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need help-fasting blood sugars
I am pre-diabetic. I need some ideas to help me lower my morning sugars if anyone has them. Yes, I am prone to diabetes, had gestational diabetes twice.
I usually run about 100 and if I eat something like mashed potatoes for dinner it's around 115. I have tried this many different ways but can't really re-create the numbers from one day to the next. For instance, I eat a decent dinner with mashed potatoes but no snacking and almost a little hungry before bed, my numbers are like 113. Yet if I eat something like red beans and rice with some snacks before bed it's 100 or so. Why the difference with similar Glycemic index? I have only had one good number lately an 89 and I think it was b/c I did cardio before bedtime, although I am not sure. I have also noticed off and on that some alcohol before bed helps with my morning numbers which I did some research on and found can be useful, yet my stomach will not handle that everyday and I can't combine that if I need to use meds for my back. So what do I need to do here, any suggestions? Cardio every night? I am wondering if I can do that without fatigue on my body with the physical problems I have. Also, if I lose more weight, do you think this condition will improve? There has been no change in my numbers with loss so far. Is this the dawn phenomenon I am dealing with in this situation? Any insight is appreciated! |
My husband is diabetic and since we have gone low carb (me for weight loss and him for diabetes) he has had great numbers. No big ups & downs at all.
We do no potatoes (except sweet potatoes), no rice, no pasta, no cereals. |
Hello!
Actually, your fasting numbers aren't too bad. Obviously, testing in the mid 80's would be preferable. If I understand your question, you are concerned with both the level of fasting bs, and the variance that you are seeing. One of the most frustrating aspects of learning bs control is that it is such an individual process. What works for me or someone else may not work for you. :?: I will try to give you some thoughts regarding your questions. The dawn effect refers to the process when the liver, when fasting, "panics" a little and releases sugar in the bloodstream during the night. Typically, this results in higher numbers: 120 or higher. One of the ways to evaluate this is to set an alarm for 2 or 3 in the morning and test your bs, it might give you information on what is happening in your body. Most people find that their bs reacts to specific carbs (white rice vs fruit) or the combination of foods (protein + carbs, carbs alone, etc) or the amount of food. Sometimes people don't understand that too many calories - even without carbs may raise bs levels as the body struggles to cope. Alcohol can lower bs and is considered to be healthful in small amounts for most people. It is not a primary method of bs control. For myself, I learned that my morning numbers are best controlled with a small, protein + carb snack before bed. My favorite is a little yogurt = about 100 calories and 16 carbs. An alternative is 1/2 apple + baby bell lite cheese. As for exercise, I typically only work out early in the morning. My understanding is that exercise is important for long term control. I don't think that you need to be locked into doing cardio every night. My best advice is to keep detailed records for a while that include food, activity, timing and bs results. You will find the pattern over time. Come on over to the August thread and join us. There are some newbies and some really experienced people that can help and inspire you. I am sorry if this reply is too lengthy... Hang in there - this is totally doable. Rie |
Those numbers are nothing to worry about ...diabetics ( like me ) get numbers SO much higher than that ...sounds like whatever you are doing is working...
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Often, insurance will cover a visit to a nutritionist, especially if there's a related health issue (which there is for you). I would recommend scheduling an appointment to talk about GI and diet. It should be very useful!
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Thanks all. I have seen a diabetic counselor before. I am due for another diabetes test soon. All of my numbers during the day are great and I can tolerate anything, it's just those darn fasting numbers that are creeping up over time. Under 100 is my goal. Having gestational diabetes twice, I am almost sure to develop Type 2 at some point, I just want to push that back if I can. I'd love to turn this pre-diabetes thing around!
I will try the tips though and if you think of any more, I'm all ears! |
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