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Has anyone here naturally lowered their blood sugar levels? My level was high (118 I think) and then they did the A1C and it was elevated. Not so much to call me diabetic, but she called it pre-diabetic and said she'd see me in a year, but if they didn't change, I'd probably be diabetic in my future.

Also, would you consider fresh milled bread to be a good thing or a bad thing for blood sugar levels (the whole grain, fiber and all). I can't figure out if I should go gluten free, or stick with my fresh milled bread only.

 

Alison

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Has anyone here naturally lowered their blood sugar levels? My level was high (118 I think) and then they did the A1C and it was elevated. Not so much to call me diabetic, but she called it pre-diabetic and said she'd see me in a year, but if they didn't change, I'd probably be diabetic in my future.

Also, would you consider fresh milled bread to be a good thing or a bad thing for blood sugar levels (the whole grain, fiber and all). I can't figure out if I should go gluten free, or stick with my fresh milled bread only.

 

Alison

All bread is bad until you get your blood sugar levels under control.

 

Did she give you a trip to see the nutritionist? If not, you can get an inexpensive monitor at Walmart and test it for yourself daily. I don't know how you can be expected to learn what your body needs to eat and maintain good blood sugars without a monitor.

 

I'd call back and ask for a referral to that nutritionist. AND check out books from the library like Eat to Live and How to Lick the Sugar Habit.

 

:grouphug: This is hard. But you benefit so it's worth it.

 

Natural supplements I use: A probiotic from Shaklee (not yogurt!), Octoea essential oil, and Cinnamon supplements or oil (rubbed on your feet).

 

(I do feel the probiotic from Shaklee is the best because it's got a coating on it that allows the good stuff to pass through your stomach to the intestines where it does it's job. I am trying another probiotic right now and I'm not getting the same results. )

Edited by CalicoKat
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Has anyone here naturally lowered their blood sugar levels? My level was high (118 I think) and then they did the A1C and it was elevated. Not so much to call me diabetic, but she called it pre-diabetic and said she'd see me in a year, but if they didn't change, I'd probably be diabetic in my future.

Also, would you consider fresh milled bread to be a good thing or a bad thing for blood sugar levels (the whole grain, fiber and all). I can't figure out if I should go gluten free, or stick with my fresh milled bread only.

 

Alison

1. I would skip the fresh milled bread. Wheat is horrible for blood sugar - its glycemic index (even for 'whole wheat bread') is in the 70's IIRC.

 

2. You might want to look into low carb eating - cutting out grains/sugars and replacing them with more fruits/vegetables/proteins instead.

 

3. This book might be quite insightful for you: http://www.amazon.com/Wheat-Belly-Lose-Weight-Health/dp/1609611543

 

4. I know people who have reversed their prediabetes/diabetes through diet/lifestyle changes alone and it's been years since they had blood sugar issues - so it can be done!

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Lots of people on the lowcarbfriends site like Dr. Bernstein's work. You may also be interested in reading Gary Taubes.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Dr-Bernsteins-Diabetes-Solution-Achieving/dp/0316182699/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1340562140&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=dr+bernstein

 

Consider baking with almond or coconut flour, look into erythritol and stevia, etc. There are some great recipes and blogs linked to here on WTM.

 

Gluten isn't great, but remember that non-gluten carbs are still carbs to a diabetic's body. Even if "gluten free" you may find they elevate your sugars too much. I would say this is more likely than not in many cases.

 

Even whole grains can cause excessive blood sugar in diabetics and those of us who are insulin resistant. I have read about products like "Dreamfields Pasta" that are supposed to be "low carb" but what they do is add a fiber matrix to the outside of the pasta. Sounds great. Apparently lots of people find their sugars aren't bad an hour or two out, but if you keep testing, many find their sugar level just peaks later, delayed by the fiber, but still too high.

 

I am fairly skeptical of the nutrition advice generally handed out to diabetics by most dieticians/nutritionists.

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Skipping the bread altogether would be best, but if you can't bring yourself to do that then whole grain is actually better in terms of blood sugar than gluten free. The added fiber of the whole grains slows down digestion so the carbs hit your system slower. They still hit though.

