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Hi PP friends,
Well, another "issue" has popped up :( - "elevated blood sugar". I had a check-up a week ago, and my blood sugar came in high (5.8) on the subject measure. To my knowledge, I have never had that test done before, only the simple glucose test, which has always been normal. Anyhow, my PCP seems to want me to come in and discuss it. I'm wondering if there is any point to that?
I've been on the internet researching what I can do "naturally" to bring the level down - yikes - another set of diet restrictions!!! Anyhow, I figured out that all the potatoes I've been eating, along with the "processed" rice products, such as Udi's bread and bagels, rice crackers, rice cereal and rice milk most likely are the culprits ???
I've never dealt with this issue before, so would appreciate any input or recommendations.
Thanks,
Kari
Hemoglobin A1C Test
Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
Hemoglobin A1C Test
"My mouth waters whenever I pass a bakery shop and sniff the aroma of fresh bread, but I am also grateful simply to be alive and sniffing." Dr. Bernstein
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Kari - I have been eating a low carb diet for years to keep my blood sugar levels under control. I was never officially diagnosed as diabetic but it runs in my family and about 10 years ago I started checking my blood sugars because I seemed to be having symptoms of swings in blood sugar from too high to too low, a frequent indication of early diabetes. At that time I cut out all grains, most fruit except berries, all sugars and ate a primarily paleo diet. I only recently found this site after my lifelong intestinal problems became severe and I am finding it hard to add all the restrictions I need to keep the D under control while remaining low carb. Right now I have added rice back into my diet but hope that if I can get things under control and add back some more foods that I can go back to my low carb ways. The best book to read on diabetes, in my opinion, is Dr Bernsteins Diabetes Solution. He restricts carbs to no more than 30g a day, much less than the official American Diabetes Association recommends. Your A1C of 5.8 puts you in the diabetic range according to Dr Bernstein at least. You can read about him and some chapters from his book here:
http://www.diabetes-book.coms
There's also a very good forum there filled with people who, like the people here, tend to follow Bernstein's program without the official endorsement of their doctors.
Jean
http://www.diabetes-book.coms
There's also a very good forum there filled with people who, like the people here, tend to follow Bernstein's program without the official endorsement of their doctors.
Jean
Kari,
FWIW, my research shows that the same environmental events that are involved in the development of MC, are involved with diabetes, (except that the genetics are different).
I'll PM you a few paragraphs from my book, that deal specifically with diabetes, and I'll include the corresponding references. I trust that you will keep everything I send you, confidential, until the book is published. It's for your own use, only.
I'm not sure if the information will be helpful or not, without being able to read the rest of the chapter, but maybe it will provide some insight that will be helpful.
Love,
Tex
FWIW, my research shows that the same environmental events that are involved in the development of MC, are involved with diabetes, (except that the genetics are different).
I'll PM you a few paragraphs from my book, that deal specifically with diabetes, and I'll include the corresponding references. I trust that you will keep everything I send you, confidential, until the book is published. It's for your own use, only.
I'm not sure if the information will be helpful or not, without being able to read the rest of the chapter, but maybe it will provide some insight that will be helpful.
Love,
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
My lab report showed my A1c level as 6.1. It was the first time it had been checked. There was a note on the report that it was high and my PCP wanted to discuss it with me. He never did at my appointment.
My fasting glucose level is in the high 70's or low 80's; nothing to be alarmed about. My glucose levels before MC and my subsequent dietary changes were in the low 90's. My blood pressure is almost always low: 110/70 or so. I'm not worried about being diabetic and I'm not changing my diet for it. It's all I can do to maintain my 99 lb. weight, let alone eliminate more carbs.
They have lowered the acceptable thresholds for these scores, thus giving more people a diagnosis of diabetes, similar to the lowering of acceptable cholesterol levels.
I don't think an A1c level of 5.8 is high enough to cause concern. If it starts to inch up, then I'd worry, but I'd wait a few months to see if it's getting progressively worse.
