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  #1   ^
Old Sat, Jan-12-19, 11:13
LiterateGr's Avatar
LiterateGr LiterateGr is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 163
 
Plan: Atkins/General LC
Stats: 240.0/167.2/155 Female 5 '9"
BF:36/29.5/25
Progress: 86%
Default Sitting down with Dr. Bernstein's Book

Finally got my hands on Diabetes Solution (2003 revised version) from my library. I spent maybe 2 hours, pouring through last night. (I skipped a lot of the first chapter, which was all anecdotal evidence that his plan works. I don't need convincing, I come into diabetes knowing this is the only sensible way to manage it.)

My bookmark right now is at the beginning of Chapter 6 ("Strange Biology").

If nothing else, I've learned that the 1000mg Vitamin C pill I take may be affecting my readings. And some new places for the finger-prick.

THANK YOU for recommending Dr. Bernstein to me. As I'm unmedicated right now (and -- since we caught things both early and as I was going back to LC -- I hope to be able to stay that way ), a lot of areas I was able to skim. But this is the exact resource I needed. The general information on diabetes (my fun new diagnosis) and its effective management (as opposed to the "Oh, eat cake, just take more insulin!" management that seems more common today) is perfect. I'm currently reading cover-to-cover (except for skipping some of the testimonials in the first chapter), though skimming things that don't directly apply (like the tools needed for insulin injection).

When -- inevitably -- I flip forward briefly (usually just as I'm putting the book down for some reason), the information I see in future chapters is compelling, and contains specifics I need.

The good news is that, as I'm digesting all of this, I'm already dedicated to eating in a way that's healthy, and will be beneficial for my BG levels. I've been frustrated, finding test-strips locally. (When I got my meter, I MADE SURE they were available, but haven't been able to find them on the shelves since.) So I went online last night and placed an order for 300. I figure with that many, I should be able to test as often as I want/need, to keep track of things!

I have mentioned in the past that I -- as an "emergency" type plan -- bought some "Keto" meal-bars for travel. ("Travel" = staying with a dear friend, 150 miles from home.) I just got back from a trip down there. I brought NONE of my own food this time. For breakfast, the first morning, I scrambled up some eggs and cheese. (I had to use her margarine to cook it in. I know, I'll pack some butter next time.) Didn't eat again until dinnertime. She was trying to make dinner, and I said I'd go grab something... Went from offering chicken-and-noodles, to BBQ something, to chili. Told her not to worry about feeding me, went out & had a bunless burger (I was SUPER hungry, and wanted food in my belly before I went shopping!), then ran to the grocery, got some guacamole (no sugar added for me, no cilantro added for her) and celery sticks, and some really good-quality chicken sausage in a variety of flavors. (read Every Single Ingredient on each package.) With that, was able to fill out the remaining meals there (which were fairly few) without eating anything that was TOO processed. (Yes, I know sausage is processed... but cooking-facilities there are extremely limited. It is more feasible to pan-fry some sausage quickly than to cook raw meat from scratch. And it's a recognizable food, not some food-substitute bar filled with sugar-alcohols.)

I'm also in a good mood because my weight (scale) is back down, this morning. (My knee's been killing me lately, and swollen, which -- of course -- shows on the scale, and obscures any progress I'm making. And despite me being a big advocate of the measuring tape, I haven't been using it.)

Definitely starting to hit the "decreased appetite" stage of things, but when I DO have hunger again after most of a day without food, it's sudden and HARD. According to Dr. B, I need to test when I hit that place. (Come on, test strips, get here!) As it stands, I've been following my general LC policy, and taking that as a signal to EAT something high in fat, with protein.

Still reading. Still have a voice in my head that tries to claim "this isn't really diabetes". (I ignore that voice, but it exists.) Still finding my way. I'm glad that my doc got some good baseline measures, and that soon, I'll get to see how my dietary improvements have affected things.
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  #2   ^
Old Sat, Jan-12-19, 13:15
WereBear's Avatar
WereBear WereBear is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 14,602
 
Plan: EpiPaleo/Primal/LowOx
Stats: 220/125/150 Female 67
BF:
Progress: 136%
Location: USA
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That is wonderful! It is a great book and very motivating, too.
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  #3   ^
Old Sun, Jan-13-19, 05:46
JEY100's Avatar
JEY100 JEY100 is online now
Posts: 13,368
 
Plan: P:E/DDF
Stats: 225/150/169 Female 5' 9"
BF:45%/28%/25%
Progress: 134%
Location: NC
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Our library had a few editions up to current. It appears the most changes occur in medications...new insulin, ways to take insulin, New meters, etc. so the 2003 is fine for the information you want.

