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General health

Can Low-Carb diets "cure" diabetes?

15 replies

notmytype · 31/07/2014 04:37

Putting this in General Health d Low-Carb diets to increase chance of a decent response.

Been told that my body is showing signs of insulin resistance. 6 months ago was advised to lose weight by GP, cut down on alcohol etc. It's 6 months on and I have managed to lose half a stone.

Am overweight by about 4 stone (13st 3/5ft4). Have been on low-carb diets before, done Bootcamp a few times. Find it very difficult to sustain - 3 months is the longest I've stuck at it - amazing results and then I just cave in and start eating "normally" ie. have a slice of cake at a birthday party, or a croissant for breakfast.

There does seem to be a history of diabetes in my family - my eldest brother had Type 2 and now has to inject (he's in his mid-50s). Ironically he's the skinny one in the family. Another brother has Type 2 in his mid-50s again. Both parents were on Metaformin in their 70s (age-related diabetes?).

My question is this: Does low-carbing "Cure" diabetes? Or is it just a way of eating that will prevent its symptoms? Is it simply the fact that you don't aggravate your body by getting it to produce something it can no longer do (insulin) - so like, if you have a nut allergy, not eating nuts will mean you don't go into anaphylaxis but you are not "curing" your nut allergy by not eating nuts, you are just avoiding the thing that causes your anaphylaxis - does this make sense

OR will going low-carb, losing the weight bring me back from the brink of diabetes and make me function "normally" again (and mean that in future I can eat croissants, bread, rice without "bringing on" the diabetes-threat again?)

I am really struggling to lose weight, really feel I can't do low-carb full time, but don't want to waste my time losing weight via another method (lower calories) if it still means that I am increasing my chances of diabetes.

I've tried low-carbing 3 times in the past 6 months and always lost 7-8 pounds in the first week but fall off the wagon at about week 3 and it goes straight back on. If, however, it is the ONLY way that I will avoid full-blown diabetes then I might be able to make the mental adjustment I need to stick at it.

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colafrosties · 31/07/2014 09:50

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colafrosties · 31/07/2014 09:55

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HolgerDanske · 31/07/2014 10:03

It doesn't 'cure' it, no. But you can reverse symptoms/slow progression/control it by not eating carbs. You're still diabetic, but you're not putting the sort of food into yourself that provokes a sugar spike.

I was diagnosed diabetic last year. I eat a very low carb diet, so my blood sugars have stabilised. But if I started eating sugar and carby foods again, the problems would come back.

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HolgerDanske · 31/07/2014 10:42

I would stick with the low carbing. It's really and truly the best course of action for you. And if you manage it for a couple of months at a time and fall off the wagon here and there, it's still miles better than not doing it.

Good luck. I have had a couple of weeks of more relaxed eating (not loads, just the odd bit of ice cream in this heat, and a little slice of bread with my dinner when we went out for Italian. A couple of bowls of cornflakes) and now I am gearing up to get properly back on the wagon.

(Not giving medical advice Smile just my lay person's advice)

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notmytype · 31/07/2014 11:08

Thanks all. Just noticed that Diabetes has a section all to itself now on Mumsnet (in General Health). That's a good thing but also quite an indicator of the "epidemic"-like nature of this beast. I've just replied to the same thread I've started in Low-carb diets so won't repeat myself here.

Running out of excuses to not face up to this. My holiday photos should be enough of an incentive to change my dietary habits never mind the very real threat that I am heading towards diabetes.

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micah · 31/07/2014 11:23

You could try a low Gi diet if cutting out carbs is not for you. That's eating complex carbs which take longer to digest and provide a slow energy release. Google but it's simple stuff like sweet potatoes instead of white, so might not be such a big change for you.

You need to aim at keeping your blood sugar as stable as possible, avoiding spikes which cause a big insulin release- this is when your body becomes resistant. Losing weight in general, and exercise will also help.

Be careful with diet drinks, "low fat" products, or "low sugar". Tend to be stuffed with far more unhealthy things than the original version.

