Advice for going low carb

[douglas99]

Yes agreed. The problem is that regardless of whatever way you've chosen to do things persuading your gp to do all the tests and monitoring is problematic for many people especially those who for no fault of their own don't realise they need that regular monitoting in the first place.

I agree with you there. That's why I always like to keep the medical profession on board, and even if they don't always agree, some of them will still at least humour us.
Having said that, mine is excellent, and lets me have regular blood tests, usually whatever and whenever I want them, and referrals for other stuff I ask for.

 

[basetes]

Hi all,

After much reading up on it, I have decided that I am going to try going low carb, and was looking for advice from others that have made the switch. I am 26, and was diagnosed with type 1 back in 1990 (I was three). I am 5'11" and weigh just under 11 stone 7. Therefore weight loss is not my goal here, it is totally orientated around blood sugar control. So far the only complication I have had was my last retinal scan, which said mild diabetic changes were found, requiring no treatment. This is obviously a sign that I need to get a handle on things before they are too late. My HBA1C tends to be 7 or under, but I have frequent highs and lows from trying to compensate for large carbohydrate meals. I'm tired of seeing the worry that I am putting my wife through, and something must be done. I am currently reading Dr Bernstein's book, and want to stick as closely to his 30g carb regime as I can. Thankfully I have always enjoyed vegetables, and a diet of meat and eggs is something I can adjust to. I will definitely miss the bread and fruit, but I would rather live healthily for a number of decades than die young for the sake of a sandwich.

SO here is my plan. I have been testing loads this week while eating the diet I am used to, and noting down all my results (thank you Microsoft excel). Next week I intend to do the same, but switch to the low carb diet. I currently use Lantus for my long acting insulin and Lispro for my short acting. I was taking 24 units of Lantus at 7.30pm, but have reduced that recently to 18 units to try and control the hypos. I intend to eat a low carb meal Sunday evening, and reduce my Lantus to 8 units, testing regularly to see the effect this will have. I will then have a 6g of carb meal for breakfast on Monday, and give myself one unit of Lispro to cover it. I will make a note of all my food and results for the next week and see how it compares. I will then go to my diabetic appointment on the 3rd of February, and push the idea of low carbing with my DSN. I have not discussed anything of this nature with my diabetes department before, so I am not sure whether they are for or against a regime of this nature. I have heard from a lot of other people that they have had trouble converting their doctors to their way of thinking, so if I already have some concrete proof that the regime is working, this may help me to get them on board.

So from anyone that has left high carbs behind, does my plan sound feasible/sensible? All comments, positive or critical are gratefully received. Many thanks for reading!

HI! I also read dr Bernstein book and I am on a low 15 carbs diet. My HBA1C is 5.7. I am type 2 diabetic. I was on 100 units of insulin a day after 3 weeks I had to stop my insulin and I am now on metformin. The book Diabetes Solution is a very good book if you do the under 50 carbs diet you will do well. Do not forget that you may have to drop your insulin units. On 50 or under after 2-3 weeks you will enter into ketosis that means burning fat for fuel instead of carbs. Note that for a type 1 diabetic you always have to have insuling but what it matters is the level of insulin intake. I hope that this helps you.
There are many videos on internet about low carb diets. Look specially for the names, dr Jeff Volek, dr Eric Westman. dr Stephen Phinney and of course dr Richard Bernstein. See you

 

[Dillinger]

No, not again. You don't believe it has any form of risk at all, that's down to you really.
This thread's not about you, the op can read enough arguments about LCHF without another thread bring dragged down.

So, where someone is asking about how to low carb it's ok for you to come along and say 'watch it, it can be dangerous' but not ok for me to question that statement? I've already posted on here with suggestions to Charles about how to handle things; you have just come along, like a stuck record, and started trying to dissuade him. Yet I'm hijacking the thread?

This is a low-carb thread in the low-carb section of the forum do you have anything useful to add?

Dillinger

 

[douglas99]

So, where someone is asking about how to low carb it's ok for you to come along and say 'watch it, it can be dangerous' but not ok for me to question that statement? I've already posted on here with suggestions to Charles about how to handle things; you have just come along, like a stuck record, and started trying to dissuade him. Yet I'm hijacking the thread?

This is a low-carb thread in the low-carb section of the forum do you have anything useful to add?

Dillinger

You claim it's entirely risk free on the basis no one can 100% prove it isn't.
I advise to beware of possible side effects.
You claim mentioning anything that you consider inappropriateon a thread "advice for going low carb" is therefor trying to dissuade him, and only your suggestions, or ones you agree with can therefore be considered?
The OP's big enough to decide if my post " liver function and bone density, as well as the rest of the bloods are also good checks iif you lchf for life" needs to be censored out by you, as it's too controversial to be seen?
And failing that, abusively complaining "you have just come along, like a stuck record" somehow helps your claims?

Last post from me, as it's not a LCHF fight again, no matter how much you post from now.

 

[Bob67]

There's also enough studies showing the risk with LCHF.
And I agree, the tests aren't routinely done.

But the op can decide I'm sure.

Ok, name one then; if there are so many.

Dillinger

Last post from me, as it's not a LCHF fight again, no matter how much you post from now.

Your best answer yet dougie

 

[Dillinger]

Well, I had my diabetic clinic yesterday. My DSN told me low carb was unnecessary

I missed that post; so, don't like to say it but I told you so! I think you can expect to have an even less logic based conversation with the dietitian. Essentially your DSN was saying you can have bad control because the complications from that won't manifest for 10 years so what's the worry??! Perhaps they know something we don't about approaching asteroids or something?