Gloria
My fasting glucose level is in the high 70's or low 80's; nothing to be alarmed about. My glucose levels before MC and my subsequent dietary changes were in the low 90's. My blood pressure is almost always low: 110/70 or so. I'm not worried about being diabetic and I'm not changing my diet for it. It's all I can do to maintain my 99 lb. weight, let alone eliminate more carbs.
They have lowered the acceptable thresholds for these scores, thus giving more people a diagnosis of diabetes, similar to the lowering of acceptable cholesterol levels.
I don't think an A1c level of 5.8 is high enough to cause concern. If it starts to inch up, then I'd worry, but I'd wait a few months to see if it's getting progressively worse.
Gloria
You never know what you can do until you have to do it.
Excellent point, Gloria. I wanted to bring that up, but since my level has never been checked, (and hopefully, it never will be), I wasn't sure I had a valid argument. The drug companies are notorious for convincing the medical community to "create" disease where none exists. They love to see "pre" conditions treated, because that expands the usage base of drugs by several orders of magnitude.
Tex
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Jean - thank you for the recommendation - I took a look at his website and browsed some of the book chapters - he certainly sounds like he knows what he's talking about from personal experience. I'd appreciate if you could give me some examples of foods you ate on the low carb diet???
Tex - as usual you come through with useful information - thanks again.
Gloria - you've helped with putting my mind at ease - thanks. I don't have a history of diabetes in my family, at least not that I am aware of, so my initial reaction to the test results was pretty much in line with your thinking. However, I will be able to decrease my carb intake somewhat, as my diet is not as limited as yours. The weight issue is also of concern for me, so I will definitely not go overboard with this. My PCP cheered me up about my weight when she said she thought I looked very healthy and that being thin is the only thing that has been proven to increase longevity :).
Tex - perhaps being made aware of "pre" conditions is a benefit to those of us who take charge of our own health and understand what the drug companies are up to :). Thankfully, all the other measures from the extensive blood analysis workup (including cholesterol) came in normal.
Love,
Kari
Tex - as usual you come through with useful information - thanks again.
Gloria - you've helped with putting my mind at ease - thanks. I don't have a history of diabetes in my family, at least not that I am aware of, so my initial reaction to the test results was pretty much in line with your thinking. However, I will be able to decrease my carb intake somewhat, as my diet is not as limited as yours. The weight issue is also of concern for me, so I will definitely not go overboard with this. My PCP cheered me up about my weight when she said she thought I looked very healthy and that being thin is the only thing that has been proven to increase longevity :).
Tex - perhaps being made aware of "pre" conditions is a benefit to those of us who take charge of our own health and understand what the drug companies are up to :). Thankfully, all the other measures from the extensive blood analysis workup (including cholesterol) came in normal.
Love,
Kari
"My mouth waters whenever I pass a bakery shop and sniff the aroma of fresh bread, but I am also grateful simply to be alive and sniffing." Dr. Bernstein
Kari,
My last AIC value was the same as yours. My internist considers it to be "hyperglycemia" - he has not labelled it "pre-diabetes". When I saw my value I was concerned and motivated to try to cut back on sugars (even natural ones). I have always had a sweet tooth - and even though I have been avoiding sugar in processed foods for many years, I have always preferred to use foods like dried fruits in salads and for snacks. I would eat dates for dessert, and they are LOADED with natural sugar. I also used to eat lots of white potatoes, before MRT. And my two guilty commercial treats, Jennie's coconut macaroons and jellies/jams.
I have decided to take this value seriously and do all I can to reduce my sugar intake. I agree that the bar has been lowered for a diagnosis of prediabetes, but I also believe that diabetes is one of the major health problems in this country and that the earlier the diagnosis, the more folks can do to prevent/delay the devastating end-stage effects. I was surprised to learn that longstanding diabetes is a precursor to pancreatic cancer. My brother (who died from pancreatic cancer 6 wks. ago) had developed diabetes about 15 years ago, but it was mild - he never needed any meds and was able to keep in in control with diet and vigorous exercise. (His AIC values were lower than mine in recent years). My dad also had type II diabetes. Jean, I agree with Dr. Bernstein that the carbs should be restricted more than what is usually recommended.
