What to Eat at First

Every so often a newly diagnosed person arrives on the various forums I read who has no meter and is unlikely to get one for a period. Of course, I suggest they don't delay in correcting that, but that doesn't help in the short term. So this page is some suggestions for people in that position. Not advice for a permanent menu, but as a temporary measure until a meter is available and blood glucose testing can be started.

These are broad guidelines that should help minimise post-meal blood glucose spikes without jeopardising overall nutrition. Note that these are just my opinion, I'm a diabetic, not a doctor. If you are on insulin you should discuss them with your doctor - but if you are on insulin you should also have a meter.

Minimise:

Anything made in a bakery.
Pasta.
Rice.
All wheat products.
All corn products.
All cereals and other processed grains.
Starches - especially root vegetables.
All sugared drinks - sodas, sport drinks, milk.
All juices.
All fast foods.
And ignore colour, fibre content, or advertising hype about wholegrain or low-GI.

Be wary of:

Fruits, good in small portions, possibly harmful in large portions.

Maximise

All vegetables, apart from root vegetables.

Use in appropriate portions:

Fish
Meats (trimmed well of fat)
Eggs
Beans
Nuts
Avocado

Those lists are not exhaustive but I think you'll pick up the trends.

Cheers, Alan