Staying away from carbs?

[Whitner]

So wondering when you all are staying away from carbs if you mean white sugar, white flour .... those kinds of carbs as compared to carbs coming from fruit. I love grapes and was so sad to read how much sugar and carbs they contain!!! They seem like healthy carbs to me!?

[SheffieldJane]

I have enough trouble with sticky buns to start agonising over grapes. They are pretty good for anti oxidants too, hence giving them to sick people. Have your grapes!

[Hidden]

Grapes better than bread in any case. As long as its a few a day it should be OK. Red ones are better re the woo woo stuff😉... but OK. I has to get green... A punnet will last me 5 days, especially with a bit of Stilton.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

It all depends on what you are looking to do: if the aim is to just reduce carbs, that's fine. But if you are hoping to lose weight then it does matter more.

Either way, the whole point of low carbs is to encourage your body to use up the fat deposits in your body. It can only do that if the intake of carbs is low enough - and if it is too high, you won't lose weight. And carbs are carbs, whether they are healthier sugar or not.

I eat almost no fruit and very few root veg. But I eat loads of other vegetables and salads. Bread is a 1 or 2 times monthly treat and cakes don't appear at all. I might make half a dozen mincepies at xmas - for the 2 of us.

[Whitner in reply to PMRpro]

My weight is fine but I don’t want to gain and I’m not crazy about diabetes 🥴

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Whitner]

Then adjust what you eat and monitor your weight. Your doctor should also check the Hba1c every 2 to 3 months to see if it starts to creep up. If either do - then you know you have to cut them further,

[Constance13 in reply to PMRpro]

I've got the stuffing mix, Christmas pud and a dozen mince pies ready for Christmas (all curtesy of 'Great British Foods, Germany).

I'm not skinny by any means but my weight BMI wise is acceptable. I don't eat a lot (I'm never hungry) but I 'couldn't' give up my crusty brown roll for breakfast, or my Irish coffee on the odd afternoon.😂🎄🍾🍸

[fmkkm]

I actually eat quite a lot of fruit and I have not gained weight over these four years. I eat it in the morning maybe that has something to do with it? Sometimes I eat it for breakfast with yogurt and homemade granola.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to fmkkm]

Everyone is different. Some may find it enough to just cut all processed carbs, There are one or two who don't have any problem - they lose weight whatever they eat!

[fmkkm in reply to PMRpro]

Surprisingly different! My daughter is pre diabetic and does limit fruit. I feel my best right now just eating fruit, vegetables, yogurt and a bit of protein. I have occasional oats and brown rice and beans. Hard to stick to it except I feel good when I do. Of course I did try the thanksgiving deserts!

[Hidden in reply to fmkkm]

Just for interest... What would you call a lot of fruit?

[fmkkm in reply to Hidden]

Well, if it’s with yogurt it’s an apple cut up, a cup of frozen blueberries and maybe 15 grapes. It seems like a huge bowl. If it’s a smoothie then maybe the cup of blueberries, a banana and a splash of pomegranate juice with lots of greens or celery. Something like that. I use lemons and limes quite a lot also. I’ll eat a tangerine during the day.

[Hidden in reply to fmkkm]

For me that sounds about right! I usually have some seasonal fruit every day. It's pomegranate and pomelo. At the moment. But the latter takes all day in bit and bobs. I like fresh passionfruit in the yoghurt or frozen blueberries. A bit of chopped apples in my salads. I may have to take a bit more insulin to account for it but I have cleared it with my diabetes nurse. I had a few smoothies when I had a tummy thing and corrot, apple and ginger whizzed with flaxseed and Chia. Not allowed it regularly.. 🍎

[fmkkm in reply to Hidden]

Sounds wonderful! I love pomegranate in salad.

[Hidden in reply to fmkkm]

I have red fingers at this time of year. No wonder they used pomegranate as a dye. I used to like them as a kid... Picking the fruit out with a needle.

[Blearyeyed in reply to Hidden]

One of my favourite memories of this time of year , I got my kids to do it too, although we will cheat when we need to and just bash them out onto a plate with the back of a spoon. Juicy jewels of goodness at this chilly time of year.

[Hidden in reply to Blearyeyed]

Slice the furry bit off the top then cut into quarters, slicing gently through the pithy membrane so you can take a quarter, thumbs on top and pull the quarter apart.... and there's great big juicy blocks of fruit you can slurp off. Delish. I love a food ritual. 😂😂😂

[Blearyeyed in reply to Hidden]

Yummy , I have so many of them , it's one thing that people whom don't eat seasonally ( or how we used to eat before 1985) don't really enjoy , the anticipation of new foods.

