# Carbs



## Lindatype1 (Sep 16, 2021)

My husband is waiting for a operation to remove stoma after having cancer but his blood sugar level was 90 we have managed to get it down to 70 but this is still to high. I have followed some recipes on this website, but I find it very difficult to carb count. Everything I look at seem to me to be full of carbs, we have asked the nurse but did not have any information but said she would book an appointment with a dietician at the hospital but that has been over two months ago. If i knew how many crabs a day we should be aiming for would help. Dont know if anyone can help with this.


----------



## BlueArmy (Sep 16, 2021)

Lindatype2 said:


> My husband is waiting for a operation to remove stoma after having cancer but his blood sugar level was 90 we have managed to get it down to 70 but this is still to high. I have followed some recipes on this website, but I find it very difficult to carb count. Everything I look at seem to me to be full of carbs, we have asked the nurse but did not have any information but said she would book an appointment with a dietician at the hospital but that has been over two months ago. If i knew how many crabs a day we should be aiming for would help. Dont know if anyone can help with this.


A low carb diet is <130g of carb a day. Personally, I aim for <50. It's easier to swap out than count in my opinion. So, for pasta - swap for Edamane pasta, instead of rice, use cauliflower rice, avoid all potatoes in any form. Bread, avoid it if you can, but if you can't aim for low carb bread, smaller sliced wholemeal or sourdough has a low GI value so tends to spike less.

You might find this helpful






						Low-carb diet and meal plan
					

Eating a low-carb diet means cutting down on the amount of carbohydrates (carbs) you eat to less than 130g a day. But low-carb eating shouldn’t be no-carb eating. Some carbohydrate foods contain essential vitamins, minerals and fibre, which form an important part of a healthy diet.




					www.diabetes.org.uk


----------



## helli (Sep 16, 2021)

There is no correct amount of carbs because we are all different and can tolerate different amount of carbs.
Some people consider low carb less than 130g per day, some people consider it below 100g per day, some people think of it as no more than 30g per meal. 
I know this is not very helpful for your husband. If he has a blood test meter, this can help understand what he can tolerate. The advice is usually to test before eating ad 2 hours later. If your levels rise more than 2 or 3, the meal was too high in carbs and should be adjusted before trying again.


----------



## ianf0ster (Sep 16, 2021)

Lindatype2 said:


> My husband is waiting for a operation to remove stoma after having cancer but his blood sugar level was 90 we have managed to get it down to 70 but this is still to high. I have followed some recipes on this website, but I find it very difficult to carb count. Everything I look at seem to me to be full of carbs, we have asked the nurse but did not have any information but said she would book an appointment with a dietician at the hospital but that has been over two months ago. If i knew how many crabs a day we should be aiming for would help. Dont know if anyone can help with this.


Hi @Lindatype2 and welcome to the forum.  Your husband's blood sugar measurements (from the 90 and the 70 you mention) seem like they are from  HbA1C measurements. Those are average indications of his Blood Glucose levels over the last 3 months as shown by his red blood cells (which live for around 3 months). So they don't really tell you what is going on right now.

There are 2 Blood Glucose meters available in the UK which are popular amongst Diabetes forum members for being accurate and having cheap(er) test strips (which is the main expense). They are the SD Gluco Navii and the Spirit TEE2+  both available online.

As  @helli says the exact same food can affect different Type 2 diabetics in to a different extent. So for some eating an apple or some porridge may be OK, but for another their Blood Glucose may spike too high for that to be acceptable. Thus it is a good idea to test how the Type2 diabetic reacts to the more borderline foods (those with say 10 to 20gms of carbs per 100gms). 

A good source of information about which foods are low in carbohydrates is www.dietdoctor.com 
Here is a link for low carb veg :                              https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/vegetables
and here for nuts:                                                   https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/nuts
They also have links for similar guides , here:       https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/nuts#similar

I found I got enough information on the internet so I didn't buy any books or sign up for any programs , but I used my BG meter and a low carb way of eating to bring my HbA1C back down to 37 and keep it there back in the normal (non-diabetic) range.


