Just joined your forum. Desperate lower my sugar levels as I cannot control them. I am obese, disabled and I cannot take Metformin. My health is on a downward spiral. Am considering your low carb diet even though always claim it's dangerous. I also have high blood pressure and take sinvastatins for cholesterol. Help!!!!
Need some advice.
- Thread starter Violetluis
- Start Date
Squire Fulwood
Expert
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- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Diet only
WeeFergus
Well-Known Member
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- Cruelty to humans and animals.
@Violetluis I replied to your message in the 'low carbs success' thread advising you to re-post here before I noticed you already had! Please don't be afraid of lowering your carb intake - see my previous reply.
I'll tag @daisy1 now and she'll give you some really useful reading and other, more experienced members, will soon be along and will help and support you all the way.
I'll tag @daisy1 now and she'll give you some really useful reading and other, more experienced members, will soon be along and will help and support you all the way.
JAY1JAY1
Well-Known Member
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- 623
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- Tablets (oral)
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- Diabetes
Hi and welcome
I'll tag @daisy1 who will give you the new comers info .
To get you BG down you must cut down on the carbs , cut down not out smaller portions you will find it will help you loose weight as well so have a good look around the site and if you have any questions just ask and we will try to help
Keep safe and stay safe JJ
I'll tag @daisy1 who will give you the new comers info .
To get you BG down you must cut down on the carbs , cut down not out smaller portions you will find it will help you loose weight as well so have a good look around the site and if you have any questions just ask and we will try to help
Keep safe and stay safe JJ
Hi. Yes, high carbs are proven to be dangerous but there is no proof that low carbs are dangerous in any way. Zero carbs can have some non-dangerous side effects but no one here is suggesting zero carbs. I'm afraid it's just part of the NHS making it up as they go along. Low-carbing is the best way to lose weight and reduce blood sugar. What is the reason you can't take Metformin?
daisy1
Legend
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@Violetluis
Hello Violet and welcome to the forum
As you see, it is important to reduce carbs, but not cut them out completely, as most members will tell you. Here is the information we give to new members which gives a lot of information on carbs and diet which I hope will be helpful to you. Ask as many questions as you want and someone will be able to help.
BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS
Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.
A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you’ll find over 150,000 people who are demonstrating this.
On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.
The role of carbohydrate
Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.
If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.
The bad news
Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.
The good news
People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.
Controlling your carbs
The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.
There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:
Reduce your carbohydrates
A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.
The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.
Choosing better carbohydrates
Another option is to replace ‘white carbohydrates’ (such as white bread, white rice, white flour etc) with whole grain varieties. The idea behind having whole grain varieties is that the carbohydrates get broken down slower than the white varieties –and these are said to have a lower glycaemic index.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/food/diabetes-and-whole-grains.html
The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.
Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes
Eating what works for you
Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.
To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.
The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:
Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
Access to blood glucose test strips
The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:
Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to bloodglucose testing supplies.
You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic
Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.
Hello Violet and welcome to the forum
As you see, it is important to reduce carbs, but not cut them out completely, as most members will tell you. Here is the information we give to new members which gives a lot of information on carbs and diet which I hope will be helpful to you. Ask as many questions as you want and someone will be able to help.
BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS
Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.
A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you’ll find over 150,000 people who are demonstrating this.
On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.
The role of carbohydrate
Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.
If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.
The bad news
Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.
The good news
People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.
Controlling your carbs
The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.
There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:
- Reduce your carbohydrate intake
- Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates
Reduce your carbohydrates
A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.
The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.
Choosing better carbohydrates
Another option is to replace ‘white carbohydrates’ (such as white bread, white rice, white flour etc) with whole grain varieties. The idea behind having whole grain varieties is that the carbohydrates get broken down slower than the white varieties –and these are said to have a lower glycaemic index.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/food/diabetes-and-whole-grains.html
The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.
Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes
Eating what works for you
Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.
To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.
The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:
Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
- Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l
- Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
- Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
Access to blood glucose test strips
The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:
- structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
- self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education
Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to bloodglucose testing supplies.
You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic
Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.
