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Carbs are essential?????

hanadr

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We are frequently told that a low carb diet is poor in nutrients and that we might develop deficiency symptoms.
I first asked our resident dietician, which nutrients I would be lacking and am still waiting for an answer.
Then I searched the internet, then I got out all my textbooks and dusted them off. I also wrote to Reading University. got nothing there. I live in Reading and if ever a University ignored its surrounding town,this is it. Maybe I shall try TVU. They might be friendlier 8) .
Upshot of all this searching: I can't find any evidence. If I didn't eat meats, I might get a little short on the Vitamin B group, but that's a risk for all vegetarians and no-one critisizes them for that. They just take supplements.
In about 1928,Vilhjalmur Stefansson lived for a year on nothing but fatty meat under medical supervision. He was absolutely fine.
There is so little evidence on the essential nature of carbs, that some people make it up. I even found a piece on how the Inuit people of Canada used to collect and dry berries and carry these about to provide their essential carbs. This is abject rubbish. they did eat berries when in season, but they were never a major part of their diet. One sudy did show that on basically zero carbs, fats become essential to good health. Remember that seal blubber is saturated.If anyone wants an explanation of what saurated and unsaturated mean, I'll work one up.However essentially saturated fats are solid at room temperature (20 deg C) and unsaturated ones are liquid ( oils)
 
Hana - when I did the analysis I put yours on their too.

Have a look and tell me what you think - i was worried about your diet
 
Hi Hana

Your diet looks good to me. Most importantly you are holding safe blood numbers. With your exercise regime you have this condition on the run. Do not listen to the outdated and misinformed.

Fenster
 
Hi ally
I don't eat much of anything, because I keep hoping I will lose weight, but my diet is very varied and I eat loads of veggies and salads, plus some nuts and seeds. However it probably adds up to under 1200 calories most days and under 1.000 quite often. Since my weight has held at 90kg for 6 months and I am never ill and do 4 exercise classes and at least 1 3mileplus walk every week, I must be getting what I need. I also get a resting heart rate of 55 most times I test and blood pressure 130/70, so I'm definitely not ill.
I still haven't found anything in a carb rich food that I don't get somewhere else.
 
All I get from carb rich food is slowed down. Honestly - it just slows me down.
 
Patch I also find that carbs make me lethargic and depressed, that is when I used to eat them, I have not consumed that many carbs for the past 8 years though, many of my non-diabetic family, friends and colleagues have actually reduced carbs in their diet and all are amazed at how much more energy they have.

Nowadays I just dont go down any carby aisles in the supermarket, I look at a biscuit or the white bread section and recoil and think 'illness, danger and no nutrition'

I think some diabetics struggle with low carbing because diabetes somehow does force us to cut out carbs, I remember in the beginning I cried myself to sleep every single day - yet the non diabetic people that have decided to cut carbs do it with excitement and anticipation and no resentment in sight!

Anyway I am looking forward to hear how your experiment with the Dr Budwig diet goes, I have taken this mixture for many years now and swear it helped me with many of my health problems that are now firmly in the past.

All the best

Karen x
 
Well on tuesday i got back from 3 weeks in not so sunny Cyprus and for the first week i was an oh so good boy. 2nd week allowed myself a slice wholemeal toast with breakfast . 3rd week experimented with small portion rice similar spaghetti even a few chips, and even dabbled in the sweet trolley.

Results somewhat predictable up in the 8-9`s .......but am now struggling to get my waking numbers back down to the 5`s they were b4 i went. Lesson learned it think. Am now back on track just got to work on the numbers ........... again !!!

The food was good and varied but some self control was needed more than the small amout of pleasure from the carbs.

Dave P
 
I find that for the portions you can have without shooting bg up its not worth it. Due to being on premix, do need to eat some though portion sizes are the key

So mainly (rarely) low carb pasta , new potatoes (dont even like them that much) sweet potato, oatcakes and burgen bread.

Dont touch porridge, cereal, any other bread (if i can help it), rice, biscuits , cakes, chips, burger buns, etc. Cant say I dreadfully miss any of them. I just miss the freedom to eat without feeling im going to harm myself or feeling guilty about it. What I miss most is sugar in my tea - still. Chocolate, nachos at the cinema. HOping to be on MDI for Harry Potter this year so I can eat nachos and zap away/correct with insulin. :lol: Funny how the pleasures in life change.......


L
 
Lillibet .... i dont think the pleasures change its more to do with the perception of what is pleasurable. ................. maybe thats a bit too phylosphical. Just enjoy what you can :D :D :D

Dave p
 
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