I was wondering how many people eat whatever they want and just dose for it compared with how many eat a low carb diet? I’m on a pretty low-carb diet and my numbers don’t fluctuate drastically compared with some I’ve seen. I’m wondering if it’s the low-carb diet or if my pancreas is still marginally functional.
Could be both or either one. I have loosened up on my carbs as I approach my 80th birthday and my CGM line reflects it when I do. A great many who came down with T1 as adults or young adults still have a few functional beta cells. So, unless your c-peptides are at flat zero, both are possibilities. But I would place my bet on the low carb diet.
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I have been a type 1 for 61 yrs and have eaten every way imaginable. I do not make any of my own insulin. I eat carbs, in fact I eat a lot of carbs including rice, potatoes, beans, and lentils. I eat close to 300 carbs a day and have an A1c of 5.2. I eat very little fat, so my insulin resistance is low. I take about 19 to 25 units of insulin daily. It depends on how much exercise I feel like doing that day. I try to stay between 65 and 150. I don’t eat unhealthy carbs. See Mastering Diabetes the website or book for more info.
I followed the Bernstein diet and ate no more than 30 carbs a day for 11 yrs. I took about 17 to 23 units of insulin daily and my A1c ranged from 4.6 to 5.2. Eventually my body rebelled against eating low carb and my quality of life greatly decreased, so I switched to a plant based higher carb low fat way of eating.
I also spent years eating what ever I wanted, but it was harder to control my weight and my diabetes was harder to control even though I could keep my A1c in a non diabetic range most of the time. It also required me to take more insulin, which I don’t like to do. Because I hate to figure out my carbs for each meal, it is easier for me to eat either a very low carb or a very low fat vegan diet. My glucose levels were on a roller coaster when I ate whatever I wanted. I took about 40 units daily.
I hope this is the kind of info you are seeking.
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Thanks so much. Your feedback was very helpful!
That’s a pretty close description to what I do. I’ve always gone with, “the less insulin you have to take, the easier it is to manage.” And I was dx’d 37 years ago when “eat what you want and bolus for it” wasn’t a thing. More like “Here’s the list of stuff you shouldn’t eat ever. Unless, y’know, you HAVE to.” Like you I also do seem to produce some endogenous insulin, which definitely helps. More recently I’ve started taking Jardiance (off-label) and that has really helped smooth things out, so I’ve actually been drifting upward in terms of carbs, like bread, pasta, and the rare bit of pastry.
I eat what I want, however I don’t crave sweets and carbs like when I was a kid.
I lost my taste for cake and cookies because they taste so dam sweet and I guess I’m not used to it.
I also gave up on artificial sweeteners and just didn’t replace them. So my coffee has no sweetener
I eat fruit and bread and pasta
I seem to average about 100 carbs a day. But I’ve gone up to 200 on occasion.
Generally speaking the older I get the less I want them
That being said, I will eat what ever the hell I want whenever the hell I want it and that’s jus how it’s going to be.
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