Please help me understand

[bulkbiker]

-

She doesn't seem to understand that ALL carbohydrates convert to glucose (sugar), the minute they hit your system - I didn't know that until I became diabetic - I just thought that I would have to avoid sugar itself. My doctor explained the facts to me, using as an example the fact that one medium-sized baked potato converts to the equivalent of three heaping tablespoons of table sugar - I was shocked!

Wow what a great doctor.. was his name Unwin by any chance?

 

[Karen Dwyer]

Wow what a great doctor.. was his name Unwin by any chance?

No it wasn't. It was my family doctor in Surrey, BC, but he's retired now so there's no point giving you his name!

 

[bulkbiker]

No it wasn't. It was my family doctor in Surrey, BC, but he's retired now so there's no point giving you his name!

That's such a shame that he has retired.. still he gave you a great intro to the way our bodies process food.

 

[kazd63]

-

She doesn't seem to understand that ALL carbohydrates convert to glucose (sugar), the minute they hit your system - I didn't know that until I became diabetic - I just thought that I would have to avoid sugar itself. My doctor explained the facts to me, using as an example the fact that one medium-sized baked potato converts to the equivalent of three heaping tablespoons of table sugar - I was shocked!

The diabetic nurse I spoke to on Monday told me I need carbs and that I should eat jacket potatoes, whole wheat bread, pasta and brown rice. She told me fat turns to sugar and I should avoid it.

 

[bulkbiker]

The diabetic nurse I spoke to on Monday told me I need carbs and that I should eat jacket potatoes, whole wheat bread, pasta and brown rice. She told me fat turns to sugar and I should avoid it.

Such a shame that she gave you such totally incorrect information.

 

[Karen Dwyer]

The diabetic nurse I spoke to on Monday told me I need carbs and that I should eat jacket potatoes, whole wheat bread, pasta and brown rice. She told me fat turns to sugar and I should avoid it.

Your nurse needs some reeduction - fats do not turn to sugar; Carbohydrate turns to sugar and protein does also but to a lesser extent so low-carbers can (and should) eat some protein. Personally, I eat a low carb, moderate fat, and high protein diet, and I have kept perfectly normal, non-diabetic blood sugars with no medications for the last 17 years with A1Cs ranging from 4.7 to 5%.

 

[Phoenix55]

@Karen Dwyer That is brilliant and to sustain your A1cs over a period of time is brilliant, it shows that you have found a method that works for you. Those of us setting out on our journey need all the tools we can lay our hands on and good advice to be able to find what works for us too. I do hope that you will soon be classed as an 'expert' soon and no longer be a 'newbie'

 

[Phoenix55]

@kazd63 simply type 'amylase' into your search bar on a fresh tab and read what dear Wiki has to say about it. The nurse is that told you fat turns to sugar is so wrong it is incredible that she is still practicing. Please do get yourself a monitor and find out for yourself which foods raise your blood sugar, also the effect of exercise.

 

[Petaluk]

Your nurse needs some reeduction - fats do not turn to sugar; Carbohydrate turns to sugar and protein does also but to a lesser extent so low-carbers can (and should) eat some protein. Personally, I eat a low carb, moderate fat, and high protein diet, and I have kept perfectly normal, non-diabetic blood sugars with no medications for the last 17 years with A1Cs ranging from 4.7 to 5%.

Wow you are amazing - 17 years - what an inspiration you are

 

[Mal37]

Wow you are amazing - 17 years - what an inspiration you are

Iagree ... Amazing control for all those years. You should write a book (please) I need your guidance!

 

[Guzzler]

Your nurse needs some reeduction - fats do not turn to sugar; Carbohydrate turns to sugar and protein does also but to a lesser extent so low-carbers can (and should) eat some protein. Personally, I eat a low carb, moderate fat, and high protein diet, and I have kept perfectly normal, non-diabetic blood sugars with no medications for the last 17 years with A1Cs ranging from 4.7 to 5%.

May I ask a personal question, please? What was your A1c on diagnosis?

 

[Karen Dwyer]

Iagree ... Amazing control for all those years. You should write a book (please) I need your guidance!

 

[Karen Dwyer]

Wow you are amazing - 17 years - what an inspiration you are

There's no need for me to write a book - it's already been written! My inspiration for all my years as a Type 2 diabetic keeping non-diabetic blood sugars has been Dr. Richard K. Bernstein and his book "Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution." Dr. Bernstein has been a type 1 diabetic since the age of 12. He is now 84 and is still practicing medicine as an endocrinologist. He is a truly amazing man and his book tells us all we need to know about managing diabetes successfully with a low-carbohydrate diet. When I first read it, I thought "I can't possibly do that" but I decided to give it a try and here I am 17 years later with my A1Cs better than those of many non-diabetics. It was only difficult for the first ten days or so and then I lost my cravings for carbs. Most people think eating low-carb means depriving oneself of delicious foods, but it truly isn't. There are many wonderful sources of incredibly good low-carb recipes online, and I find I actually prefer some of them to the higher carb dishes recipes that I used to use - for example, yesterday I made a cheesecake using almond flour for the base instead of the usual graham cracker crust - it's much tastier! Please do yourself a favour and read Dr. Bernstein's book - it's available at many libraries and can be purchased through Amazon.

