Make sure that you get some diabetes education from a Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE). Education is one of the main keys in maintaining good glycemic control. Sometimes you will have to really pester your MD to send you for education but it is very important.
:yes: What she said. Because…
I am going to VEHEMENTLY disagree with ‘carry a high carb snack.’
I am going to VEHEMENTLY agree with the Dr. Bernstein book. Get it and you’ll understand my first line. 
It’s in most libraries.
Most Docs are NOT up to speed on the latest dietary recommendations, unless they are Endos. I prefer the Endo to the CDE… but at least they’re going to be on the same page these days.
I am diabetic. Lost 50lbs and THEN was diagnosed. Have 30 more to go (closer to 40 at this moment, but I digress.)
I achieve tight control via diet. Low carb, high fiber, high protein. I could definitely do better with excercise, but with the farm, and six flights of stairs at work where I do at least 3 sets of rounds on those stairs–and am discouraged from using the elevator by the nature of the job… sometimes I’m just plain stubborn and don’t want to have to work out more. :sigh:
I’d be interested in what you consider is a ‘good’ or ‘healthy’ diet. Not saying it’s not, but for Insulin resistance or Type 2 or SyndromeX, management without needles can mean your total carbs for the day come in around 20-30 grams… or less than 15 per meal. You do get to subtract fiber from total carbs.
Fruit is super “healthy” according to just about everyone, expert, Doc etc.–and will kill me or make me blind eventually. Post-prandials after fruit are in the 250+ range. Even most ‘low glycemic’ fruits. I could only eat fruit when on Byetta, which was a miracle drug for me, but my insurance doesn’t cover it any more.
Whole grains–another ‘healthy’ food… only some of them, and only in very limited amounts. Brown rice? :no: Beans? Only certain kinds. White Kidney or cannelli beans are good–lentils are bad.
You get the idea.
Snacks: Nuts are one of the best, a good hunk o’ meat… be it chook or steak or sugar-free jerky, a hard boiled egg… Unless someone like me is in true hypoglycemic crisis, never, ever juice or a piece of fruit or candy… that’s more about the Type I folks having dives… You want to keep your levels even all day.
With tight control, my BG is consistently around 80 fasting and 90 Post-Prandial. For me I know I’m getting into trouble when my morning fasting #s start climbing–which they do.
There’s a lot to it in some ways… in other ways, as horse people, we’re usually used to managing diet for performance, and it’s no more difficult than that. My horse and I both share the EPSM Diet mostly. 
You might find that managing cold becomes problematic. You might not. For me muscle control and tone is dramatically affected by how well I’m managing. I couldn’t ride my way out of a bag before Byetta. Now I’m managing with strict diet alone, and still feel as good, strong and balanced as I did on the Rx… most of the time. Somtimes when it all goes wonky and nothing feels right, I remember to test my BG and it’s screwed up. <shrugs>
It’s a little scary when you first get the diagnosis. For awhile it feels so… Big. But we know so much more about management. We’ve come SO far even in the last 5 years. It’s a good time to be Diabetic, if that makes sense.
. Avoid simple sugared foods. Go with how you are feeling. Don’t wait until you are dizzy/weak to go in. Experiment with what time of day you take your metformin or other med. Explain to doc your schedule and ask his suggestion. Best suggestion? Find a good dietician who specializes in diabetic counseling and ask her advice. That’s invaluable!