I just got here to TuDiabetes. I’m a patient of Dr. Bernstein’s since September. I love his regimen and have gained such good control in a short amount of time! I look forward to getting to know you all and bounce treatment options off each other. I have a small page too where I post tidbits I’ve learned @ www.facebook.com/thebetacell I’ll try and share them here as well when I can.
I am happy to hear from you! I have been following Dr. Bernstein since 2009 and my 5 years with diabetes has been great. I am 75 yrs. old and in good health. Finding Dr. Bernstein and reading his book may add some years to my life and I am seem to be thriving and not just surviving. I am always learning something new to help me along and I an eager to hear your experience with Dr. Bernstein a brilliant leader for diabetics.
Welcome, Ian. I'm so glad you found us!. I'm a T2. I discovered Dr Crazy Bernie (as my sweetie and I called him at first) in mid 2007. Still controlling with diet and exercise only. He's a wonder, isn't he?!.....
Hey Ian, thanks for the post. I just followed your FB group.
I too have finally got onto the Bernstein diet, after over 10 years of failed attempts to do so (sometimes it takes a while).
Getting off the carb roller coaster has been a revelation for me. I feel like Doc Berstein is Morpheus in the Matrix waking us up to the lie that the world revolves around carbs. Now as I walk through grocery stores I see the horror all around me as toddlers and grandparents eagerly reach for bread, cereals, cookies, galore.
Me on the other hand - I haven't felt this solid since before I was diagnosed 18 years ago.
kevin
I started Bernstein last October. I had amazing results immediately with my blood sugars. I never lost any weight (wish I could), but my sugars were a pretty flat line on my cgm. I was so happy. Then in January I injured my back and had to receive steroid injections, antibiotics, then in Feb. had back surgery. I was able to get my blood sugar control back by the summer. Over a year later, and I'm back on the blood sugar roller coaster. I don't know why. I'm eating the same low carb that I had been. I'm not eating starch or sweets. I went through extensive food sensitivity testing and further eliminated some foods based on some severe gastro symptoms. I don't understand what has changed. I don't know where to begin to identify the cause of my blood sugar roller coasters. Most recently, it is as if my days and nights are mixed up. I'm running higher in the day and crashing at night. I've backed off my basal at night and did a small increase for during the day. I need to pinpoint what has changed for me. Anyone out there do the Bernstein approach long term, but lose control? Something is out of balance with me and I don't know where to start. Thanks for your input.
I haven’t had that experience since starting the diet other than periodically when sick or I make a change in my exercise intensity. I have had radical unexplained changes in insulin sensitivity before in the past though…each time I would have to re-examine certain periods of the day by fasting and doing hourly measurements to hone it back in again for my basal rates. Mealtime insulin is best dialed in by eating the same amounts of protein and carbs at each meal at VERY regular times. This allows you to hone in for that period of the day, which may vary (mine do)
I use 10 units Humulin R at Breakfast for 14oz protein and 8 grams carb; at Lunch I use 6 units Humulin R for 14oz protein and 14 grams carb; Dinner I use 11 units Humulin R for 8 oz protein and 12 grams carb.
I had to experiment to come to these numbers as my body has different sensitivities during the day. Sometimes to dial in a basal required several days of fasting for 8 hour periods and checking once an hour, not correcting unless it went dangerously high or low. Dialing in mealtime bolus requires eating the same portion at the same time each day keeping carbs low and as many constants as possible at least while you’re honing in on the correct numbers. As you can see, I eat a lot of protein (1.16g / lb body weight and there are about 7 g of protein in 1 ounce of cooked meat) and only about 34 carbs per day. Humulin is a weaker insulin than the asparts like Novolog which I only use for corrections. The weaker, longer acting Humulin R or Novolin R match well with veggie carbs and gluconeogenesis of proteins.
One more thought… I’ve read several posts on a Paleo website where the exact scenario with gluco-coaster for no apparent reason. The writers of the posts had solved their problem by doing a “carb reset” in which they ate much higher carb meals for about a week, then switched back to Paleo. From reading their posts, it seemed to solve the problem. I have not had an opportunity to try that yet.
Sometimes my sugars rise in advance of an infection (tooth, ear, etc) that I don’t feel right away… Hope this helps!
Hi EducatedFarmWife,
What's an example of your typical breakfast and lunch - exactly? Also, how much do you inject per meal to cover it?
Also, do you snack throughout the day, and if so, what do you snack on?
Finally, what are your basal rates for morning and evening and what were they before?