08-12-09 Wednesday

B-(10am)
2 coffee HC AS
2 eggs
1 slice LC toast

L-(12pm)
2 lc healthy life toast
1 oz cheese
cucumber
10 grape tomatoes in vinegar

sn-(4pm) 5 ritz

d- (6pm)
2 bowls beef strogenoff
4 black cherries
danactive yogurt drink

sn- (11pm) sf jello w/hc


I stayed home today see the doctor again. I have a bad infection and the doc wants to keep an eye on it.
Something that was said to me yesterday has my head spinning. I was talking to a dietitian friend of mine yesterday. I work with her. I was talking about my diabetes and this infection I have (which is the 2nd major one in 2 months now), I'm a little worried because this is what my Dad died from (complications of an infection due to diabetes). So I share my worries with her that I'm only 40 and I'm scared that complications are starting to arise in my health due to diabetes. I have worked with her in the past on my menus and my diabetes. She doesn't believe in Low Carb at all and makes it known to me frequently that she doesn't think I should be Low Carbing and doesn't believe it is the best thing for my health or my diabetes. We have went many rounds about this and we just usually agree to disagree. She again told me yesterday that I should be following the ADA diet recommendations. I again told her that even that diet was too high in carbs for me, that eating that many carbs per meal raises my BG so high I have to end up taking more insulin. (Okay, this is where it gets my head spinning) She told me that it's because I have been low carbing for so long that I have damaged my body's own ability to handle that many carbs and because I have been eating this way I may have done permanent damage to my body. This lady is a registered Dietitian !
I have always believed that what I'm doing is right thing for me. But I can't help but wonder, she has went to school, trained and worked in nutrition for more than 20 years. Could she be right?
Just for your FYI she also has a thing with doctors telling diabetics what to eat because she believes they should be referring those patients to a nutritionist. We have had the disagreement about what my doc says, I've showed her Dr. Berstein's book etc.
I just want to know what I'm doing is right and right for me. <<-sigh->>

4 comments:

Me said...

I'm no expert either, but my honest opinion is that every body has a different diet that is best for them.

If she thinks there is one diet that fits all, then she must be incorrect.

Have you read Good Calories, Bad Calories? It's important to know how the "General Consensus" came about to make decisions based on what that consensus is.

NewVision said...

No I haven't read that book yet. It's on the list of books I want to read. :)

I'm like you, I think no one diet is right for everyone. Just because I haven't found the exact formula that gets me through to the end doesn't mean the LC life style is totally wrong. But I also don't want to feel like I'm ruining my body either. :( I guess thats what upset me. This is a LOT of effort if I'm doing the wrong thing. (which I don't think I am)

Me said...

I know what you mean. And I have the same thoughts quite often, which is why reading actual research (rather than people's interpretations of what results mean) really helps me stay level-headed.

I think she's right about low carb being a significant reason why you can't tolerate the carbs that she can - but that's a GOOD thing. That's how the human body is supposed to be. It's not supposed to tolerate carbs and other hits to the system with little reaction.

So how about some superficial things to give you a good idea whether this is right for you - how do you physically feel? Are you sleeping well? Energetic during the day? How is your hair, nice and strong? How about your nails? Skin?

If all of these things are shining, then you are doing what is right for you :)

Harry/JP said...

Jo,

I've been following the diet scene for a long time now. My take on the information I've seen leads me to believe that low carb diets can be very effective for diabetics ... if they're adhered to the vast majority of the time.

Other types of diets (low fat, vegetarian) may also be reasonably healthy (for diabetics) - based on a number of studies. But these menu plans have not been compared, head-to-head against a truly low carb diet.

Please forgive me if I'm off base on this one: It *could* be that your diabetic complications have something to do with your difficulty sticking (consistently) to a low carb diet.

Please note that I'm not keeping score (Jo's been "on program" 4 or 5 or 6 days a week, etc.). This has nothing to do with passing judgment. I'm just hoping to help you find an answer to your question.

Any of these diets: low fat vegan, raw whole foods, low carb, the ADA recommended diet ... will only work (for the most part) if they're consistently stuck to.

I don't know if this will be helpful to you or not but you may want to check out this column I wrote a few months ago:

http://www.healthyfellow.com/101/the-diabetes-diet/

I can understand how this would be frustrating. Hang in there and keep trying to find an answer that resonates with you.