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Low carb diet - effect on my BG and stability

HappyHappy said:
I found this. Thought it was very helpful

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Yes that is very useful!

I would disagree with the conversion to glucose values given there for fat and protein (10% and 50%). Yes it is possible, but the conversion is not that predictable. It definitely won't happen unless you are in a low insulin state such as low carbing.

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Brilliant! Well done you ! :D That's more evidence it works :)

I've got to say this is the first time I'm looking forward to my next HBA1c, as if it's dropped again I want to see the look on Nurse Ratchett' s face ( sucking lemons !):D

Signy
 
@HappyHappy ... Not bolusing for protein was the mistake I made initially, and it was disappointing and confusing when my BG was still high :eek:

I made the mistake roo of over doing the protein and not having enough fat. Once I changed the ratio of protein and fat, and worked out the protein bolus that worked for me ( about a third of carb bolus) the BG figures came way down without hypos. Result ! :)

It took a bit of playing about with the figures, as everyone's different, but stick at it, it's worth it. Good luck !

Signy
 
As I was saying to ElyDave further up on this thread, increasing calories from fat and decreasing protein has been the secret of my success on this run of low carbing. More fat really helps with reducing hunger. You just don't feel hungry. I don't think protein has quite the same value. And for a Type 1 diabetic on a low carb diet, protein complicates things because it can be turned into glucose. But the ratio that protein turns into carbs is hard to predict, can be quite changeable. And even if you dose properly with insulin for the protein (if needed), the extra insulin is liable to take you out of ketosis. So all told, fat is easier and better as a source of calories in your low carb diet than fat.

A commonly quoted target is 80% calories from fat, 15% from protein, 5% from carbs. But this is very strict. You can get a good low carb diet going with much less strict percentages than that.
 
I don't really understand why people so bothered about how protein affects their levels to be honest thats too anal for me....

I am naturally lower carbs.. Not intentional eating... I have raised fat n protein intentionally recently as I realised that maybe I should have more. Protein and a little highe fat makes absolutely no difference to my levels..I do multiwaves for any food that is over 15g of carb, but apart from that there is no way I could be so particular about my bolus's etc. as I eat mainly fruit and veg with intentional extra's of fat n protein now and have been like this for all my diabetic life, even on injections.. Isn't this making diabetes rule your life?

I admire your lower hba1c's getting lower.. But for me who monitors no fat or protein my main prob is getting hba1c's higher!!!

Admire your results, honest, but please don't over analyse everything with pumps, food etc...

I had pump and went anal, I got CGM and totally OTT.... Best off being relaxed as I was previously for 27 years.

Only my experience.


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Each to their own. The me of today and the me of 5 years ago would disagree a lot I think on eating habits and lifestyle, and I may totally change my way of thinking on nutrition in 5 years time, but I highly doubt it.

I agree that diabetes shouldn't rule our lives, but it definitely places limitations on it in terms of spontaneity and pushing our own personal limits. Things have improved a lot in the past couple of decades, which I'm grateful for. With that said, I'm a strong believer in low carb - but it has to be real wholesome food and not low carb junk that is highly processed and contains fantastic scrabble words in the ingredients list. I'm a believer in low carb because even with the protein calculation, I have greater consistency and predictability in my numbers. It's an easy sacrifice learning to calculate protein AND carbs for the sake of reducing fluctuations in blood sugar. I've found 50% as a good and reliable percentage to bolus for protein. I think much depends on your activity level as to what you need. I do some form of exercise most of the week, and it may be that my body needs more glucose to refill reserves from that activity.

I think the point is that you do what you think is right for your body. I enjoy the rigors and the mental challenges that calculating low carb meals brings, and I know it brings with it a mental clarity that I could not achieve eating a standard diet because of the fluctuations in blood sugars. I hate to think of all those little brain cells dying a death because I've had healthy starchy food that my artificial insulin could not control for. For others low carb may not float their boat. What seems obsessive for one person may not be for another. @Spiker, I'm impressed with your numbers and your enthusiasm. Keep up the good work!
 
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