Is anyone on a low carb diet?

[ramack]

Hi,

I was diagnosed last November as being a T2. My doctor didn't really give me much information about diabetes so what I've learned is basically off the web (Mayo Clinic, About.com and ADA's site) and a couple books.

I've been on a low carb diet since January and have been able to bring my high numbers down and my spikes are less frequent and lower in amplitude.

Is anyone else on a low carb diet? What have your results been?

Rich

[mg_2204]

I'm T2, on Metformin since last October. I tried a low carb diet but have seen my cholesterol shoot up from 5.9 to 6.7 in a matter of a few months. Since people with diabetes are supposed to keep their cholesterol under 5, the low carb diet is out of question for me. I had great BG results on a low carb diet though. After a good satisfying meal, BG was 6.2 after two hours. But I certainly don't want to end up with clogged arteries! I must underline the fact that going on a special diet must always be discussed with your health care team. I didn't. Now I regret it. Each person is different and in my case, a low carb diet isn't recommended. Check with your doc first. Now I'm back on a low fat diet, I follow the GI index, and I have great results, all mostly under 7. I'm also what I could call a part time vegetarian. I eat meat only when I crave it or when I start to find tasty looking the sheeps in the fields...

[MarkMunday]

Rich,

I reduced carbs to about 60grams a day about 8 months ago. I now eat eggs, cheese, sausages etc every day and fats have become my main source of energy.

Glycemic control has improved enormously, the HBA1c having come down from 8.3 to 6.2. Cholesterol increased from 4.9 to 5.7, which is getting high. But HDL increased from 1.8 to 2.1, and the HDL:total cholesterol ratio improved. This ratio is the real predictor of heart disease. Apparently LDL, which increased from 2.5 to 3.1, normally increases initially but declines over time with a low-carb diet. So I am not too concerned yet.

All the "experts" on this subject seem to have a different opinion. And I suspect Marie is right about different people responding in different ways. I am persevering with the reduced carb diet for now. I will test the lipid profile again in 5 months and decide then what works best for me.

Cheers,

Mark ;)

[mg_2204]

... that's right Mark. We all respond in different ways. And not only that, but you have to look at the whole picture. In my case, with heart disease in my family, living with high cholesterol is too risky. Even with a HDL within the nomal range, it worries my doc. But it is possible to reduce the amount of carbs. It's not necessary to eat bread with pasta. And 1/2 a cup of pasta is plenty for me now. And I have it for lunch instead of dinner. There is always a way :) but as long as it's monitored.

[may]

Some are really getting neurotic about the low-carbing.
I do watch my carbs, that's for sure!
I do consider it very important, as I don't like spikes!!

But, letting the cholesterol rise in exchange...oh my... That gets another issue going.
I "hear" people say that will only be for awhile, and then it will go right back down. It didn't work that way for me. I have to consider heart health and healthy eating also.

I don't follow the ADA entirely...but I certainly think they are quite reliable.

[Lynne]

My lipid panel has improved since I began to ingest fewer than 50 carbs a day.
LDL is slowly dropping, HDL is level, and triglycerides are way down, I'm within a heartbeat of a normal target.

My blood pressure is inside the 135/85 target 90% of the time and improving. My diastolic is usually in the 70's.

I've lost 15 pounds, put on muscle from strength training and my blood glucose readings are declining (see below). If I ever need meds, it should be a lower dosage, I'll watch my lipid panel carefully long-term.

It's worth noting that the first 3 months can give mixed results and that one should keep a close watch on lipids and blood glucose whatever method is used. I figure my first concern is the sugars because I don't want my blood to affect my eyes, heart, kidneys, nerves, etc. Also, you must define what LOW- carbing is. If you don't get down low enough, and keep each meal or snack within 12 grams or so, you may have too many carbs in your system and they will be changed to fat.

[KittyAtlanta]

Hi, I have to low carb. Most days I keep it under 30 per day. I have good blood readings on those days. If I go above 30, my BGLs go crazy. I must be very sensitive to carbs. I must say, my doctor does NOT approve of low carb anything, so I haven't told him. I know, I know.... I feel good eating lo carb, when I feel bad, I don't take care of myself. BTW, I used to be a vegetarian, then balanced diet, then veggie again. While doing the veggie/balanced diets, I gained 90 lbs - now its hard to remove.

[BeadieJay]

I low carb, but I don't count carbs as such. Over the last few months I've learnt what works for me, though I'm constantly checking to see that my numbers stay low (usually under 7 (126) 2 hours after eating). Hubby and I are both eating low GI foods, and my doctor is fully supportive of what I'm eating.

I just got my A1c result today - it's gone down to 6, which I'm thrilled with. My last one was 6.7 (3 months ago). My cholesterol has gone down from 5.2 to 5.0 - which I'm not so pleased with. I want it to be below 5, and it seems to be taking too long to bring the number down. I guess that's because I'm eating too much protein/fat. Also, I'm losing weight, but too little and too slowly - just over 2 pounds in 3 weeks....it should be 2 pounds every week. Guess I need to talk to my dietician again, but it's difficult to see what else I can do if I don't want to go on a starvation diet :eek: I'm still scared of hypos, which I get despite the doctor telling me that's not possible on Metformin.

