So...Let's Talk Low Carb.

nemiabonny said:

To All Low Carbers,

I have been a high carber for more than 25 years. This is not to say that high-carb meals are better than low carb meals. What works for a type 2 diabetic is the main point.

To stay healthy, I think that it is very important for a t2d to know how to avoid hypoglycemia. Type 2 diabetes is about hyperglycemia. His goal is to reduce his high blood sugar levels to normal levels. He must by all means not overdo it or he gets hypos which are surely worse than hypers.

Bonny Damocles
Male 80 years old, 5'7", 137 lbs.
Past A1Cs: 5.2% - 6.3%
Never had hypos, no diabetes complications yet
No meds since diagnosis in July 1991
First blood sugar reading: 468 mg/dl
Control Method: D&E
No meds for any health problems

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Disagree completely, sorry. My virtually no carb diet has done great things for my Type 2 with never a hypo in sight. For most Type 2's Hyperglycemia is the danger and my VLCHF diet seems to be great for keeping this under control. Also quite interested to know where you found this thread from nearly 8 years ago.
Regards
Mark

nemiabonny said:

To All Low Carbers,

I have been a high carber for more than 25 years. This is not to say that high-carb meals are better than low carb meals. What works for a type 2 diabetic is the main point.

To stay healthy, I think that it is very important for a t2d to know how to avoid hypoglycemia. Type 2 diabetes is about hyperglycemia. His goal is to reduce his high blood sugar levels to normal levels. He must by all means not overdo it or he gets hypos which are surely worse than hypers.

Bonny Damocles
Male 80 years old, 5'7", 137 lbs.
Past A1Cs: 5.2% - 6.3%
Never had hypos, no diabetes complications yet
No meds since diagnosis in July 1991
First blood sugar reading: 468 mg/dl
Control Method: D&E
No meds for any health problems

Click to expand...

If you are treated with diet and exercise, barring any other blood sugar disorder, you won't get hypoglycaemia that will do you any harm whatsoever, you might get a low blood sugar that makes you feel wobbly, but it's really just hunger. Low blood sugar that is not caused by a blood sugar lowering medication (or other blood sugar disorder) isn't anything to medicalise or worry about. It won't hurt because your liver will correct it by dumping out some glucose and your pancreas will stop giving out insulin - it won't be a hypo with any dangerous connotations and my guess is it probably won't take you very much under 3.5. Numbers like that are normal in a non diabetic, and while they might make some people feel unpleasant temporarily, many others operate at levels like that as standard and while there is research going on into possible long term effects of frequent severe hypoglycaemia the answer to whether there are long term consequences remains equivocal and really concerns frequently dropping under 2 or unconcious hypoglycaemia, which isn't going to happen less you are on blood sugar lowering medication. So I'm not sure why you think hypos (in a non medicated type 2) are worse than hypers when there is plenty of evidence on the increased risk of significant diabetic complications caused by hyperglycaemia?

Glad your diet is doing well for you. I just think you might be overestimating the concern about hypos for those who are treating type 2 with diet and exercise. On any diet of course it's important not to let yourself get so hungry you feel woozy, but I'm sure that on a low carb diet you could avoid that with low carb snacks.

Even in type 2's that treat with medication, not all diabetes meds cause hypos. Metformin does not. I am on forxiga and metformin and eat less than 20 grams carb per day. I never hypo and actually my big fight is elevated FBG due to dawn phenomenon. Even with the meds and diet I rarely see numbers in the 4's.

I am type 1 and insulin dependent of course. I eat less than 20 g carbs a day and love being in ketosis. I take very small dose of insulin and have anA 1 C of 5.1 for 18 months. My diet is 80% fat, 15% protein and 5% carbs all from 'salad veggies'. My main fats are avocado, olive oil, mayo and a few nuts and pumpkins seeds. My mantra is VLC, MODERATE protein and just enough healthy fats to satisfy. I keep saturated fat low as it raises me more then mono/ plant fats and I don't come back down. No grains, dairy, fruit, sugar.

Works for me and is very sustainable for 25+ years.

Kristin251 said:

I am type 1 and insulin dependent of course. I eat less than 20 g carbs a day and love being in ketosis. I take very small dose of insulin and have anA 1 C of 5.1 for 18 months. My diet is 80% fat, 15% protein and 5% carbs all from 'salad veggies'. My main fats are avocado, olive oil, mayo and a few nuts and pumpkins seeds. My mantra is VLC, MODERATE protein and just enough healthy fats to satisfy. I keep saturated fat low as it raises me more then mono/ plant fats and I don't come back down. No grains, dairy, fruit, sugar.

Works for me and is very sustainable for 25+ years.

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I always admire how the summary of your lifestyle diet has stood you in such good stead for 25+ years. I am currently in my second three months doing the Testing carbs thing under docs orders and I am all over the place.

To be honest it was much easier just driving to my LCHF first three months with no messing around

KevinPotts said:

To be honest it was much easier just driving to my LCHF first three months with no messing around

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That is exactly how I feel!
After years of trying to make my diet as 'normal' as possible, by looking for low GI, and alternative foods, and phaffing (while still aiming for as low carb as possible), nowadays I just keep VLC with the odd little controlled discrepency. So much easier, simpler and more comfortable.

Yep agree with @krtstin251.

I did low carb vast majority of my life.. At least 30 years as an adult...
I've never had an appetite though. Never feeling the need to eat is a big bonus (in someways).
Nowadays I'm forced to do low fibre and lowish fat too due to other probs.
I do wonder though whether the lower carb for all these years caused some of my other stomach related probs.. Although they only occurred after I was advised to add carb in (for 6 months)....think you have to also look at the balance not just with diabetes...
In fact if I had high carb all my life would probably have never hot to this age.... These are my thoughts nowadays....
I know my brothers moderated their carbs too , ate higher fats and heading towards 60 and fit as buthchers dogs...
All long, long before all the talk of LCHF.

KevinPotts said:

I am currently in my second three months doing the Testing carbs thing under docs orders and I am all over the place.

To be honest it was much easier just driving to my LCHF first three months with no messing around

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Sometimes I wonder if doing it that way would have been better for me, but I followed Jenny Ruhl's advice which was to reduce and test till you work out your carb tolerance. Kind of the opposite of how Atkins Induction works. Her argument was that you're more likely to find a diet you can live with for life that way which she considers way more important than weight loss for a Type 2 - why go super low if you don't need to?

I think it really has to be something that works for us as individuals. One thing I'll say for her way that's worked for me, I've never found myself wishing for more carbs than I can tolerate. I'll have the occasional "treat", but again following her advice to look at such excursions as planned indulgences rather than "cheats", I've really never felt deprived. So far I haven't woken up regretting having gone 'face down in carbs' as someone colourfully phrased it

For anyone who hasn't read her book on low carb diets, I'd highly recommend it.