I would like to add my own story in support of this article. I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in 2005. I had just relocated to Singapore from the UK on assignment with my job.
I was advised, as most are, to eat a normal diet and to 'cover' the carbohydrate with insulin. My experiences of trying this were alarming. I would take large amounts of rapid acting insulin to attempt to balance the blood glucose response, and I would find that I would either be in hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia a few hours after eating. It was noticeable though that this balancing act was far harder with food containing moderate to high carbohydrate. Low carbohydrate food, requiring low amounts of insulin, was a far easier equation and the outcomes far more predictable.
To cut a long (ten year) story short, I have been limiting carbohydrate for a decade - around 30g a day. My A1cs have been consistently in the 5s and my most recent result was 4.7%. My blood test results have shown excellent levels of good cholesterol etc. All of my 10 year records and available as proof of these results. I have no signs of diabetic complications.
As a result of this I have stared actively campaigning in Asia to raise awareness that diabetes is, in my opinion, 20% about medication and 80% about nutrition.
It is hugely concerning to me that whilst the development of drugs and diabetic devices has been excellent, we appear stuck in the past in relation to the nutritional advice. I could not manage my diabetes with a normal 'food pyramid' diet.
My key concern in all of this is that in my conversations here in Asia, people routinely tell me that they will 'follow the advice of their Endo' rather than looking at what their blood sugar meter is showing them . People are concerned about challenging the standard advice and, in my view, are risking their longer term health.
Is it not time that we recognized that people with long term diabetes (living with it 24/7) may have some answers that those trained in the medical profession might not?
Rapid Response:
Re: A patient request for some “deprescribing”
I would like to add my own story in support of this article. I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in 2005. I had just relocated to Singapore from the UK on assignment with my job.
I was advised, as most are, to eat a normal diet and to 'cover' the carbohydrate with insulin. My experiences of trying this were alarming. I would take large amounts of rapid acting insulin to attempt to balance the blood glucose response, and I would find that I would either be in hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia a few hours after eating. It was noticeable though that this balancing act was far harder with food containing moderate to high carbohydrate. Low carbohydrate food, requiring low amounts of insulin, was a far easier equation and the outcomes far more predictable.
To cut a long (ten year) story short, I have been limiting carbohydrate for a decade - around 30g a day. My A1cs have been consistently in the 5s and my most recent result was 4.7%. My blood test results have shown excellent levels of good cholesterol etc. All of my 10 year records and available as proof of these results. I have no signs of diabetic complications.
As a result of this I have stared actively campaigning in Asia to raise awareness that diabetes is, in my opinion, 20% about medication and 80% about nutrition.
It is hugely concerning to me that whilst the development of drugs and diabetic devices has been excellent, we appear stuck in the past in relation to the nutritional advice. I could not manage my diabetes with a normal 'food pyramid' diet.
My key concern in all of this is that in my conversations here in Asia, people routinely tell me that they will 'follow the advice of their Endo' rather than looking at what their blood sugar meter is showing them . People are concerned about challenging the standard advice and, in my view, are risking their longer term health.
Is it not time that we recognized that people with long term diabetes (living with it 24/7) may have some answers that those trained in the medical profession might not?
Competing interests: No competing interests