Pre Diabetic and Worried

The course that doctors send you on, ICS Health and Wellbeing, is now available WITHOUT a doctor's referral. I did the course (really excellent and I totally recommend it) and I have recently received an email from them with that information. Go online and do their risk assessment and take it from there. You won't regret it. Best wishes.

5 - 5.5 are normal blood sugar levels, it always rises after a meal but the vital thing is not to stress cells by having blood so high in sugar that water is drawn out of cells suddenly, to dilute the blood again (osmosis). Slow rise to 10 is okay after a meal.

The main problem is with starch and sugary drinks which provide immediate glucose sugar for absorption and the concentration rises in the blood too quickly. Thus sugar (sweets, etc.) and flour (pasta, rice, bread, cakes, biscuit, etc.) are difficult as the fat cells in diabetics don't take in sugar fast enough to keep the blood sugar level balanced. (This uptake is triggered by insulin, hence the connection.)

So, diabetics can eat as much fruit (no fruit has problem levels of sugar, except bananas with starch) and vegetables (except potatoes with starch) as they want and can fill up on them. Protein in meat, fish, eggs & cheese) take a long time to digest so the sugar (what little there is,) is not available quickly enough to cause stress in the cells. Similarly fats, so full cream milk, cheese & yogurt are fine and provide the vitamins A & D, & calcium for bones (vital to minimise osteoporosis) that margarines do not have. Proteins & fats do not cause sudden increase in blood sugar and can be eaten freely.

The only caveat is that if too much is consumed then bodies store it, weight increases and fat cells get more reluctant to take in the excess sugars - hence diabetic problems.

I hope this helps. My DH and DD are diabetic, so as a biologist, I have explored the subject.

Please beware of 'diets' - almost all advertised ones - and the easy damnation of fats in general.

Firstly don’t panic, taking random blood sugars is not the most accurate way to determine if diabetic/prediabetic. Your blood sugars will range high and low throughout the day depending on what you have eaten and when eaten etc. Request a blood test at Gp, for a HbA1c, this will indicate your average blood sugar over the last 12 weeks and will indicate if you are prediabetic. If you are, there is lots of helpful advice on diabetes uk website. Dietary advice getting to healthy BMI and exercise will be definitely help. Sometimes even when we do as much as possible to help ourselves if the famial tendency is there we are at greater risk
One step at a time, (retired diabetic nurse)

2 yrs ago my doctor told me I was prediabetic at a size 10 and 8st I was shocked but it was due to my hashimotos disease so I just changed my diet cut all the sugar out and ate more veg. 1 Yr later I was tested and was back to normal. It really scared me but it just proves you can get back on track with a little effort

Sorry meant to say you don't need to go hungry.

I am type two. The best thing to do is see a dietician who can implement changes into your diet. You need to go.hungry. A little of what you love doesn't harm.you but eating crisps everyday isn't good either.

Daily Mail is running supplements by Michael Moseley all next week with meal suggestions, some lovely recipes in yesterday’s paper. 800 cals but tasty, just low or nonexistent carbs! Ive done Slimming World for over 10 yrs & it works for me. Life’s for living & little treats like your crisps can be built in occasionally. Mine’s a nice glass of red! Good luck

Blood glucose levels fluctuate during the day depending on what you eat and when you do the test. The only accurate test is an Hba1c which needs to be done at the gp surgery but you need to request it and it will only be done if the gp thinks it’s necessary

I’m not sure how accurate these “over the counter monitors” are but I would to going to your GP for an accurate check or perhaps going to your local chemist for a chat.... our local Lloyd’s do diabetic checks please don’t rely solely on something You bought on the internet....

Scentia. Simple carbohydrates are what you need to watch out for which of course are in all foods that we all like. Give yourself a few everyday only and maybe have a bag of crisps once a week as a treat.
I hope that this helps.
Carole

Please, please go to your doctor.

Unless you are trained to do so, you won't always read your blood sugar levels correctly.

As far as I know there is a lot you can do to prevent type 2 diabetes if you are only pre-diabetic.

Talk to a GP or a practice nurse and get some guidelines.

You are not overweight if you wear a size 14 in British sizes, unless you are very, very short.

Most adult women probably use a size 14 or even 16.

But mention you wonder if your weight is right for your height and build to the doctor or nurse.

I think you need to ask yourself why you're eating "lots of rubbish foods", could it be that your vegan diet is leaving you still hungry? Or is it just habit? Or are you stressed and eating for comfort?. Once you know the answer to this ... and it's a biggy ... you can set about rectifying the situation.
If you need help, Weightwatchers has now re-branded itself and concentrates not just on weight loss but on eating for good health and I think you can get 12 weeks free trial if your GP recommends you to them. Good luck with it all.

