Treats for diabetics

[1153rsmith]

Hey everybody....

We are leaving for the world in 30 some days and have just found out my wife is diabetic. We are going to be changing our diet, but right now, don't really know much about what we are facing.

In preparing for our trip however, I was wondering what sort of treats we might be able to locate around the World for her to eat? Where can we find sugar free items?

Any advice would be great..

 

[mking624]

I have gestational diabetes so while that will very likely go away after I give birth, I still have to keep an eye on my diet because my risk for type 2 goes way up. So I'm definitely interested in learning about this as well.

OP, make sure she's not just keeping an eye out for sugar free items, but also watches her carb intake...as that converts to sugar. She should be in contact with a nutritionist who will help her get an idea of foods/snacks that are good for her and will help narrow down snack choices when she's there.

 

[kehlyrsmom]

I had gestational diabetes with both of my childreand and in 2007 I found out that I am a type 2 diabetic. I have been to Disney now 3 times since being diagnosed and we have two trips planned for this year.

I started seeing an endocronoligst last August, and he put me on diet of no starches basically no (breads, pastas, potatoes). I eat eggs, vegtables, fruit and lean meat and on occasion I will have a small portion of dark cholocate or a 1/2 cup of Ice Cream.

For the most part it is all about portion control and watching your carbs, typically things that are sugar free have more carbs in them then the regular stuff does. Also I walk 45 minutes at least 5 times a week. I have lost 35 pounds since August and have been able to go off of two of my medications.

I plan on having at least a part of a Dole Whip at least once. We have always been on the regular DDP plan and I forgo the breads and potatoes that come with the TS meal, I ask for a salad or vegtables and will have a few bites of whatever dessert that sounds good to me. For quick service I usually get a salad, or if I get a sandwich I just don't eat the bread and they will usually allow you to substitue the fries for grapes or whatever fruit is offered in the kids meals or a yoguart. My husband and I will often share a quick service for breakfast and one at lunch as well.

Hope that helps a little, hope you have a wonderful trip.

 

[1153rsmith]

We just found out this week, but has an appt with a nutritionist tomorrow, and a couple educational classes at the Dr's office over the next couple weeks.

I just figured I would get a head start on the situation through all the Dis'ers.

So far, I have not seen a question on this board that does not get answered.

This is all so new to us, but we know, with the Lord's help, we can handle it.

 

[mking624]

Completely understandable...I hope the appointment/classes are helpful and informative!
Also, if you have any ADRs, you can call and make a note of any dietary needs. They're definitely accomodating!

 

[mom23guys2]

With Type 2 diabetes you need to be careful about carb intake, as others have said. The sit-down restaurants all have an option of sugar-free desserts but you need to tell the server early when you order your meal.They will often offer to have the chef come out to describe the foods offered especially on the buffet. When I'm having a dessert-even sugar-free- I always make sure to have a big green salad-nuts and cheese are great but avoid adding craisins and other dried fruit. I usually skip the roll unless it is whole grain, avoid pasta meals(since they are not whole wheat and I tend to eat more than I should), I love potatoes but rarely have them-maybe a baked potato cut in half but I can have the butter and sour cream.

 

[mom23guys2]

Oh I forgot, many of the food courts have a sugar free brownie that is fantastic. Not low in calories though. You sometimes have to ask for them.

 

[ryels]

Our nine-year old son is a diabetic, so we deal with the same thing for him. As was mentioned before, the yogurt or fruit salad selections at most of the counter service restaurants are good snacks.

To be honest, I don't know much about the sugar free selections because our son can't stand the taste! We generally let him eat what he wants and then give him an extra shot of insulin if he picks a big carb snack (it's worth the trade off to him.) Your situation may different though.

I would advise that you bring some sort of snack yourself (granola bars, fruit snacks, etc.), just because you can know the amount of carbs and control it better.

Hope everything works out for you. I'm sure it will be fine. You'll both be pros in no time.

 

[Peanut1200]

I'm diabetic as well - my dietician has told me that a 15 gram carbohydrate snack is a good guideline when making food choices. 15 grams is an average piece of fruit. There are many, many places to find fresh fruit in the parks. Good luck to you and your spouse!

 

[bumbershoot]

The classes should be really helpful! This stage is really scary and daunting. DH lost about 15 pounds nearly overnight b/c food suddenly frightened him so much he just couldn't deal with eating.

Things we've figured out (and your mileage may/will vary b/c they have different bodies):

If you're going to eat a sugary treat, make sure it's proper sugar, not something based on corn syrup (like Dole Whips). DH has the monitor and can SEE the differences in his levels between cane sugar and HFCS or corn syrup solids. His readings go much higher with the corn syrup based things.

If you're going to eat a sugary treat, try something with cinnamon in it. We actually found out about the cinnamon thing when I made pumpkin muffins from the Disneyland AP website. There was cinnamon all throughout the recipe, and he felt SO guilty eating a muffin, but the next morning he hit an alltime low since he started monitoring. Every time he has cinnamon it's like that; he actually had been given a cinnamon supplement a few years before his diagnosis, and started taking them again, and it is a drastically GOOD difference.

