Diabetes Diet War (Hint: High carbing doesn't work)

US News ^ | 7/14/03 | Dara Mayers

[Nov3]

Diabetes diet war
The nutrition advice given to most diabetics might be killing them

By Dara Mayers
The bible says "make starches the star." That's the Diabetes Food and Nutrition Bible, published by the American Diabetes Association. "Grains, beans, and starchy vegetables form the foundation of the Diabetes Food Pyramid. The message is to eat more of these foods than of any of the other food groups." For 17 million Americans with diabetes, diet is a crucial part of treatment, And what the ADA bible preaches, many doctors, nutritionists, and patients believe.

But what if the ADA's high-starch diet--another way of saying high-carbohydrate--is not healthy for people with diabetes but harmful to them instead?

This possibility is now the source of heated debate in the diabetes community. It is "the most controversial aspect of diabetes treatment today," says Scott King, editor-in-chief of Diabetes Interview magazine. How controversial? "Malpractice!" is how physician and diabetes specialist Lois Jovanovic, chief scientific officer of the Sansum Medical Research Institute in Santa Barbara, Calif., describes conventional high-carb nutrition advice.

Excerpted, click for full article

[jennyp]

Hey, has anyone tried those starch blocker pills? I remember reading in the paper recently that they actually do work. They block some enzyme in the small intestine which would normally break down starch into sugar. So the starch gets passed through as if it were fiber. The article said they block up to 2/3 the ingested starch this way.

Yeah, here's the article I was thinking of.

[retrokitten]

If sugar aggravates the conditions so badly, wouldn't a diet low in sugar/carbs be the preventative answer in the first place?

Hey! Stop that logical reasoning!

[Dubya]

Can you eat a small amount of wheat bread with it?
Thanks
Dub

[Edgar3]

Amen! My son was diagnosed with Type 1 at 4 years old. He is 6 now, loves sports and excercises constantly. His sugar still fluctuates up and down and it's hard to keep a handle on it, even though we have done everything by the book(the ADA book, that is). The crap fed to you from the doctors and ADA about diet, etc., is just that. I want to thank whoever posted this article as I have just ordered Dr. Bernstein's book. I look forward to getting my son back into good working order, as well as the rest of us. PyroMan

[Farnham]

That's the real secret to low carb. After you adjust to the diet, you are never hungry. My caloric intake dropped dramatically. I never missed a meal (or snack) in 45 years. when I'm on the diet, I have to force myself to eat twice a day.

[Ladysmith]

Oops! Did I?? Sorry about that. Pass me the donuts, please! ;o)

[Dutchgirl]

I just read through the thread (up to about 102 posts now).

My husband and I started the "Carbohydrate Addicts" diet at the beginning of June. He has lost 25 lbs and I have lost two dress sizes.

His blood pressure has gone from 138/75 to 118/80. Much more significantly, he has lost edema that made it painful to walk.

The daily "reward" meal that allows carbs has been a real life saver, since I can still have my Gewurztraminer and unwind.

Although the doctors who wrote it do not allow sugar substitutes that affect the pancreas, I have been able to satisfy my sweet tooth with stevia, from GNC. I don't think I could stick to it without sweetened iced tea.

[krunkygirl]

Edgar, so sorry to hear about your young son's diagnosis. IB, if you don't mind me asking, how long since your diagnosis? My son just turned 21 and was diagnosed just before his 14th birthday. He is doing very well with LOTS of oversight and help from mom and dad--meticulous daily records of mealtimes, foods eaten and carb's counted. I do know that consistent exercise, when he does it (there were long years of NO exercise early on,) does make a huge difference in lowering his blood sugars and reducing his insulin doses. But, like a dutiful parent following the dictates of his endocrinologists, diabetes nurse ed.'s and dietitians (NONE of whom had ANY personal experience with diabetes!) we have followed a high carb diet...I really want to read Dr. Bernstein's book and see what changes can be safely made. My son is 6ft. 3in. and about 186 lbs.--not overweight--he does consciously watch his fat intake, and that, coupled with more exercise has brought him down from 219 lbs. 2 years ago. At present, he refuses to even consider a pump...

[Old Professer]

Adele Davis died of cancer only weeks after she appeared on the Johnnie Carson Show (Tonight).

[Old Professer]

Adele Davis died of cancer only weeks after she appeared on the Johnnie Carson Show (Tonight).

[Ladysmith]

Much more significantly, he has lost edema that made it painful to walk.

