I've been trying a veg*n diet since May, but I'm having problems figuring it out because I have type 1 diabetes. Does anyone have any experience with being type 1 and veg*n? I'm particularly interested in hearing how you adjusted your insulin. (Can we limit this to type 1 diabetes? Type 2 has it's own difficulties, but they're really very different.)
Type 1 diabetes and diet
1 - 7 of 7 Posts
Joined
·
2,144 Posts
Sorry no own experience.
Where do you see your problems in contrast to an omnivore diet? Your diet has more fiber which would have a helpful effect on the release of glucose out of the meals. Is it that you need less insuline?
Where do you see your problems in contrast to an omnivore diet? Your diet has more fiber which would have a helpful effect on the release of glucose out of the meals. Is it that you need less insuline?
It's not as simple as "more fiber means a slower rise in bs". I once heard someone describe type 1 diabetes as trying to walk on a tightrope with your eyes closed while people throw things at you. In type 1, since your body doesn't supply insulin, you have to get it by injections. So I try to match the amount of insulin I take to the amount of carbohydrates I eat. But, there are a million other factors. If I exercise too much, or not enough. If I'm stressed out or sick. If I have my period. How many simple carbohydrates are in my meals (fruit for instance). How much fiber, protein, and fat. Etc.
The insulin I take works at a certain rate. There seems to be a point, where no matter how much insulin you take, if you've eaten too much carbohydate, your bloodsugar spikes up too high. This is one of the reasons I never have garlic bread with my spaghetti or cornbread with my chili. Which is why, for an omnivore eating some chicken with the spaghetti is helpful. You get protein and carbohydrate in the meal. The protein helps the carbohydrate digest at a more even rate as well as contributing to satiety. Most vegetarian protein sources have a lot of carbohydrates. It just seems like my food choices have really been limited. If I have beans and lentils often, it means I can't eat corn or potatoes or bread or peas or squash with those meals. Also, if there's a lot of fiber in the meal, the carbohydrate might not digest fast enough, causing my bs to drop.
With all that said, I recently found out soy has much less carbohydrate than I thought it had so I guess I'll just try to concentrate on eating more soy and see how things go.
The insulin I take works at a certain rate. There seems to be a point, where no matter how much insulin you take, if you've eaten too much carbohydate, your bloodsugar spikes up too high. This is one of the reasons I never have garlic bread with my spaghetti or cornbread with my chili. Which is why, for an omnivore eating some chicken with the spaghetti is helpful. You get protein and carbohydrate in the meal. The protein helps the carbohydrate digest at a more even rate as well as contributing to satiety. Most vegetarian protein sources have a lot of carbohydrates. It just seems like my food choices have really been limited. If I have beans and lentils often, it means I can't eat corn or potatoes or bread or peas or squash with those meals. Also, if there's a lot of fiber in the meal, the carbohydrate might not digest fast enough, causing my bs to drop.
With all that said, I recently found out soy has much less carbohydrate than I thought it had so I guess I'll just try to concentrate on eating more soy and see how things go.
Joined
·
2,144 Posts
How long since your diabetes had been diagnosed? Did you get your Hb A1c below 6%? How are your typical ranges during a day?
I know how hard it is to titrate something like blood sugar levels or blot clotting time e.g. But see it another way you'll be the best expert on your blood sugar. You only get tips from your diabetes specailist which you may incorparate into your life and into the adaption to your diabetic condition.
I know how hard it is to titrate something like blood sugar levels or blot clotting time e.g. But see it another way you'll be the best expert on your blood sugar. You only get tips from your diabetes specailist which you may incorparate into your life and into the adaption to your diabetic condition.
Joined
·
2,144 Posts
With an experience of 20 years you are an expert on your disease. My post was going to address the problem that some diabetic people encounter: they do evrything that should control the glucose level, but somehow the level goes up and down according to own dynamics.
Yesterday I read a book on "exotic veggies" (Barbara Rias-Bucher: Exotische Gemüse): she wrote that black eyed peas have good effects on diabetes. No source, and also not clear if there is a distiction between type 1 and 2 diabetics. But I thought to pass it on.
Yesterday I read a book on "exotic veggies" (Barbara Rias-Bucher: Exotische Gemüse): she wrote that black eyed peas have good effects on diabetes. No source, and also not clear if there is a distiction between type 1 and 2 diabetics. But I thought to pass it on.
1 - 7 of 7 Posts
Join the discussion
