The Diet Debate Will Continue

This is a take-off on a blog written by Amy Campbell on Diabetes Self-management on

October 28, 2013. She asks, “Will the 'Diet Debate' Ever End?” To this I would answer – no! We have had some softening of the debate recently by the American Diabetes Association, but the debate will continue.

When we have fanatics pushing for their way of life and their food plans to the exclusion of other food plans, this can only keep the debate focused on the negative sides of the debate. This becomes tiring for readers and causes some to take similar positions for their favorite food plans or food preferences.

I can appreciate Amy becoming tired and frustrated with the debate when one of her own members of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is endorsing a fad diet based on white rice and fruit. This diet is nutritionally unsound and is not what people with diabetes can (or should even consider) consume on a daily basis.

Amy states, “Other people take a firm stance or position (often zealous in nature) that the “X” diet (fill in the blank here) is really the ONLY diet to be following if one wants to lose weight or lower his blood glucose. They’ll argue and sometimes, I admit, become rather rude and dismissive if I or others won’t jump on their particular bandwagon.”

I will not promote one food plan over another. I know what works for me and what I need to avoid in the way of food plans, but I do not intend to promote or insist that is what others must do. I do firmly believe that what works for me, may not work for you. As a person with diabetes, this is the only position that makes sense. I admit that some readers have emailed me telling me that I must follow their food plan and that if I don't, I will not be able to lose weight. These are emails that get deleted and not answered.

Since my education is not in nutrition or even anything close to this, all I have to go on is what my blood glucose meter tells me about the food I do eat. Because of my age and miscellaneous health concerns, there are some foods that I need to avoid. My meter is giving me better blood glucose readings as a result. One doctor is happy with my food plan and two doctors are very upset with my food plan. One of the two has ordered me to reduce the fat I am consuming and the other says I must increase the amount of carbohydrates I consume. Both now know that this will not happen and that my blood glucose meter is not disagreeing with me.

My cousin that is a nutritionist and not a registered dietitian is working with me to balance my nutritional consumption, and is working with me on the food plan I have chosen. She is happy that my insulin requirements have decreased over the last month, but is concerned that it has decreased by the amount it has. I had to remind her that with the length of time I have been required to fast because of medical procedures I have undergone, that even I am concerned with the amount of insulin I have decreased.

The scale is happier as it has less weight to bear from me. Now if my next A1c will confirm what I am seeing in my blood glucose meter readings, I will be a happy camper.