Ketogenic Diet Diabetes Type 1

Does The Ketogenic Diet Work For Type 2 Diabetes?

You’ve probably seen dozens of headlines about the ketogenic diet by now, which has made its way into popular culture largely by celebrities and supermodels giving the long-standing fad diet a repeated stamp of approval. Is this the diet to follow if you have diabetes? Studies suggest the answer isn’t so simple. Some science shows its meal plan may be helpful, while other research, like one study published in September 2016 in Nutrients, highlights the importance of whole grains in the diets of people with diabetes — a restricted food category in the ketogenic diet. While the keto diet can offer many potential benefits for diabetes management, following it requires pretty serious commitment. So take a beat before you take the plunge — and consider these questions that can help you and your medical team determine if it’s right for you: How Does the Ketogenic Diet Work Exactly? There’s a good reason the ketogenic diet is also referred to as a low-carb, high-fat diet. Indeed, following the ketogenic diet means reducing carbohydrate intake to typically less than 50 grams (g) of carbohydrates per day, while increasing fat and protein intake, according to a review published in August 2013 in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. To put that into perspective, an individual on an average, non-restricted diet can easily eat more carbohydrates than that in one typical meal — for instance, a turkey, cheese, and veggie sandwich on whole-grain bread with a small, 1 ounce (oz) bag of classic potato chips would come in at around 51 g of carbs. These dietary changes drive down insulin levels, eventually leading your body into a state of ketosis, during which it is burning fat rather than carbohydrates. What Are Some of the Potential Benefits of a Ketogenic Diet for Continue reading >>

Why I Chose A Ketogenic Diet For Diabetes Management

Often people use the term “diet” to mean something that is temporary for a specific purpose, usually weight loss. For me, it is a permanent way of eating now. I am a retired physician living with Type 1 diabetes since 1998. I started to exercise regularly in 2007 to help ward off complications, particularly cardiovascular disease. I was unaware at the time that aerobic exercise alone would have little impact on the development of cardiovascular disease. It wasn’t until 2011 when I contemplated doing an ironman distance triathlon, that I discovered diet is the most important determinate in the development of most chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease. My research led me to begin a very low carbohydrate, ketogenic diet in February 2012. Why I Chose a Low Carb Ketogenic Diet for Diabetes Management Carbohydrate is the macronutrient that raises blood glucose the most, so keeping consumption low is my primary goal. Of next importance is using whole foods that naturally have the necessary micronutrients and enough complete proteins to support my exercise. I had to add fat to my meals to replace calories from the omitted carbohydrates. My protein intake did not change after starting a ketogenic low carb high fat diet. This way of eating has resulted in a significant improvement in my blood glucose control and a 1.2% reduction in HbA1c. Most importantly, the diet supplies my body with the energy, substrates, and nutrients to enable daily resistance and aerobic/endurance exercise, with minimal need for sports nutrition (sugar), or development of hypoglycemia. I completed The Great Floridian Triathlon in October 2012 without any sugar, food, or hypoglycemia thanks to my low carbohydrate ketogenic lifestyle. Nutritional Ketosis My diet keeps me in a state of nut Continue reading >>

Ketogenic Diet And Type 1 Diabetes

What is Type 1 Diabetes? Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease. The immune system is a defence that guards the body against bacteria, fungi or parasites. A combination of genetics and an environmental (viral infection, vaccines, low levels of vitamin D, cow’s milk or increased insulin demand) trigger engages the immune system to attack and destroy the beta cells in the pancreas. After these beta cells are destroyed, the body is unable to produce insulin. Type 1 diabetes is the result of the inability of the pancreas to produce insulin. With type 2 diabetes, the pancreas produces insulin. Who Gets Type 1 Diabetes? Type 1 diabetes can affect all age groups. Although the thought has been that type 1 diabetes appears during childhood, current research has found that adults are just as likely to be diagnosed with type 1 diabetes; half of type 1 diabetics are diagnosed after age 30. (1) Yet, the rate of Type 1 diabetes in children, in the US, has increased by almost 60% in 11 years (2) and approximately 1 in 300 children in the US will be affected by type 1 diabetes by 18 years of age. (3) There are too many children who are effected globally. The highest rates are in northern Europe and in individuals of European decent. Men are more commonly affected in early adult life. (2) Data suggests the incidence of T1D has been increasing by 2–5% worldwide. (5) What Happens When Your Body Does Not Make Enough Insulin? Beta cells in the pancreas are destroyed by your own immune system resulting in too little or no insulin (a hormone released by the pancreas) produced. Without insulin, energy (sugar) from food cannot enter the cells. Instead of fueling the cells, this excess sugar circulates in the blood causing high blood sugar levels (also known as hyperglycemia). If there is Continue reading >>

Diabetes & Ketogenic Diet: Can You Manage Your Diabetes On A Ketogenic Diet?

