Bakery, Pizza and Ice Cream. Oh Joy!

I have an acquaintance who was diagnosed as diabetic about a year ago.   When she was first diagnosed she tried going on a high carb, low fat diet.  She managed to be able to cut back quite a bit on pastries and sweets although from time to time she admitted to pigging out on those things.  She knew that she was supposed to cut back on her breads, pasta's and processed foods and she struggled with that and basically tried going to whole grain breads and pastas in order to continue to eat "healthy grains" as the ADA advises.

She also was determined to eat low fat as she believed that this was the main cause of her diabetes and high cholesterol.  Initially she did lose some weight and her blood sugar got a bit better but in a few months she was gaining it back and struggling to keep her high blood sugar under control.  She has been aware that I've been eating low carb, high fat.  We don't get into any real discussions about our diets because we just simply don't agree.  We don't talk much about our diabetes either, again, because we don't agree with each others idea's about managing it with diet.

A few weeks ago my friend suddenly seemed a bit more cheerful and about the same time she started eating lot's of bakery items, pizzas, ice cream.... no, make that several ice creams, lattes and chocolates, burgers and french fries, like there was no tomorrow.

I was shocked to say the least!  I couldn't understand the sudden change in her eating habits.  It seemed as though she had forgotten that she was diagnosed with diabetes at all, or that it just suddenly went away!   It wasn't making sense to me until I found out that she had given up on the diet and started taking 1000 mgs of metformin twice a day.  She is feeling great and can finally once again eat all of the foods she missed so much.

So, for now, I guess she is happy.  She is dealing with her diabetes in the way that many do.  But statistically for all who follow this course of diabetes management she will find that down the road, more pills will be needed to continue to eat the foods she craves.  If the condition follows it's usual course for those who do not curtail their carbs and processed foods; In 10 years, she will be on insulin injections.  She will have neuropathy, She may have retinopathy. She may be on her way to amputations, stroke and heart attack.  But for the time being, she is happy again.  That's what really counts, isn't it?