 

Also, exercise is one of the best ways to reduce overall blood sugar levels. It can even help your insulin work more efficiently if you are like me and have lazy slacker insulin. Reducing stress and getting on a regular sleeping and eating schedule (if you aren't already) also help a lot. I was diabetic and on oral medication several years ago, but was able to get off the meds and mostly manage my sugar through diet, exercise, and lifestyle changes. At least when I'm not pregnant. :tongue_smilie:

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You can definitely undo prediabetes. Exercise regularly and watch what you eat. Low carb and low glycemic index. I don't eat bread (no matter how healthy or how much fiber), potatoes, pasta, rice, etc. The glycemic index will show you what is ok to eat. You want to stay low on the index: no bananas, pineapple, etc but instead berries. Kroger makes a CarbMaster yogurt that tastes great if you get a sweet tooth. You should not have any refined sugars or corn syrup.

 

Eat a lot of veggies (half of your plate or more), lean meats and a little low glycemic index fruits and you can get your numbers down!

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There are also some low carb breads and wraps out there.

 

I don't know what advice nutritionists are giving diabetics these days, but when my mother went to one the advice was terrible. When she followed a diet given to her by one her blood sugar was never under control. When she went low carb it was.

 

I eat low carb because there is a lot of diabetes in my family and I want to avoid problems. I'm almost 38 and so far so good.

 

The last nutritionist I saw was a couple years ago, but she said there are basically 2 ways to go - count everything and do the exchanges and such (serious PITA) or just go low carb and avoid all starches.

 

Personally, I have found that a lot of things depend on the individual. For example, bananas are supposedly terrible, but they have minimal effect on my levels. Non-fried potato with the skin - either baked or roasted - is not so bad for me, but fries are awful, as is mashed, even with the skin. Testing after meals and keeping a food log helped me identify the foods I really just can't eat.

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I have lowered my AlC to before prediabetic levels. However, eating low carb is the only way it stays down.

I saw my Dr. again this week and he was telling me how he puts on all his prediabetic patients on a Wheat, yeast, dairy and sugar free diet. He had one man come in with an Alc high enough that insulin could have been ordered ( Over 11). In 3months of a strict diet he lowered it to 5.1.

Amazing results.

Yes, it can be done, but you must cut out pretty much all carbs and eat low glycemic fruits.

:grouphug:

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My dh stays away from carbs and potatoes and rice. Lots of protein, greens and berries. He also drinks hibiscus tea 3x a day. He tries to remember to take a tbl of apple cider vinegar before he eats.

 

Exercise also makes a huge difference.

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I have lowered my AlC to before prediabetic levels. However, eating low carb is the only way it stays down.

I saw my Dr. again this week and he was telling me how he puts on all his prediabetic patients on a Wheat, yeast, dairy and sugar free diet. He had one man come in with an Alc high enough that insulin could have been ordered ( Over 11). In 3months of a strict diet he lowered it to 5.1.

Amazing results.

Yes, it can be done, but you must cut out pretty much all carbs and eat low glycemic fruits.

:grouphug:

 

:iagree:

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Thank you so much. I don't want to give up on my bread (the fresh milled full of goodness kind), but it sounds like I should for awhile. I am overweight by quite a few pounds, so I'm hoping just weight loss will help. I've got a knee messed up now with a lot of inflamation, so I can't really exercise. BUT, I think I'll finally go get the dreaded MRI and find out what is going on with it. Is dairy a big issue with blood sugar? I want to eat all healthy whole foods including my bread, lol, but I don't think that is what I can do. I hope I can get these numbers down and be able to eat bread again in the future. I don't eat that much of it now, because I've basically been trying lower carb for months. Not extremely successful, but eating betwen 150 and 300 grams of carbs, which is less than what I used to eat. I'm also eating significantly less white sugar, but I think I'll just go sugar free for awhile.

 

Not to sound like a whimp, but I am. How bad is that self monitor from Walgreens or Wal-mart that someone suggested? I hate those finger pricks at the doctor. Is this the same, or maybe a bit easier? I know, if I don't do something about my health then that will be the least of my worries!

