Hello low carb dieters. I am a family physician and see a lot of patients with problems of obesity and diabetes
Very few can lose weight with standard advice so their diabetes does not improve. I am speaking of type 2 diabetes. I am curious to find out if the Schartwartzbein diet is helping diabetes in a general wqay. My wife has adopted this diet plan for us and I enjoy being on it myself. I am amazed how sweet plan fruit tastes now and how regular deserts seem too sweet. Thank you.

I'm not sure about SP and diabetes though maybe some members here can speak to that. I do know that many low-carbers have had success controlling their blood sugar using a variety of different low-carb plans!

Lisa

Hi Dr Richard and Lisa!

Although I don't know much about the SP diet, I believe LCing is very helpful in controlling bGs. Last June, as indicated at the bottom of my posts, A1c results were quite high. I decided to do as much as I could to get them down. After a few days on Montignac and taking my bGs more often throughout the day, I picked up Dr Bernstein Diabetes Solution and reduced carbos to between 30 to 50 grams per day, limited to low glycemic index foods - mostly veggies and occasionally berries.

I have been able to lower 14-day averages on glucometer to 5.8 (104), including readings in the morning when I get the 'dawn phenomena' and numbers can go up to around 160. Between noon and 6am bGs are mostly normal. Next Dr appointment is on Sept. 18 and I will then find out the results of tests done yesterday morning - including the A1c.

All this took only 2 months to achieve, while 3 years ago when I had first been diagnosed and followed a program of 150gr CHO - 70gr protein - 70gr lipids, it had taken about 6 months to get down to a 6.6 A1c, which is not bad, but still above normal. Then and now, daily caloric intake is around 1,500 calories.

You might like to check out some of the other sections specially related to diabetes: 1. Diabetes/blood sugar
2. Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes and also 3. in the USENET newsgroup Diabetes.

Knowing I can control my bG levels with low-carbing is very empowering - and I plan to make this not only a WOE (way of eating) but also a WOF (way of life).

Once I'm at my goal weight, I will slowly add carbs and continue monitoring bGs to maintain good numbers..

I'm sooo very grateful to have found these forums. LCers are taking a pro-active role with their health.

hi Richard,

Dr. Schwarzbein is a practising Endocrinologist, and developed her diet originally to help Type 2 diabetics .. although she doesn't specifically address diabetes in her book.

Type 2's who can be stabilized with diet and exercise alone will do well with SP, and achieve weight loss as well as improve their problems with insulin resistance.

Type 2's who are currently on medication will need to be monitored closely ... they'll do well also, but will likely need dosage reductions (and even discontinuing ) of their meds as they lose weight and their sugars come down. The sulfonylureas especially can cause hypoglycemia, not to mention that they contribute to the insulin resistance and inability to lose weight by their action of forcing the pancreas to pump out more insulin.

Type 2's who are unstable, requiring insulin to achieve control ... might do better with a program such as Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solutioin. Bernstein is himself a Type 1 diabetic, who successfully gained control over his own diabetes, even reversing his nephropathy with a low-carb diet. His program involves frequent blood glucose testing, and tight control .. and he devotes a chapter to achieving weight loss. Bernstein has posted some chapters of the book on his website http://www.diabetes-normalsugars.com/

Glad you're enjoying the program, and much success to you and your wife.

Doreen

I can only speak from personal experience but my blood sugars were running in the high 100's to 200's before I started Schwarzbein, even with 500 mg. Metformin twice a day. They're slowly going down, and now seem to stay in the 100 - 160 range. I'm hoping as I lose more weight they'll come down lower and eventually I'll be able to get off medication. I do know I feel better. I monitor my sugars closely and if they start getting too low I do eat more carbs, but I'm careful which ones I choose. Usually cheese and a couple of whole grain crackers.

On another note, I did take this way of eating to my endocrinologist and she approved it.

I have Schwarzbein principle and have been following it a little over a month.
IT does address type 2 diabetes quite extensively and insuling resistance. I have PCOS and insulin resistance and it has helped greatly. My father also has type 2 diabetes and his blood sugars stabalized right off.
Tanya

hi Tanya

This is great news. I scoured TSP and indeed there's lots of information about insulin resistance and preventing complications such as diabetes and heart disease, but I didn't see anywhere that it details how to use the diet to treat persons who are already diabetic. Which chapter is this in? The info would be really helpful to other interested readers

thanks,

Doreen

And there is a whole chapter with the case of a gentleman with type two diatbetes.
:-)
Great chapter!

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hi Poofie,

Yes, I redid my homework ... and noted that Schwarzbein's Introduction is about how she developed her program because of her work with Type 2 diabetics. And indeed the case study in Chapter Ten is about a Type 2 diabetic.

I guess I was looking if there were specific guidelines for managing diabetes beyond just the basic diet ... such as blood sugar monitoring, managing hypoglycemia, medications etc. But I suppose that is best left to the individual patient and her/his doctor.

Thanks for looking it up

Doreen

Yes.. its true. . She can't really be treating you other than giving nutritional guidelines through a book :-)
But probably the best thing you can do is to find a proactive dr.
They are out there.
I know I am impressed with Tanya's GP.

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