In this article we will cover what a Ketogenic diet is and if you can manage your diabetes while on this diet. Ketogenic diet for diabetics is a highly controversial topic, but we will break down everything here for you! As a Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE), I have to tell you from the start I will have a biased view here. Sorry, but I feel that I need to be completely honest right up front! I will however, present all the evidence that is available currently on the subject. As a CDE, I have been taught to follow the American Diabetes Association Dietary Guidelines for Americans which is low in carbohydrates, high in fiber, with fresh vegetables, fruits and whole grains. The Ketogenic Diet this article will be discussing is much lower in carbohydrates, in order to promote the state of nutritional ketosis, or the fat burning state for weight loss. What is a Ketogenic Diet? The Ketogenic Diet is a low carbohydrate diet, consisting initially of less than 20 carbohydrates per day. Not per meal, yes, you heard me correctly, per day. It is not for the faint of heart and yes I am writing from experience. Of course I have tried it! Hasn’t everybody in America at some point who has wanted to lose weight? Does it work you ask? Of course it does! The problem is how long can you keep it up? Your body uses the carbohydrates you eat for energy, so if we restrict how many carbohydrates we eat, the body has to get its fuel source from fat. A byproduct of this fat burning state are ketones which are produced; this is called nutritional ketosis. You can determine if you are in this fat burning state by purchasing urine ketone testing strips from your local pharmacy. The Ketogenic Diet with Diabetes Some precautions must be made clear; this diet is not appropriate for people with any Continue reading >>

Type 1 Diabetes And The Ketogenic Diet

For thousands of years, something has been sneaking up on children and robbing them of their ability to control their blood sugar levels. The culprit is an autoimmune condition called Type 1 Diabetes, and its incidence has been increasing in both the United States and in other western countries. But there is no need to worry. This sneaky disease has left us with enough clues to diagnose it, manage it, and potentially reverse it. How to Know If It Is Type 1 Diabetes Type 1 diabetes is most commonly diagnosed in children between the ages of 10 and 14, although many children can present with symptoms at ages as young as two years old. The incidence is approximately 1.5 times higher in American non-Hispanic white people compared with African American or Hispanic individuals. Risk Factors for Type 1 Diabetes The three most well-researched risk factors for type 1 diabetes include: Family history. Anyone with a parent or sibling with type 1 diabetes has a slightly increased risk of developing the condition. Genetics. Specific genes can increase the risk of developing type 1 diabetes. Age. Although type 1 diabetes can appear at any age, it is diagnosed in two prominent peaks. The first peak occurs in children between 4 and 7 years old, and the second is in children between 10 and 14 years old. However, these aren’t the only three risk factors. Recent research has found that type 1 diabetics tend to have a different balance of bacteria in their microbiome then non-susceptible individuals. Vitamin D deficiency, gut health issues, and dairy intolerance are also linked to a greater risk of type 1 diabetes as well. Having all of these risk factors, however, does not mean that you will have type 1 diabetes. Its symptoms will provide us with a clearer picture. Symptoms of Type 1 Dia Continue reading >>

Type 1 Diabetes: When Doctors’ Good Advice Turns Bad

Here’s a fascinating blog that throws up an ethical dilemma for doctors, nurses and dietitians who dish out orthodox advice for type 1 diabetes. The writer is Lemming Test-Pilot, the alter ego of a British GP who has type 1 diabetes. Last year, Lemming ditched “the almost impossible dark art of carbohydrate counting”, went on a low-carb, high-fat, ketogenic diet and survived. Actually, Lemming hasn’t just survived but has thrived in body and mind. And has been running half marathons faster ever since, even after fasting. Doctors and nurses told Lemming to go on the wrong diet for type 1 diabetes for 20 years. Lemming is understandably miffed about that but says with admirable restraint: “Any other condition managed with the wrong treatment for 20 years would rightly merit a lawsuit. The guideline advisers are getting knighthoods.” Here is Lemming’s remarkable, poignant, real-life story: By Lemming Test-Pilot* I have had type 1 diabetes for 20 years. I got it relatively late, in my 30’s. I’ve managed it the conventional way: 55% carbs, 30% fat mostly unsaturated, basal (long-acting) insulin, and DAFNE (Dose Adjustment For Normal Eating) with carbohydrate counting and injection of rapid acting insulin to balance the glucose. I look after my weight and exercise regularly. I tried three types of statins at various doses but had to stop due to muscle pains and fatigue. My blood pressure is OK and cholesterol reasonable in the 5’s. I have tried hard to manage my condition to the best of my ability and have followed the NICE guidelines and regularly attend for check-ups. My GP or Diabetes Nurse takes my measurements every year, makes some suggestions for improvement (there is always room for improvement) then leaves me to it for another year. My GP team the Continue reading >>

