Vegetarian Type 2 Diabetics and A1C
Options
PKM0515
Posts: 2,937 Member
Hi. I'm wondering if anyone here is vegetarian and has managed to really lower his/her A1C?
I've been a vegetarian for 41 years and a Type 2 diabetic for many years now. At one point, my A1C was in the 12 - 13 range. For the last couple of years, it's stayed around 7.6 - 7.9. My doctor thinks I should cut out grains/dairy and add in animal protein. (Currently, I eat no meat, fish, or poultry.)
I'm feeling very discouraged. As an animal lover, I don't want to eat meat, but I honestly crave it (after all these years!), and I'm tired of struggling and not feeling well. Personally, I agree with my doctor that adding in some animal protein would help. Emotionally, I haven't been able to do it.
I've been a vegetarian for 41 years and a Type 2 diabetic for many years now. At one point, my A1C was in the 12 - 13 range. For the last couple of years, it's stayed around 7.6 - 7.9. My doctor thinks I should cut out grains/dairy and add in animal protein. (Currently, I eat no meat, fish, or poultry.)
I'm feeling very discouraged. As an animal lover, I don't want to eat meat, but I honestly crave it (after all these years!), and I'm tired of struggling and not feeling well. Personally, I agree with my doctor that adding in some animal protein would help. Emotionally, I haven't been able to do it.
0
Replies
-
I'm not totally vegetarian, and I'm not diabetic, however, it makes sense to cut out grains if you are diabetic as they have a high incidence of causing bg spikes in many people. Also, you can try sticking to fermented dairy (like yogurt and kefir) and aged cheeses which to my understanding have a lower incidence of causing bg spikes in most people because the lactose is mostly consumed in the fermentation process.
How do you feel about eggs??? No animals are harmed in the making of eggs, at least not any animals that are alive yet, and assuming you get them from a farm that treats their chickens well.
Your protein is super low, is that why your dr is recommending animal protein? Are you getting any B12 supplements? How are your iron levels?
That said, you can boost your protein without meat if you choose. Tofu, mushrooms, nuts, chickpeas, and I have used the chocolate flavor Sun Warrior Plus shake - if I remember right it's about 20g of protein and 3g carbs per scoop, sweetened with stevia, totally vegan. Not sure how beans and lentils work for a diabetic, are those things that cause you to spike bg?
Also, if you are wanting to try meats, but having difficulty, you can try starting with canned meats like tuna or chicken, they don't resemble real animals as much and might be easier to get past since you have been vegetarian for a long time.2 -
https://reddit.com/r/vegetarianketo is a thing. Even if you're not looking to lower your carbs to the point of ketosis, I assume it would be a good place to start if you're looking for folks that have had success and for tips on how you could potentially change your macronutrient ratios while remaining vegetarian.0
-
Hi. I'm wondering if anyone here is vegetarian and has managed to really lower his/her A1C?
I'm feeling very discouraged. As an animal lover, I don't want to eat meat, but I honestly crave it (after all these years!), and I'm tired of struggling and not feeling well. Personally, I agree with my doctor that adding in some animal protein would help. Emotionally, I haven't been able to do it.
Would you be able to find some local humanely raised, pastured animals that you might feel better about eating? Perhaps you could try adding in some fish to start, as most people don't feel as bad about eating wild caught fish that have lived a natural life before they are caught.
Just looking at this from your ethical standpoint, if you say you crave meat but don't feel comfortable eating animals.
1 -
I think you should listen to your body. You're an animal too. I would look at it like this, if you had a pet snake would you feed him inappropriately which would eventually cause his death in a terrible way just because you didn't want mice to be harmed? The mice should also be fed and cared for appropriately up to the end of their life.
Every living thing deserves to be well cared for until the end of their life, however that is caused. It's inhumane to feed an animal food that leads to illness and disease, especially if their are better options.
Take care of the animal that is you.11 -
Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »I think you should listen to your body. You're an animal too. I would look at it like this, if you had a pet snake would you feed him inappropriately which would eventually cause his death in a terrible way just because you didn't want mice to be harmed? The mice should also be fed and cared for appropriately up to the end of their life.
Every living thing deserves to be well cared for until the end of their life, however that is caused. It's inhumane to feed an animal food that leads to illness and disease, especially if their are better options.
Take care of the animal that is you.
I second this.
We as a species may be omnivores, but not all of us are cut out to be vegetarian (nor are all of us cut out to be carnivores), and that's okay.4 -
Thank you all for your responses! They have all been really helpful and have helped me face "reality."
Sunny Bunny, the doctor actually said something very similar to me. Also, my cat is on a prescription diet of which the only options are duck, rabbit, or venison; I wouldn't THINK of not giving her what her body needs. I suppose I should give myself the same consideration.
radiii, I'll check out that Reddit group. Thanks for the link.
tcunbeliever, I bought one "humane" egg at the farm market yesterday. I'm going to try to eat it today. Also, I have that exact protein powder in my cupboard. I bought it a couple of months ago to try to increase my protein, but I couldn't stand the taste. I'll give it another try.
