Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

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So, my father in law just asked me "Should diabetics eat dairy?" in regards to my mother in law, who is borderline diabetic.

I know what I answered to him, but I am curious to see if that's the same response I will get from you all.

flag	asked Feb 1 2011 at 1:45 sherpamelissa 18.6k●1●21●69

Cheryl - Diabetes Bootcamp · Accepted Answer · 2011-02-01 01:57:00Z UTC

My short answer "it depends".

Dairy has been in the news in regards to diabetes, once camps FULL fat dairy can be helpful, another says avoid (in general because it is insulinogenic).

So, what to do?

The first issue is really what your mother in laws TOTAL diet looks like, how she moves, what her stress level is like, what her attitude is like, and how everything works together.

If she eats dairy to the exclusion of other nutrients (has she bought into eating low fat Dannon with an apple as a snack and won't hear of anything else), then I'd cut it out. If a sprinkle of cheese helps the eggplant go down, I say keep moving, and let's look at other things.

Dexter · Answer 2 · 2011-02-01 01:56:25Z UTC

Milk contains the sugar lactose and thus should be avoided if trying to reduce Blood Sugar down to normal of less than 100. There are worse items that should be cut out of a pre diabetic or diabetic diet....all the processed neolithic foods.

I have a 77 year old friend that has eliminated all carbs except salads with oil and vinegar and a few sweet potatos. He eats now eats 75% fat, 20% protein plus the few carbs. For the last 28 years he has had stints placed in him every 7 years. His Blood Glucose upon arising was over 200 without metformin and 120 with metformin. He has since ditched his medication for blood sugar and for high blood pressure and his BG is 95 with 120/75 BP. He has dropped 40 pounds since going paleo. Is taking D3 and feels fabulous. He was due for another stint attack this year and now he is hoping all that heart problem is just a memory.

This is how I know paleo works...for everyone.

familygrokumentarian · Answer 3 · 2011-02-01 02:08:07Z UTC

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Very much off the top of my head, I would have said, ghee is probably OK. Butter or heavy cream, might depend on the person/specifics.

Though I know you're working with a tough scenario with your folks and convincing your mom, in a perfect universe where she was really, truly interested, she could eliminate all dairy for a month, then reintroduce ghee (and measure blood glucose levels) and then a few weeks later butter (measure again), and then a few weeks later heavy cream (measure again), and adjust depending on how she's impacted.

Don't know if I'd go much beyond that though, dairy-wise.

answered Feb 1 2011 at 2:08

familygrokumentarian
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It's not MY mom, she's another lost cause entirely. I pretty much said exactly what you did, but she doesn't want to hear it. But then she tells me she doesn't eat many carbs and her fridge is filled with bread and sweets. It's like she doesn't get it, but it's more that she doesn't WANT to get it. – sherpamelissa Feb 1 2011 at 2:22

Whoops, sorry for the brain fart, missed that it was MIL/FIL and not mom/dad. – familygrokumentarian Feb 1 2011 at 2:35

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(And my folks and inlaws both insist that they don't eat many carbs, too, despite bread, crackers, oatmeal, cereals etc. that fill their pantries.) – familygrokumentarian Feb 1 2011 at 2:38

That's okay, my mom is also crazy. (Still smoking with lung issues) It's just different. WHAT DO THEY THINK CARBS ARE?! Seriously. And then she asks me weird questions, like what do I have with breakfast (zucchini sops up egg yolk nicely) and how do I eat sandwiches (I don't). I can't even really talk about this stuff with her anymore. I obviously know what I'm doing having lost a lot of weight and stopped taking blood pressure meds, but she just wants to believe I am wrong. – sherpamelissa Feb 1 2011 at 2:48

Blow her away by going zero carb for 3 months. The weight will drop off like butter and she will have to ask you how you did it! And you can tell her it's a secret and drive her more crazy than she is aleady. Do it for yourself and maybe she might get it. – Dexter Feb 1 2011 at 3:14

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Eva · Answer 4 · 2011-02-01 03:59:51Z UTC

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I'd say ditch the high carb diary, milk, icecream, etc. Stuff like cheese, cream, butter, etc that are lowcarb are probably fine from a diabetic standpoint.

answered Feb 1 2011 at 3:59

Eva
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That was what I was thinking too. I said heavy cream and butter were probably good, but ditch the sweetened fat free yogurt, 2% milk and ice cream. – sherpamelissa Feb 1 2011 at 18:24

