[Lookingformoose]

Hi, have just found this site and think its going to be a godsend for me!

Have just received the results of my fasting glucose test and was told it was 100. I actually heard nothing from my GP as I had the blood taken at the hospital and as 100 is considered 'normal' in the UK (it seems) then no-one contacted me. However, I have been feeling so ill recently -

incredibly weak, especially in the mornings
blood sugar swings
intense tiredness (when I slept through an appointment that was scheuled for 11.15 I knew I had a problem!)
blurred vision,
feeling low blood sugary just an hour or an hour and a half after eating, which has been very disturbing

I asked for the results myself and have found out from online research that 100 is prediabetic. I suspected as much as my father has diabetes 2 and I have battled with hypoglycaemia for the past 12 plus years; I know the feelings of blood sugar swings. However, these have basically been okay for the past 18 months, and my diet hasnt suddenly altered so I'm at a bit of a loss to explain the sudden feelings of ill health.

At the moment I am feeling especially panic stricken about what on earth to eat and when. I think I am fairly healthy; we eat lots of home made soups, veggies and grains, some fish, things like halva or licorice for a snack (although I have eaten a fair bit of chocolate in my time...). I am not overweight but do carry a donut round my middle, even when I went down to 8st 12 two years ago (I am 5ft 3) the donut still remained....but I often have toast for supper and that seems out. I usually have 2 apples and a banana most days and have read that even fruit is out. My partner has a degree in biology and is horrified at the thought of anything high-fat and isnt there someone also recommending diabetics have a high fat, low carb combo?

Am freaking out a bit here so would be thankful for any advice, including book recommendations. Thankyou!

[lorilei]

Hi Looking...glad you are on top of things...another new member just shared your question...you might want to scroll down to the posting by bbwvixen Diabetic, now what. as long as you educate yourself and get testing regularly you should be able to put some easy things in place to keep healthy. Best of luck!

[fgummett]

Hi and Welcome to DF We have plenty of "Mooses" here in Canada

I'm a little confused as I thought the UK used mmol/l for BG measurement? 100 mmol/l would be extremely high but 100mg/dl - as used by USA - is OK.

As Lori said, check out the other thread for some good pointers.

Fat has been demonised in the last 30 years or so, but there is no solid research to back up the claims that it is bad for us - it is more like an almost religious dogma; based on conjecture and assumptions, than good science. Based on observation evidence - such as the traditional French diet, Inuit, Masai and others who all eat high-fat - it seems that in fact fat is good for us.

Here is something to chew over (hah!) regarding red meat (also vilified in recent years) :

Consider a porterhouse, select cut steak, with a half-centimeter layer of fat, the nutritional constituents of which can be found in the Nutrient Database for Standard Reference at the USDA Web site. After broiling, this porterhouse reduces to a serving of almost equal parts fat and protein. Fifty-one percent of the fat is monounsaturated, of which virtually all (90%) is oleic acid, the same healthy fat that’s in olive oil. Saturated fat constitutes 45% of the total fat, but a third of that is stearic acid, which is, at the very least, harmless. The remaining 4% of the fat is polyunsaturated, which also improves cholesterol levels. In sum, well over half — and perhaps as much as 70% — of the fat content of a porterhouse will improve cholesterol levels compared to what they would be if bread, potatoes, or pasta were consumed instead. The remaining 30% will raise LDL but will also raise HDL. All of this suggests that eating a porterhouse steak rather than carbohydrates might actually improve heart disease risk

Chocolate is also a regular part of what I eat BUT be sure it is at least 70% cocoa... otherwise too much sugar!

[EeyoreButterfly]

Do you have a meter or can you get your hands on one? Your fasting readings can be fine while your post meal readings are out of whack, that is the case for me. Apparently, your post meal readings go up before your fasting readings do.

The diet I was told to follow that seems to work pretty well for me is 3 servings of carbs for each meal (15g=1 serving) and a 1 carb serving snack (optional). Those are the maximum carbs I'm supposed to eat, I don't have to eat all of them.

Because diabetes is linked to heart failure, I was told to be careful of saturated fats. People with diabetes are supposed to keep their cholesterol lower than people without. I eat meat at every meal, but I limit myself to a 3 oz serving (size of a deck of cards) of lean meats most of the time. Meat is not evil, just don't get meat with a lot of fat in it.

The other thing you need to look at in terms of fat is the type of fat. Saturated fats which are animal fast and trans fats which come from the hydrogenation process which is used to stabilize oils are the fats that research has shown are bad for your body. Trans fats are part of the preservative process and are found in a lot of baked goods and surprisingly, margarine.

Your body does need fat, but like anything you need to eat it in moderation. Monounsaturated fats are good for you, as well as Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. You can find them in foods such as olives and wild salmon. (Farm raised salmon do not eat the same food as their wild counterparts and are not as healthy for you. It is the kril that gives salmon the Omega 3's and its pink color. So go for wild salmon). I hope this helps.

