My DH has been diagnosed as having Diabetes Type 2! WE met with a dietician today and she was very good at explaining to him what he has to do. He's a bit confused, as I am, so I'm asking that you all bear with me if I ask questions. I can't find out some of them for him .

He wants to know what a complex carbohydrate is.

It's a bit overwhelming for him...LOL...first thing he looked up on the American Diabetes Association site was BEER !!!

Tippy that is tough...but in no time you will be an expert...it is a major life change for sure....hang in there! Those dieticans are pretty great at what they do! Liz

Oh Tippy I'm so sorry tohear that! Looks like DH will have to low carb for the rest of his life which is a good thing so you can too! Just dive right on in to the recipe section and make everything once and try it and keep the ones you like that way he can't cheat if you make the meals!

Simply put, a complex carb is one that takes a while to digest - like whole grain bread as opposed to white bread - something that takes a while to convert to glucose. Orange juice goes into the blood really fast while oatmeal takes a while. Sugar goes straight to the blood - it's a simple carb.

A good book to read is The Glycemic Index - this stuff is available online. I'll try to find itr for you. You can tape it and read it to DH while he sleeps!

please forgive me, tippy. when i saw the title of your post, i immediately thought something along the lines, of, 'well, aren't they all??'

and then i read it, and it's a serious topic. it's great that he went to the american diabetic website. and ruth, with all her wisdom, has some right-on advice.

so, hubby now realizes that beer is a simple carb and not for him, doesn't he??

sometimes reality really bites....

and i hope he realizes how serious it is. dad didn't take it seriously until he started losing his eyesight.. that really shook him up, and fortunately he changed before the damage was permanent, but it took that much to scare him into watching his blood sugar and diet.

good luck

http://www.mendosa.com/gi.htm
http://www.findarticles.com/cf_dls/m.../article.jhtml
2 excelent sites they say pretty much the same thing but print them out they are each about 15 pages long

Now, good ol' Roger (DH) is trying to convince me that the ADA site says that beer is a complex carb! Gotta love the man! I'll have him show me where later.

Thank you so much for the info and encouragement. This is going to be a lifestyle change for him. His downfall is portion size. Fortunately, he likes veggies A LOT. In fact, he usually has at least two servings at lunch. He's going to try to eat some fruit for breakfast and we usually have two servings of veggies at dinner. I'll try to increase that as we go along.

If ayone has any hints or ideas how to make his transition easier, please tell me. He may be a jerk sometimes, but I'd like him to be a healthy jerk.

Well a healthy jerk is better than a sickly jerk. You wouldn't want to feel sorry for him!
He might be right about beer - I'll check the Canadian site.

Tippy,

First of all let me say I am sorry you and your husband are going through this. It is hard to make the necessary adjustments for everyone, but I think it's harder on men...they are more stubborn and set in their ways. Does that sound sexist?

I have another possible resource for you. A magazine called Diabetic Cooking. It's chock full of recipes, including low carb, and it usually has an article or two on current medical news associated with diabetes.

As was previously mentioned, there are a million sites on the net and even more books available at the library and bookstores.

I don't think there is an easy way to make a change in your diet unless you want to. Your dh's desire to stay well has to be as strong as our desire to be thin. Strong desire and fear brought about the change in my diet and exercise routine. No one in my family could make dieting easier on me. I don't think you should put that burden on yourself. Just be supportive. Get educated. Eat healthy together. Hold hands and take long walks together and pray the your husband will understand the importance of it all.

My prayers are with you both,
MB

Tippy, I can't really add much more than all the helpful people here already have, it's an ongoing educational thing. My DH is a type 1 diabetic and he takes 4 needles a day, every day. He's been doing this for well over 10 years now and he still has problems occasionally. It's a balancing act for him to keep his blood sugar on an even keel , he has to balance his insulin with activity, sleep, food, even increased anxiety levels can make his blood sugar drop too low.

If your DH can control his diabetes with food, he's way ahead of the game. Once you add insulin into the fray, everything changes. I hope your DH gives this awful disease the respect it deserves, the consequences of "cheating" could cost him his eyesight, foot amputations, all kinds of awful stuff. It sure isn't something to take lightly. If you think I may be able to help with any info, please don't hesitate to write to me. Email me here, please.

Tippy~Like your hubby, I love icy cold beer out of the freezer especially after working in the yard. I've given it up too but definately gave it some thought after mowing this place the other day!

DH's father also had diabetes and enjoyed his beer. DH has told a story that his dad would test his urine while he was drinking-once the strip changed colors he would stop for the day! Now, is that controlling your diabetes? I think not.

I agree with what has been said and I do think it seems to be harder for most men to accept the changes they must make.

Good luck Tippy - good think he has a wonderful wife like you to look after him!

J