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The New Carbing Support thread - all welcome!

T

tree-peony

Well-Known Member
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After 2 weeks of a low GI diet as advised by my GP, and my levels steadily rising, I went low carb on the 17th April as I needed to get my levels down fast for a cataract op that should have happened tomorrow - it was postponed this afternoon!

I've been doing a minimum of an hour of the crosstrainer a day, 3 miles, 300 cals but boy do I hate it :(

So far instead of 18s and 19's I'm generally seeing 12's and 13's, which is an improvement but obviously I have a way to go.

I've just read Bernstien from cover to cover - learned loads... some of which I wish I hadn't!
 
Well done so far tree peony! Stick to it and you'll get the rewards. You're talking about 30% drops already!
 
That is such a good improvement. I would have done the percentage as well but Grazer beat me to it :lol:
 
Hi TP, that's a great reduction! I bet the GP will take credit for the lower figures even though you are achieving them by low carbing and the dreaded crosstrainer. :D
the thing I don't understand is I feel much better when my levels are higher than I do when they're "low"
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You have to let your body get used to the new levels. It's a bit like giving up smoking. You know it's bad for you for you but your body still wants it's nicotine hit.

How are you finding the low carb diet? Have you found any must haves? My discovery has been pickled cauliflower, It makes my ears laugh and at only 2.5 gms per 100 gms it is great when I want something crunchie and strong tasting with my cheese.
 
I made moussaka the other day and used mashed up cauliflower with cheese in it instead of cheese sauce. It wasn't bad tbh!
Oh and celeriac mash is ok.

Other than that, not really tbh. I'm tending to do meat or fish and veg for my main meal. I'm doing pretty well at the moment, but we work away/abroad a lot of the time and goodness only knows how I'm going to cope then as it tends to be food "on the hoof" a lot of the time. Normally I survive on fruit and milk mostly.
 
The reason about feeling better at your higher levels, as the slowly increases your blood glucose levels, the body adjusts and gets used to working at the higher levels... Dropping the levels back down to normal levels often makes you feel worse as your body readjusts to working at these levels..

Hence why the HCP's don't try to bring your levels down too quickly, there is also another reasons as well, too quick a return to normal levels can aggravate and/or cause complications more often with the eyes, it can cause bleeds etc.. So it's best to look at reducing bloods over a couple weeks, so body finds it's easier to adjust and you don't aggravate/cause any complications..
 
it'll be interesting to see if my levels continue to fall overall. I had a spike back up to 17 this morning for no apparent reason.
 
I hate celery but have just tried celeriac and it's not as bad as I expected. I made celeriac crisps and only got to eat a couple as my husband snaffled the rest. I shall try the mash next.

I love all things cauliflower, so have tried and enjoyed the mock rice and mash versions, adding cheese to the mash to make a substitute cheese sauce sound great. I wonder if I can get away with it over my steamed cauliflower or is that maybe one step too far. :D

Just read your post jopar. That's interesting about the effect on our eyes. I am waiting for my first retinopathy test so I hope I won't get a nasty result. :(
 
Tree peony.
If you feel better with high bg, it's because your system is accostomed to it. If you get down and keep down, it will adapt and you'll feel good with LOW numbers.
Hana
 
I've said elsewhere, but when I first got my BG down below 7mmol/l I had the most wonderful feeling of health and lucidity.

I hadn't realised, but (probably) years of high BG caused me to feel constantly anxious and irritable, all of which was instantly washed away as soon as my BG got under control.

Sure you'll have a few headaches on the way down, but you'll feel a much better person as soon as you get this diabetes thing licked.
 
borofergie said:
I've said elsewhere, but when I first got my BG down below 7mmol/l I had the most wonderful feeling of health and lucidity.
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Yes same thing. I've said a few times that happened the first time I got a 4.something. It was such a strong feeling it was very motivational.

I do agree with Jopar though. Looking back at new members posts some are fine with a huge drop back to normal and with others a slow approach is beneficial if you start to get the symptoms you describe. Just take it slowly but don't give in!
 
LOL if i could think of a way of doing it more quickly I'd give it a go! Seriously tho, I'm just not sure it IS falling any more. Guess I'll just have to see how the next few days pan out. :roll:
 
xyzzy said:
borofergie said:
I've said elsewhere, but when I first got my BG down below 7mmol/l I had the most wonderful feeling of health and lucidity.
Click to expand...

Yes same thing. I've said a few times that happened the first time I got a 4.something. It was such a strong feeling it was very motivational.

I do agree with Jopar though. Looking back at new members posts some are fine with a huge drop back to normal and with others a slow approach is beneficial if you start to get the symptoms you describe. Just take it slowly but don't give in!
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I was diagnosed on a Monday, Tuesday I dropped carbs like they were poison. I went from who knows how many carbs a day to under 20g a day and have stuck to that ever since. Now I am on the Newcastle Diet I shall have 9g of carbs until the end :lol: Makes working out carbs and washing dishes so much simpler :lol:
 
borofergie said:
How much carbohydrate are you eating?
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well I'm not actually counting tbh, but today's food has been:-

bacon (2) and egg for breakfast
lunch was lettuce, small tomato and cold chicken
4pm a tiny avocado so I could take my Metformin with some food
evening meal - oven baked haddock (just fish, no batter or crumbs) baked tomato, green beans
followed by raspberries and a tablespoon of All Bran with a splash of double cream (weird I know, but I have to keep my fiber up)

other than that, just milk in my 4 cups of coffee

I did have a cup of tea with one spoon sugar early afternoon, but that was a one off!
 
Nothing wrong with that. The carbs in 1tbsp on All Bran will be negligable, and definitely keep you in ketosis.

Baked tomatoe *might* be problem - tomatoes get more "sugary" the longer you cook 'em...
 
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