smithjohns
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I have just been told I am at the top end of the pre-diabetic range at the age of 76. My father became Type 2 in his late sixties so I may have a genetic pre-disposition. Is there any hope I can reverse my conditions?
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Is there any hope for me?
- Thread starter smithjohns
- Start Date
steve_p6
Well-Known Member
I think it really depends if you are type 2, ie insulin resistant, or just getting old and the pancreas not quite working as well as it did. My Dad is similar age to you and I think in the latter category. In his case he takes his metformin, hascut back on eating too many carbs and keepsactive. Not reversed but under control.
It depends on your attitude and how far you want to take control of your health. You can say it is a predisposition and there is nothing I can do, take the medication and carry on as before. Or you can say I may have a predisposition but I am not going to let that get the better of me while I can do something about it and start monitoring your diet, exercise and weight. While you have a pre diabetic reading you have an opportunity to change your life, it is up to you.
sally and james
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...... or you may simply have lived in a similar environment and/or have a similar approach and attitude to life. Of course you can reverse your condition. You will need to make some changes to your lifestyle, but it can be done. Cut out sugars, sweet things and starches. Start testing your blood sugars so that you can understand what is happening to you on a day by day, meal by meal basis. Learn all you can about diabetes and you can hold it in check. Others will fill in details, but it can be done!
Sally
daisy1
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@smithjohns
Hello and welcome to the forum
Here is the basic information which we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful. It contains advice about carbs and a link to the Low Carb Program. By reducing the carbs in your diet, and hence reducing your blood levels, you may be able to avoid becoming fully diabetic. Ask as many questions as you want and someone will be able to help.
BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEWLY DIAGNOSED DIABETICS
Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.
A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you'll find well over 220,000 people who are demonstrating this.
On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.
The role of carbohydrate
Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.
If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.
The bad news
Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.
The good news
People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.
Controlling your carbs
The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.
There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:
A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.
The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.
Choosing better carbohydrates
The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.
Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes.
Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a free 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.
Eating what works for you
Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.
To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.
The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:
Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
Access to blood glucose test strips
The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:
Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to blood glucose testing supplies.
You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic.
Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.
Hello and welcome to the forum
Here is the basic information which we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful. It contains advice about carbs and a link to the Low Carb Program. By reducing the carbs in your diet, and hence reducing your blood levels, you may be able to avoid becoming fully diabetic. Ask as many questions as you want and someone will be able to help.BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEWLY DIAGNOSED DIABETICS
Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.
A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you'll find well over 220,000 people who are demonstrating this.
On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.
The role of carbohydrate
Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.
If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.
The bad news
Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.
The good news
People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.
Controlling your carbs
The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.
There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:
- Reduce your carbohydrate intake
- Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates
A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.
The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.
Choosing better carbohydrates
The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.
Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes.
Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a free 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.
Eating what works for you
Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.
To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.
The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:
Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
- Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l
- Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
- Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
Access to blood glucose test strips
The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:
- structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
- self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education
Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to blood glucose testing supplies.
You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic.
Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.
you could up your excercise and if that is too much walk a lot more than you do now and go low carb, it takes some effort to learn of that but it is worth while
Tabbyjoolz
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There is always hope.
I'm loath to use the word "reverse" and prefer to use the word "remission". Even if you get your Hba1c down to what is considered a non-diabetic level, you would still need to maintain your regime re food and exercise.
Has your doc prescribed tablets or offered you any other help? I suspect not. Have a good look round the forums and the rest of the site. There are loads of good tips and excellent support offered by people who have turned their lives around.
I'm loath to use the word "reverse" and prefer to use the word "remission". Even if you get your Hba1c down to what is considered a non-diabetic level, you would still need to maintain your regime re food and exercise.
Has your doc prescribed tablets or offered you any other help? I suspect not. Have a good look round the forums and the rest of the site. There are loads of good tips and excellent support offered by people who have turned their lives around.
Sorry, my initial response was less than helpful.
There is always hope and you can certainly at least delay a diagnosis of diabetes. Do start a food diary and a testing regime 2 hours after eating to find out which foods your body is reacting to. It may not just be sugar but cutting that out is a good start, it is surprising the number of foods that have sugar added from baked beans to smoked products. For a few weeks the weekly shop takes longer than usual as you read the labels more closely. A lot of us on this site use healthy fats to help us feel full, things like olives, eggs, cheese, even a dash of cream. By cutting down on the foods that are mainly carbohydrates you will find that you tend to lose weight and it comes off slowly so your skin has time to adjust to the slimmer you.
