Ketogenic Diet for Controlling Diabetes

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I have a couple of books I've been referring to, as well as some online resources (below). I don't use any one of them exclusively.

To be perfectly honest, I'm still learning. I just eat very simply for the most part, and will probably continue to do so until I figure out what I can and can't do. For most meals, I weigh out 3-4 ounces of whatever protein I'm having, a cup of vegetables, and make sure there is plenty of fat in every meal - on average 3 or 4 tablespoons. I try to stick to either saturated or monounsaturated types of fat.

The fat is important and a key to success. While I was tempted to skimp at first (old habits die hard), I'm slowly learning that when I include plenty of fats in my meals, I feel full longer and have much more energy. I also have less problem with inflammation.

By the way, I'm down 26 pounds now. :)

Good resources:

"The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living" by Stephen Phinney and Jeff Volek. This book has many recipes.

"Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution: The Complete Guide to Achieving Normal Blood Sugars" by Richard K. Bernstein

"Keto Living" by Ella Coleman

Ketogenic Diet Resource (online)

A Guide to the Keto Diet | Ruled Me (online)
 
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I almost forgot, I did order Dr. Bernstein's book. I have myself cut down top 100 gms carbs right now and am working on the next 50 to reduce and then the last 20...hard to give up the sugar in my coffee...
 
I almost forgot, I did order Dr. Bernstein's book. I have myself cut down top 100 gms carbs right now and am working on the next 50 to reduce and then the last 20...hard to give up the sugar in my coffee...
Good for you! I know exactly what you mean about sugar in coffee. It's my one daily sweet indulgence. I recently switched to stevia, but am not completely sold. I'll probably be going back to Splenda.

Below is my incentive to keep things up. This was my blood glucose 30 minutes after dinner tonight.

img_1399107_0_7b4ca9e56ffcd221ce65873f5bd4d45c.jpg
 
I can't wait to see those kind of numbers. I'm satisfied right now with postprandial of <140. My HbA1C was 7.4 and I just had fasting lipids done so we can check again in January and see how the diet is doing. Both Docs were happy with this choice to try Ketogenic. New pain medication so I am getting some mobility back, too!
 
Another good blog here written by Dr. Peter Attia, a very knowledgeable and interesting guy:
The Eating Academy | Peter Attia, M.D.

I had all kinds of weird ups and downs the first week I was on the diet. I would get up in the morning and my blood sugar would be 130-150, but then would gradually come down as the day went on. Just like you, I think it was a case of my liver releasing glycogen stores while I slept.

The other time I had trouble keeping it under control was around Thanksgiving. It totally perplexed me, because I thought I was being good. What I suspect happened is that I was exceeding my protein limits by scarfing down leftover turkey and ham. As I'm sure you are aware, any excess protein that the body can't use is converted to glucose. Just as if I had eaten a pastry. I've adjusted my eating to cut back on protein, and voila! Blood glucose was back to normal within a day.

My fasting BG is almost always right around 92-94 when I get up in the morning. By midday it's usually down in the mid to low 80s. After I eat a meal, it may go up 10-15 mg/dl but comes back down within an hour.

Interestingly, my wife's BG is typically a little higher than mine. She's on the diet, too, but is not diabetic (her last A1C was 5.3). She's lost about 12 pounds, last I heard, and is looking good.

By the way, I've now lost 34 pounds. And I'm actually looking forward to getting my blood work done again in January. :)
 
I looked at the almond flour - 1/4 cup serving, 6 g carbs - 3 g dietary fiber.

Been reading up on avocados and how good they are for a diet. Bad season for avocados in Montana, but I bet the Wholly Guacamole will be fine.

I made zucchini pasta tonight. Steamed it, tasted fine but left a puddle on the plate. Next time I am just going to leave it raw and let the pasta sauce heat it. Nice dinner!
 
