Can a type 2 increase their insulin sensitivity like a non diabetic diabetic

[Jessielouiseb]

hi I’ve been diagnosed with type 2 since March...I have lost 1.5 stone. And have another 7 to lose, so far I’ve got my blood sugar back in non diabetic levels and have to go for another blood test in June to see my progress.
I am losing weight well and I follow weight watchers to help me lose weight.

I know diabetes can be reversed but is their a chance I can increase my insulin sensitivity to somewhat like a non diabetic? It’s only taken me a short time to get my levels back down to normal, and I’m going to really improve on my exercise.

I don’t follow a very low carb diet neither do I follow a high one, I watch my portion sizes with pasta, rice and bread, and eat lots of veggies, beans, fruits, eggs

My hba1c was 7.6

 

[Kittycat_7_]

Hi,
It's possible to get your HbA1c lower with diet and exercise, then hopefully you can discuss with your team if you can adjust your dose of insulin.
Tagging @daisy1 for her welcome pack
Welcome to the forum
Good luck

 

[Freema]

hi I’ve been diagnosed with type 2 since March...I have lost 1.5 stone. And have another 7 to lose, so far I’ve got my blood sugar back in non diabetic levels and have to go for another blood test in June to see my progress.
I am losing weight well and I follow weight watchers to help me lose weight.

I know diabetes can be reversed but is their a chance I can increase my insulin sensitivity to somewhat like a non diabetic? It’s only taken me a short time to get my levels back down to normal, and I’m going to really improve on my exercise.

I don’t follow a very low carb diet neither do I follow a high one, I watch my portion sizes with pasta, rice and bread, and eat lots of veggies, beans, fruits, eggs

My hba1c was 7.6

yes I have increased my insulin sensitivity by initially doing intermittent fasting , eating low calories 1000 calories in totla a day and by doing cardio for a 4 hours a week and muscle building 3-4 hours too

 

[Antje77]

Hi,
It's possible to get your HbA1c lower with diet and exercise, then hopefully you can discuss with your team if you can adjust your dose of insulin.
Tagging @daisy1 for her welcome pack
Welcome to the forum
Good luck

I don't think ts is on insulin...

 

[HSSS]

hi I’ve been diagnosed with type 2 since March...I have lost 1.5 stone. And have another 7 to lose, so far I’ve got my blood sugar back in non diabetic levels and have to go for another blood test in June to see my progress.
I am losing weight well and I follow weight watchers to help me lose weight.

I know diabetes can be reversed but is their a chance I can increase my insulin sensitivity to somewhat like a non diabetic? It’s only taken me a short time to get my levels back down to normal, and I’m going to really improve on my exercise.

I don’t follow a very low carb diet neither do I follow a high one, I watch my portion sizes with pasta, rice and bread, and eat lots of veggies, beans, fruits, eggs

My hba1c was 7.6

Insulin sensitivity can be improved for sure. You are young and have plenty of time to make things better. I’d be a bit wary of too many of the pasta rice bread etc and also the beans and definitely be cautious of fruit. Fructose can only be processed in the liver and stored there too contributing to fatty liver, effectively undoing the benefits from weight loss. Whilst exercise definitely is positive diet will effect diabetes more. Do you have a bgl meter? That will tell you more than anything else about what works for your body and what doesn’t

Are you on any meds?

 

[Bluetit1802]

My insulin sensitivity has improved greatly. I don't think I have a lot of resistance these days. I certainly don't have a fatty liver as far as I know, all my excess weight disappeared over 4 years ago, and I can manage more carbs than I used to be able to. However, eating bread, rice, pasta etc regularly even in small portions won't help you very much.

 

[Jessielouiseb]

I don't think ts is on insulin...

No I’m on no insulin or medication

 

[Jessielouiseb]

My insulin sensitivity has improved greatly. I don't think I have a lot of resistance these days. I certainly don't have a fatty liver as far as I know, all my excess weight disappeared over 4 years ago, and I can manage more carbs than I used to be able to. However, eating bread, rice, pasta etc regularly even in small portions won't help you very much.

I’m on no medications, and I do check my meals with a meter...I find I can eat a cup of rice or pasta (wholewheat) and my blood sugar goes up to a 6.7 ish then is back to normal.
I don’t eat big portions of fruit I have berries and pears with Greek yogurt or quark which both are high protein.
I read beans aren’t supposed to spike blood sugar due to the fibre, again my blood after eating beans are no more than a 6.6 mmol.


So would you say avoid the carbs until I have increased my insulin sensitivity more and then my liver would be better too?....I seem to be able to eat some carbs okay without my blood sugar spiking, I eat between 150-180g a day and my blood sugar is always between 4 and 7 mmol after meals

 

[bulkbiker]

I watch my portion sizes with pasta, rice and bread, and eat lots of veggies, beans, fruits, eggs

Yes it's possible to regain insulin sensitivity but when eating pasta rice and bread you are making it an uphill task.
Also with weight watchers and calorie restriction you could be building in some future problems with the slowing of your metabolism. Something you should be aware of especially if you have a lot of weight to lose.

 

[Jessielouiseb]

My insulin sensitivity has improved greatly. I don't think I have a lot of resistance these days. I certainly don't have a fatty liver as far as I know, all my excess weight disappeared over 4 years ago, and I can manage more carbs than I used to be able to. However, eating bread, rice, pasta etc regularly even in small portions won't help you very much.

How much did your insulin sensitivity improve? Like what can you eat more of without getting spikes?

