i have type 2, alot of green stuff meats all lean... which is good cause i like deer and bison and even get my hamburger lean now. and lots of leafy green stuff as unprocessed as you can stand it...lol broccoli, spinach (i love baby) and so forth.
i only use olive oil for cooking and no white color foods... to starchy and instant sugar in your system.
if you eat oatmeal you want the steel cut, for flavor add cinnamon (its suppose to help with sugar spikes)
the food you need to eat dont have to be boring....the key is to retrain your taste buds which looks like you done with tea and such.. i use splenda cause sweet and low had a weird aftertaste to me.
also get up and out as much as your body will let you, get that exercise...even if its just walking.
HTH