[georgepds]

I found a good site (1) that summarizes "Research Connecting Organ Damage with Blood Sugar Level". I was trying to figure out how important it was to get BG < 100 mg/dl. I quote some of the titles below.

Boy, this stuff is grim.

The short answer is it's very important, that is, if you like nerve and beta cells. If not, party on ..

--G


(1) Research Connecting Organ Damage with Blood Sugar Level

Nerve Damage Occurs when Blood Sugars Rise Over 140 mg/dl (7.8 mmol/L) After Meals

Keeping Blood Sugars Below 140 mg/dl at All Times Improves Survival of Seriously Ill Patients

Beta Cell Destruction Begins at Levels Over 100 mg/dl (5.6 mmol/L)

Beta Cells Die Off in People Whose Fasting Blood Sugar is Over 110 mg/dl (6.1 mmol/L)

Prolonged Exposure to Blood Sugars Over 140 mg/dl (7.8 mmol/L) Kills Human Beta Cells

[BlueSky]

Thats Jenny's website. She is also a diabetic and has put some really good info on her site. Go here to see it : What They Don't Tell You About Diabetes.

Jenny is a protagonist for "normal" blood sugars for diabetics to avoid all those health issues you mentioned. For a discussion of what "normal" is, go to this page What is a Normal Blood Sugar? . It is a lot more demanding than the popular ADA view.

[Dawn]

Thank you for posting that. I was just thinking about my beta cells and wondering how many of the little darlin's are still around and what can I do to help them stay.

[dbc]

I followed the link and listened to the presentation - this is exactly the sort of scientifically obtained data that I've been wanting to see since I was diagnosed!

But the implications for us diabetics are not that wonderful ( For a diabetic, my control is moderately good (last A1c=6.5%), but my day-to-day numbers are nowhere near normal as defined by this study!

[georgepds]

Originally Posted by dbc

I followed the link and listened to the presentation - this is exactly the sort of scientifically obtained data that I've been wanting to see since I was diagnosed!

But the implications for us diabetics are not that wonderful ( For a diabetic, my control is moderately good (last A1c=6.5%), but my day-to-day numbers are nowhere near normal as defined by this study!

Hi

I was pleased to find this site too, though i have not watched the video yet, i just plow through the articles. There is so much dross about diabetes, it's good to find something grounded in the science literature.

I agree with you the numbers are a lot stricter than listed in the ADA ( the "what they don't tell you crowd" struggles for A1c < 6). The one idea that woke me up is the "eat your meter" practice , 1 hour post meal <140 and 2 hour post meal < 120

Now that's hard.. but yet these folks manage to do it. I'm still a rank newbie at type 2 control, but despite my modest progress these last 2 to 3 months I'm nowhere near good control. I see my doc a week from today and am going to press for better medicinal control of BG, the 2x500 mg metformin is not working, that and I'm going to take carb control to the next step. I'm not sure I'm ready for Bernstein's 6/12/12 practice, but if that's what it needs, I'll do it

--g

[princesslinda]

Thanks for posting this interesting read! You've probably made many stop and think about the way they are currently managing their diabetes. Its our goal to do all we can to minimize complications, and while it is challenging to achieve these lower numbers, hopefully the long-term results will be much better complication-wise because of the extra effort expended.

[rzrbks]

Now that's hard.. but yet these folks manage to do it. I'm still a rank newbie at type 2 control, but despite my modest progress these last 2 to 3 months I'm nowhere near good control.

I think that's why ADA and CDEs don't set these as targets for most people. Setting them that low, at the beginning, would and DOES set many people on the road to "I Can't Make It." So, it's important to get people to have a positive attitude about what they CAN do then start helping them to move their #s into a range that is reasonable for the individual.

What's best for the individual is the goal of Diabetes Control.

[Injecto]

Originally Posted by georgepds

Beta Cell Destruction Begins at Levels Over 100 mg/dl (5.6 mmol/L)

People aren't going to like hearing this but this finding does indeed suggest that if you eat too much sugars/carbs as a non-diabetic, enough to make your temp post-prandial sugars go above 5.6, you do in fact start killing your own beta cells, which in turn decreases your own insulin release/manufacture, thus making yourself a diabetic. Very interesting indeed.