I should add that I know that each case of Type II diabetes is unique and each person will react to different foods differently.  I knew a Type II who could eat oatmeal without raising their blood sugar but for me I cannot eat any grains, whole or otherwise without it raising my blood sugar to very high levels.  I love toasted cheese sandwiches but simply can't eat them.  One has to test after different foods to find their triggers.  I have found that I can eat watermelon by the pound and it actually lowers my blood sugar and in fact I use it for when I cheat on my diet.

The Type II class I took at Virginia Mason had about 15 "students" (newly diagnosed Type II patients) from their mid-twenties to their seventies (me for one) and I know for a fact that all were put on the high protein, restricted carbohydrate diet.  Most (including myself ) were overweight.  At the end of six weeks all students except one had improved their blood sugar levels significantly and the one who didn't had just been on a cruise and couldn't stick with the program.  One woman lost 20# in that six weeks and another who's monitor I had seen during the first class with a blood sugar level of 385 had lost 10# and was controlling her blood sugar levels within the normal range with the diet alone.  Everybody claimed to have more energy and felt better than they had in a long time.  I've heard from many who say that one Type II solution doesn't fit all, but VM applies that one solution to all their Type II patients and the rest is up to them to stick with it.