The Ketogenic Diet And Type 1 Diabetes: What I Eat

I recently began writing about the ketogenic diet and type 1 diabetes in an attempt to optimize my blood sugar in relationship to athletic performance. This podcast episode can provide some additional perspective about how I arrived at the ketogenic diet for type 1 diabetes. It started with a low-fat plant-based diet and I have recently changed my approach (dramatically) to a Ketogenic diet (low-carb, high-fat). The results have been remarkable and I feel like this dietary approach is a worthwhile consideration for anyone who is in a position to optimize their diabetes management–or who just wants better energy with no “crashes” throughout the day. In case my standpoint isn’t obvious, let me clarify, there is no should or shouldn’t implied in my writing about this or any other diet. Some people eat pizza. Some people drink diet soda. Some never consume either–or do but always feel guilty. Still others know the drawbacks and act in moderation and feel great about it. My goal is to inform those who are interested in trying something new or just knowing what else is out there–not to persuade those who are happy with an already satisfactory approach. I wrote an eBook compiling my experiments with the ketogenic diet and type 1 diabetes which you can check out here: In my last blog I focused on the comparative results between the two diets, and this blog will hopefully answer the one major question I got–‘what do you eat on a daily basis?’ Not all low-carb diets are Ketogenic, but the Ketogenic diet is low-carb. In the coming weeks I will be sharing more about how my transition to this diet came together as well as mistakes I made along the way. I will also probably put up a post along the lines of “What is a Ketogenic diet?” although that is lower pri Continue reading >>

Successful Treatment Of Type 1 Diabetes And Seizures With Combined Ketogenic Diet And Insulin.

Abstract Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a life-threatening condition and a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus. The deficiency of insulin leads to metabolic decompensation, causing hyperglycemia and ketosis that resolves with the administration of insulin and fluids. However, an induced state of ketosis is the basis for the success of the ketogenic diet (KD), which is an effective therapy for children with intractable epilepsy. We report the case of a 2-year-old girl who presented to the emergency department with 1-week history of decreased activity, polyuria, and decreased oral intake. Her past medical history was remarkable for epilepsy, for which she was started on the KD with a significant improvement. Her laboratory evaluation was compatible with DKA, and fluids and insulin were given until correction. Because of concerns regarding recurrence of her seizures, the KD was resumed along with the simultaneous use of insulin glargine and insulin aspart. Urine ketones were kept in the moderate range to keep the effect of ketosis on seizure control. Under this combined therapy, the patient remained seizure-free with no new episodes of DKA. Continue reading >>

What Is Ketosis?

"Ketosis" is a word you'll probably see when you're looking for information on diabetes or weight loss. Is it a good thing or a bad thing? That depends. Ketosis is a normal metabolic process, something your body does to keep working. When it doesn't have enough carbohydrates from food for your cells to burn for energy, it burns fat instead. As part of this process, it makes ketones. If you're healthy and eating a balanced diet, your body controls how much fat it burns, and you don't normally make or use ketones. But when you cut way back on your calories or carbs, your body will switch to ketosis for energy. It can also happen after exercising for a long time and during pregnancy. For people with uncontrolled diabetes, ketosis is a sign of not using enough insulin. Ketosis can become dangerous when ketones build up. High levels lead to dehydration and change the chemical balance of your blood. Ketosis is a popular weight loss strategy. Low-carb eating plans include the first part of the Atkins diet and the Paleo diet, which stress proteins for fueling your body. In addition to helping you burn fat, ketosis can make you feel less hungry. It also helps you maintain muscle. For healthy people who don't have diabetes and aren't pregnant, ketosis usually kicks in after 3 or 4 days of eating less than 50 grams of carbohydrates per day. That's about 3 slices of bread, a cup of low-fat fruit yogurt, or two small bananas. You can start ketosis by fasting, too. Doctors may put children who have epilepsy on a ketogenic diet, a special high-fat, very low-carb and protein plan, because it might help prevent seizures. Adults with epilepsy sometimes eat modified Atkins diets. Some research suggests that ketogenic diets might help lower your risk of heart disease. Other studies show sp Continue reading >>

