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The secret to managing Type 1 Diabetes is a ketogenic diet. You will observe extreme stability of blood glucose (low variance) and because the brain uses ketone

The secret to managing Type 1 Diabetes is a ketogenic diet. You will observe extreme stability of blood glucose (low variance) and because the brain uses ketones as fuel, occasional hypoglycemia will be an easily-managed non-event. You should get most of your calories from olive oil and nuts. Protein intake should be just as much as you need. Excess protein causes blood glucose instability. Carbohydrate intake should be as low as possible. Here is a sketch of a ketogenic diet that works long-term: - 2 eggs over medium with 4 tablespoons of olive oil - walnuts/almonds/pecans with a little cheese - hazelnuts, peanuts, macadamias for hunger - a little chia seed (2 tablespoons) - salad with avocado (14g of fat) and 9 tablespoons of olive oil, with vinegar The salad is by far the largest meal of the day should include wide variety of vegetables. Leafy greens, broccoli, brussels sprouts, zucchini, tomato, etc. Add walnuts. Get a lot of salt. Take a multivitamin and fish oil capsules. Once a week, eat a burger with no bun. Cheese and meat. This should be eaten after hard exercise (e.g., a hike). You might eat other cheat foods (e.g., seafood, steak) but avoid carbohydrates.

com2kid 5y ago
I'm vouching for this because there is indeed a community of type 1 and type 2 diabetics using keto for management. Obviously it isn't a one size fits all approach, and the above poster could have been a bit more diplomatic, but IMHO it is worth discussing treatments that have been demonstrated to work.
- KetoType1 5y ago
  - jacquesm 5y ago
    > It will solve all your diabetes problems. This is an overstatement, to put it mildly, at best you can say that it works for you and for those for whom it also worked after they have put it to the test. But it does not work for everybody and you shouldn't make unqualified statements like that. Here is a much better (and much better qualified) picture: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/keto-diet-diabetes-type-1#insulin https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/keto-diet-diabetes-type...
Trasmatta 5y ago
I do want to try keto at some point, as I've heard a number of success stories for keto / low carb and T1D. It's hard to gather the motivation to start it. One important thing to point out is that you can't reverse T1D with keto, like some people are able to with T2D. It can greatly reduce your insulin requirements, but not to zero. Your pancreas will not return to normal function.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
- RanTig 5y ago
  As far as I know you indeed can't reverse T1D with keto, but making it (much) easier to manage still seems like a very big win. It's actually pretty easy to get used to a keto diet. Initially you might crave a lot of food items that you were used to eating, but eventually you stop missing them. I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything when I'm having some aged cheese and roasted nuts as a snack (which replaced eating cookies or chips for me). It is a little bit more expensive though. As for drinks, eliminating fruit juices and opting for the 'light' or 'zero' variant as a drop-in replacement if you want something sweet is pretty easy.
jacquesm 5y ago
This is a pretty dangerous comment, if you consider going the Keto route and are a diabetes type 1 patient please consult your doctor, there are some risks involved and it definitely does not work for everybody.
- KetoType1 5y ago
  Thank you for your concern, friend! Tell us, how long have you been diabetic? Anecdotally, I have maintained a HbA1c below 5 for more than 20 years using small variations on the ketogenic diet described above. I need just 6 units of Humalog (short-acting) and 16 units of Lantus (long-acting) per day. It makes diabetes very, very easy to manage. If anyone reading this is tired of struggling with diabetes, please consider adopting a ketogenic diet. Consult with a physician!
  - chrisdotcode 5y ago
    I'm not sure why you're being downvoted. I know jacquesm is a very well-respected poster, but unless he's got diabetes himself, he's providing his opinion with absolutely no real-world-experience vs someone who has been managing diabetes with keto for two decades. Even if keto "isn't for everybody" (and KetoType1 should have put a disclaimer), I'd certainly much rather take advice from someone with skin in the game.
    - jacquesm 5y ago
      By this reason any doctor that doesn't have the disease they help curing should be disqualified as well. Maybe think a bit longer and realize that expertise can be gained in more ways than experience alone. I've posted a pretty good link below from a respected source if you don't believe what I wrote and whether or not I have diabetes type 1 is not relevant.
      - chrisdotcode 5y ago
        Of course you're not immediately "disqualified" from providing meaningful information if you don't have skin in the game. However, the current state of pretty much any science-related-to-food is woefully inadequate (remember the food pyramid? and how fat was evil and going to kill you? And don't even get me started on carcinogens and meat). At this present moment in time, people who are actually trying and living on keto (, in particular those with diabetes) are actually on the bleeding edge of food science. I personally have friends who manage Type 1 & 2 diabetes with little-to-no insulin on Keto, and I'd hate to see people being turned away from at least researching a lifestyle that could significantly benefit them because a well-respected member of the community said it was "dangerous" (and often, deferring to doctors can be not helpful for reasons mentioned above - I wish people would at least research for themselves).

