Diagnosed with prediabetes today

[BeagBoo]

Had a blood test and my reading was 6.1. Been referred to a course. Aside from that, no advice. What the feck do I do now? Is diabetes inevitable? I am 4 stone overweight and gained all of it in the space of months on antipsychotics and was never able to lose it. I have lost 5lbs since coming off but it's been 6 months. Help?

[Emmiy]

Low carb is supposed to be good for helping diabetics to reduce their need for medication and also for those who are insulin resistant and of course you will lose weight. I think insulin resistance is pre diabetes. Have a read about low carb and insulin resistance on the internet.

[Emmiy]

www.diabeticcareservices.com/diabetes-education/prediabetes-and-insulin-resistance

paleoleap.com/paleo-and-prediabetes/

www.dietdoctor.com/yes-a-low-carb-diet-greatly-lowers-your-insulin

[CarsonTheButler]

It's not neccesarily insulin resistance but it could well be, especially if you are overweight. Low carb (not just low sugar), exercise and weight loss and will help you become less resistant to insulin and will bring your numbers down. A fasting blood glucose of 6.1 is only just into pre-d territory as 6.00-6.9 is pre, anything over 7 would get you a diabetes diagnosis. Some people will tell you there is no such thing as pre-diabetes but that isn't true. Whilst it isn't a formal diagnosis as such, it is a warning that your blood glucose is higher than ideally it should be. Take this as a warning - lifestyle changes will help enormously and diabetes isn't inevitable.

The course you have been referred to may well help but often the NHS is working off old information, for example they often tell you that you must have carbohydrates and should eat a low fat diet, conventional thinking which has been challenged in recent years but the NHS haven't really caught up. Have a Google and look at Low Carb High Fat (LCHF) lifestyles if you really want to get a hold on this.

By the way, have you been asked to have an Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT)? Some people just have higher fasting blood glucose (on waking) but don't get high numbers after eating.

[Atenco]

I live in a country where diabetes is at epidemic levels. I think mostly because of the amount of soft drinks consumed, but there also seems to be a genetic factor. You've got to change your diet. They say the families of diabetes have the best diet you could possibly have. It is very hard to change the tastes developed over a lifetime and food that does not do others any harm, but the food that diabetics eat is really tasty, go for it.