Hi All, I’m a newbie to the forum but a long time type 2 diabetic. I was dx’d T2D in November 2004, pre-diabetic about 5 years before that and dx’d with gout five years previous to that. I’ll come back to gout later. I’m 61 years old, 6’3”, weigh 186lbs and have NEVER been obese.
Over the years I’ve been in good control but there have been cycles of increasing HbA1c resulting in increased medication (Metformin). In fall and early winter of 2017 I was experiencing increasing HbA1c and another increase in medication was in cards. The morning BG tests were 7.3 mmol/l on average.
So, my wife and I sat down and reviewed where we could go considering diet and exercise. I already have a full and regular exercise regimen (rowing, cycling, X-C skiing and snowshoeing). We couldn’t see more we could do with diet and carbohydrate management.
At about the same time we watched What the Health and Forks Over Knives on Netflix. We researched the effects and benefits of a plant based diet. I read the book The China Study. Watched a number of related videos on Youtube.
Mid-February 2018 we decided that a change was necessary and started on a new nutrition plan that removed meat from our diet – yes my wife started too. But, we did not enter in to a plant based whole food diet, do not consider ourselves vegan or vegetarian – just abstaining from eating meat. We continue to eat eggs, have fish occasionally and have a little milk in tea and coffee.
We have oat or almond milk with breakfast cereals (porridge and muesli) and have a great variety of veggie based meals. Strangely I have also increased carbohydrate intake.
Significant benefits were seen in the first 3-9 months. Weight went down 200lbs to 190lbs, morning blood glucose tests went down – from low 7s to mid 6s (mmol/l). But HbA1c didn’t follow. Several things were conspiring to effect the HbA1c tests. What transpired was I was suffering a vitamin B12 deficiency – this was due to long term use of Metformin and not from abstaining from meat. This is a well documented side effect of Metformin. Impediments to lowering HbA1c:
Results. My morning BG tests have been consistently at 6 +- 0.3 mmol/l for the last year. My Metformin has reduced from 2000mg of Glumetsa Metformin (slow acting) per day to 1000mg of “regular” Metformin – I take one 500mg at breakfast and 500mg at dinner. Below are my HbA1c and cholesterol tests over the last three years.
HbA1c: 6.8, 6.6, 7.0, 7.0, 7.0, 7.0, 7.3, 7.3, 7.2, 6.8.
Cholesterol: 5.75, 5.37, 5.63, 5.23, 5.03, 5.39, 5.51, 5.39, 5.18, 4.89, 4.78.
Note: I do not take any statins. Also, the HbA1c results have been strongly influenced by the vitamin B12 issues.
The question is: why does abstaining from meat bring down blood glucose and HbA1c?
So now, I’ll get back to gout. T2D and gout appear to go hand-in-hand. Although I have had high levels of uric acid, I have not had a gout attack for many years. I have been taking 100mg of Allopurinol once a day but only for about 4 years. Meat contains high levels of purines that is metabolized by the body in to uric acid. Uric acid not only builds up in joints to cause gout attacks, but it also builds up in soft tissue – this is well documented. Essentially a diet without meat is a low/medium purine diet.
Through all of my web searching I have not found a definitive statement as to what is insulin resistance. There are many links to the effects of insulin resistance but nothing as to what it actually is.
This is a question brewing I have – and discussed with my GP:
Is insulin resistance caused by build up of uric acid in the muscles resisting the uptake of glucose?
There are several links that discuss this point on the web – search “urate insulin resistance”.
I have had significant results by abstaining from eating meat. I expect my HbA1c results will continue to go down over the next few months. There is an expectation that I may be able to come off Metformin in due course. And I’m in it for the long run.
Happy Diabetes Day!
Over the years I’ve been in good control but there have been cycles of increasing HbA1c resulting in increased medication (Metformin). In fall and early winter of 2017 I was experiencing increasing HbA1c and another increase in medication was in cards. The morning BG tests were 7.3 mmol/l on average.
So, my wife and I sat down and reviewed where we could go considering diet and exercise. I already have a full and regular exercise regimen (rowing, cycling, X-C skiing and snowshoeing). We couldn’t see more we could do with diet and carbohydrate management.
At about the same time we watched What the Health and Forks Over Knives on Netflix. We researched the effects and benefits of a plant based diet. I read the book The China Study. Watched a number of related videos on Youtube.
Mid-February 2018 we decided that a change was necessary and started on a new nutrition plan that removed meat from our diet – yes my wife started too. But, we did not enter in to a plant based whole food diet, do not consider ourselves vegan or vegetarian – just abstaining from eating meat. We continue to eat eggs, have fish occasionally and have a little milk in tea and coffee.
We have oat or almond milk with breakfast cereals (porridge and muesli) and have a great variety of veggie based meals. Strangely I have also increased carbohydrate intake.
Significant benefits were seen in the first 3-9 months. Weight went down 200lbs to 190lbs, morning blood glucose tests went down – from low 7s to mid 6s (mmol/l). But HbA1c didn’t follow. Several things were conspiring to effect the HbA1c tests. What transpired was I was suffering a vitamin B12 deficiency – this was due to long term use of Metformin and not from abstaining from meat. This is a well documented side effect of Metformin. Impediments to lowering HbA1c:
- Vitamin B12 deficiency causes reduced red blood cell count and this has an inverse proportional relationship with blood glucose i.e. HbA1c will goes up.
- Large dose of vitamin B12 supplements caused my blood glucose to go up – a 1000 mcg tablet had a similar effect to eating sugar.
- High intensity exercise causes blood glucose to go up – the body’s response to high intensity workouts is to increase blood glucose for the muscles to use but of course this is impeded by insulin resistance and blood sugar stayed high (8.5 on average) for too long.
Results. My morning BG tests have been consistently at 6 +- 0.3 mmol/l for the last year. My Metformin has reduced from 2000mg of Glumetsa Metformin (slow acting) per day to 1000mg of “regular” Metformin – I take one 500mg at breakfast and 500mg at dinner. Below are my HbA1c and cholesterol tests over the last three years.
HbA1c: 6.8, 6.6, 7.0, 7.0, 7.0, 7.0, 7.3, 7.3, 7.2, 6.8.
Cholesterol: 5.75, 5.37, 5.63, 5.23, 5.03, 5.39, 5.51, 5.39, 5.18, 4.89, 4.78.
Note: I do not take any statins. Also, the HbA1c results have been strongly influenced by the vitamin B12 issues.
The question is: why does abstaining from meat bring down blood glucose and HbA1c?
So now, I’ll get back to gout. T2D and gout appear to go hand-in-hand. Although I have had high levels of uric acid, I have not had a gout attack for many years. I have been taking 100mg of Allopurinol once a day but only for about 4 years. Meat contains high levels of purines that is metabolized by the body in to uric acid. Uric acid not only builds up in joints to cause gout attacks, but it also builds up in soft tissue – this is well documented. Essentially a diet without meat is a low/medium purine diet.
Through all of my web searching I have not found a definitive statement as to what is insulin resistance. There are many links to the effects of insulin resistance but nothing as to what it actually is.
This is a question brewing I have – and discussed with my GP:
Is insulin resistance caused by build up of uric acid in the muscles resisting the uptake of glucose?
There are several links that discuss this point on the web – search “urate insulin resistance”.
I have had significant results by abstaining from eating meat. I expect my HbA1c results will continue to go down over the next few months. There is an expectation that I may be able to come off Metformin in due course. And I’m in it for the long run.
Happy Diabetes Day!
