[Helen]

Hi all!
I would like to buy a book to get us started on planning meals and snacks. My husband has had 2 of the last 4 days when his blood sugar dropped below 3.9 so we know thats not good. Last night he ate a small potato, salad and chicken breast for dinner at 6, and then tested at 10, and he was 3.9. A couple of days ago, he ate breakfast and 2 hours later was 2.7, and not feeling good at all. We really don't know what foods or snacks will keep his scores more steady, and thought there might be a book that would get us started. Any suggestions? Thanks.

(Oh, he doesn't take any medication, he just got the tester from a class our doctor sent him to.)

 

[Terrie]

Hi Helen:

Unfortunately there are "millions" to choose from as you may have noticed.

Here are a few:

1. Better Homes And Gardens New Diabetic Cookbook
by American Diabetes Association

2. The Diabetic 4 Ingredient Cookbook
by Linda Coffee and Emily Cale

3. The Complete Quick And Hearty Diabetic Cookbook
by American Diabetes Association

4. Betty Crocker's Diabetes Cookbook: Everyday Meals, Easy as 1-2-3
by Betty Crocker



1. Diabetes Cookbook For Dummies
by Alan L. MD Rubin <(this Author has a sense of humour )

2. *Fast Food Guide*
Becton Dickton And Company

3. The First Year: Type 2 Diabetes
by Gretchen Becker
(Good book--includes some recipies)

*These books are all available at Amazon.com



Your Husband of course should work with his Dietician to create a food plan just for him.

Eating all snacks and meals are recommended throughout the day.

If his kidney tests have come back Good then lean meats and poultry, fish, some eggs and low fat cheeses will help to keep his sugars more stable. The right amount of healthy fats are also recommended for a Diabetic.

Testing to see how each food and beverage affects him is a Good idea.(2 hours after his first bite of food)just for the first while. Logging them is also useful.

He should test a few days at 1 a.m., 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. to see if his sugars are staying stable through the night.

Eating less than 1000 calories a day is semi-starvation.

Learning from time and experimenting, each Diabetic is able to plan how food, exercise and meds.(if necessary) can work Best for them.

 

[Terrie]

Hi Helen:

Sorry, my brain went south in that post.

Here is a meal planner for a day at the bottom of the page of this site.

NDEP | Recipe and Meal Planner Guide: English Version

There is also one on the American Diabetes Association site, the Canadian Diabetes Association site and probably the Quebec Diabetes Association site which are all located in the Diabetes Associations' section on the forum front
page. Type meal planner in the "search" of each site. Good question. I hope that helps.

 

[Kathleen :)]

try more complex carbs, more fiber

Hi all!
I would like to buy a book to get us started on planning meals and snacks. My husband has had 2 of the last 4 days when his blood sugar dropped below 3.9 so we know thats not good. Last night he ate a small potato, salad and chicken breast for dinner at 6, and then tested at 10, and he was 3.9. A couple of days ago, he ate breakfast and 2 hours later was 2.7, and not feeling good at all. We really don't know what foods or snacks will keep his scores more steady, and thought there might be a book that would get us started. Any suggestions? Thanks.

(Oh, he doesn't take any medication, he just got the tester from a class our doctor sent him to.)

are you saying he is reactively hypoglycemic? this is a precursor condition to T2 -- I had this. He might suffer large bg spikes @ 60 minutes, need to avoid this, since his pancreas then fires off too much insulin.

Try more complex carbs, high fiber lower carb veggies, etc. Do some muscle work @ 45' past start of meal to get his muscles to soak up some sugar instead of upsetting his pancreas. High protein meals also good, simple carbs bad. He needs to limit his carbs, avoid ones especially that will cause a rapid increase in bg.

Lifting wieghts will help him keep stable -- the more muscle mass he maintains, the more sugar they will help soak up rather than letting the pancreas do all the work.