It’s not all fun and games !

We get a lot of fun out of writing this blog, if it was hard work and all doom and gloom, we would have called it a day awhile ago, but there is a serious side to what we do. The serious side is our website which I set up over four years ago. In those days as a newly diagnosed type two diabetic, my knowledge of weight and blood glucose control was minimal. I wanted a site for people like me, newly diagnosed, worried, and in receipt of confusing information. As an ex engineer I have always liked simple, simple usually works and keeps on working. Anyone can design something with far more working parts and flashing lights, but in engineering, less is often far more, when reliability and costs are involved, any fool can make something far more complicated than it needs to be. Controlling type two diabetes can be very easy, if you keep things simple. Some emails received over the last few weeks.

Our website here.

Eddie

E Mail 1

"Hi all

Just to say an enormous thank you for the best website I've read with regard to diabetic advise and information. 

I have read many recently in my newly diagnosed T2 confused, terified state.  The information has the clarity I needed and I now feel I have a direction to go!"

E Mail 2

Hi!

I have just recently been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and was overwhelmed with everything, not knowing where to turn. Your website was a  Godsend! There is so much conflicting information out there - doctors, diabetic organisations, internet! I literally felt like I was running around in circles. I am a 45 year old mum of two. I was diagnosed with pre-diabetes about two years ago but was not given much information about where to go from there .... and as a consequence I have ended up with full blown diabetes. I was shocked into action about 10 days ago when my blood glucose reading was 21! I went to the doctor who did a HbA1C test which was 9. I am now taking ... grudgingly .... Metformin 500 mg a day and immediately significantly cut my carb intake (I haven't had bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, etc). I have got my fasting blood glucose level down from 12 on the first day I started testing to 8.4 this morning. My after meal blood glucose readings have been between 6.5 to 7.7. Other than thanking you immensely for your website and information I would like to ask about the amount and intensity of exercise I should be doing? 

Once again thank you soooooo much for your website! Great job!

E Mail 3

Hello, and may I wish you a Happy new year. I just happened upon your site and have had a thoroughly good time reading the various entries.  I was diagnosed with Borderline Type 2 diabetes in May this year and have been able to bring my HbA1c "scores" down consistently since then by diet alone. I am totally wheelchair dependent & cannot walk or stand to do any "vigorous" exercise in my wheelchair because of a spinal condition therefore I haven't been able to add any form of blood glucose lowering exercise to my approach to managing it - thus it has been through carb. management alone.  I too received the NHS Guidelines re food and their recommendations re carbohydrate intake ! Being housebound I am able to spend a lot of time on Googling so I set about finding out as much as I could about Type 2 diabetes for myself and was astonished at the amount of positive and practical information regarding the HbA1c results of people with Type 2 diabetes who had significantly reduced their daily primary carbohydrate intake ! I bought myself a glucose meter and systematically tested myself to SEE the immediate results of what I ate ! It was amazing that just by pricking my finger I could actually SEE exactly what effect upon my blood glucose specific amounts of carbohydrates had ! I kept a chart for each meal and snack and found the most amazing and easy App and book(s) that specifically shows the amount of carbohydrates in a wide (and widening) range of UK foods. It shows you actual photographs of foods & drinks on plates/in bowls/glasses etc in measured portion sizes with the calorie and carbohydrate content immediately (no calculation per 100g etc) seen !  Armed with the book and the App on my iPhone and my glucose meter I have significantly reduced my carbohydrate intake, lost nearly 2 stone and have also seen a consistent improvement in my cholesterol and thyroid function "scores" - the Doctor was intrigued and asked exactly what I was doing. I showed her the book and App and she borrowed the book. Now the surgery has issued every doctor and practice nurse with a copy of the book and every newly diagnosed diabetic is shown the book and App and is given the website address if they have access to a computer. They also recommend the book/app to patients seeking advice re general or specific weight loss.  I have just embarked upon a new wave of research to reinstate my diabetic diligence (after Being A Bit "Norty" over Christmas & new Year food-wise !) which was how I happened upon your really supportive and informative site which I have now Bookmarked. I just wanted to thank you for all the work you have obviously put into the site and to pass on the link to the App and the books I found that so easily helped me to monitor my carb intake and through consistently doing that lower my HbA1c score as others newly diagnosed might find it helpful in managing their carb. intake.