Balance: Very few carbs diet effective! New letter Nov. 2014

[douglas99]

This is my letter to Balance:

I was very interested to read in the March/April "Balance" the article "Diagnosis Diabetes." Iin particular, I note that Dr Landeck, advised by Dr Barnard, adopted a diet "based mainly on salads, vegetables, nuts, with very few carbs." In 3 months "he lost more than 12 Kg, regulated his glucose levels & reduced his A1c from 10% to 6%."
That is an impressive achievement, that makes me wonder why Diabetes UK warn against adopting a low carb diet, when they advise that diabetes is progressive.

In my own experience, I followed the D uk recommended high complex carb diet from diagnosis for over 7 years until crippling complications forced me to look for other options. Cutting down on carbs improved my control & restored my health to the extent that 6 years of a low carb, increased fat diet hs cleared ALL the complications so that I am well & active at 75.

I hope the experience of your contributing doctors & consultants will lead to a low carb diet being included in the advice given to newly diagnosed patients.

We are advised that T2D is progressive, however well we follow the diet recommendations. You warn against a low carb diet, as its potential long term dangers are unknown. The usual monitoring would show up any dangers. In my experience, 6 years has shown only benefits.

Ian Day

I hope you get a response to that.
It would be interesting to ask them what they expect the diet to be in the long term, as I agree that a continual weight loss diet isn't sustainable.

 

[DiamondAsh]

This is my letter to Balance:

I was very interested to read in the March/April "Balance" the article "Diagnosis Diabetes." Iin particular, I note that Dr Landeck, advised by Dr Barnard, adopted a diet "based mainly on salads, vegetables, nuts, with very few carbs." In 3 months "he lost more than 12 Kg, regulated his glucose levels & reduced his A1c from 10% to 6%."
That is an impressive achievement, that makes me wonder why Diabetes UK warn against adopting a low carb diet, when they advise that diabetes is progressive.

In my own experience, I followed the D uk recommended high complex carb diet from diagnosis for over 7 years until crippling complications forced me to look for other options. Cutting down on carbs improved my control & restored my health to the extent that 6 years of a low carb, increased fat diet hs cleared ALL the complications so that I am well & active at 75.

I hope the experience of your contributing doctors & consultants will lead to a low carb diet being included in the advice given to newly diagnosed patients.

We are advised that T2D is progressive, however well we follow the diet recommendations. You warn against a low carb diet, as its potential long term dangers are unknown. The usual monitoring would show up any dangers. In my experience, 6 years has shown only benefits.

Ian Day

That is excellent... you managed to reverse all the damage... I'm amazed... Incredible!
and a nice letter too

 

[tonyS54]

We are advised that T2D is progressive, however well we follow the diet recommendations. You warn against a low carb diet, as its potential long term dangers are unknown. The usual monitoring would show up any dangers. In my experience, 6 years has shown only benefits.

Ian Day

My five year n=1 study agrees I've not experienced any downsides from low carbing but have seen the benefits

 

[Andy12345]

when will people wake up and smell the coffee?? (with cream of course)

 

[Thommothebear]

I prefr my coffee black so I'll have my cream separate please. Clotted, with a nice low carb almond biscuit.



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[Scandichic]

And produce more gas than the North Sea I eat lots of pulses but no longer have close friends.

Funnily enough I have found the reverse quite true, although my husband pointed out that this is only relative - how rude!

 

[chris9996]

This is my letter to Balance:
Cutting down on carbs improved my control & restored my health to the extent that 6 years of a low carb, increased fat diet hs cleared ALL the complications so that I am well & active at 75.
Ian Day

That's fantastic Ian and a good letter too, can I ask what complications you have reversed, and how low are your daily carbs ?

 

[IanD]

That's fantastic Ian and a good letter too, can I ask what complications you have reversed, and how low are your daily carbs ?

Carbs are 50-100 g, mainly from fruit & veg.

I was diagnosed T2D in 2000 - with peripheral neuropathy - numbness in my right thigh. It wasn't bad enough to stop me playing tennis, but I was conscious of a weakness there all the time. This was very sensitive, particularly in bed when my wife's knees pressed against me. That persisted through 7 years of DUK diet, but cleared when I reduced the carbs in 2008. On one occasion, the leg was too painful to drive, & I had to call the AA. (March 2008) The muscle pain became general & crippling. It was severe, particularly when getting out of bed - moving from lying to stting on the bed took about five minutes. I was limping around, struggling with stairs, couldn't do the cardio exercise class I went to with my wife.

