Thread: A Discussion With a Health Profesional

Curious why the nurse wanted to increase your carbs.

There is a standard balanced intake of protein/carbs and i don't meet it and most probably never have unless I drink beer. My diet is such that apart from the carbs they have nothing to pick on and quite possibly I don't eat enough and never have. Carbs provide the sugar base that the body needs, not to be confused with sugar ingested from processed food. I was told that my body has obviously become used to the level I am at but for someone else to be at the same level would lead to issues such as lethargy etc. Others like the body trim expert would say I am doing the right thing but what qualification does he hold to say that? I am just as confused with all the different stories as the next person and everyone seems to be an expert.

Originally Posted by Chris Parks

There is a standard balanced intake of protein/carbs and i don't meet it and most probably never have unless I drink beer. My diet is such that apart from the carbs they have nothing to pick on and quite possibly I don't eat enough and never have. Carbs provide the sugar base that the body needs, not to be confused with sugar ingested from processed food. I was told that my body has obviously become used to the level I am at but for someone else to be at the same level would lead to issues such as lethargy etc. Others like the body trim expert would say I am doing the right thing but what qualification does he hold to say that? I am just as confused with all the different stories as the next person and everyone seems to be an expert.

What is the right thing they are talking about?

My understanding is he advocates a carb free diet at least for the initial period but I could be wrong. The learned medical profession reckon that is totally wrong but then they would as they didn't think it up.

Originally Posted by Chris Parks

My understanding is he advocates a carb free diet at least for the initial period but I could be wrong. The learned medical profession reckon that is totally wrong but then they would as they didn't think it up.

So your low carb. Thats ok, i was just wondering why the nurse was trying to give dietary advise.

Oh, and you mentioned beer, "Big Head" its 0.5g carbs per stubby full alc vol and tastes great. Get it from Dan Murphys or BWS.

I am an alcohol free zone at the moment and have been for months. I go through periods sometimes a few years of no alcohol but I have no idea why, it just sort of happens and then I will take it up again some time down the track. I was only joking and the horrified look on her face was worth it.

If YOU are worried about your health - as opposed to your Doctor - then do some of your own research to understand what the mechanisms are causing the changes in your body chemistry and how to deal with them -or not, as the case may be. The reason I make that point is that WORRYING about it - or stress - is going to do more harm than good.
The basic premise of blood sugar level is that it goes up whenever you put sugars or carbohydrates partially converted to glucose into your body. in a normally functioning pancreas, that level is responded to really quickly by insulin production and release. The actual measured blood glucose level never go above somewhere between 5 and 10 mmol/l.
If your immune system decides that your islets of Langerhans (the cells that produce insulin in your pancreas) are 'bad' and need to be destroyed, then bit by bit your blood glucose levels will no longer return quickly enough to where it belongs and your doctor gets worried.... that you are developing diabetes. In a way if your body has begun this autoimmune destruction of its own cells, technically you already have diabetes.
Until fairly recently, diet was blamed largely for this outcome. More recently, it is recognised that to a very large degree - around 98% - this misrecognition of your cells by the immune system id a genetic fault. That's why diabetes runs in families. So modifying your diet makes bugger all difference. Increasing your stress levels however accelerated the process because it interferes with the immune system.
The last thing not yet entirely proven but strongly suspected is that a diet of BAD FOOD - highly processed foods, certain preservatives and chemicals that mimic natural substances but aren't - trigger the same genetic fault by mutation.
The really sad thing is that if that turns out to be true, then the 'Macka's' mutation (tongue in cheek) starts a new family history, because it will be passed on to your offspring. So if Macka's et al closed world-wide tomorrow, the massive increase in diabetes over the past 5 decades will NOT reverse.... the mutation is now in the population and will be passed on...... our only hope is then that it is in a recessive gene and it takes both parents to have it to pass it on.... we live in hope.

Anyway, back to your situation: monitor your blood sugar levels so YOU know what's what and don;t loose sleep over something you can't influence. Medical research is indeed making it easier to live with.

I would #### bricks if my fasted blood glucose was 10 mmol/l.

As being type 2 since 1997,the advice by the Doc was to make carbs a part of my diet,that they were an important part eating "right"
With some drugs(about the same doses)for many years now my BS readings have stayed within the range of OK

Originally Posted by nrb

As being type 2 since 1997,the advice by the Doc was to make carbs a part of my diet,that they were an important part eating "right"
With some drugs(about the same doses)for many years now my BS readings have stayed within the range of OK

That is where I am and it is genetic as far as I am concerned. I think that the majority of people get into the range that is called type 2 and always have. It is the reason that most people died before they were 70 when I was a kid. Then of course none of this stuff was known about so life these days is artificially lengthened way beyond what used to be the routine, but then this has been the way things have gone forever. Diet got better, the medical profession learned more and we keep putting off the final moment of truth. We didn't need superannuation 60 years ago, no one lived long enough.

Chris, ignore body trim. It is a weight loss system and not a healthy diet alternative. You only exclude carbs while you are losing weight. Once you reach your goal weight carbs are re-introduced but at more of a healthy lifestyle level.
I've been drinking cider lately because it's made from fruit so must be healthier than beer

Originally Posted by NCArcher

Chris, ignore body trim. It is a weight loss system and not a healthy diet alternative. You only exclude carbs while you are losing weight. Once you reach your goal weight carbs are re-introduced but at more of a healthy lifestyle level.
I've been drinking cider lately because it's made from fruit so must be healthier than beer

Hasn't that got loads of sugar in it? i used Bodytrim as an example of what the nurse said and she picked on that type of diet as an example of not what to do. I have lost somewhere around 11kgs just through exercise since September. They asked me why I lost the weight and I told the truth, it was going to cost me more to buy a new wardrobe of clothes and I was having trouble doing up my shoes. I have not changed my diet BTW. I became grossly overweight when I left my previous job and did nothing at work for six months. I had about a month of no exercise over xmas and did not put on any weight so I am pleased about that. I suspect I am going to have a fairly long period of no exercise when the surgeon does his thing but we aren't there yet.

Type 2 here. What matters for my fasting BS is the type and when I eat the carbs.
If i eat the carbs for breakfast and/or lunch instead of the evening meal - my BS next morning will be over 10 otherwise it will be around 8.
Mashed potatoes, rice or pasts will send it higher than grainy wholemeal bread or other more complex carbs.

Since 2007 I have been treated for type 2 Diabetes. I take Glucovance twice a day and keep an eye on diet. Yesterday I went to the Podiatrist because I have developed a painful left heel. It gets worse as the afternoon goes on but I am nearly pain free in the mornings. He reckons I have damaged the ligaments that run on the sole of my foot. He strapped it up and gave me some stretching exercises. This morning, after doing the stretches while watching TV last night, the heel is a lot happier.
While I was there, I asked the Podiatrist why my right foot has dry flakey skin while the left on is normal. He got out this gadget that worked like a foetal monitor to listen to the blood flow in my feet. It has a loud speaker and even I could hear the difference between the two feet. Now I have to go back to the GP to get a referral to get my legs scanned to see if there is a restriction in the veins of my legs. This is something that I never dreamed about while having Diabetes.

Edited to add;
No one in my immediate family has had Diabetes. I get my blood checked regularly for the antidepession medication. The GP was surprised when I was positive to Diabetes because 4 months earlier there was no sign!!! Lucky me. My sister's youngest daughter (30yo) has had it for 3 years and even the brother-in-la's family doesn't have any. All my life I have been overweight but on the same token I have always been physically active (with work rather than "exercise")