Should a t1d follow a low carb diet ?

[Francel]

Hi, I’ve been a T1 for 54years and used to have to watch everything I ate and eat at specific times. Now I am allowed to eat whatever I want but due to over indulging I have to cut my carbs. Once my weight gets back to ‘normal’ levels I’ll go back to eating anything. Only thing is that you need to be confident in counting your carbs and working out your insulin ratios.

 

[Zilsniggy]

I eat low carb because I do not want to become insulin resistant (double D), gain weight or have the hassle of guestimating bolus doses for larger amounts of carbs
If you feel you are getting good control on your current regime and don't want to give up bread, pasta, rice etc. then that is your choice after all, unlike type 2, we can only ever manage our disease. Note that carbs are NOT essential though and also that diabetologists oddly do not seem to know much about nutrition and the dieticians are generally not taught to discuss the viable option of low carb for type 1.
Finally there is a lack of clinical experience of low carb hence a reluctance to recommend it given the fear of ketoacidosis that a very low carb diet arouses.

A low carb diet would not lead to ketoacidosis, since that is generally caused by high blood sugars. A low carb diet would generally not lead to high blood sugars, if anything it would to hypoglycaemia, if medication isn’t adjusted properly.

 

[Zilsniggy]

Нам врачи сказали есть можно всё, главное считать углеводы и единицы инсулина. Если это жирное и сладкое....например торт, то ставить инсулин в 2-3 шага!!!! Сразу инсулин и через через час ещё раз инсулин. Жирная и сладкая не сразу разворачивается. И подъем сахара через 2-4 часа. Мы называем это хвост...Этот хвост надо скалывать дополнительным инсулином.

The doctors told us to eat everything, the main thing is to count carbohydrates and insulin units. If it's fatty and sweet... for example, a cake, then put insulin in 2-3 steps!!!! Immediately insulin and in an hour again insulin. Fat and sweet do not immediately unfold. And the sugar rise in 2-4 hours. We call it a tail... This tail should be chipped with additional insulin.

There…translated.

 

[Captain_Sensible]

A lot of T1's do not do low carb my son included he eats whatever he fancies. If he is right or wrong I have no idea

I've been Type 1 insulin dependent for 62 years now and no doctor or dietician has ever told me to back off or go low carb. I have been careful with spuds and rice, cereals etc not overdoing it and just adjusting my insulin intake accordingly. The Libre has helped a lot btw. Doing the balancing act over the years I admit has not been easy and I've often felt this **** diabetes is a pain in the backside and sometimes why me? My HBA1c has been around 7mmols up or down a bit (whatever that is in new money ?! ) so the quack is usually happy. We just gotta keep going and be happy and try and walk that cliff edge balancing act as best we can

 

[JanieMc]

This is a personal question irrespective of diabetes type, as poor control leads to similar issues.

I think it comes down to your visceral feel about all of the evidence you may have accumulated. Do you love carbs, hate em, tolerate them or feel indifferent. I actually hate them, but, I was at the extreme end of a Type 2 diagnosis and experiencing complications. I am aware others feel differently.

I agree so much with this. I’ve been T1 for 48 years. I know I can eat what I want as long as my dose matches my intake. I can also adjust as necessary. But over time, I found that I respond so much better to low carbs. I feel better, my levels are better. It’s just a personal choice. I try to keep to about 80g a day. It just suits me.

 

[Grant_Vicat]

You cannot stick to a rigid diet or eating plan for life!

I did for 47 years! I still weigh the same as in 1978!

 

[Bash_]

My doctor told me to eat whatever i want if im taking insulin for it but if it has high GI then i have to wait 15mins before i eat it he never said anything about a low carb or keto diet ? I’m eating what i want but im counting the carbs
Is this ok? I feel like something isnt right

Balance your Insulin to your food, if you feel guilty don't eat it and balance accordingly. I'm forced to eat GF diet due to Ceoliac and careful takes on a whole new meaning but at least I avoid wheat cereals etc. If you get the opportunity take the Dafne course via your specialist only it'll help your carb counting.

