# Prediabetic



## Sulfate (Jul 14, 2021)

Hi everyone,  I had a HbA1c blood test March 12th and my score was 44. I have been referred to the Diabetes *prevention prevention programme. I have changed my diet and lost 5lbs I  am 9st 5 BMI is 21and active.I'm a 58year old woman. I had another HbA1 on Monday and was so upset that my score has not gone down but stayed at 44. I'm not sure what else I can do?*


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## Inka (Jul 15, 2021)

Welcome @Sulfate  Don’t be disheartened. Sometimes it can take a while to find what works and to see the U.K. bees shifting. Can I ask what changes you made to your diet? What would an average day’s food look like for you?


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## Sulfate (Jul 15, 2021)

Hi Inka. Breakfast is 45g of less than 5%sugar granola with a few strawberries, raspberries and blueberries with soya plain yoghurt. Lunch a wholemeal sandwich with cheese or ham and a protein blueberry yoghurt which is fat free and sugar free. Dinner varies. One night this week I had prawns ,smoked salmon with jacket potato and cheese with salad, a chicken salad with 100g new potatoes,  prawn stir fry with egg noodles, I do allow myself a cake once a week and a dessert once a week. I have a very sweet tooth and I have cut out alot of chocolate,  pudding gs and cake etc. I have had an Indian takeaway a couple of times since March. I also go to the gym twice a week and do pilates once a week


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## Sulfate (Jul 15, 2021)

I also check all food labels and choose amber or green and avoid red  on the traffic lights system.


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## Felinia (Jul 15, 2021)

Sulfate said:


> Hi Inka. Breakfast is 45g of less than 5%sugar granola with a few strawberries, raspberries and blueberries with soya plain yoghurt. Lunch a wholemeal sandwich with cheese or ham and a protein blueberry yoghurt which is fat free and sugar free. Dinner varies. One night this week I had prawns ,smoked salmon with jacket potato and cheese with salad, a chicken salad with 100g new potatoes,  prawn stir fry with egg noodles, I do allow myself a cake once a week and a dessert once a week. I have a very sweet tooth and I have cut out alot of chocolate,  pudding gs and cake etc. I have had an Indian takeaway a couple of times since March. I also go to the gym twice a week and do pilates once a week


Hi and welcome.  I can see why you are a bit puzzled as you are slim and fit.  And your meals certainly sound very healthy. So I had a look at your diet, and ran it through my app for calories and carbs.  

Diabetes UK recommends less than 130gm carbs a day.  I assumed low or fat free, medium slices/portions, 1oz cheese, 220gm baked potato, baked chicken quarter, 75gm noodles, semi skimmed milk.  Your breakfast came to 330 cals with 28gm carbs.  Your cheese sandwich lunch came to 350 cals and a whopping 48.5gm carbs.  Your baked potato with prawns, smoked salmon, cheese and salad came to 520 cals and 60.9 gm carbs.  So those 3 meals came to 1200 cals and 137.4gm carbs.  This is before you take into account drinks and any snacks, like fruit you may have.  6 mugs of tea would add 110 cals and 11.4gm carbs. Your chicken salad meal was 325 cals and 25.4gm carbs.  The prawn stir fry was a surprising 534 cals and 44.9 gm carbs.

It is my gut feeling - and I am ready to be disagreed with - that your diet is a bit carb heavy for a pre diabetic person. You might look to reducing your carb intake with a few tweaks.  For example, an open sandwich on a small slice of wholemeal or low carb bread, piled with salad.  Replacing the noodles in your stir fry with cauliflower rice, or using Bare Naked carb free noodles.  Most of us avoid breakfast cereals, but when I do have some, I only have 25gm oat based cereal, with unsweetened almond milk and 40gm mixed berries.  My breakfast of choice is a poached egg with grilled mushrooms and tomatoes.  Others have the berries and yogurt without the cereal.  I love a baked potato, but look for the smallest ones and fill up with protein.  I'm hoping with just a few carb tweaks you can get your next HbA1c below the magic 42.

PS:  I got my latest HbA1c yesterday, and had dropped 17 points - so I treated myself to an Indian takeaway.  Back on the carb count today!


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## Sulfate (Jul 15, 2021)

Thanks Felinia that is so helpful.  In the winter I was having porridge oats with almond milk too but more like 40g oats. Is there anything i can find online that will give me an accurate count of carbs? I really have no idea of what is carb heavy apart from pasta rice bread etc? Because i am slim I'm not sure how much to eat of those things because I really dont want to lose too much weight.i have lost 5lbs since March due to changing my diet. Can I still have a weekly treat? I'm so confused! I know I would do better with a diet sheet to follow but I dont know where to find a good one.


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## Sulfate (Jul 15, 2021)

Can I have any ideas for a free carbs count/amount app?


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## grovesy (Jul 15, 2021)

Carbs and cals.


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## Felinia (Jul 15, 2021)

Hi - I hope I haven't rambled on too much here.

I use an app with website called NutraCheck and there are others available online.  It was the first thing I did when I became diabetic and I fill it in faithfully every day in advance, so I know exactly what I'm having.  As one person put it - you don't want to get to dinner to find you've used up your carb allowance!  I believe NC still offers a 7 day free trial, then it works out at £7.99 a month - less than one Costa coffee a week!  It contains literally thousands of foods with varying portion sizes and weigh options.  It then adds them in by meal, day and week and saves them for posterity.  It offers 7 different types of plan, from low fat, low carb, low sugar, to "set your own".  

I chose "set your own" as the low carb version was still too high in carbs.  I experimented with varying carb levels and settled on 90gm a day - others go lower or higher.  We are all unique and have to find out what suits us best.  It is possible that you are more sensitive to certain carbs, and others may suggest you invest in a blood glucose monitor.  As Type 2 you won't be offered one free!  If you test immediately before eating and 2 hours from first bite, then compare it with your food diary you will soon see what causes your blood glucose to spike.  I can get away with a small slice of bread or 2 new potatoes, but not rice, pasta or apples!  That might also give you more clues why your HbA1c remained unchanged.  Once I had worked out what foods suited me I stopped testing and my sore fingers thanked me.  I just test now for new foods.

Diabetes UK sells a brilliant book Carbs & Cals Pocket Counter which is a pictorial reference for portion sizes and also includes all the important stats like cals, carbs, fats.  Horrifying fact - one 16gm square of dark chocolate is 10gm carbs and 4gm fat!  The other publication I found very helpful was The 8-week blood sugar diet by Dr Michael Mosley with foreword by Prof. Roy Taylor.  It includes a 4-week menu plan and recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  You don't want to lose weight but I do.  I also got a number of pre-diabetes and Type 2 diabetes books, but most of them were for the American audience with their ingredients and measurements.  I have The Hairy Bikers Type 2 Diabetes Cookbook (entertaining but a bit high in carbs still), plus another book with over 100 recipes and UK measurements called "Can I eat that? by Jenefer Roberts.

Can you have a treat?  Yes, but build it into your daily plan, so you stay within your carb limit.  Moderation in all things, not total denial.  These are just my personal experiences, and others may offer different ideas - I'm not a medical person.  Please feel free to ask any questions.


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## Sulfate (Jul 15, 2021)

Just looked carbs and cals isn't free?


