Diabetes

[still kicking]

So, I have been diagnosed with Diabetes 2 about 10 years ago never taking any medication for it, went for a test last week because of some different matters, my test was 6.9 Yes, I know it was in the morning nighttime might be higher so should I worry?

[mstevens]

An A1C above 5.7 is pre-diabetic and 6.5 up is diabetic.

 

With your A1C at 6.9, it would definitely be worth making lifestyle changes such as reducing processed carbs, eliminating soft drinks, sweets, alcohol and excess fruits. Consume lots of non-starchy veges and meat. Exercise is very helpful to lower your A1C and intermittent fasting can help too i.e. eating all of your food each day within a 12-hour window, or if you can manage it, an 8-hour window. Try all of this for a while, retest and see where your A1C level is at.

 

If your level has not come down appreciably, it would be an idea to see a diabetes doctor.

[scubascuba3]

10 years late, can reverse type 2

[save the frogs]

one thing I have started doing recently is taking a couple of tablespoons of vinegar with meals because it apparently lowers blood sugar levels. i use balsamic vinegar because i like the taste better. maybe pickle juice might do the trick too. not sure. 

 

https://www.levelshealth.com/blog/does-vinegar-really-lower-blood-sugar#:~:text=It turns out even a,as much as 20 percent.

 

It turns out even a small amount of vinegar consumed with meals can help control blood sugar, too. One study found consuming two teaspoons of vinegar with carbs may reduce post-meal blood glucose levels as much as 20 percent.

 

 

[Sheryl]

This result is from HB1Ac test, makes no difference what time of day it was done

 

As you are still below 7.0, I would suggest you  focus on diet and level of physical activity first unless you feel you are already doing all that you possibly can.

 

Doctors will prescribe medication for result 7.0 or higher unless it comes down with other measures first. There is some variation among physicians as to whether to prescribe medication for results in the 6.5 - 6.9 range, depends among other things on your overall health, cholesterol panel, cardiac risk etc. 

[still kicking]

17 hours ago, mstevens said:

An A1C above 5.7 is pre-diabetic and 6.5 up is diabetic.

 

With your A1C at 6.9, it would definitely be worth making lifestyle changes such as reducing processed carbs, eliminating soft drinks, sweets, alcohol and excess fruits. Consume lots of non-starchy veges and meat. Exercise is very helpful to lower your A1C and intermittent fasting can help too i.e. eating all of your food each day within a 12-hour window, or if you can manage it, an 8-hour window. Try all of this for a while, retest and see where your A1C level is at.

 

If your level has not come down appreciably, it would be an idea to see a diabetes doctor.

Well, I do not drink any soft drinks at all no sweets since I hate them, I only have some red wine in the evening don't eat a lot only 2 meals a day and one of them is fruit, exorcize is out of a question since I had 2 broken ankles and find it difficult to walk at all 

[jvs]

2 minutes ago, still kicking said:

Well, I do not drink any soft drinks at all no sweets since I hate them, I only have some red wine in the evening don't eat a lot only 2 meals a day and one of them is fruit, exorcize is out of a question since I had 2 broken ankles and find it difficult to walk at all 

Your meal of fruit can be very bad for your condition.

Depending of course of what kind of fruit you are eating,fruit usually contains a lot of sugar.No matter what kind of sugar you consume,to your body it as all the same.

[still kicking]

1 minute ago, jvs said:

Your meal of fruit can be very bad for your condition.

Depending of course of what kind of fruit you are eating,fruit usually contains a lot of sugar.No matter what kind of sugar you consume,to your body it as all the same.

I mostly eat oranges or mandarins or some bananas some times 

[mfd101]

31 minutes ago, still kicking said:

I mostly eat oranges or mandarins or some bananas some times 

Bananas are (relatively) high in sugar. Better would be an apple and berries of all kinds (blueberries particularly good, also strawberries). Avocados & kiwi fruit are good.