[AnnieKel]

They're still lying to themselves in my opinion. They know that what they recommend is way to many carbs. Although lately I noticed that they don't really give a number, guess they don't want it to come back and bite them in the a$$! Here is the thing. Most doctors know how damaging carbohydrates are to your health. In excess, I should add.

Even non-diabetics are overdoing it to the extreme, hence the type two problems we are seeing an explosion of. This is not normal. Most doctors eat a low carb diet. They're not stupid. My uncle, for example is seventy-four yrs. old. He is a retired biologist, worked for NIH for 40 yrs. He was low carbing it in the sixties, along with most of his fellow co-workers. He tried to get my mom and dad (his brother) to adopt his way of eating. My mom did it for a while. Now my father is dead and my mom is frantically trying to make up for lost time. She has been low carbing for 5 yrs. now She is a type two, on no meds and in good control. She is not overweight at all and only about 20 pounds upon diagnosis. My mom says she wished she would have taken my uncle's advice years earlier.

The funny thing is that if you look at nutritional guidelines they are still trying to tell even non-diabetics to eat 300 grams of carbs a day and that it is needed for the brain???? What? That is kooky talk. I guess the food/drug/farm industry is such a huge lobby that no one wants to be left out of the money train. I think it is criminal that the medical industry won't even tell people how bad it is to eat that **** and the weight people gain is a hundred times worse that smoking will ever be. I know it is a hard pill to swallow but I can't figure out why when doctors are questioned about this all they can say is, "patients don't want to hear that" It is to hard for people to change their way of eating. At least give us the facts and let us decide for ourselves. Then if we continue to cram in the carbs we will have no one to blame but ourselves.

[camjen1]

Yeah Right Low Carb? Never heard of such a thing. LOL ;)

[MarkMunday]

camjen1,

I couldn't find a definition as such when I searched for it. But, essentially, a low-carb diet involves reducing carbohydrates as a percentage of daily calories from 50%-60% of total calories, as suggested by the ADA, to 10%-20% of energy requirements. For someone on a 1500 calories a day diet, this means reducing carbs from, say 200 grams a day to 30-50 grams a day. Obviously, you need to get your energy from somewhere else. So protein and fats in the diet are increased to make up the shortfall.

The whole idea is to reduce upward pressure on blood sugars. This reduces the need for pills/injected insulin and stabilises control. The ultimate objective is to achieve near-normal blood sugars and avoid diabetic complications.

As other posters have pointed out, it definitely works. But you won't find much support for low-carbing from mainstream doctors and dieticians. The high-carb low-fat mantra has been too heavily drummed into them. The risks of kidney disease and cholesterol problems are overstated. And you really have to experiment to find out what works best for you, using HBA1c, renal, function and lipid profile test results for guidance.

Cheers,

Mark ;)

[may]

Mark,
Basically I agree with you on the low carbing.
It works for me also.
HOWEVER, I would be very careful about continually harping on it to people...only because it goes against what most Dr.'s ARE telling their patients. I don't pretend to know more than Doctors..although it is easy to get into the grind of "thinking" we know more!
It takes energy to function.
The more l low carbed the higher my lipids were getting...so the casual say, oh well they will come down after a few month. MINE DID NOT. To get them down again...and get the urine tests good again...I had to add some carbs back, and lower the fats. Often diabetics have more issues to consider than just the super low readings. The AMA is now saying <6.5.
So, when I see people having that I say hip hip hooray...and perhaps the low low carbing is not the way to go for everyone. I am not going to worry about a 4.5 or a 5.0 and have my lipids high because of the fat substitude for energy, nor be getting a ton of proteins in my body and have my kidneys in trouble.

[mg_2204]

... Ever heard of 'God's Diet'??!


Basically, you eat and drink what God created only. Meat is ok, veggies, fruits, nuts, and you can drink water, milk, and that's about it. Ah! Herbs.

Bread, and pasta are man made. Just like wine. And coffee :mad: Cookies, cakes, fizzy drinks, cheese :mad: jams, peanut butter, sauces, cream, and the list goes on and on...

That 'God's Diet' is quite low carb come to think of it. And low fat. And low enjoyment because no coffee........................

[may]

Marie,
I've heard of close to it. I haven't read anything.
However...I have found that wheats, and pasta being man made are as hard on me as sugar! And I wouldn't touch any sugar substitute with a ten foot poll.
I think I may be doing this without trying! I fix nearly everything from scratch so I know my ingredients.
But, I do love my morning coffee!!

