diagnosis of pre-diabetes

Thanks BBbevan

Well done vampirequeen

I was diagnosed as pre-diabetic just before Christmas. My GP's advice was not to follow a diet but just to eat less and move more. She said that once someone decides never to eat something again they start to crave it simply because it's been denied to them. So the trick is to eat a healthy diet most of the time. I also try to walk 10000 steps a day or at least 250 each hour between 9 and 6.....it's all about keeping moving. I have a Fitbit HR and joined MyFitnessPal to count calories. I am a binge/comfort eater so there are times/days when I go awry but up to now I've lost 44lb so it seems to be working.

silverfish the only way anything is going to change is if you find a way to motivate yourself and get out and do something. So far all your posts on this thread have been about all the things you don't want to do.

This is so depressing as I graze all day, I need just to be eating when I read or watch tv, I get cravings all the time so I just wait until I have full blown diabetes and can take medication.

Today I have eaten half a bag of toffees, had ice cream and nuts as well as scones and sandwitches, none of this is good I know but I cant control it as I get stressed and eat for comfort

I don't like going to the doctor. I have a phobia of anyone in the nhs, hospitals, clinics etc.

My friend just eats as normal but ups her insulin dose to combat it, shes 62 and has a good life she says she just wants to live for today

It is perfectly easy to eat a healthy and interesting diet that is low in sugar and manufactured food. It is called the 'Mediterranean diet '. It is best summed up as 'Eat well, not too much, most of it plants'. We have been eating like that for years. There are so many recipes and cookery books out there to help you cook interesting and tasty food which is high in fruit and veg and low in salt and sugar. I do not actively go for low fat as recent research has suggested that diabetics do better when they consume a reasonable (not excessive) amount of fat.

DH is very over weight and was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes over 10 years ago. He has never been on more than the lowest dose of drugs for this problem and has recent been taken off all anti-diabetes drugs because his blood sugar level has consistently been so low.

The answer to your problem silverfish is in your own hands. Nobody can help you unless you are actively and positively prepared to make an effort to help yourself, and indeed if you cannot be bothered to help yourself, why should anyone else bother?

I am type 2 already through no fault of my own but I can give some advice re diet. First of all cut out all bread , rolls etc. Rice and pasta in small amounts and beware of hidden carbs. like the breadcrumbs fish might be coated in. I have a salad at lunch while my DH has his roll . If we have soup I have oatcakes with it .
Watch out for high sugar fruits like bananas , pineapples and grapes but have lots of vegetables instead.
Sad to say the dieticians I have seen have been hopeless none advised to cut down on carbs and were pretty vague about everything.
There is no excuse for a nurse being rude to your DH our local medical practice is great . I go to see a specialist once a year and never feel I get my money's worth because he regards all my results as good.
It is not difficult to adapt once you decide to do so . I read on a diabetic forum of people who have ignored the advice given to them then suffer the consequences afterwards.

I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes 2 years ago. It was a complete shock. However with the help of Michael Mosley's book ' Reverse your Diabetes' I lost 2 and a half stone in 5 months. My blood sugar went from 7·6 to 5·4 and at my last check up with the GP , I was told I was no longer considered diabetic. It has been hard and I now maintain my weight loss and lower blood sugar with a low carb diet. ( excellent supportive thread on here)
Carbohydrates turn to sugar in the blood so it is no good just giving up sweet things. I eat very very little rice or pasta and no potatoes. For an added boost I do the 16: 8 fast when needed.It can be done but needs determination

my friend is diagnose with pre diabetes, he is also overweight. but his doctor recommend him some treatment (listed below) that is very useful :

Eat well : A Dietician will help you by changing your previous meal plan with health, diabetic friendly meal plan.

The goal of the meal plan is to regulate your blood sugar level and keep it in the healthy, normal range. Your meal plan is created only for you, taking into consideration your overall health, physical activity, and what you wish to eat.

Exercise : when you exercise, your body uses more glucose, therefore exercising will lower your blood sugar level. also when you exercise, your body doesn’t need as much insulin to move the glucose; your body becomes less insulin resistant.

Since your body isn’t using insulin well when you have prediabetes, a lower insulin resistance could be a very good factor.

And of course, there are all the normal advantages of exercise: it will help you lose weight, keep your heart healthy, make you sleep better, and even improve your mood.

The American Diabetes Association recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate activity every week—that’s 30 minutes 5 days a week. you’ll get that through activities like walking, bike riding, or swimming.

Lose weight : If you’re overweight, you must start on a weight loss program as soon as you’re diagnosed with prediabetes.

Losing just 5 to 100% of your weight will significantly reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

The combination of eating well and exercising more could be a good way to lose weight—and then maintain your new, healthy weight.

Metformin : For people who are at a really high risk of developing type 2 diabetes after being diagnosed with prediabetes, the doctor could suggest a medicine.

The American Diabetes Association says that metformin should be the only medication used to stop type 2.

It works by keeping the liver from creating more glucose when you don’t want it, thereby keeping your blood sugar level in a better range.

Stop Smoking : Smoking will not only cause diabetes but also become cause of many disease like heart, cancer, and liver.

Therefore, Say goodbye to smoking is very beneficial for you.

dss

Uncertain about exactly what you are seeking, before acquiring any medication or herbs you need to consult with a physician. To learn more or even to educate yourself you can go through some good websites like PositiveMed etc ... also you may get a free ebook on diabetics here www.diabetestreatmentadvice.com

Message deleted by Gransnet for breaking our forum guidelines. Replies may also be deleted.

jane wish I knew the 'why' but I can't remember. DS's fiancee is very knowledgeable about nutrition and I read it in a book she loaned me and was upset because I love it but then discovered it was alright if you had already had a thyroidectomy.