If you ever want more, his Diabetes University is amazing, everything he knows about diabetes saved for posterity. https://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=470804
He finished that and still had more to say while sharp and practicing...so he continues on FB Live video! They are hour long Teleseminars, every month, answering questions.

Last edited by JEY100 : Sun, Jan-13-19 at 05:54.
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  #4   ^
Old Sun, Jan-13-19, 11:01
WereBear's Avatar
WereBear WereBear is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 14,602
 
Plan: EpiPaleo/Primal/LowOx
Stats: 220/125/150 Female 67
BF:
Progress: 136%
Location: USA
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I credit Dr. Bernstein with pioneering this whole new enlightened approach to diabetes. And he lived long enough to see it!
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  #5   ^
Old Tue, Jan-22-19, 08:44
LiterateGr's Avatar
LiterateGr LiterateGr is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 163
 
Plan: Atkins/General LC
Stats: 240.0/167.2/155 Female 5 '9"
BF:36/29.5/25
Progress: 86%
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OMG, he just saved my vacation!

Had a bunch of stuff going on, hand't picked up his book in a little while. Yesterday, I had to go to ER (minor thing, unrelated), and so I brought 2 books along to read.

(Honestly, I also brought it to help me to remember to disclose diabetes.)

And I got to a section that "changed everything" for me.

Now, I've done Atkins before. I'm good at it, including when eating out. The thing is... before my diagnosis, the stakes were lower. I could occasionally "cheat" and be fine. (One of my more common "cheats" is there was a particular dark-chocolate/pomegranate candy I would crave during migraines -- which could get bad. So we would count them out, I'd eat them and feel a little better, and if I noticed anything the next morning, I'd just go deeper into Induction-mode... but usually that lone cheat wouldn't have any noticeable affect.

Now that I'm diabetic, there's a lot more at stake and I can't get away with just "starting over".

All of this has made me almost phobic of eating food not prepared in my own kitchen.

What did they cook it in? Is that sauce safe to eat? Can I have dressing on my salad, or is it sugar-loaded?

A lot of my favorite places, I just don't go anymore because I can't "trust" the food.

And in a year, we're going on a cruise. I've cruised before -- on this same ship - and was able to find plenty of LCHF food to eat. But that was before diabetes was on the table, and the stakes rose. I'll admit, I was being nervous about that, wondering how I would manage. ("Should I ask the doc to put me on medication for the trip?")

Then I got to the section where he talks about testing food for glucose.

You're kidding me, right?

First, I didn't even know they still MADE urine test-strips for glucose. (I remember when we had to dissolve a tablet in a test-tube and compare color. I think -- in my house -- we went straight from that to finger-pricks.) Second... I may actually be able to RELAX when eating out (or when on that cruise).
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  #6   ^
Old Tue, Jan-22-19, 09:50
WereBear's Avatar
WereBear WereBear is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 14,602
 
Plan: EpiPaleo/Primal/LowOx
Stats: 220/125/150 Female 67
BF:
Progress: 136%
Location: USA
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I have gone “stricter than Atkins” for my own health issues: which are not diabetes, but autoimmune. So I avoid any gluten, Omega 6 seed oils, artificial sweeteners, and try to keep my net carbs under 10 a day.

This makes almost all packaged foods off limits, and my restaurant choices tricky. After a recent, awful, buffet experience, I will only eat such foods in their “original packaging.” And when I go out, I need a sympathetic server, a chef in the back, and a lot of “eyes on the prize.” Like I’ll just have vinegar on my salad, since the only dressings I can trust are the ones I make myself.
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  #7   ^
Old Tue, Jan-22-19, 10:05
cotonpal's Avatar
cotonpal cotonpal is online now
Senior Member
Posts: 5,283
 
Plan: very low carb real food
Stats: 245/125/135 Female 62
BF:
Progress: 109%
Location: Vermont
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LiterateGr

Now that I'm diabetic, there's a lot more at stake and I can't get away with just "starting over".



