I'm diabetic. Where do I begin?
Q. I just found your site and think it's wonderful! As a newly diagnosed diabetic, I'm overwhelmed and extremely nervous, mainly because there are so many "yes, but.." scenarios with food. In using your site to develop a diet to lose weight and control blood sugars, where do I begin?
A. First of all, good for you for meeting your new challenge head-on by seeking to take control of your diet and its effects on your health. At NutritionData.com, we really believe in that old chestnut, "Knowledge is power." Our mission is to empower you to make better choices by providing you with detailed and reliable information about the foods you eat.
But I also understand your nervousness...there's a lot of new information for you to absorb and it can be overwhelming at first. You might want to start by reading our article on glycemic index, an indicator of how foods affect blood sugar levels. Most diabetics find it crucial to monitor the glycemic index or glycemic load of their diets.
When you search for foods or analyze recipes on ND, you'll see the estimated glycemic load as part of the analysis. To keep blood sugar levels steady, you'll want to choose foods and plan meals with a low to moderate glycemic load. As a general guideline, aim for a total daily eGL of less than 100, divided evenly over the course of the day's meals and snacks.
ND can help support your weight loss efforts as well.
You might also find it helpful to visit our Diet and Weight Loss Resource Center. Ultimately, losing weight is a matter of reducing the number of calories you take in and/or increasing the number of calories you burn. But reducing calories can leave you feeling hungry. To control your hunger, look for foods that fill you up with fewer total calories. To help you identify these foods, ND created the Fullness Factor™. For more about this index, please see our Fullness Factor page.
By the way, don't overlook the "burn more calories" part of the equation. Exercise not only promotes weight loss but also enhances insulin sensitivity, which is a big help for diabetics. Start by doing some form of physical activity every day, even if it's just walking briskly for twenty minutes, and increase the intensity as you get fitter.
To get the most out of ND's tools, I suggest that you use My ND, the section of our site where you can store your favorite foods, compose recipes and mealplans, and analyze your diet. If you haven't already registered, you'll need to establish a username and password for your ND account. Click on "My ND" in the navigation bar to get started. Our My ND Help page will guide you through the features.
Finally, remember that you are not alone! We have thousands of ND users who are also diabetic and who use ND to make their diets and lives healthier. If any ND diabetics have words of advice or encouragment for our new user, I hope you'll add your comments below.
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Posted by: jim | Sep 26, 2009 11:39:41 PM
I was recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Using your site, in two months I reduced fasting blood sugar from 143 to 111, A1C from 7.2 to 6.1, cholesterol from 178 to 113 and lost 35 lbs.
General rules I followed included a daily glycemic load of 100 or less, limit glycemic load to 25 or less at each meal or snack (or 2-3 hr period), and balance diet with 45%-60% carbs, less than 35% fat, and 20%-30% protein. This has resulted in total daily calories of 1500-1900.
My results impressed my physician and at my last appointment we spent more than 20 minutes reviewing your site and my diet. He plans to recommend your site to several other patients.
Using the guidelines above I still eat many of my favorite foods and rarely feel deprived. With pizza as an example, unlike other diets I don't have to eliminate it, but I know that I must limit the amount to keep the glycemic load under 25. While there are many foods in the ND index, I have used the custome entry tool to estmate the glycemic load of many of my favorite foods. I no longer feel as if I am on a diet, and believe I have made some serious lifestyle changes.
Thank you ND for providing me the tools to learn how to eat better and improve my overall health.
Posted by: Wayne | Aug 31, 2009 12:27:21 AM
You can research and view glycemic load values here. Be sure to check back often as new values and updates from the University of Sydney are published regularly.
http:\\www.glycemicedge.com
Posted by: Dj | Apr 28, 2009 12:56:27 PM
Hi Monica,
I am wanting to know how many exchanges of each of the 6 food groups from the Diabetic Diet I would need to lose weight. I am 47 years old, weigh 265 lbs, 5 ft 7 inches, and moderate exercise. Thank you!
