THE LOW CARB DIABETIC

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THE LOW CARB DIABETIC

Promoting a low carb high fat lifestyle for the safe control of diabetes. Eat whole fresh food, more drugs are not the answer.


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    “Long is the way. And hard. That out of hell leads up to light”

    Eddie
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    Post by Eddie Sun Nov 02 2014, 11:28

    I have used that quote from Milton before on forums and blogs. To some it may seem a bit heavy, or over the top, but trust me, diabetes can be a living hell for some. Two weeks after my diagnosis of type two diabetes, I buried my Father. He was a type two diabetic, and his last fifteen years were blighted with diabetic complications. Two heart attacks, a diabetic foot, and a once very strong man reduced to a physical wreck. This did not need to be. He came from a generation who believed Doctors and medical people were above reproach and followed their instructions to the letter. The standard NHS diet for diabetics and took his medication religiously. When he finally checked out, he was using insulin and ten different medications, he was a credit to big pharma.

    I was given the standard NHS diabetic dietary information, a prescription for two metformin a day, and told to come back in three months time. This is pretty routine in the UK as can be seen on forums and blogs. Well, that was easy, sorted eh ? no way. Following the NHS diet and taking my metformin, my BG numbers never got better than twelve. Very basic research had informed me these sort of numbers lead to diabetic complications. I joined a forum and it was one of the best and luckiest decisions of my life. I say lucky, because just as I joined, a man called Fergus Craig had just joined. Fergus was a long term type one diabetic. He had gone from obesity, poor control and the onset of complications, to safe weight, and HbA1c in the fours. From crashing his car into a lamp post, due to a hypo, to riding in 100 mile bike races and running marathons. He achieved this remarkable turn around by way of a strict Bernstein level lowcarb high fat diet. His teachings made perfect sense to me, and I gave low carb a try, I was I believe his first lowcarb disciple, and I reported my success on the forum.(My success stories and over 2000 of my posts were deleted by a forum mod) as some members of this forum can testify.  By lowcarbing, my HbA1c had gone from almost twelve (BG 26) to in the fives within three months, fasting  BG from12-14 to 4-6, trigs from over three to less than 1, and around 50lbs in weight lost. Other newly diagnosed forum diabetics achieved the same great results as me. People like Wiflib, Ian D, John Wilson, Ray Davies, Graham and many more.

    So many posting great success stories, many on nil or minimal meds. So many reporting non diabetic BG numbers and easy weight loss, it was brilliant, Fergus had shown us the Holy Grail, who could argue with the lowcarb way of life, what could possibly go wrong ? I consider myself a street wise sort of guy, not easily taken in or fooled, but Jeez, how naive was I, when it came to the crazy world of diabetes. Almost immediately, Fergus and his new recruits came under attack. Forum mods to fellow diabetics and even a Dietician, put the boot in at every opportunity. Lowcarb antis, trolls and all sorts came out of the woodwork. To cut a long story short. Fergus walked, some of us lowcarbers got banned, and the lunatics took over the asylum. History has repeated itself on countless occasions. Other staunch lowcarb promoters have been banned and the lunacy continues to the present day.

    Eddie

    Read Fergus’ stunning and uplifting story here http://www.dsolve.com/sucess-stories/199-fergus
    Sally
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    Post by Sally Sun Nov 02 2014, 19:22

    Thanks for that link, Eddie, I found your story and Fergus' very interesting, also, the associated site looks well worth while having a good long read through.  However, one thing I have come across on it has puzzled me.  Under "Warnings" about a low carb diet, it says,
    "If you are taking medication to control your blood sugar or blood pressure, you will need to quickly reduce the dosage and may need to discontinue these meds altogether if you significantly restrict your carbohydrate intake."
    The blood sugar meds, I understand, but why would you need to reduce blood pressure meds quickly?  Clearly resultant weight loss from low carb, will probably bring down blood pressure, but I would have thought this would be a slow process.  Anyone got any experience or thoughts on this?
    Sally
    zand
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    Post by zand Sun Nov 02 2014, 19:59

    No hard facts Sally. Just a little experience. I was morbidly obese, taking 4 different blood pressure tablets (low doses on all 4). I did LC (HF at times too) I lost minimal weight (7 lbs in 2 years) I was able to give up 2 of the BP tablets. I tried again changing things around a little and checking calories too. I lost a further 2 stones 5 pounds in 6 months so I am now merely seriously obese lol! The only tablets I take now are anti-depressants.

    I intend to follow LCHF 'properly again' when I feel able to, as I am sure this is the right way. At the moment however, counselling is taking up a lot of my energy and I am drifting a little. I'll be back soon though. Smile

    So I suppose my experience does seem to agree with what the quote said because my blood pressure was improved by low carbing even though I didn't lose much weight to start with, but it's not a scientific reply! Sorry! It could simply be that I ate less salt when low carbing ?
    Jan1
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    Post by Jan1 Sun Nov 02 2014, 20:12

    @Zand - I've only just met you on this forum so know little about your health, problems life etc.

