Blood Glucose level a little high

[demtlard]

Hello, I have a question.  I've been told the normal blood glucose level is normal between 70 and 105.  Mine was 103 just recently. I told the doctor I feel it is a little high, they said no, it is within normal level don't level, even though it is close to the end of the scale it doesn't matter.  I was surprised he said that.  I fasted for about 11 hours.

I am 32, do not smoke, social drinker, mostly red wine, do not get a whole lot of exereice, but do get some, and have a sweet tooth.

Do I have anything to worry about?  What should/can I do now to get that number down?  

Thanks

[GrannyJo6]

Here is my testimonial! I was bordering on metabolic syndrome, which is a precursor of diabetes several years ago. Weighed about 150 or so. I got down to 142-144 and thought I was doing pretty well, but my cholesterol and triglycerides were still high. Moderately high blood pressure, etc. So, last December my nurse practitioner asked if I would be interested in trying a diet to curb inflammatory disease. ( I have MS, asthma, arthritis. Diabetes would be considered an inflammatory disease as well.) I thought I could give it a whirl! Well, I've been on it now 10 months and am down to 120 and a size 2! I feel great! It is pretty restrictive, but here is my point. I cannot have refined sugar or flour, not even artificial sweeteners! No more Coke! So, here is a sample of what I do eat. Once you get off sugar, you will be amazed that you don't really crave it! I can allow myself a treat once in awhile for a special occasion, but that's it. OK - breakfast is either oatmeal with blueberries or a few raisin, and instead of sugar, I use plenty of cinnamon. I also like a good, simple granola sweetened with a little honey and molasses (packaged that way - I don't add it). Lunch: whole grain bread, almond butter (like peanut butter, but with almonds - no sugar - yummy!) and either a fruit spread or sugar free apple butter, an apple or piece of fruit. Dinner: broiled or grilled chicken breast, steamed broccoli, brown rice. Good old water to drink. Decaf tea is OK, or decaf coffee. Fruit for a snack. Small meals more frequently. There is a book called Sugar Busters that is very helpful. It shows you what they call the glycemic level of food. You want low glycemic level food as it won't cause you to crash and burn! So for me, no bananas, pineapple, papaya or white potatoes. I love sweet potatoes or yams, and with ginger, and other spices is really quite good. Whole grain breads and cereals. The simpler the better. Actually, a mix of carb and protein as a late night snack will keep your blood sugars more level during the night. Milk and little cereal for instance or piece of toast with peanut butter. My cholesterol dropped nearly 100 points in three months and I just had a blood draw and a check up on Monday and can't wait to see what it is! I also eat a lot of fish, and very little red meat. I have found that things made with brown rice syrup taste very sweet to me. There are health food stores that sell some very tasty snacks. But, it is a life style change, that's for sure! My husband is supportive and has lost some weight as well. Best wishes on your quest for better health. Sorry for the long rant! I have turned into quite a zealot. OH, I used to have an insatiable sweet tooth. Gone!

[demtlard]

Prednisone? Isn't that for muscle pain?  I think I was prescribed that before, gave me really bad heart palpitations and what not, I stopped after about a day of it.

How could this drug give you diabetes?

[Dot.Calm]

You misunderstood my thread. Transplant medication - Prednisone - was the culprit, not the new organ.

I suggest you talk with your cardiologist regarding consumption of liquor and its effects on Atherosclerosis. He/she would what's best for you.

[demtlard]

A further note, they are called Rice Works, you may be able to look them up, they have a salsa batch also.

Can I have beer or red wine? I usually drink a glass of wine with dinner. I have mild atheroscrolis and have heard it will help, and I know there is some kind of link between this and gloucose as well as LDL and cholesterol.

[demtlard]

Not so boring, they have sea salt. ha ha.But need to watch that too.

So what is the maximum amount of sugar I can have in one day? I usually go out to eat, but here that is what must people do, it is actually cheaper than cooking at home, so actually the food is pretty fresh.

Maple Sugar is a different kind of sugar, it occurs naturally like in fruit.  I use Citadells. I drink it every morning mixed with other things.  It's part of the lemonaid diet or master cleanser. Maybe you have heard of it. This is what i have for breakfast.

I cannot really tell what fruit is more sweet, I eat everything.  

Transplant what did you get transplanted? And what you are telling me is that the transplanted organ gave you diabetes? Oh that *****!  If you had a transplanted organ even if you wanted to you cannot do the master cleanser, not that you want to or ever heard of it, but I should put that warning here now.

[Dot.Calm]

You're at a point where you can reverse your glucose and bring it back to normal. Then and only then should you consume any "goodies", but do so in moderation otherwise you're putting diabetes back into the drivers seat.

