I think the guidelines to managing diabetes have changed quite a bit over the last couple of decades. My aunt had diabetes and I remember from when I was little that she wasn’t allowed to eat sugar. But I have a couple of friends at work who are both diabetic and don’t live by this rule. Can anyone clear this up for me?
Should diabetics adopt a low carb diet to control blood sugar levels?
Carbs are addicting. Consuming them stimulates insulin production, which in turn promotes hunger, and a vicious (albeit tasty) circle occurs. Integrate this learned physiological reliance with cultural standards of including high-carbohydrate foods in every meal and whenever you are snacking, and you have actually got a circumstance that’s kinda hard to fix.
I’m on a low-carbohydrate plan and have actually seen significant enhancement in my blood sugar level and A1Cs as a result. I just try not to feel too cheeky about this, though. I’ve just simply been fortunate, for a few factors.
First off, I developed Type 1 diabetes at the age of 3. I have actually had no other lifestyle. So even when I wasn’t in great control, I was still living in the context of knowing what I need to and consume and need to stay away from. So I have actually been informed about that my whole life, which most newly diagnosed people can’t claim. When you’re talking about adult Type 2 diabetics in particular, you’re speaking about a population that has entire lifetimes of practices to overcome. I can’t even envision how difficult that must be.
I’m also fortunate because that Type 1 diabetics have immediate physiological feedback when they eat high-carb foods. We experience high blood sugar level, which causes dehydration, drowsiness, lack of energy, and so on.
When we check our blood sugars, the repercussions – i.e. high blood glucose-- are instant and undeniable.
Contrast that with how Type 2 diabetics, or non-diabetics, experience a diet of high-carb food. They know that something bad could occur in the long run. They’ll get fat for sure. Which is simple to dismiss. There’s nothing important or instantly dangerous about the idea of developing Type 2 diabetes or negative effects due to bad control of Type 2 diabetes or of merely the notion of a non-diabetic getting fat. These are dangers that eat away gradually at an individual’s health, instead of the immediate, negative health consequences to a Type 1 diabetic.
Also… low-carb food isn’t really as delicious. For me at least.