I confess to being a lurker, not a longtime lurker but long enough, so it is time to add a meagre contribution to what is a wonderful forum, populated by inspirational posters.
My diagnosis came in October 2017. After experiencing extreme thirst and the follow on consequences of satisfying that thirst, a bit of googling gave me an idea of what to expect. At 178cm and 99kg I did not need to be Sherlock Holmes to deduce what the problem might be.
I was a bit dazed when the diagnosis came, and didn't even ask for details, oddly I was more concerned with a rather high blood pressure reading....which turned out to be white coat syndrome.
The doc prescribed 500mg of Metaformin and a change in lifestyle. I had been cycling an average of 25km per day for the last two years, in gyms and on my hybrid bike, so my exercise was not likely to increase dramatically. He suggested the Mediterranean Diet.
Within 24 hours, after a fair bit more googling I decided to pursue the Blood Sugar Diet, all 800 calories a day of it, and purchased two Blood Glucose Monitors. I also resolved to try and fit in an extra hour of exercise a day too.
Now, ordinarily, this would be a tricky task, but my job also involves a lot of travel....an average of 300,000 miles in the air per year. In the 8 weeks I had set myself to lose 15kg I was overseas for 6 weeks.
I stuck to my guns, didn't touch a drop of alcohol and watched my fasting readings drop from 10 to 5.5 in just over two weeks and remain in the 5's right up to Christmas Day where I recorded a weight of 83.5kg. I felt better than ever, fitter, more agile and mentally sharper. More than that I was, and am, really enjoying the food. (Avocados really are the food of the Gods)
Since Christmas I have maintained the weight level, although I would like to drop another 8kg. What has been interesting has been the slight increase in my blood glucose readings. I found myself going for most of April with readings in the 6's - fasting and after meals. I stuck to a LCHF diet and had weeks with a 16:8 fast regime. What I did notice that during this time my resting heart rate, according to the "ever reliable" Fitbit had raised from 56 to 64 and my average nightly sleep dropped from a solid 7 to 5/6 hours. (I know readings in the 6's are not that bad, but I am fascinated by the potential correlation to resting heart rate.)
I'm back home now and after a couple of days my resting heart rate is down to 60 and my blood glucose reading is in the high fives. (Fasting and 2 hours after meals.)
I think the point I am trying to raise, by rambling on and on, is that I simply didn't realise the complexity of it all. I have been avidly reading Michael Mosley and Jason Fung of late and have decided to make a concerted effort to shed another 8kg....but am trying to understand the impact of stress......particularly that caused by almost constant travel.
Are there any other travellers out there with experiences of blood glucose changes that might be down to constant flying, or anyone else tracking sleep and heart rate too?
My diagnosis came in October 2017. After experiencing extreme thirst and the follow on consequences of satisfying that thirst, a bit of googling gave me an idea of what to expect. At 178cm and 99kg I did not need to be Sherlock Holmes to deduce what the problem might be.
I was a bit dazed when the diagnosis came, and didn't even ask for details, oddly I was more concerned with a rather high blood pressure reading....which turned out to be white coat syndrome.
The doc prescribed 500mg of Metaformin and a change in lifestyle. I had been cycling an average of 25km per day for the last two years, in gyms and on my hybrid bike, so my exercise was not likely to increase dramatically. He suggested the Mediterranean Diet.
Within 24 hours, after a fair bit more googling I decided to pursue the Blood Sugar Diet, all 800 calories a day of it, and purchased two Blood Glucose Monitors. I also resolved to try and fit in an extra hour of exercise a day too.
Now, ordinarily, this would be a tricky task, but my job also involves a lot of travel....an average of 300,000 miles in the air per year. In the 8 weeks I had set myself to lose 15kg I was overseas for 6 weeks.
I stuck to my guns, didn't touch a drop of alcohol and watched my fasting readings drop from 10 to 5.5 in just over two weeks and remain in the 5's right up to Christmas Day where I recorded a weight of 83.5kg. I felt better than ever, fitter, more agile and mentally sharper. More than that I was, and am, really enjoying the food. (Avocados really are the food of the Gods)
Since Christmas I have maintained the weight level, although I would like to drop another 8kg. What has been interesting has been the slight increase in my blood glucose readings. I found myself going for most of April with readings in the 6's - fasting and after meals. I stuck to a LCHF diet and had weeks with a 16:8 fast regime. What I did notice that during this time my resting heart rate, according to the "ever reliable" Fitbit had raised from 56 to 64 and my average nightly sleep dropped from a solid 7 to 5/6 hours. (I know readings in the 6's are not that bad, but I am fascinated by the potential correlation to resting heart rate.)
I'm back home now and after a couple of days my resting heart rate is down to 60 and my blood glucose reading is in the high fives. (Fasting and 2 hours after meals.)
I think the point I am trying to raise, by rambling on and on, is that I simply didn't realise the complexity of it all. I have been avidly reading Michael Mosley and Jason Fung of late and have decided to make a concerted effort to shed another 8kg....but am trying to understand the impact of stress......particularly that caused by almost constant travel.
Are there any other travellers out there with experiences of blood glucose changes that might be down to constant flying, or anyone else tracking sleep and heart rate too?
