Best way to control blood sugar levels

Hi Netter, welcome and well done for posting on here. I'm sure we can help you get on track.

What is your HbA1c now, and what do you typically eat? What's your BMI?

Others will have different stories, but for me I went LCHF immediately (no more than 30-50g carbs a day) and started brisk walking of about 30 minutes a day. The initial motivation was to prove that I could do this without medication, both to my GP and more importantly to myself. The ongoing motivation is to keep it up so that I can keep away from medication as much as possible, and also there is continuing incentive from other people on here with similar circumstances. And there's nothing like a bit of mutual encouragement to keep focussed.

OK, so I have been on here saying how well and quickly James brought his blood sugar under control and how easily he lost weight, so here goes:

The motivation was: If I don't do it, I will go blind. He was diagnosed with retinopathy. I'm also a fearsome old bat, who will shriek and rage at any slight hint of transgression from the rules. - It just isn't worth it!

The method was low carb and frequent testing, to see how low the carbs had to go.
James, and I (most of the time) refuse to eat: most bread (a little pumpernickel is the exception), pasta, potatoes (except a very occasional roasted new potato), breakfast cereal (we have porridge on a very occasional basis), rice (again very small portion occasionally), cakes, sweets, biscuits, honey, most fruit, all fruit juices, beer, most white wine, sugary spirits and anything else which contains sugar.

As a result of this diet, weight fell off both of us, simple as that, I'm afraid.
The motivation to continue is that we are both slim, well, active, wide awake and complications seem to be under control. James upped his exercise and got help with improving gym routines and techniques. We are enjoying life, more than we have for years.

Do ask any questions you need to. Can you tell us what you have actually been doing to try and control your bs?

Don't give up yet!

Sally

Hi netter,

Do you have a blood test meter and strips?

Have you read the post for newly diagnosed as it is still relevant if you are having difficulties?

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/basic-information-for-newly-diagnosed-diabetics.26870/

The testing is the key to success as is working out how many carbs you can eat and control your diabetes. You will see, if you read through the forums, that some people eat 20 grms of carbohydrates where others can go as high as 150 which illustrates that we are all different in our response.
It's the same with bread, some can get away with half a slice and some can eat a couple of slices.
Fruits vary too. Some can only eat berries whereas others can eat temperate ones. The worst offenders are usually tropical.
Small new potatoes are OK for some as are a portion of roasted ones. I did see a post where some people can eat a whole baked one with good results. I have used these as an illustration of how "your mileage may vary"

A food diary, a meter and extensive testing usually works.

Hope this helps.

Having been diagnosed for about 5 years, this April when I went for a 6 month review my HbA1C had risen to 71 from 59 and my Metformin was increased to the maximum dose. I hadn't got a clue what happened next, the only thing I could think of was that the next appointment would put me on insulin (I now know this isn't true). I realised I REALLY did not want to be injecting several times a day, it was the kick up the back side I needed.

I started doing research on line (and ended up here), bought a BG meter and started testing through out the day to find out what I was reacting to and so see how my BS changed through the day. After 3 months my HbA1C has gone down to 56 (it could still do to be lower and hopefully it will be when it is tested in 6 months time) and I have lost a stone in weight. My meter is now my best friend and makes sure I don't go off the straight and narrow too much. Its been a week since I saw the nurse and I have relaxed a bit in that week. Last night my post meal reading was fairly good so I allowed myself a treat or two, a piece of dark chocolate, a homemade low carb oat and raisin cookie, individually they don't effect my BS much, however last night one lead to two and then another cookie as I was passing the box. When I took my final reading before bed instead of going down, it had gone up a bit (about 0.3 so not too bad) not dangerous in its self, but it showed to me how easy it would be to fall back into my old habits. It was a warning and tonight I will be looking very carefully at what I eat, far better than waiting 6 months to find the HbA1C had rocketed again.

I haven't cut any particular food stuffs out, one or two meals have had to be changed, and things like ready meals and ready made sauces have to be chosen carefully, I am fine with some, but not with others. I don't low carb specifically but my intake has about halved due to being guided by my meter.

I eat anything with no sugar BUT in moderation NO BOZE at all 5.30 am reading is 4 to 4.3 no change at all after brekkie toast and suger free marmalade goes up 5.7 slowly goes down till lunch at 12.00 then just before it 4.5 thenup 2 hrs leter to approx. 6 tea last meal of day at 5 its down to 4 .3/ 4.7 then just a sandwich and small cake /biscuit taken last thing reading usualy is 6.2/6.6 cup tea 1 biscuit bed at about 10 with a reading ofbetween 5 and 6 also do not exercise atall apart from housework.done this for about 20 years. and don't worry keep happy

Ruth B said:

Last night my post meal reading was fairly good so I allowed myself a treat or two, a piece of dark chocolate, a homemade low carb oat and raisin cookie, individually they don't effect my BS much, however last night one lead to two and then another cookie as I was passing the box. When I took my final reading before bed instead of going down, it had gone up a bit (about 0.3 so not too bad) not dangerous in its self, but it showed to me how easy it would be to fall back into my old habits.