Reversing Type 2 Diabetes with Nutritional Ketosis

Ketogenic Diet For Remission In Type 1 Diabetes

Share Share Share Health-e-Solutions comment: Just so we are clear, the title of this article is not mine. It is the authors. I like it, but this is not a study that proves it can be done, but rather it discusses the viability of such a concept. The diabetic-alkaline lifestyle produces better blood sugar control in nearly all diabetics who implement it (without the excessive meat in a paleo diet). The authors summary about the prospects of the ketogenic diet for people with type 1 diabetes bears repeating right here at the outset: In some cases of type 1 diabetes, the immune system only partially destroys the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. These people may regain their ability to produce insulin and later go into remission. The ketogenic diet looks particularly promising as a way to control blood sugar levels, hence also the condition itself, in these cases. We have no way to prove it scientifically, but this sure sounds like what happened with our boys. Since healthy food is the primary activator, it sure did not hurt to try it (with doctor supervision of course). We could not be more thrilled with the results. The diabetic-alkaline diet is not quite the same as any of the ketogenic diets pictured. Diabetes has some unique considerations, such as “right-carbs” instead of that which we usually eat in the standard American diet. That is why we created recipes that taste great, but also keep blood sugars from spiking or going to low by encouraging the body to burn an alternate fuel source (fat) instead of glucose. Ketogenic Diet for Remission in Type 1 Diabetes The ketogenic diet was designed as an intervention for seizures in children. Its composition of high amounts of fat, adequate amounts of protein and minimal amounts of carbohydrates forces the brai Continue reading >>

A Child With Type 1 Diabetes Successfully Treated With The Paleolithic Ketogenic Diet

Here’s another remarkable success story. A 9-year-old child with type 1 diabetes was put on a very low-carb paleo diet. The result? He no longer needs insulin injections – his body still manages to produce enough insulin by itself – and his blood sugar stays normal. This of course means the child no longer has any episodes of low blood sugar. He has also improved his health in many ways, improved his fitness, reduced number of infections and improved his eczema. The child has now been followed for 19 months and is still doing great. IJCRI: A child with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) successfully treated with the Paleolithic ketogenic diet: A 19-month insulin freedom Obviously it’s still likely that the child will eventually need insulin injections, as his body’s number of insulin-producing beta cells may continue to go down. Most people who have had type 1 diabetes for a long time need insulin injections even on a strict low-carb diet. But they need far lower doses, and it becomes much easier for them to control their blood sugar. See stories below. More More on Type 1 diabetes Earlier “Low Carb vs. High Carb – My Surprising 24-Day Diabetes Diet Battle” Continue reading >>

One Man Compares Ketogenic And Vegan Diets For Type 1 Diabetes

Diets that require less insulin are popular among people with type 1 diabetes because less insulin required means a higher likelihood of more easily managed blood sugar levels. To put that more clearly: Each time you give insulin, a certain amount isn’t properly absorbed. This happens to a varying degree each time, whether you inject or use an insulin pump. Each time you give insulin you are also dealing with a different set of variables that may impact the way the insulin works for you. We all deal with these ever-changing variables like stress, digestion, fluctuating hormones, and different levels of activity. The more insulin we give, the more outside our target range we risk being. This is the “law of small numbers” which Dr. Richard Bernstein coined to help explain why low-carb eating equals tighter blood sugar management. A ketogenic diet is a low-carb diet like the one Bernstein follows except it includes a larger amount of fat and a bit less protein. Another popular diet right now is the vegan diet. Those who eat this way while omitting refined or processed foods and grains say doing so leads to high levels of insulin sensitivity which help lower insulin needs and better blood sugar levels. Comparing Ketogenic and Vegan Diets for Type 1 Diabetes Steve Richert is a documentary adventure photographer who also has type 1 diabetes and eats a ketogenic diet. You can visit his website, LivingVertical.org to learn more and read about his latest project–a documentary about insulin access. In a recent post, Steve compares his experience and continuous glucose monitor (CGM) data while eating vegan and ketogenic diets. Two very different ways of eating, both of which appear to work out better than the standard American diet (SAD). There is a clear winner for Steve Continue reading >>

