"It's the insulin, stupid"

[MrsMia 1,608]

Do any of you remember when Bill Clinton ran for president one of their major campaign slogans were "It's the economy, stupid". And it sure was at that time. Looking at diabetes and controlling it, I think it can be described in similar terms. "It's the insulin, stupid." I think that would apply to both Type I and Type II diabetics whether injecting or trying to control through meds, diet and exercise or just lifestyle changes such as low carbing. For me, the most helpful control that I have had over my own insulin is following a low carb lifestyle. Plus eliminating almost all processed food.

 

What else do you do with your low carbing that helps control your insulin whether still naturally occurring or injecting?

 

Do you think in the end that it really is all about the insulin?

[foxl 20]

Mia, I dunno. I think I am primarily insulin-deficient, since I am sensitive to small doses of insulin ... it also seems seasonal to me, though -- so maybe some is IR. I am still trying to grasp what is going on for me!

[NickP 32]

Hey Mia....I agree....it's all about the insulin. I became Diabetic from producing too much insulin, which led to insulin resistance, forcing my Beta Cells to work too hard, and then they started fading away. So, if I had watched the foods that raised my insulin and BG from the beginning of my adult life, I would not be diabetic.

 

I agree...."It's the insulin, stupid"

[samorgan 10]

Absolutely, particularly for T2s. I read several things lately where researchers were "perplexed" over why some T1s lived with elevated BG/A1Cs for many years without expected complications, meaning that a similar population of T2s with those levels would have many more complications. Since the conventional wisdom is that diabetic complications are caused directly by high BG over time, this data just wouldn't fit into their model.

 

So, what would be the difference between T1s and T2s which could explain this discrepancy?

 

It's the insulin, stupid!

 

Typical T2s (who DO have IR) at the same level of challenge and control will have HIGHER levels of insulin than an otherwise comparable T1. So, elevated insulin appears to be a risk factor in and of itself.

[jwags 9,219]

6 months ago I was having a bad reaction to a statin drug and lived with high bgs for several months. I wanted insulin to bring the high bgs down. My doctor said No, Let's wait and see. So I switched to an organic diet and added the Coconut Oil. I am so glad I did. I started to eat free range meat without hormones or antibiotics and I tweaked the carbs a little and tried to incorperate more veggies. Whatever I did worked because now my bgs are fairly stable between 80-120 most of the day. No more spikes, I have even had a few bgs in the 60's which I never have had, so all of a sudden it seems my metabolism is working again. I don't know if the diet woke up some sleeping beta cells or what, but I am sure happy. I also believe limiting the flood of insulin in your system by low carb diet prevents hyperinsulemenia and keeps us healthier.

[CarboWarrior 10]

Insulin is a very powerful hormone that influences your muscles, fat, liver, kidneys, brain, and who-knows-what-else, and we as a society are pumping our bodies full of it every day!

 

I want my kids to wake up to the fact that with a diabetic father, their outlook ain't so good. So I got two small baggies. In one I put 5.6gm table sugar. This is the amount of sugar in the average (healthy) person my size (6', 175#) blood at any time. In another baggie, I put 40gm table sugar. This is the amount in ONE CAN OF COLA! Worse yet, it is High Fructose Corn Syrup, 45% glucose and 55% Fructose, both of which are absorbed into the blood with amazing speed.

 

This is what you do to your body. 40mg dumped into 5.6mg. A healthy person's body is amazing in how it can hold your BG close to normal (by pumping out insulin) after a disturbance like that (not to mention a big gulp with bun and fries!). But how long will it remain healthy if you keep abusing it?

 

I wish someone showed me something like this when I was young.

 

I agree 100%. "It's the insulin stupid.". My Dr. wants me to start insulin. I have so far refused. A type I friend said "But if you take insulin, you can eat all the pie, cake, and ice creme you want!!!!". I told him "Maybe we shouldn't eat all the pie, cake, and ice creme we want".

 

I did some research and went VERY low carb (10-20/day) instead. So far, so good, BGs look good. Still on Met/Glip tho. Wish me luck!