In the past few mos., as I have become more aware of ANY sugar and have been cutting it out, I have become convinced that it is addictive. I really do crave it. Did you see the studies that showed that sugar "lights up" the same area of the brain as does cocaine? And I am finding that the longer I go without sugar, the easier it becomes.
The other step I have taken is to exercise more regularly and vigorously. Exercise has been proven to facilitate the transfer of sugar from the bloodstream into the cells, where it is supposed to be.
Love,
Polly
My last AIC value was the same as yours. My internist considers it to be "hyperglycemia" - he has not labelled it "pre-diabetes". When I saw my value I was concerned and motivated to try to cut back on sugars (even natural ones). I have always had a sweet tooth - and even though I have been avoiding sugar in processed foods for many years, I have always preferred to use foods like dried fruits in salads and for snacks. I would eat dates for dessert, and they are LOADED with natural sugar. I also used to eat lots of white potatoes, before MRT. And my two guilty commercial treats, Jennie's coconut macaroons and jellies/jams.
I have decided to take this value seriously and do all I can to reduce my sugar intake. I agree that the bar has been lowered for a diagnosis of prediabetes, but I also believe that diabetes is one of the major health problems in this country and that the earlier the diagnosis, the more folks can do to prevent/delay the devastating end-stage effects. I was surprised to learn that longstanding diabetes is a precursor to pancreatic cancer. My brother (who died from pancreatic cancer 6 wks. ago) had developed diabetes about 15 years ago, but it was mild - he never needed any meds and was able to keep in in control with diet and vigorous exercise. (His AIC values were lower than mine in recent years). My dad also had type II diabetes. Jean, I agree with Dr. Bernstein that the carbs should be restricted more than what is usually recommended.
In the past few mos., as I have become more aware of ANY sugar and have been cutting it out, I have become convinced that it is addictive. I really do crave it. Did you see the studies that showed that sugar "lights up" the same area of the brain as does cocaine? And I am finding that the longer I go without sugar, the easier it becomes.
The other step I have taken is to exercise more regularly and vigorously. Exercise has been proven to facilitate the transfer of sugar from the bloodstream into the cells, where it is supposed to be.
Love,
Polly
Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused.
Kari - When I started low carb I defined my intestinal problems as IBS. I went gluten free but not casein, egg and soy free, my current eating plan, along with low histamine. Of course things were not good with my gastrointestinal tract but I was not in the state I was when I joined this forum, that is I was not running to the bathroom every 15 to 30 minutes. I was also obese, the opposite of what most people here seem to be and I had the image of my paternal grandmother in my head, a woman in a wheel chair without any legs, so I was definitely motivated to not go that route. I lost 85pounds and I have had not problem keeping them off, unlike most people who "diet".
That bit of history out of the way, this is how I ate. For breakfast I usually had 2 fried eggs with about 1/4cup of blueberries or else homemade breakfast sausage (just ground pork and spices, no sugar) and blueberries. Lunch and dinner looked pretty much the same, about 4 ounces of meat or fish with some veggies, either cooked with butter or coconut oil, or a salad with homemade olive oil and vinegar dressing (no sugar added). I also ate hard cheese, homemade yogurt made with half and half and fermented for 24 hrs (SCD diet), homemade chicken broth, small quantities of nuts an/or nut breads. It helped but never cured me but it did get the weight off and lower my blood glucose levels. A third way to track bg levels, beyond fasting levels and HbA1C is postprandial, how much do your levels rise after eating and how long does it take for them to get back to baseline. That is often a more definitive measure of the progression to diabetes than the fasting level. Dr B explains it all much better than I can. Also his advice for people who need to gain or maintain weight is to increase protein not add carbs.
Dr B's advice is very different from what the American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends. Many consider low carb to be dangerous. My belief is that eating low carb can save people from needing medication if they start early enough. Having MC does complicate things. It feels to me like juggling a lot of balls in the air. I am hoping to figure it out to arrive at what is best for me, which is what each one of us must ultimately do.
