The NHS blood glucose levels for
non-diabetics are as follows:
3.5 - 5.5 before meals/fasting;
less than 8, 2 hours after eating.
The levels for Type 2 are preferred to be within the ranges:
4 - 7 before meals/fasting;
less than 8.5, 2 hours after eating.
So yes, it seems your GP is right - you are diabetic. Don't worry - it's not the end of the world
. You just need to adjust your lifestyle and learn to live with it. To be honest, it's been the best thing that ever happened to me
- I've had to take control and it's been very good for me.
The best way to control your blood glucose levels without medication, or with basic medication such as Metformin, is by controlling your carbohydrate intake. Some people can eat between 100g/130g a day without upsetting their blood glucose; some people, like me, need to stay below 70g daily and preferably around 30g.
I try to keep most carbohydrates out of my diet - see
Viv's Modified Atkins Diet, which is a Sticky Thread in the Low-carb section of the forum, to see what I eat; I need to lose weight and this diet does that too!
Other people manage perfectly well by including carbohydrates, but only in small portions; it's also better to eat brown foods - wholemeal bread, wholemeal pasta, brown rice - instead of the white equivalents. New potatoes - just one or two - are better than old, mash or chips.
Get yourself a Carb Counter book (search on Amazon) and check the amount of carbs in everything you eat. Learn to read labels; it's not just sugar we have to watch, it's "total carbs". Keep a food diary; use your meter to test before and 2 hours after every meal. You'll soon learn what spikes you. This phase needn't last long - I don't often test around every meal these days, because I know what foods I can eat and stick to them.
It's a lot to take on board in the beginning, but you'll soon get the hang of it, and there's lots of support and help on here. People who can answer your questions from experience, as almost all of us are diabetic. So welcome to the club
:wink:
Viv 8)