Actually, Dr. Fuhrman’s diet IS low-carb and low glycemic as well. He recommends a diet that predominates in NON-STARCHY vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds & limits grains & processed carbs. Fruit is limited to 3-5 servings/day & only raw, unpeeled fruit is recommended - no dried fruit or fruit juice. The main difference is he recommends limiting meat & dairy to once or twice/week rather than every day. Well, I can live with that. It’s not an “animal rights” issue, it’s a health issue.
As for any connection to PCRM, If I recall correctly, that stands for “Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine.” What’s wrong with Physicians practicing responsible medicine? Too many physicians throw drugs at every patient that walk through the door - especially diabetics. That is NOT practicing responsible medicine…
So far as I know, there are no UNstarchy beans or legumes, except green beans. And pretty much ALL fruit except berries is loaded with sugar, and a lot of fructose, which appears to contribute to fat gain. I don’t have the exact statistics, but I’m sure some of our science types do.
As far as PCRM, well, the name sounds good, but I’m not sure their activities are as good as their name. You might consider researching them a little deeper.
I have read the book and watched him on television. While his advice appears to be sound,
I can’t help but say that I find him impossibly obnoxious.
I follow most of what he says (although I read it from other sources)
and have controlled my BG to high 80’s and low 90’s. I take no meds.
Best of luck to you. It’s great that you’re learning from so many sources.
Well, it's been almost 3 years since I've followed Dr. Fuhrman's program (80%) & I'm still waiting to gain back any of the 70 lbs I lost. I still weigh 180 in spite of the fact that I eat unlimited beans and 6-7 handfuls of nuts/day along with 5-8 servings of fruit/day. I gain weight very easily (I've weighed 405 lbs at one time), so if the "sugar load" I get from fruit contributes to fat gain, I'd be the first to experience it. And still no meds for anything.
As I've said, I don't consider myself "cured" of diabetes but I couldn't care less about the term used - as long as I can keep it away indefinitely.
With some of our ancestral populations being agricultural in nature and others being nomadic hunters it wouldn't surprise me in the least if the genetic heritage they each left their descendants was different. Gene work just keeps on discovering more and more differences between people and how their bodies function. This may explain why some methods work for some and not others. The only thing that'll answer whether it works for you is your glucometer. People who profess to be able to tell you how a given diet will work for you can probably tell you what the stock market will do tomorrow too. In other words the proof is in the pudding. How people can eat fruit and have good numbers baffles me but their meters don't care what I think and I doubt they do either. =)
Good for you!! :-) Different strokes for different folks -- I have never been obese, and now have a BMI of 24.1 or so, and the reason I choose low-carb is that I'm trying to limit BG swings. And fruits and beans DO give me spikes.
But I'm convinced that there are MANY different types of diabetes, not just the famous 2, and we each have to do what works for us. If you found something that works for you, then keep it up! I'm first in line to be your cheerleader! :-)
Re: Fruit.......it may have something to do with the fact that most fruit is low glycemic and eating it raw, unpeeled & unprocessed means the sugars occur naturally and come in a package with micronutrients, vitamins & fiber. Example: a medium-sized apple has only 17 carbs & 4 gms fiber. Since I've always had a terrible sweet tooth, I guess you could call me lucky. Sometimes, before my evening workout (20 min. elliptical), instead of dinner, I'll have two huge Fuji apples & a handful of nuts & test two hours later at 105. Even without exercise, I've never had a BG spike from fruit. But....bread is a different story - two slices usually gets me over 200.
