Earlier this year, I was able to participate in starting an awesome new Facebook group with R.D. Dikeman, Derek Raulerson, and Debbie Theriault called TypeOneGrit. It is my absolute privilege to be a part of this amazing community. My blood sugar management has done a complete 180 because of these people. Here are some FAQ's about TypeOneGrit.
GRIT FAQ:
1. What
is TYPEONEGRIT?
TYPEONEGRIT is a FB group for
type one diabetics who follow Dr. Bernstein’s approach to normalizing blood
sugars. The group includes dietitians, endocrinologists, researchers, CDE’s,
famous low carb chefs and type one diabetic low carb practitioners. This
approach
1. Centers
around the restriction of carbohydrate – no grains, sugar, fruit or starches.
2. Allows
for the use of small, predictable doses of insulin.
3. Nearly
removes the possibility of hypoglycemia.
4. Allows
for the normalization of blood sugars and removes the threat of hyperglycemia
and thus the complications of high blood sugars.
5. Reduces
the threat of DKA because blood sugars are normal.
6. Minimizes
the cognitive load required to manage the disease.
2. What
type of results do you see? 2/3 of GRIT members have an HbA1c of 5.9% or less:
3. What
kind of food do you eat?
There is a low carb option for
everything. Pizza. Ice Cream. Bread. Rice. Pasta. Carbohydrate is neither
required for nutrition, nor for the joy of eating. Fat is flavor. This way of
eating relies on proteins and fats: meat, cheese, fish, nuts, eggs, creams,
etc. and non-starchy vegetables. GRIT members remark that this is, in fact, a
luxurious way to eat. Fun recipes are here:
This slide illustrates some of
the food:
4. What
books do you recommend ?
http://www.amazon.com/Cholesterol-Clarity-What-Wrong-Numbers/dp/1936608383
5. I
or my child has just been diagnosed with Type One diabetes. Why have my doctor
and dietician put me/ my child on a high carbohydrate diet when this is the
strongest cause of blood sugar fluctuation?
Diabetics die at 4
to 5x the rate of cardiovascular disease as non-diabetics – where it is the
number one killer - for an obvious reason – they have elevated blood sugars.
Nevertheless, the myth of dietary, saturated fat causing high cholesterol which
causes heart disease has persisted in the medical establishment. This myth has
been debunked and is no longer a serious idea in academia, but persists in the
medical community. You are caught in the middle and have been put on a high
sugar diet.
6. Don’t
I need to eat carbohydrate?
Carbohydrates are not a necessary
macronutrient. The Dr. Bernstein way of eating advocates for carbohydrate in
fibrous vegetables to obtain phytonutrients. Grains, starch, fruit, and added
sugar are not required for life. The picture below shows what carbohydrates are
– chains of sugar molecules. The bonds of these chains are already being broken
down by the salivary amylase in your mouth. Spit turns bread into glucose.
Since diabetics cannot metabolize
sugar and carbohydrate are just chained sugar molecules it makes no sense to
eat them.
7. Really?
Fruit is bad?
Yes. Fruit has been engineered to
be maximally sweet, not maximally nutritious via agriculture to be far
different now than it was with our ancestors.
8. Don’t
people need carbs for energy?
No. The body relies on ATP for
fuel. ATP production relies on glucose and amino acids which are obtained
through dietary protein. Protein can make the glucose the body needs through
the process called gluconeogenesis. ATP production and gluconeogenesis are
detailed below in the diagram of the citric cycle.
9. Are
there any videos you recommend?
Yes:
Videos by parents:
Dr. Bernstein’s Diabetes
University:
Dr. Troy Stapelton:
10. What
about athletics? Don’t we need to carb up or carb afterwords to ‘replace
glycogen’?
No, this is a myth. Carbohydrate
is going to require insulin, which can result in hyperglycemia and/or
hypoglycemia. TYPEONEGRIT has world champion endurance athletes, triathletes
and marathon runners. If you do athletics and carb up, you are just going to
spike your blood sugar.
11. What
is the perfect blood sugar?
100 mg/dL is an abnormal blood
sugar. The blood sugar for a healthy non-diabetic adult is 83 mg/dL. Healthy
children run in the 70s. Pregnant women run in the 60s.
12. What
about ketones?
Ketones are a by product of burning
either dietary or stored fat. High levels of ketones when coupled with high
blood sugars are a concern and may be a sign of DKA or ketoacidosis. With
normal blood sugars, ketones are not a concern. This information can be easily
found on the internet. Why is your health care provider so utterly confused?
Found out in this video:
13. Im
not bothered by high blood sugars, why should I care?
High blood sugars – even an A1c
in the mid to high fives, are known to cause a myriad of health problems. High
blood sugar, not total cholesterol, is the fundamental predictor of total
health.
14. My
doctor said a normal A1c is dangerous from lows. Aren’t normal A1c’s unhealthy?
Diabetics have the right to the
same blood sugars as non-diabetics. This way of eating does not cause more
hypo’s it causes LESS hypos than the diet prescribed by your doctor because
that diet is high carb. High carb diets require more insulin and therefore
cause unpredictable blood sugars. This is pure common sense.
15. Isn’t
this way of eating depressing?
No. This way of eating is
delicious. Normalizing blood sugars returns the feeling that one is ‘The
Captain of His Own Ship’ since you can control blood sugar. Normal life,
optimism and hope return.
16. My
child is little. Can’t we do this later?
Not if you want to avoid the
complications of diabetes. Neurocognitive effects exist already at diagnosis.
For example, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24969580
17. What
does GRIT mean anyway?
"Grit is passion and
perseverance for very long-term goals. Grit is having stamina. Grit is sticking
with your future, day in, day out, not just for the week, not just for the
month, but for years, and working really hard to make that future a reality.
Grit is living life like it's a marathon, not a sprint." -Angela Lee
Duckworth
18. Why doesn't this situation change?
It is changing, but the
establishment is not keeping up – they still advocate a diet high in
carbohydrate, which is just sugar. This makes no sense. See this article -
19. What
is the group like?
The group is not typical. There
is no drama in TYPEONEGRIT. The
true spirit of helpfulness and comradery marks
the group. Many members have formed life long friendships.
If you're interested in joining us, send a join request here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/660633730675058/ and send a message to one of our admins telling us about yourself and your current regimen. Make sure to check your, "other" folder as messages tend to get lost there.
