Newbie to forum.

[stanh]

Hi, just saying hello and thank you for allowing me to join the forum. I am a 65 year old male, battling to keep my Hba1c below 40. It has gone over during the pandemic for various reasons! I am determined to get it back below 40 and without medication. I intend to start by improving diet and exercise regime (getting easier following lockdown easing!)
I hope to learn from the forum, and hopefully give some input too.

 

[Ralph-YK]

Welcome to the forum Stan. Anything below a HbA1c of 42 is counted as "normal". Excellent.

 

[rebrascora]

Hi and welcome.
Lockdown has had a positive effect on some people's control and a negative effect on others depemding upon your circumstances. Sorry to hear you are in the latter category but it sounds like you are now taking control again.

How long ago were you diagnosed as pre diabetic? Are you aware that diabetes is not just about sugar ( a common misconception) but carbohydrates in general, which means otherwise healthy foods like fruit and porridge as well as bread, pasta, rice and potatoes will all increase your Blood glucose levels and reducing your portion size of them all will help reduce your HbA1c.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @stanh

Hope your new efforts pay off!

Do you use a BG meter to check your own levels? Or do you rely on HbA1c from your GP?

What sorts of foods do you include (and avoid!).

Lots of friendly helpful peeps here to compare notes with 🙂

 

[stanh]

Hi and welcome.
Lockdown has had a positive effect on some people's control and a negative effect on others depemding upon your circumstances. Sorry to hear you are in the latter category but it sounds like you are now taking control again.

How long ago were you diagnosed as pre diabetic? Are you aware that diabetes is not just about sugar ( a common misconception) but carbohydrates in general, which means otherwise healthy foods like fruit and porridge as well as bread, pasta, rice and potatoes will all increase your Blood glucose levels and reducing your portion size of them all will help reduce your HbA1c.

Hi, and thanks for your welcome. I was diagnosed about five or so years ago and have manged to keep the figure satisfactory, until my latest test this week! I had an idea about bread, potates etc, but the fruit and porridge is a bit of a shock! I probably do eat too much fruit and will keep this in mind. Thanks.

 

[stanh]

Welcome to the forum Stan. Anything below a HbA1c of 42 is counted as "normal". Excellent.

Thanks for your welcome 🙂

 

[stanh]

Welcome to the forum @stanh

Hope your new efforts pay off!

Do you use a BG meter to check your own levels? Or do you rely on HbA1c from your GP?

What sorts of foods do you include (and avoid!).

Lots of friendly helpful peeps here to compare notes with 🙂

Hi, Thanks for the welcome. I just rely on HbA1c up to now. I get it tested annually. Has been below 40 for a number of years, and was shocked to see the rise this recent test! I did expect an increase as the lockdown has affected my lifestyle. Also, and I might be talking rubbish here, but about three months ago I was advised to take Statins by my GP, and they did odd things to me. To cut a long story short, I have been taken off them about 3 weeks ago, but I do wonder if this medication had some effect on blood sugar?
I try not to eat too much bread, potatoes etc (if I do eat potatoes I try to get the sweet potatoes.) I try to avoid fat, but chocolate is a weakness.... Also as per previous post, I do eat a lot of fresh fruit. I hadn't realised this could be a problem.
I am determined to get below 40 again, and without medication, but any advice is most welcome, hence my reason for joining the forum! My plan is to exercise more, and be more careful with food (and drink, though I do not drink a lot of alcohol.)

 

[trophywench]

Statins per se don't affect your BG Stan - but depends really on the particular side effects your body experienced. eg Painful muscles is one of the common ones, so if that prevents or restricts exercise then the lack of exercise can and does affect your BG, so can pain itself wherever or whyever it happens to arise, if it continues.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Sounds like you have lots of determination - which is great!

Chocolate isn‘t a great choice, as you know, but members here who are trying to manage blood glucose through diet find that fat can be their friend. It helps slow carbs to some extent, and (along with protein) makes you feel fuller for longer. Fat also has little or no effect on BG, unless you eat absolutely loads of it.

For chocolate fixes, many people like to melt a smaller quantity, say a few squares) of 85% dark chocolate on the tongue, for real chocolate intensity without the excess sugary carbs.

Have you considered getting yourself a BG meter so that you can check which of your meals are pushing your BG up the most?

The most affordable meters members here have found are the SD Gluco Navii or the Spirit Tee2 which both have test strips at around £8 for 50.

