Type 1: Dr bernstein diabetes solution book / diet

[Kerryannhogan]

Hi everyone!

I was recommended the Dr Bernstein Diabetes Solution Book, which I have found absolutely mesmerizing.
The only negative thing I would say is his diet is very limited and hardly no carbs! Not to mention its expensive because as you know healthy foods in the UK are ridiculously priced.

It also mentions that he reversed most, well nearly all his complications. I suffer with background retinopathy which is slowly increasing and neuropathy which is increasing fast! Ive started waking up with numb hands in a morning for a short period of time and as a 23 year old girl I'm struggling to come to terms with all of this as I want to live longer for my daughter.

Has anyone tried this diet? has anyone gone their different ways and introduced most carbs (healthy) into the diet but limited them and lastly has anyone had complications and reversed them WITH carbs in the diet?

Thanks for reading my post (which is just me babbling on)

 

[LucySW]

Hi KerryAnn,

Thousands of people have followed his regime. There are many on this forum, but theres disagreement also.

Ive been following it mainly since August 2014. Works for me - I have near-normal BG. Recently Ive noticed my slight night blindness has git a lot better.

 

[dbr10]

Hi everyone!

I was recommended the Dr Bernstein Diabetes Solution Book, which I have found absolutely mesmerizing.
The only negative thing I would say is his diet is very limited and hardly no carbs!

That is the point though. I have read the Solution book but not the diet book.
I am following the diet principles. Hba1c reduced from 52 to 35.

 

[Kim99]

I follow the principles, too, they make sense to me. Just had to find my way a bit at the start not being used to measuring food in ounces... If you plan a little in advance it's not that expensive either. Best wishes.

 

[Kerryannhogan]

That is the point though. I have read the Solution book but not the diet book.
I am following the diet principles. Hba1c reduced from 52 to 35.

I'm reading the solution book not the diet book.

all I'm asking is it possible to reverse my damage with some carbs included or do I disregard them all like he did... better asking for other peoples opinions on this than just going with what the book advises

 

[Kerryannhogan]

Also just to point out my hba1c came as 39, which the doctors got angry at and said I need to make it higher to stop hypos.. so my hba1c is great, but my complications aren't

 

[Clivethedrive]

Hello Kerryannhogan,i am and have been following Dr Bersteins recommendations re very low carbs.and i have reversed my neuropathy in my feet,which were very painful like walking on broken glass ,it took about 7 months of lchf way of eating ,but i have to say ,doing much more in the way of exercising has been key too, my weight has dropped from 17 st 8 lbs to today's 12st 8 lbs my bs was 26.8 mmols and bp was 195/110 now its 4.0 mmols on average and bp is 120/60 so keep at it and use my fitness pal app' to help record your carbs/ proteins/ fats intake it also gives you a breakdown of food groups and contents. Clive

 

[richyb]

I have been type 1 for over 50yrs. At around 40yrs had to have my eyes lasered to stop bleeding. They only just got me in time. I lost quite a lot of peripheral vision. Strangely my hba levels have always been excelent. However after this sugery the consultant told me to avoid meat, cakes, biscuits etc. Though occasionally white meat is ok. My doctor also advised me to have a slightly higher sugar levels hba of 50 last time.

 

[Kerryannhogan]

Hello Kerryannhogan,i am and have been following Dr Bersteins recommendations re very low carbs.and i have reversed my neuropathy in my feet,which were very painful like walking on broken glass ,it took about 7 months of lchf way of eating ,but i have to say ,doing much more in the way of exercising has been key too, my weight has dropped from 17 st 8 lbs to today's 12st 8 lbs my bs was 26.8 mmols and bp was 195/110 now its 4.0 mmols on average and bp is 120/60 so keep at it and use my fitness pal app' to help record your carbs/ proteins/ fats intake it also gives you a breakdown of food groups and contents. Clive

Hi Clivethedrive can I ask what type of food you chose to eat each meal? And how many hypos do you have a day and what you decide to treat them with? I'm currently going through a bottle of lucozade a day and obviously a lot of digestives to help treat them ... My hba1c is great but my diet clearly isn't, do u have any advice with how you handle and avoid hypos

 

[Kerryannhogan]

I have been type 1 for over 50yrs. At around 40yrs had to have my eyes lasered to stop bleeding. They only just got me in time. I lost quite a lot of peripheral vision. Strangely my hba levels have always been excelent. However after this sugery the consultant told me to avoid meat, cakes, biscuits etc. Though occasionally white meat is ok. My doctor also advised me to have a slightly higher sugar levels hba of 50 last time.