Posted by: Adel F. | Mar 27, 2009 9:37:24 PM
I am a physician. When I was in active practice I was making an excellent income. I never had to worry about the cost of my medications. Once I retired my income dropped and I also had to buy all of my ever increasing list of medications. As the cost of medications was a substantial part of my family’s budget, I started searching for Online certified pharmacies that have lower prices. After investigating numerous pharmacies in the USA, Canada
Posted by: Japper | Jan 17, 2009 1:04:30 PM
Splenda is NOT a safe alternative to sugar.
It destroys your intestinal flora and interferes with certain medications.
Posted by: Laura | Dec 8, 2008 10:02:59 AM
I was just told I was "borderline" diabetic. I am also going through menopause. I am discabled and have struggled with my weight my entire life. Now, it seems like my life depends on losing weight. IS there any quick notes I can find on line? Like eat this don't eat that type stuff? As many people out there that is diabetic it should be easy to get started watching what I should be watching while I have time to learn more about what is happening and how to go from borderline to full blown diabetic. It looks like to me I have a chance to get this under control if I knew how. I plan to read the 3 books listed in these responses and go from there If there are any other suggestions please let me know.
Thanks Laura
Posted by: worleyhimself | Oct 16, 2008 10:39:19 PM
dr. gabriel cousens. "raw food for 30 days". google it. see the previews for the documentary that is saving lives. especcially diabetics.
Posted by: Rebecca Parker | Sep 10, 2008 5:54:47 AM
Attention diabetics who take insulin and are looking to loose weight:
Yes, diet is extremely important and this site is a great help,
BUT...
Exercise is also key to healthy living.
I would recommend 'The Diabetic Athlete' by Sheri Colberg. It is divided into sections for various sports/activities (not just for athletes) and explains how other diabetics make adjustments in their regime to accommodate exercise with minimal risk of hypo's.
In general, there are two main main ways to keep blood sugars above hypo level during exercise:
1) Increase carb intake
2) Reduce insulin dosage
Obviously, if you are trying to lose weight the first option is counter productive to the aim of your exercise, so the second option makes more sense.
This book is a great starting point to work out how much is a sensible reduction in insulin, as well as talking to your Diabetic care team.
Enjoy!
Posted by: Ciaran McKeown | Jul 20, 2008 11:30:19 AM
Hi everyone, I'm currently on a dairy and wheat free diet and also almost sugar-free to improve my eczema . I'm trying to gain about one stone but since most supplements are out of the equation I'm struggling. Any help is greatly appreciated. Also the site is absolutely brilliant!
Regards
Ciaran
Posted by: pete | Jul 11, 2008 6:37:44 AM
The most important thing you need to know is which type of diabetes you have. The two main types are Type 1, (old fashioned name: Juvenile diabetes. During the early to mid 90's it was referred to as Insulin Dependent Diabetes mellitus , or IDDM); and Type 2 (old fashioned name: adult-onset diabetes. During the early to mid 90's it was called NIDDM or non-insulin dependent diabetes). They are two completely separate diseases / conditions, not just slight variations of the same. The causes, development and onset are very different. The treatment is very different.
Type 1's must inject insulin every day, whereas Type 2's usually take oral medication, and can often control their condition with diet and exercise. Although some Type 2's may inject insulin as part of their overall treatment, they wouldn't die without it, since their bodies (in the pancreas) still produce insulin.... their system has become resistant to efficient use of the insulin they produce. A Type 1 is not making any insulin, as the insulin producing cells of the pancreas have been destroyed by its own immune system: Type 1 is an auto-immune disease, Type 2 is not.
For each Type 1, there are about 16 (and increasing) Type 2's. Type 1 is fairly evenly spread across all people all across the world (about 1 in 300 people), whereas Type 2 prevalence varies greatly among different racial & cultural groups, and is more likely to develop with certain dietary and activity behaviors. When you read about diabetes is increasing, they're talking primarily about Type 2.
