Riding the green waves

1

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.

2

HI jean, glad to hear you are doing so well. Hugs, Maureen

3

Hi Jean, good to hear from you and congrats on success. I do agree that there are other things going with with T2 and perhaps different things going on with different people. Since so many genes are involved in T2 it should really come as no surprise that different things work for different people. The proof is in the numbers.

4

I'm glad to see you here. I've thought about you and hope you are doing ok. We each have to find our own way. I hope you feel we all support you in your journey.

5

Hi Jean. Congratulations on dropping your insulin requirements as well as your weight. It's so great that all your hard work is paying off. Hope you're enjoying your summer!

6

Hi Jean -

I'm so sorry about your friend. Congratulations on your success with the high micronutrient diet. It does sound like you're on to something but diet is more art than science.

Hope you're feeling better and look forward to your next posts.

Maurie

7

Jean, good to 'see' you. Congrats on all the successes!

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Wow! 66 lbs is a great start!! I'm glad to hear that, despite what sounds like a rough patch, you are doing an awesome job!

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Hi Jean, I'm glad your back. I'm sorry about the loss of your friend but it's good to hear that your on a good track. 66lbs that's pretty impressive. Can we say mega amounts of willpower there. Keep up the good work.

Did I say it's good to have you back. I think I did. Well there I said it again.

Gary S

10

Thanks, everybody! How did I know y'all would be kind and supportive. ;0)

TuD rocks! I sometimes feel so hopelessly, completely alone, but I should know better by now. Every one of you has been more than generous with your time and wisdom, despite the fact that you're kept quite busy with your own Big D.

(((GROUP HUG)))

11

Oh, no, Jean, you are definitely not alone and I always admire your courage on here for standing up for type 2 rights in a largely type 1 environment and being so honest about your struggles. I don't have any specific responses to your diet because I don't know much about it but the proof, as they say, is in the pudding. (or the lack thereof..lol). Great work and it might slow down a bit as weight loss often does, but you are no doubt headed in the right direction. Enjoy each step of progress and the longterm goal will take care of itself. I'm glad you're in contact!

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I don't know if your experience is necessarily counter-intuitive. Your caloric intake has probably dropped drastically and that alone will lessen your requirements for insulin and result in weight loss. At some level, a calorie is a calorie (although I think this is masked in our "modern" diets because of the amount of food we consume).

Anyhoo, my personal feeling is that whatever works for YOU just works. Period. Don't question it and enjoy the fact that you've found something that is getting you to the place you want to be! If you're seeing positive results that should be enough to know that you're on the right track.

13

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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I'm glad to see you too! kudos on the weight loss!

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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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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.

17

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)

18

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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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.

20

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.