[fgummett]

Sorry EB, but "heart failure" is a quite different problem than ischemic heart disease... and to the best of my understanding, heart failure is not associated with Diabetes. Atherosclerotic or Ischemic heart disease IS associated with poorly controlled Diabetes - the kind one can get by eating upwards of 45g carbs at every meal

As for what you have "been told" I suggest you do some reading and make up your own mind about some of these things - how many posts have you read here on DF about how we get outdated and/or just plain wrong information from our health care teams..? Doesn't that even raise the slightest doubt for you?

I challenge you to quote and source some solid scientific research which proves that saturated fat is "bad for your body".

[pdxdennisj]

100 is absolutely normal (in the U.S., that is). I'll let some of our UK subscribers pipe up about UK readings. I know that when I was in Prague the readings had to be multiplied/divided by ~18 - I'm not sure what standard you are on.

[Ronin]

Hi Lookingformoose!

Take a deep breath, relax, and think for a moment - there are a lot of diabetics on the planet and they don't all die from diabetes, or even diabetes related causes.

Let's first talk about what the Pre-D diagnosis is really all about: It is designed to be a wake-up-call to the individual. The presumption is that if you modify your life-style early enough you can prevent the onset of diabetes (particularly Type-2) which is the most common adult onset form.

That being said, one Fasting Blood Glucose level at or above the "magic" 100 mg/dL does not constitute a Pre-D diagnosis. It takes more than one, and I want to see an HbA1c test for confirmation.

Regarding the dietary issues: I, like your partner, don't like high fat foods (and they don't like me either). However, there are healthy and unhealthy fats as noted by "EB" in her post. There can be too much of a good thing, and too much of the good fats are bad for you as are too little. You need to think balance both in diet and in approach to your lifestyle.

Another part of the equation is exercise. Most of us, living in the first world, don't get nearly sufficient exercise for the needs of our bodies to move. Frankly, most of us don't like to sweat. However, that kind of exercise is necessary to build muscle tissue with lots and lots of insulin receptors so that our bodies use both the insulin we produce as well as the glucose we consume.

Book recommendation: Know Your Numbers - Outlive your diabetes.

[EeyoreButterfly]

Originally Posted by fgummett

Sorry EB, but "heart failure" is a quite different problem than ischemic heart disease... and to the best of my understanding, heart failure is not associated with Diabetes. Atherosclerotic or Ischemic heart disease IS associated with poorly controlled Diabetes - the kind one can get by eating upwards of 45g carbs at every meal

As for what you have "been told" I suggest you do some reading and make up your own mind about some of these things - how many posts have you read here on DF about how we get outdated and/or just plain wrong information from our health care teams..? Doesn't that even raise the slightest doubt for you?

I challenge you to quote and source some solid scientific research which proves that saturated fat is "bad for your body".

And in the meantime how about you quote me some scientific articles that say that it isn't. And for the record, I find that depending on the carbs (taking into account fiber, whole grain, etc) for most meals I can eat 45 g and be fine. What is the unofficial slogan here? YMMV? This is what has been startin to work for me and what I have read in numerous articles and been told by two different doctors.

This is also the current recommendation of the American Diabetes Association, and I trust them.

[lorilei]

As you can see, Lookingformoose, you will get varying opinions here. Please read as much as you can to help you decide what techniques and philosophies work best for you...your health and numbers will be better for your knowledge.

[EeyoreButterfly]

From WebMD:

Eating foods that contain saturated fats can raise the LDL ("bad") cholesterol in your blood. Having a high level of LDL cholesterol increases your chance of clogged arteries (atherosclerosis), which can lead to coronary artery disease and heart attack.

Trans fats also are unhealthy. Try to avoid them as much as possible. Trans fat raises the level of bad LDL cholesterol and lowers the good HDL cholesterol in your blood.

HDL cholesterol is important. It helps clear the bad cholesterol from your blood so it does not clog your arteries. A high level of HDL can lower your risk of having a heart attack.

Remember, your body needs some fat to be healthy. Use the example below as a guide for eating less saturated fat.

In general:

No more than 10% of your daily calories should come from saturated fat. This is about 20 grams of fat in a 2,000-calorie diet.
No more than 10% of your daily calories should come from polyunsaturated fat. This is about 20 grams in a 2,000-calorie diet.
Monounsaturated fats can be up to 15% of your daily calories. This is about 25 to 30 grams in a 2,000-calorie diet.
If you're not sure how much fat you should be eating or how many calories you need each day to stay at a healthy weight, talk to a registered dietitian. He or she can help you create a plan that's right for you.

From the American Heart Association:

Saturated fat
Saturated fat is the main dietary cause of high blood cholesterol. Saturated fat is found mostly in foods from animals and some plants. Foods from animals include beef, beef fat, veal, lamb, pork, lard, poultry fat, butter, cream, milk, cheeses and other dairy products made from whole and 2 percent milk. All of these foods also contain dietary cholesterol. Foods from plants that contain saturated fat include coconut, coconut oil, palm oil and palm kernel oil (often called tropical oils), and cocoa butter.

