Diet Whether or not you choose to follow a vegan diet you may find some of this information useful. Most advice on diet and diabetes will recommend a high fibre, low sugar, low fat diet with lots of fruit and vegetables. If you choose to follow a vegan diet this can easily meet that criteria. Whilst it is uncommon, some people control Type 1 diabetes with a strict diet and lots of exercise with no insulin. This is something I have tried myself by eating lots of raw salad and vegetables and protein foods with exercise. The exercise is essential to burn off any sugars directly if you are not using insulin. Carbohydrates or sugars have to be kept to a minimum. I did a month with no insulin and felt good for it. You should consult your doctor or diabetes team if you wish to pursue this course. In the long term I decided to include this as part of my lifestyle. Generally the less refined a food the longer and more constant the release of carbohydrates are. This is a good thing and usually means there is more fibre and nutrients in the food. Carbohydrates will release quicker from white bread or white rice than that of wholemeal bread or brown rice and there is lots less fibre and nutrients. Generally, the less refined the better. There are three main carbohydrate groups:- Fast acting carbohydrate glucose drinks & tablets, sugar added to drinks, ordinary soft drinks & squash, chewy sweets, jellies & mints, pure fruit juice. These food cause a rapid rise in blood glucose levels which can be a good way to stave of a hypo but generally should be kept to a minimum. Medium acting carbohydrate bread & chapattis, potatoes & sweet potatoes, breakfast cereals & oats, rice & pasta, flour, most fruit, potato products. This should form a large part of your diet with fast acting insulin. Slow acting carbohydrate pearl barley, peas & lentils, some vegetables including sweetcorn, squash/pumpkin & parsnips, some fruit including tomatoes, cherries, grapefruit, lemon & limes. This should form a large part of your diet and matched with slow acting insulin or mild exercise. General rules to follow with diet • Eat regular well spaced meals that contain starchy foods such as bread, rice, potatoes • Eat high fibre foods such as wholegrain breads, cereals, oats and pulses (lentils, peas & beans) • Eat lots of fruit and vegetables • Eat less fat in your diet. Less fried food and fats such as margarine. There is lots of healthier fats and oils in nuts, seeds and other foods. Unheated olive oil or other oils can be used on food. Soya, milk, cream & cheese generally contain less fat than dairy alternatives. There are also rice , oat & nut alternatives although these are less common and more expensive. • Eat less sugar. Eat more fruit instead. There are also natural sweeteners such as Xylitol or agave syrup that can be a good alternative. • Use less salt, using herbs, spices, low salt yeast extract, olive oil can add flavour. • If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation and dont not drink on an empty stomach. Alcohol can make your sugar levels eratic so it’s a good idea to test more so you get to understand the effects and if and when to have the odd snack to boost your sugar levels.