NHS Dietician Advice - I need more carbs

[SmudgeT]

hi - I was diagnosed a type 2 diabetic at the end of last December. Today I had my first meeting with the dietician. I explained I was following a very low carb diet and as little sugar as possible. His advice was to increase my carbs, eat whole meal bread and pasta eat some potatoes - basically to up my carbs to between 200 and 250 (I'm probably less than 50). I was told I wasn't getting enough fuel for my muscles and carbs was essential. I'm not somewhat confused as I've lost nearly a stone, feel loads better and can cannot detect any muscle loss. I'm now confused - should I consume more carbs?

 

[Lamont D]

Hi,

Only you can decide this.
If you have read the majority of threads about low carbing, you will have seen for yourself how it does help with control and how you feel.

You may not need to necessarily go that low to be in control only you can determine this but a little saying prevalent giving advice is eat to your meter.

If it was me, and how I had to put up with this type of dietary advice, all it did was slowly and surely put weight on. And make me really ill! But I'm weird!
Going low carb saved my life.

Only you can determine what's good for you!

 

[TorqPenderloin]

It's extremely important to understand why you're doing a low-carb diet in the first place. While that knowledge should be primarily used for your own benefit, it can also arm you for situations like the one you encountered.

-You should have a working knowledge of the difference between glycolysis (burning glucose) and ketosis (burning fat/ketones).
-You should also have a working knowledge of the difference between nutritional ketosis and DKA, and the circumstances under which each occur.
-I'd also be ready to ask the dietician why he feels the way he does and if he's even aware of ketosis.
-It also probably doesn't hurt to share real life examples (and there are many) of people with diabetes who compete in marathons, iron man competitions, and other various tests of fitness that the average person could never accomplish with or without carbohydrates.


While the dietician doesn't sound particularly knowledgeable, you still need to put yourself in his shoes. If I were a healthcare professional (I'm not) I would be very concerned if a patient told me they were following an approach that they had learned about on the internet, but couldn't explain why. I would be concerned that the patient might try other less-conventional approaches on a whim that could have negative implications.

 

[Enclave]

The information your dietitians have is out of date. Carbs turn to sugar .. Therefore are fuel .. At the cost of your blood sugar levels ... But without a good quantity of carbs you can get you fuel from eating fats .. Olive oil and coconut oil are great for this.
Stay with what your doing .. As you can see it's working

Edit to add .. I did follow that advice you got as I got the same .. In three months I added 2st to my weight and pushed up my bs from 6.0 to 23.0 ...

But the choice is yours ....

 

[SmudgeT]

Hi,

Only you can decide this.
If you have read the majority of threads about low carbing, you will have seen for yourself how it does help with control and how you feel.

You may not need to necessarily go that low to be in control only you can determine this but a little saying prevalent giving advice is eat to your meter.

If it was me, and how I had to put up with this type of dietary advice, all it did was slowly and surely put weight on. And make me really ill! But I'm weird!
Going low carb saved my life.

Only you can determine what's good for you!

Thanks - I think I'll stick ultra low carb for another month and see what happens

 

[SmudgeT]

It's extremely important to understand why you're doing a low-carb diet in the first place. While that knowledge should be primarily used for your own benefit, it can also arm you for situations like the one you encountered.

-You should have a working knowledge of the difference between glycolysis (burning glucose) and ketosis (burning fat/ketones).
-You should also have a working knowledge of the difference between nutritional ketosis and DKA, and the circumstances under which each occur.
-I'd also be ready to ask the dietician why he feels the way he does and if he's even aware of ketosis.
-It also probably doesn't hurt to share real life examples (and there are many) of people with diabetes who compete in marathons, iron man competitions, and other various tests of fitness that the average person could never accomplish with or without carbohydrates.


While the dietician doesn't sound particularly knowledgeable, you still need to put yourself in his shoes. If I were a healthcare professional (I'm not) I would be very concerned if a patient told me they were following an approach that they had learned about on the internet, but couldn't explain why. I would be concerned that the patient might try other less-conventional approaches on a whim that could have negative implications.

Hello - I appreciate that detailed reply - more reading for me - Ho hum!!!

 

[SmudgeT]

The information your dietitians have is out of date. Carbs turn to sugar .. Therefore are fuel .. At the cost of your blood sugar levels ... But without a good quantity of carbs you can get you fuel from eating fats .. Olive oil and coconut oil are great for this.
Stay with what your doing .. As you can see it's working

Edit to add .. I did follow that advice you got as I got the same .. In three months I added 2st to my weight and pushed up my bs from 6.0 to 23.0 ...

But the choice is yours ....

