A Diabetes Question........

Hi,
I am 28 and was also just recently diagnosed with Diabetes. The best thing to do is see a nutritionist. I tried finding websites or somewhere I could plug in my info and get a meal plan but I couldnt find anywhere. The nutrionist actually sets the amount of calories he should eat and gives you a whole chart of what that would equal in food. Because we dont count calories we count sugar intake. And he doesnt need to cut out all sweets either. He has to eat everything in moderation. But whole grains and less sweets would be great. Also more exercise is good. The will power is difficult somedays. It has affected my whole family as I am the primary cook. But my husband has been very supportive as it sounds like you are! that is so great! good luck!!

Here are two great website that you might find useful.
www.diabetes.org and www.diabetes.heathprofessor.com

T.

Hi K.,

There truly is not a "set" amount of carbs per se that your husband should have rather there is a percentage of total calories that should come from carbs to be a well balanced and nutritionally sound food plan and that number would be based on his individual nutritional (caloric) needs...once that is determined, then there are guidelines for the amount of carbs per meal or snack that a person should stick with to keep blood sugars level thru out the day. That again is based on individual lifestyle (activity) and energy expenditure.

Diabetic meal plans should include whole foods like lower glycemic complex carbs such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, in a proper balance with lean protein ((i.e. chicken fish, lentils, beans, lowfat dairy, soy)and healthy fats (i.e. nuts, oils, etc)...if this sounds familiar, it's because EVERYONE should be doing this very same thing!

As a type 1 diabetic myself (30 years) living healthy and well and enjoying great blood sugar control as well as a Nutritionsit and diabetes educator, I would tell you that the very best investment you could possibly make in his health & well being is in diabetes nutrition education. There is much to learn but it can be accomplished and it is truly invaluable! This type of "diet" can and should be followed by all people (family memebers, too) so he won't need to be eating any differently than anyone else! He will just need to be more aware of what and how he is eating...

I specialize in diabetic nutrition so if you would like further help, please see my lisiting here for more info(GCS Nutrition, LLC).

Fear not! This diagnosis is not a negative thing...it's a golden opportunity...your husband has been given the opportunity to focus on taking the very best possible care of his health (which most people don't do!)and he has every chance to live an extraordinary life with diabetes!

Happy New year & best wishes!

G. S

My husband was diagnosed not too long ago as well. He had to go see the nutritionist and the diabetes nurse. They gave him his blood glucose monitor and gave him some ideas about how and what to eat. That is really what he should do first.

My husband has discovered over time what makes his blood sugar rise - rice, wheat, pasta, and grapes. He doesn't eat any meat from animals that walk on 4 legs. This leaves chicken and fish. He eats a lot of salad with chicken or tuna. Sometimes he will throw a little lean ham on there as well. He eats very little cheese - mostly shredded mozzarella. We eat the soft tacos made with ground turkey because those wraps don't make his blood sugar go up like the hard corn based ones. He eats almonds for snacks - peanuts are okay, too, but he can't eat as many...

The list goes on.
Basically, he has to figure out what it is that makes him spike. This is HIS job, not yours. You may do the cooking, but you can't be his monitor all day. He needs to be involved in the meal planning.

I would definitely recommend going to the nutritionist with him so that you know what he can and can't eat.
YMMV
LBC

Hi K.. First, your husband really should get with an endocrinologist. I'm not sure if he has just been seeing his regular doctor or what, but an endocrinologist will be able to tell him exactly what to do and when to do it. I had gestational diabetes and I saw Dr. Castelucci at St Mary's hospital. He is amazing, totally brilliant. I highly recommend him. As for diet, he really needs to watch his carbs and sugars. When I had gestational diabetes I was on a very strict 6 meal diet every day. In the morning, no juice, no milk, no bagels, no fruit. You don't want his sugar to spike after "fasting" all night. He needs to eat a high protein breakfast with only half a serving of carbs (around 12-15 grams). I would often eat an egg and cheese sandwich. During a mid morning and a mid afternoon snack he should eat 1 serving of carb (around 30 grams). Lunch and dinner, he can have 2 servings of carbs. Eat lots of veggies and lots of lean protein (fish, chicken, lean beef).

My father is also diabetic, and this is very similar to the diet he follows. However, first step is to get in with a good doctor, because I don't know your husband's exact case. It also makes a difference if he is insulin, medication or diet dependent.

Good luck, hope it helped.

