She is not big on cooking in the morning. She is a teacher as well so she needs something portable if at all possible.

When I was gestational diabetic for breakfast I'd eat:

2 slices of whole wheat toast (about 13 carbs a piece) and 2 slices of turkey bacon.

2 corn tortillas with 2 or 3 scrambled eggs whites with a little cheese or ham.

1/2 large bagel w/cream cheese

2 Tablespoons of peanut butter with 2 slices of whole wheat toast

This is all I can think of at the moment. I hope it helps.

My husband recently was diagnosed w/ Type II Diabetes. They have prescribed Metformin and it somewhat helps, but it makes him feel really tired and has some other side effects. We are wanting to get some information on a more natural approach to controling his sugar. Anyone have a good read?

Your husband needs to see a great endocrinologist [ not a GP ] and see a dietitian and take a diabetes ed class.

He needs to subscribe to current diabetes magazines to stay on top of diabetes news and you both may want to join a support group and make new friends.

It is a lot of work and reading one or two books is not the answer.The two books previously mentioned are not, IMHO, good for much.

I wish you both the best.

Genetics (specific HLA types, having the AIRE gene mutation, Northern European decent, and other genetic factors we don't know about).

Having other autoimmune diseases yourself (Rheumatoid arthritis, MS etc.) or in your family.

Having a family history of Type 1 diabetes.

Early exposure to casein (cow's milk protein) and gluten are *possibly* linked to Type 1, but this has not been proven. Dietary lectins have also been linked to autoimmunity. The problem is that people with autoimmune diseases have a "leaky gut" and let all or any of these foreign proteins in, triggering an autoimmune response. That said, the problem is really with the leaky gut, and not the foods. We can avoid casein and gluten in our diets, but lectins are in practically everything. A person would not be able to eat anything.

Viruses (coxsackie, retroviruses) are also seen as another trigger. Type 1 diabetes apparently needs to have more than 1 trigger to develop in people whose genes out them at risk.

However, if your genetic tendancy is extremely high, almost anything can trigger the disease. For example, kids with the AIRE gene mutation have an 80% (!) risk of Type 1 early in life. Perhaps these kids have a very leaky gut as well, and let in more possible triggers.

Vitamin D is now in trials to see if it can help prevent Type 1 as an immune modulator.

In theory, a lack of Omega 3 fatty acids can also predispose to inflammatory diseases like T1 if your genes put you at risk.

So, a gluten free/casein free diet (lectin free is impossible), antioxidants and Omega 3 EFA's, and vitamin D should all be taken advantage of dietary wise if you are at high risk (have a family history or related T1 genes) of T1.

Of course, there is no way to actually prevent Type 1 at this point, and we are unsure of how much (if any) these things will help. It can't hurt to try though, and there is evidence to suggest that some people really may benefit.

I think I have the worst doctor. He told me today I have gestational diabetes and asked the nurse to give me some dietary education, but then everyone disappeared and I didn't get any education at all. I've never had this before and have no clue what to do! All they told me was that diabetes can be controlled with diet and exercise…. but no info on the kind of diet. we're going into a holiday weekend so I know I won't get any appointments with dieticians or specialists until next week or the week after at the earliest. Meanwhile, do you guys have any suggestions of simple foods to eat/diets to follow? Am I supposed to avoid sugar totally?
P.S. I am so angry at my doctor, and feel really guilty about having diabetes. Any suggestions on how to cope would be great!

Here are some general guidelines:

• Eat a variety of foods, distributing calories and carbohydrates evenly throughout the day. Make sure both your meals and your snacks are balanced. The American Diabetes Association recommends that you eat three small-to-moderate-sized meals and two to four snacks every day, including an after-dinner snack. Although your meal plan may contain fewer carbs than you normally eat, complex carbohydrates should continue to provide most of your calories.

• Don't skip meals. Be consistent about when you eat them and the amount of food you eat at each one. Your blood sugar will remain more stable if your food is distributed evenly throughout the day and consistently from day to day.

• Eat a good breakfast. Your blood glucose levels are most likely to be out of whack in the morning. To keep your level in a healthy range, you may have to limit carbohydrates (breads, cereal, fruit, and milk), boost your protein intake, and possibly avoid fruit and juice altogether.

• Include high-fiber foods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grain breads and cereals, and dried peas, beans, and legumes. These foods are broken down and absorbed more slowly than simple carbohydrates, which may help keep your blood sugar levels from going too high after meals.

• Limit your intake of foods and beverages that contain simple sugars such as soda, fruit juice, flavored teas, and most desserts — or avoid them altogether. These foods can quickly elevate your blood sugar. Ask your healthcare practitioner about using foods sweetened with an artificial sweetener if you need a sweet fix.

• Milk is high in lactose, a simple sugar, so if you drink more than two or three glasses a day, you may need to limit the amount you drink and find an alternative source of calcium. If you're looking for a new beverage of choice, try club soda with a squeeze of lemon or orange, or unsweetened decaffeinated iced tea.

Moderately increasing your activity level is also a good way to help keep your blood glucose levels at normal levels. Again, speak with your diabetes educator or practitioner about the right amount and intensity of exercise for you.

http://www.babycenter.com/400_what-type-of-diet-should-i-follow-if-i-have-gestational-diab_505181_1000.bc?Ad=com.bc.common.AdInfo%405157f6a2

I really think you should see another doctor if possible. Gestational diabets can be very serious to you and your baby. I had gestational with my last son. My doctor sent me home with a glucose monitor (which you should REALLY have) and had a dieticain come to my house to go over a personalized diet plan for me. I also had to test my glucose 4 times a day and call it in to the doctors office (of corse it was automatied, but at least they kept CLOSE watch on my results) and test my urine once a day int he mornings. I think you are very justified in feeling angry. This is nothing you did and this is your baby and you are just trying to care for it!! Please find someone who cares about your baby as much as you do….or at least acts like it!! lol I wish you the best!! good luck to you and your baby!!

