Introduction to the Online Course

Hello there. I am Katharine Morrison . I am a doctor working in  Family Medicine and I want to help you improve your blood sugars. No matter what age and stage of pre-diabetes or diabetes you, or the person you care for has, this course can help.  If you are a returning visitor or just want to browse the full listing of How To’s click on this link to a Full Listing of How To Articles.

The things you will need to know about how to improve your blood sugars will be different for each one of you. Although personal coaching at your diabetes clinic occurs, there are often gaps in what would make that important difference to you.  On this course you will have all the advantages of the many tips and clearly set out steps to improvement that have been directly tested by other people with diabetes.  As you go through the course you will quickly realize that a reduced carbohydrate diet is highly recommended for you. This is key to stabilising and then normalising blood sugars.

Low carb diets for diabetics are not yet mainstream but will be soon. The weight of scientific evidence for this way of eating is overwhelming. Whether your diabetes team is enthusiastic and supportive, still getting up to speed, or still mired in denial and avoidance, you can help yourself by going through this course.

The main groups of people who will benefit from the information here are:

  • Overweight people and those who have the added problems associated with Metabolic Syndrome.
  • Type two insulin resistant diabetics and older type one diabetics who have now developed a degree of insulin resistance.
  • Insulin dependent diabetics both juvenile and those with maturity onset diabetes who now need insulin.
  • Carers of any of these people including their friends, families and doctors whether in primary care or in hospitals.

Please remember that this is an online internet course and that while the information given is correct to the best of my knowledge at the time of posting advances in medical knowledge can change rapidly.

You should therefore be aware that this information is given in good faith. Any advice should  not be accepted uncritically or without proper regard to likely future effects.  Please remember that I and anyone who sends back a reply to any comments or queries does not and cannot really know you personally. There is no way that the information or advice can cover all individual differences  or eventualities. You will still need to seek information from your usual health care providers. You are free to print out any information here to give to them.  This could help them make better decisions about your medical care. (Please see our Warning and Disclaimer)

Do not start to change anything you do about your diet or diabetes till you have completed the entire course. This is particularly important for insulin users and those on medication that could lower blood sugar. You may however find that starting to record what you eat and then counting up the relevant carbohydrates once you know how will be a very helpful step right away.

Guided Tour

For those wanting to take a guided tour please now go to the How To: Lose Weight and Keep it Off section.

In each section is a description of who would be likely to get benefit from reading the material and those that may want to skip the section. For each group we will direct you to the next section that you are likely to find of interest.

After the information is given you will find a quick quiz. Have you got it?  The aim of this is to reinforce important points.

Work to your own speed when going through the course.  Work section by section until the end.

As you go you will find may internet sites that can help. Don’t spend too long on these sites during your first run through the course!

Once you have completed your first run through the course you can think about what is going on with you:

  • What type and stage of pre-diabetes or diabetes do you have?
  • Where do you come in regarding your blood sugar control  in the How To: 'Eat to Meter' section?
  • Where would you really like to be?
  • What tips sounded right for you?
  • How motivated are you to make the necessary changes?
  • Do you need any more help or information?  (This is when a second run through the internet resources can really make a difference.)

You will then be in a position to plan any changes you would like.  A good long second run through the sections that emphasise procedures will help here.

All your changes should be made in well thought out, planned and gradual steps. You may need help from your usual diabetes support team at this stage.

Joining a forum such as Dr Bernstein’s Diabetes Forum can make an amazing difference.  There are a core of dedicated low carbing diabetics here who have done it all themselves. And they are happy to help you.

Indexed Table of Contents

To make this educational site easier to navigate here are a list of modules that you are likely to need for the different types of glucose metabolism problems.

For Everyone: Type 2 diabetes: Type 1 diabetes:
(Type 1, Type 2, and those who want to lose weight, get fit and reduce their chances of getting metabolic syndrome or type two diabetes) (insulin dependent)
How To: Lose Weight and Keep it Off

How To: Know the Truth About Carbohydrates

How To: Know the Truth About Fats

How To: Follow Dr. Bernstein's Dietary Plan

How To: Follow a Low Carbohydrate Diet

How To: Cook and Bake the Low Carb Way

How To: Learn About Metabolic Syndrome

How To: Find Information Online

How To: Look after yourself with Type 2 diabetes

How To: 'Eat to Meter'

How To: Count Carbohydrates

How To: Do the Atkins Diet

How To: Know What Things Beyond Food Can Affect My Blood Sugar

How To: Know How Proteins, Fats, and Carbs Affect My Blood Sugar

How To: Count Carbohydrates

How To: Monitor My Blood Sugar Appropriately

How To: Know What Oral Medications I May Be Offered for Diabetes

How To: Eat from a Hospital Menu

How To: Take Care of Your Feet

How To: Give Your Feet a Pedicure

How To: Keep Healthy with Diabetes

How To: Safely Dispose of Needles and Other Sharps

How To: Keep Healthy with Type 1 Diabetes

How To: Deal with the Stress of a Newly Diagnosed Child

How To: Create Emergency Information Pack

How To: Prepare a Diabetic Child for Life Outside the Home

How To: Know if My Insulin is Still Good

How To: Prepare Myself for My College Years with Diabetes

How To: Be the Star of Your Diabetic Clinic

How To: Decide What To Eat When Using Insulin

How To: Use Insulin to the Best Effect

How To: Know How Different Insulin Regimes Compare

How To: Calculate My Insulin Sensitivity

How To: Turn My Pen Into Pump

How To: Cover a Strict Low Carb, Moderate Low Carb, and High Carb Diet with Insulin

How To: Do Dr. Morrison's Carb Weighting System

How To: Time Insulin Injections for Simple Insulin Regimes

How To: Help Diabetics Who Can't Afford Insulin

How To: Deal with Low Blood Sugars

How To: Advise My Helpers of Low Blood Sugars

How To: Deal with High Blood Sugars

How To: Match Insulin Reduction to Carb Reduction and Get The Best out of the Insulin Calculator

Endings and New Beginnings

Other articles:

How To: Organize My Supplies

How To: Adjust My Basal Insulin

How To: Use Bolus Insulins Effectively


Please send me any feedback you have on the course material as well.

Katharine Morrison