Control your blood sugar...

from JoeUser Forums
My father passed away suddenly on October 6th 2004. He was only 60 years old, and died long before he was due to die. The primary cause of his death was Cardiac Arrest, but the major contributing factor to his death was Diabetes, and poorly controlled diabetes. He didn't have high cholesterol, his health in general was pretty reasonable for someone his age, but he failed to control his diabetes, and it destroyed the tissues in his heart and he died.

Diabetes runs in my family, on both sides. Type 2, or old age onset is the major one. My Dad had it, my mom has it, my grandparents have/had it. So basically, i'm on a collision course for it unless I take very careful steps to control it now, before its too late. Last year I noticed my sugar levels creeping up, my fasting sugar level was over 120, and this is a sign of pre-diabetes. I'm only 37 years old, and my body is already showing some small signs of glucose intolerance. I fully admit I don't eat very good, I don't exercise at all, and I don't do much to control my bad habits.

Last year I read many articles saying that Cinnamon (Yes, the spice), in 3Mg dose per day, has a TREMENDOUS impact at lowering blood sugar and controlling/preventing diabetes. There is a wealth of evidence that 2-6mg of cinnamon per day, might actually totally prevent Type-2 Diabetes. Google will yield a wealth of information on this, and dozens of tests that prove this. Also, cinnamon has been shown to help regulate cholesterol in your body as well! So I tried eating a teaspoon of cinnamon per day, and this was tough - the stuff tastes good, but goes down your throat like a piece of sand paper. Then I discovered a company selling capsules of it, cheap, named Puritans Pride, and purchased some. I monitored my sugar over the next 6 months, and noticed the cinnamon dropped my sugar to incredibly healthy levels, about 80 fasting, rather than the 120+ fasting I was before. Success!

The second thing I did was drink Green Tea, there are numerous studies showing that Green Tea lowers blood sugar levels, helps glucose control, and lowers cholesterol as well! So I drank on average, 4 glasses of this per day. The third thing that studies have shown help with Glucose management is high fiber diets. I hate fiber, so I haven't tested this. =)

So that's the good news, the bad news is I usually get lazy and stop taking things, and don't follow programs as well as I should. I'm back to not exercising, I take Cinnamon only 1-2 times per week, and my sugar as started to creep up again - still WELL BELOW diabetic levels mind you, but slightly above normal. The hardest thing for me is regular exercise, I am so busy I can hardly find the time to do it, and when I find the time, i'd rather do something else. My discipline is horrible!

Well my dads death was a HUGE wakeup call for me, its time to take care of my body and stop being so lazy about health.. I'm a hard working person, I work hard at Stardock during the day, and I work hard at home at night. I work hard around the house on weekends, and have a backlog of things I need to get done. But none of this is real exercise for the body, and that's my weak point. My new years resolution is to get on an exercise program and eat healthy, and make sure I don't have the complications that my dad had. I want to live a long life, and watch my kids grow old and enjoy grandchildren.. Unfortunately none of this my dad could enjoy, and its a terrible blow to the family. I think inside, he thought he was a superman, and could "pull through" anything, he never expected to die at 60 years old, does anyone?
diet
4,554 views 12 replies
Reply #1 from JoeUser Forums Top
Dude,
I can feel for you, I have been trying to do the same. Diabetes runs in my famiily also and I'm trying to do all I can to prevent it. but like you said it is hard, I don't keep on my diet all the time and time to exercise is hard right now with full time school and full time work.....

I am sorry about your father but, maybe this article and his death will wake some of the rest of us up!
Reply #2 from JoeUser Forums Top
I tested my sugar levels tonight for the first time in 6 months.. I bought a kit, so I could at least monitor it incase something creeps up.

Anyway, before the meal, I was in the 125-135 range, after the meal I seemed to spike at 150ish. I'm waiting for 2-3 hours after the meal to retest, I read average should be less than 140 around that time. Then i'll test at bedtime tonight, average then is 100-120 range.. Then I will check fasting levels tomorrow morning, which should be 70-110 range.

Fasting (8-10 hours no food/drink): 70-110
3 hours after a mean: Under 140
Bedtime 100-120 range.

Thats the best chart I can find on it all. However, there have been recent studies that show that fasting blood sugar ideally should be in the 70-90 range for optimal health. I wouldn't be surprised tomorrow if mind is higher. As I said, i'm overweight (not hugely I might add), I eat like crap, and seldom exercise. So technically, i'm at risk for heart and other issues already.

