My mother-in-law has recently become a type II diabetic and seems to be declining in health. I am trying to find a doctor in Tampa who is willing to use a low-carb diet to help control her diabetes. I recently started a low-carb diet (Atkins), and I know how good it has made me feel. I want her to feel healthy, too, and live 20 more years, not 3 to 5.

I have looked in the phone book and done many Google searches, but I haven't hit on a list of Tampa doctors (or even one Tampa doctor) that seems to be low-carb-friendly.

Does anyone have suggestions for other ways I can search? Do you have suggestions for area organizations I should call to ask about doctors? Or (almost beyond hope) do you know of such a doctor in the Tampa area?

Thanks for your consideration.

Do what I do...don't tell the doctor you're 'doing' Atkins. Just tell him you're monitoring the diet very closely and are considering doing 'tight control'. You may want to consider finding an Indian doctor, they tend to be more open-minded. Preferably an older one who was trained first in India. Indian medicine tends to treat the whole body, not just the symptoms (like North American medicine) and one trained in that methodology first are usually pretty easy to get along with. Plus we can all help you with any questions since we've all 'been there, done that'. I recommend Dr.Bernstein's book and Dr. Atkins' 2002 printing of 'Diet Revolution'. Both are excellent and make good companions.

Since your mom is already diagnosed Type II, I assume she has gotten a do-it-yourself blood sugar test kit. Put her on Atkins and monitor her blood sugar closely. I was never actually diagnosed Type II although I suspect I probably am, but my daughter has been diagnosed and we share her test kit. My blood sugar has fallen from 134 (fasting) to 87 (fasting). Her blood sugar has fallen some as well, by the way. My blood pressure was around 134/85 and today it was 123/75.