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-   -   Can LC reverse diabetes, type 2, normal weight ? (http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=472961)

rider44 Sat, Apr-09-16 06:13

Can LC reverse diabetes, type 2, normal weight ?
 
Hi,

I am new to this forum, my interest is to reverse my diabetes so that I don't have to take medication anymore.

I am type 2 for 15 years, BMI around 22, maintaining 1-2 hour excises daily, on oral medications, including metformin 1000mg/daily; and glipizide. My blood sugar level is still high, 3 month average is around 7.5.


Have two questions:
1. Seems for many people in this forum, they want to lose weight via LC diet, not really reverse diabetes, am I right?

2. Any success stories of reversing diabetes via LC diet in this forum?

Thanks in advance :)

JEY100 Sat, Apr-09-16 06:23

Welcome Rider.

Short answers to your ?
1. No
2. Yes

Start at the Diabetes Forum. http://forum.lowcarber.org/forumdisplay.php?f=45

Watch this 16 minute TEDtalk http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=467426 and then review a few pages of other current threads.

Join DietDoctor (first month free) and watch Dr. Westman, Dr. Wortman, Dr. Noakes and Dr. Fung talks on it. http://www.dietdoctor.com/diabetes

I have tons more resources, but these are a good start. Also there are FB groups for the sole purpose of Reversing Diabetes.

Later Edit: Is the book/plan you are following Annika Dahlqvist's? Are you in Sweden? It should be similar to Diet Doctor's Two week challenge...that is Dr. Westman's clinic plan, but I have never seen the book.

Look all around, All the best

ojoj Sat, Apr-09-16 07:12

If you look at this whole type two diabetes thing logically -

If you have say, a peanut allergy or a gluten allergy .................you dont eat peanuts or gluten!

So if you have a sugar allergy, because your insulin cant process it properly, then logic says, dont eat it.

Maybe this is a simplistic view, but there are reasons why your body is reacting against sugar, so its got to be best that you avoid it - and of course carbs, which also need insulin. I dont get why the medical profession have made it more complicated than this????

Many years ago (14 years??) I was diagnosed as insulin resistant and my doctor told me that I was well on the way to needing metformin, but I stopped eating sugar/carbs and started this way of eating and since then, its never been a problem

Jo xxx

teaser Sat, Apr-09-16 07:20

Lowered carbohydrate intake should lower insulin requirements after meals--fat or thin, and whether you're making the insulin yourself or injecting, this should remain true. Not needing to lose weight really shouldn't affect this. That isn't quite diabetes reversal--it's eating within your body's ability to manage blood glucose with reasonable amounts of insulin, for a lot of people that's probably good enough, as long as they stay on the diet.

Also--being normal body weight doesn't necessarily mean that you don't have excess fat in your liver or pancreas, fat there probably matters more than subcutaneous fat as far as diabetes goes.

http://press.endocrine.org/doi/abs/...5.OABA.6.PP07-3

This is a study in obese children with fructose restriction but not calorie restriction, with the diet adjusted to prevent weight loss. Liver fat went down 29.5 percent in ten days--showing that you can target this sort of fat without overall weightloss.

JuliaR Sat, Apr-09-16 07:31

Hi rider! I have had diabetes for 10 years. In that time I've been in a few states - controlled with meds, controlled with LC diet, and out of control - but I won't ever "reverse" my diabetes. It will always be with me.

My goal is to control my BG with diet and exercise as much as possible. Losing weight will help, too. My hope is to stop the progression of the disease so it doesn't get worse, and avoid complications down the line. My first priority is "eating to my meter" - meaning eating only things with minimal impact on my BG. Losing weight is second to that, but fortunately the LC diet that controls my BG also helps me lose weight. :)

Good luck to you, and welcome!

rider44 Sat, Apr-09-16 09:13

Quote:
Originally Posted by JEY100
Welcome Rider.

Short answers to your ?
1. No
2. Yes

Start at the Diabetes Forum. http://forum.lowcarber.org/forumdisplay.php?f=45

Watch this 16 minute TEDtalk http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=467426 and then review a few pages of other current threads.

Join DietDoctor (first month free) and watch Dr. Westman, Dr. Wortman, Dr. Noakes and Dr. Fung talks on it. http://www.dietdoctor.com/diabetes

I have tons more resources, but these are a good start. Also there are FB groups for the sole purpose of Reversing Diabetes.