Been reading up on avocados and how good they are for a diet. Bad season for avocados in Montana, but I bet the Wholly Guacamole will be fine.
Avocados are one of my favorite things! :yum:

I am down 35 pounds this morning. I find it simply astonishing that in one day I can eat prime rib, a slice of leftover cheese and pepperoni "meat-za," an omelet swimming in butter, and still somehow manage to lose weight.

Next week, the new gym that is being built down the road will be opening, and I am excited to start going. It's an "age 50 and over" place with specially designed machines for cardio and weight training that are supposed to be less stressful on joints. And best of all, there will not be a single treadmill in the place, according to the owner. Yay! I hate treadmills!
 
Also, have you ever looked at MyFitnessPal, PF? It's a site that helps track what you eat. I like it because it's completely configurable and I can plug in all of my daily goals and percentages for keto.
 
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Steve--why are beans not allowed? Does this include green beans as well? And are chickpeas off the list too? It is very similar to how I've been eating for the last 2 years, except I include whole grains and lots of beans. And, I am in the butter/duck fat/coconut oil camp. And whole milk and full fat dairy (yogurt). No sugar, no bread (except I will be eating bread and sugar over the holidays--not a lot, but some). I am neither diabetic nor borderline. I also rarely (maybe 4-5 x a year) eat pasta.


PF--try squeezing the water out of the zucchini noodles using a potato ricer. I usually just blanch the zucchini noodles for about 2 minutes and then shock them and then drain them while I heat up the sauce. I also make zucchini slaw (raw) using the zucchini "noodles."
 
I'm not very good at completing trackers every day. Better with just weekly accounting of weight. I want to watch what I eat, but do not want to be obsessive about it. I need meal planners to keep me accountable.
 
Thanks CWS!

As for the legumes...lots of carbs if you are carb sensitive. Green beans are not involved.
 
Steve--why are beans not allowed? Does this include green beans as well? And are chickpeas off the list too?
I know that so-called complex carbohydrates are released more slowly into the bloodstream, but unlike most people, diabetics don't have the natural mechanisms in place to remove those carbs once they are there. So, slow release or not, it still all looks like sugar to my body. It causes my BG to rise and then stay elevated for a long time.

As a Type 2, my body produces plenty of insulin. My problem is insulin resistance. Normally insulin is the vehicle for carrying glucose into cells. My cells won't uptake insulin, so the glucose stays in the bloodstream until I consume massive quantities of water to eventually flush it out. This is why diabetics often have overwhelming thirst, and can never be far from a restroom. For a while, I was drinking almost two gallons of water a day, and couldn't be in the car more than a half hour without having to stop and go somewhere.

A single cup of cooked black beans has 26 net carbs. I'm currently restricted to 20-30 net carbs per day, so that would be an entire day's worth. Same with chickpeas. Green beans are okay.
 
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I may consider this approach myself. My problem is that DW won't much support a meal without some kind of spuds, or starchy something. And to cut sweets out of our house completely will be a real challenge, if not impossible. I hope I can maintain the will-power to stay away from the high-carb foods. I mean, I know how to make all the foods that can kill you slowly, including pasta, pastries, pies, breads, starchy veggies, etc. And my pancakes, I get asked to make them almost regularly.

This won't be easy. fortunately, I've had some success with apples, and various fruits of the same ilk. after eating one whole, cold, gala apple, and testing my blood sugar 20 minutes later, my b-s level went down by 15 points. I'd eaten beef, sunchokes, and savory beans for supper. The apple was a late-night snack. My fasting blood sugar was 74 the next morning. In other words, I will be able to fine-tune my meals to eat healthy, great tasting food, without reverting to old habits if I include certain veggies, legumes, and fruits.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

Will she support being a widow? I know that sounds harsh, but being a diabetic affects not only the patient but the whole family. It really is in the family's best interest to support the diabetic. The whole family is better off on a diet that the diabetic eats. Fewer carbs. More protein. You need to find what works for you. And you need to learn to say "NO! I am a diabetic and that food is not the right food for me."