 

Alison

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Thank you so much. I don't want to give up on my bread (the fresh milled full of goodness kind), but it sounds like I should for awhile. I am overweight by quite a few pounds, so I'm hoping just weight loss will help. I've got a knee messed up now with a lot of inflamation, so I can't really exercise. BUT, I think I'll finally go get the dreaded MRI and find out what is going on with it. Is dairy a big issue with blood sugar? I want to eat all healthy whole foods including my bread, lol, but I don't think that is what I can do. I hope I can get these numbers down and be able to eat bread again in the future. I don't eat that much of it now, because I've basically been trying lower carb for months. Not extremely successful, but eating betwen 150 and 300 grams of carbs, which is less than what I used to eat. I'm also eating significantly less white sugar, but I think I'll just go sugar free for awhile.

 

Not to sound like a whimp, but I am. How bad is that self monitor from Walgreens or Wal-mart that someone suggested? I hate those finger pricks at the doctor. Is this the same, or maybe a bit easier? I know, if I don't do something about my health then that will be the least of my worries!

 

Alison

 

You should speak with a nutritionist, but my personal guess (based on the recommendations made to me when I had gestational diabetes) is that you probably do not want to go over 150 grams of carbs. 300 would be way too much.

 

The difficulty with weight loss is often a symptom of the insulin problem, so losing weight isn't necessarily going to solve the problem. Solving the problem will, however, likely result in some weight loss.

 

FWIW, I've been on and off metformin in the past, and I'm not taking it now. I'm using ceylon cinnamon. I just started recently, but it seems to help (I have not been tracking blood sugar).

 

Yes, it sounds like a good idea to track your blood sugar with a monitor from walgreens. I'd check two hours after every meal.

 

Also, FWIW, I'd try really hard to stop the line of thinking that the bread is full of goodness, because the reality may be quite the opposite. The freshness and wholesomeness has nothing to do with it. Carbs, period.

Edited by wapiti
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You are supposed to check your glucose levels just before eating and then 2 hours later. If you keep a food diary you can see which foods cause the highest spikes. The finger pricks are not too bad, but not necessarily fun. Once you start getting everything under control then you don't have to do it as often. You can buy a cheap monitor for about $30 at Walgreens and strips for about the same price. The price for the strips can be expensive though as you need to use several a day in the beginning.

 

Low carb is hard. I had a friend tell me to avoid everything white and processed LOL, but it turns out that it is more true than not. Fries, chips, breads will raise my numbers faster than many things. My dad though has a very tough time with fruits but can tolerate potatoes better than I can.

 

There are also diabetic forums with lots of advice, although I can't remember where one is at the moment.

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Thank you so much. I don't want to give up on my bread (the fresh milled full of goodness kind), but it sounds like I should for awhile. I am overweight by quite a few pounds, so I'm hoping just weight loss will help. I've got a knee messed up now with a lot of inflamation, so I can't really exercise. BUT, I think I'll finally go get the dreaded MRI and find out what is going on with it. Is dairy a big issue with blood sugar? I want to eat all healthy whole foods including my bread, lol, but I don't think that is what I can do. I hope I can get these numbers down and be able to eat bread again in the future. I don't eat that much of it now, because I've basically been trying lower carb for months. Not extremely successful, but eating betwen 150 and 300 grams of carbs, which is less than what I used to eat. I'm also eating significantly less white sugar, but I think I'll just go sugar free for awhile.

 

Not to sound like a whimp, but I am. How bad is that self monitor from Walgreens or Wal-mart that someone suggested? I hate those finger pricks at the doctor. Is this the same, or maybe a bit easier? I know, if I don't do something about my health then that will be the least of my worries!

 

Alison

It's around the $10 range for that monitor at Walmart. No the finger pricks aren't as bad as the ones at the doctor's office.

 

When I started eating low/no carb the inflammation with my arthritis also started behaving better. I'm really sensitive to carbs of any kind. Yesterday at a baseball game I had a few, few of the flat pretzels and my sugars soared! A monitor will help you discovered how sensitive you are.

 

A nutritionist will help, but I was severely messed up by one last January. I almost had to go on insulin because of her. . . . . . but because of her I had to do the greens & protein diet (no carb) and discovered how to make my extra pounds move.

