I have never really been around someone with diabetes and now I find myself living in the same house with someone who does.

I know they need to stay away from sugar and excess of starches (right?).

I LOVE to cook, I cook a lot. In fact I've been doing the majority of the cooking in the house. What can any of you who have experience with this tell me? She loves sweets too, what can I make and not make to kind of curb those cravings?

 

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My mom has type 2. She can't eat too much of various starches because they convert so quickly to sugar, but she still eats them. Really, her diet hasn't changed too much, but she has to make desserts with Splenda instead of sugar. About the only thing that changed is she eats smaller portions and snacks 3x a day.


Fruit drives her sugar through the roof, so she can't eat much of it. She can eat a decent amount of meat and veggies, though.

 

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i have type 2

i still eat sweets. w/ real sugar. i still eat fruit and starches.


what i do do is eat them all in moderation.

i also exercise and take my meds.


she will need to ask her doctor or diabetic nutritionist. they will help her until she can see what she can do and not do on her own.

at first i went splenda all the way. cut the carbs. we were told that was the WRONG way to do it. for me.

everyone is different. for me, moderation is key. and not drinking a whole bottle of fruit juice a day bc i love fruit juice

 

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http://www.amazon.com/Marlene-Kochs-Sensational-Splenda-Recipes/dp/1590771389/refd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233273040&sr=8-1

Here's a good splenda recipe book. Things will not brown as well but they'll be sweet.

 

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Drinking chamomile tea daily may help prevent the complications of type 2 diabetes, such as loss of vision and nerve and kidney damage, a study says.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7617294.stm


if you have a hard core scientific understanding, here is the test of the full study

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/jf8014365?cookieSet=1

 

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Welcome to the low carb world. I prefer the South Beach approach over Atkins. With Atkins, the message is essentially--any fat is ok; but no carb is. So load up on that bacon cheese burger (holding the bun, ketchup, and whatever else may be hiding sugar). But Atkins would raise his eyebrows over certain veges--potatoes, corn, carrots, beets, and even beans. That just feels wrong to me.

South Beach tends to say--there are good fats & bad fats; and there are good carbs & bad carbs. It prefers the leaner new york strip to the fattier rib eye. Sugar & flour are out. But complex carbs from brown rice & beans are ok. Dreamfield pasta is ok on occasion.

I find SB menus much easier to deal with on a long term basis. With Atkins, I was constantly struggling on the side dishes. Yeah, there are some great low carb sides involving lettuce, cabbage, asparagus, rutabaga, artichokes, etc. But you're essentially using half the crayons in your box that wasn't big to begin with.

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With regards to deserts, flax seed flour is about to be your new best friend. They make pretty respectable muffins for less than 5 carbs. My wife even makes a bread out of it for sandwiches. ...that's stretching it in my book, don't care for it as a bread.

I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes about 6 months ago and Type 2 diabetes is very prevalent in my family.

High protein stuff is good and lots of green leafy veggies, although you can eat anything you want in moderation. I am trying to control my diabetes entirely with diet and exercise so my diet is most likely more strict than a person's who is already taking insulin.

I substitute whole grain wherever possible in pastas and bread and cut out as much sugar in my diet as possible. For people with a sweet tooth, there are a TON of sugarless candies available that taste just like the real thing. In baking, I don't dispense with sugar entirely but use half sugar and half Splenda instead. That way you get the baking benefits of the sugar without the problems you sometimes get baking with Splenda exclusively. They make the Splenda baking blend and that's what it is - half sugar and half Splenda.

While I do eat fruit, I don't overdo it and when I'm hungry for a sweet snack I grab a small bowl of sugar snap peas, raw string beans and carrots. That seems to curb my need for sugar and fill me up at the same time. I still eat nuts and beans because they are extremely good for you but I do eat less than I used to. When I want a salty snack I eat pretzels or Triscuits which are low in fat and/or whole grain.

Someone mentioned side dishes: My side dishes usually consist of brown and wild rice, LOTS of steamed veggies, sweet potatoes or cous cous and it never really becomes tiring. My diabetic teacher says to eat on a smaller plate (not a dinner plate) and to fill that plate fully 1/3 with veggies. It works to fill you up and you get the fiber that you need. Also, eat about 5 small meals in a day and make sure you eat breakfast within a half hour of waking up so your body doesn't start making sugar on its own.

I also drink milk and water exclusively; no more soda but I quit drinking soda several years ago and lost my taste for it. I will also have an occasional glass of wine because that's good for you too in moderation.

The most important thing to remember is to get AT LEAST 30 minutes of aerobic exercise every day to keep your heart healthy and to slim down. Since I was diagnosed and went to my diabetes class, I've lost about 30 pounds and I feel a lot better now.

Silver

 

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My mom eats on a small plate, too, Silver. I've been trying to do that myself, even though I'm not diabetic. It helps me not overeat.

 

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OH! Speaking of sugar free candy, I absolutely love Baskin Robbins sugar free candy. We keep a few flavors on hand and it satisfies my sweet tooth after a meal.

I have type 2 and am insulin dependent.

one or two pieces of fruit a day is OK natural sugars digest differently than processed sugars.

Carbs are the enemy for me. Carbs get converted to blood sugar I have to take a unit of insulin for every 5 grams of carbs. A slice of bread has 15-20 grams of carbs.

Grains are bad processed is worse. Potatoes are like eating a bowl of sugar one medium potato has 50 carbs.

Every two or three weeks I hit a day or three where it doesn't matter how much insulin I use my blood sugar is going to stay above 220 Normal is 80 to 120.

Protein (meat / dairy) is OK as long as I don't over do it. I can't have those 16 - 24 oz. Porterhouse Steaks and not expect my blood sugar to be affected 8 oz is the target.

Get a Diabetes Carbohydrate and Fat Gram Guide, 3rd Edition — 4708-03 from the American Diabetes Association and learn to use it to count carbs.

 

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