Need protein ideas for diabetic husband emergently (LONG)

westchestermom

Sun, Aug 12 2018, 2:53 pm

My husband has type 2 diabetes. He did really well for about a year and then slacked off, but was still ok. I initially stopped buying any refined carbs and made healthy meals but he would spend more buying from outside, so I started keeping chips and bread in the house again. We got back from vacation last week and his blood sugar was 379! There were definitely times I told him he can't drink regular soda, eat ice cream but he did anyway. We ate out a lot, convenience foods, with the excuse of vacation. Instead of having a slice of pizza, he would eat FIVE.

I went shopping today and filled the fridge with vegetables. I got lots of olives, full fat dairy, we have tuna, dozens of eggs and peanut butter. He says he doesn't like most nuts, especially almonds, which I wish he would eat. I've gotten some great ideas on here so I'm planning on making soup every day (today is a dairy-heavy leek soup with veggie-heavy beans on the side, tomorrow red pepper and tomato soup, then carrot ginger). I made a lot of homemade veggie and chicken stocks. He ate a ton of chicken yesterday (probably half a chicken) but I need more budget-friendly protein ideas. I ran through most of the London broil we had in the freezer and I keep an eye out for sales. I already have a bunch of chicken thighs in the freezer. I will send him to work with leftovers and cold cut lettuce wraps, maybe some low sugar fruit on the side. His sugar is so high that he cannot have any refined carbs for at least 2 days, but not high enough to be admitted to the hospital.

So I need 1) meat ideas for dinner that won't break the bank and 2) ideas of things he can take for lunch.

My kids can eat anything so honestly the meat only needs to be for him. He is a BIG guy with a big appetite. Weight loss is a goal but I first need his blood sugar low enough to not be hospitalized so that's the priority. We are communicating with his doctor and have an appointment for next week. I am an RN so I know what he has been doing to himself. He knows he can lose his eyesight and his toes. I can only nag so much, but I can be more supportive by banning junk he shouldn't eat from the house.

Thank you in advance!

ra_mom

Sun, Aug 12 2018, 2:57 pm

What cuts of meat, chicken and turkey are available in your area for prices that won't break the bank? We can help you with ideas on how to use those.

Can he take tuna to work sometimes? Legume based burgers? How are eggs for his diet?

westchestermom

Sun, Aug 12 2018, 3:02 pm

Cheapest is chicken quarters and thighs. I think ground turkey and ground beef are good prices most weeks. My go-to low carb recipes are chicken with pepperoncini/vinegar and garlic, stir fry ground turkey with peppers, meatballs, roasted chicken in a big salad.

ra_mom

Sun, Aug 12 2018, 3:35 pm

westchestermom wrote:

Grilled thighs are delicious. Just sprinkle with salt and garlic powder.
Chicken quarters baked in a huge sterno size pan alongside vegetables with lots of fresh garlic.
With the ground meats you can make baked Mediterranean meatballs over avocado relish and tehina.
Taco meat over leafy salad (you can add homemade baked carrot chips if you need the crunch).
Burgers
Kefta beef kebabs
Meatballs in a hearty soup
Chili in bibb lettuce cups

westchestermom

Sun, Aug 12 2018, 3:40 pm

Thanks! What would you put in the meatball soup? I'm thinking spinach and carrots, and little pasta for the kids only.

cbg

Sun, Aug 12 2018, 3:46 pm

Eggs are a good source of protein

ra_mom

Sun, Aug 12 2018, 3:46 pm

I like to start with sauteeing onion and carrot together to get that golden color. Then continue with garlic, finely diced mushroom and sliced scallions, and whatever other veggies you like. I cook pasta separately and put it on the bottom of the soup bowls for those who want before ladeling in the hot soup.
Some good ideas here.
https://www.imamother.com/foru.....55907

cbg

Sun, Aug 12 2018, 3:56 pm

Add cinnamon to EVERYTHING.
Also let him drink cinnamon tea, could be cold.

