what are you having for protein and calcium?My current approach is to completely cut out meat products and heavily restrict dairy consumption (Just the coffee with some cream and some dessert once a week)
plus the carbs in drinks. This would be far too much for most of us who are diet controlled only. Low carb is 130g a day or less Maximum total. I couldnt even eat half that amount of carbs safely.restricting their portions to under 80g of carb per meal. This adds up to 160g per day.
what are you having for protein and calcium?
plus the carbs in drinks. This would be far too much for most of us who are diet controlled only. Low carb is 130g a day or less Maximum total. I couldnt even eat half that amount of carbs safely.
I am an on and off member here and thought I should add my two cents worth to this discussion.
I have been diagnosed with T2 in 2013 and have tried almost everything since then to achieve a good balance between sugar numbers and quality of life. My current approach is to completely cut out meat products and heavily restrict dairy consumption (Just the coffee with some cream and some dessert once a week) I have noticed that since taking this approach, my diabetic medications have been having a more pronounced effect to the point that I have reduced my Insulin dosage to a bare minimum and still see fasting numbers under 8. (These used to be 11+ at one point despite more meds)
After everything, I would say that it all boils down to just one word, "discipline". There are a few things that you have to be a bit of a fanatic about but they can be really worth it. My personal tips would be:
1) Restrict yourself to two hearty meals a day with maybe a tea/coffee somewhere in between.
2) No meat substitutes. No matter how fancy they sound. Vegetable products stuffed with chemicals to make them look/smell/taste like meat are an absolute no no.
3) White breads/pasta/rice should be replaced by brown counterparts while restricting their portions to under 80g of carb per meal. This adds up to 160g per day.
4) No processed sauces etc. The less food you consume out of plastic/glass packaging, the better.
5) Hydrate regularly
6) If possible, fast occassionally. Fasting has traditionally been part of all cultures and for goood reason. I have noticed that doing IF for just a week can improve fasting numbers.
7) Some moderate exercise to top it off. Walking vigourously for even 30 mins can have a wonderful effect.
To answer the OP's question, plant based diets can be helpful but it is also very easy to get them wrong.
Including snacking and drinks, approx how many carbs do you eat a day?I think I still see 8s because I don't stick to my own tips as religiously as I should. I find it difficult to cut down on snacking now and then and what I snack on has these effects. I have noticed though that since my insulin dosage has gone down, my urge to snack has also gone down a lot. Also, I have taken a liking for fruits over processed snacks., Berries, melons, bananas....bring it on!
It is a no brainer that not eating carbs will bring down my sugar numbers. What I have noticed though is improved insulin response, thus lower sugar levels post meals and hypos happening a bit more often than in my omnivore days.
The only drinks on the agenda are water, a cup of coffee and some red wine once a week, for the anti oxidantsIncluding snacking and drinks, approx how many carbs do you eat a day?
Melon and banana would cause me to spike.. berries less so.Berries, melons, bananas....bring it on!
right. So at around those levels of daily carbs you are controlling your type 2 diabetes with insulin rather than low carbing?The only drinks on the agenda are water, a cup of coffee and some red wine once a week, for the anti oxidants
Those and the snacks (Cookies, crisps) give me a daily total of around 200g of Carbs.
This indicates to me that your plant based diet is not doing anything of itself to control your diabetes.right. So at around those levels of daily carbs you are controlling your type 2 diabetes with insulin rather than low carbing?
I agree but it is a problem when people claim it to be a cure for diabetes. Or that eating meat is the cause for diabetes.Absolutely nothing wrong with a plant based diet. Just like with any other diet, or lifestyle plan, it’s up to you to manage the macros and micros.
I agree but it is a problem when people claim it to be a cure for diabetes. Or that eating meat is the cause for diabetes.
It depends on how you define the problem. Around 9 months ago, I was on a vegetarian diet (eggs and dairy alongside carbs). I was struggling to maintain sugar levels despite taking heavier doses of Insulin. Now, I can still have the same amount of carbs and have better sugar numbers despite needing lower doses of insulin.This indicates to me that your plant based diet is not doing anything of itself to control your diabetes.
It depends on how exactly do you define diabetes. If you think that having a high A1C number means being diabetic then your idea of curing diabetes will be different from that of someone who diagnoses diabetes based on an OGTT. An extremely low A1C does not guarantee a low value after an OGTT but the other way around is true.I agree but it is a problem when people claim it to be a cure for diabetes. Or that eating meat is the cause for diabetes.
How do you define a spike exactly? Do you use a CGM? Or do you measure at intervals over a longer period say 6 or 8 hours?Melon and banana would cause me to spike.. berries less so.
Meat never.
I have done multiple finger prick tests over time to look at the impact of foods on my blood sugar. Now I simply avoid what caused me problems historically. Never used a CGM. I try to stay under 6 mmol/l at all times these days so a "spike" for me would be anything over that however most use a 2 mmol/l rise 2 hours after their pre meal reading.How do you define a spike exactly? Do you use a CGM? Or do you measure at intervals over a longer period say 6 or 8 hours?
It depends on how exactly do you define diabetes. If you think that having a high A1C number means being diabetic then your idea of curing diabetes will be different from that of someone who diagnoses diabetes based on an OGTT. An extremely low A1C does not guarantee a low value after an OGTT but the other way around is true.
Agreed about the purpose that the A1C serves. It is also correct that keeping it low is a good way of preventing diabetic complications. It should be acknowledged though that a low A1C does not mean that the underlying condition of glucose intolerance has been cured.Definitely A1c, this will tell you how long your body parts have been stewing in the sugar soup. Isn’t this what does the damage?
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