Thai Food & Diabetes

[Boo]

So a while ago I posted about possibly having diabetes, well, I have now been diagnosed as type 2 as after a 24 fasting I was registering a blood sugar of 19. I have dramatically changed my diet, cutting out all sugar (I never ate that much anyway but it's amazing how much is sneaked into other foods) and am trying to follow a low GI plan but am worried that when I come back to LOS for our holidays I will be in trouble.

What types of foods do other type 2's eat in LOS & how do you ensure that sugar or MSG isn't added apart from standing overt the chef whilst they cook?

What meals/ foods are a better choice & how do you deal with the rice issue, as it is on my no no list from my dietican as it is just too high GI.

Cheers

Boo

[thaigerd]

Sorry to hear about your diabetes.

I am the same type of diabetic like you for many years now(and working as a chef here in Thailand).

Prepare a small piece of paper in English and Thai language where u explain your diabetes and tell them what kind of ingredients you are not allowed to eat. Make some copies and make sure you carry them with you, even back home.

Every time you go somewhere for having lunch/dinner you give this to the waiter.

When you are not sure check ur blood level a couple of times every day and adjust your medication/insulin.

But do not forget that your body needs some sugar!!!

Gerd

[cathyy]

Ah, Boo, join the club. What medication are you on? I'm on Metformin/Glucophage, which is still helping me lose weight, 1000 mg morning and evening. I keep my fasting sugar at about 100 by continuing to lose weight and practicing strict portion control.

Beware the DRINKS more than the food. Thais put sugar in everything, it seems. Pepsi Max is sometimes available, and sugar free, and tastes much better than Coke Light. Never mind the funny look you get when you order your iced coffee without sugar, or ask for water instead of a fountain drink. Carry your artificial sweetener of choice with you, and use it.

I enjoy a 150ml container of yogurt, any flavor, with a single piece of whole-grain toast with peanut butter for breakfast most days. I got low-fat yogurt in the US, but here I get regular. I like the yogurt here much better. Try watermelon for breakfast, too, as it takes 1.5 cups (360cc) to equal a serving, or 15 grams of carbs, compared to 1/2 cup (120cc) of anything else. Watch the coffee, as caffeine raises your blood sugar level.

For lunch I tend to eat dinner leftovers or sandwiches on a single slice of bread, like tuna salad or chicken salad and raw veggies, like cucumber. When eating out and for dinner I get whatever I want and just don't eat much rice with it. And I mean not much rice at all, only 80cc is a serving. A lot of Thai dishes are primarily meat, so just practice good portion control and order some steamed veggies to fill up on. You know how much you're supposed to eat at any given meal.

Finally, you must plan before you cheat; and you will need to cheat occasionally. Type 1s can just inject a little more insulin; but it can take days for a type 2's sugar to come down when they've been bad. I will cheat only on a day when my blood sugar is normal AND I know I will be able to eat very low-carb for the next couple of days to compensate.

Quite frankly, I am finding that living in Thailand is quite good for my diabetes. For one thing, I'm losing weight -but that might just be no junk food in the house since my husband isn't here yet. When I do cheat, it seems that Thai sweets are much less sweet than Western sweets, and the portions are smaller. I love a small piece of pineapple cake after dinner, and it doesn't seem to spike my blood sugar. YMMV, but do experiment a little to see what you can tolerate.

[cathyy]

Just to clarify, my normal reading of 100 is mg/dl, it would be 5.55 using your scale. Your 19 is a frightening 342 on my scale!

[rawdonlad]

Hi Boo, well at least you now know what was causing the problem, what medication have they put you on to start with diet only or medication or both?. As others have said try and cut out as much sugar as you can but not all of it, cut down on carbs but most of all until you know how you are doing test your blood regularly to see what foods are doing to your sugar levels. I guess the doctor will want to see you to check on how you are doing. If you are in the UK you will now get access to regular checks, free eye tests and if you go on medication free prescriptions for everything.

I started on diet only, 8 years ago, then did the medication starting low and then the maximum and I have been on insulin injections for a couple of years and it has been great, my blood sugar levels are spot on and I feel so much better.

Once you manage to get the sugar levels down you will feel so much better.

Good Luck

[Maestro]

...GI...MSG

For readers who are not afflicted with diabetes and therefore may not be familiar with some of the acronyms bandied about by the original poster, I quote below from acronymfinder.com the first three definitions being suggested. Take your pick!

