high carb low carb I am confused

GINNYFLY said:

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Since increasing the carbs I have not suffered from a hypo – so I assume my diet is right for me – but the posts I have read here – suggest otherwise. – I would really appreciate the thoughts and advice of more experienced diabetics.

All the best
Gill

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GINNYFLY said:

HI CARB LO CARB –COMPLETELY CONFUSED

Hello Everyone
I was diagnosed T2 in March this year. I have just had my first HBA1C which was 5.9. I get average BS reading of around 5.5 before meals and 6.9 - 2 hours after my meal.
When I saw my dietician for the first time she told me to increase my carbs as I had experienced several mild hypos (3.2 – 3.8) Since then I have only had 1 hypo(3.9)

HbA1c below 6 is what most of us are aiming for. I'm surprised you were diagnosed as diabetic, (though I see from other posts that you were diagnosed at BG=45!) With your b'fast it is possible you were undereating & becoming hypo. It would also appear from other posts that you were afraid of aggravating IBS & so restricted your diet.

You could have increased your diet with substantial food - cheese, bacon & egg, etc, & avoided hypos that way, but would that have aggravated IBS?


Since reading the posts on the forum I see that the subject of carb consumption is much more complicated than I thought. I was advised to take starch with all my meals. So I eat cereal and toast at breakfast –( I used to eat fresh fruit and low fat yoghurt for breakfast but by lunchtime my bs often dropped into the 3s – causing me to feel faint and dizzy. Also I got a blinding headache and needed to sleep for a couple of hours)

You obviously have specific digestive problems that restrict your diet. I solved the problem of crippling leg muscle pains by drastically reducing carbs, while increasing meat, cheese, nuts & veg. I never get near a hypo. I can play tennis all afternoon & just drink water. My BG during play ranges between 7.5 & 6.5, just drinking water - no bananas nor energy drinks. On a quiet afternoon, my BG would drop to about 5.5. My body maintains my BG during physical activity.

I have bread sandwiches or a baked potato at lunchtime and either pasta, rice or potatoes at suppertime. I try to keep my protein lowish – usually 1 serving of meat or fish a day – I eat lots of vegetables and salads + some fruit – ½ banana or soft fruit on cereal and a fresh fruit salad with my evening meal.

I used to follow the high carb diet recommended by dietitians, but when complications set in (muscle neuropathy & the beginning of retinopathy) I found this forum & reduced the carbs. I could not now eat what you eat.

I feel fine and I am gradually losing weight – about 2lbs a month. I like the controlled energy that I get from a fairly high carb diet.

You are doing well & have adjusted your diet for your condition. I get controlled energy from fat reserves.

So why is there such a down on carbs :?: As I understand it, sugar acts a bit like rocket fuel– an intense boost of energy that is quickly used up – (thanks to my meds) while the carbs offer a slow release of sugar - that sees me through to the next meal.

Many of us cannot eat such large amounts of carb. The basic problem of diabetics is that we cannot deal with the blood glucose produced in carb metabolism. Rather than BG of 7-8 after meals, mine would rise to around 15 with a carb meal. I used to feel hungry after a cereal b'fast. I don't after a b'fast of a 'porridge' made from ground almonds, oat bran, wheat germ & soya milk.

.
Since increasing the carbs I have not suffered from a hypo – so I assume my diet is right for me – but the posts I have read here – suggest otherwise. – I would really appreciate the thoughts and advice of more experienced diabetics.

All the best
Gill

I hope you don't experience what I was warned about & happened - diabetes is progressive. After 8 years, I got to the point of fearing I was becoming disabled - I was in such muscle pain that it took 5 minutes to get out of bed. Two years on, & a reduced carb diet, I can play tennis with the youngsters, & hold my own (at 71.)

Obviously you are doing the right thing for you at present. You could try experimenting with your diet to see the effects of adding protein & fatty foods as reduced carb may become advisable.

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canuck1950 said:

GINNYFLY - when you have type 2 diabetes you have lost the ability to normally metabolize carbohydrates. You have two choices: you can cut them out of your diet, or you can take meds. If you try to do both, you will run into trouble. Hypos are an example of that. If you are trying to get off the meds by diet and exercise, most of the benefit will come from diet if the diet involves significantly cutting the carbs. There are books that can help you. I recommend the newest Atkins book (by Westman, Phinney and Volek) and that diabetics stay on the induction phase indefinitely. Good luck.

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Administrator said:

@Canuck1950 - please follow forum policy; you can discuss extreme low carbing but promotion of it isn't allowed. For more information, please see the forum policy and ethos at the top of every board.

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You have two choices: you can cut them out of your diet, or you can take meds. If you try to do both, you will run into trouble.

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viviennem said:

We've discussed fat before, Ka-mon :lol: , and will still have to agree to differ! I'm fortunate that I can eat it, and I don't find Atkins Induction in the slightest bit boring! Mind you, I even like chicken salad for breakfast - strange woman!

Infinite Variety in Infinite Combination :wink:

Viv 8)

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canuck1950 said:

For people with conditions associated with insulin resistance, a low-carb diet is an alternative to the current approach of high-carb plus meds. I don't see how making this statement is construed as "promoting" a low-carb diet in violation of the forum rules - please clarify.

Metformin is the drug with the lowest risk of hypoglycemia. It reduces glucose output from the liver and improves glucose uptake in the periphery. If you are reducing carbs while taking metformin your chances of having a problem of hypos is not great. Most people, however, should be able to get off their metformin or significantly reduce it. The other drugs that stimulate insulin production, however, will get you into trouble if you continue to take them in their usual dosages when you start a low-carb diet. Same for insulin. Of course, type 1 diabetics will always need some insulin and severe type 2's may need to continue taking some insulin or meds as well. For most people (type 2), however, getting completely off meds and insulin should be the goal of carbohydrate restriction.

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An Atkins induction level of carb restriction is not hard to do. I have been doing it for almost nine years now and would not consider any other way of eating.

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