Role of diet in modern medicine

Yeah - fish - even freshly dead - smells. I guess they smell different when they're alive, but dead beings always smell of death in their separate ways. I know people like eating them; hey - I used to, years ago. Couldn't now, but I did then.

zand said:

Hmmm ...not scary at all with old fashioned farming.

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How much milk, cheese and butter gets farmed that way? And how much on an industrial scale?

However - don't want this thread to go down that path; it is meant to be discussing perceived health benefits of our various diets.

Vegan works for me as a type 1 , vegetarian works for my husband as a type 2 (in remission now). There is plenty of research to show being a vegetarian is very healthy. He is not a vegan because he doesn't want to be.

WuTwo said:

Yeah, it's clunky but I didn't know how else to put it - I cannot not be vegan. I just couldn't go back. Full stop. Not ever.

The smell of raw meat makes we want to vomit on the spot. The smell of cook meat is just revolting, and my stomach churns at the table if it is served at a dinner out or something.

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I find your statement offensive. Strange that if I used the word 'vomit' or 'revolting' in regard to your chosen diet I would be moderated and rightly so but when you do it it's allowed to stand.

Been trying hard to put this into words. The dairy is scary thing shocked me. The woman shocked me. Yes there are things in the world that make me cry - starving babies, children being raped and forced to marry at age 12, FGM, the list goes on...but artificial insemination of cows..please..really? Is that supposed to fill me with horror? Sorry it just doesn't.

Is there nowhere on this forum where we can discuss non-meat food in peace?

Mel dCP said:

Is there nowhere on this forum where we can discuss non-meat food in peace?

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I was going to suggest 'Vegetarian diet forum' ....... but oops/

DCUKMod said:

Let's all stay civil please, or this thread will go the same way as others. I hate to go spouting about rules, but some refreshers could work well.

https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/community-ethos-forum-rules.50278/

Thanks.

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Could you explain what 'refreshers' would help, which is on a Vegetarian section of the forum, regarding vegetables/plant based foods, that some members enjoy as part of their diet or all of their diet. Genuine question.

I am not vegetarian, but like and eat vegetables

Isn’t it difficult to stay very low carb on a vegan diet, especially if you want to get a moderate amount of good quantity protein?

It seems easy to stay away from the clearly bad stuff (sugar, refined grains, refined seed oils, processed meats) on a vegan diet, but getting sufficient protein from beans, lentils, whole grains, and some vegetables seems hard while still keeping carbs low.

The advantage of meat, fish and eggs is the high quality protein with no or little (eggs) carbs. Unfortunately, it isn’t always so easy to get meat and fish from animals that ate their natural diet and are not contaminated (PCBs, heavy metals, GMO feed, etc.)

I like meat and fish but would also happily eat vegan if I could figure out how to eat vegan, get the quality protein and keep blood sugar as stable as when eating meat, fish and eggs.

Robinredbreast said:

I am not vegetarian, but like and eat vegetables

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Me too.

Sapien said:

Isn’t it difficult to stay very low carb on a vegan diet, especially if you want to get a moderate amount of good quantity protein?

It seems easy to stay away from the clearly bad stuff (sugar, refined grains, refined seed oils, processed meats) on a vegan diet, but getting sufficient protein from beans, lentils, whole grains, and some vegetables seems hard while still keeping carbs low.

The advantage of meat, fish and eggs is the high quality protein with no or little (eggs) carbs. Unfortunately, it isn’t always so easy to get meat and fish from animals that ate their natural diet and are not contaminated (PCBs, heavy metals, GMO feed, etc.)

I like meat and fish but would also happily eat vegan if I could figure out how to eat vegan, get the quality protein and keep blood sugar as stable as when eating meat, fish and eggs.

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It’s difficult but by no means impossible - but not everyone here eats low carb. Type ones don’t need to.

I apologise. I come straight to the Recent Posts page, and did not notice I am in the vegetarian forum.


I like dairy and some fish and chicken, but would prefer eat vegan if, indeed, it would save the planet. However, I cant work out how to get the amount of protein I require and also keep my blood glucose levels in safe numbers.

DCUKMod said:

I asked people to be polite to each other and suggested some could find refreshing their knowledge of the Community Ethos and Rules.

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Thank you, I understand now, from what I've seen, 99% of the time it doesn't seem to work.

Mel dCP said:

It’s difficult but by no means impossible - but not everyone here eats low carb. Type ones don’t need to.

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Isn’t low carb also helpful for type 1 to keep stable blood sugar? e.g. Dr Bernstein’s law of small numbers. Matching insulin bolus with food eaten has more room for error the higher the carbs.

Any advice from type2 (or type1) as to how to maximize protein while keeping carbs and blood sugar spikes low?

Ok, I confess what follows is a generalisation ...

In my experience people who strictly follow a diet, be it vegan, low carb, low fat, ... do research and understand the impact of their diet, the nutritional elements they need to focus on and, through this, maintain a healthier lifestyle.

In my experience, people who don’t follow a diet, focus less on the nutritional elements and are more likely to suffer through their (unhealthy) diet.

Sapien said:

Isn’t low carb also helpful for type 1 to keep stable blood sugar? e.g. Dr Bernstein’s law of small numbers. Matching insulin bolus with food eaten has more room for error the higher the carbs.

Any advice from type2 (or type1) as to how to maximize protein while keeping carbs and blood sugar spikes low?

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Hi, the best thing would be to start a new thread.

Sapien said:

Isn’t low carb also helpful for type 1 to keep stable blood sugar? e.g. Dr Bernstein’s law of small numbers. Matching insulin bolus with food eaten has more room for error the higher the carbs.

Any advice from type2 (or type1) as to how to maximize protein while keeping carbs and blood sugar spikes low?

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It can be. I follow it myself, in fact, and have done for 18 months with great success. But many type ones are able to deal with a high carb diet with equally great success.

My husband who is/was a type 2, his A1C is now 6.2% does fine on a vegetarian diet. When he was first diagnosed he had an 8.4% A1C He does take metformin which seemed to solve most of his issues. Some people can't take metformin. But he added a salad everyday and a bowl of veggies with seitan/tofu that I make most days. A lot more veggies added into his diet. He still sneaks in some junk food, which is probably why he will stay on metformin.

With all the fake meats out there now, even in the regular supermarket it is easy to get protein. Morning Star, Gardein, Beyond Meat to name a few. Yves bacon is 5 grams per slice, Tofurky is 5 grams per 3 thin slices. A half can of beans is 20 grams, tofu container, 20 grams. I add seitan, tofu, tempah or beans to most of my veggies. Plus if it's only protein you are worried about, a protein shake is a easy way to add protein. A scoop of either, soy, pea or rice protein is 20 grams. You can make a shake yourself or buy a low carb mix. I say low carb because you really have to watch the sugars in some of them, generally they aren't bad at 10-15 carbs, but you can also get 1 or 2 carb ones easily. Your body can't utilize much over 25-35 grams of protein at a given time. The higher amounts are usually only required when you are doing intense weight lifting etc, then your protein needs would go up.

I am a type 1 vegan and doing very well, I have been a vegetarian for over 50 years now and a vegan for over 30, way before I developed type 1. My last A1C was 6%. It was sitting at 6.4% for years and I was happy with that too. I have many days of 100% in range and I have been told I am the best controlled type 1 at my doctors and diabetic nutritionists office. It's a great way to control blood sugars as long as it's a "healthy" vegetarian/vegan diet and for a type 1 that means you also dose appropriately..