GI

1. Government Issue (as in GI Joe)

2. Gastrointestinal

3. Gibraltar

MSG

1. Message

2. Monosodium Glutamate

3. Master Sergeant (US military)

---------------

Maestro

[Boo]

Thanks for the replies & advice.

The doctor has put me on Gliclazide, just 40mg once a day at the moment but these pills can cause hypos which shouldn't be happening in type 2 diabetics (according to the practice nurse) so although I am on a strick low Gi diet, I have to eat more often but in smaller quantities to ensure I don't go too low. I am losing weight though so it obviously working.

When I had my operation & they discovered I had this, the hospital pushed my BG level from 20 down to 4.5 with an insulin infusion & glucose drip & I have managed to maintain a level between 5.5 & 9 ever since but this has been on a very strict low cal/GI diet so I am now having to introduce other foods & as rawdonlad said, test after each meal to see what is happening.

I haven't had sugar in my drinks or cereal for over 15years so that doesn't bother me & I stopped eating bread about 2 months ago just cause it bloated me too much but I am eating lots of soups which have controlled sugar so do have some in my diet & obviously other foods have sugar in them so I just make sure that they are in lower content.

I am testing myself several times a day & have the next appointment with the consultant in a month to review the meds and my gp & practice nurse are brilliant & she (nurse) has been more informative than the so called expert consultant!

Luckily on the NHS, as I am on medication, all my prescriptions are free, which is good as the testing strips are £28.50 for 50 & I am testing 4 times a day at present, so if it wasn't free it could end up being a VERY expensive illness

Thanks again for your help & advice.

[Boo]

Thanks Maestro but not sure why anyone not afflicted with this disease need to know the acronyms but for the record;

GI = Glycaemic Index

MSG = monosodium glutamate (thais call it white sugar)

[johnb]

Boo

Sorry to hear that youre diabetic. I've been on pills and am now maxed out ( 13 per day) but I only test three times per week; I note that youre testing 4 times per day.

My practice nurse advised me that the 'real' test of diabetes is the three month average blood test that she does that gives the proper indication of levels and not the finger prick test that she says isnt all that accurate or meaningful - thought you might want to ask your nurse next time you see her just in case youre testing too much.

I'm no expert - just what I've been told

They are trying to get me on insulin injections but I'm wimping out at the moment

Best of luck

Johnb

[Boo]

Hi johnb, am testing 4 times a day on the advice of the consultant, my own practuce nurse gave me the same info as you & I am going for the blood test in 3 months. She wants me to do a fasting BG test when I wake up & to test 2 hrs after food a couple of times a week but I am under this consultants care at present so am testing for now 4 times daily but will see next month if I am getting any benefit as the last appointment told me nothing. (it's private through insurance so if he's crap will drop him & stick with the diabetic nurse at the gp)

I really hope your adjustment to insulin is an easy one. It can't be easy taking all those pills & although the idea of the jabs isn't great it may be a better option in the long run

[johnb]

Hi johnb, am testing 4 times a day on the advice of the consultant, my own practuce nurse gave me the same info as you & I am going for the blood test in 3 months. She wants me to do a fasting BG test when I wake up & to test 2 hrs after food a couple of times a week but I am under this consultants care at present so am testing for now 4 times daily but will see next month if I am getting any benefit as the last appointment told me nothing. (it's private through insurance so if he's crap will drop him & stick with the diabetic nurse at the gp)

I really hope your adjustment to insulin is an easy one. It can't be easy taking all those pills & although the idea of the jabs isn't great it may be a better option in the long run

Boo

Thanks for the kind words and unfortunately its inevatable that i'll need to inject - just putting it off as lomg as poss.

If of interest lots of info at www.diabetes.org.uk i joined up and get news letter etc.

Boo all the best with your diabets control in the future

Johnb

[Sheryl]

Boo,

if at all possible I suggest you arrange to stay somewhere with cooking facilities, if you can cook yourself it's a lot easier. Thais do indeed put sugar in everything. Also, if you cook yourself, you can use brown rice, which does have a slightly lower GI than white allowing you to eat more of it.

[rawdonlad]

Hi johnb, am testing 4 times a day on the advice of the consultant, my own practuce nurse gave me the same info as you & I am going for the blood test in 3 months. She wants me to do a fasting BG test when I wake up & to test 2 hrs after food a couple of times a week but I am under this consultants care at present so am testing for now 4 times daily but will see next month if I am getting any benefit as the last appointment told me nothing. (it's private through insurance so if he's crap will drop him & stick with the diabetic nurse at the gp)

I really hope your adjustment to insulin is an easy one. It can't be easy taking all those pills & although the idea of the jabs isn't great it may be a better option in the long run

Boo

Thanks for the kind words and unfortunately its inevatable that i'll need to inject - just putting it off as lomg as poss.