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## Inka (Jul 15, 2021)

Sulfate said:


> Hi Inka. Breakfast is 45g of less than 5%sugar granola with a few strawberries, raspberries and blueberries with soya plain yoghurt. Lunch a wholemeal sandwich with cheese or ham and a protein blueberry yoghurt which is fat free and sugar free. Dinner varies. One night this week I had prawns ,smoked salmon with jacket potato and cheese with salad, a chicken salad with 100g new potatoes,  prawn stir fry with egg noodles, I do allow myself a cake once a week and a dessert once a week. I have a very sweet tooth and I have cut out alot of chocolate,  pudding gs and cake etc. I have had an Indian takeaway a couple of times since March. I also go to the gym twice a week and do pilates once a week



That doesn’t sound like an excessive amount of carbs at all. You’re clearly thinking about what you eat. Depending on the size of your baked potato, that day could come in at under 130g carbs. How does that compare with a normal day’s food for you _pre_-diagnosis?

You’re slim, active, aren’t eating processed rubbish or an excessive amount of carbs. What prompted you to have the blood test that led to your diagnosis? Was it just a general check-up? Is there any history of Type 2 in your family? I’m wondering about the possibility of a slow-onset Type 1.

Do you test your own blood sugar at home? That’s a really good way to keep an eye on things and see how foods affect you.

You don’t need Carbs and Cals to count carbs. I roughly totted yours up using my supermarket shopping app and my memory (but Google could stand in for that) - all free.


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## Sulfate (Jul 15, 2021)

It was a general mot blood test that my GP suggested. My previous count was HbA1c 41 and is now 44. I cant remember when my last blood test was it could have been a couple of years ago. I was really shocked when I was told I'm prediabetic. My mum is type 2 but got it in later life but she was very sedentary.  I borrowed a friend of mine( who is type 1 ) blood glucose tester and used it forca week and each time my levels were completely normal!


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## Sulfate (Jul 15, 2021)

Inka said:


> That doesn’t sound like an excessive amount of carbs at all. You’re clearly thinking about what you eat. Depending on the size of your baked potato, that day could come in at under 130g carbs. How does that compare with a normal day’s food for you _pre_-diagnosis?
> 
> You’re slim, active, aren’t eating processed rubbish or an excessive amount of carbs. What prompted you to have the blood test that led to your diagnosis? Was it just a general check-up? Is there any history of Type 2 in your family? I’m wondering about the possibility of a slow-onset Type 1.
> 
> ...





Sulfate said:


> It was a general mot blood test that my GP suggested. My previous count was HbA1c 41 and is now 44. I cant remember when my last blood test was it could have been a couple of years ago. I was really shocked when I was told I'm prediabetic. My mum is type 2 but got it in later life but she was very sedentary.  I borrowed a friend of mine( who is type 1 ) blood glucose tester and used it forca week and each time my levels were completely normal!


was a general mot blood test that my GP suggested. My previous count was HbA1c 41 and is now 44. I cant remember when my last blood test was it could have been a couple of years ago. I was really shocked when I was told I'm prediabetic. My mum is type 2 but got it in later life but she was very sedentary. I borrowed a friend of mine( who is type 1 ) blood glucose tester and used it forca week and


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## Inka (Jul 15, 2021)

When you borrowed your friend’s meter, when did you test?


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## Inka (Jul 15, 2021)

And could you be anaemic or have another condition that affects the  accuracy of the HbA1C test?


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## Sulfate (Jul 15, 2021)

Felinia said:


> Hi - I hope I haven't rambled on too much here.
> 
> I use an app with website called NutraCheck and there are others available online.  It was the first thing I did when I became diabetic and I fill it in faithfully every day in advance, so I know exactly what I'm having.  As one person put it - you don't want to get to dinner to find you've used up your carb allowance!  I believe NC still offers a 7 day free trial, then it works out at £7.99 a month - less than one Costa coffee a week!  It contains literally thousands of foods with varying portion sizes and weigh options.  It then adds them in by meal, day and week and saves them for posterity.  It offers 7 different types of plan, from low fat, low carb, low sugar, to "set your own".
> 
> ...


No you haven't rambled on! I really appreciate your help. Thanks for reading my posts and helping me.


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## Sulfate (Jul 15, 2021)

O


Inka said:


> When you borrowed your friend’s meter, when did you test?


I did it twice breakfast and dinner. It was a while ago. I think before breakfast and then after dinner? She told me when to do it and all the readings were normal. I had a full blood count with the glucose and cholesterol.  Full blood normal


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## Inka (Jul 15, 2021)

Hmm, ok, so it doesn’t sound like something affected the accuracy of your HbA1C. So you must be going a little high somewhere during the day. Your HbA1C works out as an average blood sugar of 7.3. That’s not awful, so your blood sugar might not be very high - just at the higher end of normal and staying there longer than it should, if that makes sense?

Personally, I’d get/borrow a meter and do a number of tests to see what’s happening, if you really want to understand it.


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## Sulfate (Jul 15, 2021)

Inka said:


> Hmm, ok, so it doesn’t sound like something affected the accuracy of your HbA1C. So you must be going a little high somewhere during the day. Your HbA1C works out as an average blood sugar of 7.3. That’s not awful, so your blood sugar might not be very high - just at the higher end of normal and staying there longer than it should, if that makes sense?
> 
> Personally, I’d get/borrow a meter and do a number of tests to see what’s happening, if you really want to understand it.


Thanks again for your help. I have a telephone appointment with my GP on Monday but to be honest I'm not expecting him to help much. He referred me to the Diabetes prevention programme which is delivered by zoom and I haven't enjoyed it and it's not reduced my blood sugar levels.


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## Inka (Jul 15, 2021)

Diabetes and pre-diabetes are conditions where you have to ‘be your own expert’ quite a bit @Sulfate and advocate for yourself a surprising amount. You sound very organised so you might have already done this anyway, but if not, compile a short list of questions for your GP. Don’t let them grab hold of the conversation and talk over you, take control and get your questions in.


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## Sulfate (Jul 15, 2021)

Inka said:


> Diabetes and pre-diabetes are conditions where you have to ‘be your own expert’ quite a bit @Sulfate and advocate for yourself a surprising amount. You sound very organised so you might have already done this anyway, but if not, compile a short list of questions for your GP. Don’t let them grab hold of the conversation and talk over you, take control and get your questions in.


Where can I find out roughly how many carbs max I should be eating a day please?


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## Sulfate (Jul 15, 2021)

Felinia said:


> Hi and welcome.  I can see why you are a bit puzzled as you are slim and fit.  And your meals certainly sound very healthy. So I had a look at your diet, and ran it through my app for calories and carbs.
> 
> Diabetes UK recommends less than 130gm carbs a day.  I assumed low or fat free, medium slices/portions, 1oz cheese, 220gm baked potato, baked chicken quarter, 75gm noodles, semi skimmed milk.  Your breakfast came to 330 cals with 28gm carbs.  Your cheese sandwich lunch came to 350 cals and a whopping 48.5gm carbs.  Your baked potato with prawns, smoked salmon, cheese and salad came to 520 cals and 60.9 gm carbs.  So those 3 meals came to 1200 cals and 137.4gm carbs.  This is before you take into account drinks and any snacks, like fruit you may have.  6 mugs of tea would add 110 cals and 11.4gm carbs. Your chicken salad meal was 325 cals and 25.4gm carbs.  The prawn stir fry was a surprising 534 cals and 44.9 gm carbs.
> 
> ...


I have downloaded Nutracheck and will give it a go. How do I find out how many carbs I should be aiming for to reduce my HbA1c?