----------



## ianf0ster (Sep 16, 2021)

Oh and by the way, my brother had colon cancer and now has a stoma permanently (no colon at all). 
His diet isn't limited by that, he just has a problem with bulky foods.


----------



## Lindatype1 (Sep 16, 2021)

Hi Ian foster thankyou for your brilliant advise I am looking into the meters you mentioned, will do regularly checks on  blood glucose when having diffrent foods.


----------



## Lindatype1 (Sep 16, 2021)

helli said:


> There is no correct amount of carbs because we are all different and can tolerate different amount of carbs.
> Some people consider low carb less than 130g per day, some people consider it below 100g per day, some people think of it as no more than 30g per meal.
> I know this is not very helpful for your husband. If he has a blood test meter, this can help understand what he can tolerate. The advice is usually to test before eating ad 2 hours later. If your levels rise more than 2 or 3, the meal was too high in carbs and should be adjusted before trying again.


Thankyou for your advice, we have a meter and will be checking


----------



## Lindatype1 (Sep 16, 2021)

BlueArmy said:


> A low carb diet is <130g of carb a day. Personally, I aim for <50. It's easier to swap out than count in my opinion. So, for pasta - swap for Edamane pasta, instead of rice, use cauliflower rice, avoid all potatoes in any form. Bread, avoid it if you can, but if you can't aim for low carb bread, smaller sliced wholemeal or sourdough has a low GI value so tends to spike less.
> 
> You might find this helpful
> 
> ...


Thankyou, my husband takes 75mg metformin 74mg Lantus injection, I have found if he has to low carbs he can have a hypo it's just working out the right level to bring his blood glucose down without him having hypo's, of course he takes other medication for blood pressure, also a blood thinners which can have affect.


----------



## Leadinglights (Sep 16, 2021)

Lindatype2 said:


> Thankyou, my husband takes 75mg metformin 74mg Lantus injection, I have found if he has to low carbs he can have a hypo it's just working out the right level to bring his blood glucose down without him having hypo's, of course he takes other medication for blood pressure, also a blood thinners which can have affect.


There are some people who are Type 1 or Type 2 on insulin who choose to go low carb but do it with care and lots of testing. Much of the low carb advice is aimed at Type 2 who are dietary managed alone or diet and metformin or non insulin meds so do be selective when looking at various options which might be right for your husband.


----------



## everydayupsanddowns (Sep 16, 2021)

Lindatype2 said:


> Thankyou, my husband takes 75mg metformin 74mg Lantus injection, I have found if he has to low carbs he can have a hypo it's just working out the right level to bring his blood glucose down without him having hypo's, of course he takes other medication for blood pressure, also a blood thinners which can have affect.



Sounds like you are looking for a happy medium Linda. Not so low carb as to risk hypos (unless his Lantus dose is reduced), but low enough to reduce his slightly elevated HbA1c a little further.


----------



## diatribe (Sep 26, 2021)

Lindatype1 said:


> My husband is waiting for a operation to remove stoma after having cancer but his blood sugar level was 90 we have managed to get it down to 70 but this is still to high. I have followed some recipes on this website, but I find it very difficult to carb count. Everything I look at seem to me to be full of carbs, we have asked the nurse but did not have any information but said she would book an appointment with a dietician at the hospital but that has been over two months ago. If i knew how many crabs a day we should be aiming for would help. Dont know if anyone can help with this.



Hi Linda,

I am not sure if your husband is T1 or T2, but (as others have said) food substitution is easier than carb counting. If this is not always possible, then severely restricting the quantity of something also works quite well. I travel for work and often have little choice in terms of menus, with rice often arriving on the plate. So rather than eating all if it, I stick to a minimal amount or none. Also, having nice things like chocolate is ok, if you stick to 80% cocoa or higher, I go for 90%+ if possible. My blood sugar levels (mg/dl) when diagnosed three months ago actually started going consistently between 70-90 (3.9-5.2m/mol) , they advised which me was often too low, so they ended up taking me off one set of pills. Now, with a sensible diet it is usually 93-140 (5.1-7.8m/mol), the latter if I have had something higher in carbs. Usually it is around 100-120. You can also try introducing something new and testing before having it and two hours later. I have done this with a variety of foods and also wine. I don't advocate alcohol as a treatment, but I found red wine significantly reduces my blood sugar level. Which is good, but also needs to be watched.