Too much protein can raise blood sugar levels
Fat is the only thing that won’t raise blood sugar levels.
Ask the dr. about ketogenic diet.

westchestermom

Sun, Aug 12 2018, 4:09 pm

In theory a keto diet would be ideal. But its too strict and I know he will never stick to it. My goal is to provide him with things he can eat at home and minimize the cheating when he's with me. He is nearly 300 pounds and if he doesn't feel full he's going to get desperate and eat a loaf of bread. It was really difficult yesterday because he could not afford to eat any carbs at all. I did give him fats, I made him drink full fat chicken stock with his lunch.

Willy mommy

Sun, Aug 12 2018, 4:11 pm

I knew a diabetic person that died too young. Widow is broken now. Im writing this letoeles so all watch ANY Drs instructions the T.
Weight loss surgery. Or at least a medicine to curb apetite for a few weeks/months. I know doctors dont like but for a few months he needs something to help him.
Protein shakes from Shaklee? ($$$)
Daily soup is great.
Parve shnitzel from tival.
Sauted onions and Parve franks sauted then add like 2 egg yellows and 4 whites.
Tuna paties on george forman machine.
Tuna steak from freezer in grocery.
Breaded fish baked.
Chicken. Cutlets on george forman or oven.
Sorry it does cost a lot.
Feed kids a lot first normal and they can join family time with your hussband later to nibble something. But no need to give them special food.
Bake carrot sticks wirh cinamon and stevia. (Nutmeg too?) For snack.
Bake slices of squash with cumin and salt for snack.
Keep trying all kinds of vegies chips in oven . and send as snack to work.

Change into stevia sweetener for all at first . Then after he likes it reduce the amount because its also a problem. Healthy deserts when he is at the table. Then at a diferent time when he is not around treat the kids with that special cake.

( As a RN you know meds and checking levels are #1.
If he is stuborn about not taking meds or reducing dosage or not checking sugar then tell him that he should increase his life insurance policy because he will drop dead at 67 from kidney failure or gangrene as you mentioned due to calcification of all his vein and arteries. Keep printing articles that help and grids that he can fill out. Explanations on diabetis, the gangrene and eye problems and kidney problems . How even more limited the diet is during stage 2 3 4 of kidney disease so show that food restriction aint gonna get better once he butchers his body. Dialisis is Hell. Transplants dont come so easy and fast. And read only one every like 2 days. A1c level must be very good at all times. Print and talk about A1c. Take him to a diabetis nutritioninst . If you are in NY Shin from NYU is not bad. ( its covered by insurance) and an endocrinologist at least 4 times a year. Dr Halberstam in the Bronx is very good. Its not too early to see him. Ask all professionals to explain how things work, whats wrong, how to improve and why its improtant. Example: How too much pasrry affects his sugar? How wrong sugar damages which parts of body? How skimping medicine can damage kidney? I hear mayo clinic doctors do a lot of that....

Keep trying.

Sorry if Im bombarding things in wrong order.
Also his Rabbi needs to have a very serious talk with him. If this would be a sholom bais issue you would be talking to a Rabbi long time ago. So involve some kind of Rabbi. He is gonna make you a widow too young and its an issue.
Can he walk or go on a treadmill a few minutes a day? With a friend or you maybe? A paid trainer? I know you are short with money but diabetis is here to stay and to get much more complicated and more expensive if not handled.
Do explain him a lot that why he has in first place was not just because he overate and stress but maily DNA. He would in my laymen's opinion be diabetic anyway even if not an overeater because it was in his genes. Just maybe a few years later than now. I eat a lot and am fat and diabetis has not caught with me bli ain hora although my brothers A1C are not great and one is much skinier than me. (My a1c is bli ain hora great) . He needs all help to master this. Dont leave the no-no foods within sight or reach EVER. Its extremely hard. My A1c Is good but I need lose weight for other issues and I fall back very often. Many diabetics are not explained anything.... but do your own research. A doctor told us that the cholesrerol of a diabetic person has to be perfect perfect perfect weather with food or medicine because its very very risky for diabetics.

