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No carb diet

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Geri1

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4
Hello,

I was diagnosed with type II diabetes in May 2007. For the best part of it I have been controlling my diabetes through diet alone although my fasting blood sugar level has always been between 6 and 10. Last week my Doctor referred me to the blogg of Dr. John Briffa where a gentleman wrote to him telling him that he has managed to control his diabetes and cholesterol having a no carb diet. My Doctor asked me to give it a try for a month and It is just under a week and I am already having difficulty cutting out all carbs from my diet. The gentleman concerned said that he has a one egg omelette for breakfast with smoked salmon and bacon and some spinach and greens. Has no lunch because he doesn't feel hungry and then has a protein based dinner with vegetables. As I can't face eating eggs every morning, don't like smoked salmon and cannot eat bacon because of my religion I am at a loss as to what to eat. I am sometimes having a bowl of plain yoghurt with berries but this is not keeping me satisfied and by lunch time I am ravenous. Has anybody got any suggestions? If so, I would be very pleased to hear from you.
 
Geri

I'm not clear what you want to achieve. You say you've been controlling your diabetes, and hopefully that's been reflected in your HbA1c. Are you happy with your results ?
Dawn Phenomenon is a bit of a trick our bodies play on us, and some here will say taking something late at night (sometimes wine or spirits) helps their DP figure.

If you haven't been low-carbing (few manage no-carbing) then any degree you can manage will help, and carbohydrates are the biggest culprit in skewing our cholesterol figures. They tend to decrease HDL and increase triglycerides.

A higher carbohydrate diet tends to keep someone feeling hungrier sooner.
Why did your GP mention Dr Briffa's blog ?

Sorry not to be more helpful, but I'm not sure if DP is your main concern.

Geoff
 
Hi Geri,

A low carb high fat diet, as this man referred to on Dr Briffa's blog is one that works really well for T2 diabetics. I have been following it now for 3 months and it has made an incredible difference. Have a look on this website for some inspiration http://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf

Breakfast can be protein or a shake or yoghurt and berries but avoid toast and cereal. There are breakfast ideas on the website too.

You are very lucky to have such an enlightened doctor, most want to push pills and do not support the low carb diet.

Also if you can, have a read of 'Gary Taubes - Why we get fat' it will really open your eyes about carbohydrates!
 
Geri,

I read the article you reference. Lets be clear, neither the doctor or the person in the article is advocating a no carb diet so you have a full range of vegetables that do not intersect with grains or starches. Some people can eat some of these things in small quantities but you will have to test to know what is appropriate for you. As far as meat goes, besides pork there are tons of dishes which use poultry, beef, and lamb. Beyond that are all of the wonderful fat options that can flavor your foods and up your calories as you need.

Kenny :wave:
 
I sometimes eat cottage cheese or a combo of cream cheese and grated hard cheese on crackers with salad cream for breakfast as an alternative to egg and bacon. I also have those tubs of sandwich fillers - egg mayonaise, cheese and onion, tuna mayo on crackers. They're filling, fatty and low carb. :)
 
I find a couple of toasted Burgen bread slices with loads of butter covered in marmite is great for breakfast and hardly affects my bloods at all and i am on a virtually carb free diet, been so for nearly a year now.

As its my birthday today, let go a bit, baked taters, sausages n bacon plus baked beans and plenty of booze so the dawn phenomenon will probably be phenominal tomorrow. but the low carb diet has worked wonders for me, still no medication as yet as a T2.

Andy
 
Thank you everyone for replying and for all your tips. I am really grateful. I will certainly check out all the references you mention. I do miss my bread as it was so quick and easy to make a sandwich for lunch or have a jacket potato. I am also used to having either porridge, or weetabix for breakfast so cutting it out and having yoghurt and berries or an egg is not filling me but I will try the other suggestions. I was under the impression that crackers were out too but if I can have that then that would help.

My last reading of HBA1C was 48 and as I said, my glucose fasting test was 10 which is why my Doctor thought I should try the no card diet as she thought that in the long run the fasting result of 10 would be no good for me. I am struggling at the moment but I suppose I will get used to it.

Yes, I am lucky to have such an enlightened Doctor who also happens to work with the Department of Health a couple of days a week so have great faith in her.