Then you can use a systematic framework like AlanS’s test-review-adjust to tweak and fine tune your meals. Keeping the rises you get from meals and snacks to around 2-3mmol/L will gently reduce your overall average BG, and reduce BG instability 🙂

 

[stanh]

Statins per se don't affect your BG Stan - but depends really on the particular side effects your body experienced. eg Painful muscles is one of the common ones, so if that prevents or restricts exercise then the lack of exercise can and does affect your BG, so can pain itself wherever or whyever it happens to arise, if it continues.

Thanks, some interesting thoughts there. The Statins made me feel "out of it" and anxious, which I am sure had some effect on my lifestsyle (not to mention the pandemic!) A clean sheet now, off the statins and can get out more!

 

[stanh]

Sounds like you have lots of determination - which is great!

Chocolate isn‘t a great choice, as you know, but members here who are trying to manage blood glucose through diet find that fat can be their friend. It helps slow carbs to some extent, and (along with protein) makes you feel fuller for longer. Fat also has little or no effect on BG, unless you eat absolutely loads of it.

For chocolate fixes, many people like to melt a smaller quantity, say a few squares) of 85% dark chocolate on the tongue, for real chocolate intensity without the excess sugary carbs.

Have you considered getting yourself a BG meter so that you can check which of your meals are pushing your BG up the most?

The most affordable meters members here have found are the SD Gluco Navii or the Spirit Tee2 which both have test strips at around £8 for 50.

Then you can use a systematic framework like AlanS’s test-review-adjust to tweak and fine tune your meals. Keeping the rises you get from meals and snacks to around 2-3mmol/L will gently reduce your overall average BG, and reduce BG instability 🙂

Thanks for your very detailed reply. Some good tips, and I will consider a BG meter for those (almost) instantaneous readings.
Interesting about fat, didn't know it had that effect. A bit of cheese perhaps (another weakness!)

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

A bit of cheese perhaps (another weakness!)

Yum!

AlanS whose blog I linked to used to have a forum signature that read, “Everything in moderation, except laughter” which appealed to me.

 

[rebrascora]

Unless you have a specific ailment which means you need to avoid fat, many of us diabetics find that fat is our friend.
I know NHS advice is low fat but it is based on research which was carried out 70 years ago and is now considered suspect by quite a few eminent scientists.
Low fat products are usually higher in carbs and carbs are not good for us. For instance skimmed milk contains slightly more carbs than whole milk, double cream contains almost no carbs. Pre diagnosis I used to say that I would rather not drink coffee than do so without sugar, but I now have it made with double cream every morning and it is heavenly and really sets me up for the day. Creamy natural Greek yoghurt made with whole milk is lower carb than Low fat yoghurt because the latter usually has both sugars and starches added to improve the flavour, whereas whole milk natural yoghurt tastes yummy just as it is.
The benefit of fat is that it takes much longer to digest so it keeps you feeling full and satisfied for many hours and provides slow release energy. It also slows down the digestion of any carbs you eat with it, so that can be a benefit. So if you do have porridge, make it a smaller than usual portion but have it with creamy Greek Yoghurt or cream rather than semi or skimmed milk. It is worth while investing in a set of digital kitchen scales and weighing out portions of carb rich foods because it is so easy to lose track of what a portion is supposed to be....I was probably eating 60g oats made into porridge with brown sugar and dried fruit added pre diagnosis.... There were probably more carbs in one breakfast than I have in a week now!

Exotic fruits are usually higher in carbs than the likes of anything with berry in the name or rhubarb as long as you use artificial sweetener (Stevia etc) to stew it with or blackcurrants. If I have a banana, I tend to cut it in half and have half one day and the other half the next and have it with double cream or creamy yoghurt. You have to watch grapes because a portion should just be a few and it is so easy to eat half a punnet before you realise what you are doing!

Alcohol wise, it is best to choose low carb options like spirits (with or without low calorie mixers.. ie Gin and slimline tonic or rum and diet coke (which are my tipples) or red or dry white wine. Beer and cider and medium/sweet wine contain carbs so they will cause your BG to rise. Obviously alcohol should be consumed occasionally and in moderation if you are going to have any at all.

Anyway, just a few more things to consider.

