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New type 1 LowCarbers ~~

Jaz253

Active Member
Messages
41
Location
Santa Cruz de la Sierra
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Government politic management anywhere, extreme religion approach, uninformed doctors
Been diabetic for 23 years but just starting taking care of myself since february. As a result, right now have mild retinopathy and a quite annoying right frozen shoulder! Nevertheless just recently actually understood the concept shown by american physician Dr. R. Bernstein.
Just allow me to tell you, have been my whole life eating carbs (bread especially) and correcting after. This low carb diet is tricky (to put it nicely) hehe, and have been trying to follow it for a week only. Perhaps, just maybe, there are other type 1s who are going through the same, or considering to.
So lets give it a try: does anyone with experience in LC remember how it was when you were getting about it?? How to manage the carb cravings?
Personally, right now I'm with a flu, thats why I tried this cuz Im not hungry at all (well maybe once a day). But whats the daily basis? It is a bit confusing and maybe a little chaotic and nerve wrecking, if you are committed to have ur BS under control....
 
I started following this route at the beginning of this year. It's well worth doing, but there are some things to watch out for early on. Your body will take time to get used to using fat and protein as its main source of energy. For a few weeks you can experience tiredness and irritability. Carbohydrate is very addictive, and it will be unusual for you to avoid any cravings. In my experience, these were fairly short lived. After about a month I wasn't even tempted.
Make sure you up your water intake. I got really, really dehydrated in the early stages of low carbing. I actually thought I had got kidney failure, as my urine turned a very dark orange, like rusty water, and I suffered severe abdominal cramps. I then realised I had not had much to drink that morning, and 500ml of water immediately alleviated all symptoms. I would advise having a bottle of water with you at all times in the early weeks.
Up your salt intake. We hear about the dangers of high salt, but too little can be a problem too. I'm not sure if we actually need more salt on a low carb diet, or if high carb foods contain more salt so we lose that source by cutting those foods out. I found I was getting a lot of leg cramps early on, and again, this went away when I added some more salt. (I'm not talking about drinking 12 gallons of sea water a day, just adding a bit more should do the trick).
If you can stay the course, going low carb may well be one of the best things you ever do. Best of luck. And keep posting on your progress.
 
Hi!
Just to let you know, there are 2 threads on this going on ATM, all getting very controversial.
I'd ask people to stick to advice here for @Jaz253 not get into a debate.

I started low carbing last week and I love it! My insulin requirements have dropped a lot, and I feel much healthier!
I don't even actually have cravings which is odd. Here's my day:

Breakfast: egg and cheese omelette cooked the night before

Lunch: chicken and veg or salad

Dinner: meat and veg

you can top up the basics with a few healthy carbs to the level u like. U can reduce them slowly at first. But u will find as u drop them u will have less spikes and easier to maintain healthy BS levels
 
I have been doing low carb for about a year and cannot recommend it enough - better blood glucose management, less peaks and troughs, better moods, actually feel full after eating now and don't get cravings also easier to resist the carb treat that I used to give myself. I still eat carbs but in very low amounts so will have the odd chip, spoon of rice, but no biscuits, cakes, bread etc and feel much better for it.

Takes a few weeks to get used to it but get's alot easier.

Treats now include greek yoghurt with blueberries, almonds, peanuts, cheese.
 
Just to let you know, there are 2 threads on this going on ATM, all getting very controversial.
I'd ask people to stick to advice here for @@Jaz253 not get into a debate.
Click to expand...

Agreed - please leave agendas and axes in the umbrella stand at the door, they will be returned to you by the duty elf at your departure

@Jaz253 , it's a long haul commitment not a short term fix, but the benefits are huge . In the long term it's all about being a buddy with your meter and finding how much and which carbs you can tolerate without your BG levels spiking high and dipping low. It's overwhelming initially taking on board what everyone has to say . I would suggest starting with baby steps and researching substitutes for the carbs you eat the most of . For example , find recipes for lower carb bread if you eat a lot of it, or substitute with something else entirely . I use courgette julienned and cooked with a stock cube instead of pasta, and cauliflower instead of rice or as a pizza base . It can be done, weird as it sounds

There's some great cookbooks available on Amazon, and for free on the web. The important thing is that you like what you eat, so you stick with it . Ask questions, and check out the threads in the Low Carb forum.

