Diabetes rant

[willendorf5761]

So it's been almost a year since I went vegan.  And one of the awesome side effects of veganism is that my insulin sensitivity improved.  And I lost weight.  So my blood sugar went down.

Then I started reading what these people have to say about diet and diabetes, all the fab research, and I started really cutting the fat.  And I lost more weight.

Comments

[willendorf5761]

No, no, I really was sloppy. As in I made German chocolate cupcakes for BB's birthday. That kind of thing. Before saying the diet is the problem, I need to recommit to following it strictly for a while. And I actually really like the food. I was exaggerating about it being all carrots and broccoli (both of which I love). But you're right. I need to experiment to figure out what is right for me.

And salad is good for you. That's probably the only diet-related thing you and I would agree on.

[brooklynite]

Yuck. Big hug.

I keep feeling like it's only a matter of time before the chronic disease anvil drops on my head, given my not-what-they-should-be weight and blood pressure and cholesterol issues. It's past time for me to start dealing and keep dealing forever.

Yeesh. When did we get old?

[willendorf5761]

I don't fucking know, dude. I have more gray hair than my mother does. Meanwhile I feel about 15. It's very confusing.

Y'know, going lowfat whole foods vegan would significantly reduce your risk of all kinds of icky diseases. Read "The China Study". And that was my propaganda for the day. But yeah. It all sucks.

[willendorf5761]

OK, now this is funny. The vegan and the lowcarber are fighting for Angmar's soul.

I have to admit I still only have a few gray hairs. But my mother just turned 61 yesterday and she has zero. Not a one.

[dibranchia]

I am trying to get back to a low-fat vegan diet, I still fail. :( I am trying to do it slowly because the last time I went all at one time, and just kinda freaked out 4 months into it over what I couldn't have instead of what I could. I tell hubby I have two inner children Lola (Whatever Lola wants..Lola gets) and Scarlett (I'll think about it another day) and they win more than I should let them. :( I felt better, my A1C's were better and the things like oatmeal that used to throw me high didn't anymore. I'm doing the babysteps right now - trying to eat more of my meals vegetarian/vegan (I hate that most of the veggie meals are SO darn dependent on cheese!) and then working towards changing the rest of them. I am very proud of what you'd accomplished so far! (Do you listen to the VeganFreak Podcast? The Health show was great!)

[willendorf5761]

Hi, welcome! How did you find me? Do I know you?

I don't listen to the VF podcast regularly, but it sounds like I need to go into the archives and listen to the health show.

I don't think there's any way I could stay vegan if I were motivated by health alone. I went vegan for the animals and found out about the health stuff later. Do you find that looking at stuff about the animals helps you? It does me. I'm now at the point where I think cheese is completely disgusting, which I thought could never happen.

I did the gradual approach for a few months and then went cold tofurkey. I've had some slip ups, but nothing big (all with dairy/eggs/honey in baked goods I shouldn't be eating anyway). My tastes really have changed. I just need to deal with my Hostess problem, and remember the animals.

Good luck to you! I hope you find support and inspiration here.

[dibranchia]

I don't remember how I found you, I'm sure it was a post you made somewhere and I found your journal interesting.

All the information about the animals doesn't help me one bit, I already know about it (growing up in a farming community and then becoming a licensed vet tech) but I am really good about denying what I know (That's Scarlett coming out).

It's hard for me to find a place to fit in. I feel like such a vegetarian poser. A lot (not all) of the veg people I know are such AR activist's - something that I'm not really into (not that I'm against it, but I'm pretty passive if you know what I mean) and a lot of the health food ones just don't think about the animal side at all. Makes for a lot of guilty eating on my part. :(

[willendorf5761]

Maybe Scarlett needs to be reminded of the stuff you already know. I wasn't thinking that you don't already know about how the animals are harmed, but that forcing yourself to look at some of the terrible pictures etc. might help. It helps me. If it just makes you feel paralyzed with guilt, though, that's not helping.

[tijmetje]

*hugs*

I was just about to suggest the VF health show, but I se dibranchia already mentioned it. I don't (as far as I know) have any issues with cholesterol or blood sugar, but that show got me very motivated to try and avoid it.