My Personal Results: 30+ Years of Type 1 Diabetes

What Made the Difference for Me

After three decades of living with Type 1 diabetes, I can honestly say that adopting a ketogenic lifestyle has been the most significant improvement in my diabetes management.

The 3 Key Factors That Changed Everything

After 30+ years of struggling with unpredictable blood sugars, I discovered three factors that work together to minimize stress and make diabetes management much easier:

Following a mostly ketogenic dietSorry this page is not ready yet. - dramatically reducing carbohydrates
Continuous glucose monitoring - real-time blood sugar awareness throughout the day
Simple, consistent loggingSorry this page is not ready yet. - tracking food, insulin, and outcomes in a searchable format

Why I Abandoned Carb Counting

Carb counting never worked for me. It felt like too much work for too little learning. Focusing on abstract carb numbers didn't help me remember what actually worked.

The old approach was exhausting:

Look at food and guess the carbs
Calculate insulin dose using ratios
Take insulin and hope for the best
Try to remember what happened for next time

My simpler approach:

Write down what I actually ate
Note how much insulin I took
See what happened to my blood sugar
Search for similar situations later

The magic happens when you can ask: "What did I do last time I had chicken and vegetables after a workout?"

I use the Glysimi AppSorry this page is not ready yet. to take notes on what I do that might affect my blood sugar. This takes less than 30 seconds per entry and quickly becomes habit. Instead of complex calculations, I build real experience I can actually use.

Over time, you develop intuitive understanding of your patterns - but with actual data backing up those gut feelings. With the Glysimi AppSorry this page is not ready yet. it is very easy to search through your notes.

Of course I still do rough estimates of carbs sometimes when faced with something new, but mostly I rely on my searchable experience of past events.

Learn more about this approach: The Carb Counting Myth: Why 50% of Diabetics Rely on "Gut Feeling“Sorry this page is not ready yet.

The Numbers That Matter

Current Results

All measured over 90 days. My CGM does not report any longer periods, but I have consistently stayed at these levels for several years now.

Time-in-Range (3.9-10 mmol/L): 93%
Time-in-Range (3.9-8 mmol/L): 75%
Average glucose (HbA1c): Consistently in the non-diabetic range
Daily insulin needs: Reduced by more than 60%
Low blood sugar (Hypoglycemia): Rare and mild. Never a problem - ever.

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What These Numbers Mean

The official diabetes treatment goal is 70% time-in-range (3.9-10 mmol/L). But only about half of diabetes patients achieve this target.

Even with the most advanced diabetes technology, like hybrid closed-loop insulin pumps, only some subgroups of users manage to reach 75-80% in range - still below what I achieve using much simpler technology.

With a ketogenic approach, I consistently maintain over 90% time-in-range - and that's using the standard range typically used for diabetics (3.9-10 mmol/L).

When I narrow the target to match healthy, non-diabetic blood sugar levels (3.9-8 mmol/L), I still achieve 75% time-in-range.

The best way to avoid diabetes complications must be to have a blood sugar and insulin level as close to a healthy non-diabetic as possible.

And all this just using a standard insulin penSorry this page is not ready yet., a CGM and the Glysimi AppSorry this page is not ready yet..

A Typical Day's Blood Sugar Pattern

small right On a good day, my continuous glucose monitor shows an almost flat line - the kind of stability that was impossible when I followed conventional diabetes nutrition advice.

But it's not perfect every day. Life happens - stress, illness, unexpected schedule changes. The difference is that with very low carbohydrate intake, the potential for major blood sugar swings is dramatically reduced.

I used to worry a lot about getting low blood sugar during Exercise. Even just for a long walk or a round of golf, I would have to stop and measure my Blood Sugar and eat some fast carbs to not get too low.

Now I almost don't think about it. Because I have a CGM I still take note of my Exercise in my Glysimi AppSorry this page is not ready yet., as it does have some influence. But it's much less of an issue now - and not something that I worry about.

The Journey to These Results

Before Keto: Following Official Guidelines

For over 25 years, I followed the standard diabetes diet recommendations:

45-60% of calories from carbohydrates
"Complex carbs are healthy" - whole grain bread, brown rice, oatmeal
Chose low-fat options when available
Tried to guess insulin injections to match carbohydrate intake

Results: High but acceptable HbA1c (around 55-60mmol/mol), but daily blood sugar swings from 3-15 mmol/L, frequent Hypoglycemia, and the constant mental burden of carb guessing and insulin timing to stay off the blood sugar "rollercoaster".

By this time, I had also started to develop diabetes neuropathy in my feet - a diabetes complication which causes tingling and numbness. It had also started to affect my balance, making me feel less steady on my feet. This, of course, increased my awareness and worry about other diabetes complications that might be coming my way in the future.

I used an early version of the Glysimi AppSorry this page is not ready yet. for more than 5 years before I started keto, and it did help a lot. I have never been into detailed carb counting, but enhancing my memory with a searchable diabetes diarySorry this page is not ready yet. was a big improvement over pure "gut-feeling" when guessing how much insulin to take.

