Diabetics, can you really get off insulin with diet alone?

Apparently. Here is a link to a brand new review article on exactly that subject. If I were a diabetic I’d be on the low carb ketogenic diet in a heartbeat…oh, wait, I already am.  I have a friend who is doing paleo-autoimmune for various conditions, a type II insulin dependent diabetic, and she is now completely off insulin. I’ve also heard type I diabetic physicians interviewed who say their blood sugar control is much less brittle if they restrict carbohydrates. (They still need some insulin, but not nearly as much and their Hemoglobin A1c levels are better.)

Please note there is a big difference between type I and type II diabetes!  Type I usually means the pancreas cannot make insulin, while type II usually means your body has become insulin resistant no matter how much insulin your poor pancreas tries to pump out.

And please don’t just “go low carb” without getting with your own physician. I hear reports of people’s insulin requirements dropping in a few days and you could get hypoglycemic without guidance. Dangerous and unpleasant. Test, test, and talk with the doc. Give them the link. My blog is definitely only for education, not for individual health advice.

What experiences have you had with diabetes?  Ever try a decent low carbohydrate diet?

Please note: I reserve the right to delete comments that are offensive or off-topic.

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2 thoughts on “Diabetics, can you really get off insulin with diet alone?

  1. Hi, I just found your blog via MDA and wanted to share my BF’s results. In January of this year, at 67 years old, he started a low-carb approach which mainly consisted of snacking on eggs daily until dinnertime, and then usually eating a steak and salad for dinner. No increase in exercise. He dropped 30 pounds in the first month, 50 pounds lost after three months. I don’t remember what his A1C started at, but he was taking Janumet, and after losing the weight (he is still overweight at 250 lbs) his A1C was 5.6%. Cholesterol and trigs came way down, too. He has more energy, better sleep, and fewer aches.

    • How cool! Diet is #1. Fat is not the enemy. I certainly hope he’s testing his glucose levels and modifying the Janumet accordingly.

      Next step will be to find a trainer and do high intensity weightlifting!

      Doc Him