Hello Asian Indian from USA

[Hind1]

My first post in this forum! I'm an Asian Indian living in the USA! I tried few US diabetes forums, but they were very abrasive and authoritarian. I came to this forum anticipating same attitude, but you guys are the best! In spite of geographical and cultural differences, I find this forum is very inclusive and supportive!! I have read through a lot of threads and finally decided to Introduce myself. Just thought I will share my experience. Being Asian Indian, thought this post may be useful to
someone else joining new.

TL,DR; 40 year old Asian Indian, healthy, suddenly find very high post meal sugar spike; now after losing 10lbs, spike shifted to 2hr mark, discusses about dietary changes and what worked and did not.

Question: why did it happen suddenly, what are my next steps, and how to move forward in non-dietary areas?

Background:
I'm from a mostly vegetarian family, with non diabetic parents and grand parents, I have no history of diabetes or pre-diabetes till last year (HbA1c<5.4 for last 10 years), 40 years old, 5' 8", 150lb ±5lb since 2014. No other health issues. 2018, a HOMA IR was done as a part of free health fair and it was 1.7 and 7ng/dl fasting insulin. Random glucose always less than 6mmol/L.

latest check was on 11-Nov-2020: HbA1C was 5%, fasting glucose was 87mg/dl (4.8% US ), and SGPT (ALT) SGOT(AST), TG (0.85mmol/l), HDL (1mmol/l), LDL(2.2mmol/dl) were all well below limit. 5' 8", 150lb. No other health issues except slightly elevated BP (130/75). Doc prescribed metoprolol 25mg twice a day, took that for a month and stopped it on 15-Dec-2020. Diet, activity, and weight were all stable for the whole 2020.


Since last few years, I periodically check my post meal glucose levels (every six months), but the latest experiment turned into a nightmare.

Since Jan 2021 I'm seeing my 1 hour meal spikes up to 211mg/dl (12mmol/L) for the same food that were at 140mg/dl (7mmol/L) mark six months ago. I'm certain of the trend, because I have measured around 300 times at various times of the day after various meals in the last 45 days. I bought a new meter to spot check my old one and the meter checks out too.

I decided to cut out snacking altogether (from 14-Jan-21) and started walking more. I was 152lb just before my experiment started. I started losing weight, now I'm at 138.4lb.

Twist to the story:
Since two weeks, my 1 hour readings are lower in the range of 7mmol/l (140mg/dl ), but 2hr readings are in the range of 11mmol/L (200mg/dl). Essentially, peak shifted from 1 hour to 2 hour mark.

3 hour readings always in the range of 6mmol/L (120mg/dl) mark.

This is puzzling. Why would the peak shift? These are same high carb meals (rice, chapatis)

This is my plan:
Due to COVID, my GP is limiting appointments. I'm planning to meet him and ask for may be fasting glucose, A1C, C-peptide or insulin test. Not sure if I need to ask for any other test!
I'm thinking of getting a DEXA scan to understand my fat distribution and muscle mass ratio. It costs USD 75 and available a mile from my home, and I think it will help me understand my profile better.
Being Asian, the BMI cut off for Diabetes is lower. I'm planning to maintain my weight in the 140lb range, and keep it below 145lb.

Diet, what worke so far and what does not:

Spiking foods:

1. Boiled rice, wheat flour absolutely spikes me. 200g boiled rice would spike me to 12mmol/L
2. Chapatti was a bad surprise (40-100g carb), any curry with chapatti would not blunt the spike, I would invariably touch 11mmol/L.
3. Incidentally, chicken (with or without curries) spikes me, so I need to find if any change to cooking method blunts the spike

Foods that are tolerated (baseline assumed to be 5.5mmol/L):

1. Same 200g boiled rice with 100g cooked spinach would only spike me to 6.5mmol/l (measured up to 3 hours after meal, 5.5mmol/L after 3 hours)
2. Boiled rice with goat curry with mutton pieces would not spike me past 140mg/dl (checked up to 4 hours)
3. Boiled potato (150g boiled weight) spiked to 7mmol/L
4. Plantain or bell pepper bhajji (70g carb) was a pleasant surprise, no spike at all (for three hours)
5. last month, veggie pizza with 80g carb did not spike me above 6.5mmol/l (checked every hour for 4 hours post meal)
6. I can eat bread (46g carb) with almond butter or peanut butter and the spike will not exceed 6mmol/L in the morning and 7mmol/L in the afternoon (yes, I tested same food for both meals)
7. Rava idli, Wheat upma, Dosa made with different beans, all are well tolerated (spikes less than 7mmol/L)

