A GOOD BALANCED DIETY FOR A DIABETIC

[gnyanzi]

I have been on diabetic tablets (different types) for the last 13 years, I am 59 years of age. The problem i get is to balance my diety. What can i eat and at what time.

[TheAwfulToad]

The word "balanced" is meaningless if you have diabetes. Your body cannot handle carbohydrates (starches and sugars), so you need to drop them completely. You can use fat as a source of energy.

Frankly, I'm shocked that nobody told you this 13 years ago.

Anyway, it's pretty straightforward. Stop eating potatoes, rice, and anything made with flour (pasta, bread, cookies, biscuits, etc). Replace them with non-starchy vegetables. As many vegetables as you like. Add meat, eggs, or dairy in whatever amounts you enjoy.

You do need to make sure you get adequate fat in your diet. Olive oil, butter, coconut oil, and meat fat are all good choices. You don't need to slather everything in grease - just add these oils to taste. For example, you might want to start the day with bacon and eggs.

If you want a bit more detail, you could join the LCHF group, where people eat like this as a matter of routine, just for the general health benefits. We also have a couple of ex-diabetic members (yes, ex-diabetic; it's reversible).

IMPORTANT: you need to discuss this with your doctor. Some diabetic medications will cause you harm if you attempt to eat a proper diabetic-friendly diet. You need to get off those pills before you try this. Metformin is generally OK, but many of the newer drugs are not. If your doctor doesn't know what you're talking about, or tells you not to do this, find another doctor.

[Kivumbijoseph in reply to TheAwfulToad]

This reply has helped me. But why is there no mention of fish?

[TheAwfulToad in reply to Kivumbijoseph]

You can eat fish if you like, but the important point is that, if you have Type 2 diabetes, you need to drastically reduce the amount of starches you're eating, and substitute fat for energy. If some of that fat is coming from fish, that's fine!