Diabetes Truths and Control

Controlling Blood Sugar In Type 2 Diabetes Without Use Of Medicine

I was told in rapid succession that I was suffering from intermittent claudication (that’s blocked arteries in the legs), high blood pressure, Diabetes Type 2. and that I was overweight.

Not a lot of pleasure there! The intermittent claudication made it increasingly difficult to do much, so that in effect I had become a prisoner to my house and garden. Exercise was out of the question, my legs simply couldn’t cope, but it was hoped that angioplasty to each leg would cure the problem. It didn’t.

My high blood pressure, I was assured, could be treated by a cocktail of drugs and by weight loss. The cocktail of four different drugs worked, but I could not seem to lose weight.

So I was given a choice: the blood sugar levels could be controlled either by drugs or by diet. Since I was already taking four different drugs for blood pressure, I thought it best to try diet control.

 I was also hopeful that this might help me to lose weight. But where to start? My diabetic nurse provided me with a blood sugar monitor and said I should aim to stay under 9 as my reading.

My Doctor said to stay under 7. Now she has reduced this to under 5. My current long-term reading is 5.3. A big drop from the high readings I used to produce.

So what did I do? At first I was taking blood samples three times a day and was truly astonished at how my blood sugar jumped about.

Plain porridge and water, which I absolutely loved, would produce a reading of 16 and yet, being a slow release multigrain, I had always assumed it would be good for my health.

A single apple, showed a reading of 12! Tea with milk but no sugar, 10. Obviously there was more to this than met the eye.

The first learning point was that the body needs water and lots of it. Out went sugared fizzy drinks and in came plain boiled water. The Swedes call it Silver Tea, I’m told, and it is very refreshing. Now a cup starts every day and two or three more follow.

Low calorie tonic water is also useful (the quinine helps prevent cramps), mineral water (I especially like carbonated forms), low calorie Ginger Beer and cold filtered tap water.

The next, crucial, learning point: control your carbohydrate intake, in my case to under 40gms a day.

Eliminate bread, cakes, sweets, pasta, rice, cereals, biscuits, sugars, fruit juice, potatoes, honey, jam, marmalade, baked beans. Reading the food labels is a real eye opener!

Instead, increase your intake of vegetables and low carbohydrate foods & fruits. All of the following are particularly good: Broccoli, cabbage, spinach, runner beans, brussels sprouts cauliflower, broccoli, peppers, tomatoes, courgettes, aubergines, swede, squashes, celeriac, green salads.

Fruit can be very high in sugars, so use in moderation. Choose rhubarb, grapefruit, raspberries, loganberries, strawberries, blueberries, all of which are O.K. Do not add sugar, of course, so sweeten with cinnamon instead.

Avocadoes are low in carbohydrates, but high in fat, so eat no more than half a fruit a day. Add nuts and seeds to your diet, again in small amounts.

As far as alcohol is concerned, all beers are out. One or two glasses of red wine a day are acceptable.

Avoid processed foods as much as possible and certainly do NOT eat hydrogenated fats of any kind. They are to my mind a food industry con. and of no use to any one other than manufacturers of processed food.

Buy only genuine, non-reconstituted lean meat, poultry, game and fish. Reduce your saturated fat intake by cooking on a griddle and cutting off any excess fat.

Cook with olive and nut oils, as these unsaturated fats are good for you. Never use lard. Add game to your repertoire of ingredients, along with plenty of oily and white fish such as salmon, haddock, tuna, swordfish, mackerel & kipper.

I have never once felt hungry with this change in my eating habits to simple whole foods.

I still find I miss eating plain yoghurt, vanilla ice cream and various cheeses. But then I occasionally do give myself a small treat - provided I stay within my allowance.

The results are good for my health:

My good cholesterol is high

My bad cholesterol is low

My type II diabetes blood sugar is well controlled by diet alone

I have lost 10 lbs in weight.

My next task is to lose another 30 lbs. I know now that this is achievable. The more weight I lose, the more able I am to increase my activity levels - and the more incentive I have to control my calorie intake.

At last I feel that I am taking back control of my body and discovering that you really are what you eat!

