It’s been almost 6 years since I abandoned the advice of my endocrinologist (who told me that I’d have to take medicine the rest of my life to control my Type 2 Diabetes) but instead adopted the Paleo lifestyle and I’m pleased to report things are going great!
The following graphs are from blood work that I received for my annual physical and I think the results speak for themselves.
I eat close to 150 grams each of protein and saturated fat daily (while eating less than 30 grams of carbohydrates (which come solely from vegetables) and one of the arguments I hear against Paleo or Keto lifestyles is that all that fat and protein will raise my cholesterol and Triglycerides.
Well, not so much.
Cholesterol problems are not caused by eating foods high in cholesterol and fat, the problems come when you combine these foods with Carbohydrates (specifically process sugars and grains). When you eliminate the process sugars and grains, the high fat and protein diet doesn’t cause cholesterol problems.
Another criticism of the Paleo/Keto lifestyle is that you can’t exercise because you lack the glycogen that comes from carbohydrates. I have maintained an active lifestyle during these past 6 years and even participate in endurance activities (long runs of 10K distances) all while fueling my body with just fat and protein.
I’m an engineer by education so that makes me both comfortable with experiments and skeptical by nature. Because of who I am, I was willing to use my body as a clinical trial with an N=1 sample size to try this Paleo lifestyle out but honestly, I was not expecting to see these results 5+ years into it. With each passing year, I am more convinced that the Medical community should lead with a Paleo or Keto lifestyle prescription as a cure for Type 2 diabetes.
cosmoscon 
Cosmo…first of all…AMAZING results! I remember you writing early on about some of the struggles adjusting to your new diet regimen, but you clearly stayed committed. And, THANK YOU for the way you’ve tracked and charted the results. Everybody has an opinion, but your data puts FACTS on the table.
Would you be willing to share your typical diet for a day? My wife and I are seriously considering a move to a Paleo/Keto lifestyle. What have you found that works and what doesn’t? I appreciate any other insight you can provide.
Thanks for stopping by Livinrightinpgh! I’d be glad to share my daily routine and I encourage you to check out the link I shared above for more Paleo details. Paleo and Keto offer many options so it’s hard to confine a typical diet.
But basicallly I eat eggs for breakfast and for lunch/dinner I confine my choices to meat and vegatables only. No grains (and this is hard because grains are in a LOT of foods), legumes or potatoes. Paleo diets forbid dairy but I found that I can eat cheese with no issues with my glucose so I add that too. That helps with salads and I usually ahve grilled chicken on them and use either balsamic vinegar, Ranch, Oil/Vinegar and Blue Cheese dressing.
On the days I go Keto, I restrict my diet to just protein and fat (no vegatables). So you can load up on eggs, bacon, butter, cheese, burgers (no bun of course!), etc.
For condiments, I don’t use Ketchup because that usally contains High Fructose Corn syrup but I use mayo and mustard daily.
Snacks are Jerky, pistachios, almonds and Keto bars (you can search these on Amazon for options). Also, I love pickles (Dill, not the sweet varieties) and I munch on those almost daily.
Also, cauliflower is amazing and can be used to make pizza crusts and a substitute for mashed potatoes!