To ask if anyone's had any success reversing prediabetes or type 2?

[Applebite]

Been on high alert for this since having GD a year or two ago. But stupidly carried on eating badly and not losing weight.

Very upset this morning to be told fasting BG is 5.7. Can I turn this around with diet and exercise, or am I doomed to be diabetic? Any tips or experiences?

[noeffingidea]

I haven't got personal experience, but there is loads of info online about this. Just google reversing prediabetes.
It does seem as if a healthier diet (especially reducing carbs), weight loss and exercise are the way to go, so it sounds as if you're on the right track.

[Bellerophon]

My honest advice is that diet and exercise, while not a magic bullet solution, has to be the best possible option for putting yourself in the best situation you can be in.

I know it's hard! From personal experience I know :( So I'm not preaching or saying anything other than encouragement - but I think if you somehow could find yourself in the best possible weight that you can, then it at least eliminates a major factor, and leaves you able to explore other potential health challenges with confidence. Good luck!

[Downtheroadfirstonleft]

Look up Blood Sugar Diet, by Michael Mosley, based on the work of Newcastle Medical School. It's had huge success (medical evidence prior to book publication, not just sold a lot of copies).

[scaryteacher]

I reversed ds's pre diabetes blood markers in about 8 months. The trick is to make sure recipes are lowish in fat, and that the protein is at least half the amount of carbs. Try the Hairy Bikers Diet books. No loss of flavour, no feeling of deprivation, just less carbs and fat. Measuring carbs is key, so 50g dry weight rice, 75g dry weight pasta, 3 small spuds cooked in their skins. Steaming veg etc, upping the veg content in meals. Broccoli and brown rice are your friends, as are apples.

The Belgian docs didn't think it could be done, but we achieved it.

[Birdsgottaf1y]

My Sister has made a massive difference to her type 2, by committing to a healthy eating plan and using a step tracker.

A relative did the NHS exercise challenge that's on FB and the pictures are in Doctors surgeries, on busses etc.

He's issues were Cancer and a Stroke/HBP etc, he's had a good turnaround in his health.

He trained alongside people with Diabetes and one no-longer needed to medicate. The others lowered their 'risks'.

But all of them are enjoying life more and that should be the point.

[minipie]

Sorry not an answer to your question, but I just wondered, am I supposed to be monitored after having GD?

I had GD 2 years ago when pg with DD2 , controlled with diet and the post birth blood sugar tests were all back to normal.

But am I supposed to have my blood sugar tested annually or something?

[Applebite]

Thanks all. I have the blood sugar book on my desk, as it happens, bought it (and ignored it) a while ago. I've been testing periodically on my meter and getting readings of 4.4ish after big portions of pasta, so I assumed I was fine - I had no idea that the strips expire and aren't accurate after a few months :(

My GP surgery are doing the diabetes course, I have asked to do that.

The issues I have are around hating feeling restricted and liking the wrong foods. I loathe all meat and most fish, so that pretty much limits me to white fish, salmon and green veg. A depressing prospect... I also struggle with breakfast and lunch during the week because I work long hours and we aren't allowed a microwave on the floor, so it's either bring cold salads or try to find something low-carb in the myriads of prets and itsus that surround my office. I have a very supportive DP who cooks me lovely things like cauliflower crust pizza, but he can only do that for some of the time.

[Applebite]

Yes minipie, you should have an annual test. Hopefully all is totally fine, but just ask your GP for an HBAC.

My other worry is that the fasting is usually the last to go - hence recommending an HBAC - so if my fasting was too high, it worries me that post meal readings are actually much worse!

[ASDismynormality]

I am trying to reverse pre diabetes at the moment.

I have been eating a low carb high fat diet for a few weeks and going to the gym and definitely feel much better. I am going to ask my GP for another blood test in April to see how it's actually going.

[SmiteTheeWithThunderbolts]

I know someone currently doing an extreme diet to counter prediabetes. Can't remember the exact numbers: something like 600 calories a day for 12 weeks (WARNING: only to be done under medical advice).

It's working so far: lost quarter of body weight and blood levels are within the normal range. They're now gradually increasing their daily calorie intake. Only time will tell if they can maintain non-diabetic blood levels long-term.

It is EXTREME though - weighing and measuring ingredients of EVERY meal and absolutely no sweets/alcohol. Plus the range of ingredients to keep up nutritional intake. And I'll repeat the warning: do not attempt such a diet without medical advice.

[thedcbrokemybank]

Diet and exercise have huge overall benefits for lifestyle but also can and should be used as part of a treatment plan for a number of conditions e.g diabetes type two and depression. Fitness levels have also been shown to be a good predictor of surgical outcomes.
You need to change you lifestyle and re-educate your palate. We have gone veggie this week and I have been googling for inspiration. It doesn't all have to be bland. You can do it, it won't necessarily be easy, but it will have a huge positive benefit on your health and possibly quality of life going forward. We all need to start taking more responsibility for our health. Good luck!

[minipie]

Thanks Apple! Will put it on my groaning to do list... Actually I still have my GD testing kit in a cupboard somewhere so guess I could use that as a start point. Though sounds like I should buy new strips, good tip!