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## Inka (Jul 15, 2021)

Sulfate said:


> Where can I find out roughly how many carbs max I should be eating a day please?



There’s no one answer to that @Sulfate Not an amount anyway. The general answer is as many/few as you as an individual need to keep your blood sugar in a normal range. That number will vary depending on a number of factors.

If someone had an HbA1C the same as yours and was eating 400g carbs a day, they might only need to reduce that to 220g to allow their body to maintain a normal blood sugar. You’ve reduced your carbs, and you seem to be eating very roughly 130g per day or just below, so, as a starting point, you could try maybe reducing your intake to 100g per day and see if that has any effect. Remember too that exercise will help your sensitivity. This can be something like a 20 min walk after your evening meal or even keeping active around the house rather than sitting down.


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## Inka (Jul 15, 2021)

A blood glucose meter (no, I’m not on commission!) will help guide your food choices and show you whether a meal works for you. I’m Type 1 not Type 2, but if I was Type 2 I’d definitely get a meter as it would provide helpful information used appropriately.


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## Leadinglights (Jul 15, 2021)

Getting a glucose monitor and establishing a testing regime is key to being able to make those subtle changes to your carb intake. If you don't want to lose weight you could increase your fat by having full fat yoghurt and cheese without adding carbs.
As you are already having quite a low carb diet then just a few substitutions and portion reduction may be sufficient. By increasing veg and salad and a bit more fat and protein will help you in not feeling hungry and maintain weight. 
Less than 130g per day is regarded as low carb but some people do go lower than that, But testing will show you what you need to do.
A couple of inexpensive reliable monitors are The GlucoNavil and Spirit TEE2. The cost of the strips is the consideration and those monitors have the cheapest strips. You will get a few lancets and strips with the kit but will need to buy extra strips at the same time, you can unofficially reuse the lancets but may choose to buy more. Monitor about £15 strips £13 for 100. Certainly if diabetic you don't need to pay VAT but not sure about if prediabetic.


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## Drummer (Jul 15, 2021)

Ordinary type twos usually find that there is a reduction in the increase after meals if they cut back on the amount of carbs they eat - I saw a reduction from 17.1 at diagnosis to under 7 at all times, just from low carb meals.
The simplest option - as your levels are only a little elevated might be to reduce the high carb options - grains, potatoes and sugary fruit, increase the protein and fats and wait for the next Hba1c test.


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## travellor (Jul 15, 2021)

Felinia said:


> Hi and welcome.  I can see why you are a bit puzzled as you are slim and fit.  And your meals certainly sound very healthy. So I had a look at your diet, and ran it through my app for calories and carbs.
> 
> Diabetes UK recommends less than 130gm carbs a day.  I assumed low or fat free, medium slices/portions, 1oz cheese, 220gm baked potato, baked chicken quarter, 75gm noodles, semi skimmed milk.  Your breakfast came to 330 cals with 28gm carbs.  Your cheese sandwich lunch came to 350 cals and a whopping 48.5gm carbs.  Your baked potato with prawns, smoked salmon, cheese and salad came to 520 cals and 60.9 gm carbs.  So those 3 meals came to 1200 cals and 137.4gm carbs.  This is before you take into account drinks and any snacks, like fruit you may have.  6 mugs of tea would add 110 cals and 11.4gm carbs. Your chicken salad meal was 325 cals and 25.4gm carbs.  The prawn stir fry was a surprising 534 cals and 44.9 gm carbs.
> 
> ...


130g?
Do you have a link to that, I've never seen anything like that on here?

Usually most people tailor their diet to one that suits them, and is sustainable, while giving a good BG.


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## Leadinglights (Jul 15, 2021)

travellor said:


> 130g?
> Do you have a link to that, I've never seen anything like that on here?
> 
> Usually most people tailor their diet to one that suits them, and is sustainable, while giving a good BG.







__





						Low-carb diet and meal plan
					

Eating a low-carb diet means cutting down on the amount of carbohydrates (carbs) you eat to less than 130g a day. But low-carb eating shouldn’t be no-carb eating. Some carbohydrate foods contain essential vitamins, minerals and fibre, which form an important part of a healthy diet.




					www.diabetes.org.uk


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## travellor (Jul 15, 2021)

Leadinglights said:


> __
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Ta, I probably missed it, to be fair, I looked at 

https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/enjoy-food/eating-with-diabetes/i-have-type-2-diabetes.  

and clicked through to the Mediterranean diet option.


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## Inka (Jul 15, 2021)

Leadinglights said:


> __
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Thats just for people looking to follow a Low Carb diet. I can’t see any recommendation that people must eat less than 130g. In fact, the page says:

“_There is no such thing as a special diet exclusively for people with type 2 diabetes. No two people with diabetes are the same. So there isn’t a one-size-fits-all way of eating for everyone with diabetes.”_

Which echoes what Mike said in his ‘broad church’ thread a while ago.


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## Leadinglights (Jul 15, 2021)

Inka said:


> Thats just for people looking to follow a Low Carb diet. I can’t see any recommendation that people must eat less than 130g. In fact, the page says:
> 
> “_There is no such thing as a special diet exclusively for people with type 2 diabetes. No two people with diabetes are the same. So there isn’t a one-size-fits-all way of eating for everyone with diabetes.”_
> 
> Which echoes what Mike said in his ‘broad church’ thread a while ago.


I don't think there was any implication of that but you yourself suggested that @Sulfate tried 100g per day as 130g was what she was already having and others asked for the info.


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## Inka (Jul 15, 2021)

Leadinglights said:


> I don't think there was any implication of that but you yourself suggested that @Sulfate tried 100g per day as 130g was what she was already having and others asked for the info.



Yes, I did - but I’m not claiming my advice was official DUK advice and I gave it as a suggestion in response to the OP’s 130g not improving their HbA1C. I also said that 225g might work for someone with the same HbA1C. Earlier in this thread it was said that DUK themselves advised less than 130g. I didn’t think that was true but left it. Then another member questioned it too so I looked at the source - which didn’t say that. I still haven’t seen that on the DUK site.

Is the answer not each individual should eat the amount of carbs that works for them? Or does DUK in fact recommend specific carb amounts? I haven’t found any such recommendation but if you have I’d be happy to see that and accept that.

“Diabetes UK recommends less than 130gm carbs a day” - that was what was said and what I and others were querying.


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## travellor (Jul 15, 2021)

Inka said:


> Yes, I did - but I’m not claiming my advice was official DUK advice and I gave it as a suggestion in response to the OP’s 130g not improving their HbA1C. I also said that 225g might work for someone with the same HbA1C. Earlier in this thread it was said that DUK themselves advised less than 130g. I didn’t think that was true but left it. Then another member questioned it too so I looked at the source - which didn’t say that. I still haven’t seen that on the DUK site.
> 
> Is the answer not each individual should eat the amount of carbs that works for them? Or does DUK in fact recommend specific carb amounts? I haven’t found any such recommendation but if you have I’d be happy to see that and accept that.
> 
> “Diabetes UK recommends less than 130gm carbs a day” - that was what was said and what I and others were querying.


It's not DUK advice.
It's more a suggestion for the percentage of members on here who choose a "low carb" diet, of what a ballpark figure should be, should they consider low carb as an option.


