Frightened and confused

[debj56]

I will try to keep this as brief as possible . I’m 56 female overweight , dr says pre diabetic ( no number given ) both parents diabetic and amputees . Very frighten as to what to do , need advice re diet and and testing . Have made meal plan for myself of low carb ( 70g or less per day) is this enough , too low , where does Keto fit in ?
Desperately worried and want to make the right choices . Worried about conflict between Keto and diets with fat and losing weight .
Have bought a tasting monitor and this morning tested 16 - am so worried - don’t know what to do for the best and worried I’ll end up doing nothing because I can’t decide ?! Need good advice re diet and when to test . Please any advice gratefully received

 

[Redshank]

@debj56 welcome to the forum - by finding it you have already made a positive start.
Reducing your carbohydrates is also a very good start.
70g a day or less is also a decent starting point
You have bought a meter, also a good step
I was also diagnosed prediabetic, and I kept a food diary with the amount of carbs in everything I ate when I started.
I then tested before, and two hours after meals to see what impact they had on my blood sugar, and I recorded the results. Importantly if the rise was too much, I reduced the carbs in that meal. Over time I found what I can and cannot eat.

You have already taken positive steps, and these will have an impact on your blood sugar
Eating fat doesn’t make you fat. I can see why your family situation makes this even more scary, but you are taking the right first steps to avoid this

Re: your blood test at the Doctor, if you are in the UK you are entitled to the result of your test. This may be via online access (which you have to request) or you can ask reception for a printout of the results.

 

[angustia]

I will try to keep this as brief as possible . I’m 56 female overweight , dr says pre diabetic ( no number given ) both parents diabetic and amputees . Very frighten as to what to do , need advice re diet and and testing . Have made meal plan for myself of low carb ( 70g or less per day) is this enough , too low , where does Keto fit in ?
Desperately worried and want to make the right choices . Worried about conflict between Keto and diets with fat and losing weight .
Have bought a tasting monitor and this morning tested 16 - am so worried - don’t know what to do for the best and worried I’ll end up doing nothing because I can’t decide ?! Need good advice re diet and when to test . Please any advice gratefully received

My doctor did not prescribe me any medication, instead she wants me to tackle my type 2 with diet and activities. I was not quite overweight, but I've read that weight loss makes an impact on reducing blood glucose levels (it benefits the pancreas, and liver). I've led an active life due to my work (which has unfortunately lulled me into thinking I'm doing enough activities).

I've included a 30 minute exercise (either by walking or dancing) - at least 5 days a week - in battling
this disease. I've lost almost 10 pounds now since September 2019. I'm in my 60's.

Don't let diabetes get a foothold on you!
Imho - prevention is so much better. If I could only turn back time....
If you can cut back some more carbs (induction - 20 g). Choose healthy carbs alternatives like lettuces, cabbage, raddish, nuts etc..,

I urge you to include exercises.

 

[debj56]

Thank you , lots of helpful advice . I am feeling a bit calmer and determined to try and get this under control

 

[VashtiB]

Hello and welcome,

Finding this site is a great start. Getting a testing monitor even better start.

The level of carb varies from person to person. Starting on 70 grams is an excellent begining. It may take a couple of days or even more for the levels to drop to within the normal range If they don't drop after a week reduce the carbs a little and see how that goes.

Keep posting and reading you will get there.

 

[Resurgam]

It seems to be the other way round - getting blood glucose under control can mean easy weightloss. I didn't even think about my weight, just my BG levels, until my clothes started sliding off - luckily not in public. Even now although not losing weight I am reducing in size.
Eating fat changes your metabolism over to using ketones, providing so much more energy for lucky ones like me. I only need to eat twice a day and go out several nights a week.
I started off at 50 gm of carbs a day maximum, and got back to normal levels, but I have been glucose intolerant for so long I don't see any lowering of Hba1c even now I am at 40 gm of carbs as a maximum - but I seem to be doing well enough.

 

[JoKalsbeek]

I will try to keep this as brief as possible . I’m 56 female overweight , dr says pre diabetic ( no number given ) both parents diabetic and amputees . Very frighten as to what to do , need advice re diet and and testing . Have made meal plan for myself of low carb ( 70g or less per day) is this enough , too low , where does Keto fit in ?
Desperately worried and want to make the right choices . Worried about conflict between Keto and diets with fat and losing weight .
Have bought a tasting monitor and this morning tested 16 - am so worried - don’t know what to do for the best and worried I’ll end up doing nothing because I can’t decide ?! Need good advice re diet and when to test . Please any advice gratefully received

Hi @debj56 , and welcome,

Where does Keto fit in? Let's see... Basically, all carbs turn to glucose once ingested. Usually, a body would use glucose for fuel, but as a prediabetic/T2 there's a problem there: It doesn't get burned off, it get stored in fat cells instead, and when those are full the sugar shows up in your bloodstream, urine, tears, saliva etc, and then you'd be a T2... When you go low carb, which you're doing right now, your body doesn't have much to store or get rid of otherwise... So your blood glucose will most likely drop (usually depends a little on how bad things have gotten though, how low one must go is a personal thing, not a one-size-fits-all.), as will your weight. Now, with keto, the objective is to switch entirely from glucose burning to fat burning. Hence the name: When you burn fat, you release ketones, meaning you hit ketosis. It'll drop blood sugars even further, and promote more weight loss. Mind you, the rule for getting into fat-burning mode is 20 grams a day of carbs or less, usually working best when combined with Intermittent Fasting. (For me, that means skipping breakfast. I stick with some Earl Grey, instead). Some reach ketosis at 30, some maintain it at 40, but it's absolutely certain to happen at 20 grams or less. So what now? You try your 70 grams a day for a while. See what they gets you. (Yay for a meter! Check before a meal and 2 hours after. You don't want to go up more than 2.0 mmol/l). If results aren't satisfactory after another week or so, lower your carbs again; keep trying.

I know you feel like indecision'll get you to be inactive, but see it as a running experiment... If one thing doesn't (sufficiently) work, go a step further. Increments YOU decide for yourself. You don't have to get it 100% right overnight you know. And your body needs time to adjust too. As you take in fewer carbs, your liver gets confused a little, thinking it should dump more glucose into your bloodstream as it thinks your levels should be higher, because that's what it's used to. It takes a short while for your liver to get with the program. So do give yourself a moment eh... You'll be fine.

Also, this might help, https://josekalsbeek.blogspot.com/2019/11/the-nutritional-thingy.html as well as dietdoctor.com and this forum's website, diabetes.co.uk (not .org!).

You're not doomed. And what you learn now may actually help your parents as well, avoid further complications and whatnot. You'll get there, no worries.
Jo