So, diabetes and Christmas? Any advice?

[ClaireDeLoon]

DP has diabetes, we assume type 2 as his GP said he won't need insulin. We have not long found out and waiting to see the consultant and dietician.

In the meantime he is very down, he has a sweet tooth but has stopped with the full fat coke, snickers bars etc. I just wondered if anyone else is in the same positon, them or close family, or has any advice.

Can he have the odd mince pie, slice of Christmas cake, or even a dessert or cranberry sauce with his turkey? I cook most of our food from scratch but the Christmas cake is made already as is the mincemeat so I can't substitute with different sugar now.

btw I will bump this every 10 mins until I get bored get an answer!

I have type 2 diabetes and so does my dad - we've both always been told (by different drs/nurses) that we've just to enjoy Christmas Day and eat what we want. Obviously that doesn't give us license to eat an entire tin or Roses in one go.

My mum and dad both have type 2, and although they are both normally v careful (in spite of tablets and insulin), they have also been told to let themselves go a bit on christmas day.

Normally though, cranberry sauce wouldn't be a problem, and they would have cake as part of a meal rather than as a snack

Hi my mum has Type II controlled by diet/exercise. She will be eating the odd mince pie/slice of cake/nibbles. Just not all of them followed by the entire box of chocs

Thanks everyone. Interesting about cake as part of meal - will that help the blood sugar stay fairly even then?

I won't get roses/quality street in so there is not temptation (not a massive fan of such things myself so I don't mind). I was umming and ahhing as to whether to not he could have a choc orange in his stocking but he'd probably eat it all in one go so I think I'll skip that.

Theres loads of good advice from Diabetes UK including stuff about eating at Christmas

Thanks for that link CMOT. In particular I thought the hamper list helpful because although I'm not giving him a hamper it lets me know what things are allowed (even if in moderation). He really thinks he's not allowed sugary stuff ever again.

Hi there.
Did you know that there are some great 'natural' sugar alternatives such as Agave Syrup ( from cactus) or Xylitol (birch, Mesquite (superfood), Lucuma (superfood) which the body responds to differently than sugar.

Of course it is best to eliminate sugar. Unfortunately, food manufacturers stuff it into everything; once you start reading food labels, you'll be horrified how many disguises it comes in - glucose, fructose, honey, etc

Diabetes is predominantly lifestyle driven. There is MUCH information available (on internet) about actually reversing diabetes through changing your diet - 'Reversing Diabetes in 30 days' will provide oodles of information.

Maintaining sugary foods and any unhealthy foods will continue to 'feed' diabetes. Eliminating them will conversely have the desired effect.

PS Chromium is a great supplement to help stabilise blood sugar, and many superfoods can help the situation.

Hope this helps

Thanks for that dawn, will look into those sugar subsitutes and also the supplement etc.

I'd be careful on supplements etc - some of them can be unsafe with medication, and there is little or no proper evidence for their effectiveness. And unless someone is very overweight and loses that weight, diabetes cannot be reversed. It can sometimes be controlled by diet modification alone, but it is still there. And it isn't 'fed' by sugar

www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes-forum/

diabetes uk have an active forum where you will get exactly the advice you need from diabetics

thanks - will take a look, and thanks for the warning CMOT

We've got the initial appointment now, for next week, I will go too (I assume that doctor will be OK with that?) as I do most of the cooking and also for support and two minds to remember what was said.