Can You Be Vegan When You Have Diabetes?

Does a diagnosis of Type II Diabetes mean disaster for a vegan? Many seem to think it is impossible to reconcile a low carbohydrate [or moderate carbohydrate] diet with a plant based diet. This goes back to that same old refrain many vegans hear over and over, "where do you get your protein?" I know that there is plenty of protein in beans, nuts, soy products, and many other plant sources, but often they are coupled with a good amount of carbohydrate as well. The trick is finding higher protein lower carbohydrate options to make up my calorie requirements. It is all about the choices you make.

I have to laugh at the idea that it is "impossible" to eat a low carbohydrate diet when you are vegan, but also the idea that eating meat, dairy, and eggs is somehow better for the Diabetic Diet. I doubt that many individuals who are currently facing Type II Diabetes got there by choosing a vegan diet. I am almost certain most have lived eating the so called 'regular' American diet, or Canadian as the case may be. I need to do more research, but I have to think that excess animal products, full of steroids and growth hormones, cholesterol and fat certainly contributes to obesity and the current epidemic rise in Diabetes in the North American population.

My choice to become vegan was based on a desire to eater a cleaner, healthier, and more nutrition diet, but also to live a kinder and more compassionate life along with my values and beliefs. I am not willing to go back to my old way of life, not when I know how much better I am feeling, both in my body and in my soul. But now I face a bump in the road, and a challenge of large proportion, I am newly diagnosed as a Type II Diabetic.

It all started about 6 months ago, when I was feeling at my lowest, eating nothing but junky food and depressed as all heck, I went in to see my Primary Physician (General Practitioner). After a long chat, he sent me for blood-work, and I went home knowing if there was something pertinent or urgent, that his office would call to set up some follow-up appointment. No call, so I though all was normal.

The next month, when I went in to see him, feeling just as out of control with my body and eating, I made a point of asking how my blood-work had come out the previous visit. He took a look at the ream of sheets, printed with numbers and values, leafing through one after the other, and stopping on one in particular. He looked at me and said, you need to be really careful, your fasting blood sugar is borderline diabetic (meaning it was greater then 6.0 but less than 7.0. [For reference, as the numbers differ in the states, normal is 4.1 to 6.0 for a Fasting Blood Sugar, below 4.1 and you would be considered Hypoglycemic]

At the time I was flustered, and a bit in denial, knowing my weight was up past what was acceptable, I obviously knew that it was well into the Diabetic Dancer Zone. Many people smaller than I was would have long since been diagnosed with Type II Diabetes, or Adult Onset Diabetes. But I was reasonably sure I could dodge this "bullet". I banked on the fact that no one in my family had ever had any history of Diabetes. I had normal vital signs, my full heart work-up by a Cardiologist was normal, my cholesterol was normal, and I didn't have any of the Classic 5 Symptoms of Diabetes.

As a nurse, I had obviously studied both Type I and Type II Diabetes in depth. I have given teaching to patients about diet and insulin use, and I have administered insulin often, as well as having monitored patient's blood sugars routinely. Working in High-Risk Obstetrics, I was seeing a fair number of Gestational Diabetics, but also pregnant Type I Diabetics as well. I was always a little confused with the different types of insulin, but knew the difference between short-acting and long-acting, and how to treat hypoglycemia. I was always very careful to triple check dosages and labels with another nurse, knowing how dangerous uncontrolled sugars and insulin can be.

For myself, I assumed the signs would be marked and obvious. I was waiting for extreme thirst, but missed it as I have always tended towards dehydration with my other health problems. In addition my medications have given me a lot of side effects, a parched mouth being one of them. I was also looking for increased urination, something I also likely missed. As for increased hunger, well, I have always been endlessly hungry, a binge eater since forever. Since starting my vegan lifestyle 5 weeks ago, I have only noticed marked hunger in the last 3 weeks. The first 2 weeks were a manic sort of experience, I was really happy and excited about what I was doing, I was careful about my calories and counting them all, I was spending time discovering new recipes, it didn't seem to be an issue. But lately, I have been craving carbs like crazy, and it has been dangerous having breads in the house, they may be vegan, Organic, and whole grain, but they are still my favorite kind of candy.

