Over six years ago, I self diagnosed as a type two diabetic, with a ten quid BG meter from the local chemist. I had been suffering the usual symptoms for months. Constant thirst, planning my life around looking for toilets while on the road. Blurred vision and constant tiredness were other well known symptoms. So, 26mmol on the BG meter, official confirmation 7 days later with and HbA1c test of nearly twelve. Dietary advice from my healthcare team eat starchy carbs with every meal and two metformin pills a day on the script. Sorted eh, no way. I dumped sugar and followed the diet plan, result average BG never better than 12. Having buried my Father, who died riddled with type two diabetes complications, two weeks after my diagnosis, I was looking to buy some more time before I went up the local crematorium chimney. Doing Ray Charles impersonations or playing the part of Long John Silver held no appeal, so I had a Google around. Jeez what an eye opener.
I found the diet I had been recommended was so far away from right, my healthcare team might as well recommended I take up a crack cocaine habit. I am suffering from a chronic disease with an inability to process carbohydrates and I am told to base my meals on them. Were they trying to kill me ? Had I met my diabetes nurse in another life, and left her for a younger woman ? No, almost everyone gets the same idiotic advice. OK I got lucky, I found a guy called Fergus Craig, a long term lowcarbing diabetic, he put me straight. Six days and virtually no carbs later, I was seeing 4’s and fives on my BG meter.
Three months on, and HbA1c in the fives. My Doctor thought the changes were remarkable and was very interested, until I mentioned the three most hated and feared words in the diabetes professionals world, low carb diet. He went ashen and with a single leap, dived over his desk and attacked me with a fire extinguisher, and then tried to garrotte me with his stethoscope ! OK I jest, but I heard the words so many before and after me have heard, ‘if it works for you stick with it‘, end of appointment. Some time after that session I was having some blood tests done at the surgery, and a phlebotomist said to me, looking at my numbers on her computer, these numbers are amazing, have you told your healthcare team how you achieved them ? She was a lovely lady, so I just said yes.
At this time I decided to join the lowcarb Hezbollah. I teamed up with a few other people and we set up a website and some blogs. What we have achieved controlling our diabetes blows the NHS, DUK and ADA etc. into the weeds. The great thing is, none of us are special and anyone can achieve good control over their diabetes and weight where necessary, but you have to put in some effort. You have to drop the carbs and refined factory produced junk, you may even have to get off your butt. But think about this, you could become medication free (type two’s only) you could take control of your health, you could become independent and not become a slave to big pharma greed and multinational junk food outfits.
Kind regards Eddie
Warning if you have been holding very high blood glucose numbers, reduce your BG numbers and bring them down slowly over weeks or even months. This diet can reduce BG numbers from the twenties to non diabetic in days for some diabetics. This can cause serious eye damage that cannot be repaired. Remember this is not a race, take a little time to get it right. Also, if you are using powerful medication and a high carb diet, and reducing carbs drastically, quickly, your medication must be adjusted accordingly or serious hypo’s could occur. You must test, test and keep on testing until carb intake and med adjustment has levelled out.
I found the diet I had been recommended was so far away from right, my healthcare team might as well recommended I take up a crack cocaine habit. I am suffering from a chronic disease with an inability to process carbohydrates and I am told to base my meals on them. Were they trying to kill me ? Had I met my diabetes nurse in another life, and left her for a younger woman ? No, almost everyone gets the same idiotic advice. OK I got lucky, I found a guy called Fergus Craig, a long term lowcarbing diabetic, he put me straight. Six days and virtually no carbs later, I was seeing 4’s and fives on my BG meter.
Three months on, and HbA1c in the fives. My Doctor thought the changes were remarkable and was very interested, until I mentioned the three most hated and feared words in the diabetes professionals world, low carb diet. He went ashen and with a single leap, dived over his desk and attacked me with a fire extinguisher, and then tried to garrotte me with his stethoscope ! OK I jest, but I heard the words so many before and after me have heard, ‘if it works for you stick with it‘, end of appointment. Some time after that session I was having some blood tests done at the surgery, and a phlebotomist said to me, looking at my numbers on her computer, these numbers are amazing, have you told your healthcare team how you achieved them ? She was a lovely lady, so I just said yes.
At this time I decided to join the lowcarb Hezbollah. I teamed up with a few other people and we set up a website and some blogs. What we have achieved controlling our diabetes blows the NHS, DUK and ADA etc. into the weeds. The great thing is, none of us are special and anyone can achieve good control over their diabetes and weight where necessary, but you have to put in some effort. You have to drop the carbs and refined factory produced junk, you may even have to get off your butt. But think about this, you could become medication free (type two’s only) you could take control of your health, you could become independent and not become a slave to big pharma greed and multinational junk food outfits.
Kind regards Eddie
Warning if you have been holding very high blood glucose numbers, reduce your BG numbers and bring them down slowly over weeks or even months. This diet can reduce BG numbers from the twenties to non diabetic in days for some diabetics. This can cause serious eye damage that cannot be repaired. Remember this is not a race, take a little time to get it right. Also, if you are using powerful medication and a high carb diet, and reducing carbs drastically, quickly, your medication must be adjusted accordingly or serious hypo’s could occur. You must test, test and keep on testing until carb intake and med adjustment has levelled out.