Going slow

[julie]

I have read some of the links given on the forum and on the site.
I have a question. What if I decide to take up the low carb - high fat bit by bit slowly. My concern is the potential rise in my cholesterol and i don't want that to happen. Small er steps should be okay in my opinion.

[Shanny]

Unless you start losing weight, there shouldn't be much of a rise in your serum cholesterol because dietary cholesterol has scant effect on your serum cholesterol, most of which is manufactured by our bodies themselves - upwards of 75%. Furthermore, all the hype that high cholesterol causes heart disease is bad science. https://chriskresser.com/the-diet-heart-myth-cholesterol-and-saturated-fat-are-not-the-enemy/

[skb]

Your concerns about cholesterol have been addressed separately in the Cholesterol thread. However, it is alright to take the dietary changes in small steps.   

[Timewise]

My advise is take more time reading up on Low Carb High Fat life style by reading the website blood sugar 101, if you have already read the information on that site, go back and read up on the Cholesterol references, recent science says eating fats, meats, etc. is ok! 

When a diabetic commits to following the LCHF protocol it is not a diet, where we will get our blood sugar where we want it and maybe lose some weight.  Then go back to normal eating.    It is a commitment for life or until they find a cure for diabetes.  It is a solution to controlling your blood sugar so that you delay or avoid having the many complications that come from diabetics who do not control their blood sugars.

For me, once I did the research and reading, I could not wait to get into LCHF.....I was 65 with family history of heart disease, I weighed 320lbs.   Did not have high cholesterol, but did have high blood pressure and high A1c at 7.9!  Six months after following LCHF Cholesterol was still fine, weight 270, blood pressure 120/75 and A1c 5.8!   And just to be safe I had a heart scan and heart stress test 15 months after starting LCHF.....got a 100% my heart and arteries in my neck and torso are clear from any problems.....that's great because my Dad and his Dad had heart attacks at 65....!

Learn about it....then commit!

[rocky]

I also had a lot of questions before switching over. That is natural. Please ask and don't hesitate. Small steps are OK, I too started this way.

[starsign]

I guess each one of us makes a slow start to something so new and so unknown. It is natural to want to take smaller steps. Do take your time.

[Rhiannon]

<snip> 
When a diabetic commits to following the LCHF protocol it is not a diet, where we will get our blood sugar where we want it and maybe lose some weight.  Then go back to normal eating.    It is a commitment for life or until they find a cure for diabetes. 

I really wanted to emphasize this part of Timewise's quote.  LCHF is a way of eating for the rest of my life, not a diet or a temporary thing.  I also want to let you know that I truly like the foods that I can eat, and do not miss sweets at all.  (One thing I do miss is beans.  I loved all kinds of beans and now I only have them occasionally and usually limit myself to 1/4 cup at that.) 

I do think it's difficult to make sweeping changes all at once, although once I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and read up about the possible health risks and complications, it did help me find the motivation to make big changes in the way I ate.  I have reaped the rewards.  My BG numbers came down to a good level.  Other positive changes:  I had reddened skin on the front of my lower legs.  That has gone away.  I had lots of foot problems, especially at night.  Tingling, numbness - and that made it hard to go to sleep and to stay asleep.  My right foot is 100% back to normal and my left foot is almost back to normal.  Huge improvement, and that's from changing what I eat and what I don't eat.  Acid reflux - almost entirely absent.  Every once in awhile I might have a little, but it's rare and slight.  Weight loss - I am still losing about one pound per month, and that's going on 24 months since I switched to LCHF.  If I could walk and exercise more, that would probably be a larger number.  I feel better.  My skin looks pretty darn good too.  My hair, which was thinning quite a bit, seems to be making a come back. 

I say all this just as an encouragement to give this way of eating a serious try.  It has made a difference for the good in my life.