Any Diabetics Out There with Advice?

Trader Joes or Whole Foods are great places to shop for sugar free and organic foods.

Actually most natural peanut butters that are right in the store are low in sugar maybe 2 or 3 grams per tablespoon which is low. I find most sugar free products at Kroger. It is most important though for your mother in law to not only eat fresh foods, but to exercise. A 30 minute walk a day helps with sugar levels. One tip at the grocery store is shop the perimeter as a rule. Those are the fresh foods that your body needs and not processed foods that it doesn't need. Also I found starting breakfast with lots of protein, cottage cheese, tuna and even a piece of turkey is what I do and it sets your blood sugar on an even tone for the day.

Hi,
I had gestational diabetes with my first child and it's a lot like Type 2. I ate a lot of Atkins and South Beach Diet meals. The taste is pretty good and the protein is high and you can get both at Meijer, Target and Walmart Super Stores. Be careful with sugar free foods. I found that sugar free foods are kind of deceiving. Some have no sugar but there was something in them that raised up my blood sugar anyway. It's a learning experience, that's for sure. It will take some time to modify her diet, but soon she'll know what she can eat and what she can't eat, or at least should limit (because even when we know we shouldn't have something, sometimes you just want it anyway).

Trader Joe's and Whole Foods have alot of very good things.
I hope your mother-in-law is really getting educated on diabetes and will eat EXACTLY the way she is supposed to. My dad is type II also, he hasn't been a good patient and lost the lower portion of one leg about 3 years ago. I would also like to say that he has been seeing an alternative healthcare group in Grosse Pointe. My dad lives in Indiana so he is only able to come up here every few months, but...The Alternative Health Care Center has a group of chiropractors and nutritionists that have really been able to help him keep his diabetes under better control. I wish we had known about them years ago. Go to www.ahccenter.com and check it out. I can't stress enough about getting educated on the balanced eating thing with diabetes. It's more than just not eating sugar. The best scenario is to be able to eat differently and get the proper exercise to make her system behave differently so her blood sugar is CORRECTED not just fixed with shots of insulin. My dad has been diabetic for 33 years, he's 83 now. Our whole family wishes we knew then what we know now. His blood sugar has been incredibly different and better since he has been seeing the group in Grosse Pointe. He still isn't a model patient, and would be much better is he cooperated better but...he has had to adjust his insulin to lower levels since he started going there. Maybe your mother-in-law could get this corrected a natural way rather than getting on the insulin merry-go-round. I wish you the best!

Hi there. Its very hard for someone later in life to overhaul food habits they have had for 30/40 years. As a dietitian I see many patients really struggle with this, especially around the holidays. With many Type 2 Diabetes patients, just losing 10% of their body weight can help reduce their need for insulin and/or medication and any exercise she can get will obviously really help. I would make sure she is eating regularly 3 meals and 1-2 snacks daily at regular times to help work better with any medications. Also focus on whole, fresh foods, rather than processed as well as portion control of carbohydrates. She should really not have to give up any foods she likes, but rather work the proper portion size of any food into her daily meal plan. There is a great booklet put out by the American Diabetes Association called exchange lists for meal planning which list portion sizes of just about every food you can think of as well as how to fit everything you want into your meal plan by learning to substitute things for one another. I would also suggest diabetes classes or an appointment with a registered dietitian(classes are often held through local hospitals) who could really personalize everything for your mother in law. Good luck and feel free to email me if you have any questions- ____@____.com.

Been there! I was diagnosed in October 2007. You need to know that she needs to correct her eating habits for diabetes, not substitute sugar free items. Through my business I help people to correct their health challenges naturally rather than thru chemicals.

I have been able to loose 25 pounds and keep it off, correct my blood sugar levels naturally, and get off bad carbs. If I can help your family, please let me know!

S.
____@____.com