Weakness and fatigue, well who wouldn't be in my position, carrying extra pounds and dealing with seemingly endless depression. I haven't been sleeping well, but that has been more about reducing some of my medications. A bad slip and fall several weeks ago was rough though, I did have significant trouble finding the strength to get myself up from the floor, more than I would have expected, but I was rather in shock at the time. As for unexplained weight loss, well, I have only lost weight in the last 5 weeks, and I can explain it by saying that I have totally changed the way and the what I eat. I had expected a big drop at first, when you go from eating processed convenience foods and take away every day, to fresh vegetable juice, nuts, grains, seeds, and soy - you are going to lose weight, you simply can't help it when you go from eating untold amounts of fatty and nutrient free calories a day to around 1,800 calories a day.

So there I was yesterday, sitting in my Doctor's office, and being told that yes, I did indeed meet the criteria for Type II Diabetes. My fasting Blood Sugar on the file was 7.0, and my HbA1C was 7.3. This second number is the Glusosylated Hemoglobin, it is a marker attached to red blood cells that indicated the average level of Blood Sugars over a long period of time. This would indicate that my Blood Sugar has been elevated for many months now, not good news at all.

At first I just sat there nodding my head, sort of in a daze. I mean, I knew it was a possibility, but I had been doing all the right things lately. Five weeks of plant based eating, calorie counting, weight loss, getting a bit more active, cooking for myself, no fast food, no artificial sweeteners, no caffeine, no alcohol, no smoking [not that I ever really drank or smoked], but trying to eat primarily Organic foods, eating more vegetables and whole grains, no highly refined sugar or flours. I thought I had gotten it in hand on time. I was wrong.

While my doctor didn't suggest a medication immediately, we did speak about the possibility of Metformin at some point if I couldn't manage it with diet and exercise alone. I didn't want to add yet another medication to my daily handful of pills, but at the same time, I don't want to risk my health either. So I have been thinking back, re-evaluating my extreme thirst and hunger, wondering if other signs have been there that I didn't want to see. In fact, there were, some slow healing to a cut on my leg, a poor job with my own pedicure leaving a cut under the nail that seems to refuse to heal. Numbness in the area where I fell on my knee recently, long after it should have vanished, now I worry about nerve damage.

These signs all should have made me realize that I was in trouble. Slow healing, particularly in lower extremities is a hallmark of Diabetes. So what do I do now. Well, I decided to go and get myself a Blood Glucose Monitor, since I found a deal for one online. I went with a specific monitor in particular, because it is what we use in hospital, and what I am familiar with. I plan to monitor all of my Fasting Blood Sugars daily, and also do at least the 2 hour PC (Post Consumption) After Breakfast as well. These two numbers will show me how I am trending, and will help me see if what I am doing is having positive effects.

Hopefully, my poor tired out Pancreas is still producing a significant amount of Insulin on it's own, and once I am down to a more reasonable weight and am more active, it will kick back into full control. That is the best case scenario. I will be speaking with my Doctors about starting a medication, to decide if it is right for me and will help me achieve the goal of normalizing my sugars and preventing any further injury to my tissues, eyes, and other finely blood-vesseled organs. I am not going to refuse to go on a medication if it is to prevent a catastrophic injury that I cannot heal from. I have cared for too many Diabetic ulcers, amputations, and gangrenous tissues to be in any way ignorant of the danger involved.

Today's Fasting Blood Sugar, after 8+ hours, was a reasonable 6.4, which I was very happy with, considering what I had been expecting. My 2 HR PC was much higher than I would have liked, closing in at 9.3. So obviously, it is time to get serious about the diet and activity, more so than ever before, and watch the amount of carbohydrate I am taking in as well. I love fresh juicing, but I am going to have to re-evaluate how often and how much I consume. Though not high in calories, it is primarily carbohydrate, there is so much sugar in fruit and vegetable juice without the pulp, so it will have to be more of a "treat" than a daily staple. I am feeling anxious, scared, focused, but saddened by this whole experience.

I feel like I don't know enough to interpret my own Blood Sugars, so I need to get out my old text-books and look for online resources and support to get a handle on what the numbers really mean and where they should be ideally. This is now something I cannot escape, it is reality, and it is time to deal with it, before it becomes something that is entirely out of control. I need to do this for me, and for all my family members, many of whom may face the same challenge soon. I may need to see a Nutritionist to learn more about the best ways to manage carbohydrate on a vegan diet, this choice I made is non-negotiable for me.

