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Dietitian talks of Carbohydrate Management!!!!!

cugila said:
THIS ONE IS JUST FOR ALICE.




Just in case........ :lol:



Bloody cheeky Mongrel!!!!!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:


And ................ not a hint of a bump (or a smile ...... too busy!!) :oops:

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I was diagnosed with T2 almost 2 years ago. I waited 5 months to see dietition who advised me to eat carbohydrate based meals. In fact, when I told her I was carb counting as a way of controlling my bg levels she told me my medication (metformin) would not work if I didn't eat plenty of carbs! I also asked about portion control. She replied that she would discuss this with me at our next meeting which would be in 3 months time. Needless to say, I didn't go back.
 
hellsbells said:
I was diagnosed with T2 almost 2 years ago. I waited 5 months to see dietition who advised me to eat carbohydrate based meals. In fact, when I told her I was carb counting as a way of controlling my bg levels she told me my medication (metformin) would not work if I didn't eat plenty of carbs! I also asked about portion control. She replied that she would discuss this with me at our next meeting which would be in 3 months time. Needless to say, I didn't go back.
Hi hellsbells - I notice that this is your first posting - welcome to the forum.

Glad that you got the message earlier than me about carbohydrate - it took me nearly nine years before I realised what was causing my Type 2 situation to deteriorate. Here is my story:

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=10512

Have you sorted out your own situation?

Best wishes - John
 
Hi Hanadr- You mentioned that in Thames Valley the averageHB1Ac was about 7.5%. How did you get hold of that figure? Iv'e tried to get it via GPs but it's not something they seem to be aware of.
Are there any national or internatioal figures available

I'd value your help, because we're in the process of forming a local Diabetes uk group here, and talking to other people I'm appalled at the figures that some GPs seem to think are OK for their older patients.

Findave
 
Megan

Exactly my experience - I'm getting a pump this week, I advise you to look into it yourself....I've been informed that the majority of this stuff will just disappear

Good luck

Andrea
 
Good evening all,

When I went on insulin in May/June, I was told by the DSN at specialist clinic that I had to base my diet around carbohydrate 'for energy'. Being so new at insulin I didn't say anything at the time, but said to my husband (my minder that day) that I couldn't imagine what I needed all that extra energy for. I'm 63, with 4 grandchildren under 6 and a husband with a round bum (my mother's description would have been somewhat more rude - but true) that keep me running around, and being newly redundant, I've got lots of energy for anything that I feel the need to do. I suppose she thought I might need the energy to run a marathon or do the London to Brighton bike ride or something.

The only thing that all that energy will do is get laid down round my belly and bum as fat! Thanks, but no thanks!

The dietician was, in fact, far more aware of carbohydrate, although I was shown the 'healthy plate'. Having been diabetic for 30 years with no retinopathy, neuropathy or complications of any kind, I'll carry on doing what I was doing, thank you very much. It works for me, and I'm not a dimwit - I can read all the reports and make an informed decision based on that. (I'm also a cholesterol sceptic, but that's a whole new can of worms.)

i've just been released back to by GP, and I have yet to be offered any courses, so I really didn't know what to expect, but forewarned is forearmed. I'll try to keep the lip buttoned.

Thanks
Barb
 
nannybarbara said:
.........Having been diabetic for 30 years with no retinopathy, neuropathy or complications of any kind, I'll carry on doing what I was doing, thank you very much. It works for me, and I'm not a dimwit - I can read all the reports and make an informed decision based on that. .............
Hi Barb,

That's a tremendous achievement - how did you do it? Can I read your story somewhere?

If I can manage 30 more years it'll take me close to 100. :D

Best wishes - John
 
Hi John,

I didn't realise the awful problems that diabetics have until I read these forums. I think I've been very lucky, and that maybe I inherited some pretty strong genes somewhere along the line. My father was almost 89 when he died, and his mother was 85. I think that's where it comes from. I've had a few unsolicited compliments recently that I don't look my age. Probably helps that I think I'm 23 in my head not 63!

What did I do? I suppose I've been more or less a really bad diabetic in the conventional sense! My friend always jokingly described me as a 'non-practicing' diabetic. I've been low-carbing on and off for around 20 of those 30 years, after reading a book by the late Dr. Richard Mackarness in the mid-80's about weight loss and severe carbohydrate restriction. I think I may have mentioned that somewhere else on these forums (can't remember where or when).

In a previous post, I mentioned my sister, also diabetic, who is 5 years younger in years, but looks 10 years older and has almost all of the nasty diabetic things, stroke, heart surgery, problems with feet etc. She calls my diet 'a fad'. Some fad, hmmm, 20 years in the making! Looking at her and her problems, and reading this low carb forum, now I KNOW I was right.

The consultant and dietician I saw when I went on insulin were amazed that I've gone 30 years before going on insulin. Apparently, you go on pills after about 5 years and then on insulin after about 10 years. The doc said she's never come across anyone who's gone that long. So, as bread and potatoes send my BG sky high, I'm going back to what I was doing before. I think I'm only on insulin now because 10 years of gliclazide has flogged my beta cells to death.

I raise my glass (or two) of dry red to Dr. Mackarness. I think it's all down to him, and bless him for opening my eyes all those years ago.

Sorry, wittering on a bit here, it's 6 am and everyone's asleep!

Keep well
Barb
 
Another wonderful story that Barb - thanks for sharing it with us all. Again inspirational and letting the rest of us know what can be achieved. I really did think that when I arrived at these diabetes forums they would be depressing places. I never cease to tire of reading the success stories! When will the healthcare professionals wake up to what can be achieved?

