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New to Low Carbs

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Type of diabetes
Type 2
After recently experiencing lots of problems with my diabetes (Type 1), I decided to look into sorting out my diet. I am seeing that there is alot of talk on eating low carbs and would be really interested to hear from anyone who could help lead me the way. Are there any books that I can buy on this subject? Any help would be much appreciated.
 
Hi, Regarding low carb eating I am a great fan of this diet as I can reduce my sugar levels and lose weight at the same time. I am not a great lover of potatoes or bread so this diet is great for me. I have found that the forum at http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.com/forums are a great source of info and there is even a forum for diabetics who wish to pursue this diet and I must say a lot of people are getting amazing results.
Have a look at it and judge for yourselves.


Maggie
 
One of the very best low-carb books and forums for low-carb diabetics that I have come across is Dr Richard Bernstein's Diabetes Solution. As I said on another thread I have brought my HbA1c down from 10.0 to 6.0 in around 8 months on his suggested low-carb way of eating. Info on the book and the Forum is here:

http://www.diabetes-book.com/

Do check it out, some people may find the carbs too restrictive but I found that after the first month or so my cravings for carbs disappeared and I was far less hungry than when on the High-carb low fat diet, in my view there is no question that it is infinitely superior in the area of blood glucose control.

Anne
 
The ultimate low carb is the Atkins. However, it may not be healhy as some people will resort to eating mainly meat that is higher in saturated fat and thus will increase blood cholesterol levels. Might explain how my non veg eating non smoker 36 yo brother had a heart attack 3 weeks ago and had triple vessel blockages on his angiogram this week. Spoke to my cardiologist colleague and he imediately performed a doppler scan of my carotid arteries - which were clear. He then did an exercise tolerance treadmill test - again clear thank goodness. About to go on megadose statin to get my cholesterol down to 3.2 (yes 3.2, just started atorvastatin 10mg as a test dose- cholesterol 4.9).

The glycaemic index technique for eating is individual- everybody is different. Trial and error and everything in moderation to be remembered. Portion control is now my aim in my early days of insulin and metformin therapy as a newly treated type 2.

Marty B
 
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by kachina</i>
<br /> As I said on another thread I have brought my HbA1c down from 10.0 to 6.0 in around 8 months on his suggested low-carb way of eating.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I'd say that is a really great achivement but the man himself would say that is a terrible A1c.
I understand and can appreciate his apporach but for me i see it as being controlled by diabetes rather than the other way around.
I think by using his diet to keep the BG levels at a near minimum fluctuation that one is letting the diabetes control them. Non-diabetics do not have to do this, so why should we?
 
Dear all,

Talking of low carb products, check out Dreamfields pasta, it rocks!

Dreamfields is low carb/low GI pasta that's high in fibe.I have many diabetics raving about this product, the great taste, feeling less bloated and more energised since they have introduced this pasta into their diet, even when they are watching their carbohydrate intake and blood sugar levels.

http://www.dreamfieldsfoods.co.uk

Hope this helps,
Lee
 
The low GI way of eating is not just for diabetics- I think it is a good way of preventing middle age spread (i am a fine one to talk).

Sofaraway- I was in denial about my diabetic state for a long time, much to my detriment. our whole life will be affected my diabetes- I find I have to accept that and get on with it. You can't ignore it.

I suspect I have a type of MODY tho my diabetologist is sceptical. Obviously I have to try and teach my children how to slow down or even halt the progression from glucose intolerance to type 2. The low GI way seems one way.

I don't believe there is a diabetic diet. Its just that non diabetics should eat the same was as a well controlled diabetic ie healthily. There are no foods that are bad only for diabetics.

The difficulty with advice is that Type 2 has such a wide variety of behaviours from the mild to wild.

Marty B
 
I have been an insulin dependant diabetic for many years and for me, I can only speak for myself, my worst enemy is carbohydrate. I don’t have a problem with fats, protein, salt etc. The Diabetes UK idea of a “balanced diet” does not work for me. If I were to follow the guidelines on diet that they suggest, I would be on about 300-400 units of insulin a day. I have reduced my insulin considerably to 120 units per day and I restrict my intake of carbohydrate to 50 grams per day and my blood sugars average approx 6-8m/mol

JOA
 
Quite right JOA.
C'mon MartyB, saturated fat has very little to do with elevated cholesterol, which has nothing at all to do with coronary heart disease.
The healthiest populations in the world eat a lot more saturated fat than we do and have negligable levels of CHD, hypertension, obesity and diabetes.
It's the carbs that are doing us in, and the fewer we eat, the healthier we become.
Discuss.
 
What a great discussion!

Here's a link for the Glycemic Index, http://www.glycemicindex.com/

Fast sugars aren't the only culprits. The toxic chemicals in most foods do a lot of damage as well, not to mention the lack of nutrients that are needed for the body to function properly. A car that runs out of gas, dies.