I want to suggest another way to look at this. Although it is only relatively recently that you reached a level where diabetes was diagnosed, no doubt for many years before that you were in the process of developing diabetes. In other words diabetes isn't something that just all of a sudden appears and now you have to change everything. It is a disease process that can be developing over long stretches of time. Thinking this way would save a lot of people what you are going through now, this sudden revelation of "oh my goodness now I am sick and have to do something about this". If the benefits of a low carb diet were promoted for all people then maybe lots of people would be spared from ever developing the disease. I say this not as any criticism of you. In fact I applaud you for deciding to take control of things. Rather it is my hope that more doctors will get on the low carb bandwagon and stop treating diabetes as an either you've got it or not situation and as more a result of dangerous lifetime nutrition habits. That way maybe more people will be prevented from ever developing diabetes.
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  #8   ^
Old Tue, Jan-22-19, 10:49
GRB5111's Avatar
GRB5111 GRB5111 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 4,036
 
Plan: Very LC, Higher Protein
Stats: 227/186/185 Male 6' 0"
BF:
Progress: 98%
Location: Herndon, VA
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Bernstein, Atkins, Westman would be my list of pioneers. All with valuable contributions and clinical success.


The message in Jean's (cotonpal's) post is extremely important to understand, as this is as much a preventative method as it is a health management method.
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  #9   ^
Old Tue, Jan-22-19, 10:56
Bonnie OFS Bonnie OFS is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 2,573
 
Plan: Dr. Bernstein
Stats: 188/150/135 Female 5 ft 4 inches
BF:
Progress: 72%
Location: NE WA
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I never really understood diabetes until I read his book. Being a slow learner meant reading it more than once. It's still my go-to source when I have questions - you'd think I'd have it memorized by now.

While I enjoy reading low carb sites like this one, a lot of non-diabetic low carbers don't really understand that we can't have cheat days, we can't play around with our food plan because it is truly a matter of life and death. My toes hurt & I don't want to lose them - that would be the first death.

I wish I had read Dr. Bernstein's book long ago, before things got so bad. I'm now a Dr. B missionary, like the friend who urged me to read the book.
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  #10   ^
Old Tue, Jan-22-19, 11:56
WereBear's Avatar
WereBear WereBear is offline
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Posts: 14,602
 
Plan: EpiPaleo/Primal/LowOx
Stats: 220/125/150 Female 67
BF:
Progress: 136%
Location: USA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bonnie OFS
My toes hurt & I don't want to lose them - that would be the first death.


I have read accounts of how neuropathy can get better on this plan. I hope that is so for you!
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  #11   ^
Old Tue, Jan-22-19, 12:15
Bonnie OFS Bonnie OFS is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 2,573
 
Plan: Dr. Bernstein
Stats: 188/150/135 Female 5 ft 4 inches
BF:
Progress: 72%
Location: NE WA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WereBear
I have read accounts of how neuropathy can get better on this plan. I hope that is so for you!


So do I! It hasn't gotten any worse over the last few years, so I'm counting my blessings - & carbs.
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  #12   ^
Old Tue, Jan-22-19, 14:22
LiterateGr's Avatar
LiterateGr LiterateGr is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 163
 
Plan: Atkins/General LC
Stats: 240.0/167.2/155 Female 5 '9"
BF:36/29.5/25
Progress: 86%
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by cotonpal
no doubt for many years before that you were in the process of developing diabetes.


This is very true, and a big chunk of why I first started doing LC a long time ago.

The first time, I was told to stop because of pregnancy. (If I knew then what I knew now... )

After "The Baby Years", I eventually got back to eating right... and then had depression and life (or more accurately, 5 family deaths) blow up at me in one year. The conversation in my head at that time was literally, "If you eat that, you'll be back on the path to diabetes". Followed by me ordering two. I was -- as another friend once described herself, "Killing myself with food."

