Vitamin D3 and feeling fantastic!

[newlife2012]

Hi,

Just wanted to share this with everyone.

I was diagnosed as Type 2 Diabetic several of years ago and after fighting the medical profession I finally gave in and started taking medication. I went through all the various meds (metformin etc.) all of which made me ill or with me ending up in hospital. Finally the doctor put me on insulin. Firstly one injection each night then a twice a day injection.

My blood sugars stayed in the 9 - 10 range, peeking at 17 on one occasion and the blood pressure stayed high no matter what they gave me.

Then I saw a couple of articles on Vitamin D3 deficiency coming out of Italy, Israel and Spain which indicated there was a relationship between deficiency and type 2 or the pre-cursers to type 2 diabetes. So I went on Vitamin D3 supplement. Starting at 2000 iUs and building up to 10,000 iUs a day.

Since then I have come off the insulin as my blood sugars have come down to the 5 - 7 range (even after a have carb meal) and my blood pressure is down to the "normal range" too. No medication they gave me brought the B.P. down.

So I would say get your D3 levels checked. The doctors don't know enough about D3 and say as long as you are in the "range" all is o.k. but you need to be at the top end of the scale not the middle or the bottom. So against the advice of the doctor and the diabetic nurse I am off the meds; doing fine and have not felt this well in a long long time. The diabetic nurse could not believe it and said she will bring this up and the next group meeting.

My original HbA1c level was 71 and I'll let everyone know what it is when they next test in October.

 

[Liam1955]

@newlife2012 - Hello and Welcome to the Forum @daisy1 will provide you with some basic information that all new members receive.

 

[daisy1]

@newlife2012

Hello and welcome to the forum Here is the information, mentioned above, which we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful. Ask as many questions as you need to and someone will be able to help.


BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS

Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.

A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you’ll find over 150,000 people who are demonstrating this.

On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.

The role of carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.

If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.

The bad news

Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.

The good news

People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.

Controlling your carbs

The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.
There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:

• Reduce your carbohydrate intake
• Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates

Reduce your carbohydrates

A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.

The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.

Choosing better carbohydrates

Another option is to replace ‘white carbohydrates’ (such as white bread, white rice, white flour etc) with whole grain varieties. The idea behind having whole grain varieties is that the carbohydrates get broken down slower than the white varieties –and these are said to have a lower glycaemic index.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/food/diabetes-and-whole-grains.html

The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.

Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes

LOW CARB PROGRAM:
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/low carb program


Eating what works for you

Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.

To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.

The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:

Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes

• Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l

Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (adults)

• Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l

Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (children)

• Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l

However, those that are able to, may wish to keep blood sugar levels below the NICE after meal targets.

Access to blood glucose test strips

The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:

• structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
• self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education

Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to bloodglucose testing supplies.

You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic

Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.

 

[Salvia]

Good info, @newlife2012, thanks for posting. I shall have to get my D3 levels checked next time I'm due for tests......

...... and Welcome to the forum

 

[hankjam]

You may care to review this document on Vit D.
http://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/vitamin-d/safety/hrb-20060400

 

[Brunneria]

I particularly like this video on Vit D. Very informative

 

[Winnie53]

Worth the time to watch. Thanks Brunneria.

I'm slowly getting my vitamin D levels up. Need to get rechecked.

It's interesting, Ivor Cummins emphasizes calcium, while Kate Rheaume-Bleue emphasizes magnesium and discourages supplementation with calcium. I wonder who's right. Was glad to see Ivor recommending vitamin A, D, and K2.

 

[Brunneria]

I think the K2 is vital for supplementing with calcium. It is (been a while since I watched that vid!) as though the K2 enables the body to use both the D and the Calcium properly, instead of dumping it in inconvenient places and causing unwanted calcification.

I obviously need to watch that vid again in case I am remembering it wrong! lol.

 

[sud5nala]

Vit D3 has helped me a lot, not necessarily with my impaired glucose tolerance, but with other symptoms. I can get it without a prescription. The cheapest formulation is liquid. A tiny bottle gave me 5,000 IU/day for 2 to 3 months. The reference range is 30 to 100. I started at 16! After 4 months of 5,000 per day, I was still only at 40.

Go for D3, not D2.

 

[magsiesss]

D3 not advised for people with blood pressure issues or with hypothyroid - that's interesting so something to be avoided by both of us ...

 

[newlife2012]

I am hypothyroid and high blood pressure and d3 has brought my blood pressure right the way down to normal range and thyroid is very balanced.

 

[Winnie53]

D3 not advised for people with blood pressure issues or with hypothyroid - that's interesting so something to be avoided by both of us ...

@magsiesss Why should someone with "blood pressure" issues - (are you referring to high or low blood pressure?) - or a "hypothyroid" issues not take vitamin D3? Confused.

 

[KevinPotts]

I particularly like this video on Vit D. Very informative

Excellent video Brunneria.

New life, thanks for the testimonial, I am very pleased for the turn around you have experienced, it must be an exhilarating feeling


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[magsiesss]

@magsiesss Why should someone with "blood pressure" issues - (are you referring to high or low blood pressure?) - or a "hypothyroid" issues not take vitamin D3? Confused.

If you follow the links above, it explains why it would not be beneficial for people like me (with thyroid issues) or those like my other half with blood pressure issues

 

[Winnie53]

Which links? It would help me if you would state who posted the links. Thanks.

 

[Winnie53]

@magsiesss Are you referring to the information that hankjam linked to - (see below)?

Drugs and Supplements
Vitamin D

Safety
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not strictly regulate herbs and supplements. There is no guarantee of strength, purity or safety of products, and effects may vary. You should always read product labels. If you have a medical condition, or are taking other drugs, herbs, or supplements, you should speak with a qualified healthcare provider before starting a new therapy. Consult a healthcare provider immediately if you experience side effects.

Vitamin D may affect blood pressure. Caution is advised in people with blood pressure disorders or those taking drugs or herbs and supplements that affect blood pressure.

Use cautiously in people with headaches, heart disease, immune disorders (including lymph cancer and tuberculosis), kidney disease, liver disease, lung disorders, musculoskeletal disorders, skin disorders, stomach disorders, and thyroid disorders.

If these are the statements that led you to believe that these people should not take vitamin D, please understand they are cautions only. They are stating "look both ways before crossing the street", not "don't cross the street".

If you watch the Ivor Cummins lecture that Brunneria posted, you'll better understand why we all need to monitor and maintain our vitamin D levels. Diabetics who have low vitamin D levels are more likely to develop retinopathy for example. Those who have higher levels of vitamin D are less likely to have a heart attack, or get multiple sclerosis, colon cancer, etc.

Vitamin D works best when taken with it's partners: vitamin A, K2, and magnesium.

This article, The Role of Vitamin D Deficiency in Thyroid Disorders, explains why supplementing with vitamin D is important for those with hypothyroid issues...

https://chriskresser.com/the-role-of-vitamin-d-deficiency-in-thyroid-disorders/

 

[magsiesss]

Which links? It would help me if you would state who posted the links. Thanks.

This one as quoted in post 5 above .... http://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/vitamin-d/safety/hrb-20060400

 

[Winnie53]

@magsiesss we posted at the same time. See my response to you above.

 

[Winnie53]

This article, Ten things you need to know about Vitamin D, is also helpful for those who have both a thyroid disorder and a vitamin D deficiency...

http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/vitamin-d/

 

[newlife2012]

Well all I can say is that I'm fine!


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