Hi Paul and Congrats on your success so far!

Now keep in mind I'm not a doctor and can't disperse medical advice! This has been my own experience. I was diagnosed 7 years ago with Type 2 diabetes. At the time I was a little floored by the diagnoses and everything was happening so fast. They put me on some kind of medication, I'm not even sure what kind at the moment and sent me immediately to the diabetic clinic, where of course the diet of choice was the Canadian Diabetic Association one, which like you say is chocked full of the so called "healthy" carbs, was low fat and low calorie, because of course I needed to lose weight. Well, over the years, I struggled. The medication was making me sick, the "diet" was making me gain weight and I just felt horrible all around. This so-called "healthy" eating plan was also causing my blood sugar levels to rise! That's when I decided to take things into my own hands. I started researching diabetes and found out that carbs are what makes blood sugar go up! I'm not sure what your doctor is talking about when he/she says...high carbs are good because the body is slow to absorb glucose from them. Then it made sense to me to start limiting carbs. I really didn't know anything about low carb plans at this time. I just cut out sugar, white bread, pasta, etc. The next thing I did was ask the doctor if I could go off the medication because it was making me ill all the time. Then I started researching the impact of exercise on diabetes and found I could lower my levels even more by exercising. So basically, what I have found ( for myself) is that a low carb diet will control my blood sugar. I have recently gone on Metformin as I have been doing some research into its effects on insulin resistance and have decided that it might be worth it for me to try to see if I can get some of this weight off. After all, decreases in body weight make controlling diabetes easier.

So, now, my "advice" to you would be this. Do as much research as you can! Read about diabetes in medical books. Read about the effects of diet and exercise! Read Dr. Bernstein's book! Then sit down and make a rational decision about what you'd like to do. I sometimes struggle with my decision because after all its going "against" the standard treatment. But I know it works for me and keeps my bloodsugar at much better levels. As far as measuring BS levels....it is VITAL that you do this. How will you know otherwise what effect certain foods have on your body? I'm gathering that you are from the UK and I'm not sure if the readings there are the same as in Canada, but isn't a reading of 15 quite high? Has your doctor discussed the possibility of going on some kind of medication to bring it down abit?

Ultimately Paul, we all have to do what we feel comfortable with. I know many people who are diabetic and follow the "standard" diet and just take medication to combat it. But they are doing what they feel is right for them at this point in their life. I'm lucky that I have finally found a supportive doctor who lets test results speak for themselves and doesn't spew standard drivel about diabetes!

Good luck to you and remember...BE INFORMED! It's your best weapon in the fight against this disease!