From the National Medicine Library run by the National Inistitute of Health:

Function Return to top

Fat is one of the three nutrients (along with protein and carbohydrates) that supply calories to the body. Fat provides nine calories per gram, more than twice the number provided by carbohydrates or protein.

Fat is essential for the proper functioning of the body. Fats provide essential fatty acids, which are not made by the body and must be obtained from food. The essential fatty acids are linoleic and linolenic acid. They are important for controlling inflammation, blood clotting, and brain development.

Fat serves as the storage substance for the body's extra calories. It fills the fat cells (adipose tissue) that help insulate the body. Fats are also an important energy source. When the body has used up the calories from carbohydrates, which occurs after the first 20 minutes of exercise, it begins to depend on the calories from fat.

Healthy skin and hair are maintained by fat. Fat helps the body absorb and move the vitamins A, D, E, and K through the bloodstream.
...

These are the biggest dietary cause of high LDL levels ("bad cholesterol"). When looking at a food label, pay very close attention to the percentage of saturated fat and avoid or limit any foods that are high. Saturated fat should be limited to 10% of calories. Saturated fats are found in animal products such as butter, cheese, whole milk, ice cream, cream, and fatty meats. They are also found in some vegetable oils -- coconut, palm, and palm kernel oils. (Note: Most other vegetable oils contain unsaturated fat and are healthy.)

I don't have access to my schools library website right now to look it up in journals, nor frankly do I have the time. My semester is over in two weeks and I have more important research to do.

Why is fat demonized? Because numerous studies have shown that people who eat diets that are lower in fat (not no-fat) are healthier and live longer lives and are less likely to be overweight. As noted above, fat provides 9 calories per gram, more than any other source of calories in food. Higher fat diets are also higher calorie.

Note that none of the links above said get rid of saturated fat, it said limit it to 10% or less of your calories. As noted above, your body needs fat to maintain health. Like everything, it is about balance. Get the right amount of the right kinds.

[Lookingformoose]

Thanks for replies. Yes, I think in terms of balance too.... and using this as a wake up call. Since I hit 40 I've had a few unexpected health problems and obviously do need some sort of overhaul!
Until I came here, I hadnt heard of the other blood test which measures glucose levels over 3 months. I will go back to my GP to discuss testing for this. Wish me luck, am in the UK and the health care here is desperate (my partner is from the US and hasnt got over the horror of it yet). Still, onwards in a positive manner
Moose

[matingara]

Originally Posted by Lookingformoose

I hadnt heard of the other blood test which measures glucose levels over 3 months. I will go back to my GP to discuss testing for this.

This test is called the "HgbA1C" test or the "A1C test".



it is the yardstick most often used.

-- Joel.

[matingara]

Originally Posted by EeyoreButterfly

Why is fat demonized? Because numerous studies have shown that people who eat diets that are lower in fat (not no-fat) are healthier and live longer lives and are less likely to be overweight. As noted above, fat provides 9 calories per gram, more than any other source of calories in food. Higher fat diets are also higher calorie.

Note that none of the links above said get rid of saturated fat, it said limit it to 10% or less of your calories. As noted above, your body needs fat to maintain health. Like everything, it is about balance. Get the right amount of the right kinds.

Generalisation is a dangerous sport. I have increased my fat and protein intake and drastically reduced carbs over the last 18 months.

as you can see in my .sig i have lipid readings that are stunningly excellent.

i trust my doctor. but only after i have argued with him. if he didn't allow me to argue - i would fire him. if he didn't change his mind after i have argued with him - i would fire him. i do not trust the XYZ diabetes association, because they speak in glib generalisations.



-- Joel.

[fgummett]

EB - I don't want to be accused of taking yet another thread
I will simply respond that what you quote above are statements NOT proven facts... just because someone or some body says something does not make it a scientific fact - even if that person is a scientist.
We have all been told by the media (every other day) the food industry (eat all the low-fat [high HFCS] yogurt you like... it's good for you!), health establishment, government agencies, XYZ diabetes associations etc... that low-fat is bad for us. This hypothesis has been around for at least 30 years that "eating fat makes us fat and gives us heart disease"; so you would think it would be easy to find some actual scientific research where this has been proven. I, and others here on DF have already posted many sources which show that fat is not bad for you and indeed I (like Joel above) have dramatically improved my lipids by eating MORE fat
Look at the facts I posted above for the USDA regarding a steak... doesn't that give you any pause for thought as to whether the current message makes any sense? It did me. If you actually went to the USDA site you would see that not only does a steak contain the so-called "good fats" but it is also rich in vitamins and minerals

...and here was me thinking that it was the job of the younger generation to question things, and shake up old assumptions

in the words of Jacob Bronowski, "It is important that students bring a certain ragamuffin, barefoot irreverence to their studies; they are not here to worship what is known, but to question it. "

[fgummett]

"...government agencies, XYZ diabetes associations etc... that low-fat is bad for us. This hypothesis..."
should read as,
"...government agencies, XYZ diabetes associations etc... that fat is bad for us. This hypothesis..."

...if only I had the eyesight and typing skills of my 18 year old son...