I do naughtily eat melon , grapes and citrus through the year but I love my fruit and veg in seasons , you should have seen the state of my family last week when a box of proper Clementines arrived with those perfumed leaves. The OH was bouncing !!

[Hidden in reply to Blearyeyed]

🤣🤣🤣

[Blearyeyed in reply to fmkkm]

Sounds like me , variety for health but within limits

[fmkkm in reply to Hidden]

Or cut up fresh pineapple and anything in season!

[Hidden in reply to fmkkm]

Seasonal is the best.

[Whitner in reply to Hidden]

You all are really making me hungry!!😁

[Hidden in reply to Whitner]

For lovely seasonal fruits and roast chestnuts? 🎄.

[Whitner in reply to Hidden]

Yes!

[HeronNS]

Because my blood sugar went rather alarmingly high when I started taking pred (15 mg) I cut back nearly all carbs, especially from grains, except I always allowed myself a small amount of whole rice. I eliminated potatoes, but not carrots or parsnips. I substituted seeds for cereal at breakfast time and ate more protein. I don't think I eat enough fruit anyway, usually an orange at breakfast, dried fruit (prunes or apricots) sometimes an apple or banana at lunch. Never fruit juice, and grapes rarely and berries a seasonal treat (less this year as we no longer have a garden with berries growing). I'm quite thin having lost weight before diagnosis and even more since then, so lately as PMR seems to be loosening its grip on me I've been indulging in natural source potato chips, home made sourdough bread, that sort of thing, but I'm quite abstemious and don't overindulge. My blood sugar came down on this regimen but was not completely back to normal until my pred dose was probably around 5 mg so I think this is something I need to be aware of anyway.

[Blearyeyed]

If your weight is fine , and you have not already been diagnosed as Pre Diabetic , or Type 2 Diabetic then the adjustment of carbs both type and portion size is sufficient.

Your grapes and fruit are safe , as long as you have smaller portions and don't just eat carbs , fruit is packed full of immunity boosting nutrients and soluble fibre to help your digestive system so help your recovery and time on steroids in other ways.

Keeping away with the high G.I carbs and foods is more important , even for the healthy , but especially for those on steroids or with reduced activity to stop spikes in blood sugar levels that can happen on steroids and its effect on your insulin responses , and to maintain your weight when you are probably less active.

High G.I foods are all the processed foods like white flour , white pasta , white rice , white potatoes and processed sugar and the products made with them . These are better putting aside for a healthy diet , or only enjoyed on rare occasions or as small treats .

But as long as it's a treat only now and again small portions of roast potatoes , a few chips , a bag of crisps or a biscuit or piece of cake is still allowed , even when trying to lose weight as it's important to find a balanced diet that feeds the soul not just the stomach if you want to eat a healthy diet for Life.

Fruit does contain a lot of natural sugar and certain foods like tomatoes and corn products, purees , tinned soups and stews and some drinks can have ' hidden ' sugars but as long as you limit these or have small portions and dont have Carb Heavy Meals then someone with a steady weight and no diabetic issues can choose more Carbohydrates in their diet.

Things like brown / wild rice , wholemeal seeded breads , jumbo oats or non wheat whole grains and pulses, potatoes with their skins , fresh fruit , vegetables including sweet potato , pumpkin , root vegetables , tomatoes , peas and corn can be eaten in a healthy diet and add good , important, nutrients to help your body . Things like a little local honey or agave, maple for sweetening . Stevia for sweetening and bakes.

As long as you keep to small portions of them and balance them with proteins , Dairy and healthy fats .

This is the principle behind a Low G.I ( Glycaemic index) diet and is the varied diet used by my Type 1 Diabetic husband with positive effect over the last 20 years.

The foods and fibre are slow burning / slow digestion , keeping hunger pangs subdued and not causing the big lows and highs from eating a sugar heavy food or snack.

He even has the odd piece of cake , a few chunks of chocolate or an ice cream eaten , not all the time but a treat or two per week, at the right time or after a meal .

And , the occasional treat or Meal out while following a healthy diet most of the time , just considering the portions , is fine , especially so that it is a diet that he can keep up for ' Life' and keep him Healthy , not just as a quick fix or while he takes certain medications .

And eating portion sizes in line with changes in how much activity you do is key to keeping the weight off. Less Activity , Less Carbs , More Protein . Less on the plate. Simples!!

It's sort of Lower Carb Mediterranean style. It follows my Aunties rules of eating healthy with one or two Little " naughties" a week and a Day off ( although the day off shouldn't always be Christmas Day portions!!!).

What I call , 'Let them Eat Kale with the occasional piece of cake' philosophy.

[Whitner in reply to Blearyeyed]

I like this Blearyeyed and I should be able to stick to it, thanks!