I'll post my results of my tests tomorrow here, then I will start a Cinnamon regime again, and post my results in 2-3 months. There is really no greater risk than Diabetes, it just kills your body, rots your tissue, and damages all of your organs - even slightly elevated.
Galactic Civilizations IV
Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top
I just tested at 11PM. I ate dinner late today, about 8PM I started eating, and finished at 8:30PM. (Ate slow, was watching a movie). So about 2.5 hours after a meal.

Good news is, I tested at 121 Blood Sugar, which is well in the range it should be. Everything i've read said you should never be over 140 between 2-3 hours after a meal. I'm considerably lower than that. In fact, I will be heading to bed in 1-2 hours, and i'm already in range of the idea bedtime bloodsugar of 100-120. I will test again in 2 hours before retiring for the evening, and with luck, i'll be around 100-110 range.

I will update this blog tomorrow with the results from my bedtime test, and my morning fasting test. Target range for the morning is 80.. Wish me luck!
Reply #4 from JoeUser Forums Top
I just tested before going to bed, its 12:40AM EST. I tested at 90 Blood Sugar, which is very good for bed time levels, and makes me quite happy. I suspect when I actually fall asleep in another half hour or so, I should be around 80-85 Blood Sugar, which is GREAT for bedtime levels according to my books, and in fact, is pretty close to what my target for fasting is already.

So with any luck, my fast levels should be 70-75 tomorrow morning, which is perfect.

I guess that 1+ year of Cinnamon and Green Tea really paid off. In all fairness I did take Cinnamon today in the morning, i'm not sure how much of an effect that had, but i'm guessing it had some effect. But i'm still happy with my results so far.

Update in the morning after I test my fasting levels.
Reply #5 from JoeUser Forums Top
Well this morning the results were dissappointing.

I tested 3 times to ensure a fairly reasonable reading, and they were 108,122, 122. So this morning at least, my fasting Blood Sugar was 122, which is above the normal range of 70-110, and indicates that i'm in the pre-diabetes phase already. What i'm finding odd is that I tested normal post meal, and pre-bedtime last night, and my sugar level area WENT UP overnight, instead of down? I can't figure that out.

Only thing I can think of is that perhaps my tests weren't accurate last night for some reason. So I will continue my testing over the next 2-3 days logging the results, and see what the results yield to try and get a more consistant view. 122 for my fasting is alarming, considering i'm only 37 years old. The Mayo clinic lists fasting blood sugar normal as 70-100, and 110-125 to be "Pre-Diabetes" level. Anything over 125 is full blown diabetes. However the ADA has stated that they have evidence of early tissue damage on people with fasting levels over 110, and its considered a "Risk Factor". So this is extremely alarming to me, and I suspect this is why I have some neuropathy issues - such as numbness in my hands and feet at times. Other articles i've read said that ideally, the range regardless of the time of day, should be between 75-140.

Based on these early results, i'm going to formulate a "Plan of Action" to deal with this. Especially in view of how it destroyed my dad at a far too early an age, and is doing bad things to my mother everyday. My assault on my pre-diabetes will take up a few forms.

1) Immediate reduction to near zero levels of carbohydrate/sugar intake.
2) Increased fiber, lower fat diet.
3) Daily intake of 2-4 grams of Cinnamon.
4) 2-4 glasses of Green Tea per day.
5) 8+ glasses of water per day.
6) 20-30 minutes of Exercise PER DAY.

I will attempt to control it over the next 6 months using the above plan of attack, and if that doesn't work, the I will be forced to see a endochronologist and have my blood levels and problems evaluated for possible medication. Which will stink, and I don't want to get to that state.

Updates soon.
Reply #6 from JoeUser Forums Top
So sorry about your dad's passing. Diabetes runs in my family too. That was also a factor in my dad's passing three years ago. I've been very concious of this disease, since it means it might or will play a factor in my life too. I''ve got a plan for the upcoming year myself which I hope to start a blog on too. Not particularly about diabetes but a new healthy way of being. Good luck on controling your sugar levels.
Reply #7 from JoeUser Forums Top
Sorry to hear about your father as well.. Basically, from reading up on it, Diabetes is so diblilating to the body that it defies explanation. It seems to just destroy tissue, nerves, and otherwise play havoc with your systems. It causes things ranging from liver failure, blindness, amputation, down to heart attacks - which is what got my dad.

Within the last year, i've steadily increased the quality of my lifestyle and diet. I used to hardly ever eat vegatables. Now I eat minimum, 3 servings of veggies per day, and have for the last year. I quit smoking last year as a new years resolution, and haven't touched a cigarette since -and never will. I started using more natural products - like Burts Bees soaps (they are great!), and Toms of Main Toothpaste and Deodorant, and many other things.. I installed a Reverse Osmosis unit in my house to filter our water, etc.

