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Tuesday 9 August 2011

Could the Atkins diet help you keep diabetes at bay?

What might surprise many is that Diane’s diet was the opposite of what’s usually recommended for diabetics (which is to eat a diet high in carbohydrates and low in fat).

The calories the patient was no longer getting from fat were replaced by those from carbohydrates, ideally good carbohydrates such as wholegrains, vegetables, fruit and nuts, but also refined foods such as white bread and pasta.


But now, doctors are suggesting that this kind of diet could actually make Type 2 diabetes worse. And instead of cutting down on fat, thousands of patients like Diane are being advised to switch to a low-carbohydrate diet instead.
 
Experts say this ‘Atkins-style’ approach of eating fewer carbs could even soon be recommended to everyone as a way of lowering our risk of getting Type 2 diabetes in the first place.



http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2023882/Could-Atkins-diet-help-diabetes-bay.html

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Quick ! ! according to the bottom of this story somebody had better tell Fergus hes doing it Wrong ! ! It is only sposed to be for T2`s....... Who of course are lazy indulgent ne`er do wells that never do what anybody tells them.

Anonymous said...

"Deepa Khatri, clinical adviser for the charity, says: ‘Carbohydrates are an essential fuel, especially for the brain, and they also contain fibre which is important for a healthy gut. If you are thinking of following a low-carb diet, consult your dietitian first."

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2023882/Could-Atkins-diet-help-diabetes-bay.html

So we consult a Dietitian do we, what if it turns out to be Ally!!!

Graham

Anonymous said...

Interesting thought ! ! ! has the ubiquitous Ally commented on the story ? ? ? or even been made aware of it ? ? ? !

AliB said...

I have just had a HUGE shock!!

I had my first blood test done last week in over three years. My last HbA1c was 7.3. (165 under the new scheme).

When I spoke to my Doctor this afternoon to get my results, my HbA1c was - wait for it - 45. That is in 'old money' 2.5!!!

Whilst my monitor readings haven't been as low as that - although rarely out of normal range - obviously something has changed.

I am absolutely gob-smacked. And very impressed. This healing diet is obviously making far more difference than I realised.

To be that low yet not have had any hypos at all in three years is - well - normal. Actually, it's better than normal. Even before I was diabetic I used to get a LOT of hypos.

Amazing.

Anonymous said...

AliB - feel like celebrating with you, amazing, excellent news, a personal story of what can be achieved, better than any statistic report.

Keep shouting from the rooftops.

Karen chocfish x x

Anonymous said...

Wow that's amazing, you sure your a diabetic?

Jenny

Lowcarb team member said...

Stunning news Ali, I presume you’ve dumped the diabetes med’s. Even Bernstein would be impressed and not a little amazed.. So much for the fours the floor eh. Our old friend Fergus has to struggle along in the mid fours LOL. Very well done and keep spreading the word.

Eddie

Anonymous said...

Ali,

That is great news - but I'm afraid you are slightly out on the calculation.

A new HbA1c reading of 45 equals 6.0% in old money. Still a great level though.

Best

Dillinger

AliB said...

Are you sure Dillinger? I just looked at the chart - http://www.diabeteschart.org/bloodsugarchart.html - which only goes down to 4 (68). I had read sometime before, that you divide the MG/DL measurement by 18 to get the MMOL measurement. Having divided 68 x 4 gives me 17 - ok, near enough - that makes my HbA1c 2.64. Mind you, if as the chart says 4 = 68, 68 minus 45 = 21, 21 + 68 = 93, 93 = 4.8. So, 4 - .8 = 3.2. Confused? So am I, but that is the only way I can work it out from the stupid chart that assumes every diabetic has to be be 4 or more...

How did you make it 6? Am I missing something? Not even my Doctor was able to translate it for me....

Anonymous said...

I've got to agree with Dillinger, hope this link will help you Ali.

HbA1c standardisation for clinical healthcare professionals.


http://www.acb.org.uk/docs/HbA1cHealthcareProfessionalOct2011.pdf

Graham

Ali said...

Ah well - I thought somehow it was a bit too low to be true...good job someone knows how to interpret it! What's the point in changing it over if no one understands what it means??? I checked several sites - including D.co.uk and they were all giving me the same reading.

Anyway, I would say that 6 is more realistic based on my monitor readings. It's not quite as impressive as 3.2, or 2.6 or whatever, but 6 is a darn sight better than 7.3 - and had I been a little more generous with the insulin it might well have been considerably lower. Not having had a test for the last three years I've been out of the 'loop' and now have to try and get my head around this new system. I'll have to ask for some info...

In the last week I have added in another free complimentary treatment to my diet and so far the results are very promising. I'm losing weight again for the first time in ages - not even the low-carb would shift it - so will monitor it with interest.

Lowcarb team member said...

For what it may be worth, I have great respect for you.

Eddie

Anonymous said...

Well done Ali!

Re the new/new system, I found this:

How do old and new relate?
A guide to the new values expressed as mmol/mol is:
DCCT- HbA1c IFCC-HbA1c
(%) (mmol/mol)
6.0 42
6.5 48
7.0 53
7.5 59
8.0 64
9.0 75
10.0 86
11.0 97
12.0 108
What are the targets in IFCC units?
The equivalent of the DCCT HbA1c targets of 6.5 % and
7.5 % are 48 mmol/mol and 59 mmol/mol in the IFCC units,

They obviously don't understand that low carbers need a scale that goes lower. That is down to the safe levels.

Ray

Anonymous said...

Thanks for that Ray very helpful.

Well done Ali that is still a good number, shame more people cannot get to these much safer levels.

Keep on pushing the low carb good news and diet info

Peter