Legit Nutritional Advice

Tab will help you lose weight.

OP, don't be a skinny dame!

Read Dr, Michael Greger's book, How Not to Die -- it has a chapter on how to prevent and reverse diabetes, along with the right foods to eat and avoid.

That's all you need to know.

[quote]Greger's book, How Not to Die

Greger promotes a vegan diet.

Does vegan food taste like shit—be honest...?

[quote] Does vegan food taste like shit—be honest...?

Vegan Indian food is delicious.

Go to the website of the American Diabetes Society. Order some cookbooks from Amazon. If you are so stupid and gullible that you can't tell the difference between snake oil quacks and genuine medical advice, then you deserve to die when your feet turn gangrenous.

You are too fat, lose the weight and it will help tremendously. And don't say you're not fat, pudgy.

You are too fat, lose the weight and it will help tremendously. And don't say you're not fat, pudgy.

Become a vegan! Your sugars will normalize quickly. Eat mainly salads.

I have heard that vegan diets are not actually healthy.

The Mayo Clinic Diabetes diet, OP. You need to ask your doctor about this, not us.

Veganism is very difficult, and it's possible to eat a vegan diet that contributes to insulin resistance. Oreos are vegan, for example.

Losing weight is important, especially if you have a lot of fat in your midsection. Visceral fat strains your internal organs, and strain on your pancreas contributes to insulin resistance.

A good rule of thumb to avoid quackery is: If it seems too good to be true, it is. Quick, easy fixes are bogus. You're going to have to switch up your eating to include less sugar, white flour, and anything else that ranks high on the glycemic index, i.e. anything that spikes your blood sugar. You're going to have to eat more whole grains and vegetables and drink more water. Eating vegetarian more often isn't a bad idea, at the very least because a high fiber diet is good for you and helps make you feel more full, but, despite the vegan/vegetarian evangelists, it isn't necessary to manage this disease.

You have to balance Carbs, Fat, and Protein. Learn about metabolism, blood sugar and calorie needs. Learn YOUR own needs based on your age and medical conditions.

No white flour or white sugar. Whole grains only. No liquid calories, including “diet” soft drinks. No processed foods. That would be a good start.

Cut out anything white from your diet. No sugar or flour

Decolonize your body OP, stop eating white foods.

Read labels.

Eliminate sugar as much as possible (I keep my daily intake to 12g or less). This one change will probably make you lose all the extra weight. It did for me. I have flavored seltzer instead of soda, Atkins candy or tea biscuits for a sweet tooth etc. No regular high sugar desserts unless a special occasion, holiday, vacation etc. After you stop eating all that sugar, you will feel terrible when you do!

Avoid white, processed foods (replace with brown rice, brown breads etc).

Watch your portion sizes. Eat 1 serving, not 2 or 3.

Limit alcohol intake (I have a few glasses of wine 1x/wk). If you drink, limit the quantity and frequency. If you don't - even better.

I was prediabetic/overweight and just reduced my sugar intake - significantly. My Dr did not even suggest that basic change and it worked - reversed the prediabetes and I lost all the weight. Drs are so quick to give drugs after there is a problem instead of simple solutions to address the problem before it escalates.

R15 is right too!👍

Veganism is not necessarily healthy, as you can eat potato chips and drink Diet Coke and call that a vegan diet.

A whole-food, plant-based diet is the healthiest diet you can have. Thousands of people have reversed their diabetes through it -- and so have people with heart disease, stroke, etc.

Many folks who have type II diabeyes have incredible success folowing a Keto diet, but I would reccommend joining a Facebook group to learning the ins and outs, recipe ideas, and community support. I have seen literally hundreds of individuals drastically reduce their A1C levels if not entirely come off their insulin all together, in addition to losing weight. That being said, really good nutritional advice is given on the National Diabetes foundation website ( I forget the official name) as well as the National Dietetic Association which- * Surprise, Surprise* also reccommend a low carb-higher protein and fat nutritional plan. Turns out the " Low- fat/ High-carb" bill of goods we were sold in the 70's and 80's was a load of crap.

Can you ever cheat and have a coke or a piece of cake? The idea of no junk food ever makes me want to shoot myself.

Great advice here, but seriously consult a professional if you can. Even the diet sanctioned by the Diabetic Association, or whatever the group is reverred to in the States still allows for too many carbs IMHO. Thinks such as oats or cereal for breakfast doesn't sound smart to me.

A ketogenic diet may help you, and if may be easier to stick with for the long term, than say a vegan diet. There certainly is more than one approach, yet all involve cutting out sugars, white foods, sodas, etc. You can easily stay in a state of ketosis keeping total carbs under 22g. White potatoes, though not processed, are not your friend either. If you must eat something white, rutabagas or cauliflower are good options.

Bananas, carrots, and even turnips are still high in sugars, and ought to be avoided as well. Beans are your healthiest carbohydrate choice, then brown rice.

