cooking for a type 1 diabetic

[Chic Rustler]

well it seems we have a type one in the family. now we have to plan meals and calculate carbs. it seems balanced meals with a serving of greens or two, a serving of starch, and then a protein seem to prevent sugar spikes and lows.....but of coarse i have 2 days experience so..


do any of you have experience with type 1? id love to hear recipes.

 

[tortoise]

No advise, just a and support. It must be terrifying going through this with a child. I'll be following this thread closely becuase my pancreas doesn't secrete enough insulin, but so far I've been able to keep it in check through diet.

 

[Chic Rustler]

How are things going? We had an issue with the Dexcom GCM last night. I couldn't get any info on my phone - sharing wasn't working. Other problems such as wanting DH to log in, over and over. Finally figured out how to get readings by picking "log in later.' Crazy weird!

Oh, and a serving of Fiber One cereal before bed is keeping DH steady all night long. It's nice to get more than 3 hours of sleep at a time.

p.s. That Keto Pecan pie that @FarmerJamie posted is delish!

things are goimg well. hes putting on wieght and starting to grow again. a little bit of a lifestyle change but not much. we are learning little tricks here and there that help. for example this morning he wanted donuts so we dosed him 8 minutes before the meal and didnt have a huge BG spike.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

things are goimg well. hes putting on wieght and starting to grow again. a little bit of a lifestyle change but not much. we are learning little tricks here and there that help. for example this morning he wanted donuts so we dosed him 8 minutes before the meal and didnt have a huge BG spike.

YaY! It can be managed - just takes a little thought and discipline. So glad to hear he's doing well and growing again!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

My DH is type 1. He was diagnosed over 20 years ago as type 2, but since then his pancreas has given up and he's converted to a type 1.

Definitely watch the carbs. Read everything you can. If your family member is not on a pump and a continuous glucose monitor - try to get them. There is a learning curve, but they make life so much easier.

A consult with a dietician would be beneficial - just remember that everyone responds differently to different carbs. There will be bumps in the road and you have to pay attention to details. It would help to keep a journal of what works and what doesn't.

If you have any questions feel free to PM me. I'm not a professional but I might be able to point you in the right direction.

Hang in there!

 

[Mini Horses]

I'd like to mention -- just for thought -- sugar levels can affect his mental cognition. So, if things are "unusual" or "unlike" usual, check levels, knowing it could be causing changes and not just an attitude you might not otherwise see from him. 🥰 Especially, low levels...dizziness, confusion, etc.


🫂

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Glad the sensor is working better now! Did they give you any suggestions on carbs per meal?

I wish DH could eat pasta - it's one of the things that blows his sugar into the stratosphere. Some years back we discovered that there are some pasta alternatives, but never really found one we loved. There are new ones on the market these days and we may experiment again.

We've also tried almond flour and coconut flour recipes. There are some really good recipes out there for coconut flour pancakes. Even my grandkids love them. Lotsa recipes online.

I've been eyeballing an almond flour banana muffin recipe. Haven't tried it yet - but eventually I'll get around to it.

Almond Flour Banana Muffins - iFoodReal.com

Almond Flour Banana Muffins are easy, low carb, paleo, keto and gluten free banana muffins with no added sugar and melt in your mouth texture.

ifoodreal.com

 

[Chic Rustler]

he ran low last night and continued the trend all day so i pulled out the sweet potatoes! last time the hit like a frieght train and didnt let up til around 3am. hopefully his low trend will be over.

dinner tonight was 15 been soup, a large salad, wheat bread toast and a cup of sweet potatoes amd then 3 oreo cookies for dessert. i ate the same exact thing as he did and im about to pop!

im no expert it this but we do know kids are more hungry somedays than others. it seems like when hes more hungry than usual we get a low trend. all in all things are going well tho. he has put on 7 lbs this week! its so nice to see him so energetic and happy again.

 

[baymule]

I don’t have any experience with diabetes but just want you to know that I’m here for moral support. This makes your garden more important than ever. You can grow a lot of the vegetables that he can eat.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

CGM's are the bomb - most of the time. You've got to remember to calibrate. What system are you using? We're about to switch to an Omni system after using Medtronic for years.

We try to figure carbs before meals and dose appropriately at least 15 minutes before eating - but in reality it doesn't always work. Sometimes he doesn't eat all the carbs we figured and oops - we've already dosed for them. Sometimes he wants more and forgets to bolus for the increase. So much trial and error. Eventually it will become habit and you'll know carb amounts by heart.

Glad you already know how important it is to keep hydrated - especially when the numbers are high. You'll learn the triggers.

Deep breath Dad - no more heart attacks! Family needs you!