Another key tip I would say is balancing the portions on a plate, e.g. 1/2 vegetables, 1/4 protein and 1/4 starch. Not forgetting some fruits and dairy as well. Also, choose the foods within that wisely, ensuring lots of fibre etc. I found this approach has filled me up, gives me enough energy and I have also continued to lose some weight without even calorie counting. It is also a very easy way to carb count indirectly.

However, always get proper medical advice.... We are all different.


----------



## Leadinglights (Sep 26, 2021)

diatribe said:


> Hi Linda,
> 
> I am not sure if your husband is T1 or T2, but (as others have said) food substitution is easier than carb counting. If this is not always possible, then severely restricting the quantity of something also works quite well. I travel for work and often have little choice in terms of menus, with rice often arriving on the plate. So rather than eating all if it, I stick to a minimal amount or none. Also, having nice things like chocolate is ok, if you stick to 80% cocoa or higher, I go for 90%+ if possible. My blood sugar levels (mg/dl) when diagnosed three months ago actually started going consistently between 70-90 (3.9-5.2m/mol) , they advised which me was often too low, so they ended up taking me off one set of pills. Now, with a sensible diet it is usually 93-140 (5.1-7.8m/mol), the latter if I have had something higher in carbs. Usually it is around 100-120. You can also try introducing something new and testing before having it and two hours later. I have done this with a variety of foods and also wine. I don't advocate alcohol as a treatment, but I found red wine significantly reduces my blood sugar level. Which is good, but also needs to be watched.
> 
> ...


The blood glucose levels you are quoting may be confusing to people as we normally use mmol/l for finger prick testing and mmol/mol for HbA1C rather than what you mention.
Some good ideas for a strategy to try.


----------



## Kaylz (Sep 26, 2021)

@diatribe what makes you imply that carb counting isn't easy? As long as you have a set of scales and calculator if need be then there's nothing difficult to it to be honest


----------



## helli (Sep 26, 2021)

Kaylz said:


> @diatribe what makes you imply that carb counting isn't easy? As long as you have a set of scales and calculator if need be then there's nothing difficult to it to be honest


… and, after a while you get used to estimating  by eye to use when eating out.
Given how many other things that can feet our blood sugar levels, you don’t have to be exceptionally precise with your counting. 
And if treating diabetes with insulin, remember that you also have to dose for protein if you eat a low carb diet … so low carb does not mean easier.


----------



## diatribe (Oct 17, 2021)

Kaylz said:


> @diatribe what makes you imply that carb counting isn't easy? As long as you have a set of scales and calculator if need be then there's nothing difficult to it to be honest


Hi, its not always difficult and I also tend to measure at home when I am unsure about the right weights etc. But I found the proportion method really easy and it was also the advice I was given as it is very easy to follow.

However, I also travel a lot for work and cannot really get out the scales while in restaurants. Hence I have to eat by eye, so to speak.


----------



## Elaine22 (Oct 20, 2021)

helli said:


> There is no correct amount of carbs because we are all different and can tolerate different amount of carbs.
> Some people consider low carb less than 130g per day, some people consider it below 100g per day, some people think of it as no more than 30g per meal.
> I know this is not very helpful for your husband. If he has a blood test meter, this can help understand what he can tolerate. The advice is usually to test before eating ad 2 hours later. If your levels rise more than 2 or 3, the meal was too high in carbs and should be adjusted before trying again.


Hi Helli, you should read Dr Bernstein's book The diabetes Solution it explains a lot of things. He recommends 30g carbs per day but I am too weak in control so I stick to 50 - 70g per day. Last HBA1C I got a row from my Endo as she thought it was too low and I told her  I wanted it lower and closer to 'normal'.