If you still want sweet flavours after cutting sugar, try Stevia Glycerate. It doesn't have the aftertaste of the other forms.

Best wishes!

See this really confuses me. Some people say vegan, others say Keto. Nothing seems to be straightforward or universally agreed upon.

R24 Both will drastically reduce your caloric intake over the standard American diet. If you avoid sugar, refined: sodas, cakes, pies, candies, pastries, regular ice cream, white bread, and anything made of white flour, your sugar will come down, and the less insulin secreted will enable you to shed the pounds. Both approaches can work.

You probably suffer from metabolic disorder if you've entered diabetes territory. Whichever approach you determine for yourself, both need to include ridding yourself of the crap. I firmly believe corn, and corn products should not be anywhere in your diet either, but that's simply my layman's opinion.

I stick to keto as best I can. I think it's a fine approach, as long as you don't go overboard on unhealthy meats, or cured meats like bacon, sausages, cold cuts. Get healthy fats (coconut, olive oil, avocados & avocodo oil, butter is more important than overdosing on protein.) Still smarter to stick to chicken and fish, and leaner options Keto doesn't have to "Atkin's" to be effective.

Don't drink fruit juice either! Low glycemic index foods only.

The GI (glycemic index) diet has been shown to be effective in controlling type-2 diabetes. There are many books out there. You cut out the sugary, starchy foods that cause your blood sugar to spike. You could combine the GI diet with a Mediterranean diet, as they complement each other.

Is it bad for you to cut fruit out of your diet?

R28 No one is saying you should, but rather not all fruits are created equal. Berries are better than bananas for example. An orange or grapefruit is better than drinking a glass of juice. If you enjoy juice, have more vegetables in it, and add a few berries and 1/2 an apple for flavour.

It sounds as if you need to pick up a few books, or try to learn more online. You don't seem to have a proper foundation of what these diets entail, by your questions.

The only absolute is to remove the sugars, and limit the carbs. In the beginning you should stick with slow carbs, or the low GI foods. You probably would benefit from a consult with a nutritionist.

Eat more pussy- it’s high in fish oil which is good for diabetics and their hair/nails.

Here's a wild idea, OP: Talk to your endocrinologist. If you don't have one, get one. I have had Type II for twelve years now. Been a vegetarian for forty. My doctor wants me to go full-on vegan, but i can't give up eggs and cheese. Monitor your blood sugar, and see how you do after eating different foods. Different people react differently to the same foods. Get your A1C test done on schedule, and use the results to make adjustments to your eating habits. When I was first diagnosed it was 7.3. I dropped 70 lbs. by going to the gym four times a week and cutting back on calories. My A1C dropped to 6.5. I take my meds as prescribed and my current A1C is 5.9. Because the disease is well controlled, I do indulge in desserts and other sugary things from time to time. The food I miss most is orange juice, which makes my sugar spike like there's no tomorrow. I feel one glass of OJ like drinking three vodkas in a half-hour.

There is no overnight cure or fast fix. Try to lose weight, if you can. That always helps your sugar numbers. Watch what you drink. Most people have no idea how much sugar is in everything they drink. Not just sodas and juices. Don't even get me started on what goes into most people's Starbucks orders... Lactose is a sugar, so watch the milk. Alcohol is pure sugar. When in doubt, follow this adage: You can eat it if you cooked it yourself, or you know the person who did. That means real food, not processed stuff out of bags, boxes, and cans. If you don't cook, now is the time to start. You don't have to go full-on Julia Child, but there's nothing like cooking to make you aware of what you're actually eating.

One last thing that your doctor may not have mentioned yet: When you get sick, your blood sugar skyrockets. Expect that, and don't freak out. It will go back to whatever your "normal" is when you recover. Again, talk to your doctor for advice on how to make adjustments to your new situation.

R22: I like cola and love cake/apple pie. However, I care about my health and weight a lot more! You can have desserts, but limit it to special occasions/holidays etc. I say that because if you have a dessert/cola for other reasons at other times, it is very easy to slip back into negative habits as cheat-creep and cravings increase again.

OP, are you overweight? If so, losing weight is a good starting point. My fasting blood sugar hit 99 after I had gained some weight. I lost the weight and my blood sugar dropped as well. My brother's weight is very healthy, but he has type II diabetes.

Cut out processed foods and your weight will drop.

OP: Processed foods, Keto, Atkins, Vegan etc are personal choices.

First step: cut out the sugar - that will address diabetes and weight. Everything else is secondary.

NY Techie is spot on. You can always savour just a few bites, rather than going "all in" each time you indulge. A wee sliver is something different altogether.

I think it's best to avoid even the smallest indulgence in the beginning however. That way you allow yourself to develop better habits, and sensitise your palate to sugar. Avoidance does cut the cravings over time. If you must treat yourself to a soda, buy the tiny coke cans, and on a day you choose to enjoy one, make sure you're still keeping within a daily limit of carbs and sugar. That may mean the coke is your only source of that for the entire day. It's akin to budgeting really in the end.

