# New to this site and Diabetes



## DougC (Nov 8, 2018)

Hi Everyone,
Need help and advice on my Bloods. The second blood test at GP was 48 last week, the previous one 47 3 weeks ago. GP advised
border line and lifestyle changes. That was it! Turned to this for help and advice and found it good so far, but confusing.
My first steps, stopped all snacks, cakes, chocolate, biscuits, but have one square of 70% choc on sundays!  Is chocolate a total no no too? Am being more active too.
The problem is what foods to eat etc. I have diverticulitis and IBS so have to have high fibre diet. But it seems fibre in wholemeal bread is full of carbs and should be avoided? This applies to peas and carrots which I have been  eating more of for fibre. Have been eating more jacket potatoes and wedges skin on for fibre, is this a no no or limit amounts? Must admit lost at moment.
One more thing alcohol looks ok which I have in moderation. red wine only! The only other question is port, is this just too sweet to drink at all, as love a small glass at weekends.
Not sure if need to test, no idea at all at moment.
If you have read this far, thank you! Any comment most welcome.
best wishes to everyone here, Doug


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## Martin Canty (Nov 8, 2018)

Welcome, Doug.... Looks like a good start, perhaps cut back on the jacket potatoes as the ones used for baked potatoes are very high in starch/carbs... More leafy vegetables for fiber is always good...

I would also suggest that you start testing so you can see what foods affect you & what doesn't.


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## Drummer (Nov 8, 2018)

As you are only just in the diabetic range cutting out the starch and sugar mixture foods is a good start - carbohydrate from potatoes and starchy vegetables would not be a good idea for me, as a full blown diabetic but if you see your Hba1c has reduced at your next test you can then decide what to eat for the best outcome. 
It is not the fibre which is full of carbs - Humans cannot digest fibre, but the starches are easily converted to sugars.


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## DougC (Nov 8, 2018)

hi
LCHF ?
Are potatoes, bread a total no no? Changed to wholemeal as thought was healthy! STtill finding my way. Will do more to research blood tests at home but not a clue as yet. I thought it may be too early to beging blood test at home
Thanks for taking time to reply, much appreciated.


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## Martin Canty (Nov 8, 2018)

LCHF, Low Carb, High Fat....

Bit of a misnomer here as I don't really eat much more fat than I did pre-DX, however, the ratio of carbs to fat is way different. The thing about fats is to use the 'healthy' ones, avoid highly refined fats like vegetable, corn, canola etc but look toward Extra Virgin & Animal fats.
Refined foods are not good, I (personally) eat pretty much all made from scratch (wherever possible).

As for Potatoes & Bread, you meter would be able to tell you that... Generally not particularly good options (but people are different & many members have little issue)... If you want potatoes then the waxy varieties are better, particularly if they are new potatoes. About 4 months after DX I was feeling somewhat virtuous having cooked a baked potato, stuffed with prawns & sour cream; my meter gave me a total reality check


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## trophywench (Nov 9, 2018)

Jacket spuds - throw all the white part away after baking - and enjoy the crispy skins!


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## DougC (Nov 9, 2018)

Hi
Sounds ok, maybe extreme but if its helpful then yes. Would love to buy the potato skins you get in restaurants!
Thanks for taking time to reply


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## CathyB (Nov 9, 2018)

Hi Doug, have you tried Burgen bread?  It’s a low carb soya and linseed loaf that’s really tasty for either sandwich or as toast.


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## Sharron1 (Nov 9, 2018)

Hi, 

Soundo like you are doing the right stuff especially at this stage. I ditchedo spuds, bread and pasta. Miss the pasta but my current blood glucose levels make me realise that I am better off without them. I do have Burgent bread for a slice of toast. Chotplate is dark chocolate 80%, the carbs and sugar are low so it is about two or three squares a night.  To be honest not sure how much more of the dark chocolate can be eaten! My diet hasn' the changed that much only a bit more organised. Good luck


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## DougC (Nov 9, 2018)

CathyB said:


> Hi Doug, have you tried Burgen bread?  It’s a low carb soya and linseed loaf that’s really tasty for either sandwich or as toast.


b 
Hi
Thanks for suggestion. I have diverticulosis and IBS. The DV need high fibre diet to stop flare ups. I also avoid seeds in case they stuck in diverticulae. Many say seeds are safe, but am taking risk, a flare up can be realy bad.
Am looking at ways to use my new breadmaker for high fibre low carb bread. This was bought a few days before was told blood sugar was highh!


