Diabetes diet question

Unbeliever · Mar 14, 2014

I am a little surprised that more people haven't voted as yet. I wonder if most people assume that , given recent developments - the favourable
vote at the DUK conference and the results of Southport GP's research - that the option of reducing carbs in conrolling diabetes is no longer an issue?
I think there is some way to go before this is included in official guidelines This is the the logical place to begin looking for information , as there is a wealth of experience on here. I don't think anyone could consider it as definititive in any way but it could be interesting.
Negative answers are of course, as important as positives in case anyone was i any doubt!.Its just an opportunity for people to give their opinions.
Please consider voting if you have any views on the issue..

Andy12345 · Mar 14, 2014

perhaps there are only 70 active posters, i have no idea how to check, it may just seem like more because people like me can't keep their mouths shut

Bluetit1802 · Mar 14, 2014

I haven't voted. I have no idea whether lowering my carbs substantially has improved my control or not as I am fairly new to it, don't as yet use a meter, and am not yet due my next HbA1c test. I have, however, lost 13lbs in weight, so something is going right. I have been offered a meter after my first review HbA1c in mid April if things aren't improving.

I would be interested to see what proportion of the "yes" voters are diet & exercise only people, as medication must also be a big factor in control.

Beachbag · Mar 14, 2014

@Unbeliever. I think low carbing will always be an issue because food manufacturers will fight tooth and nail to persuade us that we need a diet full of highly processed, chemical junk. I too wish more would vote....it doesn't involve much effort, not even many brain cells, lol. Apathy!

@Andy12345

Omar101 · Mar 14, 2014

I used a low carb diet to "reset" my HbA1c in a manner of speaking, it was 16% got it down to 6.3% and with low carb (around 70g) got it to low 5's and now I've been maintaining it over the last few months at 5.1% while eating around 100- 200g a day but only from mostly legumes. Any kind of wheat or bread product will just explode my postprandial levels.

IanD · Mar 14, 2014

Bluetit1802 said:
I haven't voted. I have no idea whether lowering my carbs substantially has improved my control or not as I am fairly new to it, don't as yet use a meter, and am not yet due my next HbA1c test. I have, however, lost 13lbs in weight, so something is going right. I have been offered a meter after my first review HbA1c in mid April if things aren't improving.

I would be interested to see what proportion of the "yes" voters are diet & exercise only people, as medication must also be a big factor in control.

When I switched to low carb I was on the same medication & exercise as I am 6 years later. Except that what drove me to low carb was crippling neuropathy that stopped me exercising.

Omar101 · Mar 14, 2014

IanD said:
When I switched to low carb I was on the same medication & exercise as I am 6 years later. Except that what drove me to low carb was crippling neuropathy that stopped me exercising.

Mind if I ask what blood levels/hba1c you averaged when you began to experience neuropathy?

CollieBoy · Mar 14, 2014

Bluetit1802 said:
I would be interested to see what proportion of the "yes" voters are diet & exercise only people, as medication must also be a big factor in control.

I have gone from "Bolus & Basal insulin" , Through Gliclazide to "Diet & Exercise" plus raised my kidney function by ~50%

aqualung · Mar 14, 2014

I haven't voted as I am pre diabetic/non diabetic. I did however find that changing my diet and lowering my carbs helped to reduce my Hba1c.

IanD · Mar 14, 2014

Omar101 said:
Mind if I ask what blood levels/hba1c you averaged when you began to experience neuropathy?

I was diagnosed with neuropathy in 2000 - I had 2 HBA tests - the first was about 11 & the second 8 - I gave up sugary foods in between.

Unbeliever · Mar 15, 2014

As patients are not advised to low carb normally, at diagnosis and it is certainly not yet part of official giudelines Ii am puzzled as to why it seems to be an issue . If many people are being advised to educe starchy carbs on diagnosis then this is very interesting and very good news but will come as a surprise to many of us who are very keen to see this included as an optional means of control . Has the battle already been won?

