The liver, Protein and low carb
 

Type 2 here. Been strict low carb (always in ketosis) since day one of diagnosis in May '06.
I feel that no 'paradigm' seems to explain diabetes well. Low carbers need to talk more about how the liver (i am told) produces glucose from protein.
How do i reduce glucose levels that are NOT caused by eating carbohydrates. No one TOLD me the liver produces sugar. All low carbers talk about is carb carb carb.

so.. how do i use the low carb WOE to reduce the sugar my liver produces. Do i need to eat 80% fat? 100% fat? The body CANNOT produce sugar from fat.

It is the act of eating ALONE that seems to raise my blood sugar. it might be true if i was OFF low carb my levels would be higher still but I am not happy with a BG high level of 180-200 while averageing 140-160 ( no drugs at the moment)

HELP
Feel free to email me.. actorkent~yahoo.com

read all threads about DP, we recetly discussed it very thorough, and eat a bit more carbs to stop liver "dump", this works for me but YMMV!


Unfortunately, very low cabr makes liver to go into overdrive. I don;t know how long it is been since you had diabetes before being Dx but normally, if you still have decent amount of beta-cells, you should see betterr results from the diet alone. Try eating 100% fat... not sure if it is such a good idea, I doubt it is possible anyway, and you will be malnourished. ;)Your body will break down your own muscles to make up glucose and protein to function, so eating all fat will make liver to work even harder.
Generally, it is the insulin (your own or exogenous0 that tells liver to stop churning glucose, so if the diet itself does not work, you may want to consider insulin; there are also other medication )symlin, byetta) that slow food absorbtion and give liver a break.


You may want to post your typical menu, not sure what you mean that eating alone raises your BG, have you tried to skip a meal or two? What are the readings before and after certain meals?
if you are at this high level on low carb, it may be time to talk to your doctor and follow medical advice, diet alone does not cure all problems, but makes it easier to controll with or witout meds, depending where you are.
You may also be not T2 but misdiagnosted T1. WE will try to help if you provide more details and typical menus with corresponsing Bgs, like:
FBG=.......
BF:..........
2 h post BF BG=.......
Lunch:........
2h p=.......
.................
HTH

I second the suggestion to post some menus. You mentioned in another post that you have been weight training but that you haven't lost any weight at all. What does a typical days' menu look like for you? How many grams of carb do you eat at a meal? In a day?
Even going all fat won't stop the liver from producing glucose; the body will just start using your own muscle to fuel the process instead of the protein you eat and you really don't want that.
One thing that helps in the Dawn Phenomenon (higher BG in the morning than the rest of the day) is to eat as soon as possible after you get up and not skip breakfast; the act of eating shuts down the glucose production in the liver that occurs during the night.