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Type 1 LCHF diet

laffinjake_

Well-Known Member
Messages
47
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Hello

I'm wondering if there are any type 1 diabetics on here who are doing the LCHF or Keto diet
I started 10 days ago and just wanted some advice on ketones etc

Many thanks
 
Hi @laffinjake_

I have been doing this for about 3 years. It took a little while for me to get into nutritional ketosis, but now I am normally in the 1-3 mmol/l range unless I give in to a few carbs, in which case ketones drop.

Attached is a graph showing optimal nutritional ketosis. As long as you have sufficient insulin (i.e. normal BGs) then there is no risk of ketoacidosis.

 
Thanks for your reply . I'm on the pump so Im always having my basal insulin but very little bolus now that I'm not eating much carbs. My BGs have been the best in a long time since I started the diet . So as long as my sugars are stable I won't be at risk of DKA .... Is that correct? The thought of it terrifies me !
Do you mind me asking how much weight you lost on the diet
Many thanks
 
As long as your BGs are stable and in range you should have no risk of DKA. I didn't have any weight to lose and it has remained stable throughout.
 
I have only been type 1 for 3 years but have been keto ( 20 c or less per day) for 25+ years. I will never change. At DX they had me eating 20 carbs per meal and my bs was all over the place. My bs is far more stable vlc ( 20 c or less per day) of course my insulin needs are lower as well. I'll always be keto. Love it
 
Thanks Kristin251
Do you get high ketones or moderate ! I get a bit worried when it's +++
 
Hi robert
My nurse gave me a freestyle optium neo this morning. I have just checked my blood ketones they are 0.6 . Is this ok?
I'm probably doing your head in now
 
laffinjake_ said:
Thanks Kristin251
Do you get high ketones or moderate ! I get a bit worried when it's +++
Click to expand...
I don't check ketones anymore. I did 25 years ago when I went very low carb. They varied a lot with time of day, activity, sleep, etc that I didn't find them reliable. I don't use them now as my bs only rarely goes over 125. Usually stays between 75-105. I like 85 haha but that's my target number. Took me awhile to find my meals and doses but I found them until thenwind blows in a new direction.
 
laffinjake_ said:
Hi robert
My nurse gave me a freestyle optium neo this morning. I have just checked my blood ketones they are 0.6 . Is this ok?
I'm probably doing your head in now
Click to expand...
Yep - that's fine in your sugars are normal. Low end of nutritional ketosis.
 
Hi new to this group. I am 59 been type 1 since age 21- 6 yrs pumping- try hard but always struggled with spikes.
I am v interested in nutrition and am reading alit about type 1 's in America following the ketogenic way of eating.
Is there anywhere l can read/ learn on here please?
Sadly my gp and consultant only like carbs and statins and are not interested in supporting me trying keto.
Would be great if you could point me in the right direction of anyone on here and info
Thanks SO mych Jane X
 
Welcome @janewillis

Let me tag @robert72 again for you because he has excellent kmowledge of LCHF for a Type 1

You can ask questions here in the Low Carb section or in Type 1 Most Type 1s here eat moderate carbs but there are a few who eat very low carb/keto. I myself eat moderate carbs so I'll also tag @Kristin251 for you.
 
@janewillis Also, just to,add that spikes can be hugely improved by bolusing more in advance. It's a fantastic tool. As an example, I eat cereal for breakfast. If I bolus with my Humalog just a few minutes before eating, I'll spike to around 11 but if I bolus 30 mins before my spike is in the 6s.

If you try this, move your bolus forward 5 mins at a time and go carefully.
 
I love keto and have been for many many years. Carbs make me feel like rubbish and it's much easier to control my bs. I pretty much ea the same macros ( not the same food) at every meal and I know my dose. I rarely have any spike to speak of ( maybe 10 lol) and very few hypos and when I do go low it's not an emergency low. I can treat it with some veggies.

I take very small doses of insulin but if you are going keto be aware you will probably have to bolus for your protein. I bolus for half of it. So if I eat 21 g ( 3 oz) I bolus as if it were 10 carbs. With keto gluconeogenisis can proceed rapidly.

I don't know how many carbs you are eating now but you will most likely need less insulin especially if you reduce them a a lot.

Tread carefully. Better to run a tad high as you're working out your ratios of insulin to meals.
 
I think the easiest way for a T1 to move towards keto is to try eliminating major carbs whilst finding something to replace them with. You could do this over a period of time, so it would be easier to reduce your carbs gradually and work out how your insulin requirements (basal needs as well) change as you go.
 
Been low carb for two years, type 1 for 35yrs, as a celiac I eat no wheat/flour products, no rice, no potatoes including sweet potato and no diary, including butter and cheese, so only get fat from salad dressings and lean meat, I do like a packet of pork scratching snow and again though, good luck with your venture.
As a bonus I only have 2 injections a day!
 
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