      10 Everyday Things That Spike Blood Sugar

You have been eating the right food, exercising regularly, and taking your diabetes medications as your doctor prescribed. Still, your today's blood sugar reading was abnormally high.

Artificial Sweeteners

According to the latest research. A study published in the journal nature already in 2014 reported that the consumption of zero-calorie artificial sweeteners, like the ones found in diet sodas and those that are often added to coffee and tea, actually led to glucose intolerance and increased blood sugar levels and could potentially increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Diet soda is probably better than regular soda, Still, he stresses that moderation is key, and he recommends avoiding both regular and diet — for healthier beverages. The ADA’s recommendation on artificial sweeteners is to proceed with great caution until further research is conducted, and could establish significant and solid results.

When it is about diabetes type 2, consumption of carbohydrates is a very important factor. But carbs are not  the only food that people who have diabetes need to be careful of. The foods that are high in fat do not directly raise your blood sugar levels, but they may contribute to insulin resistance, and as they take longer to digest — they largely affect the timing of blood sugar surges. While high-fat meals may be alright in moderation, it’s important for people with diabetes to know that large amounts of fat i.e 40 grams or more, as just for example  can make their ability to control blood sugar harsher. 

 Grieger says, “Sometimes a food that you’d never expect can affect your blood sugar,” That’s why it becomes important to pay attention to the way in which each food affects you. “ you should Keep track of what you eat,” and what it does to your blood sugar levels.

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Skipping Breakfast

Breakfast is said as the most important meal of the day and this may be especially true for people with type 2 diabetes, as per a study paper published in the journal diabetes care. Researchers from Tel Aviv University monitored the food intake of 22 people with type 2 diabetes and their related blood sugar levels for two days. The only difference they found in food intake over the two days was that the participants who had breakfast one morning and not the next. The study showed that on the daily breakfast was skipped, all-day spikes in blood sugar levels. The researchers believed that the function of pancreatic beta cells, which produce insulin, was negatively affected when the morning meal was found skipped.

Overeating at Dinner

Our bodies are designed to tolerate glucose better in the morning than at night. According to a recent study published in the journal PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences), our natural body clock, or circadian rhythm, influences our blood sugar levels. During the 8 day study, the researchers monitored 14 healthy volunteers after they ate breakfast at 8 AM in the morning, and then another meal at 8 PM at night. There were “normal days” (when participants had their first meal at 8 am, their last meal at 8 pm, then slept at night), and there were days when the participants' schedule was reversed (they’d have their first meal at 8 pm, their last meal at 8 am, then slept during the day). It turned out that meals consumed in the evenings coincided with blood sugar levels that were seventeen percent higher than those measured after morning meals, even if the meals were the same , and regardless of when the participants slept.

According to a press note issued by the researchers, “Our study underscores that it’s not just what you eat but also when you eat that greatly influences blood sugar regulation.” This may mean that carbohydrates and foods that increase blood sugar are better suited for breakfast than for dinner. The researchers also suggested that the circadian rhythm’s influence on blood sugar may help explain why some business people or those are having hectic sales or marketing or traveling schedules,  have higher rates of type 2 diabetes.

Results from another study, published in 2018 in the journal Diabetologia, paint a similar scene of the effect of evening meals. Participants who consumed a big breakfast in the morning (700 calories) and a small dinner in the evening (200 calories) had better control of their blood sugar than those who ate a small breakfast (200 calories) and consumed a big dinner (700 calories). (Both groups consumed the same 600 calories at lunchtime.)

It's well known that blood sugar levels also tend to surge in the very early morning, somewhere between 4 am and 5 am. People with type 2 diabetes may be better able to control this “dawn phenomena,” according to the ADA, by eating dinner earlier in the evening.

Menstrual periods are crazy for sending women’s moods and eating habits awry, but it is new to know that the menstrual cycle can also cause a swing in a woman’s blood sugar levels  Fluctuations in hormone levels before and during a woman’s periods may trigger temporary insulin resistance, which in turn causes blood sugar levels to shift. Although most women report an increase in blood sugar in the days leading up to their period, some can experience it going down. Women going towards menopause, are also likely to find their blood sugar levels to be in an unpredictable manner.