Have fun !

Signy
 
Those recipes sounds interesting! I'll have to look them up too

I find keeping Dairylee slices in the fridge is a good go to for a snack.

I like chicken and roasted veg with cheese melted on top satisfies me more than pizza! Or maybe even more because it doesn't make u bloated!
 
Regarding salt - low carb means you excrete more salt therefore replacement is often needed (and can be why you can feel not so great if you have too low salt). Add a cup of stock/broth per day can help.
 
Thanks to u all, ur comments are priceless!!
Would loove to reply to each one of u, cuz everyone has made an important point:
Charles Robin Hahaaha changes in mood? Im labeled as 'irritated girl' at home so I presume this wont be an issue. Already with headaches and some cramps but today had a correction bcuz of the flu, and went into hypo. (Have been for the past 3 days since they say when ure sick u need more insulin) I heard a minute ago australian radiologist Troy Stapleton mention on a low carb-paleo diet, u can actually dismiss bolus. OMG! He as I did changed his eating based on Dr. Bernstein's book but there he clearly says u need ur bolus pre-meal, so I think to go slowly one day at the time
Emmota thanks to mention the advice thing Ive been seeing how people get all ragged and go out of the topic! And adored ur menu example...
Juicyj tttreats! You now before my treat was yogurt? I think now will change it for diet ice cream or dark chocolate
Heathenlass You are so right! changing bread for protein whereas meat chicken or yogur/cheese Actually I adore veggies so this is a high class challenge
jdDukes ok so ure the second one who says the salt thing. Should then just ignore the little red devil on my ear who keeps shouting thats too salty? Thanks! hehe

Ill say read u soon maybe in a couple of days, since in Bolivia have to pay for the Internet on a daily basis and right now Im like a 23 year old after a payday after going to the market to gather protein

But please anyone who is beginning with a low carb, feel free to ask anything We, as type 1s are our strongest lighthouse on this journey
 
this is just my opinion ask your Dr before you do anything, I don't know, I'm T2, this is just what I an telling myself and you means me

food craving
http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/lowcarbliving/a/Food-Cravings.htm

don't eat wheat or flour product
eat a little bit barley or rice,
some lentil chickpea and beans
eat lots of vegetables, no potato
eat normal amount of meat
lots of dairy, eggs, have cream, no milk
have lots butter, olive oil and coconut oil on everything you can think of, this is to make up for the lost calories from the wheat and flour

Low-Carb Basics don't buy anything, they charge you 3 times the price
see your Dr about the retinopathy, it's suggested you don't have too tight/low A1c to start with or it can temporarily worsen it

do a basal test
Basal testing http://www.diabetes-support.org.uk/info/?page_id=120

you will still bolus

There is an online course for background and an idea to it. Free to registerhttp://www.bdec-e-learning.com/

This set of workbooks are worth reading and practising working examples only of carbs and doses
Don't change dose without nurse approvalhttp://www.diabetesinscotland.org.uk/Publications/9224 Overview

Workbook 1http://www.diabetesinscotland.org.uk/Publications/9225 Carbohydrate Counting.pdf
Workbook 2http://www.diabetesinscotland.org.uk/Publications/9226 Carbohydrate Counting the Next Steps.pdf

Carb listhttp://www.diabetesinscotland.org.uk/Publications/9227 Carbohydrate Tables A6.pdf

Diaryhttp://www.diabetesinscotland.org.uk/Publications/9228 Free Diary Portrait A4.pdf



Sick day ruleshttp://www.diabetes-healthnet.ac.uk...flet_-_Sick_Day_Rules_for_Type_1_-_Nov_13.pdf
Sick day rules flowcharthttp://www.leicestershirediabetes.org.uk/uploads//documents/Type1 Sick_day_rules_InsulinV3.pdf