The best thing you can do is schedule an appointment with a nutritionist. If your doctor's office doesn't have one ask for a recommendation. If they can't help you then call your local hospital. I was diagnoised in March and the first thing my doctor had me do was see a nutritionist. It is a shame that your doctor didn't help with more information. Once you learn how many carbs per day or meal and any other numbers probably fats if you are trying to loose weight, etc. check your bookstore for ideas for meals, there are tons of books with diabetic menus. The one book that you can't live without is The Diabetes Charbohydrate and Fat Gram Guide. It is a great resource for finding portion sizes and how many grams of carbs etc. It even gives information on resturants and can help to make the best choices when you are eating out. It takes planning and a little work to start but once you get going it becomes second nature. Best of luck!!

K.:

It's important to know what type of diabetes he has - does he need insulin daily? Can it be controlled by diet alone? His doctor should have referred him (and you) to a nutritionist, given him a blood glucose monitor and had the both of you in the office to talk about his care.

I would call the Dr.'s office back and tell them that this isn't just another case and tell them that you need a referral to a nutritionist and to find out what you need to do to keep your husband healthy.

This will be a learning curve issue - I don't think you need a scale, as for almost all diabetics, it's not about the weight of the food, but how their individual bodies process the carbohydrates.

In planning meals - it all depends on how his body handles sugars and carbs. While many diabetics can eat a baked potato, french fries, mashed potatoes, etc (all pure carb and when broke down is pure sugar) some can't. My father can eat corn. My grandmother cannot. Veggies like peas and corn turn to pure sugar/carb when digested and it will be a matter of seeing how his body digests these foods.

I can tell you that drinking plenty of water and exercise is EXTREMELY important in diabetic maintenance. This might be a great time for you and your husband to start a work out routine, like walking around the block after dinner or something like that.

Oh yeah - bread - that's another carb thing. Go for the more healthier bread. Ensure that if you are out shopping, etc. that you have crackers or some other easily accessed food - my dad's blood sugar drops really fast sometimes and he'll start slurring his words (he won't recognize it) and my mom gives him the cheese and peanut butter crackers. Orange juice is a great way to raise blood sugar as well.

I am not diabetic - I am hypoglycemic - but I still need to watch my intake and know my body. I get headaches and then turn in to a raving witch when my blood sugar drops fast.

Know that you are not alone and things will be fine. It will be a learning curve and learning how his body processes foods.

Take care and God Bless.

Cheryl

I am also one of those that is just checking emails, my hubby also has diabetes and we have known for two years about it, the same thing happened to us, we told his diagnosis handed some insulin and needles and basically we went from there. Well now we are playing catch up since his blood sugars have been really high. We went to a place called the Joslin Diabets Center in Glen Burnie, they are a part of Baltimore Washington Medical Center, they were great. They offer classes and individual counseling. They have a website www.joslindiabetescenter.com, and actually I just noticed they have a few locations in MD.
Also try www.diabetescontrolforlife.com they have lots of info too.

Call the dr. office and have them refer you to a nutritionist they can help with specific diet planning for your husband. Also, if he is told he needs to lose weight. Weight Watchers is based on a diabetic diet.

Hello,

there is a site, i will try to locate it for you also my friend at work has diabetes and she is always eating sugar free food, snack and drinks. she also exercise by walking she uses her treadmill a lot and now she has to have her meds redone because her sugar is down real low. Also you can go to your local library and there should be books on that subject. i will get back to youA: my email address is ____@____.com. i will speak to my friend on any advice. Good luck b ecause i know that you two can do it

He must be managing by diet I assume.
If not the insulin takes the place of what his pancres would do.
There are certains things missing in his body since he has become diabetic...ie he is low in magniseum, if you give him mag oxide, you can only absorb about 4% of that type of mag. Magniseum citrate or oil or gel which you can find online is best. Citrate can be bought at the Health Food Center off of Indian river rd next to Kempsville. I recommend Lipoic acid 200mg to 400mg daily too. This info you will not find at the most Dr, offices either.
Check out the Healing Rooms of Tidewater where many are getting healed to just by simple prayer!http://www.healingrooms.info/
Not quite the answer you were looking for but thought it might be helpful!!

I would try to set up another appointment with your husband's doctor to just discuss what you mentioned above. some doctors will offer dietary classes, ect...for their patients as well, maybe your physician is one of those that do. If not, the local hospitals offer classes on different topics that include: cooking, excersise, information for the family ect...check with the local hospitals as well. Also, you can contact the American Diabetes Association directly as well. The main office in Hampton Roads is in Chesapeake off of Battlefield Blvd or maybe it is Greenbrier Parkway. Their number should be in the phone book or if you get on line and just type in ADA or American Diabetes Association you will be able to find their main/official site and there will be a link on the site to find your local office.
good luck!