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Remember that meters have something like a 10-15% accuracy. So a 0.3 (mmol/l) change may not be significent anyway.
Interestingly the Hba1C test isn't that much more accurate than these meters either.

It wasn't that it had gone up 0.3, I know the meters have a margin of error, it was that it hadn't gone down a full point or two as I would have expected if I had limited my treats better.

mpe said:

Interestingly the Hba1C test isn't that much more accurate than these meters either.

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I had 2 HbA1c tests 10 days apart. The first one was 52. The second was 53. Maybe it was very heavily weighted to that 10 day period, but even so ... one could have been above the cut off line and one under it.

Motivation is no problem for me, when I eat strict LCHF I am full of energy and feel fine, if I eat carbs I get very tired and foggy.

So I don't eat grain or cereal or fruit or sugar. and very little root vegs or potatoes I eat a lot of vegs, eggs, meat, fish, cheese and a lot of fat like butter and olive oil.

Hi Netter, Welcome to the lunatic asylum, don't let other peoples stories depress you let them motivate you, think to yourself if they can so can I, we all have our off days/weeks but when we see results is a yahoo day, my motivation is 8 kids, between me and hubby, 22 grandchildren, that we know of, and a great granddaughter just coming up to her 1st birthday and a wish to see her get married. I eat to my meter its my best friend.

To control the sugar level of your body you need to control your diet plan.eat fresh fruits except banana.because there are so many calories in banana.which can increase your sugar level.so don't eat banana.eat fresh vegetable except potato.to take care of these thing you will surely control your sugar level.

Poor you, Netter. There are so many things to consider with diet, exercise and medication and all of us respond differently. Food can be complicated, but there's one single common theme - avoid as much processed food as possible. If you go down that route, you will see a difference. But I'm not trying to kid anyone because that's not easy, but is a good rule. All bread is highly processed, but that why you hear about black bread or pumpernickel style bread being better. That's enough to be going on with.

Russ

Alice is right, but there are always exceptions. I can eat bananas with little or no problem, but I can't eat grapes, for example. You will learn in time, what suits you.

i was diagnose dec 2012. i was worried but i met a good doctor who told me that it could be reverse and never cured. (cured meaning it would not reappear). he ask me to follow a lchf diet, with exercise. sure enough the fasting bg falls to 4.6 from 10.8. within a week. but i do feel like end of the world during that week.

Hi Netter, would agree with all above. I was surprised how quickly I managed with beer, biscuits, cakes, potatoes, pasta, bread and even rice, which was my biggie. I am struggling to eat more now, because what I eat feels fine but in calorific terms, is not enough.... and the weight is shifting off.... I make my own chocolates, 70% chocolate and same weight of double cream and that sorts my treat fix, one a day is fine... I don't eat anything between meals.... though dinner can go on a bit.... my BG are stilling down as I relate food to testing. I weigh myself once every two weeks, long enough to see a difference and don't get too hung up on the once a week routine.
You've come to a good place if you are reading this site.
Good luck
Hj

Hi Netter, welcom to the Forum. I was diagnosed in February this year, I found this site and haven't looked back. I started on the LCHF diet straight away and within 3 months I had lost 2 stone in weight and my HbA1c was down from 64 to 45. Also, I have dropped 1 of my Metformin tabs and hope to drop the other one when I get the results of my 2nd HbA1c test next Monday.

Fear is a great motivator, I didn't want to go blind or lose any limbs. So finding this site and reading other people's success stories has kept me on the straight and narrow right from the beginning, the advice on here from more experienced diabetics is invaluable and has also been a great motivator for me.

Have a good look round this site, you will be amazed how much information you will find on how to control your bg. If you have any questions, please ask.

Good luck, and keep us informed how you are getting on.

Marilyn.

hankjam said:

Hi Netter, would agree with all above. I was surprised how quickly I managed with beer, biscuits, cakes, potatoes, pasta, bread and even rice, which was my biggie. I am struggling to eat more now, because what I eat feels fine but in calorific terms, is not enough.... and the weight is shifting off.... I make my own chocolates, 70% chocolate and same weight of double cream and that sorts my treat fix, one a day is fine... I don't eat anything between meals.... though dinner can go on a bit.... my BG are stilling down as I relate food to testing. I weigh myself once every two weeks, long enough to see a difference and don't get too hung up on the once a week routine.
You've come to a good place if you are reading this site.
Good luck
Hj

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Hi Hank. You might like to consider quinoa (pronounced keenwaa) instead of rice. Cooked rice has about 52.4% carbohydrate and quinoa has about 38.3%. Good luck.

Russ