low carb diet for impaired fasting glucose

[Jo123]

Found this wonderful forum after being diagnosed with IFG. My reading was only 6.1 but the reason I asked for the test was a family history of heart disease and diabetes type 1 and 2!!Thanks mum and dad I have been recently suffering from blurred, well I would more accurately describe it as double vision quite a lot so thought I would check it out. I am not overweight BMI 22, and walk the dog for 4 miles daily and eat what I thought was a healthy diet, so was shocked to get this diagnosis. Also a little upset as I know the damage through my family that diabetes can do, plus I was 50 this year, so felt old and that everything going wrong, but in retrospect perhaps this is a good thing to improve my general health and at least it has been picked up sooner rather than later. Looking on the bright side can still drink wine. Doc is going to retest in three months. Haven't got the blood figures with me, but they were all good, my trigs were the best 0.7
Meanwhile after reading this forum I have gone on to low carb eating, have upped my exercise :shock: and am trying to lose an extra half stone, (hope it comes from my tummy!). I have ordered myself a Blood meter, feel a bit of a hypochondriac, but I do like to take control of my health. I have also ordered Bernstein's book.

Am I doing the right thing, am I overeacting to this diagnosis any advice welcome.

 

[sugarless sue]

Hi Jo,and welcome to the forum.In my opinion it is never an overreaction to take control of your health.If you lose that bit of weight and reduce your carb intake a little then maybe you can turn this around and prevent an even biggest intolerance to glucose.Have a good read round the forum and ,please ask us questions,there's always some one here with an answer.

 

[hanadr]

Hi Jo
You sound like a hightly motivated person Who WILL get ifficulties under control.

 

[Jo123]

Thanks Sue for your welcome. I have to say since reducing my carbs I feel a lot more energetic and have lost a 1lb which I am pleased with in a week. Also I thank my lucky stars that I can still have a glass of wine or two!
Jo

 

[sugarless sue]

You sound a very positive person,Jo.Lowering carbs does give you more energy after the initial 'withdrawal' symptoms! I find that I am no longer hungry,I do nor crave sweet things and my health has certainly improved since losing 2 and half stone.The diet or rather change of eating lifestyle I find easy to follow and,if I do fall by the wayside occasionally, it just reinforces the fact that I do not really enjoy carbs anymore!

 

[Jo123]

Hi Jo
You sound like a hightly motivated person Who WILL get ifficulties under control.

Thanks for your kind comments, I am certainly going to give it my best!

 

[sugarless sue]

Keep coming back,Jo and keep us updated on how you are doing.

 

[Jo123]

You sound a very positive person,Jo.Lowering carbs does give you more energy after the initial 'withdrawal' symptoms! I find that I am no longer hungry,I do nor crave sweet things and my health has certainly improved since losing 2 and half stone.The diet or rather change of eating lifestyle I find easy to follow and,if I do fall by the wayside occasionally, it just reinforces the fact that I do not really enjoy carbs anymore!

I try Sue, it's my way of dealing with things, frankly it's this website that has been my saviour realizing there was something I could do about it. As you eating low carb is actually a lot easier than one initially thinks, mind you I don't actually count my carbs so not sure how many I am eating but it is a lot lot less than I used to.

 

[sugarless sue]

If you are comfortable on it and are losing weight then it does not really matter if you count or not as long as you are eating less carbs than you used to. I often recommend the Collins Gem carb counter book or the calorie counter either is good ,both have carbs .Read the food labels and check the amount of total carbs in the product,not just the sugars.

 

[Trinkwasser]

Try doing this for a while

http://www.alt-support-diabetes.org/NewlyDiagnosed.htm

the postprandial numbers are often the ones that go south first and are obviously easiest to control through NOT eating the things you discover to spike you.

Apart from that you sound as if you're doing the right things, we also have a familial incidence of "metabolic syndrome" and diabetes in certain individuals, and the sooner you start to take control the less likely you are to progress. You may have a few surprises as to what is NOT a healthy diet for you though!

 

[Bubsy Malone]

Hi Jo,

I was in much the same position as you. Although I wasn't diagnosed with IFG I did a disposable test in June which showed my BG levels as over 8. (Can't remember exactly how much) I went to the doctor who told me to lose some weight (my BMI was 29 at the time) and I found this forum. Suffice it to say, I cut back on my carbs (was eating around 200 a day - now cut in half) and I upped my exercise level as well.

Since then, I have lost 1st 4lb, my blood pressure is back to normal and my last fasting BG was 5.4! I have gone from size 16 to size 12 in jeans and I have so much more energy it is unbelievable!