I've said it before but I think the reason the dear old NHS is so down on low carbs is that we all know as a 'fact' that fat causes heart disease* and we all know as another fact that increased protein causes kidney damage* so what's left? Carbs; therefore diabetics who are prone to heart attacks and kidney damage should limit fat and protein. Sounds sensible until you think about it for more than 20 seconds.

Best

Dillinger

*Neither of those things are true of course, but that's what people were taught and they'll be damned if they are going to have to revise all those 'facts' that they spent so much time and energy learning.

 

[Dillinger]

Last post from me, as it's not a LCHF fight again, no matter how much you post from now.

Good stuff; thank you very much.

Dillinger

 

[D Longstockings]

If you want to find out how much carbs, whether going low carbs or not, then there is now an app, just released. for counting the carbs in home cooked food - Cook & Count Carbs, on iOS iTunes.

 

[Charles Robin]

Thanks everyone, the advice really means a lot. In terms of Douglas99's comments, perhaps I should have clarified my original statement. I tend to err on the side of caution, and love to research things. Therefore, before I seriously considered low carbing, I did my research into both the positives and negatives. To be honest, I was hoping to find that it was an unnecessary fad, as I loved my bread, chocolate, pizza etc. However, the more I read into it, the more it made sense. I have no doubt that I can eat a really unhealthy low carb diet, and deprive myself of vital nutrients. I also have no doubt I could do that with a high carb diet. Getting enough calcium etc. still features heavily in my mind, and I am eating a rich variety of low carb foods to stay healthy. In the long run, maybe I will miss some essential foods that will cause me harm. What I know is that my high carb diet was already harming me in palpable and all too common ways.
I genuinely appreciate your advice for regular checks, and have taken that thoroughly on board. But my question was about how to low carb, not whether I should.

 

[SamJB]

If you're worried about calcium, then consider eating cottage cheese or natural yoghurt. I have 100g of yoghurt with some blueberries on with my lunch, which comes in at < 10g carbs. Berries are a low carb fruit by the way

 

[Giverny]

Thanks everyone, the advice really means a lot. In terms of Douglas99's comments, perhaps I should have clarified my original statement. I tend to err on the side of caution, and love to research things. Therefore, before I seriously considered low carbing, I did my research into both the positives and negatives. To be honest, I was hoping to find that it was an unnecessary fad, as I loved my bread, chocolate, pizza etc. However, the more I read into it, the more it made sense. I have no doubt that I can eat a really unhealthy low carb diet, and deprive myself of vital nutrients. I also have no doubt I could do that with a high carb diet. Getting enough calcium etc. still features heavily in my mind, and I am eating a rich variety of low carb foods to stay healthy. In the long run, maybe I will miss some essential foods that will cause me harm. What I know is that my high carb diet was already harming me in palpable and all too common ways.
I genuinely appreciate your advice for regular checks, and have taken that thoroughly on board. But my question was about how to low carb, not whether I should.

There will always be the low carb debate on this forum. All I can say is that your cautious approach is fine! Nothing wrong with asking questions. You're a grown up, you can make your own decisions on what works best for you and go with whatever gives you the best results. It varies person to person, and what works for one might not necessarily work for another.

Best of luck on your low carb adventure

 

[douglas99]

...............................I genuinely appreciate your advice for regular checks, and have taken that thoroughly on board. But my question was about how to low carb, not whether I should.

I never said you shouldn't. I said how to do it, and what reasonable tests to have while doing it.
I assumed you knew enough already to be eating a diet that would provide all your requirements.
As to bread, chocolate, pizza...... it was my staple diet once. It isn't now.

 

[equipoise]

Last post from me, .... no matter how much you post from now.

Err....

 

[douglas99]

Err....

Guess your getting confused between Dillinger and the op on here.
It's the op's thread, I would assume he wouldn't be hijacking it really.

 

[Bob67]

Last post from me,

 

[douglas99]

It's really not that complicated over who the op is, is it?

That's two confused so far, any more coming?

As to selective quoting, any advance on four words out of context?

 

[CollieBoy]

I'm not you sad it was your last post.. then you posted again! Do you think you are a politician

 

[Charles Robin]

I never said you shouldn't. I said how to do it, and what reasonable tests to have while doing it.
I assumed you knew enough already to be eating a diet that would provide all your requirements.
As to bread, chocolate, pizza...... it was my staple diet once. It isn't now.

A fair point well made. I appreciate your input.

And Dillinger, in reference to your earlier comment about my DSN, he did seem not to want to focus on my highs. He said my hypos were the only problem I should worry about, and that stopping those would stop the highs too. Once I had mentioned low carb it seemed he switched off his hearing. I tried to explain I wanted to eat all the time, so I would be chasing highs and overcompensating, leading to a yoyo effect. He just focused purely on the fact that I had a very good HBA1C (5.5) so clearly I was not having many highs. It just goes to show that relying on averages is not a great plan, because the only place my blood sugars were not spending time was in normal range. I am pleased to report that today, I have stayed between 4.3 and 7.5 all day. Some improvement to make, but a huge step in the right direction. And I have had a fair amount of cake today too. Low carb chocolate almond meal cake I made myself, with Stevia

 

[Charles Robin]

There are some strong opinions here, and I think everyone is genuinely trying to help. I would like to call an amnesty on previous posts so everyone can get along again

 

[douglas99]

I'm not you sad it was your last post.. then you posted again! Do you think you are a politician

Nope, I said I wasn't engaging in an argument with someone trying to hijack the thread and going round in a pointless waste of time. That was my last post to him. However, the op is worth further discussion, as he actually started the thread. Sorry if it was a bit too complicated for others, and I hope you now grasp your mistake and misunderstanding.