diet for diabetes type 2

[hopiangel]

Does anyone here have info on the diet for an adult diabetic with type 2?  This website saved my sanity when I had another illness and I know there is somebody here that can help me.  All I need to know is if there are restricted foods, etc.  Any help would be greatly appreciated, Thank you, **Hopiangel**

[JDRF-Team-wak]

I am not a doctor or a nutrionist, I am a mom of a child with type 1 and the daughter of a type 2 diabetic.  I can tell you from experience only.  I would suggest that you contact a nutrionist in your area. I have done this with my daughter, and have gotten my mom to do this and it has made a difference, especially since my mother is on a special diet due to religious reasons.
The first thing I would do is written down what you normally like too eat for each type of meal. Especially if there are special ethnic foods, (a friend of ours is of Asian descent and the child’s diet has a lot of rice, this way the nutrionist can keep it in the diet.) If you do this before you go it would help.  Just because you have diabetes does not mean that have to spot eating the foods you like.  It means that you need to be aware of what you eat and how much.  
I would switch from using sugar to using a product like Splenda - it is better than sweet and low or aspartame as you can cook with it ( it is also healthier). I would also cut out sodas. We have switched to drinks like crystal light that have little or no carbohydrates.  We have found that if we COUNT carbohydrates, not eliminate them, everyone has better numbers.   You need carbohydrates to be healthy.
A nutrionist wil be able to help you keep you life as " normal" as possible while still getting good numbers and taking care of your diabetes.  It is the old addage  everything in moderation.

I would also check out the following websites:
http://www.diabetes.org/home.jsp
I hope this helps.  Please feel free to stop back to the website and let us know how you are doing.

[gman2004]

i dont have type 2(i have type 1), but, a start, would to cut out all candy bar's, ice cream,dougnuts and sugar loaded foods.

You can find suger free candy, ice cream, and whatnot, in most places.

[hopiangel]

Thank you for your response and help. Hope all is well with you.
**Hopiangel**

[JDRF-Team-wak]

Be careful with the sugar free foods as a lot of them have ingredients called, sorbitol, and manitol.  Both of these ingredients are the same that are in laxatives.  The sugar free candy can cause stomach and bowel problems.  The more refined sugars should be watched.  Ice cream is not necessarily bad either. It used to be that you had to stay away from all sugars.  Now that is not necessarily the truth.  
Check with your doctor and your endocrinologist

[hopiangel]

Thank you all for the help and support. This is truly a website where people can come and get really needed feedback.  Bless everyone and take care. You are not alone with whatever your health issues are when you come here.  **Hopiangel**

[JDRF-Team-wak]

Thanks, Hopiangel. I hope the information that we provide helps ease your life in some way and makes diabetes more liveable.  Please stop back and let us know how things go.

[millwrightswife]

I have been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes for several years.  The diet is the same diet recommended for Type 1 diabetes.  Your doctor or The ADA can give you a copy of the recommended diet.  The difference in the diet for Type 2 is that you do not have to eat on such a strict schedule.  Please be careful to check your blood sugars often.  You should not have more than 3 servings of carbs per meal as recommended by the ADA.  I did not take my diagnosis seriously and now I am on 3 different meds and headed toward insulin therapy. PLEASE get all the info you need from your doctor and if he/she seems uninterested or unknowledgeable about your condition get another doctor. It is best to see an endocrinologist and also sign up for diabetes education classes at your local hospital.  Im sure your doctor can refer you.  THIS IS A MUST!  My endo has recommended that I go on the South Beach Diet but finally my blood sugars are under control.  I am taking this very serious now and hope to be taken off at least two of my meds in the future.  All the same complications associated with Type 1 are the same for Type 2.  Blindness, Kidney failure, Amputation and heart disease.  Please get educated and take care of yourself.  Im cheering for you.