Well, about time I added my "pennies" worth here ........... or something!
I am currently attending the 5 week X-pert course here with the PCT Surrey Heath (they do get something right - at least the ARE running these courses!) and the two lovely ladies have both surprised me in a positive way.
The course has been very structured and in many ways I have obtained useful information. They have discussed Carbs and their impact on diets and as I have made NO secret of my success, they have accepted and involved me in the discussions, although they did say that they could not officially recommend the low carb diet (60/day) am currently on - still trying to loose weight and struggling but only because I am eating the wrong stuff too many days!! (long story,have had several big upsets etc ........ sure you all know where I am going!), BUT they are recommending to look at the carb management alongside with fat and salt and calories – DEPENDING on what you are trying to achieve.
They are recognising that not all size fit all and are genuinely trying to ensure that people are getting the information they need to make an informed choice.
Yesterday we went to the supermarket and looked at labels and we had a wonderful time all around. Learned a little too and again pointed out the choices I made with spreads etc but also accepting that some might want/need to balance their diet differently to that of mine.
What has got to me on this course are the people attending ……… there is a lady of around 65 with her 40’ish son. Both T2 – she is obstinate in the extreme and will ONLY take the advice of the dietician/nurse and don’t think anybody else knows anything. The son is morbidly obese and REFUSES to believe that carb has any influence on his diet as long as it is low fat and below 2500 cals/day – I wonder why he cannot get his Bg under double figures and not loose any weight!!??? Oh – he sits on his ass all day! Hmmmmm!! Another “set” is a lady with T2 of 9 years – on insulin – and her dad a newly diagnosed T2. She has written articles for DUK and “knows” everything!! Howcome she has put on 5st in the last 3 years and her insulin gone up and now she is on this course “to get her back on track”! Her dad obviously thinks she knows all there is to know about Diabetes and take her advice over that of his GP and other healthcare professionals (oh and he is obese too). That is fine, BUT her Bg are usually in double figures – she does not believe Carb management is any good. She eats what she wants and just adjust her insulin. Her “comment” to me – when we had the round of introductions – and I explained about how I had done etc, “well, I did well initially too and then I put the weight back on and my Bg is also not as good any more. Just wait and see, you will get there too and will need insulin”!! I very nearly hit her!! She don’t believe that you can manage a T2 on diet alone and virtually told me I was lying when telling her I knew of people coming off meds when doing diet only and strict carb control with Bg in the normal range!
Oh and she also declared that using more than one source of information would be too confusing for most people with T2 and they really should only take info from DUK as they kneow best!! That's like saying only to read the Sun for new material!! Heaven help me!! And that came about when I told them about this forum!! :roll:
Another man – morbidly obese told I me I was an idiot for not taking the meds and just eat what I wanted!! That my diet and testing and strict Bg control was a waist of time! Well, that told me right!! He is not on insulin but on several other common meds, Metaformin etc. His attitude is that he can take the meds and carry on regardsless and it will all be fine – when his time is due, it is due!!
What is it with these people!! Here we have a good informative course, with two great ladies who are open and willing to help on an individual basis, they are not trying to tell people that one thing is right and still these people attending are simply not listening! The advice they have been given by their GP and/or DN / Dietician is the one they will follow regardsless of the information given at this course, based on new/recent studies, which they make VERY clear – eg. That Carb management is now beginning to be accepted to –a- way forward.
I despair ………….. these people are probably just there for the social bit and not to learn one **** thing and considering how often we have heard about these courses giving out rubbish information, I think we are lucky in that they are at least up to date with their information and openness.
Ok they are banging on about fats and calories, but I am quietly plugging away about my carb management, my choices and the results I have achieved. At least so they can see that there IS another avenue to persue – something to try and see if that might be right for them.
When health professionals agree that a person who is T2 and on a low cal/low fat diet fails to loose weight and cannot get Bg under double figures because they are eating 200 carbs/day are probably eating too many carbs ……… I would stop and listen!! They even agreed that my wholewheat Nimble was a better choice that many other breads, not only for a carb point a view, but from cals and portion size view!! Halleluja!!!
Now I need to find my way back to prober food again and stop eating icecream (Vienetta), which I seem to be stuck on at the moment – it is a craving that if I didn’t know any better I would swear I was pregnant!! (and NO I am not and if I am, I want to see that bloody star myself!!).
Rant over …………… Calm, Alice, calm…………!!!
Love
Alice
PS. My own appointment with my dietician went quite well - she is happy with the average weightloss and told me just to get through this phase the best I could and then carry on with what I was doing, as it obviously suited me and my diet was fine, otherwise. New appointment in Januay 2010 where she expects me to have reached my target weight and maintained it during January. Nice lady!