 

[rebrascora]

Yes re cheese.....enjoy! I used to be a chocaholic..... now cheese is my new chocolate and I eat a scary amount of it.... all good quality though... blue stilton is my current favourite along with a really nice mature Welsh cheddar... I do still buy chocolate but it is dark 70%+ and have just 1 square with a spoonful of crunchy peanut butter to bulk it out and make it more satisfying and again the fat in the peanut butter helps to fill me up and slow the carbs down.

 

[stanh]

Unless you have a specific ailment which means you need to avoid fat, many of us diabetics find that fat is our friend.
I know NHS advice is low fat but it is based on research which was carried out 70 years ago and is now considered suspect by quite a few eminent scientists.
Low fat products are usually higher in carbs and carbs are not good for us. For instance skimmed milk contains slightly more carbs than whole milk, double cream contains almost no carbs. Pre diagnosis I used to say that I would rather not drink coffee than do so without sugar, but I now have it made with double cream every morning and it is heavenly and really sets me up for the day. Creamy natural Greek yoghurt made with whole milk is lower carb than Low fat yoghurt because the latter usually has both sugars and starches added to improve the flavour, whereas whole milk natural yoghurt tastes yummy just as it is.
The benefit of fat is that it takes much longer to digest so it keeps you feeling full and satisfied for many hours and provides slow release energy. It also slows down the digestion of any carbs you eat with it, so that can be a benefit. So if you do have porridge, make it a smaller than usual portion but have it with creamy Greek Yoghurt or cream rather than semi or skimmed milk. It is worth while investing in a set of digital kitchen scales and weighing out portions of carb rich foods because it is so easy to lose track of what a portion is supposed to be....I was probably eating 60g oats made into porridge with brown sugar and dried fruit added pre diagnosis.... There were probably more carbs in one breakfast than I have in a week now!

Exotic fruits are usually higher in carbs than the likes of anything with berry in the name or rhubarb as long as you use artificial sweetener (Stevia etc) to stew it with or blackcurrants. If I have a banana, I tend to cut it in half and have half one day and the other half the next and have it with double cream or creamy yoghurt. You have to watch grapes because a portion should just be a few and it is so easy to eat half a punnet before you realise what you are doing!

Alcohol wise, it is best to choose low carb options like spirits (with or without low calorie mixers.. ie Gin and slimline tonic or rum and diet coke (which are my tipples) or red or dry white wine. Beer and cider and medium/sweet wine contain carbs so they will cause your BG to rise. Obviously alcohol should be consumed occasionally and in moderation if you are going to have any at all.

Anyway, just a few more things to consider.

Great info and thanks 🙂
I can live with the occasional spirits as I am partial to a Jack Daniels 😉
The fat thing is a shock if I am honest, but if it works then great 🙂

 

[stanh]

Yes re cheese.....enjoy! I used to be a chocaholic..... now cheese is my new chocolate and I eat a scary amount of it.... all good quality though... blue stilton is my current favourite along with a really nice mature Welsh cheddar... I do still buy chocolate but it is dark 70%+ and have just 1 square with a spoonful of crunchy peanut butter to bulk it out and make it more satisfying and again the fat in the peanut butter helps to fill me up and slow the carbs down.

I too am very partial to blue cheese; in fact any decent cheese! I will try eating a sensible amount, and the occasional dark chocolate 🙂

 

[rebrascora]

Interestingly many of us have found that our cholesterol has reduced along with our weight by following a low carb higher fat (LCHF) diet and of course our HbA1c has also benefitted or in my case (since I am Tye1) I need to inject a lot less insulin ro control my Blood Glucose.

 

[trophywench]

Roquefort, anyone? (proper ewes milk creation matured in caves) You absolutely can't eat a very good deal of it - a) it costs a couple of arms and legs and b) it really is that strong! Blue d'Auvergne is great too - and cheaper. Just don't see it a lot in England except if you live somewhere that has a proper cheesemongers.

 

[stanh]

It has been a while, but just reporting back that my recent HbA1C was 42, which is quite an improvement! Nearly there!
I increased exercise, ate a little more fat as suggested, a little dark chocolate etc. Must admit I stayed with skimmed milk, and ate porridge occasionally. I did cut my calorie intake down, and lost about a stone over a period of time. I did find hat I was getting bouts of light headedness, which I fear was down to inadequate food, rather than the statins that I first thought! I have upped my allowance and hopefully this is receding!
Thanks once again for all advice, and it was nice to enjoy a little cheese again 🙂

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Thanks for the update @stanh

Glad to hear you’ve found an approach that is working for you 🙂