Diabetics are carb intolerant

[GKS83]

Well said


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[CollieBoy]

I'm sorry but this has completely angered me!! ...snip..., most T2 are diabetic due to poor lifestyle, poor diet, no exercise and being over weight, ...snip... Silly silly people agreeing with this!

Come back when you learn about T2s Don't show your gross ignorance by generalizing!

 

[annelise]

In some instances, it may be easier to just say that you have a carb intolerance, e.g. in restaurants or in company with persons who are not familiar with the nature of diabetes. (Most will think that it is only sugar you will need to avoid).

So I think that stating you are carb intolerant is the easy way out, unless you are inclined to hold a lecture to persons who are fundamentally uninterested in your condition.

Mind you, I am a Type 2. I know it is different for a Type 1. And I totally realize that 'carb intolerance' is an oversimplification.

Annelise

 

[paul-1976]

most T2 are diabetic due to poor lifestyle, poor diet, no exercise and being over weight, they still produce insulin just not enough to go round their bodies

What an unusual and downright ignorant first post on the forum!

You say this thread has angered you? well we have something in common as your post has angered me and 1000's others I would imagine!

 

[diabeticdancer]

If diabetics were carb intolerant they certainly wouldn't be using carbs to treat hypos.

Everything in moderation. I'm sure plenty of type 1 and 2 manage just fine when eating a balanced diet that includes the recommended daily carb amount.


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[AndBreathe]

Come on guys - We all know this is a complex portfolio of conditions, categorised as Diabetes. One size does not fit all, in type of disease, treatment or an individual's expression of their management or well being.

Whilst I understand how this discussion can irritate T1s, it's the same for me, as a T2 when I am told I am running my bloods too low, simply because I have lots of readings in the 3s. 4 is not my floor, and I appreciate how fortunate I am.

I don't tolerate carbs well. I have an abnormal reaction when I eat too many carbs. Unless I want to devote my life to educating others in the peculiarities of my condition, I'll take the easy way out. That way I get to enjoy dinner parties, drinks parties and all the other social gatherings where I want to have a good time, and my companions would rather hear about the local scandal, or the neighbour's facelift (it's scary, truly) than glucogenisis or insulin resistance.

Each to their own.

 

[Ashlie]

This is why I said most T2 not all T2, plus why would anyone think it's easier to say I'm carb intolerant when out in resteraunts or out with people that don't know about the condition, I for one would like to raise awareness for diabetes because it isn't recognised enough, if I have to explain that it's carbs and not sugar or explain anything about diabetes then that is raising more awareness, I certainly don't say I'm carb intolerant because this isn't correct! Stress, exercise, the weather...even a hot bath can affect your bgs not just carbs! I know not all T2 aren't diabetic because of their lifestyle I was just generalising, I was once in a clinic n a man (who was a pleasant man to talk to) he was elderly and (without sounding rude) overweight n he said to me "oh are you diabetic too" to which I replied "yes I am" his reply was "how are you diabetic when your not fat" I said "I'm type 1" even a T2 was ignorant to his own disease, yes most T2 it's self inflicted...NOT ALL! Sorry if I offended any T2 but as I said I was just generalising, no T1 has the choice, some T2 do...well did x

 

[Spiker]

Surely the point here is that a T1 diabetic does not have a functioning pancreas and cannot produce insulin. The medical dictionary defines intolerance as "Extreme sensitivity or allergy to a drug, food or other substance". A T1 is not extremely sensitive to carbohydrates, they have no mechanism to deal with carbohydrates.

If your kidneys stop working and you can't filter your blood would you be blood intolerant?

No, because blood circulation is not optional. Carb consumption is optional. Intolerance is variable, not absolute. Intolerance of carbs in diabetics is proportional to their insulin resistance and inversely proportional to their ability to produce insulin. Since even advanced stage Type 1s have tiny insulin production, they have a tiny amount of remaining tolerance to carbs.

The way see it is like this. Giving a diabetic carbs and insulin is like giving someone poison, and then giving them a second, poisonous antidote for the first poison. If the antidote is exactly matched to the poison, all the time, no harm is done. If the match is anything less than perfect (and it never will be perfect) then either the first poison (glucose) predominates and causes damage, or the second poison (insulin) predominates and does damage.

