You actually got a letter from the ADA warning people against a low carb diet because it might make peoples' BGs go down??? Unbelievable! Isn't that supposed to be the goal of good diabetic control?
Conversely, if you don't get your BGs down to non-diabetic levels you can get blind, need kidney transplants, get heart disease, have amputations, etc. etc.
And the ADA is supposed to be SUPPORTING diabetics?
Geez!
Whimsy, it wasn't a letter but an ad urging me to join the ADA. Then it had a list of "myths" about diabetes, like telling people it's OK to eat sugar because it's no worse than starch.
One of the myths was "It's easy to go on an Atkins-type diet." They said it's dangerous without medical supervision because your BGs might plummet and you'd go low. Of course if you're injecting tons of insulin on the theory that you're eating tons of carbs, this is true.
But the impression one got was that LC diets are dangerous.
I've been a diabetic for over 50 years and it hurts and angers me when the ADA pushes carbs and restricts fats. Almost all of the people I see in my practice think that fat makes them fat including most diabetes health educators. Most of the diabetics are always trying to cut back on fat and still drinking regular sodas, sport drinks, and orange juice. Also, no one seems to be looking at how diabetics usually metabilize B vitamins poorly and how high carbs soothe feelings of depression, loneliness, and anger. Mike Hurney, LCSW-C
Is there no way to hold them responsible for the human and monetary costs their guidelines have wrought? Where are the lawyers who took on big tobacco? If this doesn't scream "class action," I don't know what does.
First you would have to prove that the ADA guidelines have caused harm, and this would be very difficult. They've spent the past 50 or so years trying to prove that cholesterol causes heart disease, and there's still no agreement about that.
Diets are more difficult to quantify than tobacco use, unfortunately. And they could claim, with some justification, that they were following accepted guidelines for preventing heart disease.
I was newly diagnosed Type2 4/08. My Internal Med Dr. handed me a meter and said test twice a day and come back in a month. No info on diabetes or on what to eat. I had to go out and buy books and go on the ADA site. Not good patient care when you are getting hit with such a diagnosis. Oh, and he said my numbers have been borderline for a couple of years. He never told me. So I went to an endocrinologist and said I read Berstein's book and wanted to do a low carb diet. Both the endo and the dietitician said I needed more carbs, low carb was dangerous. Eat oatmeal, but no orange juice; margarine, but no butter. I have recently started a low carb diet and my bg has come down significantly. A1c from 6.8 to 6.0 in three months. Something should be able to be done so the patients are given the facts and information to try another approach. Might save some lives. SR
Featuring Content From:
By using this service, you accept our Terms of Use. Please read them. The consumer health information on is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions. You should promptly seek professional medical care if you have any concern about your health, and you should always consult your physician before starting a fitness regimen. Copyright © 2012 Remedy Health Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
