081: Dr Ian Lake – [Replay] Living with Type 1 Diabetes: A GPs lived experience

Dr Ian Lake

 Dr. Ian Lake is a GP in Gloucestershire. He has had a long term interest in preventive medicine. Having Type 1 Diabetes himself, he eventually discovered and was strongly influenced by the book ‘Richard Bernstein’s Diabetes Solution’. He went on a very low carb diet five years ago which he feels has positively transformed his daily diabetes control to near non diabetes levels. He is planning to launch a website to provide information and education about keto diets in type 1 diabetes. He is also a founder member of the Public Health Collaboration, which is a charity dedicated to promoting a real food lifestyle.

Dr Ian explains how Type 1 Diabetes is managed in the UK and how he thinks that there should be alternative options. He recognises that keto doesn’t suit everyone but feels it should be an option for everyone. 

We find out how he discovered keto and his long journey to start. Listen to how it has improved his quality of life, given him less worries and more control over his blood sugar.

Dr Ian’s Top Tips

1. You’ve got to want to do it (what is your why)
2. Prepare to do it, read around it
3. Plan for it do it for three weeks 

Resources Mentioned

Dr Bernstein’s Diabetes Solution: A Complete Guide To Achieving Normal Blood Sugars – Dr Richard Bernstein

NICE guidelines for Type 1 

Continuous Glucose Monitoring 

Ian’s presentations at Public Health Collaboration PHCUK conferences 

@ PHCUK 2019 

@ PHCUK 2018

@ PHCUK 2016

Other T1D’s who use low carb 

Link to Australian T1D Troy Stapleton (cyclist) Low Carb Downunder  

Link to Australian T1D Bec Johnson (swimmer) 

Hanna Böethius

And listen to her podcast with us:

http://fabulouslyketo.com/podcast/003

Jessica Turton Systematic Literature Review 

Turton, J. L., Raab, R., & Rooney, K. B. (2018). Low-carbohydrate diets for type 1 diabetes mellitus: A systematic review. PloS one, 13(3), e0194987.

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0194987

Quotes by Dr Ian Lake

“I put the book down for a year, as I felt all of that fat wasn’t healthy.  How little I knew then.”

“The recommendation for carbohydrates is 300 gms of carbohydrates a day roughly for everyone in our country and that is actually based on no science whatsoever.”

“It is so lucky that carbohydrate is the only nutrient that is non-essential, every other nutrient the fat and protein are essential. We have to have certain fats and certain proteins to exist healthily but if we never ate another carbohydrate for the rest of our lives it wouldn’t materially affect our health.”

“We really need to rethink T1 Diabetes management if 9 out of 10 people not achieving targets is acceptable.”

“Life is so much more pleasurable, my blood glucose level goes from alpine to flatline.  It used to be up down, up down, now it is pretty flat all day.  I don’t have to think too much about my diabetes.” 

“It’s remarkable how freeing a low ca