[SecretAgent]

Hmm, I'm on a lot of forums and this is the first to ask for introductions. Not too comfortable with that, but I guess I'll play along.

I guess I am mainly here at the moment for recipes and to find some snack ideas. Found this forum from a google search for diabetic smoothies for my mom, who is in the hospital. I know a lot about what to eat, just need some good ways to combine it all.

About me. 40-ish, pre-diabetic, high blood pressure, slight tachycardia, need to lose 50lbs. Possible thyroid problem. Possible lots-of-other-things too. Both parents are diabetic. Had gestational diabetes in early thirties. Controlled solely with diet (never needed meds or shots.) Try to stay away from white breads, white rice, and white pasta. (sometimes a good crusty bread is needed or white sushi rice!) I like cookies too much! Slowly working on an idea for a super healthy, but tasty, cookie. Still have a lot of work on that one. Don't drink sugar drinks or juices. Don't want to use artificial sweeteners, nor stevia. Don't take supplements. I went to a diabetic nutritionist for the gestational diabetes and then to another last year. (I knew the requirements from the first time, but she did tell me that if I developed regular diabetes, the carb allotments would be different, less restrictive.)

About my mom. She is 65 had one leg amputated from the diabetes about 5 years ago. Been battling open wounds and cellulitis on remaining leg. Currently in the hospital since last week. Blood sugar spiked to almost 600, had a heart attack, and the cellulitis has strep which entered the blood stream and made her go septic. blood sugars were coming down from the insulin drip they gave her, and all of the meds, but starting to rise again, though the infection is going away. Today blood sugar was at 427. The nurse yelled at her for having a fruit smoothie, but then we found out that the hospital's supposed diabetic-friendly meal is really diabetic-destructive! They give her white bread, white rice, white pasta, sometimes no protein. Today they gave her a large brownie for lunch and a lemon mousse at dinner. She really doesn't understand about the food issues and just assumed that what they gave her was ok. I'm so mad and wish I could take over their kitchen!

So, here I am to try to find some things I can make to bring to her.

Thanks!

 

[dkyle]

Welcome secret agent!

It is truly bizarre how hospitals treat diabetic patients some times. there are lots of good recipes in the diabetes diet section. good luck and let us know how we can help

don

 

[onlymep]

welcome Secretagent I'm sorry to hear your mum is having a rough time... wishing her a speedy recovery. I notice too that hospitals serve weird stuff for 'diabetic' meals. eg. here they serve wholemeal bread which is in fact a high GI carb... if it's going to be bread it should be wholegrain. There's a recipe section here on the forum. I'm sure you'll find lots of support and info. Keep us posted on how things are going.

 

[jwags]

Welcome to our forum. I have heard so many horror stories of what hospitals feed to diabetics. It is a travesty. I have only been D for 4 years and I am so glad I didn't follow my Dieticians advice. She basically told me it was safe to eat 45-60 carbs a meal and be 180 after meals with no damage. Many doctors just assume diabetics will always have high bgs and accept them. I have adoped a low carb diet. I have banished all rice, pasta and all bread made from wheat from my diet. I think there is a fallacy that it is only the "white" products you need to avoid. Whole wheat bread and pasta are just as dangerous . The most important thing is to do a 2 hour bg test after all meals to make sure that bg is as low as you can get it. I like to keep mine under 110. This way you can figure out what food spikes you individually and avoid it. Hopefully by keeping bgs in a normal range 80-110 I can avoid complications like so many diabetics get. I do low carb smoothies once in awhile but when you add fruit it can be tricky with bgs. I usually use low carb whey powder, some spinach, flaxseed, just a couple of frozen strawberries and unsweet coconut milk. I have problem with drinking them in the morning because my bg will spike, though.

 

[beefy]

:welcome: to the forum. Hospital dietitians are crazy, methinks, giving tons of carbs to diabetics...

 

[Shalynne]

Welcome!

Welcome! You've found a great place here. Hope to get to know you better!

Am very sorry that you and your mother are going through this.

The typical hospital diabetic diet is just plain insane. About 3 weeks ago, I took a routine blood test. Got hauled into the hospital with a BG of 513. Didn't know I was diabetic, though with our family history it was bound to happen. Had no idea it would be like this! Up 'til now, no one had needed more than diet and exercise.

Although I knew a teensy bit about nutrition, I was completely ignorant about diabetic functioning. So when I spiked to 427 despite being on an insulin drip, I blamed it on drinking the little cups of water and black coffee they gave me after sunrise.

Had no idea the penne pasta they woke me up to eat at 3:00am could spike somewhere around 9:00am. I just figured I couldn't safely eat anything again except (maybe) green salad with dry flaky meat on top.

That nurse scolding your mother for enjoying her fruit smoothie, while they fed her starches? Just plain wrong.

In your place I'd be pretty mad too. OK, frankly it makes me angry just to hear about it! :hug:

But things can get better. Glad you found us! Lots of info, recipes and support here. (Maybe your mom would like to join us too?)

 

[Shanny]

Hello & welcome, SecretAgent. Very sorry for your mom's trouble & the complicity of the hospital in making it worse. I hope you'll be able to visit us often & if she is able, perhaps helping her find us too.

Prowl around our recipes board & you'll find many diabetes-friendly foods, snacks, etc., that could easily be used by her in the hospital.

Take care & hurry back.

 

[moon]

the penne pasta they woke me up to eat at 3:00am

No.. Stop it. Sadists, the lot of them.

 

[Shalynne]

No.. Stop it. Sadists, the lot of them.

Actually, at the staff level I think it's more cluelessness enforced by policy (e.g., Diabetics gotta eat at regular intervals -- she's been here since midnight. Wake her up! Pasta is tonight's diabetic dinner -- that's what she gets. It's what she needs. Plus, we need our jobs).

I save my considerable venom for upper management and the ADA. They deserve the very best!

 

[onlymep]

yet if you ask for a diabetic meal on a plane you get absolute rabbit food and next to no carbs. I no longer ask for diabetic meals when flying... I just get the normal meal. I need more carbs usually anyhow.

 

[SecretAgent]

Thanks, everyone!

You won't believe what the hospital gave my mom today for lunch.
Vegetable lasagna
Mixed vegetables
Tomato soup
Bread roll, white
Apple juice
Coffee
Peach pie!
Diabetic shake (38 carbs! How is that for a diabetic?)
There was easily over 100 carbs in this meal and no protien.

I was furious and told the nurse to take it away and my mom would eat the food I brought instead. (chicken salad, coleslaw-12 carbs, cheese-1 carb) I did make her eat the vegetables the hospital gave, they were plain.

I brought her some low carb snacks, cheese and some crackers made with chickpeas (17 carbs per serving, she'll probably only eat half a serving, she eats very little at a time.)

I'm sure I will visit here often! Thanks again!