Hi all....had type 2 for around 15yrs. Diagnosed in early 40s...I have been a member of other forums, for Heart and Cancer, but just discovered this one...I'm a male semi retired (55yrs)....been on Metformin for many yrs, but concern that yrs of meds are not good on some vital organs....I have been looking at how to lose more weight, currently 92kg but with Thyroid issues not finding it easy, I wish to get weight down so I no longer need tablets? Currently Social media is full of information regarding Insulin resistance etc...but not clear on who could be in this bracket. Just spoke with nurse at local practise, but she tried to claim knew nothing about it. SM also full of info about daily drinking of Apple cider vinegar, and Baking soda etc to lower sugar levels....anyone else have tried this, or any other thoughts....
-
Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
Hi new hear, but had Diabetes for many yrs
- Thread starter bobby1290
- Start date
- Status
Leadinglights
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Welcome to this forum, you certainly sound to have had you fair share of health issues. You will find lost of sensible advice her which is based on people's personal experience of what works for them and they share in the hope it will help others however everybody is different in how their body responds to various regimes and medications so by some trial and hopefully learning rather than error a way forward for you will be possible.
Metformin is a medication which helps the body use the insulin it produces more effectively helping to combat insulin resistance and reduces the output of glucose by the liver and can help reduce blood glucose in combination with diet that really being to most important.
As you have been diagnosed some time I suspect your dietary advice may not have been the best especially if your nurse had never heard of insulin resistance. Ideas have changes about how powerful diet rather than medication can be.
Have a look at this link as there is some good reliable explanation and some menu plans for a low carb approach which many find successful. It is a program designed by a GP surgery who found the standard NHS advise did not work for their patients.
Freshwell Low Carb Project - Home
lowcarbfreshwell.com
Keeping a food diary with an estimate of the carbs in everything you eat an drink will give you a good idea of how far you are from that.
Other people find a low calorie regime works or undertake a shakes based diet for a number of weeks to give a kick start.
s'nic
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- At risk of diabetes
Welcome to the forum
Too many media sites are after 'clicks' and promoting themselves, so they may focus on the type of thing more people watch rather than good solid advice. AI is not going to help in that is collects information regardless of quality, rehashes it and puts it back out on the web.
Always seek to follow verified information (preferably science based or results based if not fully proven by science currently).
You have come to the right place for balanced / experienced / logical viewpoints.
I would be wary of social media and any person without a recognised medical qualification who is giving advice (it's possible to have a 'doctor' title without being a doctor).
Too many media sites are after 'clicks' and promoting themselves, so they may focus on the type of thing more people watch rather than good solid advice. AI is not going to help in that is collects information regardless of quality, rehashes it and puts it back out on the web.
Always seek to follow verified information (preferably science based or results based if not fully proven by science currently).
You have come to the right place for balanced / experienced / logical viewpoints.
Last edited:
Martin.A
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- In remission from Type 2
This very site has a whole page about insulin resistance. Maybe the nurse at your practice should take a look:-
Insulin resistance
What is insulin resistance? Insulin resistance is when your body’s cells don’t respond properly to the hormone insulin. So instead of keeping your blood sugar levels stable and within a healthy range, your blood sugar levels can rise. Insulin resistance isn’t the same as diabetes. It can affect...
We do have some members who include apple cider vinegar in their diabetes management and may be able to give you an insight.
In the meantime welcome aboard.
Last edited:
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- He/Him
@rebrascora is one who chooses daily Apple Cider Vinegar I think @bobby1290
I’m not sure how signficant an effect she feels it provides, but I think she has previously said it’s pretty marginal.
One of the most significant contributions I think you can make is to lose weight - particularly weight around the abdomen, which can indicate a build-up of visceral fat around organs such as the liver and pancreas which can impair their function.
Incidentally, one of the ways Metformin works is to help reduce insulin resistance.
As long as your Vit B12 levels are still holding up, I’m not sure of other common concerns of long-term Metformin use?
I’m not sure how signficant an effect she feels it provides, but I think she has previously said it’s pretty marginal.
One of the most significant contributions I think you can make is to lose weight - particularly weight around the abdomen, which can indicate a build-up of visceral fat around organs such as the liver and pancreas which can impair their function.
Incidentally, one of the ways Metformin works is to help reduce insulin resistance.
As long as your Vit B12 levels are still holding up, I’m not sure of other common concerns of long-term Metformin use?
rebrascora
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- She/Her
I don't think Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) is particularly magical in it's abilities to reduce Blood Glucose (BG) but I do use it as part of my approach (in a daily fibre drink with chia seeds and psyllium husk) and I find that acidity in general can be helpful in slowing the spike from any carbs I eat. My salads all get dressed with balsamic vinegar which I really love.
I buy and eat pickled gherkins and pickles beetroot and pickled onions and they all add a real bite to my meals without increasing my levels. Beetroot is particularly interesting as it is one of the higher carb vegetables, but pickled beetroot has almost no impact on my BG levels even though there is sugar in the pickling process as well as carbs in the veg itself. I also add the pickling juice to drinks after the jar is empty of beets. Beetroot and gherkins make a quick and easy vegetable addition to a meal as opening a jar takes seconds, assuming you have enough strength in your hands! 🙄
Part of my diabetes management is to incorporate more veggies into my meals to bulk my meals out as I have very few higher carb foods like bread and pasta and rice and potatoes and I like a decent plateful of food and also to make my meals tasty, so pickles have been a useful experiment in achieving that.
I buy and eat pickled gherkins and pickles beetroot and pickled onions and they all add a real bite to my meals without increasing my levels. Beetroot is particularly interesting as it is one of the higher carb vegetables, but pickled beetroot has almost no impact on my BG levels even though there is sugar in the pickling process as well as carbs in the veg itself. I also add the pickling juice to drinks after the jar is empty of beets. Beetroot and gherkins make a quick and easy vegetable addition to a meal as opening a jar takes seconds, assuming you have enough strength in your hands! 🙄
Part of my diabetes management is to incorporate more veggies into my meals to bulk my meals out as I have very few higher carb foods like bread and pasta and rice and potatoes and I like a decent plateful of food and also to make my meals tasty, so pickles have been a useful experiment in achieving that.
stephenS50
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Hello and welcome to the forum @bobby1290
- Status