Hi Loretta,
Thank you for your comments about my post (s).
I'd like to respond to a few points that you made, in a good way.
I am always very careful about any medications prescribed to me and I am very mindful of the possible harmful side effects that I may experience from a newly prescribed drug.
Everyone is a little different, and some of us have allergies that can result in severe reactions.
If someone has experienced a side effect, and the details have been recorded publicly, I'd like to be aware of it before I take that pill.
Also, and even more important to me now, is that I will always check for compatibility of the new medication prescribed to me, with any other drug that I may be consuming at the same time.
I was once prescribed a drug that was not recommended by the manufacturer if another specific drug type was being taken as well.
On numerous occasions, I have commented in my posts that if people decide to change their way of eating, they should always consult their medical team first, particularly if they are currently consuming prescribed medications.
I do agree with you that some medications save lives.
Outside of Typ2 Diabetes, I have very gratefully experienced that situation myself.
Well done to you for managing your T2D by diet and exercise, without meds, for 17 years!
That's awesome!
I hope I can match that one day.
I'm definitely not here to spruik or recommend a particular diet.
Obviously, because I live with Diabetes, I lean towards Keto and Low Carb foods, but I know that everyone is different.
I base my way of eating on whether or not a food type spikes my blood sugar too high or not.
I certainly visit low carb and keto internet sites for recipe inspirations, but the rule for me is whether the food spikes my BGLs or not.
If it does?
I just will not eat it again.
If I was concerned about not creating a balanced diet for myself that included all the food groups, I would definitely seek out a dietician for guidance.
But My Rule for myself remains.
If a recommended food (doesn't matter by whom) spikes my blood sugar, I Will Not Eat it, for my own health and wellbeing.
I understand that Diabetes Australia defines Remission from T2D as maintaining our Hba1c in the non-diabetic range for 3 months, without medication assistance.
Their interpretation guide is on their website.
But I don't believe that T2D Remission is anything like Remission from cancer.
I now understand that by the time I was diagnosed with T2D, my body had developed an acute intolerance to carbohydrate sugars in my diet.
Obviously, I needed to severely restrict the carbs in my diet, which I did, and so I achieved remission from T2D by reducing my Hba1c to below 5.7, at a level where I did not require any medications.
But I could easily raise my Hba1c levels back into the T2D range within weeks, if I dropped my guard and started eating too many carbs again.
I respect medical professionals for the admirable work that they do for us, but as you say, like any trade or profession there will always be individuals that we don't relate to very well.
I think we also have to be mindful of how the worldwide medical industry is constantly changing every day as new discoveries, processes and procedures are widely accepted.
As a person living with T2D, I currently see an evolving and diverse range of opinions about what the right way is, to treat T2D effectively.
I certainly agree with you that as individuals, we have to work through our own issues as best we can, with the information that we have.
I am so grateful that in this day and age, we have the extensive internet resources available to us, where Dr Google and YouTube can enlighten us sufficiently to be more aware of the issues that affect us individually.
We then have the opportunity to educate ourselves sufficiently to be able to have more meaningful conversations with our medical team, and to thrive for the very best health outcomes for ourselves.
I welcome all food recommendations that come my way from many different sources.
These recommendations may have originated from scientific evidence, religious beliefs, vegan beliefs, or even the Australian Standard Dietary Guidelines.
But as I have said already, if that food spikes my blood sugar levels, it's dead to me.
I wish you every success with your T2D management.
Cheers,
Greg
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Greg
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Original Message:
Sent: 02-02-2023 22:46
From: Loretta
Subject: My Goal is to stay off T2D Medications - And my GP says, Keep Doing What You're Doing.
Hello all,
I feel compelled to join this discussion because of my concern that comments made at times in this forum may be harmful to some of us.
In particular, I refer to calling doctor prescribed medications "harmful", which has happened several times (or words to that effect). All medications prescribed in Australia are approved by our medical authorities after rigorous testing. Obviously, a few people will experience side effects, but these are mostly minimal and mostly are outweighed by the benefits.
I would hate to think that a vulnerable person reading some of these posts, would take themselves off their medications. I am quite sure that I would not be alive today without my medications, both diabetic ones and some for other conditions, plus various medical procedures that I have undergone in recent years. I too, went for many years without diabetes medications. I controlled my blood sugars by cutting down my intake of carbohydrates and increasing my level of physical activity. My GP at the time, a woman with an excellent understanding of diabetes and not at all given to over prescribing, referred to me as having "good control" of my diabetes. But after seventeen years I have had to accept that wasn't going to work forever.
I try to minimise carbs, but have no intention of having a diet over-reliant on just two or three food groups, especially meat. Some of these keto recipes look good, but some of them look like a heart attack on a plate. Then there's the huge amount of artificial sweeteners in many of them.
I am not quite clear exactly what being "in remission" or being "in recovery" from diabetes means, but if it is like being in remission from cancer, then wouldn't that mean a person currently does not have diabetes and can therefore eat anything with it affecting their blood sugars?