Is that so?! I deal with lymphedema which makes exercising so hard to do. Swimming and biking are the only two things that hasn't caused terrible swelling. I keep wondering if the low carb diet will help this condition and am constantly monitoring it. Any information on how the low carb diet got rid of your husband's edema?

[xm177e2]

What ever happened to just eating right and exercising?

I think the question is, "what exactly constitutes 'eating right?'"

[Old Professer]

Well, you are living proof that popcorn and Diet Coke are not conducive to mental-health.

[Freee-dame]

bump

[Old Professer]

Edema.

[timydnuc]

OK folks I'll conduct a little class in human physiology and biochemistry.

Insulin metabolizes glucose. Thats a fact. Glucose is the final biproduct of carbohydrates, complex carbohydrates, and the breakdown of fat (stored fat). Glucose is necessary for normal body function, but only in certain controlled amounts. Insulin controls the level of glucose in the blood steam, hence the metabolic process, at any given time in the body. When the body takes in too much carbohydrates it converts some to fat (storage) cells, it uses the rest for metabolism. It stores far more that what it uses, unless you are running around the world. Therefore, the intake of carbohyrates means that you WILL need increased insulin to regulate the amount of glucose in your system for normal function of your body.

If your pancreas, especially the Ilets of Langerhans (the cells that produce insulin) are defective or surpressed they will not be able to produce the amounts of insulin to metabolize the rush of glucose that are produced in an big sugar or carbohydrate overload. This is the disease known as "Insulin dependant diabetes". In other words, insulin must be supplimented, by outside means, to assist the body in metabolizing glucose.

Now that you know the facts and our little "secret" (medicine is simple, if you use your brain) what would you think about a high carbohydrate diet for a diabetic? Pretty stupid, huh?

The weight loss system in the eyes of these "clinical dieticians" is unscientific and is now, thank God, being proven flawed and downright wrong. A diet high in protein, fat, and low in carbohydrates (low to the point of none) can manage an insulin dependant diabetic much better than the garbage that has been given the for years.

I wish I could go on and on to explain this but I can't. Not because I don't know, but because I have a chest to refinish for the love of my life. Look up what I have stated here and you will find the truth. It's biochemistry, it's human physiology, it's fact, and it's not that hard to figure out, after your are informed.

[Old Professer]

Radio Shack sells this neat little doorbell that uses batteries; at least they used to.

[SamAdams76]

Congrats on your amazing progress, and good luck getting to your goal. But tell me, how have the eggs and steak been for your cholesterol and, more specifically, your HDL/LDL balance? I have a sneaking suspicion that you're going to tell me that they're much improved, but I need to see it. I would also presume that your triglycerides dropped like a rock.

Well I'm going to tell you that I don't know because I haven't had any blood work since I started this plan. I can tell you that I never had a cholesterol problem before, in fact, my last cholesterol reading was 185 (about a year ago). This is due in part that I have always eaten lots of fish and olive oil (and still do) and I usually have two drinks a night (either beer or wine). This is said to be good for cholesterol.

So I think I am pretty safe for now. If my cholesterol spikes up at the next checkup, I will go easier on the eggs and red meat and bring it down again. But from all that I've read on low-carbing, cholesterol usually improves over time. They say it's not so much the cholesterol you eat that's important but how your body uses the cholesterol it has. Time will tell.

I was (and still am, thanks to the conditioning of the AMA and the various "health" publications) also a low -carb skeptic, but the more that studies show that it works, the more that I want to give it a serious try (I don't have THAT much to lose, maybe 15-20 lbs., but I LOVE my pasta, cereal, lowfat popcorn, etc).

So did I. And like you, I scoffed at low-carb diets in the past because the medical community never endorsed it and kept pushing their food pyramids. I also loved my pasta, rice, pretzels, etc. But after three months, I just don't miss them anymore. Especially now that I am 50+ pounds lighter. I wouldn't go back to the weight I was for anything.

[Old Professer]

What are you, about 5 feet tall?

[.38sw]

I started low-carbing several weeks ago. I don't know how much weight I've lost, because I don't have a scale, but my clothes are fitting more loosely. I also walk 3 miles/day. I had a dr. appoint a few weeks after I started - cholesterol 183, HDL/LDL ration excellent. The cholesterol level is down a few points from the last time I had it checked, which was quite a while ago. I'm not doing Atkins, I tried it, but it was too extreme for me. I'm using a different one - Body RX by Dr. Scott Connolly, which is sorta low carb, is high protein, retrictive on saturated fats. Not hard for me to follow - mostly cut out the starchy vegetables, and white starches like rice, potatoes and pasta. You can even cheat a little on the weekend. It sure seems to be working for me, and is something I can live with.