This is a very brief summary of a very complex topic, but my point is to know which Type you are, and be skeptical and wary of info sources that address "people with diabetes", or "diabetes is...(such and such). You, the person with diabetes (either type), must educate yourself about your condition, don't sit back and assume your health care professionals can or will always know what's best for you day-to-day.
I had the onset of my Type 1 ("juvenile diabetes") occur suddenly at age 43, 12 years ago. Among other things, I have been surprised and frustrated a number of times when health care professionals (nurses AND doctors) assume that because my diabetes occurred as an adult, that I have "adult-onset" Type 2, and ask or comment about things as if I have Type 2, even when I mention several times in the conversations that I have Type 1.
Educate yourself..!!!...about your condition, and take most of what you read and hear about "diabetes" with a grain or two of salt (figuratively, of course, he he). Having diabetes (either type) is very much a self-treating condition.
Posted by: Toma Grubb | May 7, 2008 5:41:25 PM
> Dear *webmaster*,
>
> We recently found your site by searching for sites that are relevant to our own site. We are hoping that you will become our link partner. This would involve your posting a link to our site in exchange for one or more links to your site. As you may know, acquiring new links is the best way to promote a site in the search engines.
>
> I think the best way to do mutual links is to include them in an article as embedded links. If you agree to a mutual link with this arrangment I can supply an original article with my links embedded for you to post on your site and would ask for an appropriate original article from you to post on one or more of my sites. Diabetic-Diet-Secrets.com is a google PR 5 site. Other of my sites that I would concider are PR 3 - PR 5. I am on a mission to reverse or at least slow the trend of diagnoses of type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases linked to an inflamatory diet. Diabetes is just one of these but it has increased by over 800% in the past 60 years. By linking good type 2 diabetes sites together we can go higher in the search engines and in the search placements and just maybe reach and help more people.
>
> As you probably already know, the search engines do not like duplicate content. That is why I am offering and requesting an original appropriate article. if you agree to this arrangment we will be glad to do this immediately.
>
> If you will agree to supply a link for us, we'll maintain your link indefinitely.
>
> **
>
> I’m anticipating a positive response from you...
>
> Toma Grubb
> Administrator - Diabetic -Diet-Secrets.com
>
PS, I have more websites that I own or control that are not included in this email.
Posted by: Monica Reinagel | Apr 28, 2008 9:56:01 AM
Thanks for your helpful comments and suggestions for Cathy. Sorry you had trouble getting your first comment to post. We do use a verification process (where you reproduce a random sequence of letters and numbers) in order to keep robots from spamming the blog. If the verification step wasn't properly completed, that would have kept your comment from displaying.
Posted by: whimsy2 | Apr 27, 2008 11:16:14 PM
Well..you posted my query about why the post hadn't appeared but I still don't see my original response to Cathy so I'll re-write it as best I can remember.
I think I said, "Cathy, you need to erase sugar from your life. As a diabetic, this is pure poison. Learn to love artificial sweeteners. I like Splenda because it IS sugar, with one molecule missing.
And it's not just sugar you need to avoid. If you want to gain control of your diabetes and avoid all the terrible things that can happen to poorly-controlled diabetics, you need to change your way of eating to exclude all foods that fall in the grain category. This includes cereals, pasta and breads except for those specifically labeled "low carb". And there are precious few of those, now that the "low carb" craze is finished, alas.
This may sound drastic but I'm here to tell you, it WILL give you good blood sugar numbers. And after a while you'll be so pleased with those good numbers that you won't miss those foods. It's perfectly possible to eat well while at the same time avoiding grain foods and sugar foods. Give it a try. Check your BGs frequently during this time. You'll feel so good seeing your numbers go down that you won't mind so much the foods you've given up.
I would suggest you read "Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solutions," by Richard K. Bernstein, M.D. It changed my life.
