Thoughts On Diabetes and Gary Taubes book "Good Calories, Bad Calories"

Dear Friends,

It has now been 5 months since I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and during that time I have done a lot of reading on the subject. What I have discovered is both illuminating and shocking.There is a great deal of misinformation out there for one thing. Diabetics are told by supposedly competent medical authorities, who themselves are adherents of the outmoded high carbohydrate/low fat mentality, that we are free to eat cereals, fruits, and starchy vegetables that are high in carbs. They claim that these foods are healthy for you. I can tell you from my own experience that, as a cereal and fruit lover, I can't eat these foods without them causing a spike in my blood sugar. Even the humble puffed wheat, minus added sugar or salt, comes in at 10 grams of carbs for a one cup serving. And minus 2 grams of dietary fiber leaves you with 8 grams of total carbs. I had one half a cup and my blood sugar went from a fasting level of 83 to 161 one hour after eating it. No thanks!

I am currently reading a book by Gary Taubes called "Good Calories, Bad Calories: Challenging the Conventional Wisdom of Diet, Weight Control, and Disease." It's an excellent book that I recommend highly. Mr. Taubes spent 7 years researching every science connected with the impact of nutrition on health and tells us that everything we believe about the nature of a "healthy" diet is wrong. Here is an excerpt from the publisher:

"With precise references to the most significant existing clinical studies, he convinces us that THERE IS NO COMPELLING SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE demonstrating that saturated fat and cholesterol cause heart disease, that salt causes high blood pressure, and that fiber is a necessary part of a healthy diet. Based on the evidence that does exist, he leads us to conclude that the only healthy way to lose weight and remain lean is to eat fewer carbohydrates or to change the type of carbohydrates we do eat, and, for some of us, perhaps to eat virtually none at all."

Now how's that for running contrary to so-called conventional "wisdom"? I can tell you my friends that since going on a low-carb diet I have not only lost weight, but I feel a heck of a lot better. Of course I'm not happy that all of my pants don't fit me anymore, but we all have to make sacrifices! Check out Gary's book and don't forget to read "Diabetes Solution" by Dr. Richard Bernstein. It should be mandatory reading for every diabetic who wants to help control his blood sugar and live a quality life. Take care and be well! :0)