Brisk walking becomes a part of everyday life and rapidly you find that you are extending the routes that you use to keep it to 30 min. There are several relatively inexpensive items to use to tone muscles in the upper body, some with online support groups that encourage and make it fun. Last summer I took part in an online Olympics that challenged me yet I managed some medals. There are also online walks that you can do on those days when it is pouring outside.
I should go for it. If I can do it so can you.
There is always hope and you can certainly at least delay a diagnosis of diabetes. Do start a food diary and a testing regime 2 hours after eating to find out which foods your body is reacting to. It may not just be sugar but cutting that out is a good start, it is surprising the number of foods that have sugar added from baked beans to smoked products. For a few weeks the weekly shop takes longer than usual as you read the labels more closely. A lot of us on this site use healthy fats to help us feel full, things like olives, eggs, cheese, even a dash of cream. By cutting down on the foods that are mainly carbohydrates you will find that you tend to lose weight and it comes off slowly so your skin has time to adjust to the slimmer you.
Brisk walking becomes a part of everyday life and rapidly you find that you are extending the routes that you use to keep it to 30 min. There are several relatively inexpensive items to use to tone muscles in the upper body, some with online support groups that encourage and make it fun. Last summer I took part in an online Olympics that challenged me yet I managed some medals. There are also online walks that you can do on those days when it is pouring outside.
I should go for it. If I can do it so can you.
Last edited:
smithjohns
Member
- Messages
- 17
Thank you Phoenix55 for your second response, which gives me a lot of encouragement. It is early days but I think I am starting to do all the right things. I am not unduly overweight but it would still be good to lose a bit. After all the advice I have received, plus research, I am going to go for the low carb (not very low carb) approach. I will do a fasting test once a week, and a before-and-after test if I suspect that a food is not helpful. A bit frustrated that I have to wait six months for another HbA1c test. It is along time to wait to see if I am succeeding. Do the weekly blood glucose tests that I am doing give a good indication?
As a minimum I do a daily fasting test, that is after months of keeping a careful food /exercise/mood diary. I am back on regular fasting + 2 hours after meals testing regime with the new Year to make sure that I am not slipping up with portion size, the scales tell me that, and to get back into healthy habits after indulging at Christmas. It uses up the strips but my health is worth every penny of my pension. Cutting the carbs will mean that you lose weight, I lost a pound a week for months until I gradually increased my intake of fats to balance out my diet. Now I am about the middle of the chart for my height. Six months may seem a long time but it soon passes and you may be able to go into your GP and tell them that you have lost weight, have the evidence to show that your bg levels are under control, a printout of bg readings, and that you do not need any medication (save the NHS some money). It also means a new summer wardrobe, the jeans that I was wearing a year ago that fitted nicely at the time are far too big now and I can get back into some clothes that I kept from years ago and which with a few new pieces give a modern look. Colleagues have been very supportive and customers have also commented on how smart or trim I am.
Low carb is not understood when you go out to eat. A carvery is good because you can choose the vegetables but if you go to stay somewhere, even if you warn them, they are geared for a low fat diet but not a low carb diet. I was offered fruit salad with lots of lovely grapes and juice as an alternative dessert,( I love fruit salad) upsetting the kitchen when I asked for cheese. The biggest problem is the 'unseen' wheat flour that is used for thickening sauces and breadcrumbs in a cheesy crumble topping. I have tried to explain that by simply changing the vegetables or offering a double portion of broccoli/cauliflower/cabbage I could clear the plate, given websites with advice and recipes but no luck so far. When I find somewhere that understands I will post.
Low carb is not understood when you go out to eat. A carvery is good because you can choose the vegetables but if you go to stay somewhere, even if you warn them, they are geared for a low fat diet but not a low carb diet. I was offered fruit salad with lots of lovely grapes and juice as an alternative dessert,( I love fruit salad) upsetting the kitchen when I asked for cheese. The biggest problem is the 'unseen' wheat flour that is used for thickening sauces and breadcrumbs in a cheesy crumble topping. I have tried to explain that by simply changing the vegetables or offering a double portion of broccoli/cauliflower/cabbage I could clear the plate, given websites with advice and recipes but no luck so far. When I find somewhere that understands I will post.
Seriously I would recommend you go very low carb especially at the start.. the results will show much faster and you will be encouraged.. By cutting carbs "a bit" you will not see much benefit and get disheartened. Also don;t forget the high fat part to keep you full.. a high fat with too many carbs diet won't work for you either. Cut out all startch (grain rice pasta root veg)all sugar (fruits sweets cakes etc) eat real food meat, fish, green veg, eggs etc and you'll be able to take control of your condition.
That is what has worked for me.