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kitkat1967 · 31/07/2014 11:23

Hi - I developed type 2 diabetes last year and have managed to reduce my blood sugar level significantly by diet and exercise.
I am 5ft 3.5 and have reduced my weight from 10.5 stone to 9 stone by following a low sugar/low carb diet and exercising 5 times a week. The weight just fell off to be honest and I am planning to try and lose another 5 pounds if possible. I monitor BMI and am down to 21.5 but want to get below 21 for best possible results.
So I'd say to stick with it - it does work.

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notmytype · 31/07/2014 11:45

Wow kitcat1967 your starting weight is what I'm aiming to get to! I got to 9st 13, 4 years ago and kept within the range of that and 10st.7 for a whole year (wow!) I then put back on a stone over the next year and then a massive 3 stone went on in less than a year. I'm not a massive sweetie eater - alcohol and bread is my downfall - the bread feels like an absolute addiction and I feel absolutely terrible for WEEKs when I stop having it. Unfortunately I never felt brilliant when I stopped as people told me I would but I did enjoy being thinner.

Is a BMI of 21.5 really necessary? I'm probably the same height as you, Great that you are managing it well and it's obviously working for you. The exercise element frightens me. One of the things that I like about the low-carb diets is that some of them drum home the fact that exercise has nothing to do with weight-loss. A bit of walking and gardening will do the trick. I find it hard to believe but my weight-loss in the past has never coincided with serious exercise. Perhaps this time I will try and do the two together. I won't do anything high-impact like running until I've lost at least another 2 stone as I know my knees can't take it!

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HolgerDanske · 31/07/2014 12:57

I lost three stone in three months and have another stone or so to lose. I feel amazing and I love being a size ten, but mostly I love how much better I feel.

Bread is my big downfall too. I try not to have it. I did have one slice the other day but I made sure it was delicious and I made sure to really properly enjoy it and not to waste my cheat on crap.

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tobiasfunke · 31/07/2014 13:03

I was told that actually both exercise and diet are the key to preventing diabetes. Just doing one of them isn't as effective. The exercise isn't just to lose weight
My mum has type 2 and if she is particularly active her blood sugars are much much better.

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kitkat1967 · 31/07/2014 13:22

I love how well I feel too. Although i wasn't over-weight before i did have a sugary diet. Now with the exercise and new diet I feel amazing. Re bread - I have cut this down and only eat brown/granary now.
I was also told diet and exercise together - and my own research showed that 5 times/week for exercise was required to make a difference. I do 4 x week at the gym - 25 minutes of cardio plus 10 mins weights and then try to fit in a long walk at the weekend.

Re BMI - 21.5 is in the middle of normal range so I figure that I need to go no higher then that - just my own personal decision.

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HolgerDanske · 31/07/2014 15:31

Exercise is good because it lowers insulin resistance, so although it's not vital for weight loss it's very important from the diabetes perspective.

Although it's true that low GI foods will be better for your diabetes than high GI, you do still have to be careful not to have too much of it.

Diet drinks are fine from a diabetes perspective as long as they are no carbs, so I do have them from time to time. They're just not that great for health in general. But look carefully at nutritional info as low sugar fruit drinks like tango will still have carbs.

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HolgerDanske · 31/07/2014 15:34

For exercise the elliptical trainer is brilliant if you don't want to do high impact. So is cycling and rowing machine. You do need to get your heart properly going a few times a week at least. But it becomes a happy habit much more quickly than you would think.

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kitkat1967 · 31/07/2014 19:35

Sorry - forgot to say earlier that if you do follow a low-carb diet, exercise and manage to reduce your blood sugar it will have to be a permanent change - I think you're asking in your original post if you can fix this and then go back to your 'normal' eating.
My blood sugar is now down from 20+ to 6.3 but I have to stay on this regime (still hoping to get a bit lower) - BUT I have reduced it enough that I am not at risk of any long terms health issues due to diabetes so for me it is worth it.

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specialsubject · 02/08/2014 16:22

as there is a lot of confusion between the two types of carbs here, and you have a real health problem, please go back to the doctor and ask for some qualified advice.

yo-yo dieting is incredibly damaging.

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