Help for a friend

[GinA21]

My friend and I are both diabetic. She was diagnosed 12 years ago I was diagnosed 4 years ago. I have been lucky to be able to reverse mine for over 2 years now. But my friend is on the highest dose of metformin and other non insulin drugs. Her latest hab1c is 80 and she is very despondent that her next step is insulin. I want to support her by encouraging her not to give up the weight loss (she has lost 11 kg but in the last 3 months put 3 back on) because I know this is the new research. She had been trending down her last test was 58 down from 61 you can imagine her despair at getting 80. Can anyone give me some help on what she can do to get her BG down and avoid insulin

 

[Bluetit1802]

Hi,

Diet is the key to both reducing blood sugar levels and weight. Carbs are the culprits and need to be reduced. What sort of foods does your friend eat? Does she use a glucose meter and food diary to help her with her food choices? How did you manage to reverse your diabetes and maintain it for the last 2 years? (Very well done for that, by the way)

 

[Guzzler]

Perhaps get your friend to join this forum? There's nothing like a one to one convo for advice and support and they are here in abundance.

 

[GinA21]

Yes I have suggested this but she is a bit wary. She doesn't trust things like this after being hacked and finding her Facebook operating by someone else.

 

[GinA21]

Hi,

Diet is the key to both reducing blood sugar levels and weight. Carbs are the culprits and need to be reduced. What sort of foods does your friend eat? Does she use a glucose meter and food diary to help her with her food choices? How did you manage to reverse your diabetes and maintain it for the last 2 years? (Very well done for that, by the way)

I got on here to this community and went pretty much low carb. Lost 25kg and did a half marathon. I am still diabetic if I didn't watch my carbs and weight I would be back where I started. My hbA1c ranges from 32 to 40 (when I fell and couldn't exercise much) depending on weight and what I eat and how much exercise I do.
My friend does eat poorly from time to time a lot of meals out and yet very well at other times. I think the main thing is she is so ashamed of being diabetic she calls it the lifestyle disease. I know type 2 is about weight gain and stress and lack of exercise but in her case she has strong genetic predisposition. With her mother and father having diabetes later in life. I will try and get her back in a positive frame of mind and keep going with the low carb. Thanks for your help.

 

[mazza 2]

It's good to hear she has a good friend like you who is looking out for her. Just wanted to say that although type 2 is portrayed as a lifestyle disease, I do not believe this is always the case, otherwise most of the population would have type 2 diabetes. I was not and have never been overweight, so I was completely shocked when diagnosed, because like most people (and doctors think) I thought it only affected people who ate too many pies and were lazy!!! I have since learnt so much about this condition mainly through the information and knowledge of the people on this website. I do believe prolonged stress and hereditary factors play a large part in getting diabetes but I blame the information from dieticians about eating carbs and avoiding healthy fats to be one of the biggest causes. Try and get your friend to browse this website, she will receive lots of advice and support from the good people here and she doesn't have to take their advice. Take care

 

[GinA21]

Yes I agree and I am so sorry you got this disease and didn't get to sloth round and eat pies (jokes) like the rest of us did.
Yes there has to be a heriditary and other factors. For me I think there was a lot of stress and travel staying alone and huge emotional eating. And the tell tale apple shaped body. Thanks for your advice.