So what does it feel like to get a diagnosis like this? Keeping in mind I was diagnosed with a Chronic Illness, IBD, when I was just 12, have had multiple surgeries, some quite serious, with life long consequences. I have faced many medical challenges, been hospitalized frequently over the years, sometimes many times a year. I have dealt with often crippling depression, sleep disorders, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I have faced many challenges before, but something about turning 40 this year and facing my own mortality has made everything that much more real. Here is my best description of the way this diagnosis has hit me;

"It feels rather like taking a step into a deep dark lake, without knowing what is in the water. I can feel the algae and the weeds gently wrapping about my ankles, and the slippery stones covered in green slime, just waiting for a foot fall to send my falling out of control. There may be dangerous things in this lake, things with teeth, things that sting, things that threaten to drag me under, like the current or undertow as the waves lap gently against my thighs. I cannot see all the dangers, but they are there, and the only thing I can do is to find a way to get to that boat, the one tied to the small dock floating far in the center of the lake. If I can make it there, by taking a leap of faith, by lifting my feet from the safety of the sandy, reedy bottom, and swim the long distance to that small vessel, I can pull myself up on the dock. If I can make it to the dock, I will be temporarily safe, I can rest there a bit and catch my breath. Eventually, I can make my way into the boat, and take up the oars, and row myself to the safest place I can find, a place where I can heal, and learn, and find nourishment, and care for myself the way I deserve, have always deserved, but never believed it to be true."

Take The 1-Day Vegan Challenge!

Did you know it takes five times the resources to produce a single pound of beef versus a single pound of grains, vegetables, beans, or nuts? That's right, it takes five times more water, food, and antibiotics to produce one pound of animal meat, milk, or eggs.
This has a huge effect on the climate, as well as on poorer nations who could make better use of those resources to feed themselves and become self-sustaining.  Beyond that, the amount of suffering in the factory farming industry, as it now operates, is beyond description. You can look at the PETA website for more information on that, as well as find several resources on YouTube, such as the film "Earthlings".

I know it is not always practical to choose a vegan lifestyle, or even a vegetarian one. But every day that you choose not to consume animal products lessens your carbon footprint, your impact on the environment, and sends a message to meat, dairy, and egg producers that you want quality products for your family that are nutritionally dense, free of chemicals and antibiotics, and butchered in the most humane and sustainable way possible.

Think about it, can you go for one day without having any dairy products, eggs, or meat and fish? I know that you can, and you may find that you really enjoy it too. People always ask vegans, "What do you eat?" The answer is: EVERYTHING ELSE.

Challenge yourself, your family, your co-workers, your friends, to give up animal products in your diet for just one day, and you will learn that it is not about deprevation, it is about choice. If everyone tried it for just a day, not only would we see a huge environmental imapct, but also a new respect for those who choose to live vegan in a meat-eating world.

Start your day with Cereal and Almond Milk, Put Soy Milkin your Coffee instead, Have a Tofurky* Sandwich For Lunch, Have a Vegetable Curry and Brown Rice For Dinner. There are even vegan Cupcakes and Cookies for your snacks. It isn't that hard to do, and you may like the way it makes you feel. Ultimately, reducing the amount of meat, eggs, and dairy that you eat in the average week, even by just a few servings, can make a huge difference for you and for the world we will leave to our children. So give the 1-Day Vegan challenge a try, and see what you think. One day can change the way you see food forever!

Take The Pledge Here!

I ___________________________, hereby pledge to take the 1-Day Vegan Challenge in the hopes of seeking a better understanding of what it means to live a vegan lifestyle, choosing not to consume any animal products or by-products for a 24 hour period.

Remember:
Being a vegan is one of the most healthy choices an individual can make, not only for themselves, but also for the environment, and all of earth's creatures - great and small.  Every time you choose not to eat an animal product, you are choosing to live a kind and compassionate life, giving a gift to yourself, and to everyone and everything around you.

By choosing to skip meat, fish, eggs, and dairy, even just for one day a week, you not only reduce your carbon footprint, but you send a message with your hard earned dollars that you want healthier options for yourself and your family.

If you do eat meat, eggs, and dairy - and many people do, for many reasons - try to choose organic products, farmed locally from small vendors, such as the local farmers market.  Organic products may cost a little more, but you can be sure that the products you are purchasing are healthier, grown in more sustainable and responsible ways, and largely free of the pesticides and antibiotics pumped into large scale factory farmed products.

