Grain Free in 2010! - Page 3

[chkpea]

Perhaps she didn't have type 1 diabetes - that isn't a very high blood sugar. The aic is usually somewhere between 5.5 - 12 never 145. What signs was she showing at diagnosis? why was she tested? usually when it is discovered blood sugar's are in the 300's. She could aslo be in a strong remission.

[amyjeans]

we didn't eliminate carb- they are found in abundance in fruits and veggies.
I would be happy to post to that site- BUT, as I mentioned before:
"I cannot promise this would happen for you- but I really believe it will help."
besides- I am 1 person, with one kid who had this problem-not a doctor or a researcher.
perhaps the documentary "Raw in 30 days" might be more appropriate for your needs.

[Panserbjorne]

I really think the thing to focus on when looking at chronic disease is the removal of refined foods. People DO have consistently amazing results "curing" disease this way. No grains, no sugar, no beans etc. It's not overly shocking, really. When you stop stressing your body with fake things that lack nutrients and even strip them, it starts performing.

I understand being skeptical at the word "cure" because, dollars to donuts if she goes back to SAD it will return. This is a lifelong way to manage the disease. However if she can now live happily and well nourished with no meds, that to me is fantastic on it's own.

I am of the camp that believes we weren't meant to eat fake industrial foods, so *I'd* call it cured...but the general populace probably wouldn't.

Kudos to finding a healing path for your DD, mama!

[amyjeans]

she gets bloodwork every few months, and our Ped recommended that we check everything.
I was just going by what my doctors advised me. They documented in her charts Type 1.
I agree- the 145 was incorrect- that was her fasting bloodsugar. Her A1C was 9-10.
All I know is her bloodsugar came under control by diet change and our doctors, mainstream and non-mainstream support this.
Pehaps she was pre-diabetes- but I am repeating what was told to me.

Is it possible to go into remission? because this same doctor (mainstream)who diagnosed and then changed her mind about my daughter's situation also said years ago that there is no cure for diabetes. Once a diabetic, always a diabetic.

Now I am conflicted by her information.

thanks for your questions

[amyjeans]

Originally Posted by Panserbjørne

I really think the thing to focus on when looking at chronic disease is the removal of refined foods. People DO have consistently amazing results "curing" disease this way. No grains, no sugar, no beans etc. It's not overly shocking, really. When you stop stressing your body with fake things that lack nutrients and even strip them, it starts performing.

I understand being skeptical at the word "cure" because, dollars to donuts if she goes back to SAD it will return. This is a lifelong way to manage the disease. However if she can now live happily and well nourished with no meds, that to me is fantastic on it's own.

I am of the camp that believes we weren't meant to eat fake industrial foods, so *I'd* call it cured...but the general populace probably wouldn't.

Kudos to finding a healing path for your DD, mama!

Thanks!
My bold above- both doctors agreed if she went back to the SAD- she would become diabetic once again. With insulin.

Better safe than sorry, I think.

[FairyRae]

Awesome amyjeans--just awesome! And the part about not getting colds--so cool! I've noticed since our switch to TF (w/out gluten/dairy/soy/corn as well, and a recent switch to grain free), ds hadn't gotten sick once in 9 months--until very recently (but I stopped making his juice kefir for a week and I honestly wonder if that had anything to do with it!)

I really think the thing to focus on when looking at chronic disease is the removal of refined foods. People DO have consistently amazing results "curing" disease this way. No grains, no sugar, no beans etc. It's not overly shocking, really. When you stop stressing your body with fake things that lack nutrients and even strip them, it starts performing.

Does make perfect sense!

You ladies are making me want to go full blown paleo! I'm going to work on being totally sugar free (including natural sugars) for now... My tubers I don't see letting go of just yet...

[Dawn Phenomenon]

Originally Posted by amyjeans

where have I been?
We started Paleo Feb 14, 2009. Aside from the holiday crap food, we are doing suprisingly well. DH lost 50 lbs, I dropped about 45 and all because we had to cure my dd's diagnosis of type 1 diabetes. Which we did.
This is the best diet-
meat salad meat salad meat salad...yum!

For one thing I am very confused as to why this pediatrician never referred you to a pediatric endocrinologist. Pediatric endocrinologists are certified in pediatrics and then complete years of additional training in endocrinology.