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## DougC (Nov 9, 2018)

Sharron1 said:


> Hi,
> 
> Soundo like you are doing the right stuff especially at this stage. I ditchedo spuds, bread and pasta. Miss the pasta but my current blood glucose levels make me realise that I am better off without them. I do have Burgent bread for a slice of toast. Chotplate is dark chocolate 80%, the carbs and sugar are low so it is about two or three squares a night.  To be honest not sure how much more of the dark chocolate can be eaten! My diet hasn' the changed that much only a bit more organised. Good luck



Hi, Thanks for this. Cutting down slowy at mo see how I go.  Tatties look like first avoid! I do like high fibre in whole meal bread, looking for replacement for this.


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## SB2015 (Nov 9, 2018)

Hi Doug

People mention testing on here.  That is different from the blood test that you had done at the surgery.

The test at the surgery is HbA1c, which is one that indicates your average glucose level over the past few months with the most recent having a greater impact.  This is measured as a percentage and is the one that you quoted in your original post.

The day to Day testing is the blood glucose at the time of testing.  Many people with Diabetes find this useful to do before a meal and then again two hours after a meal, when their level should have returned to their premeal level.  This then gives them information about what particular foods do to their glucose levels, and can inform them about how to adjust the amounts and/or what they eat.  People with T2 are often not given the test kit and strips on prescription, so fund these themselves.  The SDCodefree meter has the cheapest strips.


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## DougC (Nov 13, 2018)

Hi SB
thanks for that, very helpful. Still looking at testing, lots of devices out there, is it worth paying a bit more for a more accurate one? Notice that the consumables are an ongoing cost. Just at Docs today, unrelated to this but mentioned last Hba1c. Can't get another for 3 months, hoped to check how I was doing, as next doc appointment is a month after last test. I am not considered diabetic, just borderline! So not help from nurses or dietician. Would be good to know how to do own bloods. One other point, why always the fingers? Thanks hope not being a waffle on...
Doug


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## Martin Canty (Nov 13, 2018)

DougC said:


> lots of devices out there, is it worth paying a bit more for a more accurate one?


To be honest (someone correct me if I'm wrong) the testers just need to be +/- 10% accuracy.... We are looking for trends rather than accurate numbers (which the lab gives us). The big thing is the ongoing cost of the consumables.


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## DougC (Nov 14, 2018)

Thanks again, good point. Your patience is great! Must be asked same questions on here.....


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## Sharron1 (Nov 14, 2018)

DougC said:


> Thanks again, good point. Your patience is great! Must be asked same questions on here.....


HI, 

Don't worry about the questions ask away.I ask all the time and subtle variations on the same question.The responses have been helpful and non judgemental. My experience of my surgery inJuly has been woeful, consisting of you are T2, here is a prescription for Metformin, eat more pork and shell fish and don't bother to test your BG.Bye, come back in Feb 2019 for a review... I am still waiting to hear about the Desmond course, had 2 nag for the eye screening. I purchased my own testing stuff and kept a food  diary. I don't test so much as I know what works.  My BGLso are low and I learnt all of this from the forum. So ask away!


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## Drummer (Nov 14, 2018)

I used to make my own bread all the time, and have tried adding in lots of low carb things to try to lower the carb content. To my normal bread recipe I added rye flour, psyllium husk powder coconut flour almond flour and baking powder - I also added milled seeds - the 'super seed mix' from Lidl - which you might chose to avoid, though it is quite a fine chopping up of some useful seeds.
I still use yeast, mix everything together and knead, then put into the tins and leave to rise for an hour before baking - the baking powder lightens the mixture as the flour is too adulterated to hold up all the fibre - I hope to get some wheat gluten one day and try adding that.  
I make small loaves and put them in the freezer. For something which is fairly low carb it isn't bad, and it is rather cheaper than buying 'healthy' bread.