Dillinger
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 1,207
- Type of diabetes
- Type 1
- Treatment type
- Insulin
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Hello,
There is absolutely nothing dangerous about a low-carb diet. There is a lot wrong with a high carb diet if you are Type 2 and unable to tolerate the most common first line of treatment.
Here are a selection of studies to give you some specific examples of why low-carbing is safe and why it works.
http://authoritynutrition.com/23-studies-on-low-carb-and-low-fat-diets/
Regards
Dillinger
There is absolutely nothing dangerous about a low-carb diet. There is a lot wrong with a high carb diet if you are Type 2 and unable to tolerate the most common first line of treatment.
Here are a selection of studies to give you some specific examples of why low-carbing is safe and why it works.
http://authoritynutrition.com/23-studies-on-low-carb-and-low-fat-diets/
Regards
Dillinger
vintageutopia
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 401
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Diet only
Before I answer, tell me what you have heard about low carb and why it is dangerous?
Hi and welcome. Not sure from your post whether you have your own meter, but it would be worth getting one so you can monitor things yourself. Many of us have the sd code free as the test strips are a reasonable price. Helps us to know what food affects us personally.
You want to get your blood sugar levels under control. Many people on here have tried and succeeded with low carb. Happy bonus is that many members have also had successful weight loss as well.
It's worth trying it for yourself and monitoring how your blood sugars are doing and see what you think after a few weeks. If you can see it is working and feel the benefits you will know whether this is the right thing for you.
Loads of help and advice on the forum, so you are not alone.
You want to get your blood sugar levels under control. Many people on here have tried and succeeded with low carb. Happy bonus is that many members have also had successful weight loss as well.
It's worth trying it for yourself and monitoring how your blood sugars are doing and see what you think after a few weeks. If you can see it is working and feel the benefits you will know whether this is the right thing for you.
Loads of help and advice on the forum, so you are not alone.
Hi, thank you all for all your advice and useful links.
I have been a diabetic for a good number of years(type2) and I have been able to control my sugar levels without much difficulty.
However, recently my lactate acidity and potassium levels went up and I was take off the Metformin which, I realise now, is what kept my sugar levels stable.
My lactactes are still raised, my potassium has gone down to normal and now is when I am struggling with my sugar levels and my carbohydrate intake.
As for the dangers of a low carbohydrate date I meant the risk of going into a state of ketosis and develop kidney damage. Yes, I agree, this is different, it's a low carb not solely a protein diet.
I joined this forum when my problems started and I am very pleased that I did so. I had no idea this forum existed and...as you probably all know by now, we have to be our own stand in doctors and I am grateful for all the advice I can get. Thank you all
I have been a diabetic for a good number of years(type2) and I have been able to control my sugar levels without much difficulty.
However, recently my lactate acidity and potassium levels went up and I was take off the Metformin which, I realise now, is what kept my sugar levels stable.
My lactactes are still raised, my potassium has gone down to normal and now is when I am struggling with my sugar levels and my carbohydrate intake.
As for the dangers of a low carbohydrate date I meant the risk of going into a state of ketosis and develop kidney damage. Yes, I agree, this is different, it's a low carb not solely a protein diet.
I joined this forum when my problems started and I am very pleased that I did so. I had no idea this forum existed and...as you probably all know by now, we have to be our own stand in doctors and I am grateful for all the advice I can get. Thank you all
Just read your post, thanks Sue. I do have my own meter and I test my sugar levels often. I am also quite overweight so the Happy bonus will also help.
Lamont D
Oracle
- Messages
- 15,910
- Type of diabetes
- Reactive hypoglycemia
- Treatment type
- I do not have diabetes
Because of my condition, I'm in permanent ketosis and my health has improved so much that I've lost a lot of weight and all my life signs have returned to normal. Including liver function and a fatty liver.
I had kidney function problems which are now better than normal!
My energy levels are brilliant and I'm not tired anymore, I sleep better and live a good full life. All because I low carb!
I don't have a choice but to eat this way, you do, but I would seriously reduce your carb intake, cos that is what is causing your blood glucose levels to spike!
I don't do dairy either, it makes me ill!