Challenge yourself to "go vegan" for just one day, and feel the difference in your body from eating nutritionally dense foods like soy, beans, vegetables, nuts, and other non-animal food sources. Feel the joy that comes from eating a 'kind' diet


*Please Consult a Physician Before Starting Any New Dietary Plan, Especially If You Are Pregnant, Nursing, Diabetic, or Suffering From A Chronic Illness.

**Recipes and Resources Are Available Across The Internet For Free! Take your time to plan your 1-Day Vegan Challenge so that you have everything you need to make it easy and enjoyable

Our Dietary Choices - Should Others Cater To Us?

I recently read an article on an online news zine, Toronto Life Magazine, that really bothered me. Here is an excerpt:

Dear Urban Diplomat,
Last week we sent out e-vites for our son’s 10th birthday. The RSVPs started coming back, and in two cases, parents wrote “gluten-free preferred” in the space for allergies and dietary restrictions. What the heck is that? I’m not asking for preferences—I’m asking if their kid will keel over if he catches a whiff of chocolate icing or offend Allah by consuming non-Halal pepperoni. I’m disinclined to accommodate these requests, but my husband thinks we should, to avoid any social awkwardness. Am I out of line here, or are they?
—Let Them Eat Cake, Streetsville

Glutenphobia has joined lacto-ovo vegetarianism, kangatarianism and Edenism on the long list of abstemious dietary trends that make throwing a party as straightforward as hosting the G20 Summit. The key word is “preferred.” If there were a true celiac in the group—someone for whom the consumption of gluten results in violent diarrhea—the request would have been far more adamant. Still, are you prepared to upset the fragile ecosystem that is your son’s social circle on principle? Ordering a gluten-free pizza won’t kill you. A kid playing Twister with an explosive digestive system, on the other hand, can be a party killer, and fast.

I am really puzzled by this new Gluten Free movement, it seems that what has been solely the concern of those suffering Celiac disease is now a trendy diet fad that is being thrust about. Much as true Celiac sufferers are benefiting from this boom in gluten-free options, what most Gluten Free 'Fadists' seem to be avoiding is highly refined and processed wheat flour. I can certainly understand a desire to cut out the white 'candy' processed flours, grains, sugars, and additives, and it will make you feel better, but to suggest that a mother having a birthday party avoid flour in pizza, cake, and other food offerings, is going a bit far for those who do not have Celiac disease. There is a difference between an allergy or intolerance, and a preference.

It is not like a Vegan who chooses to give up all animal products for their own health. For instance, even though most people tend to have issues with cow's milk, with lactose intolerance a natural state developing as we age, since non-human milk is not meant for our consumption, and even human milk is meant for newborns, infants, and young children - even as old a 5 or 6 years. Many dairy products and eggs can be very hard on our digestive systems and are known allergens. Wheat has been a dietary staple since the dawn of man, and only since it has been highly refined and genetically altered is it causing problems for many people, particularly on a digestive level.

If you have chosen a dietary course for yourself, such as vegan, vegetarian, or gluten-free as a preference, no matter how noble your intent, you cannot expect the world to cater to your whims. You can provide for yourself and your family, but to expect others to do so when it is not medically necessary is absurd. If it is a peanut allergy, or something with the risk of a violent allergic response, then by all means notify the parents throwing the party and find out if you can work with them to make it safe for your child without inconveniencing them. Gluten free preference is not an allergy or even a reasonable request to make, it's all or nothing -- if it is an allergy or Celiac child, a parent would be explicit.

I think as a parent, you need to advocate for your child's needs and preferences, where possible, but children still need to learn to manage in a world that doesn't always cater to their wants. They may prefer a chocolate cake to vanilla, but you wouldn't be that specific when you RSVP to a party, no one ever suffered PTSD as an adult for not having their favorite frosting on someone Else's birthday cake. Children are growing up with an overblown sense of entitlement, must we contribute to this by teaching them that everything should always be altered to suit their wishes?

Am I missing something? Is there more to the Gluten Free movement than I am aware of, is there something concrete (other than Celiac Disease), that requires that so many people are suddenly adopting this choice over a much more obvious decision to improve the way you feel by eating a wider variety or foods and reducing the amount of animal products and fats in the diet? If there is, please educate me, I need to understand whether this is a preference as opposed to a dietary restriction. Please comment if you have any sources or links to good information.