I started the first diabetes website on yahoo, back in 1998. It is now over 3000 people and has good moderators and friendly members who will answer your questions or you can check the archives for ready answers to your questions. We ALL have questions. That's why I started the list.
____@____.com

Grandma N.

I am a little behind checking emails, but I thought I could help, so here goes. My husband was diagnosed at 40, and it has taken us 2 1/2 years to get it under control. We met with a nurse practitioner recently to understand the disease, and then a diatition. Wow. We for over 2 years thought that we had it under conrol. There is a wonderful class in Waldorf, Maryland. I offered to help eat what he had to eat, just so he didn't feel like he was a victim, and I lost 21 pounds. He must eat from all food groups (at every meal) and his portions should be controlled. My husband was not overweight at all. We eat as much whole grain as possible, we eat a lot of veggies, and salads, and fruit is eaten only after a meal, as dessert,2% milk. We did research online, and there are plenty of sites available, but being able to voice our questions to these professionals was key to us getting him where he needed to be, and it didn't hurt me a bit. Insurance covered these visits for us. Please eail me if you have any questions or if I can help you find resources in my local area.

Go to the AmericanDiabetes.org

My two suggestions -- 1) see a nutritionist who can give you advice specific to the individual situation, and 2) check out http://www.diabetes.org/home.jsp. This is the website for the American Diabetes Association. It is FULL of information, even down to recipes! Tons and tons of information there. Hope your husband (and you) get the info you need to get this situation under control! Let us know how things work out.

I have been a diabetic most of my life and I currently see Dr. Chris Saudek at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. He has a wonderful staff including a dietician. As far as quick information, try going to the American Diabetes Association website and see if there is anything that is helpful forwhat you are looking for. I know that you can go to Borders or Barnes and Noble and purchase a small book and carbohydrate counting in foods. It's like an information book about all types of foods and how much carbs a serving contains. Hope that is helpful. I'm not too familiar with Type 2 diabetes.

You can go online to the American Diabetes Association website and you can probably find most of your answers there. And just remember, everything in moderation. Having diabetes doesn't mean you have to stop eating carbs and sugar all together. He'll just have to do a little planning with his medication so that his blood sugar doesn't spike too high or even drop too low. There's also many books out there that will help as well. And finding a good Endocronologist is important. Family doctors are good, but an Endocronologist can give you more details on any questions you may have.

I can't tell you myself but i do have a family member who would know. She has a daughter who has diabetes and has been to a bunch of support groups and stuff about it. She could def. answer any questions you have and give you direction as far as where to find more help or information. Here is her email address ____@____.com tell her R. her niece gave her email to you. She won't mind. Give her time to answer she's sometimes slow to answer since she doesn't check her email very often. good luck R. H.

Keep it simple or you will go nuts! Basically your husband should eliminate all sugary sweet foods from his diet. Our bodies need good carbohydrates. Good carbs come from whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Bad carbs come form candy, cake, doughnuts and cookies. Also your husband should increase daily exercise. Walking a mile or two a day is an excellent starter. Some people are able to get their blood sugar under control with just diet and exercise. It's worth a try. Your husband will need self-discipline. AF

I would call his doctor's office and tell them what you have told us. It is his doctor's responsibility to answer any questions your husband has about his medical diagnosis. But your husband needs to be proactive and ask for clarification and help and not just accept the poor explanations the doctors often give. If the doctor's office doesn't have handouts or names of places you can call or go for more help, then you can search the internet. There are tons of legitimate sites, I would suggest the surgeon general's site, or any of the well-known hospital sites such as Duke University, etc. Good luck!

PLEASE have your doctor refer him to a nutricionist. Most insurances cover it for a diabetic patient, so just check with yours. We have been a few times for my husband (I go with him) and she is great about adjusting his diet and giving me new ideas for thigns to feed him. They can really explain to you about how sugars work and how carbs can be broken down and effect his sugar levels.

The Loudoun Hospital Center has a diabetes clinic that has free classes and resources. Also, South Beach diet book has some tasty recipes to make with carb counts etc.... The diabetes clinic also sells a book (which I'm sure you can get anywhere) which gives health info. for restaurants etc...

Good luck! I think it's great he has you to support him in this. It is a life changing diagnosis but gets easier once you figure this stuff out.

Hey K.,

My hubby is Type 2 Diabetic. I would recommend joining a diabetic support group. I'm a member of one on yahoo groups. also will be glad to send you more info as well.

www.jenniferzaranis.com