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Thank you so much. I don't want to give up on my bread (the fresh milled full of goodness kind), but it sounds like I should for awhile. I am overweight by quite a few pounds, so I'm hoping just weight loss will help. I've got a knee messed up now with a lot of inflamation, so I can't really exercise. BUT, I think I'll finally go get the dreaded MRI and find out what is going on with it. Is dairy a big issue with blood sugar? I want to eat all healthy whole foods including my bread, lol, but I don't think that is what I can do. I hope I can get these numbers down and be able to eat bread again in the future. I don't eat that much of it now, because I've basically been trying lower carb for months. Not extremely successful, but eating betwen 150 and 300 grams of carbs, which is less than what I used to eat. I'm also eating significantly less white sugar, but I think I'll just go sugar free for awhile.

 

Not to sound like a whimp, but I am. How bad is that self monitor from Walgreens or Wal-mart that someone suggested? I hate those finger pricks at the doctor. Is this the same, or maybe a bit easier? I know, if I don't do something about my health then that will be the least of my worries!

 

Alison

 

Try for less than 100 grams of carbs a day. 300 is WAY too many. I usually shoot for around 70 if I'm not working out, 100-150 if I am.

 

As for the monitor, the sticks are not as bad as the ones at the dr's office. They typically come with an adjustable depth lancet so you can find the least deep stick that will get the tiny drop you need for the test. Mine is set on 2 out of 7 because I bleed fairly easily. My SIL, who has been type 1 since early childhoos, uses it on 5 but she has a lot of callouses that built up over the years and says she doesn't feel it at all.

 

I use the True Results (I think that's the name anyway) monitor from Walgreens. The monitor is about $20, so a bit more than some of the other models available. But it has a memory feature and can show you averages over the past month I think. Also, Walgreens has the best prices on strips, which you wind up buying pretty often. It was worth it to me to pay more initially for the meter to then save money on the strips over Walmart or CVS for the next 3-5 years (average length of battery life for the cheap meters).

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I agree. Although I think there is some room for moderate amounts of it within 150g of carbs. I think a lot of people have to eat far less than 150 grams though.

 

Some people do just fine on lots of carbs. Some credit that to what they call good carbs. It has nothing to do with good carbs. For some people carbs aren't good. Carbs are carbs. A piece of bread is almost up there with a piece of cake for a person with blood sugar problems.

 

I can't even eat beans because it's too many carbs for me.

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There seems to be a much bigger emphasis on low fat than low carb with diabetic diets. I don't think fat is the problem. It's the carbs. Carbs really aren't much better than sugar for a diabetic.

I know you probably know this, but just wanted to clarify for anyone else:

 

Sugar is a carb. So is starch and fiber. The body turns sugar and starch into glucose; fiber has no effect on blood sugar, that's why people on low carb diets subtract the fiber from the total carbohydrate count to find out how many carbs they're consuming that will affect their blood sugar.

 

So as someone else mentioned, even a really healthy, whole grain bread will have carbohydrates that will affect blood sugar because there is still starch in it that will be turned into glucose.

 

ETA: fruit & veggies have carbs, too, so "cutting out carbs but eating fruit & veggies" is not cutting out carbs. Check the sugar/starch content (glycemic index/net carb count) to find out which ones are the better ones to eat.

Edited by gardening momma
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BTW, gluten doesn't really have anything to do with it. Gluten itself is a protein. In fact, most low carb breads and wraps are made with even more gluten because it helps lower the carb count. I sometimes make homemade low carb breads and I buy a bag of gluten powder to add to them.

 

Yes, gluten free and low carb are two separate issues,

 

Going low carb will almost certainly help. Going gluten-free in addition might help, but through a different mechanism entirely. Some people swear by it, others think it's nonsense.

 

The only thing gluten-free means is that it doesn't contain gluten, a protein in wheat and some other grains. A lot of gluten-free products (especially commercial products, but many recipes as well) are high carb - made with corn or rice flour, and still containing a lot of sugar. So going gluten-free without paying attention to the ingredients and carb-content is unlikely to be very helpful.

 

Look for gluten-free products/recipes that use coconut or nut-based flour, with minimal or no added sugar (that includes HFCS, honey, agave nectar, maple syrup, molasses, evaporated cane juice, fruit juice concentrate, dates, and so on). Avoid corn, rice, tapioca, and potato flours/starches. Bean-based stuff you'll probably have to experiment with to see how it works for you.

 

So basically, if you're choosing between gluten-free and low carb, low carb should be your priority, though there are many foods that are both, and it's perfectly reasonable to do low-carb gluten-free.

