> On Behalf Of Adrienne Smith
> On Wed, 26 May 2004 11:19:40 -0400, Wade Reeser <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> >>  I >gave him a copy of Dr Bernstein's Diabetes Solution which is a low
> carb
> >approach to treating diabetes.  I think my father responded to this book
> for
<snip!>
> >  Wade
>
>
> Thanks Wade.  I have read Dr. Bernstein's excellent book and tried to get
> my father interested in it and others to no avaoil -- but I am
> beginning to
> think he just doesn't want to give up certain foods.  He justifies eating
<snip!>

Changing eating habits can be VERY difficult for some it seems, like some
have more difficulty with quitting smoking.  I imagine a large
part is psychological, but who knows for sure? I had heard about Dr.
Bernstein's book some time before my father got diabetes and when he went
into the hospital suffering from the classic symtoms (thirsty, addled and
sudden weight loss) and I priority shipped it to him.  I was very suprised
that
the nutritionist at the hospital recommended... a low carb diet!  I should
have made it a point to meet the nutritionist and speak with her awhile,I
am curious how she came around :)  I mean, I think most of us have seen
the posts from MDs who still say you need to ingest 50g of carbohydrate
daily
or your brain will die crap :)  My father was in his late 60s when he
developed a type 1 diabetes and he was very worried about developing
complications because of the disease.  He was very self motivated to 'solve
the problem'.  I didnt have the heart to tell him that most of the
complications
tend to be problems that manifest themselves in 30+ years and that something
else would kill him first ;)

Now, Dr. Berstein's approach is very severe, shooting for no carbs at all a
day, but then again, he often deals with people with uncontrolled blood
sugars
and severe complications.  I think Dr. Berstein's all-in-all is the best
approach,
but I'm confident even a fairly moderate approach to low carb like a Zone or
Protein
Power for example would be a great improvement for most.  Which gives me an
idea...
I have been toying around with starting a cyclic ketogenic diet.  In
particular,
I just bought 'The Metabolic Diet' eBook by Mauro DiPasquale
(www.metabolicdiet.com)
and will give it a shot in about a month.  I am delaying it a month as I
will be
going for two weeks of bagpipe camp and didnt want to begin 'on the road'.
If
you are unfamiliar with these type of diets, basically you eat low carb so
many days
then you eat high carb for a day or two.  I'm thinking this diet may be
possible with
good results to a diabetic but it may require a lot of oversight, especially
to
'get in the groove'.  For some (and you father might be included in this
group) the
idea of a day or two a week of gobbling all their high starch and sugar
goodies is
enough to behave themselves the rest of the week.  The brief high
carbohydrate load
does not seem to detract from health benefits of the low carb period.  In
fact, for
various reasons, it may enhance it.

Ob. paleo reference:  I am going to attempt this diet at least on a no grain
basis
(grain doesnt agree with me) but will prolly use some of the controversial
milk
products and perhaps a sweet potato and some beans here and there :)

Good luck Adrienne!

   Wade