Type 2 Does my body think 115 mg/dL (6.4 mmol/L) to 135 mg/dL (7.5 mmol/L) is normal?

[IzzieS]

Please could you explain what ketosis is?

 

[Winnie53]

IzzieS, ketosis is a achieved by increasing fats and limiting carbohydrates - (primarily by not eating or greatly limiting sugar, refined carbohydrates, fruit, though berries are still okay for some, grains, starchy, root vegetables, and legumes while continuing to eat vegetables which provide nutrients and fiber and protein such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and nuts). In addition, I believe carb intake needs to be less than 75 carbs a day. Eric Westman, M.D., who has a clinic for helping people lose weight starts his patients at 20 carbs a day. I personally eat probably 40-50 carbs a day.

Essentially, the brain and body alternates between using carbohydrates or fat for "fuel". Ketosis switches the body to "fat burning mode" and helps us lose weight by using stored fat from our body and our liver, for those of us who have fatty liver. This link provides more information... http://www.dietdoctor.com/lose-weight-by-achieving-optimal-ketosis

To learn more about the low carb, high fat, moderate protein (LCHF) diet, join us on the Low-carb Diet Forum here... http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/category/low-carb-diet-forum.18/ and begin exploring the Diet Doctor website here... http://www.dietdoctor.com/ This is one of my favorite introductions to the LCHF diet...

Not sure if that adequately answers your question, but it's a start.

 

[Winnie53]

I'm going to be away from the computer most of today, but wanted to say that I also notice that if I have a moderate BG spike the previous afternoon or evening, I am often rewarded with a low fasting BG the next morning. For the last twelve years, I've been under tremendous amounts of stress and my sleep has deteriorated significantly. I believe this also affects BG. Tonight, I'll try to have a look at that DP thread.

 

[Brunneria]

IzzieS, ketosis is a achieved by increasing fats and limiting carbohydrates - (primarily by not eating or greatly limiting sugar, refined carbohydrates, fruit, though berries are still okay for some, grains, starchy, root vegetables, and legumes while continuing to eat vegetables which provide nutrients and fiber and protein such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and nuts). In addition, I believe carb intake needs to be less than 75 carbs a day. Eric Westman, M.D., who has a clinic for helping people lose weight starts his patients at 20 carbs a day. I personally eat probably 40-50 carbs a day.

Essentially, the brain and body alternates between using carbohydrates or fat for "fuel". Ketosis switches the body to "fat burning mode" and helps us lose weight by using stored fat from our body and our liver, for those of us who have fatty liver. This link provides more information... http://www.dietdoctor.com/lose-weight-by-achieving-optimal-ketosis

To learn more about the low carb, high fat, moderate protein (LCHF) diet, join us on the Low-carb Diet Forum here... http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/category/low-carb-diet-forum.18/ and begin exploring the Diet Doctor website here... http://www.dietdoctor.com/ This is one of my favorite introductions to the LCHF diet...

Not sure if that adequately answers your question, but it's a start.

Great explanation there.
The only thing I would add is that while ketosis is often used for weight loss, it is increasingly used by athletes, particularly endurance athletes, and as a treatment for epilepsy. So it has much wider benefits than for just type 2 diabetics who want to lose weight. Although many of us try getting into ketosis for that, then stay there because of how great it makes us feel...

 

[Lesleywo]

@Winnie53 and @Brunneria , add me to your unusual club. I have the same exact issue with the Dawn Phenomenon which impacts my post-prandial readings for the rest of the day. Usually, it rights itself by lunch, but definitely by late afternoon/pre-dinner.

I have made it to 94 fasting ONCE in several months, yet I didn't do anything different than what I do every day. I have logged my food and watched my BS patterns, but I can't figure out what the correlation may be, although I think it may be sleep...or lack of. I do have a 22 month old who calls for me if anything wakes her up during the night. <sigh>

Last night, I ate peanuts for a snack and was well-within both my daily carb allotment AND my meal allotment (I never allow myself to go > 10 carbs max at a meal/snack, although 5-7 is my typical). My FBS this morning was the highest it has been in such a long time at 136. I think I need to write off peanuts.

Anyhow, if my FBS is high in the morning, it takes it all day to drop it and then the wicked cycle begins the next day.

I have been listening to Jason Fung on YouTube a lot lately (helps pass the ironing time) and he talks a lot about insulin resistance being the cause of type 2 diabetes and elevated blood sugars are just a symptom. The problem is too much insulin as opposed to not enough in type 1. I found his information on insulogenic foods really interesting and somewhat surprising e.g. fish and beef raises insulin ... we know from Type 1's having to bolus for protein that these foods create an insulin response. I get the impression he thinks that the focus should be more on treating insulin resistance (the cause) than elevated blood sugars (the symptom).

By this he suggests eating plenty of fibre (fruits, veg, beans, unprocessed wheatfree grains), eggs are good, milk is bad, good fats etc. But importantly, he favours intermittent fasting whereby the body has a break from the food/insulin response. I am not the kind of person to go without food for a day so I am trying the one where you only eat over an 8 hour period and therefore fast for 16. This means breakfast at 10am and dinner at 5.45pm for me.

Sorry to digress .. I originally started this post to see if you had tried the vinegar method as suggested by Dr Fung. He suggests taking 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar before bed.

I don't have a problem with my fasting BS but I have noted that if it's a bit higher to start with, it tends to sit around that figure for most of the day.