 

I agree about getting a blood sugar monitor. Yeah, the pokes suck, but keep in mind that doing it short-term, learning how different foods effect you, and getting your blood sugar controlled may prevent you from having to do it multiple times a day for the rest of your life. I'm told that some lancets (the finger-poker thingies) are less painful than others - I don't use them myself, so I can't help with brands, but I'm sure there are forums out there that discuss it in depth :).

 

Some locations are also less painful - you were likely being poked on the pad of your finger, which is one of the most sensitive parts of your body. They're now starting to teach to poke on the side of the finger instead. It's individual, though - some people seem to find the side of the finger more painful (probably because they're long-time diabetics who have been poking their fingertips for years and aren't as sensitive there), so experiment and see what works for you. Some meters say that you can use blood from the forearm as well, which is much less sensitive than the fingers. It's not quite as accurate (they don't recommend it for suspected low blood sugar episodes), but should be ok for what you're doing.

Edited by ocelotmom
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Testing after meals and keeping a food log helped me identify the foods I really just can't eat.

 

My dad followed Dr. Bernstein's advice of testing after every meal. His goal is to keep his glucose below 100-110 at all times. He is on metformin and victoza, but testing has made it clear what foods he has to avoid.

 

He lost weight quickly on a vegan diet, but his glucose levels were peaking at about 140-150. After a few months he switched to a low-carb diet, and within a week, his glucose peaks were about 110, and his blood pressure normalized for the first time in 30 years. He got off one bp drug and is on a very low dose of the other. Before, even with both drugs, his bp was still high. He is slowly losing weight (down about 70 lbs) but feels so much better.

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My friend did it, but it was a pretty drastic lifestyle change.

 

He started a vigorous exercise program. In one year, he went from not running at all, ever, to running daily; 1-1/2 years in, he ran a marathon. He still regularly competes in marathons, triathalons and bicycle races. He runs/swims/bikes daily. The competitions provide the motivation for exercise to be a way of life for him. (I just read that exercise isn't really an option...can you swim? It will keep you off your knee and it's great exercise. :grouphug:)

 

He also completely changed his diet. He had a consultation with a nutritionist, and afterward cut out most carbs for the first year. He really focused his diet on proteins and leafy greens. His wife is one of my best friends and it was a HUGE lifestyle adjustment for both of them as they tried to figure out what to eat. After a year, they've been able to allow some carbs, but still very limited.

 

The reason I'm sharing this is because he is healthy. After one year, the doctor was amazed. My friend has completely reversed his condition, and he says he feels much better on a daily basis.

 

:grouphug:

 

Cat

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ETA: fruit & veggies have carbs, too, so "cutting out carbs but eating fruit & veggies" is not cutting out carbs. Check the sugar/starch content (glycemic index/net carb count) to find out which ones are the better ones to eat.

It is important, especially with fruits, to know which are higher in sugar and which aren't. We do need some carbohydrates, but eating 'low carb' of 100g/day or less shouldn't present a blood sugar issue. I would not worry about the carb content of vegetables except starchy tubers (white potatos, sweet potatos, 'roots', etc... - but only if you're seeing huge spikes of blood sugar levels while eating them). The best fruits for carb counting tend to be berries IIRC. But honestly, if you're eating a whole fruit (so you get the fiber) along with protein/fat at a meal then it should not spike your blood sugar the way a slice or two of wheat toast will (especially if it's not gorging on fruit).

 

Avoid dried fruit though - that is MUCH higher in carbs (ex. a whole peach is 9g of carbs, but a handful of dried fruit is 30g of carbs).

 

If you're wanting to figure out what to eat, google 'paleo eating' or 'primal eating' and a lot of recipes/websites/cookbooks will come up.

 

ITA with the others that 'gluten free' is not necessarily low carb, ESPECIALLY if you are eating store-bought gluten free products that rely heavily on tapioca flour and rice and corn - all of which are high in carbs. Coconut flour is a better choice and more satiating so you eat less.

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Thank you so much. I don't want to give up on my bread (the fresh milled full of goodness kind), but it sounds like I should for awhile.

