Low carb and diabetes

[Yddraigoldragon]

Just that really - does it work, and are there any tips? Also if you are doing it do you get any flak from hcp's as it does not conform to the 'normal' diabetic diet?

Are you type 1 or type 2?

Regarding flack, it depends on the hcp. My exFIL is type 2, has recently gone much lower carb, bloods are doing well and are stable for the first time in 5 years. He is lucky that his current specialist nurse has no objections to LC. The previous nurse and his GP, despite seeing the improvement in the bloods for themselves, still tried to push the normal diet.

Type 2. I have a couple of Bernstein books which I am currently reading, and to me it seems like this is the way to go.

I followed the low carb woe for a couple of years, felt really well but lost my way a bit, I am absolutely a carb addict.

I get the feeling from the initial appointment that there is only one way to go in their opinion...

Can I add my two penneth in here.

Invest in a blood glucose monitor, I know that most pct's won't prescribe these for T2 diabetics. You can then take your reading before each meal and again 90-120 mins after eating. Write down what you eat and watch what affects the readings.
My Mum was being threatened with insulin and had her tablets increased, that was her trigger to finally monitor and has worked out that the healthy porridge she has been eating for years is probably the main contributor to her high sugar levels. She has now cut out lots of carbs and is doing so much better.
Her diabetic nurse will not accept that it is because of the change in diet at all and says it's the tablets, but mum reduced those as well.

Good luck.

Hope this isn't too late, just got back from holidays! I am type II and followed more convention advice for years - my blood results were ok, but never brilliant. Since low carbing, all of my blood results have improved. My blood glucose is stable throughout the day, I have so far lost just over two stone and interestingly for me my cholesterol had finally gone into the acceptable limits since eating butter every day!

I have also read the Bernstein books and found them very helpful, I have registered on their forum, but never got around to posting there! I have just been on holiday for two weeks in Itsly and found it relatively easy to I stick to the main principles there as well. I feel tonnes better - still need to keep losing weight though, so I am quite strict with the carbs for now.

I'm very recently diagnosed type 2. I have elected to control it with diet and have been low carbing for almost two weeks. It's working very well for me.

Well low carbing has really made a massive difference to my diabetes.
Initial HbA1c was 78, 4 months later was 37. I am taking 2 metformin a day, my blood sugar is controlled at around 6/7, and I have lost two stone.

It was interesting going for the followup appointment. There was no enquiry into what I had been eating (bit annoying as I was geared up for a fight) just a comment that I was doing really well, keep doing whatever I was doing as it is obviously working.
I found Trick or Treat by Barry Groves - and this further modified my diet - I do wonder though how much longer the medics can continie to peddle the stupid carby plate when it seems evident it is very wrong.

Fantastic!

Have read Bernstein book. Haven't managed to pluck up enough stamina to start, yet.

That's really good to hear!

Biwi I have low carbed on and off for years, did really well some years ago but found it easier to eat 'normally' in the end. There was such a bias against the WOE, also I am not generally in the same office every day, and found it difficult to maintain when travelling.

The thing that made the difference this time, is that I am not dieting to lose weight, I am eating in such a way as to maintain my blood sugar at a good level. Every day I get a reality check on my diet, so I can see if my carbs are creeping, I also know that if I want to go off piste occasionally, I can pull it back by upping fat etc, and the meter will tell me when I am stable again.

The weight is falling off quietly, I am not obsessing about what the scales say every day which is much more healthy.

I have found my blood sugar monitor to be an amazing tool to aid the low carb WOE, much more useful than ketostix. This experience has shown me that the purpose behind eating low carb must be to control blood sugar, therefore reducing the insulin response, therefore preventing the insulin laying down excess carb as body fat.
At last I have a tool that gives me a realistic picture of whether I am eating sensibly!

That's brilliant Yddraigoldragon.

I'm not diabetic, but was diagnosed by a doctor overseas with insulin resistance pre diabetes some time ago. Struggled with medics here even recognising it such.
Anyway, I'm eating much lower carb since October 13 and have noticed a great difference in my numbers. Hopefully will avoid full blown T2 if I keep this up.

So pleased for you and if only 'they' would stop pushing the LFHC mantra!

It is absolutely the best possible diet for diabetics. The diets touted by the NHS are generally healthy eating plans and would be better than sweets and crisps, but of course low carb is better for either type 1 or 2 (obviously you just have to adjust medication or insulin doses accordingly to avoid hypos).