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

[Jeff Chandler]

A chart she give us? Oy vey!

[M. Peach]

I've tried every diet you can imagine, including the Optifast (Oprah diet) where you only drink shakes. Nothing worked until I tried Atkins.

The amazing this is that since I've cut out almost all carbs, I don't crave food constantly. Sometimes I have to force myself to eat. I personally believe that carbs are the main cause of food cravings.

I exercise regularly, diet constantly and never lost until Atkins. I lost about 20 in the first month, and have managed to keep it off now for close to 8 months.

[Jeff Chandler]

give = gives

[netmilsmom]

Jenny!!!
Congrats!
I hope to do as well.
Keep up the good work.

[Brett66]

I put myself on a low fat diet right after Christmas and I've lost 37 pounds. I'm kind of stuck at 175 lbs. now, but that's not even overweight depending on which height/weight chart you go by. I think I might switch over to a carb conscious diet now but I'm at more of a maintenance stage, I don't really need to lose a lot of weight. I'm still formulating what eating habits I need to establish to keep my weight off, losing weight isn't as important now since I'm not overweight anymore. Though I would like to lose about 7-10 more pounds to put myself well below my maximum weight. I guess I need to research this a little bit, I'm more interested in the energy aspects and not feeling hungry parts of dieting now.

[A_perfect_lady]

You lost 20 lbs in one month?? I am very, very jealous. But yes, I think the carbs cause the cravings too.

[Brett66]

BTW, how does pizza rate with carb intake? Someone please tell me it's low on carbs. I crave this one food more than every other.

[netmilsmom]

If you have never stared at losing big weight, you cannot relate. Sorry, knowing someone who has is not the same.

I went from 205 to 105. Just cutting calories and walking didn't do it. Be the only big person at the health club and see how you feel. It is degrading to be stared at or laughed at. The kind people look away.

20 pounds is hard. 100 pounds is depressing. And it was my father's death and my own comfort in food that got me there. Antidepressants can do that to you.

Try doing Christmas and not eating. Try doing Thanksgiving and not eating. Try being from a true Polish family, who think you are just fine and explain why you are not eating the fatty foods auntie spent all night preparing. All the while dying to have just one of anything. Food is everywhere, it's not like quitting smoking. Food cannot be obstained from. Or one's hair falls out and your bowels shut down.

Yes, the reward is great. But day in and day out of denial is not fun.
Also plateaus suck....

[Jeff Chandler]

>>BTW, how does pizza rate with carb intake? <<

I have good news, and I have bad news. The bad news is the pizza crust is sky high in carbs. The good news is the sauce, cheese, and toppings ain't bad...sooo... I just ignore my mother's voice in the back of my conscience mumbling something about starving children and...eat everything but the crust like a spoiled child.

[netmilsmom]

And to add into this is the brainwashing that is happening to our girls.
I took my three year old to the doctor today for a well baby check up. This doctor told me that my three year old is at the 94 percentile for height and off the charts for weight. I should watch her weight. SHE'S THREE!
BTW that off the charts was the 100.4 percentile. She is 41 inches and 42 pounds.
Who has a problem????

[Ladysmith]

Atkins' book addresses the slow weight loss issues. Three situations were slowing my weight loss: high yeast in which I cut out all cheeses except mozarella and cream cheese, vinegary foods, and mushrooms; lack of nutrition so am taking the supplements he recommends; and NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) for an arthritic knee - now I'm taking glucosamin and occasionally Aleve for any pain or discomfort. I had a problem with constipation so now take 2 Metamucil capsules each meal.

Since April, I've lost 25.8 pounds. My main goal is to get my health back, diabetes is a risk in my family, and my body has been trashed by all those high carb, sugary diets. I have a host of weight-related problems. Atkins has been the first nutritional plan that's done any good for me where my body feels like it's finally in a healing process. Weight loss happens to be a bonus.