Later Edit: Is the book/plan you are following Annika Dahlqvist's? Are you in Sweden? It should be similar to Diet Doctor's Two week challenge...that is Dr. Westman's clinic plan, but I have never seen the book.

Look all around, All the best


Hi, Janet

Thanks for your points, very helpful for me to get started in this forum. I have not started any LC plan yet, like to learn more and then choose suitable ways to reverse my diabetes, that's my purpose to join the forum.

Yes, I have watched a few youtube video, but still not sure if LC alone can reverse diabetes.

Definitely I will check the FB group, will learn more from you.

Best regards

rider44 Sat, Apr-09-16 09:17

Quote:
Originally Posted by ojoj
If you look at this whole type two diabetes thing logically -

If you have say, a peanut allergy or a gluten allergy .................you dont eat peanuts or gluten!

So if you have a sugar allergy, because your insulin cant process it properly, then logic says, dont eat it.

Maybe this is a simplistic view, but there are reasons why your body is reacting against sugar, so its got to be best that you avoid it - and of course carbs, which also need insulin. I dont get why the medical profession have made it more complicated than this????

Many years ago (14 years??) I was diagnosed as insulin resistant and my doctor told me that I was well on the way to needing metformin, but I stopped eating sugar/carbs and started this way of eating and since then, its never been a problem

Jo xxx


Hi, Jo

Great to know your success! I don't east much sugar, but do eat a lot carbs, that's why I am very interested in this forum to learn how to reverse my diabetes.

Thanks

rider44 Sat, Apr-09-16 09:32

Quote:
Originally Posted by JuliaR
Hi rider! I have had diabetes for 10 years. In that time I've been in a few states - controlled with meds, controlled with LC diet, and out of control - but I won't ever "reverse" my diabetes. It will always be with me.

My goal is to control my BG with diet and exercise as much as possible. Losing weight will help, too. My hope is to stop the progression of the disease so it doesn't get worse, and avoid complications down the line. My first priority is "eating to my meter" - meaning eating only things with minimal impact on my BG. Losing weight is second to that, but fortunately the LC diet that controls my BG also helps me lose weight. :)

Good luck to you, and welcome!


Fully agree your points. For your "eating to my meter", do you have to monitor BG level very closely? Say, how many times per day?

The reason that I want to reverse my diabetes is that nowadays many people claim diabetes can be reversed, I thought it would be great! That's why I come to this forum to learn as much as I can, or at least to learn from people like you to manage my diabetes better.

Thanks for your points, very helpful.

rider44 Sat, Apr-09-16 09:45

Quote:
Originally Posted by teaser
Lowered carbohydrate intake should lower insulin requirements after meals--fat or thin, and whether you're making the insulin yourself or injecting, this should remain true. Not needing to lose weight really shouldn't affect this. That isn't quite diabetes reversal--it's eating within your body's ability to manage blood glucose with reasonable amounts of insulin, for a lot of people that's probably good enough, as long as they stay on the diet.

Also--being normal body weight doesn't necessarily mean that you don't have excess fat in your liver or pancreas, fat there probably matters more than subcutaneous fat as far as diabetes goes.

http://press.endocrine.org/doi/abs/...5.OABA.6.PP07-3

This is a study in obese children with fructose restriction but not calorie restriction, with the diet adjusted to prevent weight loss. Liver fat went down 29.5 percent in ten days--showing that you can target this sort of fat without overall weightloss.


My hope is to maintain better BG level by taking LC diet, and without taking oral medicine, plan to reduce my carb intake first and then closely watch my BG level. Before taking any action like to learn as much as I can from the forum.

Thanks

bluesinger Sat, Apr-09-16 09:51

There is a thread here on this forum which addresses reversal of T2D:
http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthre...t=472377&page=1

Many of us, diabetic and non-diabetic practice IF, based on Dr. Fung's protocol. You can buy the book or view his blog, which goes back several years. It's very informative.

Intensive Dietary Management

JuliaR Sat, Apr-09-16 09:53

Quote:
Originally Posted by rider44
Fully agree your points. For your "eating to my meter", do you have to monitor BG level very closely? Say, how many times per day?

The reason that I want to reverse my diabetes is that nowadays many people claim diabetes can be reversed, I thought it would be great! That's why I come to this forum to learn as much as I can, or at least to learn from people like you to manage my diabetes better.

Thanks for your points, very helpful.


