September 11, 1999
Meal Planning, Food and Diet
Question from Rhode Island, USA:
I’m 16 years old and type 1, diagnosed six weeks ago. In the hospital they put me on 300 grams of carbs a day, and at first I followed this diet but found that I always felt stuffed and forced to eat. So I went back to my normal eating habits, which was mostly veggies, meats, fruits, nuts, and sometimes whole grain toasts. Now I eat about 90 carbs a day and my blood sugars are excellent. I have read many books on the benefits of low carb, high protein diets in which patients have reversed diabetic complications through normal blood sugars. Yet I keep reading people advocating against low carb diets. Why are people telling me to stuff myself? The general mantra has been to continue with my normal eating habits, but when I do, I am discouraged by my endocrine team.
Answer:
It sounds like you had a very healthy diet to begin with. The Food Guide Pyramid is a good guide to follow for total nutrition. If you are getting the number of servings recommended from each food group, I would suggest you have a visit with your dietitian to see if she can develop a meal plan that is a little more appropriate to your lifestyle. Individualizing the meal plan is an important part of making diabetes live with you.
JM