If of interest lots of info at www.diabetes.org.uk i joined up and get news letter etc.

Boo all the best with your diabets control in the future

Johnb

Hi Johnb

As I said earlier I went onto insulin after years on tablets because I could not control the diabetes well enough and what a difference my sugars are absolutely spot on and the three month checks the same and the best bit is I have never felt as good. So don't worry about the needles, yes it may be a bit strange at first but you get so used to it you will soon not notice anything - HONEST!!

The only down side in the UK is having to swop your driving licence for a maximum of a 3 year one, but when I move to Thailand at the end of the year hopefully that will not be a problem there.

Good Luck

[johnb]

Hi johnb, am testing 4 times a day on the advice of the consultant, my own practuce nurse gave me the same info as you & I am going for the blood test in 3 months. She wants me to do a fasting BG test when I wake up & to test 2 hrs after food a couple of times a week but I am under this consultants care at present so am testing for now 4 times daily but will see next month if I am getting any benefit as the last appointment told me nothing. (it's private through insurance so if he's crap will drop him & stick with the diabetic nurse at the gp)

I really hope your adjustment to insulin is an easy one. It can't be easy taking all those pills & although the idea of the jabs isn't great it may be a better option in the long run

Boo

Thanks for the kind words and unfortunately its inevatable that i'll need to inject - just putting it off as lomg as poss.

If of interest lots of info at www.diabetes.org.uk i joined up and get news letter etc.

Boo all the best with your diabets control in the future

Johnb

Hi Johnb

As I said earlier I went onto insulin after years on tablets because I could not control the diabetes well enough and what a difference my sugars are absolutely spot on and the three month checks the same and the best bit is I have never felt as good. So don't worry about the needles, yes it may be a bit strange at first but you get so used to it you will soon not notice anything - HONEST!!

The only down side in the UK is having to swop your driving licence for a maximum of a 3 year one, but when I move to Thailand at the end of the year hopefully that will not be a problem there.

Good Luck

Rawdonald

Thanks for taking the time to reply; Yes i'm just being a wimp but it's inevitable that i'll have to inject so i'll just have to get used to it; Didnt know about the DL i need to check this out

thanks again

Johnb

[tutsiwarrior]

boo...sorry to hear about your diagnosis. I found that I had type2 6 years ago...measured 350 fasting BG and the doc found that I also had ketones as in ketoacidosis...had to check into the hosp for 3 days for them to sort it out. When I came out I was on 40 units of insulin daily to maintain < 100 and now on 80 to maintain < 200. I drink too much and don't look after myself but a life without alcohol and with a strict diet is not worth living. My liver will probably play out before there are any diabetes related complications...

I say don't panic and just work out what's best for you in terms of lifestyle change. It's a chronic disease and will never go away...it's up to the patient to decide how to control BG and there are many alternatives. It doesn't have to be a big deal unless you let it...

all the best...

[Kf6vci]

Sorry to hear it and thank you for asking this question! I'm in the same boat and would like to add that onions contain a lot of sugar, too . If I may make a suggestion? Get yourself tested for some hormones like DHEA and especially Testosterone. My T.-level is 1/4 of what it should be and T. helps build muscle mass and also is involved in the digestive processes. And I was also prescribed DHEA and am now also taking L-Carnitine which is good for folks with diabetes.

[ThaiPauly]

Boo,

I too am sorry to hear of your situation.

I was diagnosed with Diebetis 2 years ago now. I take one and a half Daonil 5mg tablets before breakfast.

From then until recently I have to be honest and say I have completely ignored alll advice on controlling it.

I sometimes get "funny turns" when I am out and have to munch a donut or some chocolate to feel OK again..I don't really understand why this is?

I have been very ignorant and very arrogant about my health..up until now.

I have a lot of health issues that need dealing with.....but I am now starting to take an interest in my health again.

I am amazed at how dilligent you are at checking your blood sugar levels, others have mentioned checking their BP on a regular basis on the Japanese Food thread.

I just never bother...never.

it's not that I am rushed off my feet or never have time, I am 51, I don't work...I am just a lazy g-t.

I MUST DO BETTER...I must follow examples set by you and other members who want to live long and healthy lives...I suppose the 40 fags a day don't help much either do they

But Good Luck to you...I know you have a strong will ....you will be fine because you care about yourself.

All the best

TP