Diabetic Type 2 and high blood pressure

Has your doctor given you materials or referred you to a class to learn how to manage your diabetes? You seem a little overwhelmed. Walking and losing weight will definitely help your blood sugar and blood pressure but I'm hoping you are also taking medication/insulin until you get this under control.

You can buy Splenda in a large bag for baking and places like Sam's Club have a good deal on it.

My husband has both Type 2 and high BP and has recently really turned his health around through diet and exercise. We don't really do special recipes though. He just takes his medication and by losing weight and walking he's been able to cut back on both insulin and BP meds.

I really hope you are able to get some guidance from your doctor. It can be a lot to take in at first, learning how much medication to take and what foods to limit.

@tanyanelson922 You need sit down face-to-face with a registered dietitian. You need more information to go on than what they've sent you out the door with. Trying to make too many changes all at one time is difficult. With your feet and legs swelling start out easy. Simply walk out your front door and keep going until you need to turn around and head back home.

Doing big things and making big changes in the name of weight loss right out of the chute can backfire. Gentle changes can be just as effective and you'll have a much better chance at getting there and staying there.

tanyanelson922 wrote: »

I have a scheduled appointment with dietician at the end of the month. I am not on insulin only medication so far so good. Getting to the gym is the problem, motivation. But once there 1/2 hour on treadmill is fine, I did it no problem my pulse was 144 and was at 2.1 on the tread mill. I am going to try cosco to see if diet sugar there for baking. Not a member at Sams club. I am trying to avoid any regular sugar, think that is wise. I can see about using wheat flour instead of flour for baking? Might not taste as well but be healthier for you.

While you can use artificial sweeteners for baking, if you are looking to lose weight and improve your health it may be best to avoid these as well since they are just as sweet as sugar and can trigger cravings which leads to eating more. There are no caloric differences between whole wheat flour and white flour, however the nutrients profile may be better with the whole wheat.

tanyanelson922 wrote: »

I have a scheduled appointment with dietician at the end of the month. I am not on insulin only medication so far so good. Getting to the gym is the problem, motivation. But once there 1/2 hour on treadmill is fine, I did it no problem my pulse was 144 and was at 2.1 on the tread mill.

I am going to try cosco to see if diet sugar there for baking. Not a member at Sams club. I am trying to avoid any regular sugar, think that is wise. I can see about using wheat flour instead of flour for baking? Might not taste as well but be healthier for you.

I rarely have motivation so what I focus on is the discipline to create habits. For example, I've made a habit of exercising at lunch time so I don't really need to think about it - I just do it. And on the rare occasions I get stuck at work at lunch I get anxious and so extract myself and go exercise.

Like you, once I start, I'm fine

I grew up on whole wheat flour. In fact, my mother and grandfather bought wheat berries in 25 or 50 pound sacks and ground the wheat by hand.

These days, I just keep a little on hand so I can add it to certain baked goods and tell my mom, yes, there is WW flour in that.

For me, what is healthiest is limiting baked goods and eating more fruit. Fruit also has way less calories than baked goods. Since you are T2, do discuss with your dietitian.

kshama2001 wrote: »

tanyanelson922 wrote: »

I have a scheduled appointment with dietician at the end of the month. I am not on insulin only medication so far so good. Getting to the gym is the problem, motivation. But once there 1/2 hour on treadmill is fine, I did it no problem my pulse was 144 and was at 2.1 on the tread mill.

I am going to try cosco to see if diet sugar there for baking. Not a member at Sams club. I am trying to avoid any regular sugar, think that is wise. I can see about using wheat flour instead of flour for baking? Might not taste as well but be healthier for you.

I rarely have motivation so what I focus on is the discipline to create habits. For example, I've made a habit of exercising at lunch time so I don't really need to think about it - I just do it. And on the rare occasions I get stuck at work at lunch I get anxious and so extract myself and go exercise.

Like you, once I start, I'm fine

I grew up on whole wheat flour. In fact, my mother and grandfather bought wheat berries in 25 or 50 pound sacks and ground the wheat by hand.

These days, I just keep a little on hand so I can add it to certain baked goods and tell my mom, yes, there is WW flour in that.

For me, what is healthiest is limiting baked goods and eating more fruit. Fruit also has way less calories than baked goods. Since you are T2, do discuss with your dietitian.

Limiting baked good is really a must in your situation. They are high sugar and a highly palatable combination of carbs and fats that are totally counterproductive to what you need to do to improve your health.

Your blood sugar should be up after candy, sugar, and fruit juice! I was usually told to drink juice. I was in the hospital and crashed and was given a turkey sandwich. You should let your doctor know you're going that low. Also, there's glucose tablets you can take.

I was diagnosed summer before last at the ER, my feet were so swollen I couldn't get shoes on and I needed insulin to get my blood sugar down. I'd been losing weight but am down 70lbs since diagnosed and no longer on medication. I'm 48 too. My insurance didn't cover a dietitian or counselor so I did a lot of research, plus have family members who are diabetic. My last A1C was 4.5, fasting blood sugar was 67 this morning.

You already have a lot of good advice, I'll try to answer questions. Two sweeteners I like are monkfruit which you can get at Costco called Lakanto in an orange bag or stevia. Monkfruit doesn't dissolve in cold drinks. You'll want to look into low carb meals like non-starchy vegetables and protein. Fats are ok too though I don't eat many. Easy ways to make are roasted vegetables, sheet pan meals, and stir fry. Check out keto/low carb info for recipes, diet, and alternatives to things like breads and sweets. As for exercise, I'd start walking after dinner or on a cardio machine at the gym. Weights are great too! I do weights 3xs a week and cardio every day. To get to the gym or working out I remind myself that I could easily end up back on medication! I was also bedridden from chronic pain so just being able to be mobile is a huge blessing. I think your appointment with a dietitian will help make things less overwhelming. Hang in there, you got this!

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banshee925 wrote: »

Don’t eat food you don’t like and citrus fruits and bananas are high in natural sugars, try berries and nuts instead

They also contain fiber, electrolytes and phytonutrients. They would certainly be a better option than candy, cookies and juice when trying to improve blood sugar.

tanyanelson922 wrote: »

Grapefruit I have read bring down high blood sugar and high blood pressure naturally. Very good fruit. Maybe we read from different places. That is why if you eat grapefruit and are on medicine could overdose.

There is not one special food you can eat that is going to help you. Anything you're reading or hearing to the contrary is not a good source of information. What's most important right now, today is what you don't eat--don't eat too many calories and don't eat more carbohydrate than you can tolerate.

Increasing your activity and losing weight are the big picture goals you want to be striving for. Best wishes.