Thanks - yes that seems to be the consensus

 

[Lamont D]

Thanks - I think I'll stick ultra low carb for another month and see what happens

Having read your first few posts, you don't have to go 'ultra' you just have to find out how low you need to go and stick to it for a while then decide yourself from then on. As your body changes, you have to change with it.
Slow changes are better than quick fixes especially with the way the body works, it doesn't like sudden up and down, so take it gently and easy does it.
You have got this for the rest of your life, you don't need instant success, you need to plan for the future and being in control and eating and being healthy is the best way forward.

 

[sally and james]

I was told I wasn't getting enough fuel for my muscles and carbs was essential.

My husband (and me too) has been on a low carb diet for over two and a half years now. Initially he lost a lot of weight, leaving his body looking rather like last week's un-ironed laundry. Having adapted to a high fat (well high enough to horrify a dietician) diet and working hard at the gym, especially weights, he has now filled out with well defined muscle and is very strong and fit for his age. My conclusion: muscles don't need carbs.
Sally

 

[dbr10]

Thanks - I think I'll stick ultra low carb for another month and see what happens

Good idea. High Carb, Low Fat makes no sense when you can't process carbs. LCHF must be the rational approach. Check out Ken Sikaris and Troy Stapleton Youtube videos

 

[TorqPenderloin]

Good idea. High Carb, Low Fat makes no sense when you can't process carbs. LCHF must be the rational approach. Check out Ken Sikaris and Troy Stapleton Youtube videos

You're making several assumptions that aren't necessarily true to reach your theory.

Most people with type 2 diabetes process carbohydrates just fine. In fact, it would arguably be BETTER if people with T2 weren't able to process carbs as that could possibly limit the amount of glucose in their blood. The difficulty most people with T2 have is using glucose as energy. For one reason or another (usually insulin resistance) that process is inhibited.

I'm sure we'd all agree that a low-carb diet is effective at addressing the acute effects of hyperglycemia, but does that directly equate to addressing the chronic effects of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes? If that were true, it would imply that LCHF only needs to be temporary and you could theoretically revert back to a higher carbohydrate diet after a certain point.

Some people actually do experience this and, in-fact, become less insulin resistant. HOWEVER, is that the direct result of eating minimal carbs, or is it the direct result of losing body fat which could be achieved through calorie-restrictive diets? In most cases, I'd dare to say the latter.

Ultimately, the dilemma is deciding if you want to avoid carbohydrates for the rest of your life, or if you're comfortable taking medication. I think you'd be surprised how many people would choose the medication.

In conclusion, what I'm saying is fairly simple: a LCHF diet yields quick and quantifiable results which makes it very attractive. Furthermore, it's a diet many people find easy to follow. However, there's nothing to suggest that the diet DIRECTLY aides in insulin resistance. Only the indirect weight-loss benefits (that could be achieved through other dietary methods) have been shown to reduce insulin resistance and primarily in overweight individuals.

In short: A LCHF is a "Quick Fix" to high blood sugar, but it's not necessarily a long-term fix for diabetes.

 

[dbr10]

Most people with type 2 diabetes process carbohydrates just fine. In fact, it would arguably be BETTER if people with T2 weren't able to process carbs as that could possibly limit the amount of glucose in their blood. The difficulty most people with T2 have is using glucose as energy. For one reason or another (usually insulin resistance) that process is inhibited.

I'm sure we'd all agree that a low-carb diet is effective at addressing the acute effects of hyperglycemia, but does that directly equate to addressing the chronic effects of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes? If that were true, it would imply that LCHF only needs to be temporary and you could theoretically revert back to a higher carbohydrate diet after a certain point.

Some people actually do experience this and, in-fact, become less insulin resistant. HOWEVER, is that the direct result of eating minimal carbs, or is it the direct result of losing body fat which could be achieved through calorie-restrictive diets? In most cases, I'd dare to say the latter.

Ultimately, the dilemma is deciding if you want to avoid carbohydrates for the rest of your life, or if you're comfortable taking medication. I think you'd be surprised how many people would choose the medication.

In conclusion, what I'm saying is fairly simple: a LCHF diet yields quick and quantifiable results which makes it very attractive. Furthermore, it's a diet many people find easy to follow. However, there's nothing to suggest that the diet DIRECTLY aides in insulin resistance. Only the indirect weight-loss benefits (that could be achieved through other dietary methods) have been shown to reduce insulin resistance and primarily in overweight individuals.

In short: A LCHF is a "Quick Fix" to high blood sugar, but it's not necessarily a long-term fix for diabetes.

"Process" was used in the sense of using glucose for energy. High glucose levels are converted into fat and raise insulin resistance. LCHF does not imply a cure, or that you could revert back to eating more carbs. Insulin sensitivity is increased by weight loss and exercise. LCHF would tend to reduce BG levels and the need for medication. Don't really disagree with what you say, but I think you wrote it in response to what you thought I meant, rather than what I actually said.