by Birdy » Tue Oct 02, 2018 9:57 pm
Hi Andrew,
I also have T2dm and understand the roller coaster you're on. Here are a few observations, in no particular order, based on my own experience. On the subject of oatmeal, it's apparently the steel cut oats that require a longer cooking time that raise blood glucose less. Also, instead of potatoes, try sweet potatoes. Rather than white rice or pasta, use brown rice or whole wheat pasta. I've found it helps to add a protein of some sort to meals. So for example, soy milk in oatmeal, beans with rice or pasta, peanut butter on toast. Speaking of toast, I went from eating bread (whole wheat sourdough) several times every day to instead eating one slice of Ezekiel bread (look for it in the frozen section of your grocery store). Ezekiel bread is sprouted from whole wheat and legumes, is higher in protein and lower in easily digested carbs than regular bread. It makes good toast. I have that for breakfast with a piece of fruit and some coffee most mornings instead of oatmeal. It also helps to have vegetables at lunch and dinner to fill you up and it balances out the meals.
Dr. Neal Barnard's book that others mentioned has been helpful to me. Part of his approach is based on using low-glycemic carbohydrates such as is recommended by scientist Jennie Brand-Miller, PhD at the University of Sydney in Australia. One of Dr. McDougall's guest speakers in 2013 was Dr. David Jenkins who is a Canadian researcher who "discovered" the glycemic index (GI). There is a vegan diet based on his work called the portfolio diet and his wife has co-authored a book due to be released mid-October based on his work that benefits cardiovascular health and diabetes: The Portfolio Diet for Cardiovascular Disease Risk Reduction: An Evidence Based Approach to Lower Cholesterol Through Plant Food Consumption. However, the bad news is, it costs $130 for a 222 page book. I write all this because I've found the GI very helpful in lowering my blood sugars, reducing my appetite, and losing weight.
Exercise is very important to lower blood sugars and for overall health, but if you're still carrying significant weight it can be hard to start walking. When you feel ready, walking is a very good place to start. In terms of lowering postprandial glucose, it's helpful to walk for 10 minutes after each meal. You might find a treadmill helpful.
Weight loss has been found to be the most relevant intervention to improve diabetes. That said, my experience has been that it's a process and it takes time for the body to adjust and heal even as you lose weight. I hope some of this is helpful.
"The program is essentially cost and risk free." ~ Dr. John McDougall