There are people who say you can reverse diabetes but it's never happened for me - even at a healthy weight with ample exercise. None of my doctors has ever seen it happen, either. But if it does someday in the future, great surprise! :D

I test as follows:
First, I get a fasting number as soon as I'm up. If I don't feel well, I test to make sure I'm not too low or high. I may test before bed, too; if my number at that time is low enough I might have a snack to keep my body busy for a while, which may result in a lower fasting number the next day.

Then I test around meals. I know how most foods affect my BG now, but if it's a new food (or I've changed medication or something) I test immediately before eating, one hour after the first bite, and again two hours after the first bite. So for instance:
12:00 noon - Right before I eat, tells me where I'm starting
1:00 pm - Tells me roughly the peak, or how high the spike was from what I ate
2:00 pm - I should be back to where I was at noon

If the peak number was high, and/or at 2pm I'm not where I think I should be, then I know something about what I ate wasn't great. It could be one ingredient or the whole thing. I'll try again another day, probably one ingredient at a time, until I've figured it out. Some ingredients might be off the table for good as a result, or maybe I find out I can have it but in a smaller portion.

Keeping a journal of all of this while you're learning will help you make better choices in the future.

It's good to note that not all LC foods will impact your BG the same way. There are some LC foods that spike me like crazy, and those I don't eat anymore even though on paper they seem like they should be safe. Also, what spikes me might not spike you and vice versa. It's a lifelong project, but we are up for the challenge. :)

bluesinger Sat, Apr-09-16 10:08

Quote:
A1c
For the purpose of screening for the presence of diabetes
<5.7 Consistent with absence of diabetes
5.7-6.4 Consistent with increased risk of diabetes (prediabetes)
>or= 6.5 Consistent with diabetes


When the doctor diagnoses a person with T2D, it is usually based upon the results of this standard blood test. Unless otherwise required, this test is taken once a year in most cases. Obviously, blood readings can change over time.

If I take the test and it shows that I have T2D and next year the results show that I don't have T2D, is that not a reversal?

JEY100 Sat, Apr-09-16 10:25

In fact, Dr. Fung's website, linked by Glenda, has these posts where he uses the word CURE diabetes. A word even more controversial than Reverse! :)
https://intensivedietarymanagement....-diabetes-t2d3/
https://intensivedietarymanagement....diabetes-t2d-4/
https://intensivedietarymanagement....-diabetes-t2d5/

Dr Eenfeldt's subject tab is also labeled Cure Diabetes. Dr. Westman and Dr. Hallberg and others use the term Reverse Diabetes and remove the Dx from the medical records.

The Science behind dietary carb restriction for Diabetes: http://www.nutritionjrnl.com/articl...0332-3/fulltext

One FB that follows Dr. Westman's plan is actually called Reversing Diabetes...it is a closed group but their beginner "toolbox" and File documents are a great resource for you, worth joining.
Another open FB you might find of interest is TypeOneGrit. For T1s and the parents of T1 kids, their use of very low carb diet to reduce medication requirements is interesting to follow.

A good overview https://lowcarbrn.wordpress.com/dia...b-for-diabetes/ from the LowCarbRN.

JuliaR Sat, Apr-09-16 10:26

Quote:
Originally Posted by bluesinger
When the doctor diagnoses a person with T2D, it is usually based upon the results of this standard blood test. Unless otherwise required, this test is taken once a year in most cases. Obviously, blood readings can change over time.

If I take the test and it shows that I have T2D and next year the results show that I don't have T2D, is that not a reversal?



By that logic, based on this morning's fasting reading my diabetes has been reversed. Some of my A1cs over the years have said that, too. But it most certainly has not. Rather, I am controlling my BG with a combination of medication and diet.

Split a sticky bun with me and you'll see quite clearly that my physiology has not changed.

MickiSue Sat, Apr-09-16 12:39

Rider, once you realize that "carbohydrate" is just another name for "sugar", you'll understand why you are having trouble controlling your BGs.

There is no such thing as a carb that won't raise blood sugar, because it is sugar. Perhaps packaged differently, but it doesn't matter. The packaging for carbs is easily torn into, and the contents, the simple sugars, released.

Did you ever do an experiment as a child, where you took a couple bites of a soda cracker, and chewed it until it started to taste sweet in your mouth? That was the packaging, the chemical bonds of the carbs, being broken down before you even swallowed those carbs.

Drop the number of carbs that you take in, and replace them with healthy proteins and fats (NOT vegetable oils, but actual fat) and you'll start the process of controlling your BGs.


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