It's now 10 years since my diabetes diagnosis. I feel great and I have no diabetes-related complications whatsoever and I'm working very hard to keep it that way.
Posted by: whimsy2 | Apr 27, 2008 11:07:31 PM
I posted a comment for the first time at this site about a week ago and it hasn't appeared yet. It was directly in response to the post by Cathy Mannion. I've been checking daily and so far I haven't seen my comment. Is this site still active? Is there some reason my comment didn't appear? It was a good response to her post, IMHO.
Posted by: Darla | Apr 12, 2008 9:45:37 PM
Ruth, are you still there. Lucky to be a nurse and fully understand the true consequences of your eating habits. I had those habits for many years, I ate with abandon. I love potato chips, ice cream, anything unhealthy was something I loved. Now, I'm diabetic and for the first time in my life I've managed to control myself and my diet for nearly a year, which was 70lbs ago. I'll hope you read this and reply as I still have a ways to go on my weight loss journey and would be happy to have a buddy. Darla
Posted by: Cathy Mannion | Apr 2, 2008 6:01:06 PM
I have been trying to find out how many grams of sugar a day would be a safe amount to lose weight. Sweets are my problem and I need to know an amount to go by, or is there such a thing?
Posted by: Ruth Pilote | Aug 24, 2007 12:24:09 PM
I am out of control with my eating. I've tried everything but just can't seem to get my self to exercise and avoid ice cream. Is there someone out there that would be willing to help me one on one through the internet. I'm a nurse and have lots of information about wt. loss and understand the risks but am so frustrated and feel hopeless. I think if I could find a buddy to lose wt. with it would help.
Posted by: jpatti | Aug 1, 2007 6:46:34 PM
Fat has almost no direct effect on bg. However, fat slows the rise due to carbs, so is generally considered a good thing for bg control.
Protein has some effect. If you overeat protein, your bg will also go high. Up to 50% of protein can be converted to glucose, so you basically want to get enough protein to meet your needs, but not significantly beyond that.
Carbs are obviously the most critical nutrient. And yes, you need to count them.
I'm of the opinion that no one can tell you how much carb to eat. I eat *very* low carb, around 50g non-fiber carb per day, because if I go higher my bg goes up. I know a few diabetics who must restrict carbs more tightly than me and many who can eat a lot more than me. Diabetics vary a lot.
I am also of the opinion that if you *can* control via diet and exercise, even if it's very strict, that is better than medications. However, everyone can't get control without meds. Diabetics vary a lot.
I'm also of the opinion that metformin is the best med to start with if you need meds.
Personally, I am now on insulin - a Lantus/Humalog regime. I was diabetic for 2 decades before going on insulin. I had an acute pancreasitis attack a year or so ago and lost the ability to control my bg at all subsequent to that.
You should get a copy of the book "Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution". I think his diet is a bit extreme, but it's an OK starting point. And more importantly, you learn about how diabetes works, treatment options, what the potential complications are, how to avoid them.
But I'll reiterate... it doesn't matter what ANYONE thinks about how you manage your diabetes, not even Bernstein. What matters is what YOUR METER SAYS.
A diabetic who's writings I respect says, "My body, my science experiment" and that is absolutely TRUE. No two diabetics are the same. No matter what education anyone has, no one can become a better expert at YOUR diabetes than you.
Get a meter and TEST, TEST, TEST!
A good place to learn about diabetes is the Usenet group alt.support.diabetes
Posted by: Monica Reinagel | Aug 1, 2007 3:33:58 PM
Tip: you can use the food category explorer (http://www.nutritiondata.com/tools/explorer) to identify foods with a specific percentage of carbs, fats, and proteins. Simply position your cursor anywhere in the calorie ratio pyramid. As you move the cursor, you'll see the percentages of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins change. When you see the percentage you're after, click to receive a list of foods with those percentages!
