Hi all, i wonder if any of you more experienced low-carbers can help me? I am 52 and have been Type 1 for 16 years. My control has been good with HbA1c of 6-8. However i have recently been diagnosed with background retinopathy and am starting to experience pain and discomfort in my feet which is worse when my BS is high. I am also struggling with menopause and the challenges of a very sick and disabled husband plus a demanding job. I tried a low-carb diet a couple of years ago and became really excited by the fantastic control i achieved. No big spikes or crashing lows. In fact my sugar levels were as close to normal as i'd ever managed. It seemed like the answer to my prayers. But after a month I was as weak as a kitten. I could barely get through the day let alone do my regular gym sessions of 30 minutes running 3-4 times a week. I panicked and decided low-carb wasn't for me. But now that i am seeing the start of diabetic complications I am keen to revisit the idea especially if I can solve the problem of low energy levels. Has anyone had a similar experience? Or can anyone suggest what i was doing wrong? Perhaps I wasn't eating enough fat to compensate for the lack of carbs? My normal diet is low-ish on carbs and low-fat anyway although my carb consumption does tend to fluctuate. I am struggling with low energy from menopausal hormone imbalance so I really can't afford to lose more energy through my diet. Any advice would be very gratefully received. Migi2z
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Drop in energy
- Thread starter Migi2z
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You may have needed extra salt, magnesium, potassium, or even more water.
Have a google for the signs of deficiency for mag and pot, and see if they ring any bells.
I supplement with them, particularly in hot weather, and feel much better for it.
When we switch to low carb (esp ketogenic) our kidneys change the way they function a bit, and they flush out salts and minerals as well as water, in a way that they don't when we are eating plenty of carbs. In addition, a lot of the carby foods like potatoes and rice and bread have a lot more salt in them that you might expect - and those disappear from the diet.
Several of the LC experts, like Voleck and Phinney recommend that we make broth, or use good quality stock cubes in hot water as a drink to replenish these minerals daily if we low carb, and I have certainly found in beneficial.
Amazing to think that being short of such things can make us feel so floppy and listless and apathetic, but my own experience backs it up - especially in hot weather.
You comment about needing more fat is also possible, but depends on whether you were losing weight? If not, then you were getting enough from your diet.
If you are intending to LC seriously, and look on it as a lifetime way of eating, I heartily recommend the Volek and Phinney book I list in my signature. It debunks most of the myths, and gives fab info on how to avoid most of the easy mistakes.
Have a google for the signs of deficiency for mag and pot, and see if they ring any bells.
I supplement with them, particularly in hot weather, and feel much better for it.
When we switch to low carb (esp ketogenic) our kidneys change the way they function a bit, and they flush out salts and minerals as well as water, in a way that they don't when we are eating plenty of carbs. In addition, a lot of the carby foods like potatoes and rice and bread have a lot more salt in them that you might expect - and those disappear from the diet.
Several of the LC experts, like Voleck and Phinney recommend that we make broth, or use good quality stock cubes in hot water as a drink to replenish these minerals daily if we low carb, and I have certainly found in beneficial.
Amazing to think that being short of such things can make us feel so floppy and listless and apathetic, but my own experience backs it up - especially in hot weather.
You comment about needing more fat is also possible, but depends on whether you were losing weight? If not, then you were getting enough from your diet.
If you are intending to LC seriously, and look on it as a lifetime way of eating, I heartily recommend the Volek and Phinney book I list in my signature. It debunks most of the myths, and gives fab info on how to avoid most of the easy mistakes.
