Different Dietary Needs in One House

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Okay so I have elevated cholesterol levels and my mom has diabetes. My blood sugar is better than fine and her cholesterol is normal. I'm mostly in charge of the food at the house, and it's been hard trying to balance both of our dietary needs. Do ya'll have any advice to make it easier?

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  • sbjmorgan
    sbjmorgan Posts: 158 Member
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    I have fifty billion food allergies. I make a lot of meals where things can be subbed/switched. Ex: I have a dairy allergy. I buy all the things for tacos that my family likes, leave off the dairy and add sauces. If someone was doing low carb in my house, they could use low carb tortillas, corn tortillas or lettuce wraps, etc.
  • rides4sanity
    rides4sanity Posts: 1,269 Member
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    These two things can work well together. Rely on lean proteins and fresh veggies... You can make 2 different sides if you feel you need to, just serve them for 2 days... You both get a little something of what you want and don't cook anymore than normal because you have leftovers for the next day. Good luck!

    One of my favorite easy, easy recipes that fit both needs sized for 2 people...

    2 -3 Carrots - I slice mine on a bias because they are prettier.
    1 bunch of asparagus - break off bottoms cut into 1 - 1.5 inch pieces.
    1 container of snap peas - as is...
    1/2 bag (~25-30) medium peeled/ deveined/ cooked shrimp, thawed and drained.
    2T of Creole seasoning
    1/4t red pepper
    Pam cooking spray...

    With medium/high heat, heat skillet. Spray hot skillet with Pam. Add carrots. Cook stirring occasionally for 3-5 minutes. Add peas in pods. Cook another 3-5 minutes. Pour in shrimp and asparagus. Add seasoning and 1/4 cup of water. Cover let steam for 5 minutes. Stir and serve...

    Now if you really want to you can serve it over rice, but I eat mine as is...
  • RockstarWilson
    RockstarWilson Posts: 836 Member
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    Go Keto!

    Ketogenic Diet will help both you AND your mother, and you can have the exact same things.

    http://authoritynutrition.com/10-benefits-of-low-carb-ketogenic-diets/

    (the blue numbers are the sources, so if you have any questions, they have answers.)

    The Ketogenic Diet is one that has many, many health benefits, and it will knock out your LDL Cholesterol Problem, raise your HDL, and help your mother maintain her diabetes, or even one day, be rid of it!

    I am on the ketogenic diet, and I love it. I am more active and can go farther than i ever have. It is pretty awesome. it is not for everyone, but it would be a great answer for you two. Email me if you want more details. I am no expert on it, but science is leaning in favor of this diet. If you are looking for answers, I can shed some light on a solution.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
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    Go lowish carb and lowish sugar because
    1. she needs your support right now
    2. it is very good for you too

    The best way to get the cholesterol down is through weight loss.
  • AmeWriter
    AmeWriter Posts: 3 Member
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    My body has always reacted negatively to every ketogenic diet that I've ever tried. They've done wonders for others I know, but my body just can't handle to amount of meat proteins that most of the diets suggest. I've gone on a primarily vegetarian diet with limited meat consumption and more complex carbs - tons of fruits and veggies. It took a lot of experimenting while I was living alone to figure out what worked for my body, but now I'm having to find the balance of my needs with my mother's needs since I've moved back home. The ketogenic diet would probably be great for her though so I'll talk to her about trying to make it work.

    My LDL was slightly elevated at a check-up after losing 80 pounds. The fact that it had gone up after losing weight was what concerned my doctors, but it was just a slight elevation so they didn't suggest meds unless it continued to go up. My HDL was very high - probably due to all the freaking avocado and coconut I consume - and triglycerides were normal. My dietary needs at this point are mostly preventative. Hopefully that increase was just a temporary fluke, and I'll drop points as I continue to lose weight.