Posted by: John | Aug 1, 2007 12:53:56 PM
Protein and fat are both good sources of calories in the control of diabetes. Protein will still be broken down in to sugar but at a much slower an prolonged rate. Healthy sources of fat from nuts,avocados, and good oils like extra virgin olive oil are excellent as they dont require the body to release insulin and if they do it will be much lower amount. The trick here is not to over do it an ounce or two of nuts should not be a big rpoblem. If however you snack attack full assault on the peanuts it could have a big effect on the blood sugar.
One excellent way is to keep a meal plan in which the carbs and protein amounts stay fixed at each meal from day to day. For example always having 24grams of carb at breakfast with 3(18g)oz protein, 36 grams of carbs for lunch and 4oz(24g) protein, etc. This should allow you two keep things in control and you could swap different carbohydrate choices and protein choices as you see fit and your appetite craves. You can incorporate the healthy fat sources around the carb/protein fixed ratios with not to much of a concern on blood sugar.
Posted by: Monica Reinagel | Aug 1, 2007 11:47:37 AM
Mary,
All good questions and ones that fellow ND diabetics will probably have input on. Let me address one question: "Are all foods on the glycemic index?"
The answer is "No," and this is one of the frustrations of using the glycemic index or glycemic load. To address the many gaps, NutritionData has developed a formula that estimates the glycemic load of foods that have not been tested, using a formula derived from existing glycemic data. Read more about this tool on our page "estimated glycemic load" (http://nutritiondata.com/help/estimated-glycemic-load)
Posted by: Mary | Aug 1, 2007 10:48:59 AM
How do you stand on Carb counting as an alternative to acheive blood sugar control? How many carbs per meal or day do you advise? What is the role of protein and fat in the control of diabetes? Are all foods on the glycemic index? Should I be concerned about alcohol? Should I attend some classes? Thanks
Posted by: | Aug 1, 2007 12:31:23 AM
Don't rely on average reactions to foods discovered in research conducted with non-diabetics (the GI and GL stuff).
Heck, don't even rely on what another diabetic can or can't do. You are not them.
Don't rely on anyone's theories about diet - whether low-carb, low-fat, recommended by someone with piles of credentials or none at all.
None of that matters. Unfortunately, it's YOUR diabetes. You are the one who will live with it and manage it. If you do it well, you will live with the increased health; if you do it poorly, you will live with the diabetic complications.
We have the tools to manage our own diabetes because we have blood glucose meters. Get one right away if you don't have one. The cost of the meter doesn't matter, it's the strips that are expensive. Get one with strips you can afford easily.
http://www.alt-support-diabetes.org/NewlyDiagnosed.htm
GET YOUR OWN BLOOD METER AND TEST, TEST, TEST!
Posted by: Neal | Jul 31, 2007 9:33:17 PM
Start by reading Eat to Live by Joel Fuhraman. This should help to alleviate many of the problems that caused/lead to the diabetes as wellas to well as the issues that will stem from diabetes improper control. Once you have reas this book you can use ND to fully captialaize on everything Dr Furhman has to say. Really as simple and incredible read. Should help you to adress blod sugar problems, blood pressure problems, cholesterol issues, body weight, and the like. His book adressese many of the topics ND covers such as fullness factor in combined with high nutrient density. Being a diabetic myself I would tend to stay away from carbohyrates as a aw whole with the exception of fibrpus vegetables and leafy greens. Even moderate GI foods can have a substatial affect on blodd sugars. Also try reading The Diabetes Solution by Dr Bernstein, its a bit specific but goes into great deal about bothe Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes and could be helpful to help you set up an ideal eating plan. I have combined his moderate protein meal plan with Dr Fuhrmans high vegetable intake to achive a hemoglobin A1c of 4.3 which is a blood sugar of about 75 which is excellent for a Type 1 diabetic.
In short moderate protein + high vegetable + healthy fats = excellent blood sugar conntrol + high vitamin intake + no hunger + when combined with moderate excersize issues weigh issues should subside.