I've been eating a lot of hemp seeds (higher in protein and iron), which were recommended by my insurance company's registered dietician, but my doctor was NOT impressed with this recommendation. My iron is very low.
Again, I really appreciate all your input. Thanks!0 -
Hrrmm? Hemp seeds are pretty diabetes-friendly..... What was your doctor's problem with them?0
-
I mix my powder with about 12 oz. warm cashew milk, makes a nice cup of hot chocolate with the help of my electric whipper thing...or, if I want it cold I mix it cold and let it sit in the refrigerator for about 4 hours then mix it again...it doesn't mix as well cold and I don't like it grainy.
What about quinoa or amaranth? I think those are technically seeds, not grains.0 -
Thank you all for your responses! They have all been really helpful and have helped me face "reality."
Sunny Bunny, the doctor actually said something very similar to me. Also, my cat is on a prescription diet of which the only options are duck, rabbit, or venison; I wouldn't THINK of not giving her what her body needs. I suppose I should give myself the same consideration.
radiii, I'll check out that Reddit group. Thanks for the link.
tcunbeliever, I bought one "humane" egg at the farm market yesterday. I'm going to try to eat it today. Also, I have that exact protein powder in my cupboard. I bought it a couple of months ago to try to increase my protein, but I couldn't stand the taste. I'll give it another try.
I've been eating a lot of hemp seeds (higher in protein and iron), which were recommended by my insurance company's registered dietician, but my doctor was NOT impressed with this recommendation. My iron is very low.
Again, I really appreciate all your input. Thanks!
I hope you enjoy your egg.
You definitely deserve to feel good and be healthy and well cared for just like your cat.
Keep us posted on how things go.1 -
RalfLott, I think the hemp seeds have actually helped! I got the results of Monday's blood work, and my A1c was 6.5! I'm still in shock. (Obviously, I'll continue eating them.)
tcunbeliever, I like cashew milk so I'll give your suggestion a try re the protein powder. Thanks!
Sunny_Bunny_, still haven't eaten that egg. Hopefully, today. Have a nice weekend!
3 -
@SaraKim17, I fully get your disquiet regarding the eating of meat. With the very greatest respect to both your doctor, and @Sunny_Bunny_, comparing our habits to those of snakes and cats, is comparing Apples to Oranges; quite simply, snakes and cats are natural carnivores (although arguably, predators of this kind also take in vegetable matter when they consume every bit of their prey - which more often than not, is a herbivore).
I used to keep snakes; I have also had cats and dogs, and know that feeding my dogs a BARF diet was of great benefit to them. No snake I have ever come across would eat a vegetable. (In the UK, it's illegal to feed live food; so rats, mice, chicks and even rabbits have to be purchased ready killed and frozen. They must be completely thawed and brought up to room temperature before being fed to snakes. I had a snake that refused chicks; another wouldn't touch mice, but was voraciously fond of rats. So even those creatures considered basic and unintelligent, have 'tastes'.)
Humans are different. We have through the millennia, eaten both meat and vegetables. Isn't the Paleo Diet an example of (pardon the pun) going back to our roots?
The dilemma regarding eating meat, therefore, is an entirely moral one (unless there is, of course, a medical condition saying otherwise).
I too, carry this dilemma with me.
I am Buddhist. An awful lot of people say to me, "I thought Buddhists were supposed to be vegetarian?"
The answer is, 'that depends'.
it depends on which School/Tradition of Buddhism you follow, how closely you follow it, and what your own conclusions on the matter, are.
I eat meat.
I used to eat chicken, and fish, mainly, on the basis that chickens are specifically reared for eventual consumption, being the most common bird in the world, and fish is still the only creature which is hunted, and has therefore an even chance of evading capture.
I began eating meat in much larger and varied quantities, ever since I began this LCHF/P regimen.
My School/Tradition of Buddhism holds this teaching: You may eat meat, providing you personally have not caused its death, nor have you specifically instructed or requested any other person to kill, for you or on your behalf.
(There are some meats which are expressedly forbidden: that of humans, elephants, horses, dogs, snakes, lions, tigers, leopards, bears and hyenas. This is because these animals can be provoked to violent anger by the sight/smell of the flesh of their own kind, or because eating of such flesh would generate a bad reputation for the Sangha (Buddhist Community).)
So I'm alright then. I have never killed an animal to eat it, and I've never asked anyone to do any such thing for me. So that's ok, right?
No. Not quite.
The moral niggle still swims at the back of my head.
My personal problem is that I like meat. I love it. Always have done. I have eclectic tastes which go all the way back to my youth. I'm Italian, and grew up in an environment which took meat as a matter of course. I ate offal and all manner of dishes prepared by my grandmother, aunts and parents.
I became vegetarian when I decided to take up Buddhism as my calling.
I stuck to it for at least 15 years, with only the odd occasional 'lapse' depending on where I was, with whom and what the occasion.
But I missed it.
So I gradually introduced chicken and fish into my diet, on the premises given above.
I hate to tell you, but if you eat meat, much as it will benefit you, do you good, and prove enjoyable, in my personal opinion, I don't think you'll ever completely rid yourself of the Moral aspect.
