I’ve got a diabetic coming for dinner, what should I cook?
To mark World Diabetes Day, we checked-in with Bridget McNulty from the diabetes community and magazine, Sweet Life, and asked her a few questions.
1. For those of us who have no idea about diabetes, can you give us the basics?
Sure – there are 3 main types of diabetes:
Type 1 used to be known as juvenile diabetes because it mostly affects people under the age of 30. Diagnosis is rapid and sudden and people with Type 1 have to go on insulin injections straight away. It is genetic, but not hereditary.
Type 2 is known as a lifestyle disease because it’s often the result of poor diet (lots of junk food, refined carbs and fatty, sugary food), lack of exercise and genetics – it’s hereditary and often runs in families. If it’s caught early enough, Type 2 can be treated with diet and exercise alone, then with insulin pills and, only after many years, with insulin injections.
Then there’s gestational diabetes, which occurs during pregnancy and often goes away after the baby is born.
While it’s true that you have to make lifestyle adjustments when you find out you’re diabetic, it’s not nearly as severe as it used to be – people with diabetes can eat everything, in moderation.
2. What type of diabetes do you have?
Type 1, but I was diagnosed late – I was already 25.
3. When and how were you diagnosed?
It was ridiculously dramatic because I didn’t know the symptoms. I was diagnosed in 2007, 4 years ago, and I ended up in ICU for 5 days because I was so ill.
4. What are the warning signs that you might have diabetes?
Although Type 1 and Type 2 are very different conditions, they have similar symptoms. If you’re insatiably thirsty, really hungry all the time, going to the toilet a lot (especially at night), really exhausted and you’re battling with blurry vision, you have some of the top 5 symptoms of diabetes and you should get checked out. But everyone should get their blood sugar checked anyway – it’s a painless fingerprick test that takes less than 5 minutes at your local clinic or pharmacy.
A common misconception is that only overweight people get diabetes but that’s not true at all – in fact, before a Type 1 diagnosis, most people lose a lot of weight without trying.
5. How does diabetes affect your life on a daily basis?
I have to inject myself at least 5 times a day (more if I snack between meals) and I have to check my blood sugar 4 or 5 times a day too (which is a fingerprick test). I can’t overdo things – no bingeing or all nighters or working too hard and not looking after my health – but those are things that we should all be doing! I do have to look after myself more than I would if I weren’t diabetic but I’m actually grateful for that… it’s forced me to slow down. And most of the time, because I’m taking care of myself and managing my diabetes well, I feel great! Full of energy and healthy – no different than before I was diagnosed. Every so often I’ll have a ‘diabetic day’ when my blood sugar is upside down for no reason (there are so many possible reasons – weather/food/hormones/medication/illness/tiredness) and that’s frustrating, but most of the time I just get on with it.
6. Why do people who suffer from diabetes have to steer clear of sugar but also have to have a Bar One in their bag?
Well, a Bar One is actually a terrible snack for a diabetic because it doesn’t raise your blood sugar quickly enough. Essentially, all diabetics are aiming for a happy medium with blood sugar – not too high (which is why sugary food and refined carbs aren’t great, because they shoot your blood sugar up fast), not too low (which is why you always have to carry some sweets or juice in your bag). It’s a balancing act because there are so many other variables, but it’s so much easier than it used to be. Most diabetics I know count their carbohydrates which gives an idea of how much insulin to take and what effect it will have on your blood sugar. Low GI food is also fabulous – heaps better than high GI.
7. If I have a diabetic coming for dinner, what should I make? What should I steer clear of?
Pretend you’re trying to eat a healthy, balanced meal! So you want to have protein, a carb and vegetables. Vegetables/salad are a diabetic’s best friend, so be sure to have plenty of those (but steer clear of pumpkin, butternut and potato as a vegetable – those all have carbs. Potato as a starch is great). So, for example, chicken with potatoes/brown rice (not white) or wholewheat pasta and vegetables is great. Try not to make any sweet sauces, those can be a bit confusing. And you’re absolutely allowed to serve dessert – depending on the diabetic, they’ll either have a small portion or be good and resist! But it is extremely irritating when people tell you you’re not ‘allowed’ to eat something – diabetics can eat anything, just not huge portions.
And obviously something like a fruit tart is better than a condensed milk tart! But that goes without saying…
8. Can you give us your top 5 ‘angel’ foods for diabetes and top 5 ‘devil’ foods.
Top 5 angel foods:
Quinoa, oats, apples and nuts (at the same time), seeds, vegetables
Top 5 devil foods:
Juice, grapes, jelly, butter chicken, naan (unless your blood sugar is low, in which case they’re angel foods!)
9. How do you get rid of your sugar/chocolate cravings?
In small doses! The great thing about being diabetic is that you get used to smaller amounts of sugar. So while I used to be able to polish off half a bar of chocolate without blinking, now 4 squares does the trick. And milk tastes sweet – it’s the weirdest thing!
10. What should you do if you are with someone who is having a diabetic attack?
Well, the only reason anyone would ever be having any kind of reaction is if their blood sugar is too low. If it’s too high they may eventually go into a coma but it’s a slow process. So if someone is unconscious or sweating or shaking or incoherent, it means their blood sugar is dangerously low and they’re on their way into a coma. It is extremely urgent. You have to get something sugary into them – either juice, Coke (not diet, obviously), sugar water, sweets (but they might not be able to chew) – even granular sugar. If they can’t swallow, rub it into their gums. And call an ambulance immediately. It’s really, really dangerous and shouldn’t happen if the person is in good control, but anything’s possible. NEVER give someone in a diabetic fit insulin – you could kill them.
Tell us about your new venture, Sweet Life.
Sweet Life is a community for anyone with diabetes (and their friends and family) in South Africa. We have a free magazine that we send out every quarter, packed full of interesting information, delicious recipes, helpful hints and tips and lifestyle articles; a website with a community blog and a Facebook page.
Essentially, it’s a space for all those with diabetes in South Africa to share experiences, ask questions and offer advice… As I said, the magazine is free – we’ve just sent out our first issue now and the next one is due out in February.
If you’d like to sign up for Sweet Life Diabetes Lifestyle Magazine (yes, it’s free), check out the website.
A big thanks to Bridget. Over and out.