A sandwich made me go very high...

[Swiggy]

You did brilliantly to bring your HbA1c down by that much without medication.

Have you considered trying a Libre sensor? I know they are very expensive, but with the starter pack you get 2 sensors, so that is a month's worth. They are invaluable for discovering what is happening to your levels, not just overnight, but all day between times you test. You can see what exercise does, what simple things like housework do, when your liver starts dumping, and so much more. I can't justify the price to have one full time, but I do like to use them periodically. I've used 7 sensors so far and about to use another just before and during my next holiday.

I did look at the Libre on the internet but the price is quite prohibitive isn't it? My sister offered to buy me one for my birthday but I can think of lots of things I would rather have. Maybe I will change my mind before my next birthday. Have a lovely holiday @Bluetit1802

 

[Swiggy]

@Swiggy, hang in there. I've been fighting this battle for over a year and always seems to be hiccups but persistence = progress. After a medical procedure under anesthesia last month my FG doubled for a couple of weeks--nothing seemed to bring it down except waiting. Big surprise to me.
About the milk, I agree with jolly roger that it's splitting hairs between whole or skim, the biggest difference is the fat content. In an 8 ounce glass or cup, both contain 5% sugar or about 11 grams. And yes, I sometime dribble when I drink milk. How did he know that????? Now I'm really embarrassed.
On another note, this article was sent to me this morning. Good read, I like it a lot. Best Wishes--

I'm glad it came down again @No2D. That article really is food for thought though isn't it? I think that I have read about reducing insulin resistance by walking more, this article certainly gives an incentive to do that.

 

[Swiggy]

I need to get off my bottom and go for a walk, I am going to start today. Thanks @ickihun I am going to walk to Tesco instead of taking the car this afternoon.

@ichihun I walked to Tesco and back up the hill.

 

[Bluetit1802]

On another note, this article was sent to me this morning. Good read, I like it a lot. Best Wishes--

Thanks for that link. Very interesting, especially if you download the PDF.

 

[Daphne917]

I am sure that my levels will come down eventually but I am finding it difficult to feel enthusiastic about what I am eating because my fbg remains high. I didn't realise that you can boil leeks. I plan to do a lasagna with leeks instead of pasta sheets, it's something I haven't tried before.
Well done on your weight loss.

I make lasagne with sliced courgette as hubby doesn't like pasta and I tend to avoid it

 

[covknit]

@Swiggy, hang in there. I've been fighting this battle for over a year and always seems to be hiccups but persistence = progress. After a medical procedure under anesthesia last month my FG doubled for a couple of weeks--nothing seemed to bring it down except waiting. Big surprise to me.
About the milk, I agree with jolly roger that it's splitting hairs between whole or skim, the biggest difference is the fat content. In an 8 ounce glass or cup, both contain 5% sugar or about 11 grams. And yes, I sometime dribble when I drink milk. How did he know that????? Now I'm really embarrassed.
On another note, this article was sent to me this morning. Good read, I like it a lot. Best Wishes--

Good article. I have just returned from our annual staff training day. Food provided:- morning break large danish pastries. Lunch sandwiches, crisps, tropical fruit sliced, cake. Afternoon break buttercream filled gateaux. I took my own lunch:- sliced chicked and bacon and 2 silicon pastry cases filled with spinach and feta quiche filling (no pastry). I had just eaten a slice of chicken with my fingers (I had assumed there would be some cutlery, naive that I am) and overhead two ladies on the other side of the table commenting on vegans and how they had never seen anyone eating tofu like that before! I wonder if their alzheimers was setting in after those danishes and sarnies. Lol .

 

[serenity648]

I have ME but have been able to go swimming a couple of times a week for a few months now. I may not be burning many calories, but my strength has improved and i use the time of weightlessness in the water to relax and meditate.

 

[douglas99]

I have ME but have been able to go swimming a couple of times a week for a few months now. I may not be burning many calories, but my strength has improved and i use the time of weightlessness in the water to relax and meditate.

Have you found anything helps with the ME?

(My daughter has just been diagnosed with it)

 

[Swiggy]

Good article. I have just returned from our annual staff training day. Food provided:- morning break large danish pastries. Lunch sandwiches, crisps, tropical fruit sliced, cake. Afternoon break buttercream filled gateaux. I took my own lunch:- sliced chicked and bacon and 2 silicon pastry cases filled with spinach and feta quiche filling (no pastry). I had just eaten a slice of chicken with my fingers (I had assumed there would be some cutlery, naive that I am) and overhead two ladies on the other side of the table commenting on vegans and how they had never seen anyone eating tofu like that before! I wonder if their alzheimers was setting in after those danishes and sarnies. Lol .

I was at a conference yesterday @covknit and resisted the croissants, pastries and muffins that were served at morning break, stuck to water all day too. I had salad and coleslaw for lunch and although I had taken a dessert I thought better of it and the man sitting next to me polished it off for me. A good day, I think it was carb free but I still had a fbg of 9.3 this morning. I'msure I will get there, I'm just taking the scenic route.

