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What size spike is acceptable?

Dave with T2

Member
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20
07.37 5.9 mmol/L
Three mile walk
09.09 5.9 mmol/L
Breakfast
11.21 7.5 mmol/L
11.48 7.2 mmol/L
12.34 5.3 mmol/L

My blood glucose level on waking tends to average about 6.0 mmol/L.

My early morning dog walk tends to lower it slightly but today left it unchanged. After breakfast at 10.00 I had a high of 7.5 mmol/L before it began to drop.

Would you regard that as acceptable or do think I should be looking to change what I have for breakfast.

Dave
 
@Dave with T2 I have read that it is not the height of the spike or the duration of the spike - it is a combination of the two or, in mathematical terms, "the area under the graph".
People without diabetes could see their numbers getting close to 10 but only for a short spike with no long term impact. On the other hand, someone with diabetes may eat a low carb diet resulting in little variation to the levels but staying at 8 or 9 for most of the day. This coudl be significant.

My understanding is for someone with Type 2, if they can eat something without their levels rising more than 2 mmol/l after 2 hours, they can tolerate that food. I am not a doctor, but, given your levels, you seem to be within this tolerance.
 
Hi @Dave with T2 .

I'd agree with @In Response .

It's a bit of both.

Link in my signatures below this post has an article by Jenny Ruhr diabetes 101.


In it she points out everyone spikes.
But it's the duration of the spike that should be managed, as that is where the breakdown & damage to our bodies occur.

I liken it personally, to walking down a long corridor.
Of a certain width.
( 4mmol - 8mmol.)

And by shining a pale light in it (aka a meter & measuring)
It's most likely while learning to walk down the corridor I will avoid bashing into the walls, so often.

Sure, I will still get bruised, but far less so then if i ran down that corridor at pace, in the dark (no meter or monitoring)

So going over 8mmol. Is where Jenny Ruhr argues damage begins ...but that, as I read it, is IF unchecked, ( which IS what the GP's and their "don't test but Eatwell" diet advice heads us towards.imho)
Hence the historical data for so many facing unavoidable damage.

With today's monitoring & attention to diet, I think that model may no longer apply.

So a spike like yours, I would be very happy with.

EDIT.
and just to add simply doing exercise can raise our BG. Before it settles back down.


Doing great.
Good luck on the rest of the journey.
 
Last edited:
Hi @Dave with T2 .

I'd agree with @In Response .

It's a bit of both.

Link in my signatures below this post has an article by Jenny Ruhr diabetes 101.


In it she points out everyone spikes.
But it's the duration of the spike that should be managed, as that is where the breakdown & damage to our bodies occur.

I liken it personally, to walking down a long corridor.
Of a certain width. 4mmol - 8mmol.

And by shining a pale light in it (aka a meter & measuring)
It's extremely likely while learning to walk down the corridor I will avoid bashin into the walls so often.

Sure, I will still get bruised, but far less so then if i ran down that corridor at pace, in the dark (no meter or monitoring)

So going over 8mmol. Is where Jenny Ruhr argues damage begins ...but that, as I read it, is IF unchecked, ( which IS what the GP's and their "don't test but Eatwell" diet advice heads us towards.imho)
Hence the historical data for so many facing unavoidable damage.

With today's monitoring & attention to diet, I think that model may no longer apply.

So a spike like yours, I would be very happy with.

EDIT.
and just to add simply doing exercise can raise our BG. Before it settles back down.


Doing great.
Good luck on the rest of the journey.

Thank you @In Response and @jjraak

My breakfast was 300 calories worth of nuts - walnuts, almonds and brazils, followed by porridge made with milk.

Many of the posts I have read on these forums would suggest that bacon and egg would be more suitable. I agree but would prefer to hang on to have that sort of thing for lunch.

I have lost all the weight I want to lose and now need to eat enough calories per day to maintain my weight.
 
You'd get a more accurate picture if you tested at first bite, then at 1 and 2 and even 3 hours. The fats in the nuts may be slowing the bg response and many of us find porridge difficult. You may be lucky and the dog walking may be helping but you need to know where you start (first bite) to know how much you rise.
 
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