Figure out what works for HER. DH is very opposed to using artificial sweeteners, and has had to figure out just how much cane sugar he can have. Others are fine using artificial sweeteners. DH used the stevia/truvia stuff (it's based on an herb) but ultimately wasn't a huge fan, and it's $$$.

Get kitchen tools that easily measure portions. She doesn't want to be eyeballing things like pasta, b/c that will probably lead to too big portions. DH is so happy we already had the kitchen scale from doing WW a few years back.

DH found the side effects of metformin to be too difficult to deal with, so he has had to manage this with ONLY diet and exercise...his endo keeps wanting him to try the drugs, but has accepted that DH can do really well without it, and any benefit from the drugs would just be gilding the lily.

Exercise has amazing benefits on the blood sugar levels.

Eat regularly.


At WDW, follow all of the above (especially making sure she is eating and drinking water very regularly). Since there isn't much time between now and then, she might still be in the timid stage, and that's fine. It'll probably change the trip, but it will probably be for the better. She might have not been feeling all that well before, and these changes in diet will probably help her feel better; that was DH's experience. He feels SO good now, though it took awhile for his head to dump the "but I want to eat whatever I want" thing.

Thanks to his endocrinologist, we found out something else that had been going on in his body, which other MDs and NDs had been refusing to test for. For 3 years. 3 years he's dealt with these symptoms and they all refused to just add the extra bloodwork to what they were already doing. So a good endo, one who will deal with you as an individual and try to trust you (it took some work to get DH's endo to trust him and believe in him, but he's there now), can really really help, and I hope you guys seek one out!

The family doctor that saw DH after the urgent care guy diagnosed him REFUSED to refer to an endo, and gave him horrible information. WE had to seek everything out, we called MultiCare, got him in the classes, we had to find a good endo (and get the urgent care doc to refer him, bypassing the family doc), etc etc etc. Even for type 2, they are incredibly helpful.

 

[DisneyDancin7]

my dad is a diabetic and has never had any trouble at Disney...

allears.net has a great resource: http://allears.net/pl/diabetes.htm

hope this helps!

 

[catne]

Just a word of caution on the sugar-free desserts available at the restaurants (both counter & table-service) Our experience has been that the ones that taste really good are typically made with sugar alcohols to replace the sugar. And many people (I've seen estimates that 1/2 the population) cannot easily digest sugar alcohols so this can lead to some mild to severe gastrointestinal issues as the stuff works it's way through your system...issues of the sort that gas-x, pepto bismol, etc. can do absolutely nothing. We know people who were up all night in the bathroom after eating what was a fabulous tasting sugar-free dessert.

As others have said, most of the sugar-free baked goods are just as high in carbohydrates as the sugared version.

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

I control my blood glucose with food. Having once been a medication taking type II diabetic, I no longer need the medicine.

Each body is different. Do not take the nutritional classes as gospel, only guidelines.

Carbs for me are a major issue. Type, and amount per serving are what I watch. It's not so much "sugar" that is the problem. Cane sugar is actually pretty decent stuff and only 16 calories a serving.

It's the other junk. Also, fried foods are terrible for me. I can eat a dark chocolate candy bar with NO elevation in blood glucose. I can eat a single serviing of fish and chips and have it go through the roof. You see? It totally depends.

Whole grains are better for me than "white things" bread, pastas and the like. Fresh vegetables with no fat, and salads with lemon (I really don't like salad dressing) are good choices for me. There are studies that show using low fat dressing actually interferes with the body's absorpbtion of the nutrients in the salad vegetables, so I avoid that like the plague.

Water, water and more water. I have no room in my body or diet for diet soda, or artificially sweetened drinks. I drink black coffee, water (sometimes with a touch of flavoring) and dry red wine.

I eat lean and green. Lean protien and I watch the portion. Fish is a full seven ounce portion, lean beef (and grass fed beef is lower in cholesterol than any other) is a five ounce portion.

Green vegetables, leafy greens, no iceberg lettuce as I find it a useless thing in this world. Asparagus, green beans, mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, sprouts, etc.

Fruit is a bit iffy. Be careful with it. The "ose" in there is sugar (as all "ose"s are) and they can spike your blood glucose fast. Use apples if you want, or bananas and avoid pineapple (high, high, high sugar content).

Add a little good fat if you are going to have some not so great for you stuff. It will slow down the body's absorpbtion of the bad stuff.

Exercise will help keep the blood glucose down (all that walking) IF the blood glucose is already down. If it's high, be careful. Exercise is contraindicated when blood glucose starts to rise too high.

This is a new adventure your wife is about to embark upon. One where she'll learn that everything she puts in her mouth counts, will affect the way she feels, will affect everything about her day.

Good luck and good health to you and your family!

 

[pumba]

I too am a type 2 and have not had any problems in Disney. I love to eat and I am careful about the carb intake. As someone else posted. DO not get taken in by the sugar free items. A regular ice cream is less carbs then some of the sugar free one. so I have half of the serving..it is equal to 15 carbs for a half cup. Fruit is also high in carbs so if it is a big naval orange, half of that orange is equal to the snack of 15 carbs. The grapes are 17 total and usually that is what is in one of the pkgs. I dont usually eat desserts after meals so that would not be an issue for me. Just remember also that the exercise you are doing is going to lower your blood sugar and make you feel weaker or have a headache.
One week at Disney did not make me gain any weight or have my testing off while we were there.
Have fun at Disney.