Like you, I plan to implement some new healthy living systems starting immediately as a new year resolution. I've already increased it measurably over the last year, and now its time to take the final step, and bring my weight into line, exercise, and get my sugar levels back to normal. Exercise is hard for me, hard to find the time, and hard to get motivated to do it. Last year I started going to the club 3 days a week, but we went on vacation and I got out of the "Habit", and haven't been back since! Huge mistake! Also, i'm working more now, and my wife works as well, so that leaves little time for the gym, I just have to struggle to fit it into my schedule I guess.

My dad never ate right, exercised, or properly controlled his sugar. He'd go days without testing his levels - and when you are on insulin, thats dangeous - and I told him - no, I begged him - to control his sugar better. But he didn't, he wrongly assumed that the insulin would fix all of his problems. He continued to drink sugar sodas, eat donuts and cakes, and otherwise show complete disregard for his diet and well being. He was a busy and successful man, and I think he really focused on that aspect, and not on the most important aspect, his health!

I'd imagine if my dad controlled his sugar, he would have given us another 10-20 years of his wonderful presence... That makes me truely sad.
Reply #8 from JoeUser Forums Top
I know. My dad did try to control his diabetes, but he hated going to the doctor unless it was absolutely necessary. And since I was so far away (living in the US) it wasn't easy for my mom when she was alive (she passed recently too, August 04, no diabetes) and my sisters to get him to the doctor. Men are stubborn when it comes to that. My husband is hard to get to the doctor too, but I put my foot down for him to have is annual exam which I schedule on a yearly basis. No, he doesn't have the diabetes, he's fairly healthy.

I actually was on the road to "wellbeing" when I started my program earlier this year, it was six months of hard work, exercising, eating right and trimming down, and it was working. Unfortunately for me, I'm an emotional eater. The illness of my mom (I was taking care of her), took it's toll, and so did her subsequent death. I havent' exercised or done anything where my health is concerned since August.

But I'm at the stage mentally now where I know my wellbeing is important, especially for my children. So I've already reached that place mentally, wherein I know, it's time to get busy again. I have to do it that way, cause only I can do that for me-no amount of nudging from anyone else (and my husband is pretty good, doesn't bother me) will get me to exercise unless I want to do it.

It's great that you are so focussed on being healthy. That's important.
Reply #9 from JoeUser Forums Top
I had a HUGE lunch today at 1:30PM at Brad's house - including all kinds of sugar deserts. About 3 hours later, I tested 119 for Blood Sugar - my wife (RN) says that 119 is "Fine" being that close to a meal, and depending on the website, as long as you are under 140, you are fine.

I will test again tonight at bed time, and then again tomorrow morning and update the blog based on those results.

My wife says that I should continue testing and logging for 3-4 weeks, and if its consistantly elevated, then attend to it closer. She says blood sugar levels fluctuate based on everything from stress, weather, temperature, and other factors. So to get a full picture, you need to know over a period of weeks.
Reply #10 from JoeUser Forums Top
Interesting enough, I tested at 110 Mg/DL this morning after fasting all night, and thats within the "Normal" ranges according to most reports. However 80 range is considered ideal. But my wife was pretty much correct, blood sugar seems to greatly fluctuate in people. In all fairness, I am back on my cinnamon and green tea regimen, which could be playing a part in it going down - cinnamon taken in the form of 1g per meal, is known to help control glucose levels and help processing of sugars immediately.

So the plan now is as above, continue monitoring it over the next month, and continue on my regimen to get it in order. Then if it doesn't improve - as in 80 range fasting levels - then see a doctor.
Reply #11 from JoeUser Forums Top
Your wife is correct, so you have already figured out. Seeing a doctor would definately be the next step if there's no improvement.
Reply #12 from JoeUser Forums Top
I'm a new JoeUser member and was perusing the forums when this thread caught my eye. I'm a T II Diabetic diagnosed in 1999. Until recently, diet and exercise kept my bg in control but no longer. I tried Avandia and Glipizide and neither of those helped, either, so now I'm taking them in the AM and 10 units of Lantus in the PM. I still see no improvement in the BG but have taken the Lantus for just a few days.

I remember some time ago reading about the cinnamon but at the time my bg was kept in line easily and I forgot about it. I remembered it last night, though, and had some this morning in my coffee. So, now it's brought to mind again and I have a question for those of you who use it. I keep reading about "substantial" drops in BG but what does "substantial" mean? That's a subjective term so can those of you who have had success with cinnamon give numbers that might make it more clear how much better your BG is? Also, how soon after starting the cinnamon usage did you see the improvement begin? And then, for those of you who like the flavor of cinnamon and don't take it in capsules, do you use ground or fresh and why do you use the form you use?

Thanks for your help!

D