Also stress management is very improtant for diabetis and very hard! For the next few days dont share unnecessary bad news reports etc.

westchestermom

Sun, Aug 12 2018, 4:44 pm

Thanks, I forgot about fish! It is expensive but I can buy only for him. He has a great endo already and met with a diabetic counselor (advanced practice RN) when first diagnosed. He understands the seriousness of diabetes, but because his a1c was good even when he was cheating he thought he could stop being so strict. I was paying for gym but after paying a year with him never going I canceled. He is willing to walk. He doesn't eat desserts much but soda, rice, bread and chips did him in.

Willy mommy

Sun, Aug 12 2018, 5:05 pm

He will be OK beezras Hashem. Many of us lax when blood test show improvement. Then we get the wake up call. The same happened to me with a different blood level.

Willy mommy

Sun, Aug 12 2018, 5:11 pm

A LA carte will possiby work. You put the rice pasta etc on the plates regularly. On his you put very little. With a center plate it will probably be more tempting.

Willy mommy

Sun, Aug 12 2018, 5:14 pm

My doctor said send celery sticks and baby carrots to work. But you cannot send this every single day. Celery every single day is AGGH! You need to vary

cbg

Sun, Aug 12 2018, 10:47 pm

westchestermom wrote:

There are many keto treats that I’m sure he’ll like.
They are expensive though
Maybe you can make it for him for Shabbat.
Is there a sweetener that you know doesn’t affect his blood sugar?
You can make him parve icecream using eggs and oil, I’m sure someone here has a recipe

Chocolate using coconut oil, cocoa, and a sweetener that won’t affect his glucose levels
I’ve made chocolate turtles and peanut butter cups.

Google keto desserts.

If he knows he can have 1-2 treats a day, it might be easier for him to stick to a healthy eating plan.

Chana Miriam S

Sun, Aug 12 2018, 11:41 pm

Pm me. Highest priority breaking carb addiction. Let him eat as much protein and fat as he wants. And salt too.

Unfortunately if he doesn’t want to do it, he won’t, but it won’t be for lack of your trying. Eggs are also awesome.

I’d be happy to share my experience. I am five two and was 315 lb. I had retinopathy with an A1C of 6.4. Now it’s healed with an A1C of 5.6. Weight loss of 75 lb so far. Break the addiction and the rest will follow

It’s a leap of faith.

Great web site www.vinnietortorich.com
Free 25 pg PDF.

Also read the diabetes code by dr Jason fung

Chana Miriam S

Mon, Aug 13 2018, 12:06 am

westchestermom wrote:

If he stopped eating carbs that were starchy plus all sweetener, sugar, and even fruit, it would not be unsustainable. That is what solved my compulsive eating. Now I never have to be diabetic because I don’t even miss those things. Remember I weighed more than him. At 5 foot 2

westchestermom

Mon, Aug 13 2018, 9:31 am

He doesn't care much about sweets, he struggles daily with bread and rice. Portions are also hard for him. He asked me if he could have a cup of milk, so I brought him a serving of milk. Then in the night he finished off the gallon and of course his sugar didn't go down. I keep telling him he can eat the foods he likes (in a few days when his sugar is under 200) but only a small portion and after having protein but he will clean out the fridge after I'm asleep.

FranticFrummie

Mon, Aug 13 2018, 9:43 am

A very good friend of mine died at 27 from diabetes. He didn't care about his diet, and lost a leg first. That still didn't wake him up, he just didn't care.

No amount of 5 star cooking is going to make your husband take care of himself. That has to come from HIM. Just like he can't make you lose weight if you don't want to.

Cook as healthy as you can, but please don't blame yourself if your husband refuses to follow doctor's orders. THIS IS NOT YOUR FAULT!

IMHO, he needs a therapist to explain to him that not only is he putting himself at risk, but that if he CVS died, he'd be leaving you and the kids alone and heartbroken.

Chana Miriam S

Mon, Aug 13 2018, 9:46 am

westchestermom wrote:

The way I eat solved that problem for Me