If your menstrual cycle seems to affect your blood sugar level, you may find it helpful to look for a monthly pattern in your blood sugar readings. A pattern would allow you to predict changes in your blood sugar and your doctor may adjust your treatment approach as needed when your period starts.

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Physical Inactivity

Exercise is very important in managing type 2 diabetes. In addition to helping you maintain a healthy weight or lose weight, as well as lowering your risk of stroke and heart disease, physical activity increases the body’s insulin sensitivity and helps your cells consuming glucose from the blood, for energy. According to the ADA, a good workout may lower your blood sugar level for 24 hours or more.

Another way round, inactivity/laziness can cause blood sugar levels to spike. Research published in 2018 in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise showed that blood sugar levels of healthy, normally active individuals increased remarkably after just three days of decreased activity (the participants made their typical number of daily steps by at least half).

But being active isn’t always possible. Dodell cites the example of people who have to undergo a medical procedure “If you have surgery,” he says, “you aren’t going to be able to stick to your normal exercise level.” In such circumstances you need to keep an extra-close eye on your blood sugar level.

When increasing your physical activity, don't forget the ADA's recommendation that people with type 2 diabetes watch for signs of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) during exercise. If your blood sugar dips too low,  it's needs to be treated immediately.

You are overextended at work, there’s a family crisis, and suddenly your blood sugar level is touching the roof.  “Stress definitely raises blood sugar levels,” It increases cortisol, our fight-or-flight hormone. When cortisol goes up, it makes us less sensitive either to our body’s own insulin or to insulin injections.” Stress can be physical, coping up an injury, or mental, such as being beset with financial woes or marriage problems. Even positive changes to your daily routine, a promotion at work, or going on vacation — can cause a sudden spike in blood sugar, REMEMBER THAT.

The best ways to RELIEVE THE STRESS and get the hormones back under control People often turn to food, which doesn’t help, But we can learn other beneficial ways to manage stress.” There are things you can do when you’re right at the moment, when tension at work suddenly makes you want to pull your hair out. it is advisable to Go for a five-minute walk or take 10 deep breaths to slow your breathing, And there are regular habits you can develop, like establishing a daily exercise or meditation routine. and surely that helps.

Nowadays and very recently the Scientists from the UK have developed a magical and straightforward method to reverse your type 2 diabetes. I am sure. the whole world will be benefited from that and will be a big blessing on mankind. know more about it  HERE

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Sickness

When you're sick or having an infection, your body releases hormones to help it fight off the illness. While that’s a good thing, there's a drawback for people with type 2 diabetes — your blood sugar levels can spike. In the most serious cases, according to the ADA, a life-threatening coma can even result.

That’s why it’s a good idea to have a plan for sick days. “It’s important to stay well hydrated and to be even more careful than usual about what you eat, during those days. If your illness is severe, call your doctor. It's sometimes necessary to increase diabetes medication.

The ADA suggests that you consult with your doctor or certified diabetes educator before you become ill so that together you can determine what to do on days when you're sick. Be sure to get your health care provider's advice on how many times to measure your blood sugar, which medicines to take, whether you should check for ketone levels in your urine, and if any signs or symptoms should be seen as red signals that it’s time to call your doctor.

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Medication

The illness itself can increase blood sugar spikes, and even illness-fighting medications add it up more. A number of over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications  even some vitamins and supplements — have been shown to raise blood sugar. Examples include corticosteroids, asthma medications, birth control pills, certain antidepressants, and some medications for severe acne can also be the culprit. 

It’s therefore important to let your doctor know about each and every medication you take, whether OTC or prescribed by another doctor. and that way you can workout to control your blood sugar despite additional medications.

There’s been much investigation into the connection between sleep and health problems. According to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), the overwhelming bulk of the research that relates to diabetes has found the same thing: not enough shut-eye can lead to spikes in blood sugar. One study, for example, found that participants who slept only four hours a night for six nights experienced prominent drops in glucose tolerance.

The NSF says the connection is probably related to a decrease in both cortisol and nervous system activity that happens during deep sleep — which, among other changes in the body during sleep, is thought to help regulate blood sugar. It’s a good idea then, to pay extra attention to your blood sugar levels after sleepless nights. and that's very important.