Post Punk Kitchen Forum

Has this happened? I mean, a vegan developing Type 2 diabetes. A lot of us looooove the sweets and fried stuffs. I've tried to find things online, but no dice. It's all about people with Type 2 diabetes GOING vegan to get off medication etc. Anyone? Anyone?

I'm sure you could be vegan and have Type 2. If you have a predisposition to Type 2 and you eat a very unhealthy diet with lots of fat, and you're overweight, then yeah.

I mean, yeah, theoretically, sure. But I want to know if it has HAPPENED. Surely... surely...

I think the vegan freak guy was diagnosed diabetic, or pre-diabetic? I think I recall them doing a podcast about it, because he was all, "But I'm VEGAN!" like it was impossible to be diabetic also.

Oh wait. http://www.veganfreakradio.com/index.php?id=104

i was going to suggest this podcast! they give sound advice about this topic!

not all type 2 diabetes is because of bad eating. I think around 10% of people with type 2 diabetes were at a healthy weight at diagnosis. I personally know one who was an athlete and ate great (not vegan but lean meat, veggies, and fruit) who was diagnosed in his late 20's. So I think regardless of what you eat your pancreas can rebel. I'm at high risk because of family history, and have a kid with type 1, yay genetics! But blood sugar is a lot easier to handle without calculating fat spikes from animal fat.

I'm sure there are vegans with type 2. But, as you say, there's a strong correlation between type 2 and weight.

(Type 1 here.)

there is a strong correlation, but there are vegans of all body shapes and sizes and not all people with T2DM are overweight, so, I guess I don't really get the point of the original question.

The point of the original question is that I have a handful of friends with Type 1, and I have a friend who was just recently diagnosed with Type 1 -- he went about 30 years undiagnosed. And my Godfather recently got diagnosed with Type 2 -- because of the usual reasons.

I had just never heard of a vegan developing Type 2--while I was SURE it's possible. I was curious if anyone else had.

So... kaboom, I guess.

I don't think anyone can survive for 30 years with undiagnosed type 1.

You could be 30 before developing type 1 (I was 26), but my symptoms had only been going on for 4 months or so.

If he didn't know he had it for 30 years how does he know he had it for 30 years?

a lot of adults are diagnosed type 1 now-previously called juvenile diabetes, previously all adults were thought to have type 2-previously called adult onset diabetes. With adults, their honeymoon is longer (pancreas still makes some insulin) so they'd get all sickly on the pills and then put on insulin. I sometimes suspect that is what happened to my great grandfather since his siblings had type 1 and passed before insulin was available but he was diagnosed as type 2 as an adult and was quickly put on insulin. But you can't go that long with untreated type 1-I think my son had symptoms for a few days before he was finally diagnosed in the ER after a pediatrician sent him home in diabetic ketoacidosis and hours before his coma.

I think it could be possible for a vegan to get diagnosed with type 2, there are different causes other than obesity like lack of sleep and it's higher among some races. With the guy I know with type 2, I don't think diet could reverse it-he eats great and exercises and still has it. I think a vegan diet would be great for anyone with diabetes cause the diabetic food meal plan is just ridiculous-I always bring in food for my kid when he's hospitalized cause they won't let him have fresh fruit.

yeah...that's definitely true. i don't see how that could be possible since it comes on pretty suddenly for most people and has pretty drastic consequences. i didn't know you were 26, footface. that's really interesting! I might want to ask you some questions about it sometime. I'm thinking of trying to become a CDE after I become an RD.

Well, yeah, that's what I meant to say. They can't be sure how long he had it. A few months ago he was crazy sick and went to the emergency room and was there for over a week until they ultimately diagnosed him with Type 1. Cost him a couple toes.

This sounds all confused to me, too. It usually takes years and years of (usually poorly managed or undiagnosed) diabetes before nerve damage and reduced circulation put you at risk for losing toes. Whatever type of diabetes your friend has and however long he's had it, I hope he gets to feeling better soon.

Ijustdiedinside, the world needs more CDEs, and I think you'd be great at it!

You're a Yesfan, aren't you? :D

seriously, I haven't heard of anyone becoming Type II on a vegan diet, until Podcast Dude. I'm only Veganbetic because I was Type II *first*, and then went on a vegan lifestyle to combat Type II (and I'm totally kicking T2 in the process: a1c from 14 to 5.4 in a year).

But, just because *I've* never hoid of it don't mean it can't happen....anything's possible.

wow, that's an amazing change in your a1c in a year! awesome job!

and yeah, it's definitely possible, but obviously not all that common since no one has really heard about it.

Hi! Thanks so much! It was hard but fun work to make that big change. I was really sick and my doc was all mother hen about me going into a diabetic coma. After I learned more about PCRM and Dr. Neal Barnard and how veganism could help me, I turned my lifestyle around....and...pow! My health has improved amazingly.

As I'm sure is the case for many vegans who initially made the change for health reasons, veganism has become much more to me now.

Your story is awesome! Your avatar makes me sad though. I want to give it chocolate and a reason to live.

that's so great! there's another diabetes thread here viewtopic.php?f=25&t=3340
it says type 1, but since there aren't many people with diabetes on the boards I'm sure everyone could join forces and talk about stuff together.

Hi-5! What did your doctor say about the change?

I was talking to Natala from Vegan Hope last time she was in Austin, and she said she's been hearing from vegans who are getting pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes.

I just peed a little!

Give them both to ME! Please!!!!

Thanks! I will mosey over there and give it a look.

The ol' splint n' pill man is thrilled about the improvement! Natch, so am I. It's like a small miracle, and an enjoyable one. I feel worlds better now.

The only things I can think of as to why vegans are becoming pre-diabetic or getting full-blown Type II---whether or not they have a genetic predisposition for the disease---is that they may be eating way too many high-glycemic foods...or too many fatty foods. And they may not be getting optimal exercise....

yup, a vegan diet does not necessarily mean a healthy diet. it's possible to eat just as many high fat, high refined grain/sugar foods as anyone else and also not exercise so if someone eats that way and is genetically predisposed to diabetes than they're definitely at risk.