[mfd101]

16 hours ago, save the frogs said:

one thing I have started doing recently is taking a couple of tablespoons of vinegar with meals because it apparently lowers blood sugar levels. i use balsamic vinegar because i like the taste better. maybe pickle juice might do the trick too. not sure. 

 

https://www.levelshealth.com/blog/does-vinegar-really-lower-blood-sugar#:~:text=It turns out even a,as much as 20 percent.

 

It turns out even a small amount of vinegar consumed with meals can help control blood sugar, too. One study found consuming two teaspoons of vinegar with carbs may reduce post-meal blood glucose levels as much as 20 percent.

 

 

Yes. Apple cider vinegar is often recommended by the experts. 1 tablespoon + water before each meal.

[still kicking]

4 minutes ago, mfd101 said:

Bananas are (relatively) high in sugar. Better would be an apple and berries of all kinds (blueberries particularly good, also strawberries). Avocados & kiwi fruit are good.

I love strawberries don't eat bananas every day. Blueberries are too expansive where I live.

[SeaBee]

16 hours ago, save the frogs said:

one thing I have started doing recently is taking a couple of tablespoons of vinegar with meals because it apparently lowers blood sugar levels. i use balsamic vinegar because i like the taste better. maybe pickle juice might do the trick too. not sure. 

 

https://www.levelshealth.com/blog/does-vinegar-really-lower-blood-sugar#:~:text=It turns out even a,as much as 20 percent.

 

It turns out even a small amount of vinegar consumed with meals can help control blood sugar, too. One study found consuming two teaspoons of vinegar with carbs may reduce post-meal blood glucose levels as much as 20 percent.

 

 

You might want to look into the anti-diabetes properties of kratom, and use that too to control sugar level.

[Furioso]

Do you have any diabetes symptoms? 

[still kicking]

1 minute ago, Furioso said:

Do you have any diabetes symptoms? 

Not at all 

[Furioso]

Just now, still kicking said:

Not at all 

I'm very happy you don't suffer symptoms. I thought I had at least pre-diabetes awhile back and I found that one of the world's most renowed specialist on diabetes had a theory that fat accumulation in the liver and then more fat bleeding over into the pancreas is the cause of most Type-2 Diabetes. He had a great success with a trial(Newcastle University Study) that put diabetics on a calorie reduced diet where they lost a significant amount of fat over 2 months. People can be quite thin but still have a fatty liver/pancreas. You might be close to your threshold it's possible if you lost just a few pounds your numbers would be vastly improved. 

[still kicking]

12 minutes ago, Furioso said:

I'm very happy you don't suffer symptoms. I thought I had at least pre-diabetes awhile back and I found that one of the world's most renowed specialist on diabetes had a theory that fat accumulation in the liver and then more fat bleeding over into the pancreas is the cause of most Type-2 Diabetes. He had a great success with a trial(Newcastle University Study) that put diabetics on a calorie reduced diet where they lost a significant amount of fat over 2 months. People can be quite thin but still have a fatty liver/pancreas. You might be close to your threshold it's possible if you lost just a few pounds your numbers would be vastly improved. 

Well, I am 76 now and weigh about 78 kg my height is just short of 180 cm and yes, I had a fatty liver for years maybe I sued to drink a lot when I was younger. 

[Sheryl]

Presence of symptoms is irrelevant. By the time you have any it is too late top prevent a  lot of damage.

 

@still kicking  From the sounds of it there is not much more you can do lifestyle wise.  And with your immobility, along with increasing age,  it is not surprising that your sugar readings are inching upward.

What is your cholesterol panel like? (triglycerides, LDL cholesterol). I ask because lipid and glucose metabolism are closely intertwined.

 

Also may I ask why your are so hesitant to take medication? Metformin is dirt cheap and has an excellent safety profile.  Probably half the posters on this forum are on it.  Noto nly will it reduce your HB1Ac it will also help reduce/control  lipids.

[Furioso]

18 minutes ago, still kicking said:

Well, I am 76 now and weigh about 78 kg my height is just short of 180 cm and yes, I had a fatty liver for years maybe I sued to drink a lot when I was younger. 

