Hi all, I started doing the 'slow carb' diet after I came across a type 1 diabetic's blog on her success with it. It has been a great experience for me and I am curious if anyone else has tried this out?
I started my own blog about it, which you can read below if you are interested in it.
http://danielle-fitnesschallenge.blogspot.com/
All I see when I click on that link is an article about kale. Perhaps it would be good if you briefly explained in this thread what a "slow carb diet" is.
If it is similar to "low glycemic index" carbs, personally, as a Type 1 I have found that it makes very little difference in my control. A carb is a carb as far as my blood sugar results. The only exception to that are certain carbs that seem for many of us to be "more than the sum of their parts" in that our usual I:C ratios are insufficient to keep us from going high when we eat them. For me those foods include rice and cereal to an extreme where I just won't eat them, pasta and potatoes a tad less.
Thanks, dadler. Good for you on your lower numbers! For me, I prefer whole grains over "white foods" simply for their nutritional value (and taste!) but haven't found any difference at all in BG control. It will be interesting to hear if other Type 1's notice a difference. What counts is what works! Did you also cut the amount of carbs or just the kind of carbs?
Well, this is Tim Ferriss who wrote about this in the 4 Hour Body. It is interesting, but I consider it a hodgepodge. Sure, as a young man in his 20s, he lost 20 lbs by not eating a bad diet. It is not that his diet is bad, it is just a real mixup. He says it is about avoiding sweet and starches, but it seems to mix low carb, paleo, whole foods, fermented foods and grain avoidance together. Some of the things I believe are just random. Why restrict dairy? He allows cottage cheese claiming it is low carb, but doesn't allow cream or cheese.
I think there are good elements of his diet and wish you luck. But I would encourage you to pick and choose the elements that you think are important and work for you.
ps. If you are a Tim Ferriss fan, his new book the 4 Hour Chef is interesting.
For me a carb is a carb is a carb, low glycemic or slow carb makes no difference. I'm glad this seems to work for you though! All grains, unless it's something like gg bran crackers(I'm not eating those anymore because I believe I have gluten sensitivities) spike me like crazy as do any higher sugar fruits, potatoes, starchy veggies etc. Too many berries, the only fruit I eat now, will also spike me but I can have them in moderation. I first discovered that in the hospital when I tried to treat a low with 2 saltine crackers and went from 50 to 170 in 20 minutes or so. I kept getting readings in the 200's from potatoes, breads etc. no matter what my insulin dose was and with waiting to eat after bolus. This hasn't changed in one year or so, I have experimented very occasionally to add some back in, but I always end up in the 200's eventually and it's not worth it to me. The only time I'm willing to end up there is if I have to treat a bad low, then I just want to come back up quickly and drink enough juice to bring me up fast.