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## Sulfate (Jul 15, 2021)

Thanks all for your really helpful advice. I will post an update when I have spoken to my GP. I have downloaded Nutracheck which I think will be very helpful, as something I was eating tonight was only green for sugar which has been my guide but the carbs were a massive 75g!! Has anyone taken part in the Diabetes prevention programme? My GP referred me but to be honest it hasn't helped me at all.


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## Leadinglights (Jul 15, 2021)

Sulfate said:


> Thanks all for your really helpful advice. I will post an update when I have spoken to my GP. I have downloaded Nutracheck which I think will be very helpful, as something I was eating tonight was only green for sugar which has been my guide but the carbs were a massive 75g!! Has anyone taken part in the Diabetes prevention programme? My GP referred me but to be honest it hasn't helped me at all.


The best advise is to look at the total carbohydrate as some things can say low sugar but still be high carb, and 'healthy' foods can be deceptively high carb. But with your app you should be able to check things out and be able to make better choices.
I have done the MYDESMOND program on line version. fairly basic but does have some good suggestions but you will learn more from this site.


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## travellor (Jul 15, 2021)

I found the DESMOND course very good.
I did the group meeting a long time ago, not the online course.
Like everything, you need to go in with an open mind, and you'll get out as much as you put into it.


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## Sulfate (Jul 15, 2021)

Leadinglights said:


> The best advise is to look at the total carbohydrate as some things can say low sugar but still be high carb, and 'healthy' foods can be deceptively high carb. But with your app you should be able to check things out and be able to make better choices.
> I have done the MYDESMOND program on line version. fairly basic but does have some good suggestions but you will learn more from this site.


I definitely will and already have learnt more. I want to get my HbA1c back to 41, that's my goal.


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## Perfect10 (Jul 15, 2021)

Hi Sulfate, I am also prediabetic but have managed to reduce my HbA1c level.
You may just need a few tweaks to your diet like a lower carb bread, swopping rice or potatoes for cauliflower rice or cauliflower mash a couple of times a week etc. There is lots of help and advice on this forum. You may find yourself reading labels on everything you buy for a while just to get to know the carb heavy foods.


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## Felinia (Jul 15, 2021)

Inka said:


> Yes, I did - but I’m not claiming my advice was official DUK advice and I gave it as a suggestion in response to the OP’s 130g not improving their HbA1C. I also said that 225g might work for someone with the same HbA1C. Earlier in this thread it was said that DUK themselves advised less than 130g. I didn’t think that was true but left it. Then another member questioned it too so I looked at the source - which didn’t say that. I still haven’t seen that on the DUK site.
> 
> Is the answer not each individual should eat the amount of carbs that works for them? Or does DUK in fact recommend specific carb amounts? I haven’t found any such recommendation but if you have I’d be happy to see that and accept that.
> 
> “Diabetes UK recommends less than 130gm carbs a day” - that was what was said and what I and others were querying.


I stand corrected


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## Sulfate (Jul 15, 2021)

Perfect10 said:


> Hi Sulfate, I am also prediabetic but have managed to reduce my HbA1c level.
> You may just need a few tweaks to your diet like a lower carb bread, swopping rice or potatoes for cauliflower rice or cauliflower mash a couple of times a week etc. There is lots of help and advice on this forum. You may find yourself reading labels on everything you buy for a while just to get to know the carb heavy foods.


Hi Perfect 10 thanks so much for your post, it's good to have contact with another prediabetic. 
Can you tell me which low carb bread you use and cauliflower rice etc and anything else which has helped you?


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## Perfect10 (Jul 15, 2021)

At the moment I eat Hi-lo bread,there is also Livlife, Burgen, Hovis lower carb, Hovis Nimble and a few others I forget the names of. It depends on what your supermarkets sell, I have never found more than one type in any supermarket.
Cauliflower rice - just grate cauliflower and fry in a little oil. 
Or grate and roast for 20 mins to make cous cous and then add chopped tomato, mint, toasted almonds and some lemon juice and oil.
I have also found some different nut bars for a sweet treat such as Nine bars or Kind bars. 
Celeriac makes ok chips or again mash.
I have also switched to normal fat things such as yoghurt rather than low fat as fuller fat keeps you feeling full and reduces the cravings for sweet stuff.
Fruit - berries are lower carb than most fruit.
I also have the Nutracheck app and this is really useful for checking carbs in food.


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## Sulfate (Jul 16, 2021)

Perfect10 said:


> At the moment I eat Hi-lo bread,there is also Livlife, Burgen, Hovis lower carb, Hovis Nimble and a few others I forget the names of. It depends on what your supermarkets sell, I have never found more than one type in any supermarket.
> Cauliflower rice - just grate cauliflower and fry in a little oil.
> Or grate and roast for 20 mins to make cous cous and then add chopped tomato, mint, toasted almonds and some lemon juice and oil.
> I have also found some different nut bars for a sweet treat such as Nine bars or Kind bars.
> ...


That's great thanks so much.
I have noticed that yourself and others put your HbA1c and cholesterol readings and BMI on your posts which is helpful how do you do that?


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## Perfect10 (Jul 18, 2021)

You go to your profile and edit signature


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## Sulfate (Jul 19, 2021)

I had a session of the diabetic prevention program and told the coach that I was very disappointed that my blood sugars had not reduced even though I have lost nearly half a stone since March. She said that I'm going the right way and I've lost weight and that it's not sensible to check blood sugar until the end of the course which will be January.  I wondered if other people would agree with that. Does it take months to reduce blood sugars?


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## Leadinglights (Jul 19, 2021)

She has obviously decided to leave it 6 months before repeating your HbA1C which is quite a long time unless you are already on a good track of reducing your blood glucose levels. The problem is you don't know if you are making the right dietary choices unless you also have a monitor and can check the effects of your meals and overall levels day to day.
Depending on how much you have modified your lifestyle the time it takes to bring levels down will vary from person to person and also on your starting point and what meds people are on. Bringing it down slowly is better to avoid some of the side effects some people get when dropping their levels too quickly but it is important to see them coming down. 
By some quite severe carb reduction (too much too quickly really) I came down from 50mmol/mol to 42 in 3 months and to 36 in another 6 months.
As your level hadn't come down then a repeat in 3 months would perhaps be wiser.


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## Perfect10 (Jul 19, 2021)

When I was at the prediabetes level I was told 6 months before next blood test. I went from 44 to 39 in that period. It was frustrating not knowing in that time.


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## Sulfate (Jul 19, 2021)

I'm 9st stone 3 down from 9st 10 in March and my  husband keeps telling me that I don't need to lose more weight. I would think reducing my carbs I will continue to. Perfect 10 did you use a glucose monitor?


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## Sulfate (Jul 19, 2021)

How do I do it in 6months??


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## Leadinglights (Jul 19, 2021)

Sulfate said:


> How do I do it in 6months??


You really don't have far to go to get below 42mmol/mol, so some modest reduction in the portions of any carbohydrates you are having should be all that is needed. Maybe start with a food diary and then see if there are any carbs you wouldn't really miss. You could add a bit more protein or some cheese or full fat Greek yoghurt id you don't want to lose more weight. Even just increasing exercise a bit should help make it very possible even in a couple of months.


