Pre Diabetic and Worried

Eat half a bag of crisps GreenGran Have you ever tried it?

I got the 'risk category' result for blood sugar a year or so ago. They don't call it pre-diabetic any more, apparently. I gave up cakes, biscuits, sweets, chocolates and sweet pastries immediately. By making that simple change, I lost a stone in weight easily and I didn't go hungry. I didn't want to be diabetic so much more than I wanted the sweet things. That's the key! My next blood test was fine. I've kept off the sweet things because I am never going back to an unhealthy result if I can avoid it.

The Mail had the Michael Mosely diet yesterday which reverses diabetes.

Molli Raised liver enzymes and high cholesterol tend to go together. I had both at one stage, but I've really cut down on eating meat and saturated fat and now both are normal without medication.

It's tempting when eating low carb (as I do) to overcompensate with fats, so I eat so-called "good fats" - avocados, olives, certain oils, nuts, fatty fish.

I have never cut out anything completely because I wouldn't have stuck to it. I've just watched total calories, cut down portion sizes, eaten the "bad stuff" very rarely, don't drink alcohol or fruit juice (maybe once a year) and don't eat anything I don't like.

kircubbin2000

The Mail had the Michael Mosely diet yesterday which reverses diabetes.

Diabetes can't be reversed. It can be managed.

Type 2 diabetes can often be reversed - Dr Michael Mosley's programme had a participant whose was. A friend of mine in her 60's went on a keto diet - lost 2 stones and her diabetes was reversed (her GP told her that, basically, she doesn't have it anymore). She still watches her carbs intake, says she's never hungry and looks fantastic. And, BTW, she was an absolute crisp addict - she used to buy those 12 packs and would get through them in a weekend!

I agree growstuff diabetes can be managed and put into remission by diet and exercised but “reversed” which is commonly used is a bit of a misnomer.

Exactly Carly she still watches her carb intake, so it's managed, not reversed. Once the pancreas stops producing less insulin, diabetes can't be reversed, nor can some of the symptoms such as neuropathy and retinopathy. If your friend were to revert to her previous weight and eat loads of carbs, her blood sugar levels would rise, so she's not "cured". There are some people who are grossly overweight and eat loads of carbs, who are not diabetic and some others who are not overweight who do have T2 diabetes. It's possible to reduce internal fat by losing weight and reduce insulin resistance by exercise and to reduce the need for insulin by reducing carb intake and some other measures, but the pancreas can't be rejuvenated.

I agree with you Greeneyedgirl. "Reversal" is the wrong word. My diabetes is controlled. I'm not overweight, eat low carb, do a moderate amount of exercise and usually have an HbA1c result within the normal range. My blood pressure and cholesterol are fine, but I haven't reversed diabetes. I just manage it really well.

BTW I was one of the earliest guinea pigs for a low calorie restricted diet years before Newcastle Unis started its research and Mosley started making a lot of money from his diets. It didn't work in the long term.

Try testing yourself an hour after a meal. If you're back in the 7-ish range, you're good. If you're regularly getting above 8 at that point, you need to have a hard look at the amount of carbs in your diet.

They do Weight Watchers on line if that would help,but definitely see your doctor as it’s important to do something now,don’t wait,Good luck.

I wish I was size 14!

I have been deemed as pre diabetic and attended a NHS course. One of the main problems is processed foods which hide too much sugar, bad fats and salt. Try to cook meals from scratch as much as you can, that way you are in control of what you eat.

I don't eat much processed food (and never have). The fats and salt in processed food, although not good for other reasons, won't affect diabetes.

The trouble is with "official advice" is that it still recommends eating more carbs than I (or many other diabetics) could tolerate.

The advice assumes that everybody eats a rubbish diet, but it doesn't have anything to say if you already eat healthily. Diabetic nurses and dieticians just assume that a patient is lying about what they eat, which I find very frustrating.