That condition was greatly aggravated, with more general muscle pain, when I took simvastatin for a few months around 2003. Stopping simv cleared that aggravation.

Chronic tiredness. which made driving hazardous. I was visiting my mother in a home 70 miles away, & had to stop & sleep at m'way service stations. Fleet seemed a long way from Southall. It was also embarrassing to sleep during sermons - especially as I play the music! That has vastly improved.

Retinopathy - slight bleeds (didn't need treatment) were noted in one eye, from about 2 years after diagnosis. That was always present until recently when no abnormalities were noted.

Kidney function - a reduction in eGFR (glomular filtration rate) was noted at around 60 (normal is above 90.) That has been stable - between 60 & 70, with no further deterioration.

I suspect I stayed on the DUK/NHS diet too long & diabetes has progressed, so my BG measurements are not as good as many achieve. I have had one HbA1c below 6. What is apparent is the absence of spikes. Readings average about 6.5 & a one hour after food reading is normally around 8-9. On the rare occasions when I experiment with carbs, the 1-hour reading goes to 14. I think the general recommendation to measure 2 hours after food is because carbs are rapidly digested & give a spike that falls by 2 hours - when we are hungry again. Low carb, high fat avoids the spike & sustains for much longer.

I'm due for the next blood test this morning, so results will be updated shortly.

 

[IanD]

I hope you get a response to that.
It would be interesting to ask them what they expect the diet to be in the long term, as I agree that a continual weight loss diet isn't sustainable.

Yes - a low calorie diet can only work in the short term, as energy levels need to sufficient for daily activity. I wonder what they reduced it to, & where the generally accepted 2000+ Kcals/day comes from? I ought to calculate my energy consumption.

Like the doctors, I make nuts in various forms a significant component of my diet - especially powdered as they replace flour & cereals. I find them sustaining & don't get hungry, nor do I run out of energy.

 

[Thommothebear]

Low carb and low cal combined would be disastrous long term, low carb and reduced portion is not quite the same and is great for weight loss, low carb without calorie restriction is sustainable as many of us can testify.


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[xyzzy]

I would say it's far better for newly diagnosed T2s to become accustomed to low carb even if they need to initially combine it with low calorie as long term when they need to up their calories to stabilise weight they are already on a regime that makes that easier.

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[chris9996]

Carbs are 50-100 g, mainly from fruit & veg.

I was diagnosed T2D in 2000 - with peripheral neuropathy - numbness in my right thigh. It wasn't bad enough to stop me playing tennis, but I was conscious of a weakness there all the time. This was very sensitive, particularly in bed when my wife's knees pressed against me. That persisted through 7 years of DUK diet, but cleared when I reduced the carbs in 2008. On one occasion, the leg was too painful to drive, & I had to call the AA. (March 2008) The muscle pain became general & crippling. It was severe, particularly when getting out of bed - moving from lying to stting on the bed took about five minutes. I was limping around, struggling with stairs, couldn't do the cardio exercise class I went to with my wife.

I'm due for the next blood test this morning, so results will be updated shortly.

Thank you so much Ian for that information, you have given me Hope. I can relate to the peripheral neuropathy, tiredness and retinopathy as well as now having autonomic neuropathy. I thought we could only stop the progress of these complications but not reverse them totally, thank you again. Hope you get good results from this mornings test.
Chris

 

[IanD]

E.g. not boasting, but to encourage those concerned about complications, and possible long term dangers of low carbohydrate, increased fat -

Saturday
Morning shopping
Afternoon I played tennis for 2 hours. 3 sets, 6/3, 6/6, 3/6.

Sunday up at 8
I played the organ (keyboard) for the morning service, prepared the dinner,
spent the afternoon editing a document for Bible study,
I felt drowsy during the evening service,
came home and finished editing.
Bed at 11.

Today - fairly quiet until 5 pm
Then 1 hour gym (Ealing hospital) followed by an hour's table tennis.