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## DougC (Nov 15, 2018)

Sharron1 said:


> HI,
> 
> Don't worry about the questions ask away.I ask all the time and subtle variations on the same question.The responses have been helpful and non judgemental. My experience of my surgery inJuly has been woeful, consisting of you are T2, here is a prescription for Metformin, eat more pork and shell fish and don't bother to test your BG.Bye, come back in Feb 2019 for a review... I am still waiting to hear about the Desmond course, had 2 nag for the eye screening. I purchased my own testing stuff and kept a food  diary. I don't test so much as I know what works.  My BGLso are low and I learnt all of this from the forum. So ask away!



Hi, Thanks for that. Sounds like me, GP, you are boderrline T2, adjust lifestyle, er that was it! Having found this site and the internet is very helpful. Should not be the way really, Will keep chasing up at GP.


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## DougC (Nov 15, 2018)

Drummer said:


> I used to make my own bread all the time, and have tried adding in lots of low carb things to try to lower the carb content. To my normal bread recipe I added rye flour, psyllium husk powder coconut flour almond flour and baking powder - I also added milled seeds - the 'super seed mix' from Lidl - which you might chose to avoid, though it is quite a fine chopping up of some useful seeds.
> I still use yeast, mix everything together and knead, then put into the tins and leave to rise for an hour before baking - the baking powder lightens the mixture as the flour is too adulterated to hold up all the fibre - I hope to get some wheat gluten one day and try adding that.
> I make small loaves and put them in the freezer. For something which is fairly low carb it isn't bad, and it is rather cheaper than buying 'healthy' bread.



HI,
Cheers for this. Bought the Panasonic bread maker before told T2 ! It works great, on look out for lower  carb recipes that work in it! May try to experiment with almond flour, The wholemeal,rye,spelt I use at 80/10/10 percent. Lots of fibre, which I need and great taste, It is of course the carbs that are bit high


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## SB2015 (Nov 16, 2018)

DougC said:


> Can't get another for 3 months, hoped to check how I was doing, as next doc appointment is a month after last test.



Hi Doug

As the lab test (HbA1c) measures an average over the past three months, they often want you to wait another three months before the next one.  The best way to see how you are diong in between is to use a blood glucose test kit.  As you say it is the consumables that are the expense (they almost give the test kits away in order to get you using theirs and their test strips). As  you will need to self fund this the SD Codefree meters have the cheapest strips and are as reliable as others.  

With regular testing you can start to see patterns within the day, across the week, and in response to specific food items and amounts.  You mention that you don’t have access to help as yet, since you are prediabetic.  There is a lot of info on here and you may find it helpful to look at   Test,Review, Adjust by Alan S 
Also, because if you have to self-fund you want to make those test strips count:  Testing on a budget

I hope these are of some help


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## DougC (Nov 19, 2018)

SB2015 said:


> Hi Doug
> 
> As the lab test (HbA1c) measures an average over the past three months, they often want you to wait another three months before the next one.  The best way to see how you are diong in between is to use a blood glucose test kit.  As you say it is the consumables that are the expense (they almost give the test kits away in order to get you using theirs and their test strips). As  you will need to self fund this the SD Codefree meters have the cheapest strips and are as reliable as others.
> 
> ...



Hi
Thanks, all useful to know. The SD codefree and strips is this from Amazon, nearly everything these days is! Just wondered if can get this elsewhere. Some where in Newcastle would be great! Saves waiting pd post thats all.
Thanks again


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## Ljc (Nov 19, 2018)

Hi. Yes from Amazon  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Codefree-G...fm-21&linkId=f39210144fdc26c27738e45b6d957003
You’ll need to buy more test strips their is 50 in a pot and a box of lancets, though it’s not recommended someof us economise on lancets

The Codefree is only available online.


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