I Decided to Try the Keto Diet to Manage my Diabetes - With Great Success!
In 2017, Shauna was misdiagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. Due to this misdiagnose, she had to take both insulin and metformim. At that time, there was one thing she knew for sure: she didn’t want to live a life on insulin. Therefore she decided to take action and email her best friends in the United States, who are chiropractors. From them she heard about the keto / low-carb lifestyle for the first time. She decided to give this lifestyle a try, which has led to amazing results up till Today! After finally getting the proper diagnose in 2018, namely Type 1 Diabetes LADA (Latent Autoimmune Diabetes of Adulthood), she had already been so convinced of the benefits of a low-carb living and therefore decided to continue with it. Now, she is sharing her story with others to show that using a keto / low-carb approach is a great way to monitor Diabetes.
Hi Shauna! First of all: thanks for sharing your story with us! Could you tell us a bit about yourself and your keto Journey?
I am a 39 year old woman, from Canada. Currently, I am teaching Grade 2 at an International school in Amsterdam. I live in Utrecht with my lovely Dutch boyfriend, Sander.
In March of 2017 I was (mis)diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. I was immediately put on insulin and had to take pills. It scared me! Type 2 Diabetes ran in my family and I knew I didn’t want to live the rest of my life on insulin. Therefore, I emailed my best friends who are chiropractors in the United States. Their first response was: that sucks, but the good news is that it can be reversed! You need to follow a low-carb / keto lifestyle. Honestly, at first it seemed so daunting … However, I of course wanted to give it a try. So with their help, I started by using MyfitnessPal, counting carbohydrates and making better food choices.
The doctors originally said I would be on insulin for at least a month. After being on this keto diet for about 2 weeks, I was already off insulin ánd on a lower dose of metformin! In addition, I naturally lost weight and was doing well overall. I was feeling great and on the right path to fighting this disease.
A few months later I moved to the Netherlands. I went to see my doctor here to continue my treatment. After a few months of sharing my fasting blood glucose numbers and frequent bloodwork the doctor decided I needed further testing at the VU in Amsterdam. By January 2018 I was diagnosed properly with Type 1 diabetes LADA. It is common for someone of my age to be misdiagnosed because Type 1 is most commonly found in youth. Since I had already been living the low-carb / keto lifestyle now for almost a year and experienced the positive health effects it had done for me, I knew I wanted to continue with it. I will forever have to take nightly insulin (a small dose as my pancreas does not fully work) and I have to check my blood glucose levels frequently to ensure I am avoiding any sugar spikes. However, by eating low-carb I do not need to take insulin at all with my meals and I am not experiencing any sugar spikes whatsoever.
So, I guess you can say I found this way of life because of my diagnosis of Diabetes but it has given me way more benefits besides managing my Type 1 Diabetes.
Wow, it is amazing that a low-carb way of living has given you even more health benefits besides managing your Diabetes! So, which other health benefits do you experience from this lifestyle?
So many, I feel great overall! First of all, my mood is just more even, calmer. I am less emotional and can handle stresses much better. Also, my skin is clear and I have less issues with eczema. Other benefits: I sleep better, I am never hungry, I am never bloated or feeling blah while eating low-carb. Last but not least, I just have so much more energy which I really need since I am teaching little people all day!
That sounds like you have really found your lifestyle! We are curious: has following a keto lifestyle changed your (health) behaviour and you as a person in any other way?
It has drastically changed my health! I also absolutely love cooking now. I now notice how fueling my body with healthy foods is healing it. I feel like I am in control and happy with my self outwardly and inside too
You even found a new hobby! It is always nice to try out new delicious keto recipes. What are your all-time favourite keto foods and recipes?
I am so grateful for the keto community who share all of these amazing recipes. I used to never like soup and now it is a repeat in my house. There are so many recipes! Where do I even start?
First, I want to share my favourite sites that I get my recipes from:
Peaceloveandlowcarb - simply amazing! Some of my favs from that site: cheeseburger soup, just like the real thing lasagna, blue cheese dill salad dressing, peanut satay,
Keto Connect- they are so knowledgeable and their butter chicken is my favourite!
AlldayIdreamoffood - amazing desserts. People will never know if you take something to a party!
Maria Emmerich’s schnitzel.
My quick easy go to meal is steak and turnip fries! You can find the turnip fries already cut at Albert Heijn. So convenient. Coat them in olive or avocado oil and bake for 30 mins. Yummy!
Yum! This will definitely give other people some keto food inspiration. When you started a keto lifestyle, you could get some guidance from your friends which is super helpful. What would you like to tell other people who are interested in starting keto but don't know where to start?
I would say start by looking at the amount of carbs in the foods you are currently eating. Try to stick to 30 - 50 net carbs to start. I remember thinking, I could never eat only 50 carbs a day and yet, I was averaging about 35 carbs per day because I was filling up on other delicious foods. Keto in Canada has a beginners guide that is super helpful and of course Lotte! She has so many great resources as well.
Great tips. Thank you so much for sharing your story with us Shauna. It is amazing to hear how a keto / low-carb approach can manage Diabetes ánd can even lead to being off insulin! Hopefully, more and more people and Doctors will decide to give this way of living the attention it deserves. After all, there are so many more health benefits.
Important note to this article
This story is a personal experience! Keep in mind that the ketogenic diet is not an one-size-fits-all answer to all of our individual health circumstances, needs, and goals. Information and other content provided on Myndfuel, or in any linked materials, are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice or as a substitute for a substitute for your current medical treatment. Always talk to your doctor or healthcare professional before starting to implement a significant diet change. On Myndfuel you can get advice from a Certified Dietitian who creates a personalised program for you, meeting your individual needs and wishes.
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