I had a friend (?) who always insisted I try something she was eating. I finally asked her why was she always trying to kill me. We had a heated conversation and I lost a friend. No big loss. I am still alive today. I am not ashamed of being a diabetic. And I let everyone know I am one. :angel:
 
Another good blog here written by Dr. Peter Attia, a very knowledgeable and interesting guy:
The Eating Academy | Peter Attia, M.D.

I had all kinds of weird ups and downs the first week I was on the diet. I would get up in the morning and my blood sugar would be 130-150, but then would gradually come down as the day went on. Just like you, I think it was a case of my liver releasing glycogen stores while I slept.

The other time I had trouble keeping it under control was around Thanksgiving. It totally perplexed me, because I thought I was being good. What I suspect happened is that I was exceeding my protein limits by scarfing down leftover turkey and ham. As I'm sure you are aware, any excess protein that the body can't use is converted to glucose. Just as if I had eaten a pastry. I've adjusted my eating to cut back on protein, and voila! Blood glucose was back to normal within a day.

My fasting BG is almost always right around 92-94 when I get up in the morning. By midday it's usually down in the mid to low 80s. After I eat a meal, it may go up 10-15 mg/dl but comes back down within an hour.

Interestingly, my wife's BG is typically a little higher than mine. She's on the diet, too, but is not diabetic (her last A1C was 5.3). She's lost about 12 pounds, last I heard, and is looking good.

By the way, I've now lost 34 pounds. And I'm actually looking forward to getting my blood work done again in January. :)

Steve, activity will always lower your numbers. That is why they want you to take walks. Make a walk as part of your daily activities. You may work up a slight appetite, but it will allow you to have a protein for a snack to hold you over to your next meal. I would love to be able to walk. That is my biggest problem in controlling my diabetes. As a result, I have to be even more diligent is what I eat. :angel:
 
Must reads: Keto Clarity and Cholesterol Clarity by Jimmy Moore and Dr. Eric Westerman.

Going on week 3 and am in full Ketosis. I feel good and my blood sugars are still wacked because of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, but my triglycerides are coming down and HDL is going up.

Low/No Carb - 10 gms/day, Moderate Protein - 40 gms/day, High Fat - 148 gms/day. I've lost 12 pounds so far and only taking Metformin now. Once my triglycerides have spent themselves, I will stop the Metformin, too!

I have graduated to no sugar in my coffee, the carbs I do get are from green leafy vegetables and tomatoes...I can't seem to give up tomatoes. I also have not had any fruit in quite a while.
 
Must reads: Keto Clarity and Cholesterol Clarity by Jimmy Moore and Dr. Eric Westerman.

Going on week 3 and am in full Ketosis. I feel good and my blood sugars are still wacked because of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, but my triglycerides are coming down and HDL is going up.

Low/No Carb - 10 gms/day, Moderate Protein - 40 gms/day, High Fat - 148 gms/day. I've lost 12 pounds so far and only taking Metformin now. Once my triglycerides have spent themselves, I will stop the Metformin, too!

I have graduated to no sugar in my coffee, the carbs I do get are from green leafy vegetables and tomatoes...I can't seem to give up tomatoes. I also have not had any fruit in quite a while.
That's AWESOME, PF! I'm always happy to see others' success stories. A couple of my friends have also taken up the diet in recent weeks.

While sometimes a little short on technical data, Jimmy Moore's books are nevertheless inspirational. After all, this is a man who once weighed over 400 lbs.

My personal keto macros are 20C/90P/150F (around 1800 calories a day). It seems to be working well. I was trying to keep protein down for a while, but have inched it back up again. I started a strength training and cardio fitness program a few weeks ago, and find that I need the extra protein now.

To date, I've lost 42 lbs and Mrs. K has lost 15. My muscle mass has also gone up and I no longer am bothered by joint inflammation. Even the guy who runs the gym has asked "What are you on?" and said that I seem to have a lot more energy than most people my age. :)

I'm going in for blood tests at the end of January.
 
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