IanD · Mar 15, 2014

Unbeliever said:
As patients are not advised to low carb normally, at diagnosis and it is certainly not yet part of official giudelines Ii am puzzled as to why it seems to be an issue . If many people are being advised to educe starchy carbs on diagnosis then this is very interesting and very good news but will come as a surprise to many of us who are very keen to see this included as an optional means of control . Has the battle already been won?

Or has the battle already been lost? All my attempts to interest DUK have met the brush-off.

Why should it be a battle, when the best interests of patients are the issue? And why should DUK object, when good BG control means vastly reduced costs for the NHS?

peacetrain · Mar 16, 2014

xyzzy said:
It would be interesting to get the forum memberships views on dietary regimes so here is a simple question for people to answer if they wish to join in.

Question

Have you found that notably reducing the amount of rice, pasta, potatoes, cereals, and other flour-based foods that you eat has helped with your diabetes control?

Helping with your diabetes control means one or more of the following things.

1) It significantly lowered your hBA1c
2) It helped you lose weight.
3) It minimises or has reduced the medication you need to take.
4) It reduced the amount of insulin you use.
5) It significantly reduced the frequency of hypos.
6) It has controlled or even reversed diabetic complications you were suffering.

Please answer the simple POLL question first using the tool shown at the TOP of the thread.

If you want to expand on the polls simple yes or no answer by for example commenting on each of the 6 points that have been listed then please make additional posts on the thread.

If you have been kind enough to answer this question perhaps you would like to answer this one as well

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/diabetes-advice-question.54422/

Thanks

1) It significantly lowered your hBA1c yes
2) It helped you lose weight. yes
3) It minimises or has reduced the medication you need to take. nurse said she would consider in May

Unbeliever · Mar 16, 2014

peacetrain said:
1) It significantly lowered your hBA1c yes
2) It helped you lose weight. yes
3) It minimises or has reduced the medication you need to take. nurse said she would consider in May

Thanks for voting. Glad its working for you and hope your meds are reduced.

CollieBoy · Mar 16, 2014

peacetrain said:
3) It minimises or has reduced the medication you need to take. nurse said she would consider in May

The say that the mills of god grind slowly(Longfellow) but they are like a flash of light compared to your nurse!
If your meds start to overtreat your D, Call her and tell her to "extract the digit" and alter your meds!

andcol · Mar 16, 2014

I am not quite sure how to answer the question. I did (cut down carbs and especially wheat) from the outset so don't have a yardstick to measure against but I am pretty sure I would not be in such good state if I hadn't so subjectively I would vote yes but that isn't a measured objective answer.

edited "I did ..." to clarrify

donnellysdogs · Mar 16, 2014

Reducing anything, will give better results because since the 2nd world war and rationing of foods NOBODY in this generation knows portion control.

The reason we have current longer living is because we currently have people that knew portion control and still live by it.

This will change in the next 20 years...when all the un controlled portion people hot older age....whether it's high carb rice, doughnuts, cake,biscuits or cream,yogurts etc... Unless everybody starts portion controlling their foods EVERYBODY will start to die earlier....the only thing nowadays that is helping the younger generations is the advancement of medicines and surgery such as heart by passes, gastric bands,statins, etc.

For goodness sake why can't everybody learn a bit about PORTION SIZES AND CONTROL???? B

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

Andy12345 · Mar 16, 2014

arent the portion controllers the ones having the bypasses now?

paul-1976 · Mar 16, 2014

I personally don't see the need to 'portion control' my food-I eat when hungry and as much as I want-I just avoid the starchy carbs which made me overweight in the past despite feeling hungry all the time back then.

donnellysdogs · Mar 16, 2014

No, the portion contrlers arent the ones having by paases now,,, they are the 40-60 year olds that have forgotten what a normal size plate looks like

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

Diabetes diet question

Based on the type of diabetic you are please choose one of the following

T1 / T1.5 YES it did help my control of diabetes

T1 / T1.5 NO it didn't help my control of diabetes

T2 YES it did help my control of diabetes

T2 NO it didn't help my control of diabetes

Well-Known Member

Expert

Legend

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Master

Expert

Well-Known Member

Master

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency