Anyone who suffers with diabetes will know that controlling your blood sugar within the ‘safety’ levels acceptable to your doctor or diabetic clinic is a daily battle.

As a diabetic who needs to inject insulin 4 or 5 times and day and do constant blood tests, you would think I would have got the whole thing worked out perfectly. But trying to manage blood sugar levels can be frustrating, puzzling and sometimes quite frightening. Just when you think you understand the way your body works with certain carbohydrate intake, and  your blood tests are level, suddenly the readings soar and you don’t understand why.


Even slow-release carbs such as porridge gave me a shock by giving a reading of 14 in a blood test. And all-bran was even worse.Just a cup of tea with milk and no sugar showed a reading of 12, possibly because of the lactose in the milk. I was quite fond of my cup of tea but realised that several cups a day would raise my blood sugar too high and at the same time give me very little by way of nutritional value.

Now I drink a lot of water either cold filtered water or hot boiled water with a squeeze of lemon. I felt this was a positive step on all counts as we are told we should drink at least 4 litres of water a day. If we go out for a meal I have a diet tonic water with ice and lemon, or a low-calorie ginger beer. I don’t miss alchohol at all.

I used to allow myself the occasional cake or biscuit and found it very hard to cut out potatoes from my daily meal. However considering the effects of diabetes on my general health in the future, I had to discipline myself regarding diet. Controlling my blood sugar level was very important. I decided to cut out  bread, cakes, sweets, pasta, rice, cereals, biscuits, sugary foods of all kinds, and baked beans.I find I need to keep my carbohydrate intake under 125 a day. The info on food labels is a real eye opener! For instance 33 carbs in a tin of baked beans.

In fact if you want to maintain good blood sugar levels I’ve found it’s easier to avoid processed foods altogether. Better to increase your intake of vegetables and low carbohydrate foods & fruits.

The following vegetables are particularly good, filling and nutritious:  Runner beans, broccoli, cabbage, spinach, brussels sprouts,broccoli, cauliflower,  peppers, tomatoes, courgettes, aubergines, swede, squashes, celeriac, and green salads.

Whilst we are all advised to take 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day – fruit can be very high in sugars. Take your pick from rhubarb, grapefruit, raspberries, loganberries, strawberries, blueberries, all of which are low on the Glycemic Index. Don’t sprinkle them with sugar!  Add nuts and seeds to your diet, but only in small amounts.

Regarding protein foods which should make up about 20% of your daily diet, buy lean meat, poultry, game and fish. Reconstituted products such as sausages should be bought sparingly – if at all. Put the deep-fat fryer to the back of the cupboard and reduce your saturated fat intakeby cutting off any excess fat on meat. There are benefits to cooking with olive and nut oils, as these unsaturated fats are good for you. Plenty of oily and white fish such as salmon, haddock, tuna, swordfish, mackerel & kipper are all excellent nutritious foods.

Now and again you can allow yourself a small treat – but after a while you’ll find that you don’t hanker after the sweet carbohydrate-laden foods.

By changing your diet, as described, you will lower your cholesterol levels and control your blood sugar. Another benefit will be some natural weight loss and improved energy.

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