There's alot that irks me about the current food pyramid. My mom has dealt with alot of health issues (arthritis, high blood pressure, digestive problems, yeast problems, cloresterol, etc.) and each time she is told to cut out the sugar (read carbs.) If sugar aggravates the conditions so badly, wouldn't a diet low in sugar/carbs be the preventative answer in the first place?

[StoneColdTaxHater]

All you need to do is look at ARNOLD and other body builders to see the benefit of a high protein, exercise rich life style. Protein helps build muscle, muscle burns fat. Kind of makes sense doesn't it. Hey while we are suing MickeyD's let's sue the grain growers for filling us full of addicting carbs and the ADA for going along with it.

[Brett66]

Well that's pretty good news, maybe I could eat a couple of thin crusts and a couple of stripped pizzas. Such food is definately forbidden on the classic calorie/fat diets.

[M. Peach]

I really worked out regularly, cut out carbs completely and sugar the best I could. I was ecstatic, because after age set in, nothing else ever worked for me.

With my size, I would fluctuate 5 pounds in a day. I could gain 10 pounds in a week if I ate everything I wanted to. I think it is probably due to the fact that I've been a jock all of my life, and ate lots of food until I got older when I noticed I had to eat less and less to maintain my weight.

[retrokitten]

That's great! Thanks so much for the encouraging words, too!

[jennyp]

I have good news, and I have bad news. The bad news is the pizza crust is sky high in carbs. The good news is the sauce, cheese, and toppings ain't bad...sooo... I just ignore my mother's voice in the back of my conscience mumbling something about starving children and...eat everything but the crust like a spoiled child.

When we do pizza (once in a while), we order double pepperoni and don't eat the crust heels. This way the amount of protein at least starts to approach the amount of carbs in the crust. Plus we spread out the leftovers over a few days. Still, I gain a pound or two while doing this. (But it's worth it. :-)

Speaking of not eating the crust, you mentioned hamburgers a while back. According to the news articles I archive at my low-carb site (see tagline), many restaurants are reporting customers ordering hamburgers wrapped in lettuce instead of the bun. I could never do that. It's way too messy. I simply rip off whatever part of the bun is sticking out the most as I go along. I end up with maybe 1/2 the bun on pieces on my plate.

Also another simple change: When I'm at a restaurant & they ask for my potato choice, I often ask for a sliced tomato instead.

[Jeff Chandler]

>>..it's not like quitting smoking. Food cannot be obstained from. <<

True.


>>If you have never stared at losing big weight, you cannot relate..<<

Not true. I have lived with morbidly obese people. People I love.



>>Try doing Christmas and not eating. <<

Any diet which denies you a little (emphasis on LITTLE)bit of slack on a special occasion is not reasonable, and will be very difficult to maintain. It makes more sense to set reasonable limits for yourself and stick to them.

The testimony of many of this thread's posters should give you hope. The Atkins method seems very promising.

>>Also plateaus suck.... <<

You're climbing a very tall mountain. You will have to cross a few plateaus along the way. My point is that you can get discouraged if you keep looking up at the peak. Just keep hiking!


>>Be the only big person at the health club and see how you feel<<

Screw the health club! Why not find other ways to exercise than surrounded by shallow narcissists?

[Ladysmith]

Even after months on this diet, the carb cravings are still an uphill battle in the evening. I think I found a couple solutions. First, save my Atkins bar for the evening cravings. Second, I found a cereal called Hi-Lo by Back to Nature. I have that with diluted heavy cream (to replace the sugary milk.) Of course, this cereal doesn't have that great taste you get with "Double Chocolate Sugar Bomb" cereal but it's the sacrifice I can make for results.

[Jeff Chandler]

>>All you need to do is look at ARNOLD and other body builders <<

Ouch! Bad example (steroids).

[jennyp]

Oops, the previous post was for you too. (But my technique of eating half the crust probably isn't strict enough if you eat pizza often.)