Diabetes and diet with a Chinese spouse.

[warpedbored]

I just got home from the Dr and found out I have Diabetes. I have to take meds, monitor my blood sugar and watch what I eat. All the meal planning guides I see are for American food. Any of you have this nasty disease as well? How do you deal with home cooked Chinese foods?

[george lee]

i would check with a nutritionists or dietitians regarding your food intakes, then follow your doctor's advices. exercise plays an important role in controlling your diabetes, but check with your doctor first. chinese cooking can be healthy if you do it right, such as steaming fish, vegs, and meat instead of frying. use light soy instead of reg soy. eat rice portion the size of a baseball and not a bowl of rice, same for chinese noodles. you should start eating bitter melon, good read on wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitter_melon my wife makes this every week. good luck.

[Dennis143]

Hope you're able to keep it under control, Carl.

 

Leiqin and I have two very good Chinese women friends who were recently diagnosed with diabetes. They're not obese. In fact, they're in their 40's and have a bit of body fat, but compared to American's you'd never suspect they'd be prone to diabetes.

What I've learned is that Chinese have a very high carbohydrate diet of rice and noodles. When those carbs aren't burned off (like when they were in China and walking all the time) those excess carbs turn to sugar causing the insulin level to spike.

 

Can you tell us what type you have? How you acquired it? And, how you're supposed to control it?

 

Thanks

[warpedbored]

Hope you're able to keep it under control, Carl.

 

Leiqin and I have two very good Chinese women friends who were recently diagnosed with diabetes. They're not obese. In fact, they're in their 40's and have a bit of body fat, but compared to American's you'd never suspect they'd be prone to diabetes.

What I've learned is that Chinese have a very high carbohydrate diet of rice and noodles. When those carbs aren't burned off (like when they were in China and walking all the time) those excess carbs turn to sugar causing the insulin level to spike.

 

Can you tell us what type you have? How you acquired it? And, how you're supposed to control it?

 

Thanks

 

 

I have type 2 Diabetes. I don't know how I acquired it other than I was about 40 pounds over weight and it runs in my family. I have been feeling run down and sick for quite a while so I finally went to the doctor a week ago. Symptoms can include, frequent urination, unusual thirst, extreme hunger, unusual weight loss, extreme fatigue and Irritability, frequent infections, blurred vision, cuts/bruises that are slow to heal, tingling/numbness in the hands/feet, recurring skin, gum, or bladder infections.

This is a serious disease so if you are over weight or experiencing any of the symptoms you should get yourself checked.

[C4Racer]

I just got home from the Dr and found out I have Diabetes. I have to take meds, monitor my blood sugar and watch what I eat. All the meal planning guides I see are for American food. Any of you have this nasty disease as well? How do you deal with home cooked Chinese foods?

 

 

Carl,

 

Sorry to hear this.

The idea about seeing a nutritionist is great.

 

Lisa had gestational diabetes when she was pregnant with both Garrett and Alden.

They monitored her very closely this last time and sent her to see a nutritionist.

Lucky for her it has disappeared after giving birth to Alden.

 

I know we can give you some ideas on how to eat better.

First, watch your intake of rice. You should not eat very much at all.

Second, she was told any amount of meats are acceptable.

 

I will find out if she still has her instructions on Asian foods and diabetes.

 

Lisa just got home.

She said, you can also eat any amounts of vegetables.

The no nos are any kind of carbohydrates.

So the big thing is to limit your intakes of these, like rice and noodles.

Edited January 27, 2011 by C4Racer (see edit history)

[Robert S.]

Chinese food can still be good with NO SUGAR in it.

[Daviation]

My wife's parents were with us recently for 6 months. Her father has diabetes and tested regularly while here.

 

When his glucose levels were off, they would boil an entire chicken with only 4 limes as seasoning. He would eat the whole thing over a few days, including the soup it was boiled in. He occasionally took medication but not often.

 

I don't know much about it, and he said the chicken didn't taste great with only lime seasoning... but I can attest to seeing it improve his test results.

 

Good luck and take care of yourself.

[warpedbored]

My biggest concern with Chinese foods is the oil. I have no idea how to guesstimate how many calories are in some of the stuff my wife cooks up in a wok.

[C4Racer]

My biggest concern with Chinese foods is the oil. I have no idea how to guesstimate how many calories are in some of the stuff my wife cooks up in a wok.

 

 

Lisa said, she was told you did not have to worry about how much oil.

 

The big things are sugars and carbohydrates, because they turn into sugar in the body.

 

She also says to find someone who is good at Reflexology.

There are pressure points in the feet which will help with the pancreas, thyroid and other major organs.

A good Reflexologist can help your system handle this better.

Edited January 27, 2011 by C4Racer (see edit history)

[knloregon]

Sorry to hear the news, Carl,

 

Diet will be ultimately important. Father in Law has the same problem, and is pushing 80, green tea is his solution. sips it all day. Seems the consensus is moderation and slow release --- not to overwhelm you body. i particularly like short grain brown rice. high in fiber, and the carbs release slowly through the husk. plus it tastes good. Time to do your research online.....

[Mick]

Hi Carl:

 

As I mentioned on Facebook, diet and exercise are key in controlling diabetes. I don't have it, but many of the living skills that I have to utilize to cope with Heart Disease are similar. As for Chinese food, it is wise to watch the oil and taking in unnecessary carbs. I would also echo the suggestion about Reflexology, which is similar to acupressure for the feet (and hands.) Check with local hospitals and see what kind of community classes they may offer. I know one of our local hospitals offers a course in cooking for diabetics.

[NewDay2006]

I was diagnosed last year with Type 2. I am over weight. I take Meds and try to excercise. I didn't have any symptoms, but it does run in my family. I'm mindful of what I eat. I do eatsweets, but on a very limited basis now... don't eat starches much, but I do... I just try and a lot more veggies than I used to. My wife sometimes makes a pasta made from green beans, but I never saw the packaging to know what carbs are in them. My number are good. MAke sure you go to a opthalmogist at lieast onse a year. I have a friend who is one and he told me that when I told him I had the Big D. My last check up the Dr. gave me a high five because my A1C count was good and I lost 20 pounds... I hope to lose 20 or more this year... I guess I need to get started. Make sure you keep on it... my sister was diagnosed 3 years ago and she didn't take it serious and ate everything she wanted... She was not overweight then or now. Unfortunately last year she had 4 heart stints put in last year. She doesn't excercise. I'm pretty active, but I want my activity level to increase more.

 

If you work hard at it, you can come off the Diabetes medicine, but they should have put you on aspiring regime, Cholestorl meds and High Blood Pressure for the rest of your life, but with Diabetes we are susceptable to heart attack, Stroke... make sure you check your feet often also. Stay at it and it should be fine. I check my Blood sugar every morning. Also, I stop eating eggs much. I do eat Egg whites, no Chlestorol. I know I didn't answer your intial question, just wanted to share how I've dealt with it since last June.

 

I do love Spicy Tofu.

[NewDay2006]

Sorry to hear the news, Carl,

 

Diet will be ultimately important. Father in Law has the same problem, and is pushing 80, green tea is his solution. sips it all day. Seems the consensus is moderation and slow release --- not to overwhelm you body. i particularly like short grain brown rice. high in fiber, and the carbs release slowly through the husk. plus it tastes good. Time to do your research online.....

 

Very good advice... so much information online.

[warpedbored]

My weight is fine now. I lost 45 lbs over the last two years probably because of Diabetes. Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll look into all of them.

[johnxiaoying]

If you served in Vietnam and have type II diabetes it is presumed by the VA to be due to agent orange exposure and compensation is almost automatic.