Hope you had a good birthday Andy and once again, thank you everyone for all your helpful suggestions.

Geri
 
Just wanted to add that I eat about every 2 or 2 and a half hours, have my brekkie about 8 or 8.30 and then something small at 11, say a slice of cheese or a babybel or pepperami. That keeps me going till lunch. You don't need to follow these rules to the letter you have to be able to live with them every day, so they have to work for you. :D
 
Fraddycat said:
Just wanted to add that I eat about every 2 or 2 and a half hours, have my brekkie about 8 or 8.30 and then something small at 11, say a slice of cheese or a babybel or pepperami. That keeps me going till lunch. You don't need to follow these rules to the letter you have to be able to live with them every day, so they have to work for you. :D
Click to expand...


I agree, when I started monitoring blood and low carbing, I ate about every 2 -3 hours. mainly to experiement with diff foods. Now I hardly have anything between meals, just not hungry

Mary x
 
Have a look at Viv's Modified Atkins Diet, which is in the "Sticky Threads" section.

If you follow this for your month, you should see some very good results - just any of the allowed foods in any combination and, except for the very few with given quantities, as much as you like. No need to be hungry! Stay off the crackers, oatcakes and All-bran to stay at the 25g carb.

As for breakfast - you can eat anything on the list for breakfast - eggs, bacon, low-carb sausage, plain live yoghurt with a few berries, pork chop, fish, chicken salad . . . I could go on. The trick is to prepare it the night before - cherry toms, chunks of cheese, peppers in strips, celery sticks, radishes, cold meat, fish, hard-boiled eggs - all in a plastic box in the fridge. Open it in the morning, and grab a bite as you pass. Or sit down with it and check your emails.

I've been known to cook two pieces of salmon in a home-made ratatouille the night before, eat one hot for supper, and the second cold for breakfast. Same with diced pork or chicken. Chicken salad is lovely for breakfast - so refreshing!

It's just a matter of thinking outside the box. Who said breakfast had to be cereal? Protein fills you up better for longer.

And it's only a month. What a wonderful GP you have! mine is good, but I doubt he's heard of Dr Briffa!

Let us know how you get on. Any questions, please ask :D

Viv 8)
 
I find I can tolerate 30g of porridge or 30g of bran flakes with sweetener, but no other cereals, including weetabix or shredded wheat. Sometimes I mix 15g of oats with some crushed nuts and seeds, berries and a spoonful of Greek yoghurt. The trick is in the careful measurement of the arbs.
Eddie
 
Geri
where did you find sucha brave, enlightened doctor? Most will tell you NOT to do the Bernstein, Briffa, Eades, Atkins type diets. In fact, they are the only things that actually do work without loads of medication.
You are very lucky. cherish that doctor
Hana
 
hanadr said:
Most will tell you NOT to do the Bernstein, Briffa, Eades, Atkins type diets. In fact, they are the only things that actually do work without loads of medication.
Click to expand...

Really? Just more low carb propaganda Hana, I can assure you I have never taken any advice from any of the people you have just mentioned and I am very well controlled and only take a minimum of medication ie Metformin, the same as you I believe :roll:

From the Forum rules. Quote:
"Carbs are bad / fat is bad
People are largely free to express their opinion on what they think of a particularly nutrient or diet. People should not make negative general statements about those who follow the diet.

e.g. "people who eat more than 100g of carbs a day have high sugar levels" -this kind of example is likely to cause unnecessary contention so think how your post will be interpreted before posting[/quote]
 
hanadr said:
Geri
where did you find sucha brave, enlightened doctor? Most will tell you NOT to do the Bernstein, Briffa, Eades, Atkins type diets. In fact, they are the only things that actually do work without loads of medication.
You are very lucky. cherish that doctor
Hana
Click to expand...

