- Messages
- 2,429
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
- Dislikes
- Carbohydrates
The food pyramid is a way of showing how much of different foods we should eat. This is typical of what we are told is the basis for a healthy diet:
I was given, & carefully followed that sort of diet for 7 1/2 years following diagnosis in 2,000 at 61. I was also told diabetes was progressive, & however well I followed the diet & maintained exercise, I would need increasing medication, & develop complications.
By 2,008 I had retina bleeds (not yet needing treatment), chronic tiredness, debilitating muscle pain. Exercise became impossible. I was struggling in pain to get out of bed. I had to stop & sleep if I was driving for more than an hour. My HbA1c was 6.7 & fasting readings averaged about 7.0. My Dr considered my control satisfactory, & proposed hospital investigation. I searched the internet & found some users strongly recommended a low carb diet. Fergus - T1 - had researched the effect of diet following a car crash when hypo. In May 2.008 I gave up all the obvious carbs & increased veg & proteins. Others joined him in recommending low carb.
My fasting readings rapidly dropped to average about 6.0, & the pain reduced. Within 3 months I was out of pain & playing tennis again. Ever aspect of my health improved, & after 6 years of low carb I am fit & well. My annual retina examination shows no bleeds. I still play tennis & table tennis at club standard. The diabetes complications were reversed. My weight dropped from about 13 to a stable 12 stone. (BMI 25.5)
We need food for energy, & carbs are generally recommended, BUT they give a quick energy burst that is not sustained so we need snacks. Fat is the alternative source of energy, but the regular food pyramid places fat at the point along with sweets. Carbs of all kinds metabolise to sugar, causing a BG spike which rapidly falls away. DUK recommend measuring BG 2 hours after a meal & tests I have done show recommended foods such as porridge cause a potentially dangerous spike of about 14 in an hour, dropping to a "safe" 8 in 2 hours & to a dangerous 4 in 3 hours. Thus my acceptable HbA1c resulted from an average of highs & lows, rather than indicating good control.
However, fats provide double the energy of carbs, wt for wt, fats do not increase blood glucose, & are much slower to digest. A meal based on proteins & fats is longer lasting. Energy snacks are not needed, even during tennis. My low carb, high fat food pyramid looks like this:
In effect the food pyramid needs to be turned upside down for true healthy eating. Sadly that means turning dietitians & DUKs upside down as well.
I was given, & carefully followed that sort of diet for 7 1/2 years following diagnosis in 2,000 at 61. I was also told diabetes was progressive, & however well I followed the diet & maintained exercise, I would need increasing medication, & develop complications.
By 2,008 I had retina bleeds (not yet needing treatment), chronic tiredness, debilitating muscle pain. Exercise became impossible. I was struggling in pain to get out of bed. I had to stop & sleep if I was driving for more than an hour. My HbA1c was 6.7 & fasting readings averaged about 7.0. My Dr considered my control satisfactory, & proposed hospital investigation. I searched the internet & found some users strongly recommended a low carb diet. Fergus - T1 - had researched the effect of diet following a car crash when hypo. In May 2.008 I gave up all the obvious carbs & increased veg & proteins. Others joined him in recommending low carb.
My fasting readings rapidly dropped to average about 6.0, & the pain reduced. Within 3 months I was out of pain & playing tennis again. Ever aspect of my health improved, & after 6 years of low carb I am fit & well. My annual retina examination shows no bleeds. I still play tennis & table tennis at club standard. The diabetes complications were reversed. My weight dropped from about 13 to a stable 12 stone. (BMI 25.5)
We need food for energy, & carbs are generally recommended, BUT they give a quick energy burst that is not sustained so we need snacks. Fat is the alternative source of energy, but the regular food pyramid places fat at the point along with sweets. Carbs of all kinds metabolise to sugar, causing a BG spike which rapidly falls away. DUK recommend measuring BG 2 hours after a meal & tests I have done show recommended foods such as porridge cause a potentially dangerous spike of about 14 in an hour, dropping to a "safe" 8 in 2 hours & to a dangerous 4 in 3 hours. Thus my acceptable HbA1c resulted from an average of highs & lows, rather than indicating good control.
However, fats provide double the energy of carbs, wt for wt, fats do not increase blood glucose, & are much slower to digest. A meal based on proteins & fats is longer lasting. Energy snacks are not needed, even during tennis. My low carb, high fat food pyramid looks like this:
