Pre Diabetic - what to do

[jwo]

Afternoon All,

Recently had HbA1C result back - 42mmol/mol which according to Doc (telephone appointment soon) puts me in the Pre Diabetic category.

My plan to reverse this is as follows:

Exercise - more walks and cycling - increase heart rate etc
Lose weight (put on 4-5kg during wfh and not being as active/out as much) - bmi circa 28
Reduce sweet/sugar intake (can't beat Haribo sadly)
Food portion control and reduce carbs - more considered approach to eating (I don't have a bad diet just like food)

Hopefully if I stick to above this should reverse the levels to normal.

I suspect doctor will either tell me the above or try and put me on Metformin (which I've heard bad stories about).

Any advice/experience from others would be great (and yes Pistonheads is obviously the font of al medical knowledge as well as cars!!)

[gus607]

My HbA1c was 89. Four months later was down to 39.All due to cutting carbs down.

[boxst]

Mine was also in the eighties and got it down to 40 with diet.

I cut out as many carbohydrates as possible snd took up some exercise. So no potatoes, pasta, rice. Bread, beer and as little sugar as possible.

It took about six months and I also lost 30kg. That was insane so I slowly introduced a few things back and put back on 5kg or so.

[Evoluzione]

If you enjoy food then welcome to the club of having the dullest diet on the Planet.
Ask your GP to send you on the Desmond course, it's free and very good.
Dig out the Keto thread, your diet will now be a slightly less strict version of that.
Ignore what anyone says about Metformin and try it yourself if your doctor says so. I'm on it and have no adverse effects, there may be some initially which can subside as with any meds.

[Stu-nph26]

Do the fast 800 by Michael Mosley

[Guv10]

I've had mine back today. It was 46, right at the top end of pre diabetic. Cant say I'm surprised, my diet is awful and I don't exercise. I've been overweight pretty much my whole adult life.

I'm 6ft and 117kg. 40 years old. I just cannot find the motivation to do it. I know what I should and shouldn't be eating I just can't stick it. All my own doing I know.

[boxst]

I understand. But the side effects of diabetes are pretty horrific as you get older. That is what motivated me and I’m quite lazy in general.

[PBDirector]

https://youtu.be/RuOvn4UqznU

Intermittent fasting can turn around T2D.
Something like 20:4 with a 3-day fast every 6 months.

Video is of a cardiovascular surgeon explaining this protocol he uses to reverse T2D in his patients.

[mike9009]

Guv10 said:

I've had mine back today. It was 46, right at the top end of pre diabetic. Cant say I'm surprised, my diet is awful and I don't exercise. I've been overweight pretty much my whole adult life.

I'm 6ft and 117kg. 40 years old. I just cannot find the motivation to do it. I know what I should and shouldn't be eating I just can't stick it. All my own doing I know.

You do not want to be diabetic. You have a choice. As a T1 diabetic of 40 years, I was diagnosed as a 7 year old and I did not have a choice. Injecting at least four times a day becomes a way of life...... Diabetes is not fun!

1. Kidney failure. I regularly get tested for kidney function. Daily trips to the hospital for dialysis is not good, but a real possibility for diabetics who don't care for themselves.
2. Deteriorating circulation. Again I have another regular appointment to check my circulation. I personally know two diabetic amputees - both below the knee. The what-if type questions are/ were a regular topic of conversation.
3. Blindness, this has personally affected me and threatened my driving licence. Again regular checks, but I have had multiple, retinal laser surgery sessions, injections in both eyes, vitrorectomy ( look this up, it isn't a pleasant operation), double cataracts operation and now glaucoma......luckily the care I have had has so far saved my sight.......

Plus the regular diabetic checks, random hospitalisations when younger, blood tests etc.

For six months effort starting now (I mean NOW) you could avoid a lifetime of complications looming over your shoulder. At 40 years old you are a young candidate for T2.

If you want to PM me to chat, please do. I hope to scare the st out of you to make a difference!

[Bobtherallyfan]

Keep an eye on the Glycemic index of foods….there are some surprises. You can get a glucose monitor and check which foods cause spikes…everybody reacts in different ways. Porridge is a no go for some diabetics but fine for others. Definitely reduce anything made with white flour….that’s a no brainer.

More exercise, more veg, less processed food, keep stress levels down would be my advice….I’ve been pre diabetic for over eight years and I’m slim, relatively fit and try to eat sensibly. Checking sugar levels on food is a way of life now!

Good luck.

[gregs656]

Don’t try and do everything at once is my suggestion. Start with the low hanging fruit, figure out what works for you, and chip away at it.

[heisthegaffer]

Guv10 said:

I've had mine back today. It was 46, right at the top end of pre diabetic. Cant say I'm surprised, my diet is awful and I don't exercise. I've been overweight pretty much my whole adult life.

I'm 6ft and 117kg. 40 years old. I just cannot find the motivation to do it. I know what I should and shouldn't be eating I just can't stick it. All my own doing I know.

Can you got for walks locally? I do this 3 times a week and can make a difference, even just 3km each time.

[didelydoo]

Get your weight down first and foremost. Exercise frequently. Cut out stty foods, focussing on sugary higher carb stuff first.

Pretty much do the opposite of what put you in the situation in the first place. Change your lifestyle to a healthy one, and you’ll be healthy.

[Vasco]

didelydoo said:

Get your weight down first and foremost. Exercise frequently. Cut out stty foods, focussing on sugary higher carb stuff first.

