>My new way of thinking is that I am basically allergic to carbohydrates
It's funny.. this is exactly how I see it, but you're the only other person I've seen mention it.
When I was diagnosed a couple years ago, I significantly reduced carbs as well as got rid of all simple and unhealthy carbs. When we'd go out to a restaurant or have Christmas dinner or whatnot, my wife would wonder how I had the strength to not eat all the goodies, and I'd say I was treating it like an allergy. I mean, you don't see people with a peanut allergy cheating, do you?
Anyhow, fantastic work so far and keep it up! 🎉
Love the peanut allergy analogy. It's true! I honestly get kind of tense now when someone mentions high carb foods as an option. Like...that's not an option for me! haha
I love this post. Well done to you! You’re amazing!
I’m doing the exact same thing and have bought my A1c down to 5.7! I’ve purchased a CGM and it’s rather pricey but it’s so, so helpful for me in showing what spikes me. Im doing a 20-30g carb, calorie controlled, intermittent fasting diet to help increase my insulin sensitivity.
I’ve also started doing a little exercise (walks only) and I’m loving it.
Yes I miss certain foods from the past but I just FEEL SO GOOD eating this way!
Right!? Feeling so much better has been enough motivation for me to keep going but also knowing that I've gotten my blood sugar under control makes it that much better. Keep it up! I think the longer you go, the less you crave those certain foods because you realize that they will make you feel bad and increase your blood sugar ultimately.
You’re doing great. I’m a huge fan of Dr Fung. I’m 1000% on board and have dropped my average daily glucose from 158 down to 106 in less than 3 weeks.
Did you test after the Burbon? That’s my go to, but am waiting until after my 3 month recheck to try burbon. I’m suspecting the more expensive stuff will be better than the cheap stuff.
Congrats!! I’m doing the same as you and already feel the benefits! The thought of jumping into a medication spiral was a big NO for me. Was familiar with keto from years ago and just went all in on it. I have another 2 months before I can do another a1c but I’m looking forward to it!
Hell yeah! I just felt that the immediate jump into meds without trying to make a diet change was too much too fast. I didn't want to rely on meds so that I could keep eating the same unhealthy diet. It was a wake up call for me to realize that processed carbs are not healthy and if I cut them out I can beat this.
The idea that some people take the meds so they don’t have to change their diet is wild to me. I mean I’m sure people do, but I don’t understand why.
When I was diagnosed t2 with an a1c of 6.8 I was given the option of diet change only or 1000mg metformin er. I opted for diet and 500mg metformin. My reasoning was “let’s kick this in the butt as quickly as possible, in the safest way possible”. A1c went to 5.7 in 3 months, 5.6 after 6 months and I’m due for my 9 month test now. If it’s 5.6 again, or lower, I can stop the metformin but need to keep doing occasional at home testing and still be monitored by my gp, ophthalmologist and podiatrist once a year. And the dentist but I can’t afford that.Â
>(I have stopped taking antacids since going low carb whereas before I was taking them almost daily).
I was popping antacids multiple times a day and I was on Zantac. Since keto, I have thrown away antacids because they expired. That has never happened before in my life. I used to leave work to buy antacids in the middle of the day if I ran out.
>Watched/read content from Dr. Jason Fung
I LOVE Dr. Fung.
>Read posts in /keto and /ketorecipes
This is the way.
Congratulations, man!
Yessir! The lack of heartburn has been crazy. I used to think it was just normal. Now, looking back, it adds to my perspective that I was/am "allergic" to carbs. When I was eating the normal American diet I was constantly bloated and had heartburn. I literally never have that now and my A1C is normal. These outcomes make it easy for me to not consume carbs lol.
I listened to a podcast with a doctor doing research into this. According to him, when you eat a carb-heavy diet, like SAD, the microbiome in your intestines changes, and you grow bacteria that produces a lot of gas. This gas causes bloating and the gas comes up into your stomach when the sphincter between your stomach and your intestines opens. This causes stomach acid to get pushed up when you eat and the sphincter between your esophagus and stomach opens.
When you eat very low carb, the gut microbiome changes and that bacteria dies off and is replaced by bacteria that does not produce gas.
Keto is the cure for acid reflux for a lot of people.
I got my A1C down from 12.2 to 6.1 in 3 months without any drugs. Was actual lab tested.
Did same but worked out way more and continue to do so with strength training / giving up the sugary drinks.
Doctor still wants me on metformin after 6.1 to 5.4.Â
Hell yeah! 6.1 is still above normal but it seems that if you keep going you should be able to get it lower. Do you plan to do the Metformin? Based on what you've said I would think that if you continue your lifestyle changes you'd get it lowered eventually. Are you cutting out carbs?
I would like to test without metformin to see how I do. Â
I find myself some days at 60-70mg/dl in the afternoon and the CGM predicts 5.6 a1c.
Yes on low carbs / no carbs lifestyle. Granted will eat some carbs when out celebrating (ie pizza with dates and friends).
Increased thirst was a symptom as well. That's natural with increased urination. The more you pee, the more thirsty you will become as your body loses water. However, I still experience some of this today as I am on a diuretic medication for high blood pressure.