    Mom is my main concern right now.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
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    What specifically are you concerned about in your mom's diet?
  • AmeWriter
    AmeWriter Posts: 3 Member
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    I've just never had any experience preparing meals for someone with diabetes so I'm a little lost. My mom isn't on insulin yet, and that has led the rest of our family to not take her condition as seriously. They provide a lot of temptation. I just need to figure out what she really needs and how to prep so she's not as tempted by the goodies our well-meaning family creates. Some nutritional classes she attended for diabetics gave me some insight, but it also left me more confused because some of the items I thought were "healthy" for diabetics were put on limited or no-touch lists. I think that I ultimately just need to learn more about the disease. I just don't know where to begin.

    P.S. Her weight is fairly normal so it's not really an issue of losing weight.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
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    Limit bread, pasta, pizza, white potatoes, rice, corn
    Eat this: eggs, dairy, meats, nuts, fish, beans, chick peas, lentils, peas,
    Eat this: fats and oils like butter, olive oil,
    Eat lots of this: spinach, kale, romaine, collards, swiss chard, mushrooms, celery and tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, okra, sumer squash, winter squash, zucchini, sweet potatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, green beans, garlic, onions,

    Here are some recipes:
    http://authoritynutrition.com/7-healthy-low-carb-meals/
  • ParkerH47
    ParkerH47 Posts: 463 Member
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    do them both at the same time :) Just because one of you doesn't have diabetes and the other doesn't have high cholesterol, doesn't mean you shouldn't work to prevent them before you get them :)

    But if you would like to do it your way, make things that are easy to add stuff to some bowls but not others. like whole wheat pasta - for diabetes maybe more protein and veg than pasta and for cholesterol - olive oil instead of butter or tomato sauce instead of cream sauce. same goes for stir fry's, tacos, sandwiches etc
  • RockstarWilson
    RockstarWilson Posts: 836 Member
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    My body has always reacted negatively to every ketogenic diet that I've ever tried. They've done wonders for others I know, but my body just can't handle to amount of meat proteins that most of the diets suggest. I've gone on a primarily vegetarian diet with limited meat consumption and more complex carbs - tons of fruits and veggies. It took a lot of experimenting while I was living alone to figure out what worked for my body, but now I'm having to find the balance of my needs with my mother's needs since I've moved back home. The ketogenic diet would probably be great for her though so I'll talk to her about trying to make it work.

    My LDL was slightly elevated at a check-up after losing 80 pounds. The fact that it had gone up after losing weight was what concerned my doctors, but it was just a slight elevation so they didn't suggest meds unless it continued to go up. My HDL was very high - probably due to all the freaking avocado and coconut I consume - and triglycerides were normal. My dietary needs at this point are mostly preventative. Hopefully that increase was just a temporary fluke, and I'll drop points as I continue to lose weight.

    Mom is my main concern right now.

    The Ketogenic diet would be ideal for her. It allows one to forego some temptations for others. I can tell you that, while it is convenient to get protein from meat sources, it is not nearly required. I am a meat eater, and I love bacon, so I eat bacon and ground beef pretty regularly. But that is not the only place to get them.

    Eggs provide a GREAT source of protein, vitamins, and fat. Zero carbs in eggs. You can have whey protein shakes with some Unsweetened Almondmilk, and the only carbs will come from the powder. Cheese can go on just about everything, and it is an excellent source of both fat and protein. A good portion of the carbs you are recommended to eat come from greens such as lettuce, spinach, kale, etc. Salted butter and kale in a frying pan are just mmmmm that is one of my favorite dishes. I eat cheese chopped straight off the block. The proportions are ideal. With the greens, you can make salads, and there are a lot of fatty dressing you can use, and then sprinkle some seeds/nuts as a topping. My average salad is about 500-700 calories, depending on how much cheese or sunflower kernels I add in. But be careful of dressings....check the ingredients, because too many companies nowadays use HFCS. There are plenty of non-animal sources of protein, but you would have to ask the edible-flora community about that one. The furthest I travel in that department is what I listed....and avocados. I love avocados.

    Ketogenic diets have a lot of saturated fats, but they work hand in hand with it. Blood pressure goes down, and studies are finding that a diet that has a good amount of saturated fats reduce the indicators of risk of heart disease (I don't know about genetic risk, but I can give sources for the former).