----------



## helli (Oct 20, 2021)

Elaine22 said:


> Hi Helli, you should read Dr Bernstein's book The diabetes Solution it explains a lot of things. He recommends 30g carbs per day but I am too weak in control so I stick to 50 - 70g per day. Last HBA1C I got a row from my Endo as she thought it was too low and I told her  I wanted it lower and closer to 'normal'.


I have read enough about Dr B to understand that his approach is not appropriate for me. 
I am more than happy with my HbA1C which I achieve without eating low carb - I too have had the "it is too low" conversation with my endo.


----------



## travellor (Oct 20, 2021)

diatribe said:


> Hi Linda,
> 
> I am not sure if your husband is T1 or T2, but (as others have said) food substitution is easier than carb counting. If this is not always possible, then severely restricting the quantity of something also works quite well. I travel for work and often have little choice in terms of menus, with rice often arriving on the plate. So rather than eating all if it, I stick to a minimal amount or none. Also, having nice things like chocolate is ok, if you stick to 80% cocoa or higher, I go for 90%+ if possible. My blood sugar levels (mg/dl) when diagnosed three months ago actually started going consistently between 70-90 (3.9-5.2m/mol) , they advised which me was often too low, so they ended up taking me off one set of pills. Now, with a sensible diet it is usually 93-140 (5.1-7.8m/mol), the latter if I have had something higher in carbs. Usually it is around 100-120. You can also try introducing something new and testing before having it and two hours later. I have done this with a variety of foods and also wine. I don't advocate alcohol as a treatment, but I found red wine significantly reduces my blood sugar level. Which is good, but also needs to be watched.
> 
> ...


I used to find wine lowers my BG while the alcohol is being processed, but, it was followed by a spike at about 4 or 5am for me.


----------



## Elaine22 (Oct 22, 2021)

travellor said:


> I used to find wine lowers my BG while the alcohol is being processed, but, it was followed by a spike at about 4 or 5am for me.


Hi trevellor, in my teens a long time ago i said to the dietician very cheekily why am i on insulin when alcohol lowers your blood sugar - she was not very amused!


----------



## BlueArmy (Oct 22, 2021)

travellor said:


> I used to find wine lowers my BG while the alcohol is being processed, but, it was followed by a spike at about 4 or 5am for me.


The mistake you make is in stopping drinking too early…..push through so your still drunk when the normal dawn effect hits!!


----------



## BlueArmy (Oct 22, 2021)

and thats the best medical advice I can give haha, stay drunk stay healthy


----------



## travellor (Oct 22, 2021)

I don't think lockdown helped that either.
Not driving, hot tub, glass of cold white in the afternoon.....


----------



## diatribe (Oct 24, 2021)

travellor said:


> I used to find wine lowers my BG while the alcohol is being processed, but, it was followed by a spike at about 4 or 5am for me.


I hope that is not the case, in any event I have 1 glass of red... I was never a heavy drinker, but this is a definite cut from where I was at the start of the year.


----------



## travellor (Oct 24, 2021)

diatribe said:


> I hope that is not the case, in any event I have 1 glass of red... I was never a heavy drinker, but this is a definite cut from where I was at the start of the year.


Honestly, my meter doesn't lie.
Definitely the case.
However, as Mike said in a different thread, it's not the case for him, the only common rule for diabetes it seems is there isn't a common rule.


----------



## diatribe (Oct 24, 2021)

travellor said:


> Honestly, my meter doesn't lie.
> Definitely the case.
> However, as Mike said, it's not the case for him, the only common rule for diabetes it seems is there isn't a common rule.


I am sure it doesn't lie, I will follow your "advice" and perhaps wake myself up one morning to see if there is a spike. Thanks, for pointing this potential issue out.


----------



## travellor (Oct 24, 2021)

diatribe said:


> I am sure it doesn't lie, I will follow your "advice" and perhaps wake myself up one morning to see if there is a spike. Thanks, for pointing this potential issue out.


It will be interesting to see the result.
Hopefully it's just me that is odd.


----------



## diatribe (Oct 24, 2021)

travellor said:


> It will be interesting to see the result.
> Hopefully it's just me that is odd.


We are all different, not odd 

As for the wine, I have hardly any these days so I will probably schedule the next one in my diary


----------

