Type 2 Reverse Your Diabetes & Reverse Your Diabetes Diet by Dr David Cavan

[carol43]

A lady in my village has asked for my help. She has bought these two books and she told me that she is allowed 30g of carbs per meal. Does the book actually say that or has she misread it and should be 30g per day.

 

[Goonergal]

A lady in my village has asked for my help. She has bought these two books and she told me that she is allowed 30g of carbs per meal. Does the book actually say that or has she misread it and should be 30g per day.

Just had a quick look. Direct quote:

“As a general rule, I would suggest aiming for no more than about 30g of carbohydrate with each meal.”

To be honest I’m not a big fan of this book. Far too calorie focused for me. 30g a meal would fit the definition of ‘low carb’ being 130g a day or less. Wouldn’t be my definition or preferred way of eating but it works for some. If your friend is open to it, Dr Jason Fung’s book would be my choice.

 

[catinahat]

I would advise her to get a meter then she can see for herself the effect 30g of carbs has on her sugar levels

 

[carol43]

She has had T2 for about 10 years and this year the retinography came back as damage to her eye. Told her that I thought 30g per meal was too much but I don't think she took much notice. Told her to get a meter and gave her the link to Spirit Healthcare.
You can lead a horse to water..........

 

[Charis1213]

there is no cure , if we eat carbs we get high sugar if we don't eat carbs we get low sugar .

 

[Bluetit1802]

A lady in my village has asked for my help. She has bought these two books and she told me that she is allowed 30g of carbs per meal. Does the book actually say that or has she misread it and should be 30g per day.

Before you press her to lower her carbs , you need to know which medications she is taking - insulin? Gliclazide? any other drug that causes hypos? It could make a big difference to her.

 

[carol43]

She takes no medication and she doesn't know her A1c.

 

[Mbaker]

The 30 grams per meal was said to me at my last Diabetic course last year, which was a shock, as this is the higher end of low carb - I went along to see where current advice was (not to act on it). Maybe persuade this lady to read the success stories on both here and diet doctor.

 

[pamK]

I think she should discuss this with her Doctor

 

[Bluetit1802]

She takes no medication and she doesn't know her A1c.

Oh dear, after 10 years and she is still an ostrich? I wouldn't imagine her HbA1c is drastic or she would be on medication.
Perhaps you can tell her how you have managed to achieve remission? To be frank, 30g per meal is too much, especially at breakfast time.

 

[lucylocket61]

Many of us have around 100g of carbs a day and are fine. She has managed her diabetes for 10 years with no meds, so she must be doing something right. She may not know her HbA1c, but the Diabetic Nurse will know if it is elevated and prescribe meds to her if it is. We are all different and what works for one may not work for others, or be necessary.

However, she may be taking meds, but not realise that the particular meds she is taking are for diabetes. I have met people who take meds and do not know what they are for, its just that the doctor or nurse told them to. Retinopathy suggests this is a possibility. Something is wrong with the info she has given you if she is on no meds but has retinopathy, isnt it?

 

[DCUKMod]

Many of us have around 100g of carbs a day and are fine. She has managed her diabetes for 10 years with no meds, so she must be doing something right. She may not know her HbA1c, but the Diabetic Nurse will know if it is elevated and prescribe meds to her if it is. We are all different and what works for one may not work for others, or be necessary.

However, she may be taking meds, but not realise that the particular meds she is taking are for diabetes. I have met people who take meds and do not know what they are for, its just that the doctor or nurse told them to. Retinopathy suggests this is a possibility. Something is wrong with the info she has given you if she is on no meds but has retinopathy, isnt it?

@lucylocket61 - I wouldn't immediately assume because someone has some retinopathy that they are taking meds and have poor control.

Since diagnose 5.5 years ago, I have never had an A1c in the diabetic range. These are my historic result, including a test run on Friday. I also do ad-hoc A1cNow+ tests showing my numbers don't vary muvh between lab tests:

HbA1c:
October 13: 73 or 8.8% (How did that happen?)
February 14: 37 or 5.5%
May 14: 34 or 5.3%
August 14: 32 or 5.1%
November 14: 33 or 5.1%
May 15: 31 or 5.0%
October 15: 33 or 5.1%
September 16: 31 or 5.0%
November 17: 33 or 5.1%
March 18: A "bonus", unexpected test due to other bloods - 30 or 4.9%. I joined the 4s club! I hadn't expected a reduction, having got used to toggling 33<>31<>33<>31 for the last 3 years, literally.
March 19: 27 or 4.6% Another surprising reduction.

Why do I say this? I say this becuase at my last retinopathy scrrening, in May last year, I had a letter reporting retinopthay changes. I was checked again by a different opthalmologist a couple of weeks later, who found nothing.

My result could have been a glitch, or an artefact on the image, or the issue could have cleared in that time.

I don't take diabetes meds, and never have. However, I think you'll agree the retinopathy was a bit left field for me. It could be the same for h er. We have no way of knowing.

 

[Member496333]

Retinopathy can also get worse as diabetes control improves, particularly if the subject had uncontrolled glucose for many years prior. This rebound effect can persist for three years or more and can can take up to four years before it begins to subside. Retinopathy progeression is most certainly not an indicator of current diabetes control, and in some people there’s actually an inverse relationship.

