Just read something interesting for us newbies

[Chris300185]

I've just been researching what carbs do when they enter our body. I'm new to this diabetes malarky and keep reading about low carb high fat diets, however have been told by my doctor to have a balanced diet. I understand the LCHF has worked for many people. I however, have ketones present. They have dropped to "traces" but this article i've just read from a US diabetes site explains about how low carbs could produce more ketones.
http://www.diabetesforecast.org/201...-fats.html?referrer=https://www.google.co.uk/

Therefore, for me personally, i'm going to stick with the balanced diet including carbs for now.
This may help any other newbies who are unsure, it might not. As said many times before, each body is different and reacts in different ways, so please don't take this as gospel, or advice. Just some findings i'm sharing 😉

 

[Ljc]

Hi @Chris300185 Thanks for this.
I thought you might like to read this,
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes_care/testing-for-ketones.html
Quite a way down there is info on levels of keytones and what to do if they are high.

 

[trophywench]

There are ketones and ketones LOL

If you aren't D and go on a no carb diet, you'll get ketones. 'Dietary' ones that always mean that your body - not being able to get energy from carbs will get some from the proteins and fat you eat, but will also start to consume anything else available - hopefully if you've cut the carbs purely to lose weight - your own body fat.

However - if you concurrently have higher than ideal blood glucose, indicating you don't have enough insulin (or your body has resistance to that insulin which prevents it working properly) you still get ketones but they will soon start to send your bloodstream acidic, and thence start to poison and impair all your organs and innards - Diabetic Ketoacidosis.

It is essential to achieve a happy medium in this minefield !

LCHF is a bit of a misnomer really. Low ER carb if you eat a lot of carb in the first place, and Moderate fat is more like it - plus whatever protein fibre and trace elements your body needs to stay healthy.

 

[Martin Canty]

Ketones are produced as a byproduct of metabolizing fat, pretty much everyone will have ketones present at some stage, particularly after exercise.

Nutritional Ketosis is where the ketone levels are maintained at small to moderate, this is a great area to be in as carb intake to fat is balanced and indicates that the body is keto adapted & using fat for fuel. Important for us D's as we cannot process excess carbs like normal people.
People confuse the presence of ketones as being an indication of DKA, this is not the case, excessive ketones can lead to DKA but ketosis is perfectly natural & part of the bodies metabolic process.

 

[mikeyB]

Though the brain runs on glucose, and only glucose. That's why T1s take simple sugars or glucose to correct hypos, and get the brain working again. It's also why repeated hypos can knock off brain cells permanently.

 

[KookyCat]

Interesting stuff isn't it Chris? It's also why I believe people should be encouraged to read around the subject of food when drastically changing their diet. There's often comments on LCHF sites for example about the body producing its own glucose, it can and does so nobody is telling fibs, but it actually takes a fair bit of protein to make glucose, and if there's not enough protein going in the body will use stores and we store protein as muscle. During DKA I lost a huge amount of muscle by virtue of that process. Personally I think balanced diets are a better option, but this is only personal opinion of course, by balanced I don't mean high carb low fat or high fat low carb I mean just the right amount of both plus protein for my specific needs. I was thinking just the other day that it's a shame there isn't some reliable content appraising the different diets complete with associated risks and benefits that isn't allied to a specific dietary regime, so an outline of the dietary principles, the biochemistry of it, the potential risks, the potential benefits. Bit like a catalogue so people could make informed choices and know the content is reliable and safe.

To be absolutely clear I'm neither for or against any dietary choice whether that be LCHF, HCLF or MCMF (moderate carb, moderate fat 😉), I just think there's a distinct lack of clear information that isn't tinged by over zealous enthusiasm from people who are far more committed to a diet as a lifestyle choice than I ever could be (my brain isn't made for such unswaying enthusiasm). Let us know how you go with it all 🙂

 

[grovesy]

I was suprised when I recently read Dr David Cavan Reverse Diabetes that he also against too restrictive eating as it is not sustainable for most. I personally have found that moderation is more sustainable for my self.

 

[Ljc]

I too think moderation is best for me.

 

[Stitch147]

I am the same, I follow a balanced diet and have reduced the amount of carbs that I eat.

 

[Ditto]

Dr A says not to fear nor mix up ketones with ketoacidosis. Different things altogether. 🙂

 

[Martin Canty]

It's also why I believe people should be encouraged to read around the subject of food when drastically changing their diet

I absolutely agree, I did a lot of reading before deciding to go Low Carb, in the course of that research I realized that it was the direction I was heading in anyway. My advice is to always read up on a subject.

 

[Lucy Honeychurch]

I eat less carbs now too.

 

[Jeffrey Forward]

T2 here.
I eat a reduced carb diet, and have a portion control plate (Diet Plate).
Changes to my diet over the last 4 to 5 years and I think I have something that works well for me.
My weight and blood sugars have been steady declining. I've increased my activity, and generally feel well.

I think It's really a matter of finding something that works, and sticking with it.