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## Perfect10 (Jul 19, 2021)

I had some weight to lose and altogether have now lost over 2 stone and am now a healthy weight so going low carb for me worked well to lose the weight. The downside is eating a higher fat content has increased my cholesterol!
yes I have a glucose monitor and have found it useful just to check levels after eating new foods, you quickly learn what is ok to eat so I only find I use it now when I eat something different that I think may increase levels.
I did go as low as 50g carbs per day for a while but have increased this to about 80g to try to balance the cholesterol levels more. I’m still learning and getting it right for me. Everyone is different and what works for one will be different for others.
I think keeping a food diary initially and just seeing how many carbs you were eating and then reducing that amount gradually finding alternatives to the highest carb foods in your diet.


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## Sulfate (Jul 19, 2021)

Can you recommend a blood glucose monitor as I am clueless about such things?


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## Leadinglights (Jul 19, 2021)

Sulfate said:


> Can you recommend a blood glucose monitor as I am clueless about such things?


A couple people find reliable and inexpensive are the GlucoNavil and Spirit TEE2 both about £15 for the initial monitor which comes with a few strips and lancets, extra strips you will need are £13 for 100 so better to order at the same time, I'm not sure about the lancets but some people do reuse them. You should not need to pay VAT if you tick the box. Amazon or directly from the company.


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## Sulfate (Jul 19, 2021)

Leadinglights said:


> A couple people find reliable and inexpensive are the GlucoNavil and Spirit TEE2 both about £15 for the initial monitor which comes with a few strips and lancets, extra strips you will need are £13 for 100 so better to order at the same time, I'm not sure about the lancets but some people do reuse them. You should not need to pay VAT if you tick the box. Amazon or directly from the company.


Lovely thanks so much.


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## Sulfate (Jul 20, 2021)

I have ordered a Gluconavil and all the stuff with it. When do I take readings before or after food?how many times a day please?


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## Leadinglights (Jul 20, 2021)

Sulfate said:


> I have ordered a Gluconavil and all the stuff with it. When do I take readings before or after food?how many times a day please?


Having a testing regime that will give you useful information and not over testing is the thing to do. Most people test before they eat and then 2 hours from the first bite, you hope that you will not see more than 2mmol/l increase and not more than 8mmol/l.
You could start with the meal of the day which you feel would have the highest amount of carbohydrate and see what you get, if more than suggested above then reduce your portion of the carbs for next time. You will soon build up a repertoire of meals which are 'safe' so wouldn't need to test those each time. You can then test another meal, maybe breakfast and do the same, people usually have quite a restricted number of things they would normally have for that meal so that can be maybe a good one to start with.
You are only in the lower end of prediabetic so you will probably find only small changes are needed.
The other time people test is in the morning (on waking) to give them a fasting level which you may see drop by a small amount but people do seem to vary a lot with that reading. I never see lower than 6.5mmol/l even though my HbA1C is 36mmol/mol, other people will be in the fives.
Make sure you record your reading alongside your meals and quantity of any carbs.
Make sure you wash and dry your hands before doing the finger prick.


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## Sulfate (Jul 21, 2021)

Hi can I anyone tell me where I can buy low carb bread?we have an Aldi, Lidl, tesco,morrisons, waitrose. Nothing in Aldi or Sainsbury's.  Waitrose out of stock!! Or alternative ideas for taking lunch for my job as a TA in a secondary school. Thanks


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## Leadinglights (Jul 21, 2021)

When I was at work I used to take a tupperware (showing my age now) of mixed salad with some added seeds and maybe tuna, cheese or cooked meat. Some mayo and a couple of ryvitas or similar.  Maybe a yoghurt, a few nuts or a piece of fruit.
I think you have to search quite hard for the low carb bread as they sell out quickly.


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## Drummer (Jul 21, 2021)

Sulfate said:


> I had a session of the diabetic prevention program and told the coach that I was very disappointed that my blood sugars had not reduced even though I have lost nearly half a stone since March. She said that I'm going the right way and I've lost weight and that it's not sensible to check blood sugar until the end of the course which will be January.  I wondered if other people would agree with that. Does it take months to reduce blood sugars?


Unfortunately it isn't your weight which makes you diabetic, so you will not be working to the right script according to the nurse.
If you eat fewer carbs and reduce your blood glucose levels then your Hba1c should go down.
I'll be having a blood test tomorrow - at long last, so I hope to find that my levels have not changed as I am still eating low carb day to day, out of habit now.
I had to tighten the straps on my melodeon to stop it sliding about, as I am losing volume bit by bit, and changing shape.


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## travellor (Jul 21, 2021)

Drummer said:


> Unfortunately it isn't your weight which makes you diabetic, so you will not be working to the right script according to the nurse.
> If you eat fewer carbs and reduce your blood glucose levels then your Hba1c should go down.
> I'll be having a blood test tomorrow - at long last, so I hope to find that my levels have not changed as I am still eating low carb day to day, out of habit now.
> I had to tighten the straps on my melodeon to stop it sliding about, as I am losing volume bit by bit, and changing shape.


100 percent weight that made me diabetic. 
It's easy to be thin on the outside, fat on the inside.


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## Sulfate (Jul 21, 2021)

Leadinglights said:


> When I was at work I used to take a tupperware (showing my age now) of mixed salad with some added seeds and maybe tuna, cheese or cooked meat. Some mayo and a couple of ryvitas or similar.  Maybe a yoghurt, a few nuts or a piece of fruit.
> I think you have to search quite hard for the low carb bread as they sell out quickly.


Thanks that has given me some ideas for lunches.


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## Leadinglights (Jul 21, 2021)

Drummer said:


> Unfortunately it isn't your weight which makes you diabetic, so you will not be working to the right script according to the nurse.
> If you eat fewer carbs and reduce your blood glucose levels then your Hba1c should go down.
> I'll be having a blood test tomorrow - at long last, so I hope to find that my levels have not changed as I am still eating low carb day to day, out of habit now.
> I had to tighten the straps on my melodeon to stop it sliding about, as I am losing volume bit by bit, and changing shape.


I am perplexed by the fact that although I go up and down by about 0.3kg so not losing any weight which I need to, in a least 2 months, I have gone down at least one/two sizes (I won't say dress size because I never wear dresses). Maybe like you I'm losing volume. I just think I must have heavy bones, at least that is my excuse.


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## Perfect10 (Jul 22, 2021)

Waitrose do some protein wraps that are fairly low carb, they are gluten free so have a look in the free from section. Waitrose do sell the Livlife bread but it sells pretty quick in my Waitrose! Never found any low carb bread in Aldi or Morrison’s. I usually find Sainsbury’s the best but have to travel to the nearest one.


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## Sulfate (Jul 22, 2021)

Perfect10 said:


> Waitrose do some protein wraps that are fairly low carb, they are gluten free so have a look in the free from section. Waitrose do sell the Livlife bread but it sells pretty quick in my Waitrose! Never found any low carb bread in Aldi or Morrison’s. I usually find Sainsbury’s the best but have to travel to the nearest one.


Thanks very much. Hopefully I will manage to find some soon! Our Sainsburys  isn't great and they didn't have any.


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## Sulfate (Jul 25, 2021)

Hi all. I have had my telephone appointment with my GP and we discussed my HbA1c results 44 and not going down even though I have been referred to the diabetes prevention programme. I told him that after taking part in this forum that I could see that my diet was carb heavy. He told me that sometimes diet and excercise may not be enough to reduce levels especially if it is in your family.  My mum developed type 2 in later life she did have a very sedentary lifestyle where as I'm very active. I have now bought a glucose monitor any advice on how to use it would be great. Also any ideas for a low carb cereal for breakfast as I'm not really keen on eggs for breakfast but I'm struggling to think of low carb breakfasts and lunches. I usually have 25g of low sugar granola and soy yogurt and berries but it's still quite high in carbs. I have a sandwich at work as its the easiest thing to have while I am on playground duty in a secondary school.