Re the fasting vs non fasting thing - I think it varies from person to person - I found the fasting blood test was often my worst when I had GD (possibly because I ate dinner very late), post meal ones were easier to control.

Finding diabetes friendly in pret and itsu is hard. When I had GD I ate a lot of the Pret protein pots (egg/spinach/avocado) and soups. The Superbowls might be ok too, they are carb based but it's lentils and quinoa so a low GI/high protein version of carb. Itsu it basically has to be sashimi and miso. I kept a big bag of nuts in my desk to supplement if I felt hungry or hadn't been able to find much.

If you're not overweight then a fairly high fat diet may work well. Adding fat to a meal means it's lower GI/less likely to give blood sugar spike. So basically butter and cheese with everything

[ajandjjmum]

I had the dreaded phone call from the GP back in September to say I was borderline diabetic, and immediately cut out cakes, white bread etc. I thought I was being quite good.

However, I then read the various diabetes forums and found that many recommend the Low Carb High Fat diet. I started following that really strictly - but because protein and fat are not really measured (although you do need to be sensible) I was not hungry.

I also try to eat within a 6-8 hour period of each day, which is supposed to help.

I got back from a level of 49 (actually diabetic, but you need two tests to confirm) to 41 (at the low end of pre-diabetic) within 3 months. Also lost a bit of weight which was good.

Exercised mildly a couple of times a week.

I have the Carbs and Cals app on my phone, which helps me make good choices.

Gone back to my old type of diet since Christmas (I've had surgery and lost my Mum), but I'm back on it for Lent.

Good luck!

[tattychicken]

My Mum has reversed her T2 diabetes using the Michael Moseley book. She has gone from injecting shed loads of insulin to none at all, and looks and feels great. She has been injecting for nearly 20 years so it's pretty amazing.

[FirstSeemItThenBeIt]

I'm doing the Blood Sugar Diet now; it's really not too hard, but it does mean very restricted carbs. I don't know what my blood sugars are, I'm doing it as I had GD in all 3 of my pregnancies and am too scared to go to the GP, so am hoping to lose weight and reverse anything that's already happened.

I've lost 6 pounds in the first few weeks. Read the book, honestly it's fine.

[mando12345]

yes, I am no longer pre diabetic. I had a normal bmi and ran when disagnosed. I cut out all obvious carbs, eg pasta, flour, bread, potatoes, carby veg ( carrots, peas etc), sweets, cakes, Pulses etc etc.
I bought a blood sugar meter and tested before And two hours after the first mouthful, I Aimed for my blood sugar to never go up more than two and never go over 7.8, these are normal levels. I lost weight to bring my bmi from 24 to 19.
A few years later my hba1c is always a good normal, I can eat more carbs than I did before, mostly in the forum of vegetables, but I am not cured, if I eat to many carbs my fasting bg goes up to pre diabetic levels but my after meal levels and hba1c are a good normal.

[thismumismad]

My mum has been in the eight week blood sugar diet. You can get it on amazon pretty cheaply. She's gone from insulin injections to coming off diabetes meds completely. She's even been asked to come along to share her story at a diabetes session at her doctors surgery.

[Applebite]

it's interesting how it works for some people - presumably it's that loss of fat from the pancreas and maybe the liver that helps. BUT are people truly cured, in that they can eat carbs like a normal person can, or is it still effectively a form of diet control for life?

I suspect the latter but would love to be proven wrong.

I'm going to nail the diet and exercise and see what happens. I am kicking myself hard because the stupid thing is, this is absolutely entirely self inflicted for having no will power all my life!

[WindwardCircle]

My DH has. He was diagnosed as pre diabetic at a check up last September, it was kick up the bum he needed to lose weight and eat better. Like others he's been low carbing, plus eating lots of nuts, salmon and avocados, and it's worked. He's lost 30lbs and his blood sugar is back to a normal range. He hasn't found it that hard, and he does indulge occasionally but even then he eats less than he would have done before and generally makes better choices.

[fueledbybacon]

Low carb high fat cures Type 2. I've been in the community for years and I've seen it so many times.

Personally using LCHF I've cured PCOS and lost close to 95 pounds.

www.dietdoctor.com/diabetes

[minipie]

By the way, it's not just high fat/protein and low carb. Eating little and often is also really important so you don't get spikes. Between meal snacks of nuts/avocado/cheese.

[chuntersalot]

Very few are 'cured' many, many more reverse and control T2D. My bloods are still in the Diabetes range but have reduced. I'm following LCHF - have lost nearly 2 stone in a year (some of it before my diagnosis in July last year) and have added a little bit of exercise 😀 However if I eat a carby meal my BG spikes every time 😢

[mando12345]

@fueledbybacon, I think if one is overweight then there might be a chance of a cure, however in most cases that I know if people went back to eating a high carb diet their diabetes has returned.
But controlling it is good enough for me but i don't consider myself cured I can't go back to my old diet.

[trinity0097]

I 'cured' my t2 diabetes within 6 months by adopting a low carb high fat diet. My last hba1c was 30!

[dazzlingdeborahrose]

Look up the research of professor Roy Taylor at Newcastle university. Reversing pre and type 2 diabetes by following a very low cal diet for a limited period. I think Michael Moseley may reference this in his books.