Worth remembering body needs good food, then Insulin in that order to survive but too much of the wrong food then it stores fat, so exercise is essential.

I've been T1 48yrs currently 39mmol which takes effort I grant you and it's not always been easy, but keep learning your own body. I personally work towards low and balance upwards only lows are easier to control than highs.
Keep up the good work and don't feel guilty....it's supposed to be fun.. ENJOY A HEALTHY LIFE - WITH INSULIN . Good luck my friend.

 

[Bash_]

Hi, I’ve been a T1 for 54years and used to have to watch everything I ate and eat at specific times. Now I am allowed to eat whatever I want but due to over indulging I have to cut my carbs. Once my weight gets back to ‘normal’ levels I’ll go back to eating anything. Only thing is that you need to be confident in counting your carbs and working out your insulin ratios.

I think you hit the nail on the head. Over indulgence is your Kriptonite so either more exercise or less over indulgence. Longer term balance is essential for Longer term health, but you already know that my friend. Keep on the move and eat healthy car less complicated than diets. Ps keep away from your Kriptonite....run or walk either will do my friend.

 

[Scooberuby]

Hi have read a lot of the posts on here, which has helped a lot thanks. Been type 1 50 years. On 2 jabs a day, even though they want me on 4, have refused as didn't change my bloid results. Tried no carb. Went hypo a lot, need carbs especially working. Am now vegan, as have loads of other illnesses and raw foods are supposed to help with illness and inflammation, so add veg smoothie to meal before breakfast, dinner, or have salad with whatever eating. Am now doing carbs, but lower carbs. One slice bread instead of two,fruit, veg, salad, smoothies. If fancy cake, will have some now and again. Was told at hospital need carbs in diet if using insulin. I eat carbs if working, or going out, eat less if staying home, not doing much. Because everyone is so different, what works for one, might not work for others. Is hard to know what to do. When I was little wasn't allowed things allowed today. Had strict regime, that gave me eating problem. Am glad able to eat what want.now, I was starving as a child, had watch family eat puddings when couldn't have any. So glad eating for type 1s has got more normal.

 

[coz53]

My doctor told me to eat whatever i want if im taking insulin for it but if it has high GI then i have to wait 15mins before i eat it he never said anything about a low carb or keto diet ? I’m eating what i want but im counting the carbs
Is this ok? I feel like something isnt right

That’s perfectly OK as long as you can balance carb intake to insulin. T1 for 50 yrs and my last A1c 45.

 

[In Response]

@sco

Hi have read a lot of the posts on here, which has helped a lot thanks. Been type 1 50 years. On 2 jabs a day, even though they want me on 4, have refused as didn't change my bloid results. Tried no carb. Went hypo a lot, need carbs especially working. Am now vegan, as have loads of other illnesses and raw foods are supposed to help with illness and inflammation, so add veg smoothie to meal before breakfast, dinner, or have salad with whatever eating. Am now doing carbs, but lower carbs. One slice bread instead of two,fruit, veg, salad, smoothies. If fancy cake, will have some now and again. Was told at hospital need carbs in diet if using insulin. I eat carbs if working, or going out, eat less if staying home, not doing much. Because everyone is so different, what works for one, might not work for others. Is hard to know what to do. When I was little wasn't allowed things allowed today. Had strict regime, that gave me eating problem. Am glad able to eat what want.now, I was starving as a child, had watch family eat puddings when couldn't have any. So glad eating for type 1s has got more normal.

Sounds like you are on a fixed insulin dose which is why you hypoed when you ate less carbs as you have no chance to dose for what you eat.
With the 4 doses a day you can choose what and when to eat. And the 4 doses does not have to be 4 doses -it can be 2 doses if you only have one meal or 6 doses if you have snacks between meals.
AS for whether we need carbs if we have insulin, this is not the case. We need insulin regardless of carbs (to work with the glucose that our liver dumps throughout the day) but if we eat less carbs, we need less insulin.

