You also touched upon some interesting issues with diabetes, protein and insulin production/resistance. After 3 years experimenting with my diet, it has become apparent that the cause of diabetes is insulin resistance. Why insulin resistant? Because there is too much insulin. I have tried many different diets and it has become evident that when I eat a diet devoid of protein, my fasting blood sugar improves dramatically. From the much reading that I have done, it appears that what is going on is that the liver does not have the ability to break down insulin–a protein–after it has been used and therefore, insulin resistance appears. If this is the case, eating protein is a ‘double-whammy’ for diabetes because you have an increased insulin response followed by an additional taxing of the liver breaking down proteins that it already has a very hard time doing. Therefore, avoiding insulin producing foods is more important in preventing diabetes than solely avoiding carbohydrates. When I eat a large protein loaded meal, I do not see a rise in blood sugar that day but the next morning my fasting blood sugar shall be much higher. So despite what most people may believe, I think that diabetes is really a protein intolerance.

After 3 years experimenting with my diet, I have found this to happen over and over again. This month for example, I decided to stop eating fish, nuts and beans the first of June and switched over to a diet composed of mostly fruit, particularly avocados and pineapple. I started off with a fasting blood sugar of 250 and today I have a fasting blood sugar of 140 and four days ago it was 118. During the day I have more control and after two weeks on the diet I have not seen a number past 200 at anytime during the day even though I am even eating some rice now.

I found this phenomenon to be amazing and I have not experienced any side effects resulting from the lowered protein intake. Additionally, I’d like to point out that this treatment is in fact reversing the diabetes–as I can eat more carbohydrates while having a smaller and smaller change in blood sugar. Eventually, I’ll wake up in a number less than 100 while spending all day eating sweet fruit and my blood sugar won’t go up over 120. If this happens I may not be able to eat as much protein as other people, but I certainly won’t have diabetes! Thus, I believe type two diabetes and insulin resistance is a result of protein intolerance.

There is an excellent book about effects of low carb diet on actual people – based on actual clinical data of patients of Dr Wolfgang Lutz.
http://www.amazon.com/Life-Without-Bread-Low-Carbohydrate-Diet/dp/0658001701

Dr Lutz started to ‘prescribe’ to his patients low-carb diet in late 50’s, and first original edition of his book (in German) was published in 1967. American edition is cooperation work with Dr Christian B. Allen.
It’s not a book about weight loss (although it includes chapter about this), but rather at effect of switching your diet to low-carb on various diseases – based on 40 years of medical practice of Dr Lutz.

Whats more important it also lists sometimes occuring undesirable efects of drastic changes on dietary composition (maily in olderly people, or in people with serious medical condition) and explains how they can be minimized or when you need medical supervision with it.

I personally think that it’s one of most important books on low-carb and anyone should give it a try…

As a side note – AFAIK Dr Lutz is 97 this year (born 1913), and still counting… more than half a century on low-carb…

I found your blog after finally being diagnosed with glucose intolerance. During the past year (prior to my ‘official’ diagnosis) I did several ‘low-carb’ experiments to see if they would help with the problems I’ve had over the past decade or so (skin lesions, and joint swelling/muscle pain, among others). The results were encouraging to say the least. However, I have a couple of questions that I hope you won’t mind answering:

1) What’s the secret to feeling ‘full’ when eating this way? After about 4 days, I was so hungry I couldn’t stand it. It seemed that no matter how much I ate, I was always ready for more an hour later. Are there food choices along these lines that are key to having that ‘full’ feeling?

2) I seem to be different than many people I read about in that I am NOT overweight (though I was when I first began making diet/lifestyle changes 4 years ago). Currently, I weigh just under 130, and stand 5′8″ w/ a small frame (down from nearly 200 lbs in 2006). I’m afraid of losing any more weight, and would actually like to put on 10-15 lbs. Tips?

3) I have basically eliminated sweets and refined carbohydrates, but still eat things like steel-cut oatmeal. I was under the impression that this might be acceptable due to the fiber slowing down how quickly the body gets to the actual carbs, but after reading your blog, I’m questioning myself… Also eating dairy products like unsweetened yougurt or ricota cheese, which seemed to both be low in sugar and carbs? Again, I’m confused.

I realize there’s alot of back story here that may keep you from giving a complete answer, but I would be grateful for anything you’d be willing to share.

Thanks

“If you’re eating a low carb diet, you aren’t getting enough nutrition. ”

This statement is odd and is unfounded. As I mentioned in the article, The DRI’s are quite clear on this issue. Do you have research to counter what the National Academy of Sciences has found?

“Fruits and vegetables are on the unlimited list for a reason – we need them for our bodies to properly work. ”

Tell that to the Inuit, the Masai, and dozens of other cultures that rarely if ever ate plant matter.

“The part of the pyramid about grains, dairy, and sweets should be removed”

I agree – to a point.

“You don’t get diabetes from eating raw things full of nutrients. You get diabetes from eating shitty carbohydrates devoid of nutrition.”

Sort of.

“Like your glycogen levels being restored? Carbs do it best by far. Eat more fruits and veggies. Eat less meat. You will never get a sugar crash from fruit.”

Are you a vegetarian?

The paper (available without subscription): http://www.nutritionj.com/content/pdf/1475-2891-5-26.pdf

Like your glycogen levels being restored? Carbs do it best by far. Eat more fruits and veggies. Eat less meat. You will never get a sugar crash from fruit.

Seriously.

Because this utter rubbish is coming from her doctor and health officials, she won’t listen to me (passionate believer in LC lifestyle with first hand experience)… still, I’m stubborn. I’ll have another go when she comes down to visit next…