I think there's a common misconception among the public that everyone with diabetes eats the same way. From speaking with diabetic friends, it seems like there are a few different approaches. I have two friends that eat everything in moderation and medicate accordingly. Another is a Bernstein low carb devotee. 3 more eat low sugar/low fat. Although I get the feeling that this could represent the diabetic community as a whole, 6 friends definitely doesn't translate into my having a finger on the pulse of the diabetic community.

What's your best guess as to the percentage of diabetics that follow each of these ways of eating:

1. Everything in moderation
2. Sugar free
3. Low fat
4. Low carb
5 A combination of these 4

1,2 and 4


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"scott123" > wrote
in message ...
>
> I think there's a common misconception among the
public that everyone
> with diabetes eats the same way. From speaking
with diabetic friends,
> it seems like there are a few different
approaches. I have two friends
> that eat everything in moderation and medicate
accordingly. Another is
> a Bernstein low carb devotee. 3 more eat low
sugar/low fat. Although I
> get the feeling that this could represent the
diabetic community as a
> whole, 6 friends definitely doesn't translate
into my having a finger
> on the pulse of the diabetic community.
>
> What's your best guess as to the percentage of
diabetics that follow
> each of these ways of eating:
>
> 1. Everything in moderation
> 2. Sugar free
> 3. Low fat
> 4. Low carb
> 5 A combination of these 4
>
>
> --
> scott123

Tigerlily, thanks for your response, although it's certainly good to know your approach (es), what I'm really interested in would be your guesses as to how the diabetic community as a whole would fit into these ways of eating.

"scott123" > wrote in message
...
>
> I think there's a common misconception among the public that everyone
> with diabetes eats the same way. From speaking with diabetic friends,
> it seems like there are a few different approaches. I have two friends
> that eat everything in moderation and medicate accordingly. Another is
> a Bernstein low carb devotee. 3 more eat low sugar/low fat. Although I
> get the feeling that this could represent the diabetic community as a
> whole, 6 friends definitely doesn't translate into my having a finger
> on the pulse of the diabetic community.
>
> What's your best guess as to the percentage of diabetics that follow
> each of these ways of eating:
>
> 1. Everything in moderation
> 2. Sugar free
> 3. Low fat
> 4. Low carb
> 5 A combination of these 4

My guess is that the split is roughly along the lines you've discovered
amongst your friends. Those who are likely to listen to the standard diet
advice will be low fat / sugar free. Those who are far enough along to need
medication will have a bit more freedom. The odd person who's done their own
research would be low carb. Finding out their A1cs would be interesting!

Nicky.

--
A1c 10.5/5.4/<6 T2 DX 05/2004
1g Metformin, 100ug Thyroxine
95/74/72Kg

ahhhhhh where angels fear to tread and only fools
travel

i think it's not my call....... wait for the
survey results

kate
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I have no medical qualifications beyond my own
experience.
Choose your advisers carefully, because experience
can be
an expensive teacher.

"scott123" > wrote
in message ...
>
> Tigerlily, thanks for your response, although
it's certainly good to
> know your approach (es), what I'm really
interested in would be your
> guesses as to how the diabetic community as a
whole would fit into
> these ways of eating.
>
> TigerLily Wrote:
> > 1,2 and 4
> >
> >
> > --
> > Join us in the Diabetic-Talk Chatroom on
UnderNet
> > /server irc.undernet.org --- /join
#Diabetic-Talk
> > More info: http://www.diabetic-talk.org/
> > http://www.diabetic-talk.org/freeveggies.htm
> > I have no medical qualifications beyond my own
> > experience.
> > Choose your advisers carefully, because
experience
> > can be
> > an expensive teacher.
> >
> > "scott123"
wrote
> > in message
...-
> >
> > I think there's a common misconception among
the-
> > public that everyone-
> > with diabetes eats the same way. From
speaking-
> > with diabetic friends,-
> > it seems like there are a few different-
> > approaches. I have two friends-
> > that eat everything in moderation and
medicate-
> > accordingly. Another is-
> > a Bernstein low carb devotee. 3 more eat low-
> > sugar/low fat. Although I-
> > get the feeling that this could represent the-
> > diabetic community as a-
> > whole, 6 friends definitely doesn't translate-
> > into my having a finger-
> > on the pulse of the diabetic community.
> >
> > What's your best guess as to the percentage
of-
> > diabetics that follow-
> > each of these ways of eating:
> >
> > 1. Everything in moderation
> > 2. Sugar free
> > 3. Low fat
> > 4. Low carb
> > 5 A combination of these 4
> >
> >
> > --
> > scott123-
>
>
> --
> scott123

scott123 > wrote:

: I think there's a common misconception among the public that everyone
: with diabetes eats the same way. From speaking with diabetic friends,
: it seems like there are a few different approaches. I have two friends
: that eat everything in moderation and medicate accordingly. Another is
: a Bernstein low carb devotee. 3 more eat low sugar/low fat. Although I
: get the feeling that this could represent the diabetic community as a
: whole, 6 friends definitely doesn't translate into my having a finger
: on the pulse of the diabetic community.

: What's your best guess as to the percentage of diabetics that follow
: each of these ways of eating:

: 1. Everything in moderation
: 2. Sugar free
: 3. Low fat
: 4. Low carb
: 5 A combination of these 4


: --
: scott123

Unfortunately, most diabetic folow none of these and suffer the
consequences.

