Dietary question for prevention

[potatolover]

Hello. I am a 26 year old male with a strong family history of type 2 diabetes(father, his mother) and heart disease (father, both grandfathers). Two years ago I got an A1C done and it was 5.7. Last month I got it tested again and it was 5.4. I've been on a very healthy diet with lower carbs, no sugar, more fiber, more unsaturated fats(especially Omega 3), limited saturated fat and completely cut out trans fats. About 85-90% of my diet is unprocessed whole foods that I cook myself. I put myself on this diet in the spring and have lost 40 pounds. I am 5'6 and weighed over 180 pounds. Now i'm down to 140 and still losing weight. This was all done without any exercise (I plan on starting that, just want to talk to a doc first). I'm starting to slip on my diet but I'm forcing myself back onto it.

So, overall I'm doing very well on this diet and I'm extremely proud of how I'm starting to look.

So, as a person with a genetic predisposition to type 2 diabetes I have a couple questions about my diet and its implications on my future.

I know a moderate amount about the disease to know that eating tons of sugar and starches by itself. However, I'm curious as to whether or not limiting starches, completely cutting out added sugars and eating somewhat like I am diabetic would be a legitimate way to prevent it. I used to cut out all carbs as much as possible after a diabetic scare (I tested my blood glucose on years expired test strips and it gave a false reading, it prompted the initial A1C) but have since educated myself that not all carbs were bad and what I eat with them is just as significant in determining how it would affect one's blood sugar.

I know my weight loss helps with diabetes prevention in a significant way, as well.

This post was prompted by me wanting to cook some seasoned potatoes in some olive oil, strangely enough.

[Super_sally888]

eating potatoes, in moderation, occasionally and with plenty of healthy fat (olive oil), is not a bad eating choice.

[Super_sally888]

Dietary management is a very legitimate way of preventing / delaying diabetes.  Continue with what you are doing.  Add exercise if you are not already (Weight training and aerobic).

Low carb (moderate protein, higher healthy fat) is now being shown to be very effective.  YOu may want to consider reduceing / removing grains, if you don't already, and eating most if not all of your carbs from from plant (not grain) sources.  PRIMAL / paleo are examples of this approach.

Keep up the good work.  Hope your next A1c is < 5./0 (ie. truly normal).

[brice1967]

You definitely want to watch your carb intake.  Every once in a while, its not too big of a deal to have a potato, but make sure you are eating a good amount of healthy protein.  (The protein will slow the affect that straight carbs would have.)

Regular monitoring and journaling or logging your glucose levels, what you ate and the amount of exercise you got on any given day can provide a real good resource to look back on and track how your body reacts to carbs.

For me, its just best to stay away from carbs.  I am a farm boy.  Raised on homemade bread, meat and potatoes.  I love that stuff, but it doesn't love me.  

Moderation is the key as well as tracking what you eat, your glucose levels and tracking what happens to the body when you eat carbs.

[prediabetes]

5'6 140 lbs is ok but how much is fat and how much muscle? some people have normal weight but organs like liver packed in internal fat and cause issues. if you want better prevention you also need exercise. if your 140 lbs is all muscle then that much better. good inidication is look at stomach. is flat or not? otherwise i think occasional potato don't hurt your long term effort. just not too often. i am 5'7 136 lbs went down from 155lbs. overall same shape but stomach much flatter now. went down 3 notches on belt. stomach is where bad fat is. also can wear old clothes. good side benefit!

[diabetes86]

carbs do not cause diabetes. Reducing carbs is a way to control diabetes (the BG part of it).   sort of like driving a car and stepping all the way on the gas, turning the key off and on to control speed.

[potatolover]

It's a shame you can not edit posts!

I meant to say "I know a moderate amount about the disease to know that eating tons of sugar and starches by itself doesn't cause the disease."