Low-carbohydrate Diabetes Diet and Treatment Plan
Bernstein's program for treating diabetes is highly regarded amongst his patients and achieves great blood sugar control, which reduces some or all of the complications associated with diabetes. The tradeoff is compliance with a very restricted diet and in many cases, frequent testing and insulin shots. Bernstein strongly opposes the dietary guidelines from the American Diabetes Association (ADA) for both type 1 and type 2 diabetics. His dietary recommendations are in contradiction to other diets.
Some of the highlights of his treatment program include:
- A very low carb diet to allow much tighter blood sugar control.
- For an adult, the allowed carbohydrate amounts are 6 grams for breakfast, 12 grams for lunch, 12 grams for dinner.
- Avoiding all foods with added sugar, all foods with starches, all fruits.
- Blood glucose testing up to 8 times per day.
- Target blood glucose levels that are nearly constant for the entire day.
- Weight loss for obese people with type 2 diabetes.
- Exercise for all those with type 2 diabetes.
- Basal and bolus dosing for insulin users, a technique that he invented in 1972.
- The patient takes responsibility for blood sugar control.
Read more about this topic: Richard K. Bernstein
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“People commonly educate their children as they build their houses, according to some plan they think beautiful, without considering whether it is suited to the purposes for which they are designed.”
—Mary Wortley, Lady Montagu (1689–1762)