass of wine and some good oysters at the Farmers Market in SF next April, when DH and I attend his USNA'57 52.5 year reunion.

And I wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

 
Incredible results, Michael! As I told Dawn above, he is checking his blood sugar religiously, and

the steadily declining numbers during just this one week of "the new Jim" has encouraged him to stick with it. The next battle will be excercise. He's 76, has very stiff knees, and even though he works six days a week, he spends very little time in any kind of physical activity. When we go out and about, I tend to walk fast, and he can't keep up with me. The next step will be to take him to our Wellness Center, and find a program that will help him add exercise to his life-style. Thanks so much for your reply. DH has no idea how many of my friends here at this site are rooting for him.

 
He sounds very brave, injections are never fun...

but it's important to take care of himself so he can be with YOU for years to come!!

My mom's blood sugars are too high, so I guess Type 2 can effect people differently. So glad Michael chimed in cause his comments about my mom were so very helpful and encouraging! Yay Michael!

As to this spring, indeed it is a date!!! I am looking forward to meeting you both.

Merry Christmas Marianne!!!

 
Check out Whey Low sweetener! It's made from milk and they have a diabetic one....

It's WONDERFUL stuff! A little pricey but oh, so good!

www.wheylow.com

 
Another "plug" for my Yahoo groups GRS Low-Carb forum (not a lot of activity thesse days, but the)

(archives are good!). Come on over for a visit sometime - I started it a fews years ago when I realized I had to eat much less carbs than I had been, and didn't want to bore GRS/Finer Kitchens with that narrow-mindedness.

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/GRS-Low-Carb/

 
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