The fresh millled grain is NOT full of health goodness - it is full of insulin-spiking wheat flour (yes, even whole wheat flour), gliadins that stimulate your appetite and leave you hungrier than if you hadn't eaten it at all, anti-nutrients that prevent your body from absorbing all the vitamins it needs, and auto-immune inducing inflammation. Really - grains are not a 'health food' (at least not wheat IMO). Once I got off of grain is when I realized how badly I felt while eating it - there really is a night and day comparison. It just takes a 3 week trial to see how you respond.

Here is one article talking about the problems with grains: http://wellnessmama.com/575/how-grains-are-killing-you-slowly/

 

(Note: I will eat an occasional (read: a few times a year) grain-based treat like my grandma's homemade coffee cake. But I don't consider it a healthy food but rather an indulgence that I savor and enjoy.

 

I am overweight by quite a few pounds, so I'm hoping just weight loss will help. I've got a knee messed up now with a lot of inflamation, so I can't really exercise.

Grains and dairy are two of the MOST inflammatory foods that you can eat - if you are having joint pain and inflammation then removing both of those from your diet for a time could really help. If you google around you will find many people who found this to be true for them.

Here is a list of the Top 10 Inflammatory Foods: http://theconsciouslife.com/top-10-inflammatory-foods-to-avoid.htm

 

 

Is dairy a big issue with blood sugar? I want to eat all healthy whole foods including my bread, lol, but I don't think that is what I can do. I hope I can get these numbers down and be able to eat bread again in the future.

Dairy is not a good health food - especially not the store-bought, low-fat (or even worse...non-fat which is terrible for our health). If you are doing raw dairy that is full fat it's a different story, and same goes for fermented dairy like kefir. But regular store-bought dairy does not fall into the 'healthy whole food' category for the majority of people.

Here are some links on dairy - yes, it is insulinogenic:

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/dairy-intolerance/

 

 

I don't eat that much of it now, because I've basically been trying lower carb for months. Not extremely successful, but eating betwen 150 and 300 grams of carbs, which is less than what I used to eat. I'm also eating significantly less white sugar, but I think I'll just go sugar free for awhile.

That is not low carb - that's actually high carb and what I would eat if I wanted to *gain* weight. (FWIW, I am pregnant and in order to gain weight I have to eat 150-175g/carbs a day). Low carb is under 100g/day if you have insulin-resistance issues (which it sounds like you may). See this chart for a handy breakdown: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/press/the-primal-blueprint-diagrams/

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I suggest that you look into Low GI information. Research on the GI (Glycemic Index) began with researchers questioning the wisdom of the point system of controlling diabetes: Eg. a potato counted for so many carb servings and so did an apple but what was their actual effect on blood levels? GI testing measures a carb food eaten by people (actual food-an apple, pear, bread, pasta, banana) and its effect on blood sugar levels)

 

Turns out that white flour and whole wheat flour are almost identically high according to their effect on blood sugar--one has more vitamins, etc., but the grinding process itself influences how quickly blood sugar levels are affected.

 

Note: many carb-containing foods DO NOT appear to have a horrible effect on glucose levels for most people (Think of all the traditional cuisines around the world which are carb heavy and diabetes is rare). Also, in many traditional cuisines, the whole diet influences blood sugar levels: eg. eating a salad with a vinaigrette dressing (or other sour foods: kimchee, sourkraut, sourdough bread, pickles, etc) lessens the glycemic impact of higher GI foods. There are other connections as well. It really is worth checking out.

 

A couple of links to get you started:

 

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/glycemic-index-diet/MY00770

 

http://www.glycemicindex.com/faqsList.php On this site, you can also sign up for a newsletter; the University of Sydney is the leading institution conducting GI research.

 

HTH,

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I highly recommend Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution (http://www.amazon.com/Dr-Bernsteins-Diabetes-Solution-Achieving/dp/0316182699/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1340646989&sr=8-1&keywords=DIABETES+SOLUTION). Basically he advocates exercise (weight lifting being better than aerobic) and low carb (no grain, no fruit except avocados, no tomato or tomato products, no beans, no tubers (potato, carrots, yams), SLOW ACTING vegetables [mostly green stuff]. It's a difficult diet but he's a type 1 diabetic in his 70s (since 12 yr old) with no diabetic complications.

 

Supplements that help are magnesium, b-complex, chromium, zinc, manganese, r-lipoic acid, cinnamon, gymnema sylvestre and benfotiamine (to protect the nerves - damage happens above blood sugar of 140).