I'm constantly on the horns of a dilemma. I try to 'buy responsibly'. But organic, hand-reared, grass-fed, 'acceptable' meat is very expensive, so sometimes, the supermarket is the only option.
When we go against our own morals, when we fly against that which we suspect to be correct, there is always a twinge, a pull.
I have no answer for you.
If others choose to label me a hypocrite, then that is their right, but I will not defend myself to them. I am answerable to myself, not to them. It is me, I must live with.
And I can do that.
Eat meat. Let go the guilt. But never lose your Moral stance, for thereby character is cultivated.
7 -
RalfLott, I think the hemp seeds have actually helped! I got the results of Monday's blood work, and my A1c was 6.5! I'm still in shock. (Obviously, I'll continue eating them.)
Fantastic! Former high-blood sugar victim, here. That's a GREAT number to have that fast.
I second the recommendations of fish and eggs, and remember... many living things on earth are for our consumption...they are put there for that. It's the circle of life.
2 -
@AlexandraCarlyle, thank you for your very well-thought-out response. You've given me a lot to consider, and I appreciate that. (I'm still struggling.)
@bjwoodzy, thanks for your support.
1 -
It's my pleasure, @SaraKim17 . As I said, it's a never-ending thought process.
But you never get away from the fact that (as we are arguably right at the top of the food chain) something to sustain us, will invariably cause suffering to something else, along the line. Even vegetarians have to consider the process undergone, to feed themselves.0 -
congrats on the lower A1C!!! so...did you ever eat that egg????0
-
tcunbeliever, I bought one "humane" egg at the farm market yesterday. I'm going to try to eat it today. Also, I have that exact protein powder in my cupboard. I bought it a couple of months ago to try to increase my protein, but I couldn't stand the taste. I'll give it another try.
I've been eating a lot of hemp seeds (higher in protein and iron), which were recommended by my insurance company's registered dietician, but my doctor was NOT impressed with this recommendation. My iron is very low.
Again, I really appreciate all your input. Thanks!
I would definitely start to add those leafy green vegetables that are higher in iron and protein. There are lists all over the internet to search for on those. As far as veg protein powders my favorite by far is Orgain but I add psyllium husk and chia for fiber and use either an unsweetened coconut milk or almond milk if I can't find unsweetened cashew milk since they tend to be low carb. There are fake meats out there that don't taste all that bad and are relatively low carb and high protein but they are processed if you are trying to stay away from that. Gardein, Beyond Meat, and Boca are some of my favorites but look at the nutritional information to make sure it doesn't affect anything. My wife is vegan so I eat vegan when I am with her but I don't do the veg thing when we are apart. I really tried to be veg for a number of years and I just didn't do well on it, especially after my wife discovered all the vegan junk food.
Good luck.
0 -
Note the Vegan and Vegetarian category in the link below from our Launch Pad. I'm quite certain I have read in this forum and the main forum of vegans and vegetarians who have controlled their TD2. I am none of the aforementioned (vegan, vegetarian nor TD2) but I am certain there is a way. It may not be the easiest way, but there is a way. Sorry I have no specifics. Perhaps the links in the vegan and vegetarian sections will trigger some ideas for you:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10348418/various-lc-programs#latest1 -
I am reading Blood Sugar 101 which is a very comprehensive look at the research around T2D and how the results have been interpreted. The research seems to point to Vegan diets not significantly being able to lower blood sugar to levels to help prevent complications. I might be worth checking out the book and looking at the studies.0
-
Just a thought to help with eating the egg..... I have chickens (no rooster, just hens) they will lay an egg almost every day. The chickens are pets, well cared for, fed organically and even have names. The eggs are not fertile because there is no rooster, so no animal is being harmed by eating the eggs. They will lay them whether we eat them or not. Its just what they do.
I have a few friends who sell eggs and if you are buying cage-free, organic eggs from a farmers market, you are likely getting high quality eggs from well treated and loved chickens.9 -
Glad you saw a result from eating eggs. Have you talked to your dr. about getting B12 shots? They help you in so many ways when you are vegan/vegetarian.
I was vegetarian for several years in my younger days. I do know what goes into getting meat on a table, I grew up in a rural area and have killed chickens as well as picking the vegetables. I went vegetarian because I didn't like the idea of killing animals any more. I was ok with using products they produce like honey, eggs, and dairy for cheese, I never like plain milk, cream of course is another thing all together, so I never took that final step to vegan.
The chickens I killed as a child were raised by my great aunt, she loved her chicks and took loving care of the hogs, that I thankfully didn't have to watch being slaughtered. She also hunted rabbits, squirrels and raccoons, which I did have to help process.
I am able to eat meat now because I know the animals are put on the earth for a reason. To nuture each other, we are, as sunny_bunny stated, animals. It is the circle of life. I am thankful to the animals I consume no matter how their end of life came.
I wish you much more success in getting your T2D under control, thankfully, I am not on that path, my DH is and that is what led me to this WOE and I have stayed there due to my successful weigh loss and maintaining that loss.1