Deidre · Answer 5 · 2011-02-01 13:46:10Z UTC

Robb Wolf talks a lot about dairy and it causing an insulin response. Not to mention it is a growth promoter (cancer, anyone?) Perhaps testing sugar levels and experimenting? Unfortunately, it sounds as if, like most people, they just don't want to be told anything. People are more attached to their food than they are concerned about their health. It is very sad and very frustrating. Robb Wolf also has spoken a lot about preaching to our family members is pretty much a waste of time :(

bittykitty · Answer 6 · 2011-02-01 17:14:37Z UTC

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Is it better to have her eat dairy, or be like the 60 pounds overweight elderly woman I saw in the grocery store last week, complaining her blood sugar was screwed up while eating Peanut M&Ms to "stabilize" it?

answered Feb 1 2011 at 17:14

bittykitty
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	She's doing both. I think my FIL was just trying to get her to understand that it wasn't "health" food to eat a bunch of crappy Fit n' Active yogurts or "light" ice cream. – sherpamelissa Feb 1 2011 at 18:22
	Have your father in law show her some pictures of advanced diabetes, and then explain that her organs are failing because of her diet.If she wants to live, she has to change.I got my mother off the Splenda/Nutrasweet train by explaining that they were closer to cleaning products than sweeteners, and pointed out patterns in her behavior(mood swings, headaches) that were directly related to them.She gave up soy, too, when she found it did the same thing.Every little step counts. – bittykitty Feb 1 2011 at 20:18
	Man, I wish something would get through to her. They live with us (attached related living) and my daughter is even more attached to her than most kids are with their grandmas because she's been her main caregiver most of her life. I want her to be there for my daughter's wedding (and she's only 9 now) but I just don't see it happening. She does the equivalent of putting her fingers in her ears and going lalalalalala when you try and talk to her. I only talk to her about nutrition when she asks questions now. – sherpamelissa Feb 2 2011 at 16:09

Fearsclave · Answer 7 · 2011-02-01 17:48:30Z UTC

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I went paleo after being diagnosed with Type II diabetes. Had a morning fasting BG of 12.4 on diagnosis. After a year of Paleo it's typically down in the 5.4-6.2 range.

I've cut out pretty much all dairy except for butter and the odd bit of cheese now and again (I can go weeks without eating the stuff, though). It occurs to me, though, that I should try to experiment a bit and track my BG after chugging a quart of milk.

answered Feb 1 2011 at 17:48

Fearsclave
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	That is so cool that you fixed that with your diet! I have no idea what her numbers are, just that every time she is tested she is "borderline" and the doc keeps threatening her with insulin. – sherpamelissa Feb 1 2011 at 18:23
	Borderline is not treated with insulin. Do not believe that for one instant. Insulin is the last line of treatment for Type II. – TorMag Feb 8 2011 at 18:54

Lee · Answer 8 · 2011-02-02 16:02:58Z UTC

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Anything other than heavy cream spikes BG in everyone I know. When I'm hankering for dairy - which I do a lot - I pour out 1/4 cup of heavy cream and sip it like manna from heaven. I measure it b/c I think it has nearly 800 calories per cup, so you can go overboard on it.

answered Feb 2 2011 at 16:02

Lee
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She is working on losing weight which she has been somewhat successful with using crappy SAD products. I don't think she would even think of drinking heavy cream right now. I've got some in my fridge though, if she changes her mind. :) – sherpamelissa Feb 2 2011 at 16:10

IDRISCKY · Answer 9 · 2011-02-01 02:44:37Z UTC

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Should diabetics eat dairy? No.

answered Feb 1 2011 at 2:44

IDRISCKY
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	THANKS IDRISCKY! – sherpamelissa Feb 1 2011 at 2:49
	what's this? just "no"? – Jack Kronk Feb 16 2011 at 21:12

Jack Kronk · Answer 10 · 2011-02-16 21:20:15Z UTC

mark sisson and stephan guyenet have written about this specifically. recent studies suggest that full fat dairy can be protective and helpful against diabetes. just because dairy has an effect on insulin doesn't necessarily mean it will negatively impact your health.

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/dairy-insulin/

http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/2010/12/dairy-fat-and-diabetes.html

personally, i think unless you are specifically allergic or have adverse bodily reactions to dairy, that it can be a significant part of your diet, even for diabetics. but of course, the best way to know for sure is to eat dairy and closely track and monitor your blood glucose levels. taking the time to make a simple chart to see how it affects you personally is the most correct advice i can give.

cheers,

Jack Kronk

Should diabetics eat dairy?

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