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I am overweight by quite a few pounds, so I'm hoping just weight loss will help. I've got a knee messed up now with a lot of inflamation, so I can't really exercise.
Grains and dairy are two of the MOST inflammatory foods that you can eat - if you are having joint pain and inflammation then removing both of those from your diet for a time could really help. If you google around you will find many people who found this to be true for them.

I got to this point and I just had to share my experience at the dentist today. I go every 3 months because I have periodontal disease. My gums usually bleed a lot when they clean my teeth. I also usually forget to floss, and they (just about everyone at the office who takes care of my teeth) know it. I've been eating low carb for about 4 weeks now, and completely grain-free, potato-free and very low sugar for probably 2.5+ weeks.

 

First, the hygenist immediately noticed my weight loss. I told her about how I've been eating. Then, while she's cleaning my teeth, she said my gums are so much healthier. She asked if I made any changes--more brushing, more flossing, etc. I said no. She said it must be my diet. She was very impressed. She said normally my gums bleed a lot (she said more, but it might be too graphic for this thread ;) ), but they didn't much today (very unusual for me!). So there was a huge reduction in inflammation. It's not something I would have previously linked to the foods I eat, but now I can see the correlation.

Edited by gardening momma
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I have a lot of homework to do, thank you ladies.

 

Ok, one more question...if you can lower your blood sugar and a1c levels, will I ever be able to go back and not worry about counting carbs or sugar? Can you ever truly reverse this, or is it a forever watch your carbs from now on situation? Are Asian cultures high in diabetes? I've heard not, but I don't understand how with a lifetime of eating rice they aren't all battling these issues like Americans are.

 

Thank you again!

 

Alison

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I have a lot of homework to do, thank you ladies.

 

Ok, one more question...if you can lower your blood sugar and a1c levels, will I ever be able to go back and not worry about counting carbs or sugar? Can you ever truly reverse this, or is it a forever watch your carbs from now on situation? Are Asian cultures high in diabetes? I've heard not, but I don't understand how with a lifetime of eating rice they aren't all battling these issues like Americans are.

 

Thank you again!

 

Alison

 

Do you mean 'if I lower blood sugar temporarily, can I go back to my old eating/lifestyle habits with no ill effects?" If so, the answer is no - you will always have to be careful about what you eat and accept this as a lifestyle change, not a temporary fix. But if you mean "Will I always have to be this intentionally conscious about my eating" the answer is 'no' because it becomes second nature after awhile to know what is good and bad for your particular body and adjust your diet accordingly.

 

Traditional Asian diets to not induce diabetes in the same way that modern/processed food diets do. Their diets are high in vegetables and other low-carb foods, high in sea vegetables, and the rice they eat is FAR less harmful for us than the wheat/corn we consume in massive quantities. Traditional diets are also low in sugar and American eating is high in sugar. Much of this is changing in Asia (especially in the cities) and diabetes rates are soaring as a result. The human body was not made to live on high glycemic index foods.

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The human body was not made to live on high glycemic index foods.

 

THIS! Most high ghlycemic foods have been ultra-processed. Really, whatever you decide to do, it would be well worth your time to learn about the Glycemic Index as it directly relates to the effect of foods on blood sugar levels.

 

I gave two links above. I also wanted to mention that when I was first learning about it, I seriously used Amazon's look-inside feature on a myriad of books about low glycemic eating.

 

For starters:

 

The Good Carb Cookbook: http://www.amazon.com/Good-Carb-Cookbook-Secrets-Glycemic/dp/1583330844/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1340686856&sr=1-1&keywords=good+carbs First half of book outlines the science.

 

The New Glucose Revolution: Low GI Eating Made Easy http://www.amazon.com/New-Glucose-Revolution-Eating-Made/dp/1569243859/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1340686884&sr=1-3&keywords=low+gi Put out by researchers from the Univ. of Sydney

 

The Glycemic Index for Dummies http://www.amazon.com/Glycemic-Index-Diet-Dummies/dp/0470538708/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1340686884&sr=1-4&keywords=low+gi Just what it says! :)

 

And lastly, remember that another component of good health (and thus leveling out your blood sugars) is to get a bit of movement in every day. Research has shown over and over again that even a 20 minute daily walk positively effects health...don't think it is the gym or nothing.

 

HTH,

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