Atkins Diet Misconceptions: Low Carb and Diabetes (Part 1)

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This video comes out of another myth that gets propagated out by Atkins Diet bashers that somehow we are more likely to get diabetes by following low carb. Certainly there is no shortage of misinformation on the web:
http://www.atkinsexposed.org/atkins/122/Nutritionists_Warn_Diabetics_to_be_Wa...
http://www.diabetesuffolk.com/LivingWithDiabetes/The%20Atkins%20diet.htm

Some say we are dangerous for both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetics. Some just type 1 diabetics, but it really couldn't be further from the truth. As all people, ESPECIALLY diabetics, could benefit from controlling blood glucose levels by carbohydrate monitoring or restriction.

There are two major proponents for Low Carb for diabetics:
Richard Bernstein, Type 1 Diabetic since 1946
http://www.diabetes911.net/about.php
Author of THE DIABETES DIET and Diabetes Solution

Mary C. Vernon
Chairman of the board, American Society of Bariatric Physicians
Co-Author of Atkins Diabetes Revolution with Robert Atkins
http://tinyurl.com/cbjk76
2007 and 2008 Runner Up for Diabetic Educator of the Year Award

Mary Vernon has been controlling diabetes with an Very Low Carb Diet (similar to Atkins Diet) for many years. She says both her Type 1 and Type 2 patients have benefited from carbohydrate restriction. She also notes that seeking quality physicians to handle the dramatic decrease in insulin requirements is paramount as some patients could be medication free in 3 days! See the attached quote (http://rjr10036.typepad.com/askdrvernon/2007/05/ron_of_sarasota.html).

Recently a number of studies have been released to support this position as well. One of the most notable for describing the failure of the existing recommendation of high carb and regulating with increasing doses of insulin is the study released in 2005 Nutrition and Metabolism magazine, "The case for low carbohydrate diets in diabetes management." (http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1188071&tool=pm...­z) They detail that the high carbohydrate diet has lead to worse glycemic control, dislipidemia, hypertension, obesity, and cardiovascular disease (CVD). They noted in their review of studies that the low carb followers showed dramatic improvement in comparison to the high carb followers.

(Part 2 to be released later)

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Atkins
• Diet
• Diabetes
• Diabetics
• Treatment
• Controlling
• Blood
• Glucose
• Low
• Carb
• Bowulf
• Mary
• Vernon

[eerakk]

You are right; I know, because I have been there 20 years.

[bowulf]

@eerakk Congrats and keep spreading your success. It's stories like yours that keeps the critics' mouth shut. I can spread the good news, but coming from a person like yourself, it holds a lot more weight.

[drod1970]

My normal numbers run from 215 - 350 with the diet plan my Endocrinologist gave me to follow 65 - 70 grams of carbs per meal! On my own with low carb eating my numbers are 89 - 100 in the mornings 126 two hours after I eat!!!!!!!!! No more insulin shots for me and from 5 oral meds down to 1!!!! Low carb have saved my life!!!!! I am living proof it works. OH! and down 60 pounds!

[bowulf]

@drod1970 That is simply phenomenal and speaks volumes to the state of diabetes management by some doctors. I hope some begin to wise up and start waking up to potentially life saving by eliminating much of the source of the problem.

Congratulations on being such the success story, and I hope more people follow your lead.

[amyceltic]

The Atkins Diet works great for my diabetes!

[kim36tv]

Thanks Kent for yet another great video......

[MIRZAEJAZ123]

thanks for your testimony.

[bowulf]

@serineea That is a fantastic success story. Sometimes just health benefits of getting off medication is reason enough to start the diet. Some people have huge weight losses, but to me, it is these medical successes of disease reversal is the really cool ones.

[bowulf]

@gphx Thanks, and thanks for your testimony.

[gphx]

@bowulf That was in reference to one person's point in your presentation that keto diets can make diabetes more tricky to manage. That's true for many - in the short term. Lows can be scary and more immediately dangerous than highs and some people run high on purpose to avoid them risking longterm damage. Over the long haul though I fail to see how anything works better than keto diabetic or not so for the most part you're preaching to the choir.

[bowulf]

@gphx I am not sure where any disagreed with you. As the body acclimates, many low carbers (diabetic and non-diabetic people) can exercise for hours without entering a hypoglycemic state. If you need to regulate your blood sugar more vigorously or need some additional glucose, talk with your doctor, and do what you have to do.

[gphx]

I am diabetic. I reduced my blood glucose levels to normal through a low carb diet and exercise. All good so far. Thereafter I began experiencing exercise induced hypoglycemia, low blood glucose. I don't see how pointing that out is incorrect.