None of the lab results you describe are diagnostic for type 1 diabetes. In scenarios like what you described a pediatric endocrinologist would have to test the child for the presence of the antibodies that are linked to type 1 diabetes, and test endogenous insulin levels by testing c peptide levels.

These tests are not commonly required because a child presenting with type 1 is typically acutely ill with blood sugars in the 600 range and high levels of ketones in the urine and blood.

I would think that in doing all this research you would come across terms like pediatric endocrinologist, certified diabetes educator etc.

I guess you should be thankful your daughter was screened for hypothyroidism by a competent physician early in life; otherwise I hate to think how it would have impacted her cognitive development.

If this diet indeed cured her "type 1 diabetes", i.e. caused her pancreas to start producing insulin that it had previously ceased producing I would be optimistic that her thyroid would start producing T3 and T4 and she could come of thyroxin. After all both diseases are situations where an endocrine gland is not secreting a necessary hormone.

[FairyRae]

Originally Posted by chkpea

I don't think you can completely remove carbs from someones diet

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No-carbohydrate_diet

A no-carbohydrate diet (no-carb diet) is described as human carnivorism. It excludes dietary consumption of all carbohydrates and suggests fat as the main source of energy with sufficient protein. A no-carbohydrate diet is ketogenic, which means it causes the body to go into a state of ketosis (converting dietary fat and bodyfat into ketone bodies and using them to fuel the entire body and up to 95% of the brain. The remaining 5% still runs on glucose which is adequately supplied by converting dietary protein via gluconeogenesis or by converting glycerol from the breakdown of fat). It uses mainly animal source foods and requires a high saturated fat intake.

I like my veggies and fruits too much to do it, but it *is* possible.

[beckgag]

Originally Posted by FairyRae

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No-carbohydrate_diet


I like my veggies and fruits too much to do it, but it *is* possible.

To follow a diet such as that of a "hunter, gatherer" one would need to consume carbohydrates. It is impossible to live without any carbohydrates whatsoever. Carbohydrates are needed for energy by the body. We cannot get that energy from meats and fish alone.

[beckgag]

Originally Posted by amyjeans

where have I been?
We started Paleo Feb 14, 2009. Aside from the holiday crap food, we are doing suprisingly well. DH lost 50 lbs, I dropped about 45 and all because we had to cure my dd's diagnosis of type 1 diabetes. Which we did.This is the best diet-
meat salad meat salad meat salad...yum!

I am sorry but this is impossible. there is no cure for type 1 insulin dependent diabetes at this time. This is an autoimmune disease, the immune system attacks and destroys the insulin producing cells in the pancreas called Beta cells. Your daughter probably has type 1.5 diabetes AKA Ideopathic diabetes or diabetes of no known cause. The symptoms of type 1.5 can be similar to type 1 but tests for the antibodys often come up negative and the need for insulin typically waxes and wanes. I absolutely agree with everyone that cutting out processed foods and any foods that promote inflammation can reduce the need for insulin even in a person with type 1 diabetes. But it can never "cure" someone of this autoimmune disease

[lil_earthmomma]

Originally Posted by chkpea

I don't think you can completely remove carbs from someones diet, of course insulin requirements will do down but "cured" your child's diabetes that is hard to believe.
I welcome you to post your findings at the children with diabetes website.

While I too cringe at the word "cure" primal lifestyle has removed my dh's need for insulin as well, and this is completely shocking, unexpected and wonderful for my type 1 dh, and his specialists.

I believe that by IFing, eating a pretty low carb low glycemic diet, dh has perhaps helped his disfunctional pancrease to "be all it can be"!

While dh still vigelently checks his bloodsugar levels and takes small amounts of insulin, he needs so much less, and not as often.

It's wonderful, but it's not a cure. It's treating his disease the best way possible imo.

[Dawn Phenomenon]

Originally Posted by lil_earthmomma

While I too cringe at the word "cure" primal lifestyle has removed my dh's need for insulin as well, and this is completely shocking, unexpected and wonderful for my type 1 dh, and his specialists.

I believe that by IFing, eating a pretty low carb low glycemic diet, dh has perhaps helped his disfunctional pancrease to "be all it can be"!

While dh still vigelently checks his bloodsugar levels and takes small amounts of insulin, he needs so much less, and not as often.

It's wonderful, but it's not a cure. It's treating his disease the best way possible imo.