Good luck,
Jean
That bit of history out of the way, this is how I ate. For breakfast I usually had 2 fried eggs with about 1/4cup of blueberries or else homemade breakfast sausage (just ground pork and spices, no sugar) and blueberries. Lunch and dinner looked pretty much the same, about 4 ounces of meat or fish with some veggies, either cooked with butter or coconut oil, or a salad with homemade olive oil and vinegar dressing (no sugar added). I also ate hard cheese, homemade yogurt made with half and half and fermented for 24 hrs (SCD diet), homemade chicken broth, small quantities of nuts an/or nut breads. It helped but never cured me but it did get the weight off and lower my blood glucose levels. A third way to track bg levels, beyond fasting levels and HbA1C is postprandial, how much do your levels rise after eating and how long does it take for them to get back to baseline. That is often a more definitive measure of the progression to diabetes than the fasting level. Dr B explains it all much better than I can. Also his advice for people who need to gain or maintain weight is to increase protein not add carbs.
Dr B's advice is very different from what the American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends. Many consider low carb to be dangerous. My belief is that eating low carb can save people from needing medication if they start early enough. Having MC does complicate things. It feels to me like juggling a lot of balls in the air. I am hoping to figure it out to arrive at what is best for me, which is what each one of us must ultimately do.
Good luck,
Jean
Polly wrote:
In the past few mos., as I have become more aware of ANY sugar and have been cutting it out, I have become convinced that it is addictive. I really do crave it. Did you see the studies that showed that sugar "lights up" the same area of the brain as does cocaine? And I am finding that the longer I go without sugar, the easier it becomes.
The other step I have taken is to exercise more regularly and vigorously. Exercise has been proven to facilitate the transfer of sugar from the bloodstream into the cells, where it is supposed to be.
Love,
Polly
Polly - That's one thing I didn't mention in my post. Before going low carb I was hungry all the time. I literally did not understand what people meant by feeling "full". I craved things like sweets and bread. That craving has gone away since going low carb. It really is quite amazing. Right now I am on a mostly ground meat and white rice diet and I fear the return of the craving, but I hope to only remain on this for a relatively short time until my intestinal tract calms down (I hope).
Jean
Polly - interesting that you have the same A1C count as me and have decided to address it now - makes me feel less alone :). I've heard of the addictive quality of sweets and it doesn't surprise me at all. I was also enjoying dates early on during this diet crises - they are incredibly satisfying sweet treats. However, when I started addressing candida a while back, I eliminated them, along with all dried fruits. I already eliminated all sugars when I got my MRT results, which showed reactivity to cane sugar and honey. At this point in time, it really doesn't bother me as I'm so used to it.
As I said in an earlier post, for me the issue is rice and potato products, and now I will be a lot more careful about eating them. I will go to brown rice and occasionally have a baked or a couple of boiled potatoes. I think because of my inherent dislike of meats, potato and rice had crept more and more into my everyday diet, while the amount of meat was decreasing. Sort of like the way I used to be about bread and cheese - before quitting them, I often filled up on fresh bread and butter before my dinner arrived while dining out:).
Now that my gut has had a lot of time to heal from the gluten/dairy damage, I will focus on eating a more balanced diet, by increasing my vegetable and meat portions. It is amazing that after all of this time of very careful eating, I still fall into my habitual trap of eating too much of the wrong things. When I think about it, I believe carbs are just as addictive as sweets. Like yours, Polly, my sweet tooth has always been very long, but perhaps my carb tooth is of equal length:).
Jean - I really feel for you as you are in the midst of the struggle to control the big D. I've been there, along with so many others here - balancing my diet between food intolerances, low fiber, candida, histamine intolerance, and now elevated bood sugar has been and still is an unbelievable challenge. However, stick around here, and you're almost guaranteed to get better. As Marliss pointed out recently, having a social support system is very important to healing - and the PP family certainly provides that!!! Thank you for your input about your eating plan - it helps to know some detail about what others are eating.
