My husband has just been diagnosed with diabetes (not sure if 1 or 2 at the moment). Does anyone have any advice or experience of shops/online sites which specialise in sugar free products. I haven’t found anything much of use in local supermarkets but perhaps have not looked hard enough.
Just one more encouraging thought, Fiona. My sister has been treated for type one diabetes for more years than I can remember and she looks a whole let better than the rest of us kids put together -- slim, very active, eats more or less what she wants so long as she sticks to her routine which involves the time of her meals as well as what they contain. She said at the start it was pretty hard work but that was very many years ago and treatment has improved beyond all recognition. So it's become second nature to her. She has her "pen" of insulin with her always and the need to monitor her sugar levels and diet certainly don't stop her wandering off on cruises and other holidays all over the world.
Dr Ben Kim gives some good advice here.
http://drbenkim.com/articles-bloodsugar.html
Watch out for fruit - some can be full of sugar and so suggest limited intake - especially fruit juices. And most bread also gives a very high blood sugar response - more so than sugar itself! It's how you combine food in a meal that counts so look into low GI (glycemic index) diets - that's what you're aiming for.
http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/planning-meals/glycemic-index-and-diabetes.html
And exercise, of course....it's quite possible for some people to reverse diabetes with the right diet and exercise so don't be downhearted. Now's the time to act positive and make a healthy lifestyle change.
I have type 2, I'm told, but easily controlled so far. One thing you can get easily in supermarkets is Stevia. Look for packets called Pure Via (there's another make but I can't recall the name). My wife uses it to cook and I use it in some things where I used to have sugar like porridge! But I found it easier in tea to just get used to drinking it without sweetening.
My husband has Type 2 diabetes and had a few days 're-education' in hospital about 18 months ago. No mention was made of looking for sugar free products as diabetes is more complicated than that, and as Lynn said, it was more about healthy eating and above all, exercise! The dietician who looked after him advised us to get hold of 'Le petit livre de la minceur' by Jean-Paul Blanc (he carried this himself as a bible!) to see just how much sugar/carbohydrate, fats and proteins are in individual foods. ISBN no 9 782754 021258 for about 3€ from FNAC - we got ours online and I see it's less that 3€ at the moment.
For information in English the Diabetes Uk website is quite helpful - http://www.diabetes.co.uk
Bon courage,
Jan
Hi Fiona,
My husband, Ron, has been diabetic(type 1) for many years. The worst thing we found is to buy diabetic specific products. the best thing is to have natural sugars (fruit etc) a very balanced diet and plenty of exercise. I'm sure Ron, would be more than happy to talk to your husband - pm me or contact through the cat charity www.chatsduquercy.com
The thing to remember too is that it is no longer a 'life sentence' Ron lives a normal life and is probably more healthy than others because we have to be so careful and because he has such excellent medical treatment.