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Dear VBH,

I in fact agree with everything you say, I just use Atkins and Protein Power as "for examples" (I did use Atkins when I first started Controlled carbing 12 years ago). As you say, at the end of the day, you need to do what works best for you. You may have noticed that I have been "peddling" a paper that I sent to Diabetes UK in an attempt to get them to offer a CONTROLLED carb approach. In it I do avoid the use of such emotive terms as "Atkins", I think you would find it interesting. Send me a private message with your E-Mail address and I'll send you a copy.

Regards Dodger
 
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PM sent. should make interesting reading, ta.
 
I have been reading this thread with a large amount of puzzlement :confused:
Back in 1066 when I was diagnosed as a small child I was allowed carbs but a limit was put on each meal.
Now I never missed out on anything food wise as a child.
I still have an upper limit to the amount of carbs I eat in one meal.
Over 70 carbs and blood sugars go heywire :(
44 years on insulin and I do not have any complications. So something must be right in this theory.
Interestingly I have all the cookery books from the BDA from years past.
And do you know what. They are all lower carb versions of what is found on the shelves in the shops now days.

It's simple logic. The more carbs the more insulin required. Which in turn leaves more room for error IE, High blood sugars or lows.
The more insulin you use the bigger the chance of getting scar tissure which also makes aborption very hit and miss. Thus you end up with unexplaind highs and lows. Which leads to uncontrolled diabetes.
 
Managed carbs

Hi

Like VBH I too manage my carb intake.

It took about a month of intensive testing to alter my diet initially and then spot testing of "new" foods which I still do. I don't feel I miss out and after 7 months what I eat feels normal now - the only probs I have are meeting lunches that tend to be carbs carbs carbs.

What I am now finding with a much lower A1c is that I can introduce things that I banned at the beginning and I am finding that in some meal combinations I can eat small portions which is great eg with smoked haddock & veg I can now have a tablespoon of mash which I love but I can't eat it with anything else!

A side effect of managed carbs has been weight loss too.

I haven't used a book, don't weigh anything just use my meter to tell me what foods do to me. I did write down everything I ate in the first month with my bg readings. I now only do so when I have a high that I am not happy with to remind myself what I ate.

I would say managed carbing is well worth it
 
Hi everyone,

I'm new here, and this looks like a good place to start.
I'm having great success with a low carb diet too, no thanks to my medical team at all, ta very much!
Last 4 HbA1c's have been below 5% and I'm feeling good.
I'd be very interested to see your paper too, Dodger.

Cheers,

ikeymo
 
ikeymo said:
Hi everyone,

I'm new here, and this looks like a good place to start.
I'm having great success with a low carb diet too, no thanks to my medical team at all, ta very much!
Last 4 HbA1c's have been below 5% and I'm feeling good.
I'd be very interested to see your paper too, Dodger.

Cheers,

ikeymo
Click to expand...

Hi ikeymo! Goodness - below 5%? I don't think I've ever heard of an HbA1c that low! Thought I was doing well at 5.4%!🙂
 
Hi Northener,

Yes, last HbA1c's have been, in reverse order, 4.4, 4.9, 4.7, 4.7.
Insulin on a typcal day levemir basal, 4 units at bedtime, 4 units in the morning, Humalog 3 units at breakfast and 2.5 at lunch, Humulin 7 units at dinner.
I'm amazed at the amount of insulin some of you you guys are using! Isn't that very harmful?

ikeymo
 
Quite, aymes!😉

What I meant was that it seems high levels of insulin seem to be linked to all sorts of long term problems - obesity, heart disease, vascular damage, hypertension and so on. The usual complications.
I was also reading about the links between insulin levels and the rate at which we age.
All of this stuf seems to support the idea that carb restriction is the best strategy.
What do you think?

ikeymo
 
ikeymo said:
Quite, aymes!😉

What I meant was that it seems high levels of insulin seem to be linked to all sorts of long term problems - obesity, heart disease, vascular damage, hypertension and so on. The usual complications.
I was also reading about the links between insulin levels and the rate at which we age.
All of this stuf seems to support the idea that carb restriction is the best strategy.
What do you think?

ikeymo
Click to expand...

My take on it is that carb restriction is a great strategy for those who wish to (and are disciplined enough!) use it but it's certainly not the only approach. I think we all consciously or otherwise take the decision on what 'sacrifices' (for lack of a better word) we choose to take to achieve a diabetic control and life balance. Personally, I'm unwilling to restrict myself in terms of my carb intake, and due to the level of exercise I do (running usually) it would probably be unwise, and I have a level of control I am happy with, but of course everyone is different and carb restriction may be less of a 'sacrifice' (I need a better word!) for others than it is for me currently. I have in the past taken a low carb approach which worked fine but now I go more for low GI than low carb which I find works just as well, again a personal thing!
In terms of high levels of insulin being linked to various long term conditions, I do think I'm quite a sceptic of a lot of these studies anyway but I've never come across anything that has convinced me I need to rethink my approach yet, but of course never say never....!
 
Hi aymes,

Yeah, it pays to be open minded I guess. Unless you're a GP that is.🙄
I think I have a growing conviction that low carb is the way to go for me. I run and cycle long distances and am finding my stamina improving on a low carb diet.
The insulin question interests me though. I've read quite a number of different studies in different fields in which the consensus seems very strong that diseases such as CHD, Alzheimer's, cancers as well as metabolic syndrome rise in relation to insulin levels.
Since insulin levels are something I have direct control over as a type 1, it seems to me a sensible strategy for long term health.
The grub's not bad either!

ikeymo
 
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