They are certainly few and far between. My own GP is trying to secure funding to do a study on LCHF diets for diabetics, I mentioned this a while ago. He is not very optimistic, and when you see the NHS diet and how entrenched it is, I don't blame him. It's so sad that a diet that works for so many of us is ignored simply because it goes against the party line. I wonder if that will ever change? It saddens me that so many diabetics don't find this forum, or even good dietary advice and will go on to have complications. Then of course the NHS will continue the line that diabetes is progressive, when really it doesn't have to be.
 
hanadr said:
Geri
where did you find sucha brave, enlightened doctor? Most will tell you NOT to do the Bernstein, Briffa, Eades, Atkins type diets. In fact, they are the only things that actually do work without loads of medication.
You are very lucky. cherish that doctor
Hana
Click to expand...

I have an enlightened Dr. His advice had more to do with testing foods as opposed to telling me what I could and could not eat. It would make more sense to supply every Type2 with a meter and test strips to see what their personal tolerance of carbohydrates was.
 
catherinecherub said:
hanadr said:
Geri
where did you find sucha brave, enlightened doctor? Most will tell you NOT to do the Bernstein, Briffa, Eades, Atkins type diets. In fact, they are the only things that actually do work without loads of medication.
You are very lucky. cherish that doctor
Hana
Click to expand...

I have an enlightened Dr. His advice had more to do with testing foods as opposed to telling me what I could and could not eat. It would make more sense to supply every Type2 with a meter and test strips to see what their personal tolerance of carbohydrates was.
Click to expand...

Maybe he's read Bernstein, Briffa, Eades or Atkins Catherine :wink:
 
I am sure he has xyzzy.
He gives individual advice and sets individual targets. He also gives out printed literature about the GI/GL of foods and supplies a meter and test strips after he has explained what needs to be done to manage your diabetes. No NHS pamphlets from him but a keen interest in the patient. He sees his patients a month later and decides the way forward from there.

I do understand that it is an alien concept for some patients to have a Dr. that takes an interest but mine cannot be faulted by me or other diabetics that I speak to locally.
 
catherinecherub said:
I am sure he has xyzzy.
He gives individual advice and sets individual targets. He also gives out printed literature about the GI/GL of foods and supplies a meter and test strips after he has explained what needs to be done to manage your diabetes. No NHS pamphlets from him but a keen interest in the patient. He sees his patients a month later and decides the way forward from there.

I do understand that it is an alien concept for some patients to have a Dr. that takes an interest but mine cannot be faulted by me or other diabetics that I speak to locally.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty much convinced that educating doctors and dsn's in "eat to your meter" would make a great deal of difference. It would overcome many of the political, bureaucratic and vested interest obstacles that stand in the way of progress in this country. I can even understand why many gp's seem to take little interest in the whole T2 issue. It must seem to them that when they hand out the standard NHS advice and see their patients subsequent test results it would appear as if those patients seem to be ignoring their advice for the most part. While I would say there is a fair proportion of people who do ignore all advice then I simply don't believe its anywhere near the levels that are so often portrayed even by some doctors who have posted on this forum. What these doctors are failing to recognise is that maybe it isn't that patients are ignoring the advice but rather that the advice is just plain wrong. I'm glad your doctor seems to have come to that conclusion Catherine!
 
I have begun to believe that many GP's genuinely do not make the connection between the food that their patients are being advised to eat and the high HbA1c's.

I have argued the toss with 3 different Gp's at my practice, none of them uncaring but all sharing the same attitude. At my last visit, which i spoke about here, I went for something unconnected to my diabtes and saw a doc that I had never met before. He was really lovely and obviously a very kind and caring young doc, it was he that told me I didn't have diabetes because my A1c was within normal limits! (6.4) I filled him in, he looked suitably embarrassed and I couldn't resist the chance to spread some more of my "we need the opportunity to test" speil that I could recite in my sleep. His response was to tell me the usual about the A1c being the best measure and that self monitoring was a waste of time. reason being, if levels are high" there is nothing you can do about it".

Of course I told him otherwise and he said well, whatever I was doing it was obviously working.

If enough people can show that self testing and adjustment of diet are working they will have to take notice eventually. I hope. :?

Forgot to mention - I saw a student doc a few months ago, I was with someone else and we were discussing diabetes. I got into the whole "usual thing" and he listened carefully and questioned me on my opinions, also about my choice to reduce carbs. He said that a lot of it made sense and that it was interesting to hear from a proactive patient. He then informed me he had type 1 diabetes.

I felt very good that day :D
 
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