When my dad told me he had type 2 diabetes, I told him to go on a paleo diet, basically low carb. He gave me a bunch of reasons why that was a bad idea, and had already read some books recommended by the ADA, which he felt backed him up. He spent over 6 years trying all kinds of stuff (everything except low carb and no sugar). Eventually he found a doctor doing a program that puts type 2 diabetics on an extreme elimination diet, no solid food at all for several months… way more extreme, and way less sustainable, than what I suggested. He eventually kicked it with that, but it took a long time, a lot of money, and an extreme intervention.<p>During that period my dad was fighting with this, my mom was also diagnosed with type 2. I told her the exact same thing. She did it, and 3 months later she was fine, for the cost of some meat and vegetables.<p>The ADA is a joke. I’ve found books from over 100 years ago talking about avoiding carbs/sugar to fix diabetes. This isn’t new stuff, there’s just no money in it I guess.
I don't have diabetes but I know that when it comes to diet, it's very hard for people to change what they eat. Insulin seems to be the easier solution.<p>Changing to a strict low-carb diet might be the best solution but an injection a day is probably easier.<p>We see it constantly. Obesity can be fixed by diet and addiction is fixed by abstaining. But people aren't always able to change. Sometimes what's possible is better than what should be done. In this case, injecting insulin is better, in general, than a change in diet since most people are just not able or willing to change their diets. I've known people that have diabetes and I know for a fact that the first suggestion by the doctor was to change their diet. But ultimately insulin was used since their blood sugar level didn't change.
When I was diagnosed with diabetes type 2 my doctor pushed the standard drugs on me without mentioning the alternative. When I found out about low carb, tried it and succeeded with it, my doctor just smiled and nodded. He wasn't surprised. But he was entirely unwilling to deviate from the standard of care dictated by the tablet he carried around. He was a very experience well trained doctor ... acting like a clerk performing a script.<p>I wonder why there is such a widespread distrust of authority in this country?
I imagine for the same reason that Ozempic will become standard of care for obesity compared to "diet and exercise."<p>It doesn't work. It scientifically works, but it is not something most people are willing to implement.<p>Sure, if you eat a low-carb diet, you can reverse type 2 diabeties, but virtually nobody is going to be willing to do that. You would kill a lot of people with that advice.
When a patient shows up with a blood glucose >300 mg/dl it is mystifying why a doctor would not simply give them a pamphlet about konjac noodles and a coupon for $3 off cauliflower crust pizza.<p>Surely it must be a conspiracy when you hear things like “treating acute hyperglycemia” and “preventing imminent kidney failure, coma and death” as opposed to “have you heard of keto tik tok?” Perhaps the ADA should encourage prolonged high blood glucose and focus on making sure their diet cookbooks are printed in braille so that the patients they let go blind on purpose can use them?