    May I ask how long you were on those ketogenic diets you speak of? It takes most people about a week or two to adjust, both muscularly and gastrointestinally, as the body switched from searching for glycogen to processing the fat and turning the cells into ketones; it is normal to feel discomfort or sick when starting out. Some people will experience this harsher than others. But how long were you strictly on the diet (with no cheats---those can create disaster for the diet process, and ultimately create failure)?

    As for your mom, this diet has been touted by medical professionals to pretty much eliminate diabetes, if it is followed to a T, along with a TON of peripheral medical benefits. She can measure ketones (what the fat cells turn into to be used for energy) right along with her blood sugar, on the same meter! (https://storefront.novacares.com/storefront/specials.html)
  • RockstarWilson
    RockstarWilson Posts: 836 Member
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    I don't know enough about diabetes to really recommend any in-depth stuff. The stuff I am talking about are really generic descriptions. Is she hyperglycemic (spikes too high) or hypoglycemic (slides too low)? I think the diet might help best for hyperglycemics, using the logic that you will be taking in less sugars, but it might not help the latter. I don't know. I can tell you, that you should do a lot of independent research on that topic, though. Mayo Clinic may be able to help most....as they are the most knowledgable when it comes to these issues, in my opinon. Most doctors, though, do not recommend ketogenic diets, as it defies conventional wisdom.
  • chadya07
    chadya07 Posts: 627 Member
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    everyone loves to push keto but for me it was the most miserable diet ever...

    my question is, does SHE want to change her diet? you cant put your mom on a diet. if you cook you can cook for both of you in a low cholesterol low sugar/carb way. but you cant change her if she doesnt want to.

    honestly i dont see why it has to be two different issues. everyone can benefit from low cholesterol, whether they have a problem or not so really its only you who doesnt need the diabetic recipes but i am sure they would be good for you too and you can always eat what you want for snacks and such.
  • kellyskitties
    kellyskitties Posts: 475 Member
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    keto can help hypo and hyperglycemia - especially if the hypo is reactive hypoglycemia.

    Keto is often beneficial for cholesterol issues also (we get high cholesterol from manufacturing it from carbohydrates OR from eating it in our diets - most of us are better at one method or the other. Those that make it really efficiently benefit from low carb).

    I would suggest perhaps South Beach or start Atkins in the middle - not at induction level - there's no law that says you MUST start at induction.

    South Beach - starting in the middle - might better fit your vegetarian preferences. And as others said - don't limit yourself thinking your proteins on these diets must be crazy high and must be from meat. All I know that Atkins counts is carbs - not protein. The basis should be low carb veggies/fruits. I know that aligns with you well.
  • RockstarWilson
    RockstarWilson Posts: 836 Member
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    keto measures all the carbs except fiber. you can eat all the fiber you want, and can even make that your entire carb count, if possible. If you have 100g carbs in a day, but half of that was due to fiber, then you only ate 50g of carbs that matter (which were from sugar or starch sources).

    Fat and protein are pretty variable....you can eat anything between 60-85% fat, with a minimum of 10% protein (as a percentage of total calories, not mass) and still maintain ketosis and muscle mass. On a 2000C per day diet, that is just 50g protein, which amounts to about 8-10 oz meat. Anyone can eat that in one meal. But here is the kicker: most fat sources already have protein in it! Easy as pie to make your quota each day. In 4 weeks doing this, I find it so hard to miss!

    Oh, and I did notice: on this diet, I have no gas!!! It is pretty cool. Who doesn't want less gas?
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
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    OP, if you are the cook in the house then you are indeed SOMEWHAT responsible for your mother's food.

    Full blown diabetes could be devastating/ life changing to you and your mother and the rest of the family.
    It is good to start learning how to cook lowish carb/ low sweets now.
    Cooking this way is not hard. It takes a some searches on line, a call to the doctor's office for clarification on his doctor-speak in case he has something useful, and a few cookbooks for diabetes.
    Many people on MFP are cooking exactly that way.

    =====

    Keto is good but it might be confusing right now.
  • Camo_xxx
    Camo_xxx Posts: 1,112 Member
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    but my body just can't handle to amount of meat proteins that most of the diets suggest.
    .

    How many grams of protein do you consume per day now ? What is your main source of protien ?