Just to clarify using insulin to treat one’s diabetes does not make it type 1 diabetes. Statistically because only approximately 10 percent of those with diabetes have type 1 there are likely more individuals with type 2 diabetes using insulin injections (to achieve better bg control) than people with type 1 diabetes (to avoid imminent death.)

Because there are insulins on the market that have 24 hour duration of action it is possible for someone with type 1 on a restrictive diet to use 1 shot a day successfully. That being said insulin pumps are more standard of care now for people with type 1 diabetes. There is really no advantage to requiring 5 units a day on an insulin pump vs. requiring 20 units a day.

If someone has had type 1 since they were a child I don’t see why taking an injection would still be so traumatic for them anyways ? if someone is so keen on not taking shots and has low insulin needs it would seem like a pump is the way to go. I would think the other health benefits would be higher on their list of pros for the diet.

[amyjeans]

Originally Posted by lil_earthmomma

While I too cringe at the word "cure" primal lifestyle has removed my dh's need for insulin as well, and this is completely shocking, unexpected and wonderful for my type 1 dh, and his specialists.

I believe that by IFing, eating a pretty low carb low glycemic diet, dh has perhaps helped his disfunctional pancrease to "be all it can be"!

While dh still vigelently checks his bloodsugar levels and takes small amounts of insulin, he needs so much less, and not as often.

It's wonderful, but it's not a cure. It's treating his disease the best way possible imo.

That is wonderful! It is amazing just how profound a simple diet change can be.

[FairyRae]

Originally Posted by beckgag

It is impossible to live without any carbohydrates whatsoever. Carbohydrates are needed for energy by the body. We cannot get that energy from meats and fish alone.

I believe you *can* get what you need from fat though, and that on a very low/no carb diet, your body will convert fat into glucose. Here is a blog by a self-proclaimed 'carnivore'/zero carber--there may be more info about all this there.

I certainly don't know tons about this, but have seen posts by 'carnivores' on the MDA forum. I'm interested in carb levels, but don't feel the urge to go really low carb at all, at least not at this point in time. (I never know what the future holds! )

[amyjeans]

I have found for myself, that dairy was a tough thing to give up- especially in my coffee!
But now, if i try it, since it's been so long, it just makes me feel ill.
Back to working to completely grain free- we still eat meats (beef, chicken etc) that are grain fed. It seems to be challenging to find grass fed beef (accept online).
Anyone gone this step yet?

[LionTigerBear]

How about we keep this thread on-topic for discussing grain-free diet and lifestyle, and those who are interested in starting a new thread about diabetes and diet can do so?

[LionTigerBear]

amyjeans, do you find that your grass-fed, organic grain-free diet is a lot more expensive?

[amyjeans]

I think we're going to have our own chickens next summer , too. But that means I gotta kill em.
( might make me a vegetarian!) lol

[amyjeans]

well, I have only found it on rare occasions- like at Trader Joe's or whole foods and they're not cheap- but I think in the grand scheme of things, after doing this diet for so long- our need for food intake has dramatically reduced and we don't buy as much as we used to. So perhaps it balances out. kwim?
I am still on the hunt(pardon the pun) for a reliable local farm for the beef, but I think I would need to buy a chest freezer for the garage and save up to purchase 1/2 a steer. I don't know much about buying beef like that.

[FairyRae]

Originally Posted by amyjeans

Back to working to completely grain free- we still eat meats (beef, chicken etc) that are grain fed. It seems to be challenging to find grass fed beef (accept online).
Anyone gone this step yet?

I'm sure it depends on where you live, but there are resources that can help you find grass-fed/pastured meats in your area. Maybe something in the TF stickys will have some info?

We found our grass-fed/pastured meat guy at a local farmer's market. He doesn't have a website, so not sure I would have found him online. (But we do have a local online farm connection group, so I am able to find all sorts of stuff through them.) We eat his pork and ground beef and chicken liver (we can afford that stuff...and it's all yummy! Well, the liver we sneak into stuff). I get pastured chicken eggs from the market as well. But I've not ever found chickens that didn't have their diets supplemented in some way w/ grains/soy. But they are antibiotic/hormone free, and free range (for real--beautiful orange yolks!) which is good enough for me!

Speaking of grain free--I just saw a mention of almond flour biscuits in another thread...can't remember which. Anyone have a good recipe for biscuits (savory not sweet) to be made w/ almond or coconut flour? I'd love to try it!