I woudl guess that 2 would be the most common, as it is the simmplist0"I
have too much sugar so I won't eat sugar." Personally, I try to follow a
combination, lower carb, moderation, to allow for smal treats, lower fat
ot reduce calories and lower carb to control bgs'

Wendy

In article >,
scott123 > wrote:

> I think there's a common misconception among the public that everyone
> with diabetes eats the same way. From speaking with diabetic friends,
> it seems like there are a few different approaches. I have two friends
> that eat everything in moderation and medicate accordingly. Another is
> a Bernstein low carb devotee. 3 more eat low sugar/low fat. Although I
> get the feeling that this could represent the diabetic community as a
> whole, 6 friends definitely doesn't translate into my having a finger
> on the pulse of the diabetic community.
>
> What's your best guess as to the percentage of diabetics that follow
> each of these ways of eating:
>
> 1. Everything in moderation
> 2. Sugar free
> 3. Low fat
> 4. Low carb
> 5 A combination of these 4

I would guess that most of them use None of the Above. :-(

Priscilla

Interesting. So the 'standard diet advice' is low fat/sugar free, huh? And you feel that this way of eating gets the most devotees? That as many as 50% (or more) of the diabetic population might follow this line of thinking? When you say sugar free, does that mean no table sugar or do they take in the larger picture of fruit sugars/milk sugars, etc.

So less inflicted, non medicating diabetics have less dietary freedom? Am I hearing you correctly?

The 'odd person,' huh? It sounds like low carb is kind of underground. From what I can tell, low carb seems to have lost a lot of it's popularity with the mainstream population. Is this true for diabetics as well?

I just took a look at the American Diabetes Association website and they recommend what appears to be an "every carb is equal"/reduced carb approach rather than a sugar free mindset. Does the ADA carry much weight in the diabetic community?

Wendy, what percentage of the diabetic community would you guess eats whatever it wants/suffers the consequences? And these are diagnosed diabetics, not people who have diabetes but haven't seen a doctor, correct? I'm sure there's a decent chunk of the population that has diabetes but isn't aware of it and, in turn, eat whatever they want.

"scott123" > wrote in message
...
>
> I think there's a common misconception among the public that everyone
> with diabetes eats the same way. From speaking with diabetic friends,
> it seems like there are a few different approaches. I have two friends
> that eat everything in moderation and medicate accordingly. Another is
> a Bernstein low carb devotee. 3 more eat low sugar/low fat. Although I
> get the feeling that this could represent the diabetic community as a
> whole, 6 friends definitely doesn't translate into my having a finger
> on the pulse of the diabetic community.
>
> What's your best guess as to the percentage of diabetics that follow
> each of these ways of eating:
>
> 1. Everything in moderation
> 2. Sugar free
> 3. Low fat
> 4. Low carb
> 5 A combination of these 4

Eating a sugar free diet doesn't really help. It's carbs that raise BG.
Yes, sugar is a carb but no worse for the BG than while flour or potatoes.
Most of the diabetics I've met outside of this group eat what they want when
they want. They do not test their BG. Sad but true.

The reason we do not all follow one diet is that there is no one diet that
works for all of us. There are so many variables. There are over 300 types
of diabetes and yet we lumped into type 1, type 2 or GD. Occasionally it is
necessary to ferret out more information about our specific type of
diabetes, but most of the time it is not done. Add to this mix other
medical problems such as thyroid problems and you muddy the mix even
further. There is just so much we don't know.

Most of us here on these newsgroups take our diabetes seriously and we do
what we can in terms of diet, exercise and in some cases medication to keep
our BG under control. For me, this is an ever changing thing. I went from
being able to follow the standard exchange plan to eating next to no carbs
to having to increase the amount of carbs to now doing what I do today,
taking things on a meal by meal basis and still floundering at times.

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"scott123" > wrote in message
...
> Interesting. So the 'standard diet advice' is low fat/sugar free, huh?

The standard advice is that diabetics need to eat starches at every meal,
and to avoid fats like the plague, especially sat fats. You are generally
advised to "watch" your sugar.

> And you feel that this way of eating gets the most devotees? That as
> many as 50% (or more) of the diabetic population might follow this line
> of thinking?

It's what they're advised by their doctors / dieticians. Actually, I suspect
fery few of 'em can stick with it. Never worked for me.

> When you say sugar free, does that mean no table sugar or
> do they take in the larger picture of fruit sugars/milk sugars, etc.

I don't remember my dietician distinguishing between them.

> So less inflicted, non medicating diabetics have less dietary freedom?
> Am I hearing you correctly?

Yes, and no. The various drugs work in different ways; Metformin works by
reducing insulin resistance, so gives you a little more freedom of choice
than someone who just does diet and exercise. A beta stimulator means that
you have to eat enough carbs to cover the drug, or risk a hypo. If you're
doing d&e, you can time the exercise bit to follow minor indiscretions -
assuming you're testing regularly enough to discover them. If you can't, or
won't exercise, you need to control with drugs or very low carbing.

> The 'odd person,' huh? It sounds like low carb is kind of underground.

When I was dx'd 18 months ago, my doctor (in the UK) warned me most
sincerely not to go low-carb, because it was so bad for me. These days,
having watched my success, it's starting to be the advice he's handing out.

> From what I can tell, low carb seems to have lost a lot of it's
> popularity with the mainstream population. Is this true for diabetics
> as well?

Not the ones who would prefer to remain attached to their toes (talking T2
here, of course). Restricting carbs to a level that you can cope with is a
requirement of the job. Problem is, that finding that level requires you to
test a lot, and that's generally frowned on by the medical profession.

> Does the ADA carry much
> weight in the diabetic community?

Well, they're the only source of information for most diabetics, I would
say - so that's a big weight : ) The fact that they're frighteningly
conservative and several years behind best practice in a fast-evolving area
of medicine (some of which they fund - talk about left hand/right hand!) has
nothing to do with their clout.

Nicky.

--
A1c 10.5/5.4/<6 T2 DX 05/2004
1g Metformin, 100ug Thyroxine
95/74/72Kg