No surprises:

1. Egg omelet, cheese, nuts, Avocado and veggies do not spike me.
2. Chickpeas and gram flour does not spike me (85g dry chickpea in chenna masala spikes me to 6mmol/l

Not tested so far:
1. Fruits of any kind
2. Breakfast cereals
3. Any kind of pasta
4. Desserts
5. Cookies, biscuits, chocolate
6. Protein powder

 

[xfieldok]

Hi and welcome.

Have you tried cauliflower rice?

Have a look at headbangerskitchen.com.

Google keto chapati.

Have you actually been diagnosed with diabetes?

 

[Daibell]

Hi and welcome. Your BS readings don't appear too bad but you say you have lost weight recently? Was that a planned weight loss thru diet or unexpected? if unexpected there is always the possibility of being late onset T1 (LADA). If you are slim, do bear that in mind. Your diet appears to be very much from the Indian culture and does contain quite a bit of carb. As you know this can be a problem so anything you can do to keep the carsb down will help. You may find most of the foods you list in the 'Not tested so far' will cause BS spikes and not be ideal. Having a body fat mass check is always useful. I had one in the gym (free!) and it was 16 i.e. good. A C-Peptide test could be useful to check where you are between T2 and T1. My private test showed my insulin production to be low and towards T1.

 

[MrsA2]

Hi and Welcome
I find your chicken results interesting. I know there has been debate here in the UK about whether we adopt a US way of treating poultry with some kind of cleaning agent. I wonder if that's whats doing it? If so it doesn't bode well for us as I think our government has okay ed this process.

(Edited by mod in line with forum policy on acceptable language)

 

[Hind1]

Hi and Welcome
I find your chicken results interesting. I know there has been debate here in the UK about whether we adopt a US way of treating poultry with some kind of cleaning agent. I wonder if that's whats doing it? If so it doesn't bode well for us as I think our government has okay ed this process.

Thanks for the feedback.

(Edited by moderator)

 

[Hind1]

Hi and welcome. Your BS readings don't appear too bad but you say you have lost weight recently? Was that a planned weight loss thru diet or unexpected? if unexpected there is always the possibility of being late onset T1 (LADA). If you are slim, do bear that in mind. Your diet appears to be very much from the Indian culture and does contain quite a bit of carb. As you know this can be a problem so anything you can do to keep the carsb down will help. You may find most of the foods you list in the 'Not tested so far' will cause BS spikes and not be ideal. Having a body fat mass check is always useful. I had one in the gym (free!) and it was 16 i.e. good. A C-Peptide test could be useful to check where you are between T2 and T1. My private test showed my insulin production to be low and towards T1.

Thanks for your insight.

I cut junk carbs (cookies, crisps, chocolates, cake), I only eat 3 meals a day since then and as a result I went down to 1200-1300cal a day (probably from 1600cal a day). I also started walking 12k steps a day. I think that triggered weight loss. I looked at newcastle diet and decided it is not for me.

I lost a bit of my small belly, I think I'm losing some fat. I'm also afraid I'm losing muscle. That is the reason for DEXA scan, to get a baseline. I'm planning to perform strength training in coming months to improve muscle glucose uptake (I hope).

Regarding carbs, I record everything I eat since I began to notice high glucose, and I came down from 250g per day of carbs in Jan to 150g per day as of today. yesterday was 100g total, daybefore 160g whole day.

I listed things that I may never test in the non-tested column, except some fruits and protein powder.

 

[Hind1]

Hi and welcome.

Have you tried cauliflower rice?



Have you actually been diagnosed with diabetes?

I've planning to pick up riced cauliflower during the next round of grocery shopping

Not officially dx'ed yet. Yet to get an appointment, COVID is delaying availability.