Welcome!Your friend's plan should be individualized based on all of her diagnosis, the
insulin schedule she is on, all medications/supplements, labs, sugar trends and sample of how she is eating now (timing of food needs to correspond with insulin schedule and type). To get off insulin, we need to teach her to control her blood sugars without it through nutritional education, types of foods, spices, supplements, use of fibers, etc.
If this is something she would like to do, I can get her started on a reasonable,achievable plan if she visits me through the specialist portal (gives us a longer time to work together) and includes everything above plus height, weight, be specific about insulin if she is taking it now, all medications, all diagnosis - controlled or not, exercises enjoyed, food likes/dislikes and we can work on a meal plan that is nutrient dense, low in sugar, portion control, an exercise plan, supplements currently on and dosage. Then, I will be able to give her some accurate suggestions.
In general, sugar is maintained by consuming 15 g of soluble fiber per 1000 kcals increasing gradually to avoid abdominal discomfort and include a lot of water. Soluble fibers include oats, oatmeal, oat bread, lentils, skin of fruits,etc. Certain fiber supplements seem to help stabilize sugars also.
Dividing carbohydrates throughout the day to work with medication is essential for those on insulin. Of course to do that one needs to learn carbohydrate counting and how many carbohydrates to eat in a day.
Omega 3 fatty acids have been shown in some studies to help lower blood fats and sugar.
Get tested for B12 and
folic acid deficiency as these are present in 63% of diabetics and once corrected the other labs may normalize.
Increase intake of monounsaturated fats, eliminate trans fats and keep overall fat intake below 35% if no lipid problems or below 28% if elevated
lipids. Increase avocodos, virgin olive oil, nuts . . .
If you or your friend would like to know more, please come visit me at the specialty clinic. Good luck. Kathryn Shattler, MS,RDN