com2kid 5y ago

I'm vouching for this because there is indeed a community of type 1 and type 2 diabetics using keto for management. Obviously it isn't a one size fits all approach, and the above poster could have been a bit more diplomatic, but IMHO it is worth discussing treatments that have been demonstrated to work.

KetoType1 5y ago
- jacquesm 5y ago
  > It will solve all your diabetes problems. This is an overstatement, to put it mildly, at best you can say that it works for you and for those for whom it also worked after they have put it to the test. But it does not work for everybody and you shouldn't make unqualified statements like that. Here is a much better (and much better qualified) picture: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/keto-diet-diabetes-type-1#insulin https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/keto-diet-diabetes-type...

Trasmatta 5y ago

I do want to try keto at some point, as I've heard a number of success stories for keto / low carb and T1D. It's hard to gather the motivation to start it. One important thing to point out is that you can't reverse T1D with keto, like some people are able to with T2D. It can greatly reduce your insulin requirements, but not to zero. Your pancreas will not return to normal function.

deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
RanTig 5y ago
As far as I know you indeed can't reverse T1D with keto, but making it (much) easier to manage still seems like a very big win. It's actually pretty easy to get used to a keto diet. Initially you might crave a lot of food items that you were used to eating, but eventually you stop missing them. I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything when I'm having some aged cheese and roasted nuts as a snack (which replaced eating cookies or chips for me). It is a little bit more expensive though. As for drinks, eliminating fruit juices and opting for the 'light' or 'zero' variant as a drop-in replacement if you want something sweet is pretty easy.

jacquesm 5y ago

This is a pretty dangerous comment, if you consider going the Keto route and are a diabetes type 1 patient please consult your doctor, there are some risks involved and it definitely does not work for everybody.

KetoType1 5y ago
Thank you for your concern, friend! Tell us, how long have you been diabetic? Anecdotally, I have maintained a HbA1c below 5 for more than 20 years using small variations on the ketogenic diet described above. I need just 6 units of Humalog (short-acting) and 16 units of Lantus (long-acting) per day. It makes diabetes very, very easy to manage. If anyone reading this is tired of struggling with diabetes, please consider adopting a ketogenic diet. Consult with a physician!
- chrisdotcode 5y ago
  I'm not sure why you're being downvoted. I know jacquesm is a very well-respected poster, but unless he's got diabetes himself, he's providing his opinion with absolutely no real-world-experience vs someone who has been managing diabetes with keto for two decades. Even if keto "isn't for everybody" (and KetoType1 should have put a disclaimer), I'd certainly much rather take advice from someone with skin in the game.
  - jacquesm 5y ago
    By this reason any doctor that doesn't have the disease they help curing should be disqualified as well. Maybe think a bit longer and realize that expertise can be gained in more ways than experience alone. I've posted a pretty good link below from a respected source if you don't believe what I wrote and whether or not I have diabetes type 1 is not relevant.
    - chrisdotcode 5y ago
      Of course you're not immediately "disqualified" from providing meaningful information if you don't have skin in the game. However, the current state of pretty much any science-related-to-food is woefully inadequate (remember the food pyramid? and how fat was evil and going to kill you? And don't even get me started on carcinogens and meat). At this present moment in time, people who are actually trying and living on keto (, in particular those with diabetes) are actually on the bleeding edge of food science. I personally have friends who manage Type 1 & 2 diabetes with little-to-no insulin on Keto, and I'd hate to see people being turned away from at least researching a lifestyle that could significantly benefit them because a well-respected member of the community said it was "dangerous" (and often, deferring to doctors can be not helpful for reasons mentioned above - I wish people would at least research for themselves).