Riding the green waves
Hey y'all,
I haven't been around much lately. I was grieving -- super depressed, really -- after the death of a dear friend and super stressed out about being unemployed, my weight, my uncontrolled BG's, etc. I needed some time in the Jean Cave...sigh.
Anyway, I have lurked a few times and haven't really felt like posting.
I recently started making BIG changes to my program. I watched the documentary, "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead" and decided to go on a high-micronutrient diet for sixty days...and that's what I did.
I've been living on 70% lower-glycemic veggies, 30% moderate to lower-glycemic fruits and two+ cups per day of fresh, organic green/veggie juice (usually carrot, cucumber, kale or spinach, and beet or apple mixed with ginger or lemon or something to give it some punch.) Today is my last day of "Phase 1" -- 60 days.
Anyway, my final weigh-in for Phase 1 is tomorrow, but as of last Sunday I've lost 66-lbs. My insulin requirements have plummeted (I'm T2 on MDI of Levemir and Novolog) to about 20% of what I was injecting before I started this program. This is counter-intuitive (!!!) to all theories about low-carb eating for diabetics, as I've been subsisting on what is essentially a carb-only diet.
This adventure into very-low-fat vegan eating confirms for me that, for some T2's, there is something going on with our diabetes which is about inflammation and/or malnutrition and/or Factor X, which flies in the face of the conventional wisdom that a carb is a carb is a carb or that low-carb is always required for best control.
My experience is also counter-intuitive to the notion that there is a direct correlation between total body fat and type II diabetes, because my insulin requirements plummeted LONG before I lost very much weight -- almost immediately -- and I'm still above 325-lbs. That is, despite the fact that I'm still morbidly obese by anyone's standards, making drastic changes to the quality of my diet resulted in an immediate, huge, almost vertical drop in my total daily insulin requirements.
I'm still on a journey (aren't we all?) but I think I'm on to something.
In phase two, I'll be adding back in small quantities of protein/fat (e.g. 1/2 cup beans, a teaspoon of seeds or a teaspoon of oil or 1/4 avocado) and watching closely to see how my body responds to each change.
Anyhoozle, I just wanted to say "Hi" and let y'all know what I've been up to on my Big D Adventure.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jen on
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Hi Jean, I am glad you are back. I'm also glad to hear you are having such good success with your new diet!
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Permalink Reply by smileandnod on -
Hey Jean, I'm so glad you're back! I've missed your thoughtful posts and wondered how you were doing.
I'm so sorry about your friend but I'm glad you found your way back. I too believe that no matter the science behind it, if it's working for you, that's all that counts. You go girl! :)
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Permalink Reply by Shawnmarie on -
It makes me so happy to see this message! How wonderful that you've found a couple more pieces to the puzzle. Diabetes really is such a science experiment and it's the rare person who's willing to actually engage so fully in it. I'm so glad you're fighting your way back to the light outside the cave.
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Permalink Reply by Melitta on
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Hi Jean! I was so glad to see your post, because I had missed you and was wondering if you were okay. I am sorry about the death of your friend.
Wow, what awesome results with your diabetes science experiment! Congrats to you. Keep us posted, and remember that TuD is here for you.
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Permalink Reply by LaGuitariste on -
Hey, y'all. Thanks again for all your kind support.
I had my "official" weigh-in and I lost 70-lbs. exactly during my 61-day "reboot".
I'm excited to be starting Phase II. Beans never tasted so good! ;0)
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Permalink Reply by Gerri on -
What works, works. Congratulations on cutting insulin doses & on the weight loss! Any idea how many calories were in Phase I?
Keep us posted on Phase II. Wishing you continued health & success.
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Permalink Reply by LaGuitariste on
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Hey Gerri, how are you?
No calorie-counting in Phase 1. I just limited the kind of food I ate, not the quantity or the calories. No oil, no nuts, no avocado or coconut, no "protein", no dairy or grains. Just steamed/souped/raw lower-glycemic veggies (i.e. no potatoes, yams, beets or sweet potatoes), low-to-moderate glycemic fruits (mostly berries -- no grapes or dried fruit, VERY little watermelon or bananas) and two cups daily of mostly-veggie juice (maybe one green apple, or four strawberries -- the rest kale, spinach, cucumber, carrot, a bit of beet but not too much, a bit of ginger or lemon for flavor.)
Most days I had two big servings of veggie stew (my favorite was onion, mushroom, herbs, spices and garlic as the "base" with some kind of green veg: asparagus, celery, collards, spinach, cut green-beans, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, etc. and on alternating days, some no-sugar, organic tomato paste or tomato sauce for lycopene and flavor.) Then I filled in around that with fruit (cherries, blueberries, strawberries, cantaloupe, honeydew, Bosc pears) and the two-plus cups of home-made, organic veggie juice.
In fact, I felt soooooo great during this "reboot/cleanse" that I've decided to make this my baseline diet and just add back in four ounces of concentrated protein per day (e.g. four ounces of tofu, organic chicken, halibut, etc.) and a tablespoon of high-quality oil (e.g. Udo's blend or flax oil or toasted sesame oil or coconut oil -- or 1/4 small avocado) per day as my Phase II.
I'd stay on Phase I forever if I could, but I do think I need a bit more protein and oil, plus some B12.
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Permalink Reply by Gerri on
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Wondering because it must be quite low calorie with the absence of protein & fat. Is there also a Phase III?
Glad you're adding protein & fat. Protein is critical for building cells. Fatty acids are required by the brain to function properly, also for neurons in other parts of the body. Dietary fat is needed for hormones & for the assimilation of certain vitamins & also for minerals. A no-fat, very low protein diet isn't healthy. Please be cautious with tofu.
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Permalink Reply by LaGuitariste on
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I've never felt better -- or had fewer cravings/less desire to over-eat -- than when I was following this program.
It was exactly what my body needed, and I'm very tempted to go back on it as my digestive tract is NOT liking the added protein/fat.
Hmmm...
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