roundcoconut wrote:I am particularly disturbed by two recent posters to these boards who have mentioned the idea of going off their insulin and letting blood sugar levels run amuck while eating who-the-heck-knows-what as far as how they imagine Dr McDougall (or Dr Fuhrman or Dr Barnard) would recommend for patients in their condition. I mean, I practically go into spasms looking at posts like that -- sure, this is a wonderful way to eat, but is it throw-down-your-crutches-and-be-healed wonderful?
So does the message become, "Perhaps you could reverse your diabetes, but it's a tremendously demanding protocol, and you have to stick with it, or the diabetes comes right back"? Does the message become, "Hey, this way of eating might give you a better chance against cancer, but doesn't guarantee you'll beat it"?
I did not see those posts but I would not just recommend abruptly stopping insulin like that unless they are part of a medically supervised program. That's my bias. What I would advocate is that as the program starts, to do closer monitoring, and gradually reduce the insulin as the sugar levels improve. It takes time for weight loss to occur, we are talking 1/2 lb - 2 lbs per week for most people. Also exercise must be part of the program. Like anything, the more you dedicate, the better the results.
My message contrary to the above becomes "Yes, it's a big shift from your current diet, but big results come from big changes. As time goes on and you learn more about the changes, the diabetes SHOULD get better, but some people have just run out of their own insulin (this I know, I've checked C-Peptide levels, and if the sugars are sky high while the C-Peptide levels are really, really low, that means the person is behaving more like a type 1 diabetic and requires insulin)."
Furthermore I tell them that as time goes on, for every 1 food they give up, they might find 100 foods that are new, and that they enjoy, and as their cooking skills and creativity improve, they will be the envy of the town with their foods and recipes. They may sample recipes from all around the world, because starch is the main staple no matter which traditional diet you choose. Make it about positive, not about negative. No one wants to eat cardboard all day. One only needs to look at Instagram #mcdougall #StarchSolution etc. to see thousands of delicious recipe pictures!
I like that latter statement, you have the best chance at fighting your ___ (fill in diabetes, heart disease, blood pressure, cancer, autoimmune disease) with this eating plan.
Lastly, even with a perfect McDougall plan, there are those very few who have food intolerances such as wheat, soy, nightshade, etc. and it might take a McDougall elimination plan to "hash" this out.
As an example of the above disclaimer, I had a patient who did MMA type exercise (mixed martial arts) really killing it at the gym every day, we are talking muscles popping out where others don't have any and following a perfect plant-based diet (I know, he showed me food diaries). He became frustrated and depressed he was still running sugars over 200. It turns out he had horribly low C-Peptide levels, and once I put him on basal/bolus insulin, his condition dramatically improved.
Similarly, I saw a type-I diabetic teenager, on a perfect plant-based diet, who had reduced his insulin in half. It worked great for a while but despite his best efforts his sugars were literally all across the board with extreme lows and extreme highs. I tried helping him with his insulin regimen, but finally we decided the best thing would be to get on an insulin pump. Talking with the endo (who by the way, is ALL on board with the plant-based diet, and herself was transitioning to one), she told me that many times with so many hormonal changes and growth spurts in teenage years along with a busy teen schedule a very customized plan with insulin pump becomes necessary. He's doing great now.
On the other hand, I posted on a different thread how a stage IV cancer patient was told by her oncologist to "eat sausage mcmuffins if she wants" and pretty much stuff her face with whatever's around, even if it's loaded with fat and meat. I explained the angiogenesis of cancer and pointed her to William Li's research on this, studying foods as they study chemo agents, and told her she owes it to herself to do the best for her cancer. I told her to rely on the oncologist for the chemo but NOT for nutrition advice. She's definitely worth it and better to at least give it a chance. (this portly onco. shares his favorite hot dog places to go with the patient instead of the healthy restaurants)