Rice crackers are OK. Quite boring but OK. Man made stuff are prepared/processed foods - frozen, packaged, canned meals. Read the ingredient label prior to purchase. Many foods/drinks list carb sugars in grams. Every 7 grams equals a heaping Tablespoon of refined sugar. Be wary of this.

As far as maple syrup, I use Joseph's Sugar Free Syrup. This is not an endorsement just the only sugar free product I could find that resembles and tastes like the real McCoy. In place of sugar I use Splenda (sucralose).

You'll have to experiment with type of fruits to see which ones you can tolerate and those you cannot. I can handle all melons and berries. But when it comes to tropical fruits - pineapples, mangoes, guava's - fergit it. Same goes for apples, raisins and grapes. Dried fruit I do eat but very very little. One or two slices at most in a day.

I would suggest you test your glucose before you eat fruit at night and then once more before you hit the sack. Compare the results. That is the only way you're going to know whether the pre-bedtime fruit is good or bad. Keep in mind, glucose doesn't peak until 2-4 hours after you consumed something.

And, yes, I am diabetic since 2004. Transplant medication side effect is diabetes. I got tagged as I believe a coupe of others on this forum did too.

[demtlard]

Thanks again for your comments Dot. Calm.

Will I ever be able to eat that stuff again though anytime in the future?  Of course in moderation.

My faster was after 11-12 hours, but as I remember it has been in the 90's before, that was many years ago.

What do you mean by the man made prepared foods?  Are you talking about processed stuff? What about rice chips? They are like potato chips but are made of brown rice, are these kind of snacks ok in moderation? They contain no sugar, no transfats, are the lowest I have seen in saturated fats. like .5g per 16 chips. I'd have to check again.

So I guess that also means no dried fruits either cause they have sugar in them...

No honey either, though I know that is bad.  I do use maple syrup with a detox, and I would like to do that again soon and then maybe check my gloucose levels again to see if any change. I have done it before and feel great everytime.

I usually eat fruit at night, around 10-11pm and then an hour later sleep.  I take it this may not be good?

Are you a diabetic?  

The exercise I get is walking to a nearby coffee shop a few times a week, about a 5 minute walk, I try to get more by walking home about a 25 minute walk from another place, once a week.  I can't stand most of my neighbors. ha ha...

[Dot.Calm]

I'm glad you seeing the light. Its a lifestyle change you must make but its not a hard one unless you make it hard. If you continue to consume refined sugar you're at a point where its very easy to become a full blown diabetic. You must stop eating the candies, the cakes, the pies, the puddings, the ice creams, and those man made prepared foods. All will jack up your glucose level. Fruit is good. My doctor suggests that I eat fruits with meals to lesson the absorption of fructose (fruit sugar).

Here's a true story. I have friends that live in another city who I see every two-three months. The wife informed me her husband had been ignoring his diabetes and his medication since day one. He just didn't believe diabetes was a serious illness. That was four months ago. Last week he ended up in the hospital for acute pancreatitis. Was it life threatening? You betcha! All because he ignored the warning and continued to eat the candy, the cookies, the cakes, the ice cream (big lover), the pies, and so on. Will this happen to you? I don't know but the question is do you want to find out the hard way?

Keep in mind that moderate exercise doesn't mean going to the gym and working your butt off pumping iron or running on a treadmill for hours. You will be amazed how walking lowers your glucose levels. And its a good way to see your neighborhood and also to meet the neighbors that you missed driving by in your car.

Good luck and good health to you.

[demtlard]

Thanks for your comments all. So basically Dot. Calm, you suggest cutting completely any sweets intake? No candy, no cakes, no cookies, no ice cream no sweet food other than perhaps fruit right?  That would be probably what I would have to do, very tough, but I think I need to do that, and I know I need to get some exercise, but I have never been one to do it, very difficult to change a person, but I think I need to try.

[Dot.Calm]

Actually, since late 2003 the number has been 100 mg/dl as tops. 101 to 125 is considered impaired or prediabetes. Stop fooling yourself, your problem is your "sweet tooth". Cutting back a little is not going help you either. Moderation is the key. Think small, very small amounts.

[SarahB79]

103 is still with in a decent range he is correct.  However when was the test taken (what time of day?).  I know you fasted, but your body makes its own glucose and it will generally begin to rise even without food because you need the energy it provides.  

If you are truely concerned that your fasting level is high and that you think that other times of the day you are not producing an adequate amount of insulin after meals, then request your doctor to order a 2 hour oral/fasting glucose test.  They'll take blood fasting, then have you drink a glucose solution and test again at 1 hour and again at 2 hours to see how your body responds.  If they come back ok then you should be fine.  Also have them check your fasting insulin.  If you aren't diabetic, it could be prediabetes.  Or you could just be fine and need to cut back a little on your sweets and get some exercise. :-)