Also, considering that the body was designed to process whole foods (real foods as close to their natural state as possible) not processed (pre-digested) synthetic foods.....

Long story short, my diabetic husband who has not managed his diabetes very well, went into the hospital with congestive heart failure and renal failure. He was released 5 days later with the doctors' assurance that they would make him as comfortable as possible.

We had started an organic, low glycemic, wholefood diet, but when we added a nutritious superfood his health began to turn around.

Like others have said, knowledge is power.



Links removed
 
Fergusc-

seems that a high Carb diet is worse for you than a low carb diet with high fat (and high sat fat diet). Not too mention trans fat.

I have cut down on carbs a lot (especially potatoes). My triglycerides are still up a wee bit and my HDL is mildly on the low side. My HLD/Total ratio is great cos my total cholesterol is so low form my drugs (2.6 last measured on 40mg atorvastatin and ezetrol).

HBA1c was 5.9% three weeks ago mainly due to aggressive insulin dosing as I am still off work.



Marty B
 
Hi Marty B,
You're right on the money about the high-carb diet.
DiabetesUK's position on diet is not just irrational, it's probably medically negligent. Advising diabetics to eat less fat and more carbohydrate when it's our carbohydrate metabolism that's not working properly is completely daft.
I'm glad your numbers are good. I went low-carb, high-fat 7 years ago now, and only wish I'd done it sooner. I lost 4 stone, my last HbA1c was 4.6%, my cholesterol ratio is 1.7, and I use about 25% of the insulin I used to.
I only wish more diabetics would try it because many T2's could have normal blood sugars without any medication at all.
Unfortunately, the NHS / DUK just don't want to know, so we have to work it out for ourselves.

All the best,

Fergusc
 
I think the best way to describe it is that a low carb moderate fat high protein diet is less unhealthy than a low fat high carb diet (in terms of insulinaemia, cholesterol etc). In terms of calorie control and weight , it could be that the high carb low fat may induce truncal fat in the syndrome X distribution (again bad for cardiovascular risk).

Low carb is the way forward definately.

Marty B
 
When my husband was diagnosed 16+ years ago, they put him on low fat and 300 carbs a day almost -0- protein. He was instructed to eat 11 servings of bread, pasta etc. per day. This diet almost killed him.

Now we strive for minimum 30% Protein, 30% Fat & 40% Carbs with those carbs being veggies, fruits & minimally processed whole grains.

Happy Trails,
Proverbs 17:22
 
Low carb certainly works for lots of people.

Have you spoken to your DSN about the possibility of trying a DAFNE course (dose adjustment for normal eating). Many Type I people rave about its ability to help control BGs whilst eating relatively normally.

Low carb is TOUGH and can leave you lacking in energy. Many type IIs find this (despite the fact that it undoubtedly helps with BGs). As a type I you at least have the option of really refining your basal/bolus regime to get the levels in check.

Good luck!

LJ
 
LadyJ,
I don't think low carb is tough at all, and it's disengenuous to say it can leave you lacking in energy. I love it. Many of those who try it experience a great increase in energy in fact. I know I did, and completed my first marathon last year with only bacon and eggs for breakfast.
Gary Taubes has a fantastic book out at the moment called Good Calories, Bad Calories in the USA and The Diet Delusion over here. He describes a condition of 'cellular starvation' where fat metabolism is screwed up as a result of excessive insulin levels. This, he writes, inhibits the release of energy from fat stores and becomes the precursor to obesity and type 2 diabetes. It is essetially the result of too much carbohydrate in the diet.
In other words, less carbohydrate - more energy!

All the best,

Fergus
 
Dear All,

Anyone interested in lowering their carb intake should consider Dreamfields pasta. We are relatively new to the UK but I get lots of emails from dieter/diabetics/sportspersons all raving about this product with regard to blood sugar levels and slow energy release. It has a very low glyceamic index therefore energy is released at a slower pace rather than most pasta's that spike blood sugar levels and make you feel bloated and tired.

I hope this helps...
Lee

Check it out at http://www.dreamfieldsfoods.co.uk
 
Hi, i have followed the atkins diet for 8 years after having weight problems and have maintained a healthy weight that dosent fluctuate for all that time after my initial weight loss.My daughter was diagnosed with type one diabetes lastyear and she now follows almost the same diet that i do, her blood sugars are so good that the hospital cannot believe it. her long range blood test was 6 last visit.I find the nhs and even the nutritionists tragically uninformed about diet and their advice on having two thirds of a meal as carbs is laughable.Diabetes uk is just as bad with their advice. I think these archaic views on nutrition are dangerous. My daughters diabetes team are just guessing most of the time .
 
Mystery new member,

You're absolutely right. I firmly believe that the current dietary advice from the NHS / DUK is, in effect, medically negligent. There must be an awareness of all the evidence that contradicts their advice. It's equally clear that the current approach is not working?

Surely they have a responsibility to explore the issue properly?

All the best,

fergusc
 
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