D-solve - Solve Diabetes Using Low Carb & Low Insulin Diabetes Management

Having lived with diabetes for many years, Ron Raab noticed that when he reduced the amount of carbohydrate in his diet,his blood glucose levels improved. His experience of theshortcomings of high-carbohydrate dietary recommendationsin regulating his blood glucose led him to adopt an alternativeapproach. In this article, the author outlines his choice of amuch reduced carbohydrate dietary intake as a key element ofhis diabetes management. He also highlights the logic of thisapproach and some of its supporting evidence, and describesthe major contradictions inherent in the high-carbohydraterecommendations that constitute mainstream advice.

From the abstract: A carbohydrate-restricted regimen improved glycemic control and lipid profiles in selected motivated patients. Therefore, further investigation of the effects of this protocol on treating diabetes mellitus should be considered. Additionally, the reduction of insulin afforded by this diet could theoretically lead to a reduction in hypoglycemic events.

One of the most frequently raised issues by parents with IDDT is the difficulties they are experiencing at school with injecting and blood glucose testing, especially for young primary school children. Lunchtime injecting and testing has become much more of a problem as a result of the introduction of insulin analogues, as the rapid-acting insulin has only has a short duration of action and doesn’t last long enough to cover lunch...

Current nutritional approaches to metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes generally rely on reductions in dietary fat. The success of such approaches has been limited, and therapy more generally relies on pharmacology. The argument is made that a re-evaluation of the role of carbohydrate restriction, the historical and intuitive approach to the problem, may provide an alternative and possibly superior dietary strategy. The rationale is that carbohydrate restriction improves glycemic control and reduces insulin fluctuations, which are primary targets. Experiments are summarized showing that carbohydrate-restricted diets are at least as effective for weight loss as low-fat diets and that substitution of fat for carbohydrate is generally beneficial for risk of cardiovascular disease. These beneficial effects of carbohydrate restriction do not require weight loss. Finally, the point is reiterated that carbohydrate restriction improves all of the features of metabolic syndrome.

From the introduction: In this chapter we will discuss the diagnosis and treatment of a few of probably more than fifty known long-term complications of diabetes that can cause distress or disability but which are frequently undiagnosed, misdiagnosed or mistreated. We will focus on approaches accessible to the primary care physician or to the physiatrist. Some of these approaches to treating and diagnosing such complications are not described in the scientific literature and are probably unique to my practice.