Lchf For Type 1 Diabetes

I spend a great deal of time in my clinic dealing with the problems of type 2 diabetes. But occasionally, people ask about type 1 diabetes (T1D) as well. The reason why it is so rare for me is that I treat adult patients where T2D outnumbers T1D by at least 9:1. I was looking at a fascinating study that my friend, Ivor Cummins (The Fat Emperor) had alerted me to a few months ago. Dr. Richard Bernstein is a fascinating character. He had developed T1D as a child of twelve and began to have complications by his 30s. He eventually went to medical school in order to learn better how to treat his own disease. Eventually he decided that the proper treatment was a low carb diet. This was in direct contradiction to the prevailing wisdom of the time (1990s), which included treating patients with insulin and a diet high in carbs. Dr. Bernstein opened up a controversial clinic to treat T1D with a low carb diet and also wrote several best selling books discussing the same topic. Over the years, it has proven to be a safe treatment for T1D. While there are few long-term studies, Dr. Bernstein himself is living proof of the low carb T1D paradigm. In many ways, T1D and T2D are exact opposites of each other. T1D typically affects children who are usually quite skinny. T2D typically affects adults who are usually quite obese. This is not absolute, and we are seeing much more T2D in children as their weights have increased. There are also cases of normal or even underweight patients with T2D. But in general, that is the case. T1D is the severe deficiency of insulin where as T2D is the severe excess of insulin. Nevertheless, people often treat both types of diabetes in the same manner. Both are treated with medications or insulin to keep blood glucose in acceptable levels. Wait, you might Continue reading >>

The Ketogenic Diet And Type 1 Diabetes

What is type 1 diabetes? How is it different than type 2? Type 2 diabetes is a condition where the body becomes resistant to insulin, forcing the pancreas to produce ever more insulin, and leading to a downward spiral of metabolic illness. It’s also called “Adult Onset Diabetes”, because the vast majority of people who develop it do so in adulthood, after years of eating a high-carb diet. Type 1 diabetes, also known as “Juvenile Diabetes”, is a disorder where the body’s immune system attacks the cells of the pancreas responsible for producing insulin. Only the pancreas can produce insulin, and insulin is the hormone primarily responsible for shuttling molecules out of the blood and into cells for energy or storage. That means, if the pancreas isn’t producing insulin, a person will starve to death from the inside. Their cells, literally, cannot get any food. They can eat and eat and eat, but there’s no mechanism to transport that food energy into the cells. That’s why they need regular insulin shots. On a regular-carb diet, those insulin shots might be several times per day. On a high-carb diet, those shots will be even more frequent. Type 1 diabetics must keep injecting themselves with insulin in order to deal with all the glucose in their blood stream. They have to keep insulin levels high, if they eat high carbs, because they have a high level of glucose to deal with. Being ketogenic means insulin levels don’t have to be high, because there isn’t a high level of glucose that needs to be shuttled around. And, because there isn’t a big requirement for insulin, the type 1 diabetic can reduce the amount of insulin needed on a daily basis (many reduce this requirement by 80%). The important thing to remember is that someone suffering from type 1 dia Continue reading >>

Is The Ketogenic Diet Safe For People With Diabetes?

Is The Ketogenic Diet Safe for People with Diabetes? If you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, chances are you’re looking for simple yet effective ways to control your blood sugar. And, if at all possible, without the use of daily shots or medications. As I’ve mentioned in earlier blog posts, exercise is one of the best natural ways to manage blood glucose. But perhaps the most obvious way to keep blood sugar at a safe and consistent level without insulin is to pay special attention to what you eat. And, in the case of diabetes, limiting your carbohydrate intake may be the key. What Is the Keto Diet? At first glance the ketogenic (keto) diet may seem like a crazy idea for type 2 diabetics. After all, many patients are put on diets to help them lose weight. The keto diet is high in fat, but it is very low in carbs, and this combination can help change the way your body stores and uses energy. With this diet your body converts fat instead of sugar into energy, which can improve blood glucose levels while reducing the need for insulin. Ketosis VS Ketoacidosis Ketosis and ketoacidosis are two very different things, which are often confused. But it’s very important you understand the difference. What is ketoacidosis? Ketoacidosis (KA) is a life-threatening condition in which your body doesn’t make enough insulin. This causes you to have dangerously high levels of ketones (substances occurring when the body uses fat stores for energy) and blood sugar. The combination of both makes your blood incredibly acidic, and this can, in turn, change the normal functioning of your internal organs such as your liver and kidneys. Patients suffering from ketoacidosis must get treatment immediately or they could slip into a coma and even die. Ketoacidosis can develop in less than 24 Continue reading >>