David - there is an alternate workout philosphy which has a lot of support on the fitness blog I use. A couple years ago NYT (I believe) reviewed and recommended New Rules of Lifting. It recommends far less exercise time that I previously had used. Three or four workouts a week are enough. But you trade intensity for duration. Essentially 3 40-50 minute intense free weight lifting sessions, and 3-5 HIIT, High Intensity Interval Training sessions. These include very intense fast times of 15 to 60 seconds, and that or twice as much slow time. Total fast times are not to exceed 6 minutes total. I have had really good luck with all of this. An endearing part of the book, however, were rules 1 and 2. Do something and Do something you like. They are NOT against the long endurance sorts of exercise you like. They just offer another system that also works.

I have difficulty exercising enough due to charcot in my right foot.  Of course walking, running, aerobics, etc.. are out for me.  The only thing I do basically is ride a stationary bike every day.  It works to do this type of exercise, but I'm wondering if it also is affecting my foot, it doesn't feel like it, but who knows? 

David

 

The wide range in HbA1Cs is definetly discerning. I tend to favor the Bernstein approach as well and I think most other physicians would fall into line were it not for the increased hypoglycemias. Im not too worried about hypos, it seems to me that all the longterm complication result form hyperglycemia, but physicians dont have the time and perhaps dont feel that patients want normal blood sugars as Dr Bernstein puts it. I suspect also a great deal of biochemical/genetic indivdiaulity in terms of some people thriving at 7.0% while others have complications with normal ranges.

 

Im a type 1 diabetic and get the majprity of my calories from fat probably int he range of 60-75%. Have maintained a HbA1c in the 4.3-4.5 range for the last year. Most of the fat is from nuts, seeds, etc. The polyunsaturates in these fats seem to increase insulin sensitivity at the receptor/cell membrane from all the reasearh Ive read. The only problem one might have with fat is the variabil,ity it has on carbohydrate digestion as well as its own digestion. If one wants to maintain  83mg/dl like Dr Bernstein advises its harder to work these fats in, but if one wants to be a little more lax great way to keep the numbers within acceptable limits.

 

Hypoglycemic symptoms may be avoided by a high fat diet. As the body transitions away from a dependancy on glucose and the brain shifts towards fat/ketones for energy supplies. Ive forwarded an interesting email to you from a NIH researcher with a paper he wrote on the subject a few years back.

I agree that it is appropriate to criticize the ADA for its lax standards.  I have my diabetes treated by an endocrinologist, who knows better, but I wonder about those of us who go to GPs.  They usually quote the standards of care set by ADA, so those standards really should give the doctors and diabetics information which will protect us.  

I wonder whether they ever had this debate when the American Heart Association was considering appropriate diet, exercise and medication to prevent heart disease or to deal with cardiac care?  I doubt it somehow.