 

[Scandichic]

No, that's just a stupid oversimplification.

Why? I don't eat sugar, rice, bread, pasta or potatoes so eat very low carb. Carb is energy which can be gained through upping the amount of fat you eat. I have lost 2 stone in 3 months.

 

[sally and james]

Ashlie said: "why would anyone think it's easier to say I'm carb intolerant when out in resteraunts".

Because many non-diabetic people have pre-conceived ideas about what a diabetic should be eating, or for that matter, doing. As we see on this forum, even diabetics have very different ideas and needs. Therefore if, rightly or wrongly, you, as a T1 or as a T2 want to avoid eating carbs, this is often the easiest way of dealing with it.

It avoids the sort of conversations we could all do without, along the lines of,

Diabetic: "Are there bananas in this dish, I'm a diabetic, I can't eat bananas, could it be done without banana?
Waiter: "My dad was a diabetic, he always ate bananas"
D: "but they contain a lot of starch and ……."
W: "if you're a diabetic, you shouldn't be having that glass of wine"​

Diabetic's lovely night out spoiled.

However, Ashlie, I do wish you well on your plans and ambitions to educate the public about diabetes. Unfortunately, given the level of knowledge demonstrated in some postings by diabetics on this thread, I suspect that an uninterested public will be an uphill task.

Sally

 

[Hooked]

If diabetics were carb intolerant they certainly wouldn't be using carbs to treat hypos.

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Exactly why I think saying "carb intolerant" is a dangerous statement to make. If you were ever to collapse, some people may withhold sugary drinks etc in the believe that it's the wrong thing to do due to the "intolerance".

 

[AndBreathe]

This is why I said most T2 not all T2, plus why would anyone think it's easier to say I'm carb intolerant when out in resteraunts or out with people that don't know about the condition

Frankly, I say it because most of the time those other people aren't very interested, and I too enjoy my social life. I even like to be asked to join in social events more than once.

Or, using another extreme,

Q. "Gosh, why aren't you having the rice with that, it's awfully nice you know?"
A. "I am diabetic and rice spikes my levels, and I'd rather have salad than gangrene."

We all summarise, generalise and even bend the truth fairly regularly. You know sort of thing when someone says socially X person is a bit quiet tonight. Now X is your friend; do you say you think she might be a bit tired, or do you tell the inquisitor she has just confided in you that she thinks her husband is having an affair with their nanny and she's devastated?

Obviously, those are really extreme, but we take softly approaches all the time.

 

[Ashlie]

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Well said


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who? Do you agree or disagree that we are carb intolerant? Xxx

 

[mrman]

Nothing to add that hasn't already been said. But my view, an intolerance of something means you cut it it out all together because you can't tolerate it. But, carbs/sugar have saved me from having numerous hypos, if I had been intolerant it wouldn't of worked. Not due to injecting too much qa insulin but, as the body does not recognise as quickly, a drop in blood sugar caused by artificial insulin even the much needed basal insulin can lead to severe hypos during excercise/stress, long periods with no carbs.

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[Ashlie]

Yes I see what your saying but disclosing someone else private affairs is totally different to making someone aware that your diabetic, what if you was to have a hypo or something and you hadn't felt it in time n these said people that you have told that you are "carb intolerant" don't know what's going on or what's the matter with you, that's a trip to the hospital when it could be avoided, I tell people in diabetic if they say well you shouldn't be eating or drinking this that n the other I just reply with well I'm dafne trained so basically I can eat or drink anything I want n know how to compensate, me personally I just don't eat or drink anything that isn't worth taking my insulin for, I even inject in public, I'm very open about my diabetes as you never know what may happen n whose help you may need, including the waiter you have just told that you have a carb intolerance xxx

 

[Spiker]

Exactly why I think saying "carb intolerant" is a dangerous statement to make. If you were ever to collapse, some people may withhold sugary drinks etc in the believe that it's the wrong thing to do due to the "intolerance".

