Low Carb Lifestyle

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Low-Carb Lifestyle – A Radical Approach to Eating

It’s been said so many times, that diets don’t work. A radical approach to eating for one with Type II Diabetes is to decrease their carbohydrate intake. I don’t call it a diet, so much as the low-carb lifestyle.

In the fall of 2016, I saw my doctor for my quarterly check-up for Type II Diabetes. My blood glucose numbers were out of range – again. My doctor mentioned ‘insulin’ – again! Not something I want to consider because I can barely prick my fingers to check my blood glucose levels! Short of increased medications, the only other way to control Type II Diabetes is through lifestyle changes – exercise and dietary changes.

Exercise

I do as much exercise as I can with Fibromyalgia – My daughter and I go to the gym and walk on the treadmill a couple times a week, and go to the pool twice a week to do an aquacise routine. And I do a lot of flat-ground walking in my neighbourhood on my ‘good days,’ in ‘good weather.’

Dietary Changes

The next aspect is dietary changes. Type II Diabetes is the result of too much sugar/glucose in one’s system. Carbohydrates are the main source of sugar/glucose. So in order to decrease the blood glucose numbers, I have to decrease the source of glucose – carbohydrates. Not easy when one is a ‘carb addict’!! But to use an expression from 12-Step programs, I got ‘scared sober’. I had to make a determined effort – this is my life!!

I don’t have a bathroom scale in my place, so I only weigh myself at my doctor’s office every 3 – 4 months. I stepped on the scale during my December 2016 visit. I was 207 lbs!! The highest I’ve ever been!! Excess weight also plays a huge part in Type II Diabetes (and so many other illnesses!).

In order to get my Blood Glucose numbers back on track, I started out by just eliminating the highest carb foods – what I call The 4 Ps – pizza, pasta, pastries, & potatoes.

In January 2017 I went back to see my doctor, I again stepped on the scale and was surprised to see that I had melted off 5 lbs! And this was even over the Christmas holidays!!

That was enough incentive for me to keep on the low-carb path!

Low-Carb Pyramid

(Source – Low Carb Diabetic)

By March 2017, I was limiting the carbs to twenty-five percent of my daily intake. I was feeling healthy, experiencing less pain and stiffness from Fibromyalgia, and the Blood Glucose numbers were coming into range.

At the end of March 2017, I had my lab work done and the Blood Glucose numbers had come down from the previous 3-month average of 9.1 to 7.4 (near perfect – recommended to be under 7). This definitely proved to me that low-carb works to get Blood Glucose in line. I also stepped on the scale, and was hugely, pleasantly surprised to see that I weighed 183.8 – down 18.8 lbs. from January, and a total of 23.8 lbs. since the beginning of December 2016.

I was so surprised; shocked to see the number on the scale that I actually had to look at it THREE times to make sure I had read it correctly!! I honestly did not know where/how I had melted off that kind of weight! It had felt effortless and easy. I didn’t even feel like I was ‘dieting,’ and never felt ‘deprived.’

So – this is the story of MY journey. I know that this is working for me right now. I am ONLY an authority on what works for me. I share this information with others to test out what works for them. There is so much information out on the Internet; check and double-check the authors and whether it’s backed up by science.

Books on Health, Food & Cooking That I recommend

Please click on a link to read my review of the book

• Wheat Belly by William Davis, MD
• Eating for Energy by Yuri Elkaim, BPHE, CK, RHN
• The Obesity Code by Dr. Jason Fung
• The Gabriel Method by Jon Gabriel
• Ultra-Metabolism: the simple plan for automatic weight loss by Mark Hyman, M.D.
• Ultra-Metabolism Cookbook by Mark Hyman, M.D.
• Eating Alive: prevention through good digestion by Dr. Jonn Matsen, N.D.
• The 17 Day Diet: a simple plan that targets both belly fat and visceral fat and produces fast results that last! By Dr. Mike Moreno
• Raw Food: a complete guide for every meal of the day by Erica Palmcrantz & Irmela Lilja
• The Complete LOW-FODMAP Diet, by Sue Shepherd, Ph.D. & Peter Gibson, MD

STANDARD DISCLOSURE: In order to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial, and/or link to any products or services from this blog. Please note, that I only ever endorse products that are in alignment with my ideals and I believe would be of value to my readers.

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