 

[1153rsmith]

Thanks guys for all the posts. You all are correct about some of the sugar free things being worse than those with sugar. We have been label reading all weekend and it is amazing. (Sort of like the salt substitutes being worse for you than the salt.)

We are learning more about my wife's condition and are becomming more confident we can do this without cutting out everything we like. (We have always wanted to try a dole whip.... just now, she and I are going to split one. )

We are looking so forward to our trip. We need a get-away.

 

[PatsMom]

Just chiming in to agree with those who warned about the sugar free desserts. The sweetener is a killer to me - one brownie means about 24 hours in the bathroom! and the brownie has just as many carbs as most of the regular desserts. I think the effects are made worse if you are on metformin because it tends to have the same side effects. If I am going to indulge in dessert, I typically split with my husband or daughter and enjoy just a little. And to compensate, I eat fewer carbs as part of my entree. Or if I am having a treat as a snack I try to share that as well.

The nutritionist will give you some good information. Mine also gave me my first copy of the Calorie King book! That is a very useful tool when trying to estimate carbs in a meal.

Even more than a nutritionist, a certified diabetes educator has a ton of information. I wish I had seen one much earlier than I did. Unfortunately I wasn't referred and didn't know enough to ask for a referral until my doctor put me on insulin and I was having problems with low blood sugars. She, in turn, sent me to an endocrinologist. By then I was injecting insulin and taking three oral medications as well. Thanks to a great nurse practitioner at the endo, I got my butt moving and started exercising. I've lost 40 pounds. I'm eating better. I switched from insulin to Byetta which has worked well for me. And I am down to only one oral medication. Injecting the Byetta and doing the finger sticks is a pain (figuratively and literally) but worth it since my future health depends on it.

You'll be fine at Disney. If your wife is not usually very active, you might want to plan on testing her blood sugar more often. The heat and activity can actually cause your readings to be lower than normal.

 

[disneygal55]

My DH usually doesn't have too many problems with his sugars being high while we're in WDW. He does have a problem with his blood sugars being too low due to the extra walking. He now knows when they're dropping because of side effects but good advice is to check blood sugars regularly especially if you do a lot of walking.

 

[Chloesmom]

My DD11 is type 1 so it is different but we learned all about carbs in Disney. She was diagnosed with type 1 and we were at disney 5 days later...
My biggest piece of advice to any diabetic is to remember that sugar free just means that no refined sugar was added. It could still have been sweetened with fruit juice or puree or the before mentioned dreaded artificial sweeteners. Because these items could have fruit sweeteners in them, flour, etc. they still have carbs.. often just as much as a regular dessert would. For example my DD wanted to buy sugar free peanut butter cups... they had MORE carbs than the Reese's ones did. My advice is to eat a regular item but split it. You dont risk the BAD side effects from art. sweeteners and you will have a better guess at whats in it.
Also, the amount of walking at Disney will tend to make most people go low so sometimes people can get away with eating more carbs there than at home. My Dd on the other hand goes high at Disney.. so each body is different.
When DD was first diagnosed she was on a different insulin therapy where we had to limit the amount of carbs she ate to match a predetermined amount of insulin she got twice a day. We for sure had to really watch what she ate at disney then and we did things like split desserts to manage it. Now she is on an insulin pump and has much more freedom.
I know its alot to take in at once.. but you will learn quickly and it will be second nature before you know it and it's alot more managable than you may be thinking

 

[Ciciwoowoo]

I had gestational diabetes in November when I went to WDW. I asked on the boards here and one of the best tips was to carry my own snacks in pre measured baggies. I was fond of peanut butter pretzels! I would also bring string cheese with me (we were staying in a room with a fridge). I would bring a piece of fruit as well, or snag a few when we went to a buffet! We ended up doing a lot of buffets on our trip.

In park, I would get some popcorn as a snack. Don't eat the whole box though!!! I found some veggies and dip as well. I tried to avoid the sugar free items as they contained sugar alcohol, which is just about as bad as sugar, according to my doctor. I went heavy on the meat selections. I would have a burger but take off the bun, for example.

My favorite meal was Ohanas. The chef there was really nice and made me my own special dinner. It seems that most of the meat there has honey on it.

The walking you do at the park seemed to really help keep my sugars low. That does work in your favor when you just have to have a "cheat"! I was crazy about chocolate chip cookies and would buy one, take a bite, and pass it off to my son to finish off. It worked well for me!

Good luck and enjoy!!!

 

[pumba]

the Calorie King book for diabetics is the best book to get to help determine what you are eating.

We did not change diets when I became a diabetic......Portion control and feed the family what you normally do.....I can have my carbs but have to count them....at first you should measure but after a while you will know exactly by site..

My educator was a certified diabetes educator too and she knew way more then I could ever imagine......she also teaches you tricks of the trade..

Good luck and have fun