If you think I'm obsessed, you're probably right, but I am absolutely convinced that this book has given me the means to live a longer life with none of the usual long-term complications of being diabetic - Type 1 or Type 2.

 

[Petaluk]

D

There's no need for me to write a book - it's already been written! My inspiration for all my years as a Type 2 diabetic keeping non-diabetic blood sugars has been Dr. Richard K. Bernstein and his book "Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution." Dr. Bernstein has been a type 1 diabetic since the age of 12. He is now 84 and is still practicing medicine as an endocrinologist. He is a truly amazing man and his book tells us all we need to know about managing diabetes successfully with a low-carbohydrate diet. When I first read it, I thought "I can't possibly do that" but I decided to give it a try and here I am 17 years later with my A1Cs better than those of many non-diabetics. It was only difficult for the first ten days or so and then I lost my cravings for carbs. Most people think eating low-carb means depriving oneself of delicious foods, but it truly isn't. There are many wonderful sources of incredibly good low-carb recipes online, and I find I actually prefer some of them to the higher carb dishes recipes that I used to use - for example, yesterday I made a cheesecake using almond flour for the base instead of the usual graham cracker crust - it's much tastier! Please do yourself a favour and read Dr. Bernstein's book - it's available at many libraries and can be purchased through Amazon.

If you think I'm obsessed, you're probably right, but I am absolutely convinced that this book has given me the means to live a longer life with none of the usual long-term complications of being diabetic - Type 1 or Type 2.

Im buying it!

 

[Karen Dwyer]

May I ask a personal question, please? What was your A1c on diagnosis?

My A1C on diagnosis was 8.3 and stayed in that range for the first three years afterwards. It dropped spectacularly to 5.0 three months after I started my low-carb diet in 2001 and has ranged between 4.7 and 5.0 ever since. And, by the way, I forgot to mention earlier that I take no medications for my diabetes; obviously Type 1s can't do that, but they can and do cut way back on the amounts of insulin they have to take.

 

[Petaluk]

Thank you @Karen Dwyer !

 

[Karen Dwyer]

Im buying it!

I'm so glad to know that, and I'll be most interested in what you think after you've read it! Obviously, I found it truly inspiring and I have a good feeling that you will too!

 

[kazd63]

I have just done a potato test, had some mince stew in the freezer and topped it with mashed potato and swede. Pre dinner 5.6, 2 hours later 11.9 eek

 

[Karen Dwyer]

I have just done a potato test, had some mince stew in the freezer and topped it with mashed potato and swede. Pre dinner 5.6, 2 hours later 11.9 eek

I'm curious as to what you expected it to be, after eating mashed potato.

 

[Alexandra100]

There's no need for me to write a book - it's already been written! My inspiration for all my years as a Type 2 diabetic keeping non-diabetic blood sugars has been Dr. Richard K. Bernstein and his book "Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution." Dr. Bernstein has been a type 1 diabetic since the age of 12. He is now 84 and is still practicing medicine as an endocrinologist. He is a truly amazing man and his book tells us all we need to know about managing diabetes successfully with a low-carbohydrate diet. When I first read it, I thought "I can't possibly do that" but I decided to give it a try and here I am 17 years later with my A1Cs better than those of many non-diabetics. It was only difficult for the first ten days or so and then I lost my cravings for carbs. Most people think eating low-carb means depriving oneself of delicious foods, but it truly isn't. There are many wonderful sources of incredibly good low-carb recipes online, and I find I actually prefer some of them to the higher carb dishes recipes that I used to use - for example, yesterday I made a cheesecake using almond flour for the base instead of the usual graham cracker crust - it's much tastier! Please do yourself a favour and read Dr. Bernstein's book - it's available at many libraries and can be purchased through Amazon.

If you think I'm obsessed, you're probably right, but I am absolutely convinced that this book has given me the means to live a longer life with none of the usual long-term complications of being diabetic - Type 1 or Type 2.

Karen I am relatively new to all this, but I am forever recommending Dr B's book and site to people. I get embarrassed that people will think, "There she goes again!" I also find Jenny Ruhl very helpful, and she too values Dr B highly.