My husband was diagnosed as pre-diabetic just before Xmas and was put on the NHS pre-diabetic programme. He wasn't overweight, but does have heart disease. The programme was brilliant and involved regular meetings (until Covid) with talks on diet and exercise. He took it all very seriously (if I could bottle up his willpower I would make a fortune!!) and has lost nearly 2 stone. We ate regularly anyway, and do the 5:2 diet, but he cut out most sugar and does a 40 minute fast-pace walk every morning. I'm sure that once he gets another test, he will be well out of the pre-diabetic stage. It might be worth seeing if your GP offers this programme.

Enjoy your 1 bag of crisps a day, but cut down on bread, pasta, rice and potatoes as they turn to sugar. Also avoid sugary things. I personally would get medical advice too

... & the body moving into a state of ketosis as an indicator of ‘fat burning’ is shown on the TV programme (full frontal pee sticks), so the Mosley is a keto plan ?

The eating plan popularised by Dr Mosley & documented on the TV series is a 800 calorie per day minimal carbs programme - a short sharp three week (or longer if required) burst of minimised calorie intake with the focus on freshly prepared nutritious meals, & then migration to a sensible maintenance plan for sustainable healthy eating.

The bait is the quick weight loss but the hook is the sustainable healthy approach to eating & improved metabolic metrics.

stopdiabetes.co.uk

is the site you want Scentia for the assessment and to apply for the programme.

I was pre diabetic, now I am type 2 diabetic and I have been following the Michael Mosley 8 week blood sugar diet. first by the book and then online. It is excellent. I have lost weight, but that is not the main issue, indeed Michael Mosley is diabetic (2) and not overweight. I am just trying to cut back on carbohydrates and sugary foods, my GP has assigned me a dietician but I think Michael Mosley is better.

Scentia currently the NHS is offering a free course of up to a years support re diet, counselling etc for people with a risk of developing diabetes. I have signed up for it and start on Thursday. Have a look at the NHS site but PM me if you like and I'll find some more details if you haven't managed to find it.

I’ve been on A ketogenic diet For four months. I only had a stone to lose and it’s gone . Please ignore the 800 calorie deficit diet as long term they don’t work. Keto on the other hand does. Yes you can reverse your diabetes. It’s a dangerous condition and it killed my Mum. Watch the film Fat Fiction on utube or Prime and do plenty of research if you want to do it. Also Look up Gingers keto in the uk on fb and utube. She has done all the hard work for you. If you want I Email you what I’ve learnt so far. It’s an amazing way of living, plus I fast as well which is another way to shift the fat. I just miss breakfast

There are 17.g of carbs in a packet of Walkers crisps, which does not make them very "carby", unless you're on a very low carb diet. They're empty calories because they don't contain much nutrition, apart from the carbs, but worth it if crisps are difficult to give up. On the other hand, if you're trying to lose weight, they should be one for the hit list.

www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/enjoy-food/eating-with-diabetes/diabetes-food-myths/crisps

Diabetes.co.uk is good for the forums - there are a couple of vegans on there who will help I’m sure. It is a difficult diet for diabetics due to the carbs. Crisps and popcorn are very carby, so they’ll have to go! Also, you might need to revisit your milk substitute, if you have one. I understand the almond drink is the friendliest for diabetics. I’m not overweight and was diagnosed a couple of years ago - we have it going back a few generations in our family. Good luck.

I have a bag of cheetos every day does not effect my blood sugar neither do crisps in moderation.

Don't diagnose yourself. If you think you may be borderline or diabetic you need to see your GP.

MOnica It depends how much your pancreas has already been affected. It's possible to reduce insulin resistance with exercise, but if the pancreas has already started packing up, diabetes will never be in remission. It can be managed, but it will always be there.

Scentia You really don't have much to worry about. 5.5 is the threshold for pre-diabetes on a finger prick test, but finger prick tests aren't very reliable and blood sugar levels can go up and down all the time. If you're overweight, you just have to follow the healthy lifestyle guidelines for the general public, but more strictly.

I can't really advise on what to eat, as you're vegan. I eat quite a lot of eggs, yoghurt, fish and chicken, but almost no pasta, rice, potatoes, pastry, cakes, biscuits, sweets, tropical fruit. Salt won't affect your blood sugar, although it might affect your blood pressure.