Help with Newly Diagnosed Diabetic Husband

When my father was diagnosed about 2 years ago the doctor sent him home with a prescription and told him to avoid anything white. Whatever!!! As an RN, I was not happy that he wasn't more educated. But as he says it is his money he invested in my college education for nursing, and now he is seeing a return! LOL!!!
Although there are numerous posts about many websites, the easiest thing I did for him was to recommend the South Beach diet. It is very useful and informative and really is along the lines of an appropriate diabetic diet and it tells you why. He has well maintained blood sugars and doesn't take insulin. His is controlled orally and with diet (South Beach give or take) and exercise. There is also a companion book that helps you with the glycemic index and where foods fall on that scale, help you combine foods that have sugar, like fruit with something like fiber and why you need to do that. ETC. He loved the book. It also helped that it is written by a doctor (cardiologist) and reinforced by his dtr (giggle, ME) I would also encourage you to cut anything out with High fructose corn syrup as that is just hidden sugar. That is the most difficult thing of all. Finding your fav foods without all that icky stuff in it. But it can be done.
I would start off with that book and go from there. It is a really easy read in everyday terms that will answer lots of questions for you. I have also recommended it to several patients that needed lists, eating plans etc. to help them with a little more structure. Plus, you can reference back to it occassionally when needed. I would definately read it before your appt. with the nutritionist and see if she doesn't recommend about the same things as in that book. They never even sent my dad to any classes or to a nutritionist. Just me! You can always email me privately if you want. ____@____.com
Good luck,
L.

Hi M.,
I am glad that you are trying to get educated about diabetes so that you can help your husband manage his diabetes. for basic, reliable information you can go to diabetes.org which is the website for the American Diabetes Association. You can also subscribe to their patient magazine which is called Diabetes Forecast. It has a lot of good information. If there is a question on whether he is type 1 or type 2, you should definitely see an endocrinologist and have a c-peptide test done to determine whether he is type 1 or type 2 . Both can occur in adults and they have different causes and courses of treatment. A visit with a dietician can help you develop meal plans and understand how food affects your blood sugar. You should become good friends with a diabetes educator (who may also be your dietician) who can help you with learning all of the other things he will need to do to stay healthy and manage his diabetes. Their website is www.diabeteseducator.org. (american association of diabetes educators. The Joslin Clinic is also a major diabetes center and they have a good website too.
It is easy to become overwhelmed when all this hits you at once. Don't expect to get it all perfect the first day. Have patience and it will all come together. And keep learning--make a list of questions and bring them to your visit to your doctor and your diabetes educator. Diabetes is a self-management disease--the patient (and spouse) have to be pro-active in managing their diabetes. Good luck!

Dear M.,
Check out www.infinity2.com/garrett then click on the bottles of heartland select muscadine juice. We have people that have got off of their diabete med from drinking this juice. Good luck
J. G

My hubby was diagnosis about 5 years ago. The first month was awful. We then went to the Ruth Collins Diabetic Clinic through Baylor and that helped so much. He felt like he was staring and the clinic confirmed exactly that. He had to learn to eat 5 small meals a day and to not skip any meals. Then his 5 small meals turned into 3 meals a day and a mid morning and early afternoon snack-something like a nutri-grain bar. We had to get away from the "sweet" tea. He now drinks unsweetened tea with spelnda. Stay away from the white foods such as white rice, breads, gravy-those all turn to sugar. And don't forget to watch the carbs. And remember---Fat free is not sugar free!

Welcome to the club. My hubby got his diagnosis last month as well. He has been websurfing for meals and counting the carbs in the recipes. I have been preparing them recipes and doing the portion control of which he hates but he is learning to deal with it. His levels are staying in a normal range and I have been advising him that he can't eat three meals he has to include the snacks in order to keep the blood level on an even keel. In fact I have lost 5 pounds eating the meals with him so he is not alone. Last Saturday we have homemade pizze with whole wheat crust. He checked is blood level and it was 130 2 hours after eating. Just read and read the labels and if possible make the meals that way you know what is in the food. Splenda replaced the sugar as he didn't like the Stevia and the after taste. Good luck to you and it will work. The other S.

My daughter, 15, has had type 1 for 11 1/2 years - first off, he needs to see a good endocrinologist as type 1, type 1.5. type 2, gestational, LADA are all different in some ways and need to be treated as such - for instance - type 1 is autoimmune and the body makes NO insulin (diet, exercise, pills will not help - starts insulin immediately), type 2 is where the body makes insulin, sometimes too much, but the body cannot process it properly (often can be treated with diet exercise and pills)....it is important to know what you are dealing with - CalorieKing is the best website and book I have found for carb information/counts.....I will be thinking of you.......btw I grew up with a brother with type 1 as well.

Hi M.,
My husband was diagnosed Type II 3 years ago this summer. We took a course at Presbyterian hospital that explained how to eat. It was great. We went to Borders and found a book we like called "The Complete Book of Food Counts" by Corinne Netzer and that became our bible. We food shopped together and looked up everything that went into our mouths. This way we learned carb, fat and protein counts. Eating is just a math equation on how much of each you eat and at what intervals. Once it sinks in you don't need the book anymore. Your husband will be able to look at something and make a safe estimation of how many carbs, etc... It becomes very easy, and it is truly the way we should all eat.

My husband went on a diet. He faltered after a few months, but he re-committed and we found a great plan for him. He exercises 30 minutes 5-6 days per week and he supplements. When he does all this he feels great, and I mean really great...better than he has in many years. He is NOT hungry and his blood count is perfect. He has halved his meds.

You are doing it right. Getting educated. Do your best to keep your husband on track without annoying him. Feel free to email me if I can offer anything else.
Stay Well!

I had gestational diabetes, and I understand where you're coming from. Check out your local library - they have diabetic cook books, etc. there that you can "try before you buy". The big thing to look at is the carb count on all foods, because the sugar count is built into it. You don't have to give things up totally, but you do have to control intake. And you have to "mix things up" a little when you eat. Veggies/carbs/fat/protien all together. You want to slow down the absorbtion of the carbs into your system cause that helps keep the levels even.

Example - I LOVE to eat french fries but HUGE carb count. BUT - chili fries - a small serving - actually is a good thing to eat because of the fat/protein from the meat.

Portion control is important, and if he's doing it right, he'll feel like he's eating ALL DAY LONG because you have to snack between meals to keep the sugar levels even.

Good luck and take care! It'll make sense soon :)