If I can do this, anyone can. I went through quite a hard time as well, my dad died unexpectedly in September and I had so many messages of support from this forum, I don't know what I would have done without it. I have been taking printouts to my mum, she went blind after being diagnosed Type 2 just 4 years ago and this really helps her as well.

Sorry for rambling on so much, but this really means a lot to me. Anything you want to know, just post on here. There's always someone who can help.

Take care,

Bubsy

 

[Jo123]

Thanks Bubsy for your supportive post. Sorry about your dad, that must have been a terrible shock.
Yours is an inspiring story, hope I can turn this around in a similar way.

 

[Bubsy Malone]

Thanks Jo, remember we all look out for one another on here, that's what helped me out. Keep us posted,

Bubsy

 

[Bubsy Malone]

Thanks, same goes for you. If there's one thing you can say about my family, it's that we're persistent! You're right, I wouldn't go back to my old diet for all the tea in China! The best thing is, I weighed myself this morning and I've finally reached my target weight of 10 1/2 stone! Woo hoo! Thanks again,

Bubsy

 

[padulica]

Hi,
Much the same as you mine was 6.4 , no family history, but gestational diabetes. I have been low carbing since June , have lost 10lbs and my fasting is now 4.8 to 5.2 .I am 50 in jan plus do loads of excercise.

 

[Jo123]

Well just an update and a request for some feedback.
Firstly I have lost 3 lbs, which I am absolutely thrilled about, my tummy is the flattest it is has been since I had my two kids and they are 21 and 24! I am under 10 stone now and as I am 5' 8" I really wouldn't want to go under 9st 7lbs which is my prekids weight. One question is that as I had a bmi of 22 to begin, so not technically overweight, but had waist measuring 35", will losing weight still help with my insulin resistance.
Well I got my blood meter, have got a few readings from it before it malfunctioned (they are sending me new one), I went for the 1hr after eating readings, as per Trinkwasser saying your FBG can be reasonable but the after eating ones be far worse. The readings are as follows:-

Fasting 5.2, which I think allowing for this being whole blood reading now puts me in the 'normal' FBG category.

one hour after breakfast, 200gms soy plain yoghurt, 20gm almonds 6.3

one hour after late am snack orange, 20gm walnuts 6.3

before dinner, 4hrs after late lunch 5.7

I thought these were okish but bearing in mind not eating many carbs, I am not sure if they are normal non diabetic figures. Please I would appreciate any feedback on these figures.
I drive my mum from one hospital appointment to another for all her diabetic complications, she is 76 and has only been diagnosed for about 4 or 5 years, she is told by the doctors that her control is good but it scares me going down that road.

 

[Trinkwasser]

I'd be quite happy with numbers like that. In fact i *am* quite happy with numbers like that!

 

[Jo123]

I'd be quite happy with numbers like that. In fact i *am* quite happy with numbers like that!

Thanks for the reassurance, when I get my monitor back I will be interested to see what adding a bit more carbs do to the figures. If I can increase my carbs without affecting the figures will I hopefully stave off full blown diabetes for longer. Or would I be better give my family history stick to low carb, say around 50-60 a day which I estimate I am currently eating, to give myself a better chance for staying ok for longer?
I have to say I cannot believe the energy I have now, I used to feel tired most of the time and thought it was because I was getting older, now I am far more energetic!

 

[Jo123]

Hi,
Much the same as you mine was 6.4 , no family history, but gestational diabetes. I have been low carbing since June , have lost 10lbs and my fasting is now 4.8 to 5.2 .I am 50 in jan plus do loads of excercise.

You've done well, is the fasting the serum level from the doctor's result or from your blood meter? Do you find the low carb has given you more energy? I always did do it before but I some days I really had to force myself!

 

[padulica]

I had a repaet GTT done in september and that was normal...starving was 5.2 and 2hr was 6.5 (same as before)
My starvings of 4.8 to 5.2 is from my own meter. When I first started the low carbing I did feel really quite tired, but now most of the time I feel OK. I don't know about more energy as my problem is enough time in the day. :roll:
I now know when I am hungry and most of the time I know when my BG is OK. I have kept to it but I do eat fruit and vedge, dark chocolate, nuts, wine I avoid potaoes,pasta,bread. I want to keep my weight down as I have problems with my knees and when I play badminton they are helped if I have less weight for them to carry!!! so that is my motivation.
Plus I don't really miss thoses things aprt from last night when I went out and it was chips and hotdogs....but I was good...just had a sausage..