My husband is a Diabetic, as are most of his family members. My siblings are all Diabetics. I am a Pre-diabetic. Anyway, I definitely know about this topic. The hard thing is that you have an idea of what "healthy eating" is, but Diabetic eating (while it has overlaps) is not the same thing; for example, an apple is healthy, but a whole large apple would send my numbers sky-high. Whole wheat bread is healthy, but a Diabetic can't have too much of it.
- Most of us consider meat + veg to be an excellent meal, so focus on that: For a weeknight, consider a hamburger patty covered with mushrooms, a nice piece of fish, BBQ chicken + veg ... that's good eating. But skip the rice /potato and bread that we usually include.
- Be careful of condiments, particularly BBQ sauce, which can pack a big carb punch in only a couple tablespoons. You can find low-sugar ketchup, honey-mustard, or BBQ sauce, or you can make your own.
- Breakfast is easy, as eggs are carb-free. If time is difficult for you, consider boiling up a bunch of eggs.
- I find lunch difficult, as it usually includes sandwiches, and bread is a killer for me. A lettuce wrapped sandwich works well, as does a salad topped with sliced chicken or steak.
- One of our favorite "special meals" is a charcuterie board with deli meat, cheese, olives and a bit of good chocolate. If we include crackers or bread, it's only a small bit each. But it's not an everyday thing because the deli meat isn't the healthiest choice. This is also a wonderful meal for travel.
As for salmon, I don't particularly care for red fish -- but we eat white fish often. I didn't grow up eating fish (my mother grew up in a house with a fish-allergic grandfather, so she never learned to cook it -- so she never taught me), but here's a recipe I use often -- I like Tilapia or Cod.
Cast Iron Fish: Place a cast iron frying pan on a burner and bring it up to medium-heat. Meanwhile, slather your fish in mustard (it will not taste like mustard at the end -- promise). Sprinkle with a bit of Panko Breadcrumbs, Parmesan Cheese and whatever spice you prefer -- I like Dizzy Dust Tsnaumi. Place the fish in the pan and move it immediately to the oven. Broil it on high 5 minutes, and you're DONE. I like Tartar sauce on mine, and it's low in carbs.
I'd say NO to treats right now ... not while your husband's A1C is still high, but once he's stable /has his numbers down, then he can afford the occasional treat. Treats and snacks are, honestly, the hardest thing for me. Some ideas:
- Sugar-free gum
- Sugar-free Jello with a bit of whipped cream
- Sugar-free Jello pudding whipped with a mixer with cream instead of milk ... this can be made into popsicles
- Nuts, olives and cheese
- DO NOT be fooled by ready-made foods that are labeled Keto, Low-carb or Low-sugar. If you read the back of the packaging, you'll see that they often are high in carbs.
Some of the best advice I've received:
- Thanksgiving and Christmas are one day, not a season. That is, give yourself a break and eat whatever you want on special days ... but don't allow holidays to become an excuse to go overboard for a week.
- Read the back of the package, not the front.
- Eat to your meter. That is, test your blood sugar before /2 hours after meals to learn what works /doesn't work for you.
I can't help with the salmon, but my dad's had Type 2 diabetes for over a decade now. I STRONGLY suggest your husband take a diabetes education class ...
ETA: One of the biggest changes my dad had to make was learning to like diet soda, along with learning to drink way more water. It's shocking how many carbs are in most beverages, and they all count. So if your husband learns to enjoy zero carb drinks, he'll have a lot more room to play with his diet and eat the things he loves.
Oh, yes, yes, yes -- you must take a Diabetic education class. And you must go talk to a Nutritionist. I learned SO MUCH from the class, and I filled pages and pages with notes from my Nutritionist -- by the way, insurance paid for both.
Another good support resource is
https://www.diabetesdaily.com/ ... you can see loads of recipes and can ask help on the message board. But don't expect lovey-dovey yes-yes-yes answers; those people are tough and always tell the truth.
Pinterest is also a great place to search for Keto recipes.
As for drinks, I'll admit that it was probably sugar-filled drinks that pushed my numbers up to become a problem. I've embraced diet sodas -- don't even like full-sugar any more. I've learned to drink unsweet tea with Stevia, but -- a good Southerner -- I don't love it like Sweet Tea. I've never been a coffee drinker, but I now like Iced Coffee with cream (no milk -- milk has carbs) as a treat while I'm running errands. Ridding your drinks of sugar is absolutely essential.
His number was 7.something (I don’t remember exactly)
7? That's Pre-diabetic, isn't it?
See the chart I've included at the end of this message -- it came from Pinterest, and you can find plenty of similar things.
I recently started making what I call my soup of good intentions. After buying fresh vegetables I mean to prepare, and don’t, I sauté carrots, garlic, celery and onions, then add herbs, tomato paste and all of my vegetables, and broth, and make a big container of soup. It’s pretty good!
Consider that fresh vegetables, though tastier, have no nutritional value over frozen.
I make a BIG pan of roasted veg twice a week, and we all enjoy the leftovers. It's easier to comply with a low-carb diet if the veg is already cooked. It's easy: I mix up several bags of frozen veg, brush it with olive oil and sprinkle it with whatever spice I like at the moment. I roast it at 450 degrees for 30-40 minutes and sprinkle it with parmesan cheese after it's done.
I would suggest concentrating on real foods…those with no ingredient list. Focus on lean proteins and lots of vegetables. Use only extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil. And exercise. Taking a walk after meals can help keep insulin levels from spiking. Best of luck to both of you!
Exercise makes such a difference. 10 minutes of vigorous exercise can lower my blood sugar numbers by as much as 40 points ... but the result is temporary.
Does your husband have a Glucose Meter yet? If not, it's essential that he gets one. You should check with your insurance, but -- for me -- it was cheaper to buy a Target-brand meter + test strips than to use my insurance and buy the items my doctor recommended. You need enough strips that you can test before /after meals and learn how various things affect you; for example, popcorn is okay for some Diabetics, awful for others.
You all are amazing!!
I am overwhelmed with all your posts.
I have read every one and will actually be rereading them again when I have more time to really absorb them all.
Thank you!
Thank you!
Thank you!!!!!
You won't absorb everything at once, so don't beat yourself up about it. Take your time and learn how to manage this new condition -- as long as you do better each day, you're doing well.