Love,
Kari
As I said in an earlier post, for me the issue is rice and potato products, and now I will be a lot more careful about eating them. I will go to brown rice and occasionally have a baked or a couple of boiled potatoes. I think because of my inherent dislike of meats, potato and rice had crept more and more into my everyday diet, while the amount of meat was decreasing. Sort of like the way I used to be about bread and cheese - before quitting them, I often filled up on fresh bread and butter before my dinner arrived while dining out:).
Now that my gut has had a lot of time to heal from the gluten/dairy damage, I will focus on eating a more balanced diet, by increasing my vegetable and meat portions. It is amazing that after all of this time of very careful eating, I still fall into my habitual trap of eating too much of the wrong things. When I think about it, I believe carbs are just as addictive as sweets. Like yours, Polly, my sweet tooth has always been very long, but perhaps my carb tooth is of equal length:).
Jean - I really feel for you as you are in the midst of the struggle to control the big D. I've been there, along with so many others here - balancing my diet between food intolerances, low fiber, candida, histamine intolerance, and now elevated bood sugar has been and still is an unbelievable challenge. However, stick around here, and you're almost guaranteed to get better. As Marliss pointed out recently, having a social support system is very important to healing - and the PP family certainly provides that!!! Thank you for your input about your eating plan - it helps to know some detail about what others are eating.
Love,
Kari
"My mouth waters whenever I pass a bakery shop and sniff the aroma of fresh bread, but I am also grateful simply to be alive and sniffing." Dr. Bernstein
I recently read that white rise can increase your risk of diabetes. Here's a link I found: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162- ... udy-shows/
Rae
Hypothyroid 1985
Scalp Psoriasis 2010
CC March 2012
GF DF SF March 2012
Hypothyroid 1985
Scalp Psoriasis 2010
CC March 2012
GF DF SF March 2012
Jean - it just occurred to me that you may have trouble with the ground beef in your limited diet. I have not been able to tolerate any store bought ground beef (including grass fed, 100% organic, antibiotic free meat), whereas I seem fine with a grilled steak 
. Many of us here, including myself, have had trouble identifying "safe" foods during elimination diets. Just a thought ..............
Love,
Kari
. Many of us here, including myself, have had trouble identifying "safe" foods during elimination diets. Just a thought ..............Love,
Kari
"My mouth waters whenever I pass a bakery shop and sniff the aroma of fresh bread, but I am also grateful simply to be alive and sniffing." Dr. Bernstein
Funny you should mention that. I had just decided to cut out the ground beef, just in case, even though it is the high quality grass fed stuff and has been a staple of my diet for a long time.Kari wrote:Jean - it just occurred to me that you may have trouble with the ground beef in your limited diet. I have not been able to tolerate any store bought ground beef (including grass fed, 100% organic, antibiotic free meat), whereas I seem fine with a grilled steak
Love,
Kari
Thanks,
Jean
I just had my blood work done and for some reason didn't get the results of my A1c but my blood sugar was up (120) again. It has been higher than that before (125) but had gone down when I started eating lower carb. It was back down to 107 last time. I think carbs (potatoes, rice, etc) play just as big of a role in increasing my levels. They are my downfall (I don't really crave sugar) but man, I sure can crave carbs when I start eating them. My cholesterol levels have improved again though my total is 228 and my PCP has an issue with that. I don't. My HCL was 90. I think the reason my blood sugar is up again is I have been pretty sedentary, dealing with bursitis in my knee and vertigo. I'm scheduled for another check in 3 months and am sure things will be better. I am planning to start some resistance training along with my walking.
Just to understand better, are you all referring to Type 2 diabetes? I suppose I'd be concerned about an elevated A1c because HLADQ2 genes are also the genes for Type 1 diabetes. Celiac and Type 1 diabetes seem to go hand in hand (as do Scandinavian genes...sorry Kari, I have them too). But is type 1 something that happens all of a sudden and the symptoms (thirst, etc) can't be ignored? Or can it happen gradually like Type 2?
Should you consider a glucose tolerance test to know for sure what's happening?
Should you consider a glucose tolerance test to know for sure what's happening?