The Turning Point: Discovering Dr. Bernstein

There were actually several turning points. It all started when I saw a conference presentation by Dr. Jason Fung about diabetes. It turned out it was primarily about type 2 diabetes and not type 1 as I have, but I was fascinated by what he told about insulin's role in many diseases and how the metabolic system works. I had to learn more.

Type 2 and related prediabetes and metabolic syndrome is so prevalent and in explosive growth that it affects everybody - either they have Insulin Resistance themselves, or somebody close to them does. And nothing prevents a type 1 from getting type 2. In fact, this is an increasing phenomenon among type 1s after the 'eat anything you want and bolus' way of thinking has become the norm.

Jason Fung talked about both low-carb and fasting as ways to combat these issues. So I dove into both to see if I, as a type 1, could do so safely and benefit from them.

I then learned about Dr. Richard Bernstein - a physician with Type 1 diabetes who has maintained near-normal blood sugars for over 70 years using very low-carb eating. I read his book Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution and also found and read The Ketogenic Diet for Type 1 Diabetes by Ellen Davis and Keith Runyan.

The concept was simple: If carbohydrates raise blood sugar, and diabetes is a condition of blood sugar dysregulation, why not dramatically reduce carbohydrates?

Making the Switch

I was already used to closely monitoring my blood sugar and regulating my insulin, so I dove straight in. From one day to the other, I started eating keto meals - not the recommended approach, as the reduction in insulin is dramatic. Normally a gradual reduction in carbs while learning to adjust the insulin is probably the safer choice.

I was using my Glysimi AppSorry this page is not ready yet. to log my experience and learnings, and quickly adapted to my new way of life.

The result was getting off the blood sugar rollercoaster. It became much, much easier to manage my blood sugar when exercising. The numbness in my feet improved significantly, and the annoying tingling and pricking sensation disappeared. I got my balance back, and my worry about future diabetes complications disappeared.

So would I give up all of that just to eat some pizza? No way! On rare occasions I still eat carbs, but the vast majority of the time I avoid them. It's simply not worth it to me.

Common Questions

"Don't you miss bread/pasta/fruit?"

Honestly? Not really. At least not most of the time. The freedom from blood sugar swings and the mental peace of predictable diabetes management far outweigh any food I might miss.

But I'm only human, and Danish bakeries make fantastic bread, so on rare occasions I do eat some bread. Or if I'm out and there are no good alternatives, or there's something particularly rare and delicious, I might indulge. But the results are usually quite predictable - a high blood sugar spike that can be difficult to manage and get down again without crashing into lows. So this is quite rare, especially since the low-carb alternatives are so tasty and satisfying.

"Is it socially difficult?"

Initially, yes. But most restaurants can accommodate requests for meat and vegetables. I've learned to focus on the social aspects of meals rather than the food itself. After five years, it's become second nature.

"What about long-term effects?"

I'm now five years into this approach with excellent lab results, stable weight, and no complications progression. Dr. Bernstein maintained this approach for over 70 years with excellent health outcomes, as have many thousands of people around the world. The track record gives me confidence in the long-term safety.

"Don't you get tired of the same foods?"

Actually, I'm happy with fairly basic foods, and cooking a keto meal doesn't have to be difficult. A good piece of meat, butter, heavy cream, maybe some cheese. Or plenty of eggs with bacon. Salmon or other fatty fish. You discover that you actually don't need most of the condiments, pasta, or potatoes that usually go with meals.

And ALL keto meals will make you feel full for MANY hours. I usually skip breakfast and only eat one or two meals per day - not because I'm holding back, but because I'm simply not hungry. The natural appetite suppression is one of the biggest practical advantages, and most of the "cravings" disappear.

The Bigger Picture

Diabetes doesn't have to define your life or limit your health outcomes. With the right approach, it's possible to achieve blood sugar control that rivals people without diabetes.

The goal isn't perfection - it's achieving the best possible health outcomes while living a full, enjoyable life. For me, a ketogenic approach has made that possible in ways I never imagined when I was first diagnosed.

Keto, and improving your metabolic health can have many other benefits besides fixing your diabetes. Read more about my personal experience in : Beyond Blood Sugar: How Keto Transformed My Life

Your mileage may vary, but the potential is there.

References

Dr. Richard Bernstein. (2014). Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution: A Complete Guide to Achieving Normal Blood Sugars. Little Brown. ISBN: 0316191752 9780316191753.
Ellen Davis, Keith Runyan. (2016). The Ketogenic Diet for Type 1 Diabetes: Reduce Your HbA1c and Avoid Diabetic Complications. Ellen Davis. ISBN: 194372105X 9781943721054.
Lennerz, B. S., et al. (2018). Management of type 1 diabetes with a very low-carbohydrate diet. Pediatrics, 141(6), e20173349.
Nielsen, J. V., et al. (2005). Low-carbohydrate diet in type 1 diabetes, long-term improvement and adherence. Nutrition & Metabolism, 2(1), 23.
Turton, J. L., et al. (2018). Low-carbohydrate diets for type 1 diabetes mellitus: A systematic review. PLoS One, 13(3), e0194987.