So basically, for quite a lot of the 30 years you simply managed your diabetic situation by low-carbing. Is that correct? What has your control of HbA1c been over the duration of your time as a diabetic? Has it been good or very mixed?

Why does your friend refer to you as a non-practising diabetic? Tell her that I'd join your club! You've wet my appetite - please tell us more!

Hope that your sister doesn't read this forum. :D

I must take a look to see if I can find any books by your Dr. Richard Mackarness because I've never heard of him before. Nothing wrong with a glass or two of red wine - that's about all I drink these days. I used to be a big beer drinker and later a whisky drinker but I changed that quite a long time ago now.

Best wishes and good luck for another 30 years!

John
 
Hello John,

Sorry I didn't respond earlier. I got halfway through a response and had to go out. I saved what I'd done, but I don't know how to retrieve it so I've started again.

My friend refers to me as 'non-practicing' diabetic simply because I eat and drink things that diabetics are not supposed to have now - things like cream in my coffee and fat steaks, and have an aversion to some of the things that we're supposed to eat, like pasta, bread and potatoes. We don't have potatoes in our house unless Aunt Bessie made them - peeling potatoes brings my hands up in a rash - have you ever tried peeling spuds with rubber gloves on?

Richard Mackarness died quite a few years ago, and his book is now out of print. I think his book was originally published in the 50's but the copy I read was a reprint mid-80's-ish. The title was something like 'Eat Fat and Get Slim' - very similar to the title of another book I've seen in the last year or five. His book made a great impression on me, and I think I managed to brain-wash myself because I automatically look at the carbohydrate content of a meal without even being aware of it.

You are quite correct about low-carbing. As said, I've been doing it on and off for about 20 years, a couple of months on and a couple of months off! I suppose that's helped keep the nasties at bay. I'm obviously going to pay a lot more attention now that I'm on insulin and can't afford to mess it all up too often. When I did it in the past, I frequently worried that I was killing myself because it was against everything that we were taught, especially in the 90's. I fretted sometimes because I thought that I was the only one. So, thanks guys, I've come in from the cold.

It may not be the case for everyone as we're all individuals, but it suits me.

I had a conversation just today with our Financial Advisor and he was pretty surprised at how long I've been diabetic without any problems, at least, none that I'm aware of!!! I should have milked it a bit more to get a bigger pension if the pension provider thinks my days are numbered. Drat! Me and my big mouth!

The only concern I have is that the doc thinks my blood pressure is a little high - 147/74 in the surgery, but when I got home and relaxed it was 129/65. That will need watching I suppose.

My daughter, also T2D, is a staff nurse on a cardiac care ward, and she reckons my genes are bomb-proof and she hopes she's got them too. So do I, I want to be a cantakerous old bag of 95 running my children and grandchildren ragged and she's got to be fit enough to cope. :twisted:

I hope this has answered your questions.

All the best,
Barb
 
nannybarbara said:
....... I want to be a cantakerous old bag of 95 running my children and grandchildren ragged and she's got to be fit enough to cope. :twisted: ........
Me too Barb - Personally, I've got my sights set on 100 these days! My kids are getting seriously worried - especially the two daughters. One of them openly says that she had always thought that I wouldn't live as long as my wife so she considered that I would never cause her any problems in my later life. However, she's now seriously worried that I might be around for much longer! That causes her a load of concern! :lol:

Wow! You have a very powerful message there keep telling it!

At diagnosis, I used to have very high blood pressure 164/109 but that has come down over the years through medication, cutting back on alcohol (now very low and only the odd glass of red wine) and losing weight. Yesterday, I was sat messing around and getting readings of 85 to 95/45 to 55. Just told my GP about it but he's totally unconcerned and considers lower the better - as long as I keep standing that is.

Very best wishes - John
 
John,

I forgot to tell you - Amazon's private sellers appear to have copies of Richard Mackarness' book. It's called Eat Fat and Grow Slim. They've got a 1958 version and 1976 edition. It looks as if they are second-hand. I don't usually get stuff from other sellers because some of them really hike up the price and I don't think they are worth the money, frankly.

The book was only directed at weight-loss if I recall.

Barb
 
Hi Graham,

Thanks for that - it looks just about right. I'm amazed it's on the internet. I didn't think anyone would be interested after 50 years. I shall have a quiet read tomorrow. :) I've already done a marathon today watching Hana's lecture on sugar.

Thanks very much
Barb
 
Yes - great that Graham - Thanks!

I'll study that in detail. Maybe Barb will let us know how she approached things compared with what is written there.

Well done - John
 
Well, I've had a brief look, and, as I remembered it, it is just a basic low carb-high fat diet book. I suppose it made such an impression on me because I'd never read or heard anything like it before. Back in the 80's and 90's it was, and still is, heresy. This is, possibly, the diet that nearly all low-carb diets are based on! I think this is where I first read about Stefansson and Banting. I'll have another look later.

As I said, I don't recall ever actually 'going on a diet' as such, more just an awareness that this book made sense to me and it has been in the background since then. I obviously didn't do it for very long at a stretch, or indeed, very well, otherwise I probably wouldn't carry excess weight and just maybe, wouldn't be on insulin. But - being virtually complication-free could be down to this book - and Pa's genes.

John, you've led me astray! I only made a comment on the consultant, the dietician and carbohydrate, and now look where we are. I'll be spouting philosophy next!

Take care,
Barb
 
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