Hello!

Last year my father was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. My father was overweight much of his adult life, plus he is an alcoholic. Now the diabetes is severely affecting his health -- bad circulation, inablity to use fingers, easily injures himself. Plus he has to take medication and check his blood sugar. Obviously I want to avoid all of this.

I do not have my father's problems with alcohol, but I have steadily gained weight over the years. I have heard that controlling one's weight is a good way to avoid the disorder. Does anybody here who already has diabetes have any experience with being able to control the disorder through diet and exercise alone? Is anybody else in a similar situation as me?

I've lost 20 lbs. over the past few years, but I have a way to go.

If you feel predisposed to diabetes, you would do well to get your weight down to the normal range. Exercise. Follow a diet that limits processed foods, junk food, etc. The Core Plan is great for this. I'm pre-diabetic and have been eating this way and avoided crossing the line so far.

TBJ Do whatever you can NOT to get type 2. I didn't and I have it. If I had worked with the meal plan and exercise first it would have been better. I have since lost 50 pounds and include exercise(walking or gazelling) in my life for at least 30 min - 5 days a weeks. I have many more pounds to lose but my sugars are under control. But in hindsite I wish I had paid attention to the warning signs. Stop it now by losing some weight and being carefull my dear it's MUCH-MUCH easier. Cindi

Yes, it is possible to control diabetes with diet and exercise. I didn't listen when I was first diagnosed and am now on insulin plus meds. Through diet and exercise I have reduced my insulin to almost nothing (5 units) and my doctor says if I can lose 10 or so more pounds then I can go off it completely and we'll start dropping my other meds as I keep losing weight. It is possible if you watch what you eat and exercise consistently (I exercise 6 days a week to keep my sugars in line).
You are actually lucky that you have a warning sign and can start working now so you don't get it. I have NO family history (which astonished the doctors...he kept asking me like I forgot about a family member or something) so it was unexpected. I was 25 when diagnosed and the doctors thought it was going to be my thryoid but it turned out they were wrong.
Good luck!
Amber

Thank you, everybody. It's good to hear the encouragement. Now I am more determined than ever to avoid Type 2. I only have a few more pounds to go before I am in the "normal" BMI range.

Question about food -- I've been a sugar fiend most of my life. Now I'm trying to cut back on sugar and simple carbs. A lot of you have probably had to do the same thing. Any guidelines for how much sugar people who do not have Type 2, but who are trying to avoid it, should eat? How did those of you who had to cut back on sugar and carbs do it?

I am type 2 and at one time I did manage to control it with diet and exercise. However, I fell off the wagon and as a consequence have to take several meds. As for eating sugar, it's okay to eat some sugar. However, you should be choosy. The worst things are sugared drinks, like soda and -- juices. Yes, juices. Both of these drinks flood your system with sugar. It's better to eat fruit, which is digested much slower. If you start now to lead a healthier lifestyle you will probably be able to avoid getting diabetes. Type 2 is mostly preventable. Good luck.

Also, I was told that if I HAD to have that piece of cake or ice cream then to eat it with dinner and not long after. It won't spike your sugar as much if you eat it with your protein and fat from dinner. A little bit is fine but eating a candy bar or cookie every 2 hours or drinking soda all day is bad. Again, with the orange juice, eat it with eggs and it wont' spike your sugar as much as if you'd eaten it alone. A little goes a long way. You don't have to be super strict about those things because you aren't technically diabetic yet. Just watch what you eat. It sounds like you are doing great.

Good luck! Don't stress because that's bad for your blood sugars too *smile*
Amber

OK, I won't stress about it!

That info about juices is good to know. I'm not a big breakfast eater, but I knew I should eat something for breakfast, so I've been drinking watered-down fruit juice in the morning. Now I'll have my juice with lunch, and eat something else for breakfast.

I feel it's too late for me.... I was told that on a routine blood test back in April my BS was high after a 12 hour fast, only slightly high and to confirm whether or not I was a diabetic I would need a GTT (Glucose Tolerence Test).... sadly the NHS is bad here and I have a 4 month wait for that!

Time is passing and finally in three weeks I will go to the hospital and take the GTT and then hopefully I will know one way or another if I am a diabetic or not.

With the scare back in April I changed my eating habits and am losing some weight, but I feel it will be too late! I have been doing my own BS tests in the morning and it's still higher than it should be!

Mazarin, a nutritionist that I consulted told me that losing even a little weight would help prevent or manage diabetes. Some of the other people on this board have had success, so maybe you will, too.

Mazarin, it's never too late! You're doing the right thing by changing your diet and losing weight. Work out an exercise plan. By the time you get your test your blood sugar may be normal. Good luck.

Marzarin, It's never too late! I am actually ON insulin and will be off in the next month. I was told if I went on insulin, I could never get back off. She's going to lower my meds as I keep losing weight. It would have been a LOT easier to lose the weight if I had listened when I was first diagnosed (I wasn't borderline and never had to take the tolerance tests because my labwork showed a 333 sugar the first time I was tested!). It's best to do it now and try to control it because it's a LOT harder to lose once you get on insulin.
I was told losing 10% of my body weight would really help manage my sugars. You are doing great, so keep going. YOu haven't reached the 10% mark yet. Keep up the good work and keep those high sugar items away!

Good luck to everyone!
Amber

I had gestational diabetes with my second pregnancy 15 years ago and was warned at the time that it could be a glimpse into "a window of my future." I controlled it then through very strict adherence to the ADA diet and a lot of exercise through my pregnancy.

Over the years, I gained weight steadily. When I was 45, I was on a long vacation and away from my usual eating and exercise routines. I was heavy, but up to then felt fine (except when I looked in the mirror ) On vacation, I became convinced that I was diabetic and it was the final reality kick that made me lose weight and keep it off.

It turned out that I wasn't diabetic, but given my history and my family history there's a good chance that's where I was headed. I guess it still could be, but I know I'm doing everything possible to avoid it.

Initially I followed the SugarBusters diet, and I still basically eat that way except I split my meals into five meals a day.

Mel

Just keep on working at it. Even before I lost 10% of my weight my blood sugar began to drop to normal about a week or two after I started to follow the meal plan and walk everyday. There is HOPE my dear don't give up..just keep on trucking. Cindi

Hey Mel, congrats on your success! What is the ADA diet?

My mom tells me that my dad is still drinking heavily. When I saw him a few months ago, he was absolutely miserable because of the diabetes. Yet he won't stop drinking. As I was looking at him, I thought, "We destroy ourselves." My mantra for improving my diet is, "I will not destroy myself through overeating and lack of exercise." Keeping a picture in my mind of my father being miserable sometimes helps me avoid that second cookie, or helps me skip dessert. Isn't that thought sad? Guess I"m feeling a little down right now.

Has anybody else had to watch a parent destroy him/herself? Isn't it awful to watch?