Okay - here is the deal. I hope some seasoned Bernstein followers can help meout. Let me say, I did read a library copy of the book and need to order a copy for my home.

I was diagnosed a little over a month ago w/ T2 diabetes - no meds. I got myself a glucometer and I test 'till the cows come home and then test again. I need stock in these test strips! I followed a low carb diet, lost 9 lbs in July and got my number to under 120mg/dl 2 hr post meal. I actually got my numbers to linger close to 100mg/dl on average.

My BIL came to visit us and stayed for a little under two weeks. My food intake stayed low carb but, my schedule was a bit off. I usually eat every four hours and of course, on vacation, I woke up when I normally ate breakfast.

Now, I'm back on normal schedule but, my numbers have crept up to 120mg/dl-125mg/dl and I can't seem to get them down. Plus, I think I am experiencing Dawn Phenomenon which I either didn't figure out previous my vacation or has started since. My sugar spikes to about 125mg/dl-130mg/dl at 8am and I noticed it spiked at 4am. I'm not sure if this is our natural rhythm or I should be concerned because I know fasting BS should be 70-100 no? I've tried a few things with nothing working so far.

I'm considering getting a little stricter with my food intake. I know Bernstein suggests 30 grams carbs daily (which I follow), I know he suggests also to break it down to 6-12-12/snacks being no carbs.

What I am wondering is what does he suggest for the rest of the macronutrients protein/fats per meal?

Anyone who can answer that question and lend advice to any of the aforementioned, I will be very appreciative.

~Danielle

someone will surely answer this. There are many ways supposedly to combat it vinegar in the night, bitter melon in the night, or an apple in the night.
Try and find what works

chandbaby1 -

Should it be carb alone right before bed? And should it be low GI?

~Danielle

Bernstein advocates eating enough protein for health and not overeating protein. He's pretty silent on quantities of fat. You can get skinny eating Bernstein.

Try a glass of red wine before bed for DP.

I have never counted how much fat I eat , being a vegetarian(not by choice) it is difficult to eat enough fat actually.By the time I plan to eat only 30ecc and 105g of protein fat somehow knows where to come in. I dont advice vegetarianism saturated fat is good for you but they do increase insuline resistence if you eat tooo much.

There is direct corelation between fat and stiety so technically you cannot have much but you never know. You could overeat. So if you want to count try to count the total calories. You can find what the target calorie is for your age height sex etc.
May be for you it is abt 1800 cal (just guessing).

Many people seem to eat half an apple at bed time and get good results. I myself have tried fenugreek(methi) and it does help. I eat it as part of indian food I eat.

I dont have diabetes, I am very insuline resistent. I havent gone for any kind of diagnosis and manage myself with a glucose meter. With LC I am very normal now.

Thank you all for the response. My blood sugar has come back down with exception to the darn Dawn Phenomenon thing. Like clockwork by 8:00am my numbers are 125mg/dl.

I tried the fruit last night and it didn't work. I started at 102mg/dl and still ended up with 125mg/dl. It doesn't seem to matter how high I start, I still end up at 125mg/dl. Weird huh?

I will now try wine one night and if that doesn't work, I've heard that peanut butter - natural - works for some.

FYI - I'm not fat phobic so, I don't count my fat grams or my calories but, was starting to worry about my protein. I don't think I'm getting enough per meal and then my next issue is getting eough protein per meal without eating too many carbs.

Some days, honestly the whole balancing game is annoying even though I am seeing wonderful results.

Thank you,
~Danielle

Yes, mine doesn't stop. If I oversleep it goes soaring into the 200s. Your's would be easy to fix with a little fast acting insulin at 5:00 a.m.

The wine should help though.

I thought that would do it but, my doctor doesn't even want to put me on Metformin let alone insulin. I've had IR and pcos for several years too.

I thought I read in Bernstein that the fast acting insulin should be taken in the evening and not the morning. My sugar seems to slowly start rising by 2am the latest and keeps going until 8am - LOL Amazing.

~Danielle

Bernstein himself takes fast acting insulin for his Dawn Phenomenon. Fast acting is usually used to cover meals, but we also use it to cover the rise in BG that occurs when your body sends out its "wake up" hormones. I set my alarm for 5:00 a.m. and take a couple of units to head it off before it goes soaring at 7:00.

Doctors will wait until you have awful blood sugar before suggesting insulin and then they'll give you Lantus to supplement your basal which may or may not help your DP.

I try my best to keep mine at about 80. I don't always succeed.

Some see benefit with a little protein the evening before bed as a snack, to help with the DP. A little alcohol (wine or other non-carby ones) often helps too, as Susan mentioned.

Susan -

I hear that! My doctor didn't even give me an A1c or GTT. He always tested me using the stardard Fasting glucose test. A little over a month ago, I went to see my GP about high white blood count that I have had for two years and told him to test for diabetes. He gave me an A1c and it came back 6.5%. I then needed to ask for the meter.

My OB/GYN didn't want to put me on Metformin because she feels it won't help.

~Danielle

There's a diabetes forum here too.

What is wrong with these doctors? I have a lower A1c. After he gave you the meter, you should have smacked him in the head with it!

With Bernstein's book, you can treat your own diabetes.

In the first edition of Bernstein he wrote, very memorably, that no one ever downs a big frosty pitcher of fat, suggesting that fat is self-limiting in quantity. I don't know why he removed that statement from subsequent editions. Maybe he heard from people who do quaff pitchers.

Because he limits protein and carb there isn't anything left to eat BUT fat.

I'm sure some people were downing large cups of cream.

The Bernstein plan isn't high protein like Atkins and PPLP, it is very low carb and very high fat, usually about 80%.