If Splenda is a sugar product, why is it "suitable for diabetics?". It seems that most packaged foods like breads, soups etc. have sugar in one or the other forms. Some are easy for me to interprete when it says, 'molases', 'syrup' etc. But others are very difficult to make any sense. Please provide the vocabulary of SAFE/UNSAFE contents for a diabetic.
Thanks.

Splenda, or sucralose as it's known in the industry, is also found in some low-calorie sodas, such as C2 from Coca-Cola (KO ), Edge from Pepsi (PEP ), and upwards of 4,000 packaged-food products. An additional advantage for Splenda: Unlike aspartame (the key ingredient in Equal and NutraSweet), this additive retains its taste when heated.

Now a host of lawsuits from rivals and individuals questions whether Splenda can really claim that it's made from sugar since the final product is several steps removed from its natural form.
—
"Splenda misleads consumers into believing that it's made from natural sugar when it's not," says Jeff Leshay, a spokesman for Merisant. The individuals, Peggy Patton and Marc Backer from California and Bobby Allen Green from Florida have filed separate class actions against McNeil.
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The active ingredient in Splenda starts as pure cane sugar but is chemically altered to create a compound that contains no calories, according to McNeil. The final product contains no sugar.

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Whether Type 1 or 2, diabetics need a balance of diet and exercise.

Here are some foods you can eat, and some foods you must avoid!

Foods you must avoid!

i. Salt

Salt is the greatest culprit for diabetics. You get enough salt from vegetables in inorganic form, so reduce the intake of inorganic salt.

ii. Sugar

Sucrose, a table sugar, provides nothing but calories and carbohydrates.

Also, you need calcium to digest sucrose. Insufficient sucrose intake might lead to calcium being leached off the bones.

Substitute sucrose with natural sugar, like honey, jaggery (gur), etc.

iii. Fat

Excessive fat intake is definitely not a good habit.

Try and exclude fried items from your diet totally.

But, remember, you must have a small quantity of oil to absorb fat-soluble vitamins, especially vitamin E.

iv. For non-vegetarians

Try and stop the intake of red meat completely.

Try to go in for a vegetarian diet. If you cannot, decrease the consumption of eggs and poultry.

You can, however, eat lean fish two to three times a week.

v. Whole milk and products

Try to switch to low fat milk and its products like yogurt (curd).

Replace high fat cheese with low fat cottage cheese.

vi. Tea and coffee

Do not have than two cups of the conventional tea or decaffeinated coffee every day.

Try to switch to herbal teas.

vii. White flour and its products

Replace these with whole grains, wholewheat or soya breads and unpolished rice.

viii. Foods with a high glycemic index

Avoid white rice, potatoes, carrots, breads and banana — they increase the blood-sugar levels.

Special food for diabetics

i. Bitter gourd (karela)

This vegetable contains a high dosage of 'plant insulin'. It lowers the blood-sugar levels effectively.

Have the juice of three to four karelas early morning on an empty stomach.

As a vegetable, too, it can be taken on a regular basis.

Powder the seeds of karela (measuring 1 teaspoon), mix with water and drink it.

ii. Fenugreek (methi)

It is the most common food used to control diabetes.

Gulp a teaspoonful of these seeds with a glass of water daily.

Soak the seeds overnight. Have the water in which the seeds were soaked.

You can make a chutney with methi seeds. You can also eat them sprouted, dried and powdered, or mix them in wheat flour to make chapattis.

iii. Indian blackberry (jamun)

This fruit is very effective in preventing and controlling diabetes.

Powder the stone of the fruit and eat it — it contains glucoside, which prevents the conversion of starch into sugars.

iv. Garlic

This is used to lower blood-sugar levels.

Garlic is rich in potassium and replaces the potassium which gets lost in urine.

It also contains zinc and sulphur, which are components of insulin.

Take about three to four flakes of freshly crushed garlic daily.

v. Onion

Because of its diuretic and digestive properties, onion works against diabetes.

Raw onion is more useful.

vi. Flaxseed

This is the richest source of Omega 3 fatty acids.

It helps control diabetes because it maintains the sensitivity of the cell membrane, facilitates insulin, and thereby the uptake of glucose by the cells.

vii. Fibre

Soluble fibre, found in apples, kidney beans, oatmeal, soyabean, etc, help control diabetes.

These aid slow digestion and absorption of nutrients, resulting in a slow and steady release of glucose.

They soak up excess bile acids found in the intestinal tract, the same acids that are converted to blood cholesterol.

They also help empty the stomach and trigger satiety that can help Type 2 diabetics to achieve weight loss goals.

viii. Cinnamon solution

Water extracts of cinnamon have been found to promote glucose metabolism and reduce cholesterol.

You can boil cinnamon sticks in water and drink this water.

ix. Antioxidants

Diabetes is often associated with conditions like heart disease, diabetic retinopathy, immune deficiency and kidney disease.

Many are caused by free radical damage. Therefore, make sure you include antioxidants, especially vitamin C (lemons), E, selenium, zinc and chromium (Brewer's yeast), in your diet, as they have been shown to control blood sugar levels.