 

[Osidge]

Milk, especially skim and low fat, contain high levels of sugar. The higher the cream the better it's suited to LCHF as in whole milk, cream, butter. Cheese and unflavored yogurts are much better than milk because bacteria have metabolized a good portion of the sugar-lactose. Also the bacteria's pre-digestion (fermented) makes milk products easier to digest. I'm using those as a source of calcium and don't drink milk.
I'm a follower of Dr. Jason Fung's blog and used much of his wisdom on fasting to push down my FG using 36 hour water fasts. Currently my FG the week following the fast borders between pre-diabetic and non-diabetic, coming down steadily about 1% - 5% per week.

All milk has the same amount of sugar in it. Taking fat out or leaving it in does not affect the lactose content. I now enjoy unsweetened soya milk. Most brands are calcium and vitamin enriched.

 

[Osidge]

Thanks @Bluetit1802 I thought that I had done so well bringing my hba1c down from 119 to 54 without medication and I really thought that I would continue to go down until I was in the normal range but it's not happening for me. My fasting levels are in the 7 - 9 range no matter how early I finish eating the night before. It was the practice nurse who suggested that I try metformin but I am reluctant to use medication before trying all of the alternatives first. Maybe I need to give it a bit longer and maybe increase my activity levels.

Please use medication if it helps. Medication is not a sign of failure. Metformin can also help with cardiac health and cancer prevention.

 

[Osidge]

It's difficult sometimes isn't it @ickihun? I should do more exercise, I've become incredibly unfit over the past year but I am sure that I could get back to walking again if I made the effort. I walked three miles on Tuesday with my friend but I felt like I really kept them back because I was so breathless. I think I should walk a shorter distance daily to build up my stamina before going out with her again, she is walking to improve her health and I don't think she was very happy with me.
I'm lucky that I don't have any pain when I walk and, so far, I have had no complications as a result of my diabetes. My kidney and liver functions are fine according to the practice nurse, I asked her about fatty liver because I am so overweight but she said that my results make that unlikely.
Since I started testing regularly my lowest recorded level has been 6.3 which is disappointing given the efforts I have been making with carb cutting. I think I should carry on for a while longer.

A great number of peopl with and without Diabetes have a degree of fatty liver. Normal LFTs are not necessarily indicative of a liver with no fat in it. I have fatty liver and normal LFTs.

 

[Beagler]

I have found that its perfectly possible to still want to overeat -for example going into the kitchen and leaving it without eating something is very very hard for me to do, hungry or not, or deciding to eat something then eating more of it than necessary.

Because frankly that's what I've been doing for years and simply knowing I'm not hungry does not change the neural pathway in my brain that says " overeat" because that is what I do. The result of this is that I've been yo-yoing round the same 2 kilos for three months now. That probably won't change until I do manage to find a way to divert that neural pathway somewhere else.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU
that has FINALLY given me a handle on why I love butter/cheese sandwiches and how to manage my difficulty "leaving the kitchen"!!!! THANK YOU!

 

[Osidge]

If I could exercise I would be swimming (3times a week) and cycle/walk regularly.
If you can exercise just do what you can and build up slowly.
Wish I could.

Here's hoping that you can find a form of exercise that can help you. Sedentary exercise is often used by people with decreased mobility.

 

[Osidge]

I was at a conference yesterday @covknit and resisted the croissants, pastries and muffins that were served at morning break, stuck to water all day too. I had salad and coleslaw for lunch and although I had taken a dessert I thought better of it and the man sitting next to me polished it off for me. A good day, I think it was carb free but I still had a fbg of 9.3 this morning. I'msure I will get there, I'm just taking the scenic route.

I think that you will find some carbs in what you ate.

 

[Swiggy]

Please use medication if it helps. Medication is not a sign of failure. Metformin can also help with cardiac health and cancer prevention.

Thanks @Osidge I am a little bit nervous about the reported side effects. I am going on holiday in May so I may reconsider when I get back.

 

[Swiggy]

I think that you will find some carbs in what you ate.

Thanks@Osidge you are right but hopefully it was a carb light day. You never know when you can't check the ingredients but I made the best choice I could at the hotel.

 

[Osidge]

Thanks @Osidge I am a little bit nervous about the reported side effects. I am going on holiday in May so I may reconsider when I get back.

Sounds like a sensible approach. It is always better to initiate new medication without the worry of issues when you are away. Please remember that not everyone is intolerant of Metformin and, of those who are, a number can tolerate the extended release formulation.

Have a great holiday.

Doug

 

[Osidge]

Thanks@Osidge you are right but hopefully it was a carb light day. You never know when you can't check the ingredients but I made the best choice I could at the hotel.

And that was a good choice with good carbs from the veg in the salad and coleslaw.

 

[Swiggy]

Sounds like a sensible approach. It is always better to initiate new medication without the worry of issues when you are away. Please remember that not everyone is intolerant of Metformin and, of those who are, a number can tolerate the extended release formulation.

Have a great holiday.

Doug

Thanks @Osidge. I am going to Berlin so I will be avoiding the bread and choosing cheese.