It may be dangerous but that doesn't mean it's not true. I see your point about how ignorant people could think they need to not give carbs for a hypo. In fact, that already happens. Ignorant people already get confused and say you shouldn't give carbs to a diabetic, not realising that there are two opposing rules: fewer carbs ordinarily, carbs imperative when having a hypo. Two rules is more than most people can cope with for a condition they don't have and don't understand.

 

[Scandichic]

Ashlie said: "why would anyone think it's easier to say I'm carb intolerant when out in resteraunts".

Because many non-diabetic people have pre-conceived ideas about what a diabetic should be eating, or for that matter, doing. As we see on this forum, even diabetics have very different ideas and needs. Therefore if, rightly or wrongly, you, as a T1 or as a T2 want to avoid eating carbs, this is often the easiest way of dealing with it.

It avoids the sort of conversations we could all do without, along the lines of,

Diabetic: "Are there bananas in this dish, I'm a diabetic, I can't eat bananas, could it be done without banana?
Waiter: "My dad was a diabetic, he always ate bananas"
D: "but they contain a lot of starch and ……."
W: "if you're a diabetic, you shouldn't be having that glass of wine"​

Diabetic's lovely night out spoiled.

However, Ashlie, I do wish you well on your plans and ambitions to educate the public about diabetes. Unfortunately, given the level of knowledge demonstrated in some postings by diabetics on this thread, I suspect that an uninterested public will be an uphill task.

Sally

This is exactly the conversation I had on Mother's Day in la tasca. Substitute the word rice for bananas. I have also had it at work when I was told by a member of the management team that her dad was diabetic and that I was wrong not to eat carbs. I was also told by one member of management that eating LCHF was dangerous and that I was heading for a stroke so this is why @Ashlie people say they are carb intolerant. If I eat starchy carb then my bs goes from 5-6 to double figures. Which would suggest an intolerance for me as a T2. Incidentally, whilst 80% of t2 are obese, 80% of obese people are not diabetic which would suggest that genes do play a part.

 

[Spiker]

Nothing to add that hasn't already been said. But my view, an intolerance of something means you cut it it out all together because you can't tolerate it. But, carbs/sugar have saved me from having numerous hypos, if I had been intolerant it wouldn't of worked. Not due to injecting too much qa insulin but, as the body does not recognise as quickly, a drop in blood sugar caused by artificial insulin even the much needed basal insulin can lead to severe hypos during excercise/stress, long periods with no carbs.

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The only reason us Type 1s need carbs is as an antidote to when we have overdosed on injected insulin. This is to do with treatment, not to do with the condition itself . (Hypos are "iatrogenic"). We need carbs the way a nerve gas victim needs atropine - another antidote that is highly poisonous and can easily kill if it is misused. Otherwise, unless we are dealing with an overdose of injected insulin, we don't need carbs. In all other situations we are carb intolerant and can only ingest carbs with any degree of safety by injecting this drug, insulin, and dealing with the risks that injecting the drug entails.

 

[Spiker]

Carb intolerance is the core definition of the core of diabetes, the common ground between Type 1 and Type 2 and all the other subtypes. It's what we all have in common. Yes Type 1 and Type 2 have other very important features, different from each other. So neither type is "just" carb intolerance. But carb intolerance is the core defining feature, the definitional feature, that defines 'diabetes'.

 

[mrman]

No, because blood circulation is not optional. Carb consumption is optional. Intolerance is variable, not absolute. Intolerance of carbs in diabetics is proportional to their insulin resistance and inversely proportional to their ability to produce insulin. Since even advanced stage Type 1s have tiny insulin production, they have a tiny amount of remaining tolerance to carbs.

The way see it is like this. Giving a diabetic carbs and insulin is like giving someone poison, and then giving them a second, poisonous antidote for the first poison. If the antidote is exactly matched to the poison, all the time, no harm is done. If the match is anything less than perfect (and it never will be perfect) then either the first poison (glucose) predominates and causes damage, or the second poison (insulin) predominates and does damage.

So the basal I inject to cope with natural blood sugar production from my body is poisen, as well as the sugar my body produces being poisen.
But, if I don't eat carbs then my basal is not poisen, but, injecting qa to match my carbs would then be poisen?

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