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Greetings all from new member

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CollaredDove

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Hi - I have had a recent dx of prediabetes. My Hb1ac was 38 in April, then last month it had got to 44. This seems to me like a big rise. I have had to take a lot of IV steroids in past years, and take a regular steroid inhaler so this obviously hasnt helped.

A more context: Im 73, 125 lbs (BMI = 19.5) and live with severe copd (emphysema), bronchiectasis and haemochromatosis (iron overload). I exercise a fair bit to keep the copd from progressing faster than need be. Ive eaten fish, chicken, whole grains, green, root and salad veg as my basic diet for many years, with piece of cake about 3x week to keep my weight up to normal, and about 1 slice of toast and jam per day. Ive stopped those last two now. I dont drink alcohol (it encourages iron absorption), or sodas or fruit juice.
Ive tried to cut down carbs as far as possible, and increased my fat consumption (olive oil, coconut oil) but have dropped from 130 lbs to 125 lbs in less than a month, and it is dangerous for people with emphysema to lose too much weight.

So I shall be looking out for posts about how to keep weight UP as most of the info Ive read seems to be about trying to lose weight. I dont eat red meat (haemochromatosis), or much dairy as it creates mucus and makes me choke. So it's quite hard to know what to do to help stave off Type 2, especially after such a big rise from one test to the most recent one. Hoping you good people may have some ideas.

Sorry for so many details straight off. Any info will be gratefully received and I hope everyone is as well as possible and having a good evening.
Best wishes, Collared Dove / Jean
 
Hi, Jean, Welcome to the forums. :)

There is a member who can be tagged to give new members information. I will try to find out who that is and tag them.
 
Good morning, @CollaredDove,

Could well be your HbA1c is basically caused by the steroid use. Not something you can put aside when it makes it a bit difficult to draw breath without it eh. https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/gain-weight is about how to gain weight while maintaining a diet that would help your bloodsugars, so I'm hoping that'll help. Nutrient-dense food, every 3 hours, basically. The grains aren't helping you (whole or otherwise), root veggies aren't exactly good either as there's just too many carbs in those, but I do think you're on the right track: you're aware of foods and that they do impact your bloodsugars. https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/blog-entry/the-nutritional-thingy.2330/ is geared to treating T2 and facilitating weight loss, but if you juse it to figure out what foods won't spike you, and use nuts, milk, cheeses etc to bulk up your meals and snacks... I hope it'll be okay. Don't get into intermittent fasting!

https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/basic-information-for-newly-diagnosed-diabetics.17088/ is the link, I think, which @SaskiaKC mentioned, so.... You have your reading sorted for today. ;)

Good luck!
Jo
 
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