[AnnieKel]

I never eat a lot of fat. I have fish, skinless chicken breasts, shrimp, tons of vegtables, salads and a small amount of red meat...maybe once every two weeks. I eat a small amount of lower carb. fruit. Lentils, soy beans, egg beaters and non-fat/sugar free yogurt and of course fat free cheese. You can get cheese that is low in fat and in carbs. I have to say that chicken broth is my best friend. I use it for soups. I make big pots of a mexican chicken soup which is delicious and low in fat and calories and most of all....carbs.

In case anyone is interested:

Chicken breast (4 boneless/skinless cubed or shredded)
three cans of chicken broth (no carb brand)
three cups of water
2 cups of zuchinni
2 cups cabbage
1 cup mushrooms
1/2 cup salsa
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. taco seasoning
1/4 cup onion
1 tsp. garlic or garlic powder
salt and pepper
Actually I add whatever veggies I have around. Sometimes I add cauliflower or spinach...It is delicious. Also I have even added a few tablespoons of unsalted peanuts to give it some crunch. I also use lentils and soybeans for my mock chili. You can add the pre-cut and cooked chicken breast strips to your salads and such...there really is a lot of choices but I have found that making the stuff myself really lets me control the calories, fat and carbs.
Cheers everyone,
Annie

[mark-TN]

When I hear low carb diet with out any further explanation I cringe. As far as it pertains to diabetics that choose a low carb diet it is a way of life. It is not something that can be done part time or done for a short amount of time and expect to get the results that were intended. In treating diabetes with a low carb diet, the diet is just part of the equation. How medication, supplements, and exercise are tailored to work with a low carb diet are all part of the success or failure of the diet. It is not something that can be done half way. It is not something that can be done just 3, 4, 5, or even 6 days a week. It must be done 7 days a week, 365 days a year for the remainder of ones life. And if you think about it this is the same for any treatment plan that you choose. They all have to be done wholeheartedly. But even with that the plan that you choose may not work and than a decision has to be made on where to go next. I had a boss when I first got into the work force out of college that was a real SOB, but he taught me a lot. One of the most important things he taught me is that if you keep doing the same thing and it is not getting you anywhere, you are just going to be spinning your wheels if you continue to do the same thing. There comes a time, and the sooner the better, to try something different to get you to where you want to go. I made this a mandate in my job, but it took me awhile to figure out that it works in life also, and that includes the way I treat this disease.

I agree that this plan is not for everyone, but as AnnieKel stated people should be given a choice and informed that this is a treatment plan that can possibly help if followed as intended. Just as there are doctors that are firmly against this way of life, there are also doctors that are firmly for it. There is a new show coming out on CNBC called dLife, and it is a show about living with diabetes. I am hopeful that this show will be informative about all possible treatment choices for diabetics. The creator and CEO of dLife, Howard Steinberg, has had Type 1 diabetes for over 35 years and he is a patient of Dr. Richard Bernstein. Dr Bernstein pioneered the low carb diet approach to managing diabetes. Dr. Bernstein will be a contributor to the show along with many other prominent diabetes doctors and researchers. (One I am very excited about is Dr. Aaron I. Vinik, the man behind INGAP.) What I’m trying to say is that it looks like this way of life is here to stay. Mainstream doctors will have to catch up or their patients will look elsewhere for the advice and guidance they need about the choices that are out there. I was spinning my wheels on the ADA diet and my doctor never informed me of other choices. It was up to me to find another way. I found a way that worked and it has drastically changed my life and my future. This way of life has gotten a bad rap. It is time that the stereo-typing and misinformation stopped. I am hopeful that this new show will not only inform the public about all options available to treating this disease, but also correct all of the untrue and misguided information that is out there as well.

Mark

[gettingby]

... Ever heard of 'God's Diet'??!


Basically, you eat and drink what God created only. Meat is ok, veggies, fruits, nuts, and you can drink water, milk, and that's about it. Ah! Herbs.

Bread, and pasta are man made. Just like wine. And coffee :mad: Cookies, cakes, fizzy drinks, cheese :mad: jams, peanut butter, sauces, cream, and the list goes on and on...

That 'God's Diet' is quite low carb come to think of it. And low fat. And low enjoyment because no coffee........................
I see your point but life without coffee is just evil. Sorry :D

[Lynne]

My doc is NOW a huge supporter of the Berstein version of low-carbing and is urging those patients who will listen to try it. After 16 weeks I'm getting well into normal non-diabetic readings part of every day and my fasting bg is declining.

This has to be a permanent thing for me, as you have said. Now that I know it works, I must discipline myself to follow the regimen for life and to test conscentiously to supervise my progress.

[statdeac]

Good luck with your low carb diet. I try not to go hog wild with carbs for sure, but have been unsuccessful sticking to a diet that eliminates so many foods.

For me, low carb diets seem great at first but ultimately become a total bore and I feel like I am not getting everything my body needs to function.

Just one opinion. That and a buck, might get you a cup of coffee...

[TAutry]

Hello All,

This particular subject, for some reason, seems to elicit high emotion when it comes up for discussion. Thus far, the discussion has remained civil. Let's see that it stays that way. Should this thread deviate ANY from its informational course it will be closed.

Travis