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## Perfect10 (Jul 25, 2021)

The Paleo food company do a low carb granola but it is pricey, m&s also do one but again expensive. I make my own it’s easy and you can change flavours, it keeps well in an airtight container. I eat it with berries and yoghurt or almond milk.


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## Sulfate (Jul 25, 2021)

Leadinglights said:


> Having a testing regime that will give you useful information and not over testing is the thing to do. Most people test before they eat and then 2 hours from the first bite, you hope that you will not see more than 2mmol/l increase and not more than 8mmol/l.
> You could start with the meal of the day which you feel would have the highest amount of carbohydrate and see what you get, if more than suggested above then reduce your portion of the carbs for next time. You will soon build up a repertoire of meals which are 'safe' so wouldn't need to test those each time. You can then test another meal, maybe breakfast and do the same, people usually have quite a restricted number of things they would normally have for that meal so that can be maybe a good one to start with.
> You are only in the lower end of prediabetic so you will probably find only small changes are needed.
> The other time people test is in the morning (on waking) to give them a fasting level which you may see drop by a small amount but people do seem to vary a lot with that reading. I never see lower than 6.5mmol/l even though my HbA1C is 36mmol/mol, other people will be in the fives.
> ...


I measured 6 before dinner then 2 hours after 9. I did have a chocolate/salted caramel pot for desert- not usually!


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## Sulfate (Jul 26, 2021)

Before breakfast 6 2hrs later 6.6 is that a good reading?


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## Leadinglights (Jul 26, 2021)

Sulfate said:


> Before breakfast 6 2hrs later 6.6 is that a good reading?


Absolutely, you know it was ok for you, what did you have? You could probably have had a bit more without problem if you wanted. Especially if you were hungry before it was time for lunch.


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## Sulfate (Jul 26, 2021)

25g of 5% sugar granola. 100g soya plain yogurt.  Blueberries. Benecol cholesteroI drink and 125ml kefir.


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## 1982LMM (Jul 27, 2021)

Sulfate said:


> Hi everyone,  I had a HbA1c blood test March 12th and my score was 44. I have been referred to the Diabetes *prevention prevention programme. I have changed my diet and lost 5lbs I  am 9st 5 BMI is 21and active.I'm a 58year old woman. I had another HbA1 on Monday and was so upset that my score has not gone down but stayed at 44. I'm not sure what else I can do?*


Hi, I track everything I put in me in MyFitnessPal it’s a free app & it allows you to really see what’s in food. I’ve had a few surprises. Also I am not sure where you are but ask your doctor to refer you to a dietitian. The dietitian I was referred to has been amazing & helped me more than the nurse has.


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## Rick B (Jul 29, 2021)

Sulfate said:


> Hi everyone,  I had a HbA1c blood test March 12th and my score was 44. I have been referred to the Diabetes *prevention prevention programme. I have changed my diet and lost 5lbs I  am 9st 5 BMI is 21and active.I'm a 58year old woman. I had another HbA1 on Monday and was so upset that my score has not gone down but stayed at 44. I'm not sure what else I can do?*


Hi @Sulfate 

Your predicament is not uncommon from what I've read.

Q. How would you cope with meal skipping?...especially breakfast!

I am a 60 yr old male with metabolic syndrome and I've managed to reduce my A1c by 6mm/mol in 1 month by skipping breakfast 5 days per week and cutting carbs. I'm not especially active, so my dietary changes have caused this reduction. 

Like you, I have T2 prevalent in the family tree.

I'm not claiming victory just yet as I see the race being a marathon, with only half a mile on the clock! But a promising start nonetheless.

Good luck and best wishes.


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## Sulfate (Aug 5, 2021)

Hi all,
I now have a glucose monitor and I am using it for various meals and different times of the day. Many of you posted that they are really good at letting you know which foods are causing a high sugar spike. The problem is I dont know how to tell if my sugar has spiked too high? Any help with this would be much appreciated. Thanks again


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## Sulfate (Aug 5, 2021)

Also when you have to wait 2 hours before testing your blood within that 2 hours are you able to drink anything other than water?I had a small glass of sugar free squash just before I did the test.


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## Leadinglights (Aug 5, 2021)

Sulfate said:


> Hi all,
> I now have a glucose monitor and I am using it for various meals and different times of the day. Many of you posted that they are really good at letting you know which foods are causing a high sugar spike. The problem is I don't know how to tell if my sugar has spiked too high? Any help with this would be much appreciated. Thanks again


You want to be looking for no more than 2-3mmol/l increase after 2 hours from your pre meal reading and preferably no more than 8.5mmol/l.
 If your drink were to contain any carbohydrate then it would make a difference in making it higher but water may well make it a bit lower. I say that because the advice if your level is high then drinking water will help bring it down as it will help flush excess glucose out of your system and why people feel thirsty when their levels are high. 
If you drink just before the test it shouldn't make much difference.
What reading did you get from your test?


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## Sulfate (Aug 5, 2021)

Leadinglights said:


> You want to be looking for no more than 2-3mmol/l increase after 2 hours from your pre meal reading and preferably no more than 8.5mmol/l.
> If your drink were to contain any carbohydrate then it would make a difference in making it higher but water may well make it a bit lower. I say that because the advice if your level is high then drinking water will help bring it down as it will help flush excess glucose out of your system and why people feel thirsty when their levels are high.
> If you drink just before the test it shouldn't make much difference.
> What reading did you get from your test?


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## Sulfate (Aug 5, 2021)

So today before lunch I was 6.5 & 2hrs after 8.1.
On 3/8 before dinner 7.1 after 8.0. 2/8 before dinner 6.0 after 9.8
31/7 before breakfast 6.2 after 7.3. 30/7 before dinner 4.2 after 6.8. Just a few of my readings.


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## Leadinglights (Aug 5, 2021)

Sulfate said:


> So today before lunch I was 6.5 & 2hrs after 8.1.
> On 3/8 before dinner 7.1 after 8.0. 2/8 before dinner 6.0 after 9.8
> 31/7 before breakfast 6.2 after 7.3. 30/7 before dinner 4.2 after 6.8. Just a few of my readings.


Those look quite Ok except for your dinner on 2/8 when the increase was rather more than desirable so you know that whatever you had was too carb heavy so either cut out the high carb item or reduce the portion size and see what happens next time.


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## Sulfate (Aug 5, 2021)

Thanks so much that is really helpful.  =)


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## Sulfate (Aug 5, 2021)

Rick B said:


> Hi @Sulfate
> 
> Your predicament is not uncommon from what I've read.
> 
> ...


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## Sulfate (Aug 5, 2021)

Hi Rick B,

Sorry for my late reply to your post. I could skip lunch quite easily whilst I'm off work(I work in a school) and have a late breakfast. It will be tricky when I'm back to school. I dont work Monday and Tuesday so I can skip lunch on those days. Its worth a try and well done for lowering your HbA1c


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## Sulfate (Aug 6, 2021)

Can anyone tell me do you test blood 2 hours after you have eaten and finished your meal or from the first bite of food? Thanks


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## Leadinglights (Aug 6, 2021)

Sulfate said:


> Can anyone tell me do you test blood 2 hours after you have eaten and finished your meal or from the first bite of food? Thanks


Normally from the first bite of food. As soon as food hits your mouth it starts to be digested by the enzymes in your saliva.9


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## Sulfate (Aug 6, 2021)

Leadinglights said:


> Normally from the first bite of food. As soon as food hits your mouth it starts to be digested by the enzymes in your saliva.9


Thankyou


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## Sulfate (Aug 6, 2021)

I have taken my blood glucose before dinner and it was 6.6 and 2 hours later it was 6.4 is that normal or an unusual result I dont really understand too well my readings. As always help would be appreciated. Thanks


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## Leadinglights (Aug 6, 2021)

Sulfate said:


> I have taken my blood glucose before dinner and it was 6.6 and 2 hours later it was 6.4 is that normal or an unusual result I dont really understand too well my readings. As always help would be appreciated. Thanks


6.6  and 6.4 are essentially the same so indicates that your meal was very OK for you as your system had coped well with whatever you had as you had returned to the premeal level.
As long as your after meal is no more than 2-3 more than the premeal then what you are was good for you. Trying to keep your after meal to less than 8.5mmol/l is a good idea as well.


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## Sulfate (Aug 6, 2021)

Leadinglights said:


> 6.6  and 6.4 are essentially the same so indicates that your meal was very OK for you as your system had coped well with whatever you had as you had returned to the premeal level.
> As long as your after meal is no more than 2-3 more than the premeal then what you are was good for you. Trying to keep your after meal to less than 8.5mmol/l is a good idea as well.


Thanks very much that is really helpful.  So if I get particularly good readings after certain meals they are the types of meals I should continue to eat. I'm learning every day. Thanks Leadinglights!


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## Burylancs (Aug 7, 2021)

travellor said:


> 130g?
> Do you have a link to that, I've never seen anything like that on here?
> 
> Usually most people tailor their diet to one that suits them, and is sustainable, while giving a good BG.


Diabetes uk doesn't recommend eating less than 130 g of carbs a day. The page being quoted just defines low Carbing as eating less than 130g. Far from recommending it it says it doesn't suit everyone and it also proposes the more traditional Mediterranean Diet. The 130g figure is a mystery - the brain needs the equivalent amount of glucose to that produced by 130g of carbs. The simplest way to ensure the brain gets its high octane brain food is to eat 130g of carbs a day. In general low carbing is not recommended because of its association with increased risks if heart disease, kidney problems, thyroid problems ( the thyroid needs glucose to process T4 into T3 ) and adrenal fatigue.


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## Leadinglights (Aug 7, 2021)

Burylancs said:


> Diabetes uk doesn't recommend eating less than 130 g of carbs a day. The page being quoted just defines low Carbing as eating less than 130g. Far from recommending it it says it doesn't suit everyone and it also proposes the more traditional Mediterranean Diet. The 130g figure is a mystery - the brain needs the equivalent amount of glucose to that produced by 130g of carbs. The simplest way to ensure the brain gets its high octane brain food is to eat 130g of carbs a day. In general low carbing is not recommended because of its association with increased risks if heart disease, kidney problems, thyroid problems ( the thyroid needs glucose to process T4 into T3 ) and adrenal fatigue.


This is from the diabetes uk web site, which is where people are getting the 130g from:
What’s a low-carb diet?
But how low is low-carb? There are different types of low-carb diets. Generally, low-carb eating is when you reduce the total amount of carbs you consume in a day to less than 130g.

Whether you interpret that as they are promoting it or just saying it is an option.


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## silentsquirrel (Aug 7, 2021)

Burylancs said:


> Diabetes uk doesn't recommend eating less than 130 g of carbs a day.


But many of us on the forum do recommend it, based on experience of what works for us.  No need to follow all the advice of DUK, it was so far out for T2s in the past that I see no reason to suppose they have got it right now.


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## Sulfate (Aug 7, 2021)

I have just read my pre dinner and after dinner blood glucose. I had a shock 4.6 pre dinner and 10.8 2hrs after! The carbs were 53g which to be honest is not alot higher than other meals I have had in the week and I cant work out what would have made such a big reading?


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## travellor (Aug 7, 2021)

silentsquirrel said:


> But many of us on the forum do recommend it, based on experience of what works for us.  No need to follow all the advice of DUK, it was so far out for T2s in the past that I see no reason to suppose they have got it right now.


Maybe you need to put in complaint if you believe DUK are actively harming people, and low carb is the only way?


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## Leadinglights (Aug 7, 2021)

Sulfate said:


> I have just read my pre dinner and after dinner blood glucose. I had a shock 4.6 pre dinner and 10.8 2hrs after! The carbs were 53g which to be honest is not alot higher than other meals I have had in the week and I cant work out what would have made such a big reading?


That does seem a large increase however 53g carbs in one meal is quite a lot, what precisely did you have? There are some people who find that particular foods increase their levels more than the carbs would indicate. You before dinner reading was pretty good.


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## Sulfate (Aug 7, 2021)

M & S prawn bhuna 13.2 carbs,  cauliflower rice 8 carbs , half a small Peshawari nan 13.6 a mini white chocolate magnum 11.3 carbs. Mango chutney 7 carbs and 2 gin and slimline tonics ( its Saturday night!!)


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## Sulfate (Aug 7, 2021)

I


Leadinglights said:


> That does seem a large increase however 53g carbs in one meal is quite a lot, what precisely did you have? There are some people who find that particular foods increase their levels more than the carbs would indicate. You before dinner reading was pretty good.


Is there a rough guide of how many carbs you should have each meal


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## silentsquirrel (Aug 7, 2021)

travellor said:


> Maybe you need to put in complaint if you believe DUK are actively harming people, and low carb is the only way?


Not what I said.


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## Drummer (Aug 7, 2021)

Sulfate said:


> I have just read my pre dinner and after dinner blood glucose. I had a shock 4.6 pre dinner and 10.8 2hrs after! The carbs were 53g which to be honest is not alot higher than other meals I have had in the week and I cant work out what would have made such a big reading?


That is the sort of reaction I would have got, back when I ate 50 gm of carbs as the absolute maximum if I had eaten them all at once. I am very sensitive to carbs.
I have found that, as time has gone on, my ability to cope with carbs has improved - but it did take some time of adjusting after meal numbers down to under 8 mmol/l and then sticking to low carb to put things right.


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## Leadinglights (Aug 7, 2021)

Sulfate said:


> M & S prawn bhuna 13.2 carbs,  cauliflower rice 8 carbs , half a small Peshawari nan 13.6 a mini white chocolate magnum 11.3 carbs. Mango chutney 7 carbs and 2 gin and slimline tonics ( its Saturday night!!)


Individually they don't seem a lot but eaten all together they were obviously too much for you to tolerate and keep within a 2-3 mmol/l rise. It is difficult to say how much any one person can have at each meal as everybody will be different in what they can tolerate. 
I know that for me that would be too much as my daily carbs are 70g max so I try to keep breakfast to max 15g, Lunch max 20g and dinner 20-25g, the rest being for milk in drinks but I have only found what suits me by testing.
One consolation the G & T wouldn't add any carbs.


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## everydayupsanddowns (Aug 8, 2021)

Sulfate said:


> Is there a rough guide of how many carbs you should have each meal



Good to see you are getting some very steady numbers @Sulfate 

Each person’s tolerance to different amounts and types of carbohydrate can be very individual, and sometimes very surprising!

