Phoenix aka the slippery one at diabetes.co.uk.

Check out the forum diabetes.co.uk, and one constant over the last four years, is Phoenix, the person I call the slippery one. There is no doubt she is very bright, a trained psychologist I am told. Well educated, maybe, but her argument, albeit subtle at times, is deeply flawed. Whenever a thread has been high jacked by the antis, and the antis are making complete fools of themselves, Phoenix comes to the rescue, with a well timed link, and tries to save the day. Her argument is deeply flawed, for the following reasons.


Let’s not beat about the bush, she loves her carbs. Depending on which forum or blog you read, she uses between 40 and 60% of her dietary intake based on carbs. It must be remembered, she has a top notch healthcare team, insulin, a pump and adequate test strips. Her forte is finding derogatory links to saturated fats, and lowcarb doom and gloom. So, why don’t we all follow Phoenix, and go for the carbs she so obviously craves, and spends her life defending.


The first thing we do is consume a Phoenix level of carbs. Expect permanent double number BG numbers, and double number HbA1c results. Two or three HbA1c numbers in double figures, and if our medics are awake, we are on insulin, with huge ramifications ! Many will struggle to achieve the skilled balancing act to control carbs and injected insulin. Not a problem, we can all go on a pump. If we have good healthcare professionals, insulin, pumps and lots of test strips, we can all do a Phoenix, Jopar and SarahQ. Problem solved, err no ! The NHS is falling apart, and will soon be a distant memory to what most of us have known. The system cannot cope now with the epidemic of type two diabetes, let alone in the future. So, what’s the answer ? Become as independent as you possibly can. Do not over rely on medics, drugs and over priced insulin pumps made in Taiwan or the like. Control your diabetes with diet, exercise, and minimal/nil medication.


Do I begrudge, the high carb, medication and pump dependent, not in the slightest. How anyone controls their diabetes is up to them. What I do find appalling, is the people that have all the tools, all the advantages, and yet spend their lives, telling people, that don’t even have access to a test strip, they are doing it wrong. What are these people trying to achieve ? A worsening of the already gruesome NHS statistics for diabetics. The NHS and DUK has failed completely to reduce complications and improve the long term outlooks for diabetics. This is bad enough, without fellow diabetics trying to bring an early death on so many more. Let Phoenix enjoy her high carb diet, good luck and good health to her. Maybe she might start thinking of others less fortunate, and using that education and intelligence, for the benefit of the newly diagnosed, the long term out of control, the  poorly educated and economically disadvantaged.


Eddie