 

[Jessielouiseb]

Yes it's possible to regain insulin sensitivity but when eating pasta rice and bread you are making it an uphill task.
Also with weight watchers and calorie restriction you could be building in some future problems with the slowing of your metabolism. Something you should be aware of especially if you have a lot of weight to lose.

I don’t eat it all meals or everyday. I find a cup of rice with chicken and salad gives me a bg reading of 6.6 after an hour and back down to normal levels 2 hrs after

 

[HSSS]

There an argument that whilst you may be able to cope right now with a particular level of carbs each time you do so you are stressing an already stresssed system by forcing it to cope with more than it is really equipped to. By doing so you may add to insulin resistance. It’s a personal guess what level is right for you and what level will allow reversal of IR. As you say it’s not low carb but not high either. In your shoes I’d personally be aiming lower carb to ensure results and allow the best opportunity of reversing some IR. Many successful type 2 do lower, often between 20g and 100g. But that’s me. It has to work for you.

 

[Jessielouiseb]

There an argument that whilst you may be able to cope right now with a particular level of carbs each time you do so you are stressing an already stresssed system by forcing it to cope with more than it is really equipped to. By doing so you may add to insulin resistance. It’s a personal guess what level is right for you and what level will allow reversal of IR. As you say it’s not low carb but not high either. In your shoes I’d personally be aiming lower carb to ensure results and allow the best opportunity of reversing some IR. Many successful type 2 do lower, often between 20g and 100g. But that’s me. It has to work for you.

But if my blood sugars are now well in range after meals surely my body is coping with it well? When I have some of the carbs it rarely goes over a 7, it usually is In the 6 range.

How will I know of my insulin resistance is improving?
I know is I become more resistant that my blood sugars would go sky high, and my blood sugars were so much higher before when I was first diagnosed, but portion controlling my carbs, and losing weight has already got me back to normal levels, so my IR must be improving?

 

[HSSS]

But if my blood sugars are now well in range after meals surely my body is coping with it well? When I have some of the carbs it rarely goes over a 7, it usually is In the 6 range.

How will I know of my insulin resistance is improving?
I know is I become more resistant that my blood sugars would go sky high, and my blood sugars were so much higher before when I was first diagnosed, but portion controlling my carbs, and losing weight has already got me back to normal levels, so my IR must be improving?

Yes they probably are. I was only stating what i would do and maybe what you’ll need to consider if levels don’t show the response you’d like. As I stated earlier today I’m an all or nothing kinda girl. I went keto immediately on diagnosis. Others do better with a bit at a time and wait and watch approach.

 

[Bluetit1802]

How much did your insulin sensitivity improve? Like what can you eat more of without getting spikes?

One way of telling if your IS is improving is by your fasting BG levels and whether you suffer Dawn Phenomenon. DP can occur when you get up, or can happen some time after you have started your day, so it is a good idea to keep an eye on levels throughout the morning to check on this.

I started this journey on about 100g carbs but gradually reduced this over a few months until I reached 30g and there I stayed for about 4 years. It is only this year that I have increased. I don't actually count anything any more, but I hazard a guess I am about 50g maximum and not every day. Some days it is much less. So I am still very low carb. I have none at all in the mornings, a few at lunch time, and a few more at evening meal. I don't snack and apart from a few berries, I don't eat any fruit.

 

[Jessielouiseb]

One way of telling if your IS is improving is by your fasting BG levels and whether you suffer Dawn Phenomenon. DP can occur when you get up, or can happen some time after you have started your day, so it is a good idea to keep an eye on levels throughout the morning to check on this.

I started this journey on about 100g carbs but gradually reduced this over a few months until I reached 30g and there I stayed for about 4 years. It is only this year that I have increased. I don't actually count anything any more, but I hazard a guess I am about 50g maximum and not every day. Some days it is much less. So I am still very low carb. I have none at all in the mornings, a few at lunch time, and a few more at evening meal. I don't snack and apart from a few berries, I don't eat any fruit.

My blood sugars in a morning are usually between a 4 and 5.1.

So if you don’t get dawn phenomenon it’s a sign of good insulin sensitivity?

I follow some people on Instagram that have reversed their diabetes by losing weight and eating a balanced first of carbs fat and protein and bought a lot of cook books. Some have already reversed it for 5+ years yet don’t actually give up carbs or the food they love but just watch portion control and eat a balanced meal

 

[Bluetit1802]

No I’m on no insulin or medication

Jessie, can I suggest you complete your profile settings to include your type of diabetes, medication, treatment. (There is an option for diet only). You can do this by looking for your user name at the top right of the page, hover over it and a drop down will appear. Chose "personal settings" and there you will see all the options. It will save confusion, and save everyone having to ask each time you ask a question.

 

[Bluetit1802]

My blood sugars in a morning are usually between a 4 and 5.1.

So if you don’t get dawn phenomenon it’s a sign of good insulin sensitivity?

It certainly indicates good insulin sensitivity. Your fasting numbers are terrific. Well done.

 

[Jessielouiseb]

It certainly indicates good insulin sensitivity. Your fasting numbers are terrific. Well done.

Thankyou. I just want to improve it to the best I can...I know I have a lot of weight to lose so I presume it will get much better as I lose the weight

 

[Bluetit1802]

Thankyou. I just want to improve it to the best I can...I know I have a lot of weight to lose so I presume it will get much better as I lose the weight

Well, losing the weight won't do you any harm even if it doesn't help the sensitivity - and will make you feel so much better in yourself.