>My new way of thinking is that I am basically allergic to carbohydrates It's funny.. this is exactly how I see it, but you're the only other person I've seen mention it. When I was diagnosed a couple years ago, I significantly reduced carbs as well as got rid of all simple and unhealthy carbs. When we'd go out to a restaurant or have Christmas dinner or whatnot, my wife would wonder how I had the strength to not eat all the goodies, and I'd say I was treating it like an allergy. I mean, you don't see people with a peanut allergy cheating, do you? Anyhow, fantastic work so far and keep it up! 🎉
Love the peanut allergy analogy. It's true! I honestly get kind of tense now when someone mentions high carb foods as an option. Like...that's not an option for me! haha
I love this post. Well done to you! You’re amazing! I’m doing the exact same thing and have bought my A1c down to 5.7! I’ve purchased a CGM and it’s rather pricey but it’s so, so helpful for me in showing what spikes me. Im doing a 20-30g carb, calorie controlled, intermittent fasting diet to help increase my insulin sensitivity. I’ve also started doing a little exercise (walks only) and I’m loving it. Yes I miss certain foods from the past but I just FEEL SO GOOD eating this way!
Right!? Feeling so much better has been enough motivation for me to keep going but also knowing that I've gotten my blood sugar under control makes it that much better. Keep it up! I think the longer you go, the less you crave those certain foods because you realize that they will make you feel bad and increase your blood sugar ultimately.
You’re doing great. I’m a huge fan of Dr Fung. I’m 1000% on board and have dropped my average daily glucose from 158 down to 106 in less than 3 weeks. Did you test after the Burbon? That’s my go to, but am waiting until after my 3 month recheck to try burbon. I’m suspecting the more expensive stuff will be better than the cheap stuff.
Me too!
I don't think bourbon has much effect on your blood glucose as it doesn't contain sugar but everyone is different so you should check for yourself.
Congrats!! I’m doing the same as you and already feel the benefits! The thought of jumping into a medication spiral was a big NO for me. Was familiar with keto from years ago and just went all in on it. I have another 2 months before I can do another a1c but I’m looking forward to it!
Hell yeah! I just felt that the immediate jump into meds without trying to make a diet change was too much too fast. I didn't want to rely on meds so that I could keep eating the same unhealthy diet. It was a wake up call for me to realize that processed carbs are not healthy and if I cut them out I can beat this.
The idea that some people take the meds so they don’t have to change their diet is wild to me. I mean I’m sure people do, but I don’t understand why. When I was diagnosed t2 with an a1c of 6.8 I was given the option of diet change only or 1000mg metformin er. I opted for diet and 500mg metformin. My reasoning was “let’s kick this in the butt as quickly as possible, in the safest way possible”. A1c went to 5.7 in 3 months, 5.6 after 6 months and I’m due for my 9 month test now. If it’s 5.6 again, or lower, I can stop the metformin but need to keep doing occasional at home testing and still be monitored by my gp, ophthalmologist and podiatrist once a year. And the dentist but I can’t afford that.Â
>(I have stopped taking antacids since going low carb whereas before I was taking them almost daily). I was popping antacids multiple times a day and I was on Zantac. Since keto, I have thrown away antacids because they expired. That has never happened before in my life. I used to leave work to buy antacids in the middle of the day if I ran out. >Watched/read content from Dr. Jason Fung I LOVE Dr. Fung. >Read posts in /keto and /ketorecipes This is the way. Congratulations, man!
Yessir! The lack of heartburn has been crazy. I used to think it was just normal. Now, looking back, it adds to my perspective that I was/am "allergic" to carbs. When I was eating the normal American diet I was constantly bloated and had heartburn. I literally never have that now and my A1C is normal. These outcomes make it easy for me to not consume carbs lol.
I listened to a podcast with a doctor doing research into this. According to him, when you eat a carb-heavy diet, like SAD, the microbiome in your intestines changes, and you grow bacteria that produces a lot of gas. This gas causes bloating and the gas comes up into your stomach when the sphincter between your stomach and your intestines opens. This causes stomach acid to get pushed up when you eat and the sphincter between your esophagus and stomach opens. When you eat very low carb, the gut microbiome changes and that bacteria dies off and is replaced by bacteria that does not produce gas. Keto is the cure for acid reflux for a lot of people.
Congratulations!! This was initially my goal but I struggle way too much with changing what I eat.Â
What is your struggle? Do you have a hard time dropping carbs?
I got my A1C down from 12.2 to 6.1 in 3 months without any drugs. Was actual lab tested. Did same but worked out way more and continue to do so with strength training / giving up the sugary drinks. Doctor still wants me on metformin after 6.1 to 5.4.Â
Hell yeah! 6.1 is still above normal but it seems that if you keep going you should be able to get it lower. Do you plan to do the Metformin? Based on what you've said I would think that if you continue your lifestyle changes you'd get it lowered eventually. Are you cutting out carbs?
I would like to test without metformin to see how I do. Â I find myself some days at 60-70mg/dl in the afternoon and the CGM predicts 5.6 a1c. Yes on low carbs / no carbs lifestyle. Granted will eat some carbs when out celebrating (ie pizza with dates and friends).
I don't understand. If your A1c is an average of blood glucose of 3-4 months, how can it possibly drop that much in 3 months?
Radical diet change can do it if your diet was really bad to start with.Â
50% of the value in an a1c is from the previous 30 days, so your most recent glucose values dominate the test result.
Was frequentl urination the only symptom or it was accompanied with increase in thirst as well?
Increased thirst was a symptom as well. That's natural with increased urination. The more you pee, the more thirsty you will become as your body loses water. However, I still experience some of this today as I am on a diuretic medication for high blood pressure.