Looks like you're doing pretty damn good for 76 years old. I wouldn't worry too much unless you start experiencing some serious symptoms. Good luck and good health!

[still kicking]

1 minute ago, Furioso said:

Looks like you're doing pretty damn good for 76 years old. I wouldn't worry too much unless you start experiencing some serious symptoms. Good luck and good health!

Thanks, mate not very often you hear a good response 

[Sheryl]

Again, "experienceing symptoms" is not the point at which to think of treating diabetes. By then he may have permanent nerve damage which will make his remaining years highly unpleasant.

[still kicking]

5 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

Again, "experienceing symptoms" is not the point at which to think of treating diabetes. By then he may have permanent nerve damage which will make his remaining years highly unpleasant.

Sheryl, I don't think I am worried about my days I have left I am 76 now my sister is 84 my mother died at 89 my grandfather lived to about 113

[Sigmund]

If you don't like any allopathic medecine, try homeopathy, It did miracles on my cholesterol. But you must change your drinking and eating habbits my friend, if you want to enjoy life a bit more.

[Furioso]

10 minutes ago, still kicking said:

Thanks, mate not very often you hear a good response 

No problem, yeah I know a nice comment on this forum is akin to finding hens teeth. 

Here's a short 10 min video about diabetes that really helped me a lot. Features Dr. Roy Taylor. 

 

[still kicking]

2 minutes ago, Sigmund said:

If you don't like any allopathic medecine, try homeopathy, It did miracles on my cholesterol. But you must change your drinking and eating habbits my friend, if you want to enjoy life a bit more.

Hahaha what eating and drinking habit? Did you read my post? I hardly drink at all and just have 2 meals a day and one of my meals is just fruit 

[bunnydrops]

I'm 76. No one else in my family made to over 70. brother and sister included. I still do construction work and work on roofs. You can always be one of the lucky ones if you take care of yourself.

[still kicking]

6 minutes ago, bunnydrops said:

I'm 76. No one else in my family made to over 70. brother and sister included. I still do construction work and work on roofs. You can always be one of the lucky ones if you take care of yourself.

Nice to hear you still are active I am not able to use steps or escalators since I had my broken ankles, but I am very glad you made it 

[bendejo]

I had heard about carbohydrates but didn't really know what they were until I was diagnosed with type 2 and started reading up on these things.  There was some kind of breakthrough in diabetes research in the 1990s, and carbs are a culprit; before then diabetes was viewed by some as a sugar allergy, I recall from when I was a kid (back before the flood) when a relative had it.  It would pay to do a little reading on carbs.  Spoiler alert: when you eat a carb your body turns it into sugar, in some cases in a matter of seconds.  Time to start looking nutritional data, like this: https://www.fatsecret.com/calories-nutrition/usda/bananas

 

I would caution on info from the American Diabetes Association, too often I'll read something from them and later read another that contradicts it.  There is a whole industry built on diabetes: treatments, pills, gadgets, magazines (Diabetes Today!) and books books books.  Coincidentally, just found this yesterday:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2023/10/01/type-2-diabetes-prevention-progress/70768126007/

 

 

[Sheryl]

1 hour ago, still kicking said:

Sheryl, I don't think I am worried about my days I have left I am 76 now my sister is 84 my mother died at 89 my grandfather lived to about 113

My point was ihat ignoring diabetes can lead to severe pain that affects the quality of life. It was in redponse to poor advice from a poster saying no need to treat diabetes "until you have symptoms". Seriously wrong advice. 

[save the frogs]

3 hours ago, SeaBee said:

You might want to look into the anti-diabetes properties of kratom, and use that too to control sugar level.

never heard of kratom. 

[save the frogs]

4 hours ago, mfd101 said:

Yes. Apple cider vinegar is often recommended by the experts. 1 tablespoon + water before each meal.

yeah, but apple cider vinegar tastes awful.

i think other vinegars are also helpful. 

so i mix it up.

balsamic vinegar tastes quite good.