Vegan works, if it's done right.

Keto is dangerous, no matter how it's done. See this article at health.com.

R22, if you're at that stage of dieting, then don't try to go immediately into a no-sugar no-white-flour diet. Do small things first like cut out sodas and fruit juices (even diet soda) and reduce carbs. Eat more proteins, lean meats, vegetables.

Datalounge always brings out the micromanaging "never give in to even one indulgence ever, you fat whore" diet tips and they just don't work for beginners.

For what it's worth, my hemoglobin A1c went from 5.4 to 4.9 after doing two things: one, stopping my nightly desserts after dinner, even though they were small, and two, cutting out the small orange juice I had in the morning and the occasional Gatorade. Even stopped drinking diet soda, which I think helped as well.

You'll get better advice from people in a diabetes support group.

Ideally you would see a nutritionist or ask your doctor- but since you've taken this to DL I'm thinking you don't have access to a doctor.

Diabetics tend to benefit from a Keto diet. The high fat, no sugar, low carb diet is easy to transition to. My mom got diagnosed, she went full keto, all in and lost 50 poiunds over a year and is not off her metformin.

The Mayo Clinic has extensive diet recommendations available online, they also have a book available at most public libraries:

I have been told that vitamin pills are shit and are not absorbed in the body. Is this true or are vitamins good for you?

You won't listen, and most will disagree, but a plant based diet is your number one option. You can do this diet and not become an insufferable vegan.

I feel like all the pleasure has been taken out of my life by having to change to such a bland, horrible diet forever. I have no vices. I don’t drink, take drugs, or smoke.

I understand the feeling, [R44], but there is absolutely no reason for your diet to be bland or horrible at all -and certainly not forever! I just made an eggplant parmesan that would knock your socks off. Vegetarian, low in fat, and absolutely delicious. You can have all the herbs and spices you want. You can even have fats like olive oil -and butter for that matter. As someone else pointed out, you can have pretty much anything on the menu at an Indian restaurant. Healthy food only tastes bad when it is made badly. Most of the world's cuisine is not centered on large amounts of meat.

But meat isn’t sugary, right? You can have a steak and there is no problem, so why is everyone pushing vegetarianism?

Exactly R46. Meat is fine, in this case - if that is what you want. SUGAR is the problem here. Meat has its own concerns, but they are not related to diabetes and extra weight.

Here's a tip, a friend made chicken salad with plain yogurt instead of mayo (plus the other stuff like chopped celery and nuts) and it tasted great and I'm a real mayo lover.

Also, thank god avocados are low glycemic whatever.

It's true that meat does not have a high glycemic index, but adding extra meat to your diet does invite overweight, arterial damage, and other health problems. The most likely cause of death for people with Type II diabetes is heart attack or stroke, due to the systemic damage caused by the disease. Doctors almost universally prescribe cholesterol and blood pressure-lowering medications for patients with diabetes. Every endocrinologist I've talked to tells patients to cut back on meat and add more fresh vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Mine asked me to go vegan. There's more to this than simple sugar. Basic care for diabetes is eat fresh, unprocessed foods, exercise more, and lose weight if needed.

R49 do you have to go vegan forever or just until your diabetes goes into remission?

I am ashamed and scared to say thatI seem to have a very bad case of diabetic denial and I keep thinking I can out this off. It has been three yrs and all I have done is switch to Coke Zero and take forxiga, a medication I am responding well too.

Can I keep drinking Coke Zero?

This guy is very knowledgeable. Dr Eric Berg. Millions of subscribers. He's very pro-keto. I lost 20 lbs following his plan. No simple carbs. No wine. It's really common sense. I would rather watch a video than read a book, too.

You can get diabetes under control, but I am skeptical of claims of permanent cures. If a change in diet "cures" your diabetes, you should be able to go back to your old ways -But that's not the case. You need to make real, lasting change. Over the years most of us have learned what foods we can a cannot resume, based on how they make us feel and how they effect our numbers.

If you could lose the Coke Zero, [R50], you'd be doing yourself a favor. It's just chemicals -and can lead to kidney stones which you never, ever want to have to deal with. BUT, if it's the one thing you rely on to feel "normal" and not victimized by diabetes, keep it -but try to compensate by drinking lots of extra water.

There isn't a reputable doctor or organization that recommends keto. It is terrible for you.

I would love some more opinions about Coke Zero. Is it safe for diabetics or not?

It's not safe for anyone. No one should be drinking artificially flavored and sweetened beverages. They are unhealthy, plain and simple.

What about water with a cherry flavour, which I am drinking now? Is that also bad like soda?

Read the ingredients. If it says "water, natural cherry flavor/extract" and stops there, it's great.

Fuck these debbie downers. Not only did i lose 20 pounds... My A1c went from 6.5 to 5.7. I'm borderline "Normal" now. Trust me, check the Eric Berg videos on Youtube. Also, the Mediterranean diet is highly recommended for Type 2 diabetics.