Thursday, April 24, 2008

Actively Atkins

I'm trying something new. Well, it's not really new, but to me it is. It's the Atkin's diet.

It seems to make sense that if I eat extremely low carb/no carb, maybe I can forgo a good bit of insulin (AKA shots/lows). My only major problem (besides my love of bread & crackers)? I don't really eat meat. So I'm trying to come up with new and good foods to add to my new daily routine. I love fish, so that's a given, and of course, while I'm not a huge fan of nuts, walnuts are now a good snack substitute.

Another question I have is the inevitable, do I need insulin with this, and how much? I responsibly asked my doctor about this, and he got very upset about the idea. Seems he is not a fan, nor is the nurse he sent in to "set me straight." So I have no help from the medical profession, but I know there have to be other people out there with diabetes who follow Atkins, right? I still don't understand why everyone seems so against it.

By all means, if anyone out there has gone low carb, and has suggestions, please let me know. I would be terribly grateful.

5 comments:

~Suzanne~ said...

Ok, I am going to admit outright that I don't know much about Atkins...but that is because I don't really think it is an option for people with diabetes so I never informed myself about it, but I have known people who have been on it. The problem is that Atkins (I think) is based on eating ZERO carbs to work. If you have carbs, then it apparently does not work very well. Well first, everyone needs carbs! It is what gives people energy! Second, it is inevitable that you will have low blood sugar at some point, meaning that you will HAVE to eat carbs to raise it.

I am sure if you just went LOW carbs rather than Atkins which requires NO carbs, it might work out a little better, but to be honest, I don't understand the hate against carbs. If you eat healthy overall, then I'd think that would be just as, if not more effective. Eating bacon and fried chicken certainly isn't good for your body! AND, I know people on Atkins check for ketones to judge whether their diet is working...I don't think making sure WE have ketones is a very good idea since it causes so much damage to our bodies (and everyone's).

But, like I said, I could be making all of this up!!!

Mandy said...

Suzanne,
Thank you for all your very accurate and sensible suggestions. It's true... Atkins sucks!!!

I did have such high hopes, oh well.

~Suzanne~ said...

Hi Mandy,

Oh no...did something happen?!? Like I said, I really don't know very much about it and just spilling my own uneducated assumptions.

I just try to remember that anything that is easy, it doesn't work!! =:~)

I hope you are doing well!

Mandy said...

Suzanne,
I just had some really rocky numbers. The few carbs that are in things like nuts were driving my numbers in the 170's, and small doses of insulin were sending me crashing to the 20s and 30s. In general, I just felt like crap. Lesson well learned I guess.

The Patients Voice said...

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Thanks

Belinda