Hello! Need help with sugar and Type 2 Diabetes

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ilemanda
ilemanda Posts: 4
in Introduce Yourself
Hello! I am back to using Myfitnesspal, trying to keep my Type 2 diabetes under control while losing weight. I am a bit concerned about the sugar in my diet. So far today, I am over my sugar goal, but the main sources of sugar are things like fresh pineapple, fat free milk, and greek yogurt. How do I balance these sugars? Are these "bad sugars"? I know eating fruit and yogurt is recommended, so I am a bit confused about the impact on my diet. Any help out there trying to sort this out?

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  • Lalasharni
    Lalasharni Posts: 353 Member
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    My husband is a type 2, but is also insulin dependant.
    The main thing you need to understand is this - some sugars are less likely to spike your blood glucose. If you want to eat sweet fruit, make sure that your meal before you eat it is high in fibre. That way your absorption will be slower.
    Your milk and yogurt are fine. Dont confuse Lactose sugars and fructose sugars with SUCROSE. Have a look on the web for a Glycaemic index chart - i.e. the speed at which sugars are metabolised by the body and learn to combine.
    My husband has great food, desserts and treats which dont do his diabetes any harm. Add me as a friend if you like and I will share recipes with you - like our favourite - sweet and sour chicken a la diabetic!!
    Education is the key. Once you know, its easy.
    Lots of love
    Lal
  • annwyatt69
    annwyatt69 Posts: 727 Member
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    My 23 year old son is type 2 and I am type I and the sugar that you are consuming is not bad for you. I believe that MFP sets an unrealistic goal for sugar. Basically, as a type 2, my son focuses most on keeping the carbs lower--by that I mean limiting rice and white potatoes and things with a high glycemic index, as these raise the blood sugars quicker--and making sure he gets the exercise in and keeps his weight at the mid to low end of the normal range. I would worry more about high fructose corn syrup or sucrose, but not so much the fructose you are getting from fruit, or the lactose in the milk. On that note, though, make your milk skim to keep the fat down and use the nonfat lite greek yogurts, not the full fat ones that have sugary fruit added. Also, make sure you speak with your doctor or dietitian to make sure that you are following the nutrition program that they have set for you.
  • doherty1977
    doherty1977 Posts: 13 Member
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    Hello :) I also have Type 2 Diabetes. I'm currently on Metformin and take insulin (only at night). The biggest thing is your carb counting. Stick to what your doctor tells you to stick to!!! For example, my meals are to be between 45-60 carbs each. In order to lose weight they said try to stick toward the 45. Each person is different though, so I can't say it enough, stick to what your doc says :) Good luck with everything.
  • ilemanda
    ilemanda Posts: 4
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    Thank you for your response and all the great information! I will be adding you as a friend (when I find out how to do that LOL). I would love to try some of your recipes!
  • ilemanda
    ilemanda Posts: 4
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    Ann: Thanks for your response! I am slowly learning about glycemic index and all that good stuff. Unfortunately, my meeting with a nutritionist did not go good. She gave me a cookie-cutter meal plan that has no relevance to my lifestyle and cultural background. But I am determined to learn more! Good luck to you and your son!
  • ilemanda
    ilemanda Posts: 4
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    Hi, Doherty! Thanks for your response. I am also sticking to the 45 carbs per meal in order to lose weight. I am learning a lot and I am making changes which I hope will have a positive impact on my diet and health in general. Good luck to you too!
  • bdubya55
    bdubya55 Posts: 506 Member
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    Hi Ilemanda,

    I'm a T2 diabetic diagnosed in 1982, complication free for 30+ years. below are some of my thoughts I hope you'll find useful.

    The My Fitness Pal program is a wonderful tool, it’s not only helped me adopt healthier nutrition habits, but it’s also helped me dramatically improve my blood sugar control and diabetes management by learning how to count carbs and honestly logging everything I eat and sticking to it.

    As you may know, one of the first and paramount defenses in lowering blood sugars is using your glucose meter to monitor the effects of the food choices you make on your blood sugars. By testing before meals and again 2 hours after meals, you will quickly learn what effect if any, those choices had on your blood sugars. The general consensus is to shoot for a test result in the range of 120 to 140 2 hours after meal-times however, you should seek out target ranges to aim for as recommended by your healthcare provider.

    Diabetes is a very individualistic condition and what works for me in controlling my blood sugars may or may not work for you or the next person. Your glucose meter is going to be your best friend, and it’ll help you make healthier food choices needed for good blood sugar control. We're all different in how we choose to control our condition but, you might aim for 40-45 grams of carbs per meal, limiting yourself to one to two snacks a day at 15 grams of carbs each to find out how this works out for you.

    www.calorieking.com ( A great site for calorie and carb counting)

    www.bloodsugar101.com

    www.diabetesdaily.com

    www.diabetes.co.uk

    www.diabetesselfmanagement.com

    The above ^^^ links are packed with invaluable information designed to answer your questions about successful diabetes management practices.

    If you're interested, there is a very supportive, encouraging and knowledgeable group of other T2's at the MFP T2 support group. Have a look around the various threads and ask questions when you feel comfy.

    I wish you success and good health!
  • casualzen
    casualzen Posts: 12 Member
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    The real problem isn't sugar: it's carb-rich foods and *refined* sugars that cause problems for T2 diabetics. That's why you'll find measurable differences in your blood glucose tests between a diet that's loaded with, say, white rice, potatoes and breads, versus one that's protein rich and stingy on the carbs. As for fresh fruits, not everyone metabolizes them in the same way, and this is why pre-meal and post-meal BG tests are important. So experiment a little. For example, I've found that fresh pineapple at breakfast--while amazingly delicious--tends to give me somewhat higher readings than blueberries, raspberries and peaches. So I opt for more of the latter and use pineapple sparingly.
  • SymphonyTea
    SymphonyTea Posts: 62
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    I have a family member that is a type 2 diabetic & there's several books that I'd recommend you read but at the top of the list is Wheat Belly more info can be found at http://books.google.com/books?id=EflWMAEACAAJ&dq=wheat+belly&hl=en&sa=X&ei=icz9UeqXHeSGyQGgq4GADA&ved=0CEgQ6AEwAA This book is not only for diabetics, it's for everyone that's ready to, pretty much, do a 360 w/ their eating habits; if only I'd read this book 15 yrs ago... Feel free to friend me for diabetes friendly recipes & motivation (I'm in this for the long haul & will be Rockin' off the rolls.)

    Cheerz
  • EHAMum
    EHAMum Posts: 8 Member
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    Hi there,
    I don't have type 2 but have had gestational diabetes 3 times and my sister is type 2.
    My sister has lost a ton of weight since being diagnosed a year ago. She found through monitoring her blood sugar levels very closely that she cannot tolerate much carbohydrate at all.

    I don't know how much sugars my sister eats. I think it is very small. I was at her house yesterday and she ate meatloaf for lunch. So that's ground meat, vegetables.

    To give you some advice, I found with my gestational diabetes that I had to eat some protein food at the same time as a carb food. I found this by experimenting and testing the sugar level of my blood.

    For example, if you want to eat some bread, don't eat a lot of bread and put cheese or egg or meat plus lots of salad on it.
    I would avoid pasta meals because it is carbohydrate based and you won't be able to eat enough to feel full while keeping your carb intake under control.

    I found rice to be dreadful - even a tiny amount gave very high blood sugar.

    What a pity that the dietician wasn't helpful. Where I live there are diabetic nurses and diabetic dieticians. I found them fairly helpful, but other than getting information about locating carbohydrates in food, you need to find out how your body (individually) responds by experimenting and using your blood control monitor.

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