arkie6

For starters, low carb diets are about more than just protein. The media has misled the public regarding these type of diets. When you see something on the TV or in a magazine article regarding low carb diets (especially Dr. Atkins), they always portray it as a "bacon, eggs, butter, and steak diet". While you can eat those foods, there is much more to the diet than just that. You really need to read one of the books on the subject such as "Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution" or "Protein Power" by Dr. Michael Eades (there are others also) to fully understand it.

Every low carb diet that I am aware of recommends at least 2-5 servings of non-starchy vegetables per day. Green leafy vegetables like lettuce (not Iceburg), spinach, kale, turnip greens, collard greens, brocolli, etc. are very high in vitamins, minerals, and fiber and low in digestable carbohydrate. Fruit is even acceptable in small quantities if it is of the lower sugar varity (berries, melons, etc.) The main foods that you give up on a low carb diet are sugar in all of its many forms, grain products (bread, cereal, cakes, cookies, pasta, rice, corn, etc.) and root vegetables (potatoes). There are no vitamins or minerals in sugar, grains, or potatoes that you can't get from another food at a much lower carbohydrate cost.

Greg, your bloodsugar levels are very high at 180+ mg/dl and you risk many of the complications associated with diabetes if you don't get them down near normal levels, either by diet, excercise, or medication or a combination of all three. A lower carbohydrate diet would go a long way in helping you get that bloodsugar level down.

Another thing that I recommend is the book "Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution". Dr. Bernstein is a 69 year old Type I diabetic and a diabetologist. He knows the disease because he lives it every day as well as treats patients with diabetes. He strongly advocates a low carbohydrate diet.

Alan

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The tragedy of science is the slaying of a beautiful hypothesis by an ugly fact. T H Huxley