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just read the blood sugar diet book

deb1960

Well-Known Member
Messages
159
Location
Stockport
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Ignorant, homophobic, racist people
and I'm convinced that this is the way to go. I was diagnosed about 5 years ago as type 2 and started on metformin. Everything was fine until I was diagnosed with polymyalgia [I was already suffering with fibromyalgia] and put on steroids.The steroids really helped the pain but had horrendous side effects which I wasn't warned about. My blood sugars went through the roof although I wasn't testing but the thirst and thrush were the things that made me see my doctor then a specialist diabetic nurse. I was put o glyclazide which made no difference whatsoever. After trial and error I was put on insulin and metformin but sugars still high. I then started on trulicity which made a huge difference although I still had to inject insulin 60 [units] twice daily. I test before breakfast and before dinner and I'm anywhere around 6.5 and 10.
I am angry that I wasn't warned about the steroids affecting my diabetes and that steroids and insulin both make you gain weight. My children all say :you hardly eat anything: I know that my friends and family wonder how I can be so big [97.5 kg] on the portions I eat.
Having read the book cover to cover in one day I now know it's due to the amount of carbs I eat. I love bread, potatoes, crackers etc I could live on bread! If I don't fancy whatever I've cooked for dinner out come the cheese and crackers or crumpets. I've noticed that on all the low carb recipes they don't mention milk but encourage double cream. Can anyone explain why this is, is it because the sugars in milk cause problems and double cream doesn't? And what about single cream? I also love crisps and could easily eat two bags at a time. I'm going to buy the flavours my grandsons like and I don't so I won't be tempted.
 
Regarding your question on milk, it is just a matter of the differences in the amount of carbs. Double cream has fewer carbs than milk. Now you have read Moseley I suggest you buy the book called 'Carbs and Cals' which tells you the amount of carbs in a lot of foods. Alternatively, there are apps you can download for free.
Well done on your decision to seize the opportunity to redress your bg issues.
 
You sound like you have a great plan. Enjohing changing to low carb. Even I'm still learning new food swaps. Its enlightening my meals for once.
 

The carbs and Cala app is great now it’s been updated and a lot easier to have to hand instead of carrying that big book around!
 
Sjr83x said:
The carbs and Cala app is great now it’s been updated and a lot easier to have to hand instead of carrying that big book around!
Click to expand...

My copy would easily fit in a handbag and besides, I like IRL books.
 
Thanks for your replies and encouragement folks. I rang my diabetic nurse to ask about injecting insulin if I am not having a meal. I was stunned when she told me that they don't agree with "these fad diets" and I should be eating low GI carbs 4 times a day. And because I hadn't had any carbs at all today I must immediately eat a crumpet!
 
My BG has done from 33 mmol/L to always under 6 mmol/L due to a "fed diet". All I did.
  • Avoid all sugar and any food that contains added sugar
  • Only eat food with natural sugar if it is under 5g in a meal
  • Avoid all bread and anything made from grains.
  • Have very few other high carb foods. (Anything that contains more than 10% carbs is out.)
So
  • Lots of meats, olives, fish and above ground veg, with a little butter and olive oils.
I have also lost nearly 2 stones and feel great. Mostly I have not tried to restrict how much I eat.

So @deb1960, I would recommend you ignore your nurse, take 100% responsibility for managing your insulin dose yourself. (Don't blame anyone apart from yourself if you get a Hypo, and always be ready to treat a Hypo.)

The 8-week blood sugar diet is a good option, but I would recommend starting by reducing the carbs you eat/drink without considering how much food you eat. E.g. have a much high-fat low carb food as you feel like. Check BG often while you do this, as your insulin needs will greatly reduce. Most people find that after a few weeks of avoiding all carbs, they don't wish to eat so much food, at that point the "8 weeks blood sugar diet" could be a great option.

(In the short term, there is no real harm by having BG levels of 10, even 20 if they are not going up more. Therefore if you are radically reducing the carbs you are eating, it is better to have too little insulin then too much.)

This video gives a good ideal of what low carb diets are like in real life
 
Thanks Ringi, I have already reduced my insulin injections by 10 units twice a day and my bs are between 4.7 and 6.5. Also lost about 5lb so feeling brilliant. In fact I saw a friend the other day and she said that I looked really well.
 
I took a look at the app - it costs £4.99 - there didn't seem to be a free option ...
 
Beyond the recipe section here...
Have you checked out Dr Andreas Eenfeldt, Diet Doctor, over in Sweden? Lots of recipes with differing degrees of carb restriction. Also lots of info.
https://www.dietdoctor.com/

For pure info, try Dr Jason Fung from Canada. He is a strong proponent for low carb.
https://idmprogram.com/blog/

For figuring out total macros, I am in the USA and currently using My Fitness Pal to log my food.
I would send the link, but it keeps going to my account.
I used to use Lose It, which let you scan in foods, bot it doesn’t link to another account I have.
These are both USA based, but there are probably diet apps in the UK and they will give you calories and macros For the foods you enter.