It took me about 4 years to get back up to my current (well, pre-current) size... and right at the end, I was deliberately eating wheat, because we were going to be doing a Celiac test.

My son (now 14) takes after me, in terms of body-type. This past summer, we sat down and had a talk... about genetic predisposition, and long-term health, and quality of life, and clothes that fit. We'd started going LC together, just before my gastroenterologist wanted to do the Celiac test. He's a kid, so didn't even suggest he go as "deep" as I do... but skipping the fries, skipping the bread, eating cheese/nuts instead of chips or a sandwich, etc. Amazing what small changes can do: he's got a lot less of a "gut" hanging out.

Diabetes is at the end of a long road, that starts when that fat starts building around the middle. I consider it my "fault" I'm here, because I knew how to prevent it and didn't. (Lots of complicated reasons "why", but none of them matter to my body.)

The good news is that "the way to prevent it" is being the primary piece of my treatment plan. Right now -- until March -- I've got this window where I can do whatever I can to get my BG under control. If that's not enough (and according to Dr. B, my numbers ARE still too high, although within what I've always been told was normal) we can add medication on top of it... but at least that way, we're adding medication to my diet, rather than changing my diet while on medication. (This seems to me a much less-complicated way to get things evened out.)

So no cheats. No slips. Bigger stakes, and longer-term.
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  #13   ^
Old Wed, Jan-23-19, 04:34
JEY100's Avatar
JEY100 JEY100 is online now
Posts: 13,368
 
Plan: P:E/DDF
Stats: 225/150/169 Female 5' 9"
BF:45%/28%/25%
Progress: 134%
Location: NC
Default

Dr Bernstein is the pioneer in What to Eat, Dr Westman added a When to Eat component by encouraging Time Restricted Eating, (OMAD is OK) and now Dr Fung extends the When to Eat to full days of fasting. If you are T2 and want to remove stored fats and glucose quickly, add IF. They all use the same VLC 20-30g diet and Food list from Dr Bernstein, but there is a choice about When. Eat 3 x day in 6-12-12, or eat less than 20g whenever you are hungry in a day, or fast multi-day and eat LC whenever you decide to eat.
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  #14   ^
Old Wed, Jan-23-19, 13:48
JEY100's Avatar
JEY100 JEY100 is online now
Posts: 13,368
 
Plan: P:E/DDF
Stats: 225/150/169 Female 5' 9"
BF:45%/28%/25%
Progress: 134%
Location: NC
Default

One historical correction about Dr Fung introducing fasting for Diabetes treatment.... it was commonly used, as were low carb diets, in the 1920s! The 1919 Diabetes Treatment manual by Elliott Joslin has a section on it starting page 93, described page 96.
"Fasting is never so rigorous as the doctor or patient expect"

https://archive.org/details/adiabet...kngoog/page/n96

"Fasting does not seem like Fasting if the patient is given coffee, tea ... and Broth . " Nothing new in 100 years!

My favorite suggestion was patient does not need to stay in bed, neither forced to be up....Reclining in a Steamer Chair" seems a lovely compromise to me.

And this... the duration of fasting needed cannot be established beforehand by the BG reading, rather the treatment must be individual. It is surprising how variable, one patient can remove all Glucose by four skipped meals (the
highly recommended 36-42 hour fast) or take up to 3 or 4 days (also a common Fung recommended fast period of 1-2 days beyond dreaded 48 hour fast. At 4 days, add back protein, more food, fast intermittently if sugar returns to urine). So nothing new here either! I was surprised by the concept of using fasting for diabetes when Fung arrived on the scene in 2014...but his protocols are in the most famous diabetes treatment book of early 20th century.

There is nothing new, except what has been forgotten – Marie Antoinette

Last edited by JEY100 : Thu, Jan-24-19 at 08:35.
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  #15   ^
Old Thu, Jan-24-19, 11:43
WereBear's Avatar
WereBear WereBear is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 14,602
 
Plan: EpiPaleo/Primal/LowOx
Stats: 220/125/150 Female 67
BF:
Progress: 136%
Location: USA
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In Dr. Jack Kruse’s Epi-Paleo book, he points out the literally hundreds of “medical diets” used for disease conditions until the pharmaceutival approach completely supplanted all others except surgery.
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