How did you start low carbing?

[Goonergal]

Same in the occasional scenario where you have limited options- i'd like to still be able to just eat something with carbs in and take the insulin to cover it. Not talking every day here again, just that when something is completely off limits it is a step too far for me i think. Having a week of ill feeling from getting used to low carb again following those occasions would be i guess part of why people consider its not really an option.

@edan - I don't think it's true that you'd have a week of carb flu after every "treat", but it would be good to understand the impact of cake or other carby food on your blood sugar, and how long it takes to come down. That would give you an indication of whether eating that food is worth it in terms of your diabetes management. I'm in the early stages after diagnosis and have chosen not to eat even relatively low carb fruits such as berries. However once my HbA1c is within acceptable levels, I will experiment with a few things - like berries- to see whether they can be reintroduced.

 

[Brunneria]

I'm always puzzled when people make out that carb flu is a terrible thing and consider it a deterrent. It really isn't a biggie.

- almost all the symptoms are avoidable (drink more, make sure you get enough salt, magnesium and potassium, and don't run any marathons til you are fat adapted)

It does seem though that the people who had a good diet before hand (not eating high levels of junk carbs) find it easier to breeze through. But then, if someone is eating a high carb processed diet before switching to ketogenic eating, then their body will be dealing with a lot of issues, not just lowering carbs. Their symptoms will more likely be general 'detox'.

But it is a pity that 'carb flu' has developed some internet urban myth scare stories. I mean, one off, mild short term discomfort isn't much to pay for better overall health for the long term is it? And the body remembers. Repeat carb flus are insignificant or unnoticeable.

And there is no law saying that low carb = ketogenic eating.
We get to choose how many carbs we eat. Keep eating over 50g a day or so and the body stays dual fuel.

 

[BarbaraG]

I started sort of by accident.

I was on holiday last summer and resolving that when we got home I would "do something" about my weight. Over the previous 3 years I had gradually regained 6 of the 7.5 stone I had lost over the 18 months prior to that - which had enabled me to get off gliclazide and shed loads of metformin and still have HbA1C in the impaired glucose tolerance range.

I saw an article in the paper about reducing carbs (by Aseem Malhotra) and just decided to give it a go. Previously, when I had been taking better care of my diabetes, it had been with low fat and low sugar, but not low carb. I had read about low carb, but really couldn't see myself going without bread, pasta, rice etc, never mind the puddings, cakes, biscuits.

Anyhow - I just did it. Guiding principles were : no grains, potatoes or sugar. Most fruits are also on the banned list and I shifted to full fat everything after years of buying low fat.

I didn't suffer keto flu, just some minor headaches on days 3 and 4.

I've lost 4 stone, reduced my HbA1C from 62 to 40 and I'm never going back.