It’s also a condition that can occur irrespective of blood glucose control if the patient is taking oral hypoglycaemics or exogenous insulin. Not relevant in this instance though.

 

[Krystyna23040]

It’s also a condition that can occur irrespective of blood glucose control if the patient is taking oral hypoglycaemics or exogenous insulin. Not relevant in this instance though.

that's really interesting - I didn't have any retinopathy until I had been on insulin for a couple of years. I was puzzled at the time because I was under the impression that it should have protected my eyes.

 

[Member496333]

that's really interesting - I didn't have any retinopathy until I had been on insulin for a couple of years. I was puzzled at the time because I was under the impression that it should have protected my eyes.

Unfortunately for many of us, insulin only facilitates the passage of glucose out of the blood and into the cells that so that the mitochondria can convert it into ATP to be used for fuel. It doesn’t get rid of the sugar, it only moves it somewhere else. If the cells are already overburdened with glucose, which they invariably are in an individual who is insulin resistant, then exogenous insulin can often make this worse. In these cases, blood glucose concentration is lessened, but glucotoxicity in the body can increase, thus resulting in complications irrespective of blood glucose. This is why improved blood glucose control alone - if achieved through medication - is not necessarily a reliable indicator of future outcomes.

Many people won’t wish to believe any of this, but much of the data and latest thinking on insulin resistance is now pointing to this hypothesis being the most accurate model we have. Your experience would certainly lend credence to the idea. But of course it may also be the rebound effect of reduced blood glucose as I previously mentioned. It’s all very fascinating. To me anyway

 

[Pinkorchid]

She has had T2 for about 10 years and this year the retinography came back as damage to her eye. Told her that I thought 30g per meal was too much but I don't think she took much notice. Told her to get a meter and gave her the link to Spirit Healthcare.
You can lead a horse to water..........

As you say you do not think she took much notice of what you said so what exactly did she want help with. If she does not know what her HbA1c is then presumably she is not worried about it and I should think her nurse or doctor would have soon told her if it was to high Does she have any other medical problems that she takes medication for

 

[Deleted Account]

Ummmm. Something does not seem quite right here.
Someone has spent money on some literature to help manage her diabetes and asked someone for help but because she does not know her latest hB1AC result a conclusion has been made that she's not worried.
She may not be managing her diabetes in the way you would but take a step back and think how you would feel in her shoes if you read these comments about yourself.
We each handle stress, illness and bad news differently. I know I have to give myself a kick occasionally when I find myself judging someone because they are not reacting to bad news in the same way as I would.

 

[Krystyna23040]

Unfortunately for many of us, insulin only facilitates the passage of glucose out of the blood and into the cells that so that the mitochondria can convert it into ATP to be used for fuel. It doesn’t get rid of the sugar, it only moves it somewhere else. If the cells are already overburdened with glucose, which they invariably are in an individual who is insulin resistant, then exogenous insulin can often make this worse. In these cases, blood glucose concentration is lessened, but glucotoxicity in the body can increase, thus resulting in complications irrespective of blood glucose. This is why improved blood glucose control alone - if achieved through medication - is not necessarily a reliable indicator of future outcomes.

Many people won’t wish to believe any of this, but much of the data and latest thinking on insulin resistance is now pointing to this hypothesis being the most accurate model we have. Your experience would certainly lend credence to the idea. But of course it may also be the rebound effect of reduced blood glucose as I previously mentioned. It’s all very fascinating. To me anyway

This makes absolute sense to me as the neuropathy also started with the insulin injections. Both reversed when I dropped to 20g carbs a day. I also feel so much better - my brain is sharp and I have loads of energy and muscles are strong - which must mean that my body is functioning much better now my cells are not overburdened with glucose and insulin.

 

[lucylocket61]

@lucylocket61 - I wouldn't immediately assume because someone has some retinopathy that they are taking meds and have poor control.

Since diagnose 5.5 years ago, I have never had an A1c in the diabetic range. These are my historic result, including a test run on Friday. I also do ad-hoc A1cNow+ tests showing my numbers don't vary muvh between lab tests:

HbA1c:
October 13: 73 or 8.8% (How did that happen?)
February 14: 37 or 5.5%
May 14: 34 or 5.3%
August 14: 32 or 5.1%
November 14: 33 or 5.1%
May 15: 31 or 5.0%
October 15: 33 or 5.1%
September 16: 31 or 5.0%
November 17: 33 or 5.1%
March 18: A "bonus", unexpected test due to other bloods - 30 or 4.9%. I joined the 4s club! I hadn't expected a reduction, having got used to toggling 33<>31<>33<>31 for the last 3 years, literally.
March 19: 27 or 4.6% Another surprising reduction.

Why do I say this? I say this becuase at my last retinopathy scrrening, in May last year, I had a letter reporting retinopthay changes. I was checked again by a different opthalmologist a couple of weeks later, who found nothing.

My result could have been a glitch, or an artefact on the image, or the issue could have cleared in that time.

I don't take diabetes meds, and never have. However, I think you'll agree the retinopathy was a bit left field for me. It could be the same for h er. We have no way of knowing.

Thank you for that, I didnt realise someone can have good figures and still get complications. Its a learning curve, itsn it : )

 

[lucylocket61]

Slightly off topic but i recently had my eyes tested and the optician told me that, as I am now on a small daily dose of steroids, my chances of developing cataracts has increased.