Hi so sorry to hear about that my eyes are constantly having gunge in them every morning and night and I'm rubbing my eyes, my diabetes nurse told me to not do that as I can cause it to infect and told me there's no conjunctivitis so it can't be that.. ... I eat a lot of meat each week and biscuits help to get me out of hypos which u can see in the comment above how I've explained about my continuous hypos. I'm glad u reversed the retinopathy ! Hopefully these symptoms of my eyes aren't the start of something new or worse

 

[mentat]

My advice is, jump into the diet 100%. Forget about extra carbs. Just do low-carb properly.

If you adapt your insulin correctly, chances are good that your blood sugars will improve a LOT within a few weeks. When your sugars are better, your moods will be better, you will be able to think more clearly, you will have less stress. At that point you can start to change the diet to suit your preferences. But until then, keep things simple to maximise chance of success.

Be ready for the Bernstein diet to drop your insulin needs a lot. Be especially careful of nighttime hypos. Better to be high than hypo.

All the best.

 

[dbr10]

I'm reading the solution book not the diet book.

all I'm asking is it possible to reverse my damage with some carbs included or do I disregard them all like he did... better asking for other peoples opinions on this than just going with what the book advises

Yes, of course. Most people on here seem to find that lower carbs helps with BG control, which in turn helps with complications - to slow them down, if not reverse them - and some report an improvement; but, of course, it will vary between individuals.

 

[dbr10]

Also just to point out my hba1c came as 39, which the doctors got angry at and said I need to make it higher to stop hypos.. so my hba1c is great, but my complications aren't

I see. That's a good improvement. It depends whether you are type 1 or 2 and what medication you are taking. Medication could increase the risk of hypos with lower BG. But, for example, type 2 just on metformin would normally be okay at your kind of levels. Mine was 35 last time.

 

[Kerryannhogan]

My advice is, jump into the diet 100%. Forget about extra carbs. Just do low-carb properly.

If you adapt your insulin correctly, chances are good that your blood sugars will improve a LOT within a few weeks. When your sugars are better, your moods will be better, you will be able to think more clearly, you will have less stress. At that point you can start to change the diet to suit your preferences. But until then, keep things simple to maximise chance of success.

Be ready for the Bernstein diet to drop your insulin needs a lot. Be especially careful of nighttime hypos. Better to be high than hypo.

All the best.

Haha thanks for the advice! I think I'm going to do it!!

 

[Kerryannhogan]

I see. That's a good improvement. It depends whether you are type 1 or 2 and what medication you are taking. Medication could increase the risk of hypos with lower BG. But, for example, type 2 just on metformin would normally be okay at your kind of levels. Mine was 35 last time.

I'm type 1 and I'm on Humalog and lantus for night time, but I'm also on 600mg of pregablin which helps for nerve pain which constantly makes me groggy and tired ... I'm so grateful for all the advice

 

[dbr10]

Hi everyone!

I was recommended the Dr Bernstein Diabetes Solution Book

Ah. Sorry. Clear now you are insulin controlled. Follow Mentat's advice in another post.

 

[dbr10]

I'm type 1 and I'm on Humalog and lantus for night time, but I'm also on 600mg of pregablin which helps for nerve pain which constantly makes me groggy and tired ... I'm so grateful for all the advice

Yes. Sorry. As I just posted Mentat's advice is probably best. Bernstein basically argues as you reduce carbs you need less insulin, which in turn means better control and that you make fewer potential mistakes with insulin dosage. He's been type 1 since he was 12 I think and now in his eighties. Anyone who manages the condition for so long must be doing something right! Good luck.

 

[catapillar]

I see. That's a good improvement. It depends whether you are type 1 or 2 and what medication you are taking. Medication could increase the risk of hypos with lower BG. But, for example, type 2 just on metformin would normally be okay at your kind of levels. Mine was 35 last time.

A HbA1C of 39 in a type 1 often raises questions as to whether the good result is achieved by running hypo more than anyone would want. Sounds like @Kerryannhogan (just like me) has a low HbA1C by putting up with a lot of hypos, which hide the nasty spikes & complications.

I haven't tried low carbing yet @Kerryannhogan , it's something I'm looking into. The low carb bit of the forum has lots of tips about doing it on a budget.

@mentat are you able to give any advice on insulin adjustment when going low carb? If I were to jump in both feet low carbing tomorrow is there anything I should be looking out for, could there be an impact on my ratios or basal rates? I'd be worried that removing all carbs would also remove my (already pretty flimsy) resilience against hypos so any tips would be much appreciated.

 

[LucySW]

No, it won't work unless you drop the carbs.

 

[azure]

Hi Clivethedrive can I ask what type of food you chose to eat each meal? And how many hypos do you have a day and what you decide to treat them with? I'm currently going through a bottle of lucozade a day and obviously a lot of digestives to help treat them ... My hba1c is great but my diet clearly isn't, do u have any advice with how you handle and avoid hypos

Hi @Kerryannhogan Do bear in mind that some of the replies here are from Type 2s who may treat their diabetes with diet only.