I've been very active on here (Sparkpeople) lately, though it comes and
goes. But I've been a member now for a few years. I use it to see how
my eating that day adds up and to keep my motivation up as well.
I have type 2 diabetes and my body really does not like it if I eat
normally like others eat, 50 percent of your calories from carbs. I get
cravings from hell and have a whole lot of pain. I can't control myself
very well, I get such intense physical reactions that it is almost
impossible not to binge. So for me, from experience, the normal ADA diet
really does not work. It only leads to immediate fast weight gain and
really high and bad sugars that cause things like Neuropathy, that I
ended up with now.
But if you look at the plans and suggestions for diabetes on here
(Sparkpeople) the official ones -always- follow the ADA diet. Because (I
guess, to put it with a bit of sarcasm) it is a larger danger that
some type 2's wouldn't have a balanced diet than that those type 2s
get neuropathy, eye damage, kidney damage and all those other problems
that high blood sugars cause. Sigh. I'd rather have to take some
multivitamins than to have the diabetic complications. But all (not even
sure how many there are) the nutritionists on here are very set against
lowering the calories from carbs down from 50 percent.
Also if you mention not eating as many carbs because of diabetes often
people will say that 'it's not healthy to cut out an entire foodgroup'.
Eh, I'm not cutting it out I just need to be careful with how much of it
I eat, and I eat 50 percent fat and 30 percent carbs instead of 50
percent carbs and 30 percent fat. Which is the same mainstream nutrition
and the ADA diet are saying about fat, it is a mirrored percentage and
ina 'healthy' diet people are supposed to limit saturated fat instead
of how I limit carbs. So what's the difference? I'll never understand,
and sometimes i'm so tired of some of the judgments. I feel like I have
to defend myself regularly.
At least there are still low carb groups (though I couldn't find a group
for the Diabetes Miracle, an eating plan specifically for type 2
Diabetics, which from all the knowledge and experience I have with my
own body seems to be a valid long-term program, despite the
sensation-focused title. I find the title somewhat unfortunate because
it's a sure way to make many people on here who do not deal with type 2
diabetes immediately assume it's a fad diet. Well hopefully I will be a
living example of how well or not well it works in about two months!
Also if I see articles that suggest ADA-level carbs or give ideas that I
know for me would immediately lead to really bad sugars, then I always
try to leave a comment that there are people for whom that doesn't
work. I am more and more convinced that not everyone's metabolism is the
same, and there is no 'one size fits all' way of eating, not even for
type 2 diabetics (I really do hope there are -some- people for whom the
ADA WOE -does- work or why else did it exist this long). All metabolisms
can be different because everyone has some food sensitivities, some
types of foods that work really well for them, things they are used to,
and different things their body wants or not (milk/lactose intolerant,
gluten sensitivities or even up to the very hard to deal with celiac
disease, carb intolerance in my case, fish, shellfish, peanuts,
vegetarian or vegan either for physical or ethical reasons, and so many
other differences). Combine that with taste preferences, physical things
like which foods give acid reflux or someone without acid reflux, what
people grew up with, and so on. Even if you look at our ancestors some
indigenous people ate almost only meat and some almost only plants.
That's what's so amazing about humans, the wide variety of foods we can
survive on. That's what's made us such a successful species (too
successful?)
And there are other members who also make comments every time carbs are
touted as a solution for healthy eating with type 2 Diabetes. So I'm
hoping we are slowly making a dent in the way the assumption is that the
ADA WOE works for all diabetics.
I asked my doctor for a referral to a nutritionist before I found the
Diabetes eating plan I now do, so once I get an appointment set up, I
hope I won't have to go into a whole confrontation there either.
Confrontation is not my biggest strength: *grin*. Or I can just nod and
say 'yes yes' and then leave and not come back.
I'll have to see how it goes, I am finally learning that I'm the best
judge of what works for me and not necessarily my doctor. I can work out
things by testing my bloodsugar, and see what works and what doesn't.
At least lower carb keeps my sugars in a better range than if I ate the
ADA diet, and to me having to take a lot of extra medications or even
insulin just so I can have more carbs seems to be putting the horse
behind the cart. If others want to, I won't attack them. I find it hard
sometimes to not just have bread or bananas very often, but if I do I
feel sooo much worse. Hopefully in two months I can share some hope or
more knowledge with some other type 2 Diabetics who are struggling with
the same things. By then I can tell how well it worked, or didn't, and I
know better now how to judge whether it's working too *smile*. And of
course even without the fasting insulin tests, I will know somewhat by
my fasting and 2 hours after hours sugars. So hopefully I can share some
more education then! And thank you everyone else who is keeping an open
mind and not judgemental about what works for you and what works for
others, and how it might be different.
Written on Mon Jan 26, 2015
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