Hi! I assume the 5.6 and 5.4 is the A1c that tells you how your blood sugar is over the last 3 months. That is a good indicator on how you are doing. Pre diabetes is between 5.7 and 6.4. At 6.5 and above is diabetes.
According to your numbers you are not pre diabetic. However, your mom is diabetic. It is in the family. Cut down on simple carbs like rice, bread, chips, cookies etc. Complex carbs are best but also in moderation.
A 10% weight loss, exercise, healthy eating will help. Try not to eat after 7-8 pm especially carbohydrates.
The internet has a list of simple and complex carbs. Good Luck.

I'm T2 and have been for 8 years, but I was very overweight (BMI - morbidly obese!). I tried to lose weight but set about it the wrong way and lost heart when I didn't get results.

About 4 years ago I hit on a non-faddy programme that began to have results, very slowly but constantly losing weight (possibly only 1lb/fortnight, but steady). And my HBA1C began to reduce accordingly. It came down from 84 to 77 to 72 to 68 to 61 and now rests at 57 (my regular 6 monthly test put on hold because of Covid so not sure what it is now).

I have been told to reduce the HBA1C to 47 and they will consider taking me off medication, but, as has been said by others, that only puts me into remission not reversal. Can't wait!

Scentia these are the figure for non diabetics from Diabetes UK which is an excellent site.

For the majority of healthy individuals, normal blood sugar levels are as follows:

Between 4.0 to 5.4 mmol/L (72 to 99 mg/dL) when fasting [361]
Up to 7.8 mmol/L (140 mg/dL) 2 hours after eating

So your current levels are within normal levels. I can understand your worries though as Type 2 can run in families, so it must be good that you are thinking about it now. Diabetes UK is your best bet for advice; it is unbiased and gives well sourced information. I'm Type 1 and vegan, so take insulin to cover carbs which isn't necessary for most Type 2s. I've read that being vegan can reverse Type 2, and also low carb high fat (recommended on Diabetes UK) can reverse it, and a few people claiming that only eating meat has reversed theirs!! Probably making your diet more healthy with fewer 'junk' foods will help, but I don't think not having the odd pack of crisps will make much difference! I hope your blood sugars will stay 'normal', but if they don't, there is lots of help and advice available. Good luck!

Kokog

Hi! I assume the 5.6 and 5.4 is the A1c that tells you how your blood sugar is over the last 3 months. That is a good indicator on how you are doing. Pre diabetes is between 5.7 and 6.4. At 6.5 and above is diabetes.
According to your numbers you are not pre diabetic. However, your mom is diabetic. It is in the family. Cut down on simple carbs like rice, bread, chips, cookies etc. Complex carbs are best but also in moderation.
A 10% weight loss, exercise, healthy eating will help. Try not to eat after 7-8 pm especially carbohydrates.
The internet has a list of simple and complex carbs. Good Luck.

It's not HbA1c - it's a finger prick test, which are notoriously variable. I don't even know what the OP is worried about.

Pre-diabetes isn't even a condition. It's just a warning that maybe lifestyle, including diet and exercise, should be reviewed.

OP, being vegan does not preclude high cholesterol. What do you mean when you say you don’t have an issue with fats? Surely a vegan diet doesn’t exclude fats - those crisps contain a lot of fat.

I live in New York, USA. I don’t know where Scentia is from. We can do A1c‘s also from a finger prick. Wasn’t sure where her numbers came from. She should have an A1c done at least once a year. Diabetics need to do it every 3 months. This is how it is done where I live.

Iam diabetic (type 2) and really it is not that bad! 2 shots of insulin per day..my blood level is supposed to be 5 first thing in the morning, oddly it is always lower if I've had 2 glasses of wine with dinner. I just eat slightly less than I used to but can't quit the crisps! I do not like most veg so I'm a bad diabetic but I'm 71 so no too worried. My sugar levels before dinner can be pretty horrible! Good luck and don't worry before you have to.
Luv P

growstuff

I don't eat much processed food (and never have). The fats and salt in processed food, although not good for other reasons, won't affect diabetes.