As an example, our old admin @Northerner used to be particularly sensitive to naan bread, if I remember right. 

That’s not to say that that might be the same for you - but just that many people find that ‘are carbs are not created equal’, and even that having things at a different time of day can make a difference.

If you’ve had a meal where you saw a bigger rise than you were expecting, it might be worth experimenting with either repeating it to see if you get the same reaction, or repeating it but leaving one thing out to see if it alters the result.

Keep going!


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## Sulfate (Aug 8, 2021)

everydayupsanddowns said:


> Good to see you are getting some very steady numbers @Sulfate
> 
> Each person’s tolerance to different amounts and types of carbohydrate can be very individual, and sometimes very surprising!
> 
> ...


Thanks so much for the encouragement.


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## Sulfate (Aug 10, 2021)

I have just eaten a small apple as a snack and I looked it up on Nutracheck and the carbs are 15! I'm so shocked. A banana is 20 and a pear high too. I thought it was a healthy snack. I'm finding looking for low carb food which I actually want to eat is really quite difficult.  Last night I 66g of new potatoes (4 very small) chicken and low  carb salad stuff with a kefir mango yoghurt ( low sugar but 13g carbs) and my glucose readings were 6.2 before and 9.5 after. For lunch today I had a cheese sandwich with low carb bread(3g per slice and I had 3 slices) and the same kefir yoghurt-pre lunch 5.8 2hrs after 6.7. From that I thought the yoghurt is ok but surely 4 small potatoes wouldn't give such a high reading?


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## Drummer (Aug 10, 2021)

Sulfate said:


> I have just eaten a small apple as a snack and I looked it up on Nutracheck and the carbs are 15! I'm so shocked. A banana is 20 and a pear high too. I thought it was a healthy snack. I'm finding looking for low carb food which I actually want to eat is really quite difficult.  Last night I 66g of new potatoes (4 very small) chicken and low  carb salad stuff with a kefir mango yoghurt ( low sugar but 13g carbs) and my glucose readings were 6.2 before and 9.5 after. For lunch today I had a cheese sandwich with low carb bread(3g per slice and I had 3 slices) and the same kefir yoghurt-pre lunch 5.8 2hrs after 6.7. From that I thought the yoghurt is ok but surely 4 small potatoes wouldn't give such a high reading?


High carb foods will produce that sort of response if you can't cope with carbohydrates.
I'm afraid that there is no way around it, sugar and starch is labelled as healthy by many with no thought of those who just can't live with the amount of carbohydrate in a modern diet.


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## Leadinglights (Aug 10, 2021)

Sulfate said:


> I have just eaten a small apple as a snack and I looked it up on Nutracheck and the carbs are 15! I'm so shocked. A banana is 20 and a pear high too. I thought it was a healthy snack. I'm finding looking for low carb food which I actually want to eat is really quite difficult.  Last night I 66g of new potatoes (4 very small) chicken and low  carb salad stuff with a kefir mango yoghurt ( low sugar but 13g carbs) and my glucose readings were 6.2 before and 9.5 after. For lunch today I had a cheese sandwich with low carb bread(3g per slice and I had 3 slices) and the same kefir yoghurt-pre lunch 5.8 2hrs after 6.7. From that I thought the yoghurt is ok but surely 4 small potatoes wouldn't give such a high reading?


Sadly a lot of foods that are considered healthy might be so for non diabetics but not so for Type 2 diabetics. Yoghurt is something to be careful as some can be high in carbs mainly because of added sugar or fruits. I tend to have full fat Greek yoghurt and add my own berries or high protein quark deserts which although low fat are also low carb.


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## Sulfate (Aug 10, 2021)

Leadinglights said:


> Sadly a lot of foods that are considered healthy might be so for non diabetics but not so for Type 2 diabetics. Yoghurt is something to be careful as some can be high in carbs mainly because of added sugar or fruits. I tend to have full fat Greek yoghurt and add my own berries or high protein quark deserts which although low fat are also low carb.


Would you consider 7g or 8.7g carbs ok as I have a couple of yoghurts/protein desert from Aldi? They are low sugar and low fat too.


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## Leadinglights (Aug 10, 2021)

Sulfate said:


> Would you consider 7g or 8.7g carbs ok as I have a couple of yoghurts/protein desert from Aldi? They are low sugar and low fat too.


Yes I have those as well but find a whole pot too much so have half with some added berries or seeds.


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## Perfect10 (Aug 10, 2021)

I no longer eat potatoes rice or pasta, there are lots of alternatives that I actually now prefer. (Well occasionally will have a small roast potato)
Cauliflower - makes great mash, rice or cous cous
Celeriac makes chips or mash
Kohl Rabi makes chips (not tried anything else with it yet, just growing it in the garden!)
Courgette - spaghetti, great with some crumbled feta on top
Then there are things like bare naked noodles and rice 0 carbs or slim pasta and rice from Holland and Barratt also 0 carbs
Last week I found some high protein edamame and mung bean fettuccine which was nice at 11g per 100g
Also Swoodles (swede noodles) boodles (butternut squash noodles) sold in some supermarkets 
Yoghurts I usually have natural yoghurt, full fat and add berries or kvarg yoghurts are good too and filling, and they do a couple of chocolate ones that are low carb too


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## Drummer (Aug 10, 2021)

Sulfate said:


> Would you consider 7g or 8.7g carbs ok as I have a couple of yoghurts/protein desert from Aldi? They are low sugar and low fat too.


Low fat versions usually are higher in carbs so I never buy them.


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## Leadinglights (Aug 10, 2021)

Drummer said:


> Low fat versions usually are higher in carbs so I never buy them.


Usually they are but in the case of the Kvarg they are only 3.4g carb per 100g  and 10g protein, 0.2g fat which compares with a muller light at 6.1g carb, protein 5g and fat <0.5g and full fat greek yoghurt 4g carb per 100g.


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## Sulfate (Aug 10, 2021)

Leadinglights said:


> Yes I have those as well but find a whole pot too much so have half with some added berries or seeds.


That's a good idea as the Aldi protein yoghurt is 200g so a big pot, I can easily make that do for 2 meals.


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## Sulfate (Aug 10, 2021)

Perfect10 said:


> I no longer eat potatoes rice or pasta, there are lots of alternatives that I actually now prefer. (Well occasionally will have a small roast potato)
> Cauliflower - makes great mash, rice or cous cous
> Celeriac makes chips or mash
> Kohl Rabi makes chips (not tried anything else with it yet, just growing it in the garden!)
> ...


Oh wow thanks for all the ideas. I will have to look in Holland and Barrett. I tried the bare baked noodles and didn't like the texture so I wont have that again.


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## Sulfate (Aug 10, 2021)

Leadinglights said:


> Usually they are but in the case of the Kvarg they are only 3.4g carb per 100g  and 10g protein, 0.2g fat which compares with a muller light at 6.1g carb, protein 5g and fat <0.5g and full fat greek yoghurt 4g carb per 100g.


Where can I buy Kvarg?and what is it?


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## Leadinglights (Aug 10, 2021)

Sulfate said:


> Where can I buy Kvarg?and what is it?


I buy in ASDA. it is quark which is actually cheese not yoghurt. There is white choc, vanilla, strawberry.


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## Sulfate (Aug 10, 2021)

Leadinglights said:


> I buy in ASDA. it is quark which is actually cheese not yoghurt. There is white choc, vanilla, strawberry.


That's great thanks again.


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