new to all this, not even official, but hello :)

Hi all

I have been tracking my blood sugars for nearly a week after realising that I was in a higher risk group for diabetes than I had realised (I was only researching to find information to try to persuade my dad to take better care of himself!). I am doing this under the careful and loving supervision of my friend, a forum member here, who gave me a sensor and test strips, and has been guiding me all week, occasionally peeling me off the ceiling when I start to freak out at the numbers I have been seeing. It looks like when I finally get to see my doctor (I have an appointment for the middle of next month) that I will at least be told I am prediabetic.

I have been in and out of this forum all week, so decided that I may as well join and say hello, as it looks likely that I may be visiting often.

Between freaking out at the prospect of another chronic health condition (I have has asthma since childhood), I am mostly grateful that I watched the video I watched at the weekend ( Dr. Sarah Hallberg on low carb high fat diet and diabetes), and that this video led me down an increasingly horrified research rabbit hole which led to me testing myself. I am vegan, with a mostly ostensibly (according to conventional wisdom) healthy (albeit really carb heavy) diet, I am a yoga teacher and a keen walker, so do many of the right things. But as a former alcoholic, heavy smoker, and occasional drug user, with a fairly chaotic and stressful approach to life for many many years, I have certainly put myself and my body through a fair bit of trauma over the years - diabetes would not be that big a surprise really. I am so glad to have been able to talk to my friend, and to have her support (and blood sugar testing kit) so that when I go to the doc, I am not going as a 'google medic', but with actual evidence and well researched knowledge.

I'm looking forward to learning with you!

Esther

urbanracer said:

Welcome to the forums @Darkhorse

How high were your numbers?

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Hi, thanks for the welcome

My highest has been 13.9 after food (am experimenting at the moment with all sorts of food, so this was chips, but I halved my portion after seeing the calories and carbs in the full portion!), but I have had similar results from a hummous sandwich too), and most of my fasting bloods have been over 6.1, with the highest being 6.5. I had a fasting blood of 5.9 after going to my yoga teacher and doing 2 and a half hours of Yoga the night before, so will definitely be upping my yoga practice once I have a 'normal' set of data to give the doctor

rab5 said:

Low Carb High Fat Diet has been working for me..... have a look

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it's because of the lovely @Mel dCP and her great success with this diet that I even started looking into it. Thanks, I am really looking forward to starting to change my diet once I have got some more data to give the docs - am already becoming very resistant to the idea of eating any more carbs after seeing what they are doing!

Mel dCP said:

Hello lovely

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Morning : (marcus suggested this emoji cos we can't find a purple smiley )

shelley262 said:

Welcome to the forum @Darkhorse . As you’re a new member I’ll tag @daisy1 who give you some helpful information for new members although it sounds like you’ve done a lot of reading and research already and you’ve had the light bulb moment!
Most of us also did what we thought was the right thing diet nutrition and exercise wise but still ended here as surprise, surprise it wasn’t. It’s never the whole story of course genetics, grief, stress and a whole bucketload of other causes can cause type 2 but getting th3 nutrition right can improve the situation big time. As you’re saying you’re pre diabetic you’ve not got as big a mountain to climb and with your attitude you’ll be able to turn it round. Good luck keep asking questions as you’re learning......

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Thank you. It is crazy when you realise just how wrong conventional 'wsidom' really is, isn't it? I've been mostly very grateful this week for the big aha moment that this little adventure has given me, I could have carried on like this, eating my vegan stews and pasta dishes, thinking I was eating a good diet! So glad to have better knowledge now, and am looking forward to when I have gathered enough info so I can stop with all the carbs!

There is no Spoon said:

Hi Darkhorse,
Sorry excuse my ignorance what's you protein in take like on a vegan diet?

Got to say you have just ruined my day, if a yoga instructor with an ostensibly good diet is running the risk of diabetes, what hope is there for the rest of us.

That's it I just giving up on today I'm gong back to bed with a Black Forest Gateau.

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Ah, I've only been a yoga teacher for a few years, 20 years of pummelling my body with huge amounts of booze and drugs came first! Diabetes is in my family, but Yoga is going to be one of my solutions - I know of a lot of postures and practices that will help, so will be tailoring my personal practice to maximise my dealing with this. I also eat a lot of c**p as well, and a LOT of fruit (which I always assumed was really good for me, but as the daugter of a greengrocer, I get to binge on crazy levels of fruit sometimes)

Vegan protein is, for me at least, mostly lentils and chick peas. Has been up till now - am definitely going low carb so will be looking at vegan keto meals once I have seen the doctor - that will be happening regardless of diagnosis

edited by moderator for language.

Pinkorchid said:

Don't start to freak out to much you may not have diabetes at all best to wait for a proper blood test only that can diagnose diabetes. The levels you have been getting after eating would be normal for a non diabetic after a very carby meal. Fasting levels for a non diabetic are normally between 4 and 7 which yours are

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There is no Spoon said:

If your going to devise a specific tailored routine that's the type of thing that could be of interest/ benefit to lots of people on here myself included.
You could slap it up on Youtube,

Vegan protein:
By upping your protein intake with exercise it should promote muscle growth = better insulin sensitivity = reduced blood glucose.

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I'll let you know if/when I do some yoga videos related to this - they will be coming, whether I get a diagnosis or not, it has certainly made me more aware.

thanks for the protein tip

Mel dCP said:

Crispy tofu fried in coconut oil is awesome

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it really is!