The trouble is with "official advice" is that it still recommends eating more carbs than I (or many other diabetics) could tolerate.

The advice assumes that everybody eats a rubbish diet, but it doesn't have anything to say if you already eat healthily. Diabetic nurses and dieticians just assume that a patient is lying about what they eat, which I find very frustrating.

This absolutely! I had quite a switched-on dietitian when I was Pre-D when it came to the role of carbs and diabetes but she suggested that sweet potatoes would be fine. I’d cut out normal potatoes/bread/pasta/oats/beans etc but still ate sweet potatoes- which was enough to tip me into Diabetic levels. It was only getting a monitor which opened my eyes to other foods which sent my levels up, which included fruit and some veg.

Paddi1948

Iam diabetic (type 2) and really it is not that bad! 2 shots of insulin per day..my blood level is supposed to be 5 first thing in the morning, oddly it is always lower if I've had 2 glasses of wine with dinner. I just eat slightly less than I used to but can't quit the crisps! I do not like most veg so I'm a bad diabetic but I'm 71 so no too worried. My sugar levels before dinner can be pretty horrible! Good luck and don't worry before you have to.
Luv P

Alcohol lowers blood sugar levels, which is why T1 diabetics have to be careful of having hypos if they've been drinking.

Life’s too short not to have a bag of crisps..... 5.6 is totally acceptable.

PaperMonster

growstuff

I don't eat much processed food (and never have). The fats and salt in processed food, although not good for other reasons, won't affect diabetes.

The trouble is with "official advice" is that it still recommends eating more carbs than I (or many other diabetics) could tolerate.

The advice assumes that everybody eats a rubbish diet, but it doesn't have anything to say if you already eat healthily. Diabetic nurses and dieticians just assume that a patient is lying about what they eat, which I find very frustrating.

This absolutely! I had quite a switched-on dietitian when I was Pre-D when it came to the role of carbs and diabetes but she suggested that sweet potatoes would be fine. I’d cut out normal potatoes/bread/pasta/oats/beans etc but still ate sweet potatoes- which was enough to tip me into Diabetic levels. It was only getting a monitor which opened my eyes to other foods which sent my levels up, which included fruit and some veg.

I was the same! I was diagnosed when I was in my mid 30s. I wasn't overweight and didn't eat rubbish food. I was a bit of a puzzle, which was why I was referred to a consultant and invited to participate in research. Thirty years ago, there was a lot less knowledge than there is now.

Twice I've had episodes when my blood plasma level shot up to over 20. The first time it was probably related to a breakdown and the second time to a heart attack. It's now known that hormones such as cortisol play a part in regulating metabolism. In my case, there was a suspicion that extreme physical and mental stress had a role, which is why I took up yoga. I've suffered from insomnia all my life too and it appears there's a link between lack of sleep and T2 diabetes.

Most diabetes nurses and GPs really aren't very clued up about the latest research. If you don't tick the boxes for being overweight and not doing exercise, they're stumped. They still go on about eating what I call the porridge and brown pasta diet. I've been told about sweet potatoes, but I can't eat them either. My big downfall, unbeknown to me, was fruit. I munched my way through bags of apples and clementines and I ate huge bowls of fruit salad. Apart from liking fruit, I thought I was being ever so virtuous, whereas fruit is basically fruit in water with a few vitamins and sometimes fibre.

If you're overweight, it's a good idea to try and lose weight anyway, but I wish people would stop calling T2 diabetes a lifestyle disease, when it isn't always. There's a lot more to T2 diabetes than just having too much glucose in your blood.

LJP1 as a Diabetic Type2 I can assure you that you CAN'T eat unlimited fruit, all fruit contains natural sugars & should be limited to 2 portions per day ie 1 Apple/2 Plums/Handful of Grapes etc. Bananas should be green rather than ripe as ripe ones contain more sugar.