    But you are a great member with a lot to give and I am sorry to hear you are on anti-depressants.

    Counselling seems to have come to the for (front) in recent years and I do hope you are finding it helpful. It perhaps does no good to do what we Brits are good at 'Keeping a stiff upper lip' - talking and working through problems helps.......only my point of view not everyone may agree.

    I wish you good health and

    All the best Jan
    Eddie
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    Post by Eddie Sun Nov 02 2014, 20:13

    Hi Sally

    A pre diabetic or full blown diagnosed type two diabetic is suffering from what the medical researcher and MD Gerald Reaven called metabolic syndrome x. The usual situation is excess body fat, elevated BG levels, high blood pressure, and elevated trigs, low HDL and high insulin resistance. It is very common with a low carb diet a person begins to lose weight as they do so, BG can reduce very quickly often from very high numbers to non diabetic within days or weeks. As BG falls very often BP can return to normal and safe trig numbers and improved HDL is also a common situation.

    High blood glucose is only a symptom of a disease or medical complication, it is not a disease. The disease is high insulin resistance, hence treating type two diabetics with insulin and many type two meds only makes the disease worse because it is only treating the symptom. Much in the same way painkillers may reduce pain in a septic finger but will never cure the infection, only antibiotics will bring about a cure.

    A heavily overweight type two diabetic can have up to three times the blood insulin levels as a slim non diabetic, the last thing they need is more insulin and drugs that induce or mimic insulin. It’s a vicious circle and over time many type two’s knock their pancreas out and have no choice but injected insulin. In view of what I have said re. metabolic syndrome x you can see why it is a downward spiral for so many diabetics. All too often when a person get’s their BG down to safe levels by way of diet and exercise everything else falls into place. For type two diabetics ramming BG numbers down with insulin and type two meds is a disaster, as proved without doubt in the ACCORD study.

    Regards Eddie
    zand
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    Post by zand Sun Nov 02 2014, 20:21

    Jan1 wrote:@Zand - I've only just met you on this forum so know little about your health, problems life etc.

    But you are a great member with a lot to give and I am sorry to hear you are on anti-depressants.

    Counselling seems to have come to the for (front) in recent years and I do hope you are finding it helpful. It perhaps does no good to do what we Brits are good at 'Keeping a stiff upper lip' - talking and working through problems helps.......only my point of view not everyone may agree.

    I wish you good health and

    All the best Jan


    Thanks Jan, you are very kind. I wish I had taken anti-depressants years ago - maybe 18 years ago. Yes the counselling is really helpful. It is at my GP's surgery, but I can only have 8 sessions there (I've had 3 so far), I think I will need more than that, so I will have to look for someone else later on.

    When I have more energy I'll introduce myself properly and then you will all get bored hearing about it Smile
    Jan1
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    Post by Jan1 Sun Nov 02 2014, 20:29

    zand wrote:
    Jan1 wrote:@Zand - I've only just met you on this forum so know little about your health, problems life etc.

    But you are a great member with a lot to give and I am sorry to hear you are on anti-depressants.

    Counselling seems to have come to the for (front) in recent years and I do hope you are finding it helpful. It perhaps does no good to do what we Brits are good at 'Keeping a stiff upper lip' - talking and working through problems helps.......only my point of view not everyone may agree.

    I wish you good health and

    All the best Jan
     

    Thanks Jan, you are very kind.  I wish I had taken anti-depressants years ago - maybe 18 years ago.  Yes the counselling is really helpful.  It is at my GP's surgery, but I can only have 8 sessions there (I've had 3 so far), I think I will need more than that, so I will have to look for someone else later on.

    When I have more energy I'll introduce myself properly and then you will all get bored hearing about it  Smile


    So pleased to hear the counselling is helping. With anything, GP's have limited funds so whether it's counselling, physiotherapy, occupational therapy etc appointments are time and money availablity driven .... a shame but that is how things are.  

    There are so many vital 'add on' services that are so helpful to patients and the local community, that are being cut ......but guess that is another bug bear!

    Keep talking I'm sure you will find it helpful.

    All the best Jan
    Andy12345
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    Post by Andy12345 Sun Nov 02 2014, 20:54

    I'm sorry to say the posts here are too long for my brain, but regards the bp meds, my bp was 250/150 before dx, now it's 120ish/70ish I take a tiny dose 2.5 of lisinopril because they apparently protect the liver
    zand
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    Post by zand Sun Nov 02 2014, 21:00

    I didn't like the tablets that ended in '....pril' They all made me cough a lot.
    Andy12345
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    Post by Andy12345 Mon Nov 03 2014, 07:25

    never had a cough.... my egfr number for kidneys was 60 when diagnosed its still the same now which is why i take them, no idea if it makes a difference
    zand
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    Post by zand Mon Nov 03 2014, 07:38

    Andy12345 wrote:never had a cough.... my egfr number for kidneys was 60 when diagnosed its still the same now which is why i take them, no idea if it makes a difference

    My egfr number on diagnosis was 63 and now it's >90.

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