I just googled it and there is quite a lot of info about it if you look.

Does living in the UK make it more difficult to eat in a healthy way, I wonder? When I go to stay with my daughter I am amazed by the wonderful selection of tempting food and the fact that the shops hardly seem to close. We have to make a real effort to leave our hillside and go shopping (and to catch the shops open). We only go shopping a couple of times a week and French supermarkets don't have the range of tempting stuff that I see in the UK. (Those who love patisserie and charcuterie will probably disagree here).
You do see obesity in France and I know that Type 2 diabetes is on the increase, but in my experience it is entirely associated with poverty. Round here the older women are sturdy and the men are whippet thin!
I wonder if one answer would be to plan for the week, shop online and not physically go into food shops? Or am I being unrealistic?

Nonnie why is broccoli best avoided if you have an under-active thyroid?

Silverfish I hesitated to post and admit this but must say I sympathise with you, in that I too seem to have a junk food addiction, and can't seem to stop, no matter how I want to and need to for my health.

It is hard for others to understand.

It really seems like an addiction to me, and I have looked for help, but there is no where near us to go (like overeaters anon http://www.oa.org/membersgroups/find-a-meeting/) Maybe they have a meeting near you which might help?

It is a mental thing I'm sure. I have been referred by my doctor to the local gym (ugh) but will give it a go, as I suspect exercise will help if I can get into it. I understand it can make you feel happier in yourself, which may then make you want to eat in a more healthy way.

I really wouldn't want to develop full blown diabetes, if I can avoid it.

We haven't added salt to our cooking for years and have got used to it. When we eat out we always come home thirsty.

For those of you on thyroxine who still have thyroid glands you should know that broccoli is apparently best avoided. I love it and only read that after mine was long gone so was glad to know it was OK to eat.

We have all read the scare stories about statins but it seems to me that the risks associated with taking them are far less than the risks of not. I don't need them luckily!

Eggs don't 'cause cholesterol' Silverfish. The advice given by Mamie is really good.

Stick to simple meals you cook yourself. The 'old fashioned' meat (or fish) and two veg is actually quite healthy, providing you don't overdo the portion size of meat and remember that potatoes don't count as your two vegetables.

Silverfish, I think you can ignore a lot of the warnings, which often come from unreliable sources. There is no problem with eggs, for example, and the view of fats is changing. I would say that it is best to stick to a natural diet of freshly cooked ingredients and avoid fast and processed foods. We have always stayed with butter, olive oil and yoghurt made from whole milk, because all the other stuff seems to have added sugar and chemical additives, which we avoid completely. We enjoy meat, but keep portion sizes small and are careful how we source it, eat fish a couple of times a week and grow a lot of our vegetables. If you cook your own food, you know exactly how much salt you are putting in. Would it help to plan a week's menus before you shop and allow for treats in your plan? It sounds from your post as if you don't really feel in control of what you buy and eat at the moment and that must make it hard for you.

I have no willpower. I just cant stick anything but it doesn't help that everything you eat has a health warning, ive tried bread free days, I hate wholemeal and only have white which is bad, I have meat free days and chocolate free days. I try not to eat dairy as that's bad, I try to avoid salt but its in everything. Eggs cause cholesterol, all the yoghurts in our local supermarket have more than 5% sugar, bad again. I do use goats yo
ghurt which is really low. it takes so long doing my shopping that I get really depressed. meat causes bowel cancer, alcohol is high sugar but I don't much like it anyway im too scared I get addicted. Can anyone tell me any foods that have no health warnings. This is why I sometimes say what the hell and stuff my face.

yes durhamjen I did wonder about letting slip the homoeopathy bit, I generally dont volunteer the information because of the barrage of criticism and scepticism I get.I dont practice, but keep it for family and friends. I do not think it is the complete answer to health issues, but I think there is a place for alternatives and complementary methods along with pharmaceuticals. Thyroid issues run in my family, dad and my uncles all on thyroxine, no alternative to that! The books I have ordered are Patrick Holford ' Say no to diabetes' and 'Low GL bible'. I look forward to reading them when they arrive at the weekend.

Having had my thyroid removed 35 years ago because they could not decide if it was cancerous or not, it would be silly of me not to take thyroxine.

Exactly what GP said to Mr Nonu !

Nobody has to take any drugs/medication they don't want to, even if they're potentially life-saving. Doctors can only advise and prescribe!

Fortunately the providers of the top-up insurance in France are not allowed to discriminate on health grounds; they have to accept you at the normal rate. It is still 150€ a month for the two of us though!

When I discussed not taking statins with my GP, he told me I didn't have to take anything if I did not want to. That's because I had an aortic dissection last year - a year ago tomorrow, I have just realised- and came out of hospital with ten different drugs. I've stopped taking the statins now, but not because of the link with diabetes.
One reason not to move abroad was because of my husband being diabetic from when he was eleven years old. Couldn't afford the health insurance.

Yes durhamjen, I saw the study about statins and type 2 and he is on simvastatin which is one of the ones mentioned. This is where it is difficult dealing with all this stuff in a foreign language. I don't think French doctors engage much in discussion about treatment, we have found it all quite paternalistic. It is very thorough, tests galore and you get a lot of time with the doctor (and carrier bags full of drugs), but you don't argue.....