I also have concerns about the denigration of the medical profession in general. There are certainly a few "lemons" out there, I've encountered a couple myself, but most of them are knowledgeable and accurate in what they do and say. If we find a GP can't explain their decisions or we can't relate to them, then certainly find another one. Not everyone has the luxury of a choice, though!
None of this has a simple solution, and we all have to work through our own issues and make our own choices, according to the best and most accurate information we can find, taking into account our own personal circumstances.
I would appreciate information/articles on what we SHOULD BE eating for good health, both now and long term. Constantly hearing what we CAN'T eat can be discouraging and negative. And certainly, up-to-date information from reputable sources, on all aspects of diabetes, is always valuable.
Sent from my iPad
Original Message:
Sent: 1/31/2023 5:58:00 PM
From: Ann
Subject: RE: My Goal is to stay off T2D Medications - And my GP says, Keep Doing What You're Doing.
Hi Greg, it will never be my goal to go into remission as it is not possible for me. I was formally diagnosed with T2D 15 years ago, but probably had gestational diabetes during each pregnancy from 1971, certainly from 1985. There were no diabetes assessments done for each pregnancy as far as I know, till that in 1985 when my newborn daughter had a 'hypo' following her birth. No followup management was done and life went on.
Since 2008 I have had a range of medications for diabetes from a range of GPs . Now doing ok with BGLs. Currently under the supervision of an endocrinologist.
I limit carbohydrates and have a simple diet. I am active, currently under assessment for a cardiac issue which I have been told is likely familial.
Best wishes
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Ann
Original Message:
Sent: 31-01-2023 17:35
From: Greg
Subject: My Goal is to stay off T2D Medications - And my GP says, Keep Doing What You're Doing.
After four years of successful Remission from T2D, my very strong goal still remains; and that is, to not ever need to rely upon any of the harmful medications commonly available and prescribed for my T2D condition, or to suffer any of the many Diabetes related complications.
I have been following a very simple process to achieve and maintain my Remission from T2D, and to avoid those T2D medical issues.
Dennis Pollock from Beat Diabetes YouTube channel encouraged me to test my Blood Glucose levels one and two hours after every new meal type consumed, and to record how far my blood sugars spiked.
The foods that spiked my blood sugars too high, were removed from my diet (and non-spiking replacements found), and those that did not spike my BGLs were recorded as safe to consume again in the future.
Within a few short weeks, I developed a list of personal low spiking foods that I enjoy consuming, and that changed the process from a Diet to an acceptable personally modified Way of Eating for the long term, that would eventually move my T2D diagnosis into Remission.
I no longer have to consider or assess the constant arguments from many dietary sources, about which specific Diet I should be doing, or to make any considerable effort to comply with the recommended diet directives.
Within six months, I had reduced my Hba1c from 8.2 to a non-diabetic 5.3, where it has remained for nearly four years.
Following this simple process has enabled me to remain drug free.
If I had been taking T2D medications, I'm sure that I would have wanted to reduce and eliminate the need for drugs as soon as possible.
Why would I want to take any medications if there was a natural and relatively easy way to put my T2D condition into Remission?
I have not needed to suffer any side effects from the T2D medications themselves, which in some cases require additional medications to treat the symptoms of those side effects.
I have never felt like a guinea pig, when my GP suggests a different mix of medications in an attempt to relieve painful side effects being experienced.
I have not needed to juggle other medications being taken for other medical conditions, that may have conflicting and negative effects on my health.
I have not needed to deal with a sudden lack of supply shocks when my prescribed medication becomes un-available world-wide, due to manufacturing and non-diabetes consumer demand issues.
I have not experienced the additional costs associated with purchasing T2D medications or the medical costs of specialists and the treatment of T2D complications.
I have not gone close, to requiring insulin type injections to artificially lower my BGLs, with the added complication of more weight gains, which may lead to needing more insulin over time, and then more weight gains.
Achieving Remission from T2D in a natural way through changes in the foods that I consume, has provided many other health benefits along the way.
For me, being initially diagnosed with T2D was a serious wake-up call about the then status of my overall health and well-being.
Changing my way of eating led to other, unexpected at the time, health benefits that I now continue to enjoy.
I initially lost 30kg over the six-month period, which I have been able to maintain without effort, simply because I have discovered the foods that don't spike my blood sugar levels very high.
Severely restricting the carbohydrates in my diet led to relief from arthritis pain in my knee, within weeks.
I became more energetic, and I now enjoy long walks of several km every other day.
My blood pressure returned to very normal.
My fatty liver issues were completely resolved.
My blood test health markers have all improved.
My T2D recovery results have all been achievable by simply testing my blood glucose levels after every new meal type and discovering the spiking effects that different foods had on my own body.
Has anyone else had a similar experience?
Cheers,
Greg
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Greg
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