Tuesday I'm 75.

Like the guy in the tv stair lift ad - it's given me my life back.



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[douglas99]

E.g. not boasting, but to encourage those concerned about complications, and possible long term dangers of low carbohydrate, increased fat -

Saturday
Morning shopping
Afternoon I played tennis for 2 hours. 3 sets, 6/3, 6/6, 3/6.

Sunday up at 8
I played the organ (keyboard) for the morning service, prepared the dinner,
spent the afternoon editing a document for Bible study,
I felt drowsy during the evening service,
came home and finished editing.
Bed at 11.

Today - fairly quiet until 5 pm
Then 1 hour gym (Ealing hospital) followed by an hour's table tennis.

Tuesday I'm 75.

Like the guy in the tv stair lift ad - it's given me my life back.



Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

Sounds better than my weekend.
Friday, load up the car and drive to the new house I've bought to renovate.
Totally empty, airbed, sleeping bag and armchair for the time being
Friday, afternoon, paint strip and repaint the loft room, fill all the holes in the bedroom walls, round the local builders merchants late afternoon, then to Asda to buy lightbulbs.
Saturday, take out the fireplace, hack off the plaster on the wall ready to repair the dpc, demolish the old meter cupboards, strip out the bathroom, (apart from the toilet yet), strip out the kitchen apart from the sink.
Second coat of paint in the loft.
Sunday, strip wallpaper in the front downstairs, tidy the front garden up. Off to buy the new flat pack kitchen, load the car back up for the week working.
Monday, sort out the paperwork, off to work shortly.

 

[IanD]

Sounds better than my weekend.
Friday, load up the car and drive to the new house I've bought to renovate.
Totally empty, airbed, sleeping bag and armchair for the time being
Friday, afternoon, paint strip and repaint the loft room, fill all the holes in the bedroom walls, round the local builders merchants late afternoon, then to Asda to buy lightbulbs.
Saturday, take out the fireplace, hack off the plaster on the wall ready to repair the dpc, demolish the old meter cupboards, strip out the bathroom, (apart from the toilet yet), strip out the kitchen apart from the sink.
Second coat of paint in the loft.
Sunday, strip wallpaper in the front downstairs, tidy the front garden up. Off to buy the new flat pack kitchen, load the car back up for the week working.
Monday, sort out the paperwork, off to work shortly.

Obviously your control of your diabetes allows you plenty of energy too ..... We've got an old house (1938) that needs transforming - we've lived in it for over 40 years.

 

[IanD]

I now have a reply from Balance:

Dear Ian,

Thank you very much for your recent email to Diabetes Balance magazine, regarding the article 'Diagnoses: Diabetes' in the March – April 2014 edition of the magazine.

Diabetes UK do not recommend a high- or a low-carbohydrate diet, as carbohydrate requirements are different depending on the weight, age and activity levels. The charity advocates a healthy, balanced diet, and encourage people to develop their knowledge on portion sizes and ensuring that they don't have more than they need – a dietitian can assist with working out these requirements. Doctor Landeck, whose story we published in Diabetes Balance, designed his own plan based on his personal circumstances.

You can find more information on low calorie diets on the Diabetes UK website:

http://www.diabetes.org.uk/About_us...ydrate-diets-for-people-with-Type-2-diabetes/

http://www.diabetes.org.uk/About_us...tion-of-carbohydrate-in-people-with-diabetes/

I hope you continue to enjoy reading Diabetes Balance magazine, and find it a source of information and support.

Kind regards

Rachel
On behalf of Diabetes Balance magazine

 

[Bob67]

Well, at least they acknowledged your letter

 

[IanD]

Well, at least they acknowledged your letter

Yes - it was really no more than an acknowledgement.

A previous reply (a year or two ago) said in effect, "Thank you for your letter. We will take it into consideration when next we update our information.

 

[paul-1976]

Yes - it was really no more than an acknowledgement.

A previous reply (a year or two ago) said in effect, "Thank you for your letter. We will take it into consideration when next we update our information.

One of those "Don't call us-we'll call you" letters.

 

[Thommothebear]

Position changes from organisations like these happen at glacial speeds, too many people have to be consulted, persuaded, worn down or removed to get anything worthwhile done.