I am glad that you have found a regime for you. You don't have to change but I would recommend you take care on the days at home when you eat less carbs if you are unable to adjust your insulin dose.

 

[DJRobinson]

I eat moderate levels if carbs, around 120g per day and I find my glucose levels easier to control.

When I eat carb laden meals, the amount of insulin I need to control the spike, always seems to send me hypo later.

I totally agree the more carbs I have per meal the more erattic my blood sugars become, they will spike high after a meal dropping quickly 2-3 hours later. Small amounts of carb and often suit me best

 

[hooha]

Go YouTube watch Dr Troy Stapleton low carb is it sustainable for type 1 duabetes

 

[Eatit]

I have been diabetic for nearly 70 years, my diabetese specialist never sent me to see the diatition. As hhe said it would be in the nearest bin, this was true. I have lived my life on my terms, I cannot have done badly over the last 70 years. You control your diabetes, not your diabetes controls you, therefore eat the diet that suits you, and and your way of life.

 

[DavidEgerton]

I eat a more balanced diet and avoid things like cakes unless a special occasion these days. At lunchtimes, I might have a nice healthy salad and pot of tuna. This means I don’t need any fast acting insulin, my background just keeps it steady at around 6, no spikes, nothing to work out. This is very useful if going to gym too, as I don’t get the drops and potential hypos that I used to, now it might drop by just 1or 2 units, even after a full 45min workout, so I have an apple 15 mins before I start. If I eat what I like and have a jab, it’s much harder to control.

 

[Kaydee59]

I have been doing a keto diet for 3 months now and lost 14Kg. I was taking on average 15units of Novirapid with meals and 22 units of Tresiba at night. Since doing keto, I am having no insulin with meals (unless I have a carb meal (which i have done about 3 times) and my basal insulin has reduced to 10 units. My blood sugars are between 5 and 7. I feel well and more in control of my diabetes. Specialist diabetic nurse I first spoke to was against me doing the diet. The second one I spoke to, spoke to my Diabetic Consultant who was happy with me doing it but said to watch that my ketones don’t go above 4mmol. For me, I think a keto lifestyle is the way to go. My HBA1C is finally that of a non diabetic. I will always be diabetic though as I have no pancreas and do not produce any insulin

 

[Nicola M]

I'm a big carb eater but recently lowered my carbs drastically for my lunchtime meal when I'm at work due to the post-meal spikes I got which then caused me to go low. We're talking going from 86g at lunch to 34g. I still get a little spike but not near as much as before and I don't go low anymore. I agree with a couple of people above that carb-heavy meals can cause an awful spike in some people and having lower carb meals can just help stop the spike and then the proceeding low.

 

[Saffi]

I eat moderate levels if carbs, around 120g per day and I find my glucose levels easier to control.

When I eat carb laden meals, the amount of insulin I need to control the spike, always seems to send me hypo later.

Like you, I follow a moderate carb diet which helps me control my glucose levels. I struggle to manage a low carb diet and my glucose levels aren't significantly better when I do.

 

[micksmixxx]

For people experiencing difficulty in understanding the post from nevedoma, there are several different languages that use the Cyrillic alphabet, Bulgarian being just one. (Other languages that use the Cyrillic alphabet, and give a very similar interpretation include Russian, Ukrainian, Macedonian, Belarussian, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, and Azerbaijani.)

The Bulgarian interpretation states:

"Doctors told us that it is possible, the main thing is to count carbohydrates and units of insulin. If it's fatty and sweet...for example a cake, it puts insulin in 2-3 steps!!!! Immediately insulin and an hour later another insulin. Fatty and sweet does not unfold immediately. And sugar rise after 2-4 hours. We call it a tail...This tail needs to be shaved off with additional insulin." (This is courtesy of Google Translate: https://translate.google.com/ You just need to copy and paste the text into the empty box on the left of the screen and Google Translate attempts to interpret the words. It DOES identify the language as being Bulgarian, but as the Cyrillic alphabet is being used I simply searched for translations using other translations using a Cyrillic alphabet.)