[linjarvis]

How many carbs should a diabetic eat at each meal and/or snack for a total of how many carbs in a day (for a 5 foot 2 inch overweight female)?

[Eileen G]

Type 1 or type 2 diabetes? Are you on medication? What is your blood glucose levels? What sort of food are you eating?

The number of cabs can also vary depending on what sort of carbs you are eating. If you are eating most of your carbs from fresh vegetables and unprocessed wholegrains, you cane at a lot more than if you are eating cookies.

[linjarvis]

Type 1 or type 2 diabetes? Are you on medication? What is your blood glucose levels? What sort of food are you eating?

The number of cabs can also vary depending on what sort of carbs you are eating. If you are eating most of your carbs from fresh vegetables and unprocessed wholegrains, you cane at a lot more than if you are eating cookies.

Eileen - thanks for the post. I am Type II and on Metformin and 2 cholesterol meds. My 3 month glucose level usually ranges from 6.5 - 6.9 (Canadian readings - don't know what that would be in the American). I am to try and keep my daily readings between 4-10. I've been 10-13 in the morning though since Jan. Food is always a problem. I eat for my Diabetes and Dialated Cardiomyopathy with Congestive Heart Failure (Canada Food Guide) for most of the day but in the evenings I crave another meal and I get into the baked low salt chips (maybe 1/4 to 1/3 bag) or some low salt crackers, or shhhhhh chocolate! I'm the first to admit I don't always eat the right foods. To compound the problem, I have Crohn's Disease and when it is active I can't handle the fresh foods I need for the diabetes and heart disease. With the Crohn's I cannot handle the "good" breads (multi and whole grains), I can only handle fruits if they aren't seeds and if I peel them and make sure all seeds are removed (even bananas). Canned fruits, although not the nicest, are the least painful to eat but have more sugar than I need. I can't handle veggies that are seeds and no beans or lentils - mainly carrots. I would add potatoes but they are now a starch and for some reason I can eat all the corn I want without pain. I'm a mess - no salt, little sugar/carbs, little to no fats, no fresh foods - what's left??

[Eileen G]

Ok, I'm afraid you are not going to get any sort of useful answer here. You definitely need to sit down with a nutritionist or dietietion and working out what you can eat and when, particularly in regard to your medication.

I do know people who have reduced their medication by reducing the amount of simple and starchy carbs in their diet (eating mostly protein, fat and green veg) but that must be done working with your doctor, and you have other complications.

Have you considered something like coconut oil as a snack? It should not affect your blood glucose and it's is generally very easy to digest. Could be worth asking your care-giver.