Going the right way... I hope

[Type2_2000]

I've been dipping my toe into a low carb diet this last week. I've not gone mad but I've managed to reduce my carb intake from around 300g last week to around 180g this week. I had to try and remember everything I ate from last week and enter those foods into myfitnesspal so I could make a comparison! Must admit I've already seen amazing results! Today my pre-evening meal reading was 6.2, an hour afterwards it was 7.1 and then an hour on it was down to 5.9! Compare this to a couple of weeks ago when I had a biriyani rice dish at 6pm and my reading was still 7.5 at bedtime! I just wondered how low other people have gone with their carb intake? Am I right in terms of reducing my carb intake gradually? I'm trying to reduce my overall HBA1c gradually because of retinopathy concerns, but but it would be nice to think I could have low sugars without as many meds. Any thoughts or comments would be welcome.


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[Picci]

I can't recall reading it's wise to gradually reduce carb intake, however I may be wrong. For some diabetics who've had high bg levels, they may begin to feel shaky and have other hypo sensations when they begin to get lower readings, this is just because their body isn't accustomed to being lower and these affects do stop. I also think we start to reduce carb intake gradually naturally when we've made the decision to commit. I know I did and within a short space of time I realised I'd cut down dramatically. I believe it's a personal choice. Good luck, Dr Bernstein's book is great although extremely hardcore, it's worth reading.


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[Picci]

I just re read your post!! I am extremely low carb. Breakfast is 1 g of carbohydrate ( 14g protein) in the firm if unsweetened soya milk. Lunch averages 4 carbs, in the form of nuts, salad items and protein and dinner at night up to around 6 carbs. I stay below 8 carbs for lunch and dinner and breakfast is always the same. I'm type 1 since the age of 10, I'm 44 now!! On novo rapid and levemir. Good luck


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[Sid Bonkers]

Re: Going the right way... I hope

I can't recall reading it's wise to gradually reduce carb intake, however I may be wrong.

There are very real reasons to reduce bg levels and therefore reduce carb intake slowly as a fast drop in bg levels can and does cause retinopathy, bleeds behind the eye can occur if the bp behind the eyes is reduced too quickly.

High bg levels cause an increase in blood pressure (bp) behind the eyes, this changes the shape of the lens, this generally happens slowly over time and the brain is able to make allowances for the distorted lens so eye sight is generally not affected, but any sudden reduction in bg levels like that caused by suddenly adopting a very low carb diet or the use of insulin to quickly reduce bg levels can cause the bp to reduce so quickly that the lens shape returns to normal faster than the brain can adapt which causes blurred vision which reduces over a 4 to 6 week period. The sudden reduction in bp can also cause small bleeds in the eye (retinopapthy) which can cause permanent damage to eye sight.

As for how low to go its entirely up to the individual although its often reported by very low carbers that they become more sensitive to carbs which is probably not a good thing. Any carb reduction will help although there is evidence that a drastic reduction can be very beneficial in the short term of 6 to 12 months. It is also worth bearing in mind that diabetes is for life so think about a diet that you can enjoy for life... Few people find they can stick to a very low carb diet in the long term.

It is also found by most that after a period of good control, be it 12 months or a couple of years that they are able to tolerate more carbs in their diet either by losing weight or just by giving their pancreas a rest but this is often reported here and is what I personally found but only by testing pre and post meals can you find this out or indeed find out how low you as an individual need to drop your carb intake in the first place to get your bg levels under control.

Some find that a 50% reduction works well for them some find they need to drop carbs to very low levels, only regular testing will tell you what your own levels should be.

But a slow, steady reduction in bg levels is safer for your eyes