A workbook with USA numbershttp://www.bd.com/us/diabetes/download/insulin_adjustment_workbook_complete.pdf
 
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Excellent info! Loved the sick days chart and the bolus course.... yesterday again had a hypo but so far everything is allright The difficult side is the insulin/exercise ratio hehe
 
@Jaz253 sorry you had a hypo, I hope it wasn't too bad.
I'm sure some T1 will post to help ....from reading here from T1's,

are you using an online translator to put the workbooks in your first language, or finding your language workbooks on line?
I would do a basal check first and make sure that is ok
http://www.diabetes-support.org.uk/info/?page_id=120

then I would learn the workbooks and make sure I have the insulin to carbs ratio worked out
then I would make sure I can do corrections, for when BG too high with fast acting insulin

I would read about TAG bolus [total available glucose] where you also count some of the protein and fat, some T1 here add half their protein to bolus
https://www.google.com.au/#q=total available glucose TAG

then I would start to low carb and adjust or fine tune my insulin to it
 
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Hi again! Appreciate ur time Jack412, maybe to u all this is very basic but my endo doesn't have much experience on type 1s and there isnt a place here to talk other people with this same condition... (other than facebook, hehe)
The courses I read them in english no problem with that. British english is more accurate actually
Thanks to the insulin leprechaun, have done the fasting trial and the basal is allright; on 8 units Am & 4.5pm. Cant comment on the carb ratio since never could learn how to calculate that, but thank heavens my correction dose says that 1 unit of fast act=lowers 40 mg/dl.
Been doing some reading on the Tag thing, but the only thing I got was that u need to calculate 50% of the protein and 10% of the fat to have it right? blog.joslin.org/2012/01/should-tag-be-a-part-of-your-diabetes-meal-plan/
As odd as it may sound, I made a clean cut on the carbs. No more bread, potatoes or beans. My body was demanding so I was on this rollercoaster of BS... The only problem are the hypos yesterday a good friend of mine brought me home on a cab cuz I lost it on a square with my little girl can u imagine?? The worst part is that Im probably not in a LowCarb since they give me lots of white bread with sugar to recover. Im so sorry to take ur time, but since cant work dont have for strips, 0.61£ each. So a looot of guessing u could say :s
 
No problem here is 20:10 right now haha
Outrageous!! Thats my syringes manufacturer didnt think they might know something actually about european insulin but theres always a more complex background in everything I guess
 
Hey Jazz
I've only got time for a quick post, back later though !
A few questions - are you saying you don't have any test strips ? If so, a guessed estimate of bolus is probably responsible for your hypos.And don't worry about the bread and sugar to bring you out of a hypo , it's necessary to treat that, if not ideal.

What insulins are you using ?

Are you using syringes or insulin pens ?

Signy
 
@Jaz253 are you in the US and without a health plan that pays for your blood test strips or an endo who knows T1?

I know there is an active search always for the cheapest test strips in the US and you should be able to get them for much less than £0.61 or $0.61 per strip. Have you checked US diabetic on line websites and forums for the best price?
 
@Jaz253 to answer your original question, as a T1 I tried unsuccessfully to do low carb the Bernstein way. When it works it works brilliantly but it is hard to stick to because of the carb cravings. The 3 problems I have with following the lovely and heroic Dr B's low carb T1 diet are:

1 the carb:insulin dose adjustment instructions are almost incomprensible
2 the protein:insulin dose instructions are beyond incomprehensible
3 there is not enough emphasis on fat in the diet

The most important of these 3 points is the last one. Get as much fat into your diet as you possibly can. It will take away food cravings and carb cravings. For me this was the breakthrough that made low carb work, changed from being an impossible mission to a sustainable lifestyle.
 
Jaz, I can't add much to what's already been said, but with regards to your diabetic retinopathy you need to be aware that you shouldn't tighten up your bg control too quick as this can make retinopathy worse, they say that people who are looking to improve their diabetes control should do so gradually over a longer period, if in doubt speak with the Ophthalmologist who is looking after you. Good luck!!!
 
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