All of these have free access, though two have upgrades for a cost
 

I’ve recently been diagnosed as T2 & my Dr (who is our practice diabetes specialist) challenged me to read Dr Michael Moseley’s blood sugar diet, give it a go and get my bloods redone after 8 weeks. She basically said the ball is in my court and it’s possible to reverse this - so I’ve taken the challenge. I am also significantly overweight, start weight being 114.2 kg and my blood pressure only just controlled with 3 daily tablet. Dr said all 3 will improve.

I’ve completed 11 days using the accompanying recipe book alongside the main book to help with variety. It’s tough, but tasty & manageable despite the fact I have a demanding job. So far I feel significantly more alert, less lethargic and sleepy, and have lost 6.5 kg (1 stone) in 11 days! I can’t believe it & am very determined to continue & see what happens. Happy to keep you posted if you’re interested.

I find it fascinating how varied the advice and knowledge of nurses and gps is. Like I say, my gp suggested this.

Good luck however you decide to face your own situation.
 
@ToveyKath There are some simple rules for controlling and reversing Type2.
  • No added sugar, and nothing that contains sugar.
  • Radically reduce simple carbs like bread.
  • Lose your liver fat
"Michael Moseley’s blood sugar diet" will do all three in 8 weeks, then you "just" need to keep avoiding nearly all sugar and eat half the level of carbs you did before. Even if you "cheat" by doubling the amount of meat in his meals, you will still control Type2 but it will take longer.

I wish all GPs were as good as yours!

(You will get a lot better results than in the published research as the sooner you take action the easier it is to "reverse" type2.)
 
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And you, that’s really helpful, and encouraging too
I do feel fortunate that my GP is so open minded and proactive!
 
Wonderful to hear of a GP who has taken on board all the research indicating that low carb is the best option for most Type 2's. Fortunately, there is a growing number of GPs and diabetes nurses who ARE suggesting this. I was diagnosed in September (Hb1ac 68, Fasting glucose 8.6) I weighed 14 stone 2lb. I am now 10 stone 8 lbs, Hb1ac is down to 32, fasting glucose 4.1, and both my cholesterol and triglycerides are back to normal (I had triglycerides over 7 for 30 years) and I'm off the meds for those too. My GP didn't suggset the 8 week Blood Sugar Diet, but was ok with me saying I would do it. The diabetes nurse however was VERY antagonistic (once I had my results, which rather proved the point!) I told the GP how antagonistic the nurse had been, and that perhaps they should educate themselves about the results being achieved by low carbs (Dr David Unwin etc). There is a whole network of GPs working to improve the health of the nation, trying to overturn the NHS guidelines, which were drawn up by "specialists" the majority of whom are involved in institutions heavily subsidised by the Food Industry. To find our more about the work being done, check out the website of the Public Health Collaboration (a registered charity) at https://phcuk.org/.
 

That’s amazing - what a difference! I wholeheartedly agree that health care professionals should acquaint themselves with the facts & at the very least be delighted about such brilliant change for the better in a patient’s results - I’d be wanting to try and find out more! I will definitely check out that website, thank you. Keep up the good work, and spread the word -I’m so confident in the impact it will have thanks to people like you. And I’m really enjoying the diet - I feel like a new person, more alert, focused, relaxed, confident. In fact, my whole family is enjoying the food (although they all have some accompanying carbs & larger portions if needed)
 
I don’t seem to understand what a treatment with insulin is all about. Here, the doctor recommends the meds eg metformin. Metformin and clamide were prescribed for me:
Metformin 500 mg twice daily (morn and evening)
Glibenclamide 5mg (in the morn). Can’t see the effect, my bs is always between 6 and 8.
 
Hi @Eliza52 - that's is an amazing result and weight loss! Your weight loss stats happen to mirror both my starting weight and goal weight - can I ask did you stick to the BSD for more than 8 weeks? I'm doing more like 1000/1200 calories a day and am wondering if it's worth just biting the bullet and sticking to 800 a day for faster results.
 
Hi Eggs11. Yes, I did stick to 800 a day for about 3 months - from mid september til Christmas. I also ate low carb over christmas (indulged with some 85% chocolate, and more blue cheese than I should have...but otherwise low carb - no roast potato or parsnip, no pud, pies, etc). I'm now on around 1200 - 1300 a day and still losing very slowly - but that's fine. I'm now in normal BMI range, with good blood levels, so slow is fine. (I'd like to lose another half stone or so). I only actually counted the cals for the first couple of weeks, until I knew more or less what things worked out at, but then figured if you have calculated the cals in the mixed salad you're eating, and you eat the same mixed salad (which I tend to do) on other days, you don't need to work it all out again - except perhaps weigh the toasted seeds, as they're harder to judge and small differences can be a lot of cals. I would add that I have done NO excercise at all to aid this - purely diet. I know I SHOULD excercise...but the truth is I don't! I've always hated all forms of exercise (probably goes back to being fat as a child, and no-one choosing me for their team, and me failing miserably every time I was forced to participate!) and I do work full time - which of course is no excuse at all!
 
Hi ToveyKath, I am doing my best to spread the word, and in fact have become an ambassador for the PHC - Public Health Collaboration (https://phcuk.org/ if you want to read more). I am hoping to participate in setting up a diabetes management group in my local practice in an effort to turn around the lives of other Type 2 diabetics in my area - something that other GP practices around the country are already doing with great success.
 
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