Pretty much do the opposite of what put you in the situation in the first place. Change your lifestyle to a healthy one, and you’ll be healthy.

The key problem with that is that many of those affected will not readily understand what 'Sugary higher carb' foods are!

[MC Bodge]

Guv10 said:

I've had mine back today. It was 46, right at the top end of pre diabetic. Cant say I'm surprised, my diet is awful and I don't exercise. I've been overweight pretty much my whole adult life.

I'm 6ft and 117kg. 40 years old. I just cannot find the motivation to do it. I know what I should and shouldn't be eating I just can't stick it. All my own doing I know.

You may live a long, healthy, able and pleasant life, but the odds of it are not good.

It has to be worth trying to make a change?

[didelydoo]

Vasco said:

The key problem with that is that many of those affected will not readily understand what 'Sugary higher carb' foods are!

I’m not so sure. People know what sugary foods are- they perhaps don’t act on it, but the vast majority have got into this situation because of lack of exercise and eating an unhealthy diet. Almost everyone knows that fruit and veg are ‘good’, and that cakes and biscuits are ‘bad’. (Before anyone points out fruits are sugary- no one gets prediabetic by eating lots of fruit and veg....)

Carbs themselves are not the devil, eating large quantities of them whilst being sedentary is the issue.

The vast majority of People know *how* to be fit and healthy - they just don’t do what they need to do because it’s easier not to.

[Phil.]

didelydoo said:

I’m not so sure. People know what sugary foods are- they perhaps don’t act on it, but the vast majority have got into this situation because of lack of exercise and eating an unhealthy diet. Almost everyone knows that fruit and veg are ‘good’, and that cakes and biscuits are ‘bad’. (Before anyone points out fruits are sugary- no one gets prediabetic by eating lots of fruit and veg....)

Carbs themselves are not the devil, eating large quantities of them whilst being sedentary is the issue.

The vast majority of People know *how* to be fit and healthy - they just don’t do what they need to do because it’s easier not to.

Not quite that simple. As their insulin resistance increases over time fat retention also increases and so the spiral begins to diabetes. Once insulin resistance has developed, minimising carbs of all types (fruit included) and weight loss is the only way to avoid medication and the potential (likely) long term negative outcomes of diabetes.

[Jessicus]

jwo said:

Afternoon All,

Recently had HbA1C result back - 42mmol/mol which according to Doc (telephone appointment soon) puts me in the Pre Diabetic category.

My plan to reverse this is as follows:

Exercise - more walks and cycling - increase heart rate etc
Lose weight (put on 4-5kg during wfh and not being as active/out as much) - bmi circa 28
Reduce sweet/sugar intake (can't beat Haribo sadly)
Food portion control and reduce carbs - more considered approach to eating (I don't have a bad diet just like food)

Hopefully if I stick to above this should reverse the levels to normal.

I suspect doctor will either tell me the above or try and put me on Metformin (which I've heard bad stories about).

Any advice/experience from others would be great (and yes Pistonheads is obviously the font of al medical knowledge as well as cars!!)

Echo the above comment about not letting it get away from you - make changes, but gradually and manageably, otherwise you may get into a position where you HAVE to make changes and you may resent them. My story - admitted to hospital more than 3 years ago with infection and what turned out to be osteomyelitis. My HbA1C was 118 - I didn't know that I was diabetic, but had obviously been so for probably a decade. Tried me on some oral meds for a couple of days after 1st surgery (three surgeries in total, left foot still attached, but useless - non weight bearing) but didn't do anything, started on insulin.

Since found out that I have retinopathy, requiring laser and injections (ongoing), have reconstruction surgery coming at some point - 6 month min of pain.

Small changes now - cutting back on carbs/increasing activity (don't think of it as exercise specifically - going for a walk etc - you don't need hours in the gym) and Metformin isn't bad for me at all - and slow release is available if it causes issues.

Good thing is that you are aware - so you can manage the situation in the best way for you. Worst thing is to carry on as before - for example, the damage to my eyes was unnoticeable as far as my vision was concerned, but I've been told that I could literally have woken up one day with a hole in my vision - very scary stuff.

[mikiec]

jwo said:

Afternoon All,

My plan to reverse this is as follows:

Exercise - more walks and cycling - increase heart rate etc
Lose weight (put on 4-5kg during wfh and not being as active/out as much) - bmi circa 28
Reduce sweet/sugar intake (can't beat Haribo sadly)
Food portion control and reduce carbs - more considered approach to eating (I don't have a bad diet just like food)

Pretty solid plan, a few thoughts:
Booze, seems rarely mentioned but basically pure sugar, had at the worst time (pre bed) and the calories add up quickly. If you are a regular drinker just cutting out booze will make a huge difference.
Stress and sleep. If these are issues they will be contributing to your health problem so include improving these in your plan
Food & exercise- everyone has a opinion, which will usually be based on what works for them. Thing is what works for them might not work for you so be prepared to change/ try something different. I’d strongly recommend Ted Naimen - pretty straightforward and not as dogmatic as some of the others. Find him on Twitter or he has an ebook.

[MC Bodge]

Jessicus said:

increasing activity (don't think of it as exercise specifically - going for a walk etc - you don't need hours in the gym)

This is an important point.

Human bodies need to engage in regular movement. It doesn't require special clothing, equipment, gym membership or a coach/trainer.

Sleeping for ~8 hours is important, but then, as many people do, spending almost the entire remaining 16 hours of a day sitting or lying down is not good at all for bodily health and even just normal function.