I eat very low carb, following Dr. Bernstein's advice. I mean basically only proteins, non-starchy vegetables, full-fat milk products, some nuts. (also I snack on 100% chocolate, and drink some coffee).
I don't count carbs or proteins and i never calculated a carb/insulin ratio because the amount of carb is so small. I eat about the same amount of protein/fat each day at the various meals, and I judge from past experience how much to bolus (taking into account my BG before the meal). (Its usually 2 or 2.5 untis novolog).
Is there anyone out there like me? (I feel like maybe i'm doing something wrong by not knowing my carb/insulin ratio etc., but this is working for me..)
You may not be counting & calculating ratios, but it's working because you're consistent in what you eat & the amount of insulin you need. Hey, that's the point of counting & calculating & you've arrived there already. Wonderful! Protein impacts my BG & I have to figure that in.
I'm not on insulin, so counting carbs isn't really essential, but I do test every morning and sometimes Post Prandial. If I get a high reading, I go back to try to figure out why by listing everything I've eaten and figuring calories, protein, carbs, and fat for the day. I have started a new practice which I found in Diabetes Solution: I take 1 500MG Metformin ER at bedtime. Dr. Bernstein says that helps with Dawn Phenomenom, and it seems to do so. Then I take 4 Insulow tablets and 2 Evening Primrose Oil tablets with meals. Dr. Bernstein says those are Insulin Mimetics. I am getting very good numbers.
When my son was first dx'd type 1 in Aug., we counted everything, carbs, protein, fat you name it. After a while he learned to eliminate the foods that caused spikes in his blood sugar, mainly wheat, rice and other processed grains. He can tolerate whole rye, beans and those types of foods, but he doesn't like them so it's not much of an issue. He can pretty much just eyeball his meals and judge how much insulin he needs. He tests frequently (10x/day). He eats to his meter so-to speak. Your diet seems to be similar to my son's diet although he doesn't like a wide variety of food choices. He eats the same things day in and day out so management is a lot easier. This is working for him. His A1c is 5.2 now and his averages and variability are still falling. Low carb is the key. It's interesting that you like 100% chocolate. We do too. It's amazing that the real full bodied taste of chocolate can only be appreciated when the sugar is eliminated.
When I was first diagnosed and started on Dr. B, I had to count carbs because even the small amount of carbs in eggs or dark greens would send my blood sugar up. I had to bolus for broccoli.
Now my ratio is a fraction what it was, my A1c has plummeted (along with my tricglycerides) and I am more sensitive to insulin so I don't bolus at all for a meal because even 1 unit would be too much for a plate of bacon and eggs.
That is more or less how I follow the diet, too. My nurse educator did calculate an insulin/carb ratio for me, but it's not accurate. Instead, I eat primarily meat, fish and non-starchy vegetables (along with mushrooms, sometimes a small amount of yogurt, a squeeze of fresh lemon, seaweed and healthy fats, etc.).
I barely restrict quantities, except that if I have a lot of meat (say, 7 oz. or more), my blood sugar rises through the night. On the other hand, if I have less than 4 oz, my blood sugar may drop. So, at lunch and dinner, I try to have at least 3 or 4 oz. of protein, and not an excessive amount, or I have to increase my basal rate through the night. I do have a healthy appetite, and I have learned to feel satisfied without the grains and their derivatives.
Hi Negg,
Sounds like you eat really healthy, but I personally need to count carbs and protein when figuring out my insulin dose in order to have stable blood sugar. Otherwise my blood sugar isn't steady, and I prefer to keep it between 85 and 95 max. :-D