Question I am 40 years old and about 10 lbs over-weight. During an annual physical, the fasting blood test showed my glucose level at 227. However, the glycohemoglobin test was normal. The doctor said I do not have diabetes but am at great risk. I want to avoid if at all possible!
I was under a great deal of stress at work when the test was done so that may have been a factor in the result.
I have been trying to lose weight for a while and have been up and down. I have dropped about 10 lbs over the last year but need to lose 10 more. My current diet is lowfat and pretty high in carbs. I have several questions:
(1) how much impact could the stress have on the test?
(2) how much impact does a low fat - high carb - low calorie diet have on blood glucose levels?
(3) I plan to use a home test kit to monitor my blood sugar. Are these accurate? Do I need to fast with these?
(4) do sugar-blocker supplements help control blood-glucose levels and are they healthy?
(5) any resources you can suggest for a healthy diet?
Thanks!
Answer Hi Scott,
It sounds as if your doctor has it right... you have impaired glucose tolerance (sometimes called insulin resistance) and are on the short track to diabetes.
Honestly, a low-fat high-carb diet is the WORST thing you could do. Every gram of carbohydrate will raise your blood glucose level approximately 4 points. For a person without insulin resistance, the insulin the pancreas secretes is sufficient to take care of the carbs they eat and keep the blood sugar between 70-120. For an excellent reference on this, and a good diet, check out "The Diabetes Solution" or "The Diabetes Diet" by Richard K. Bernstein.
Sugar blockers are useless, but chromium picolinate and cinnamon, which help to sensitize the body to its own insulin, are helpful.
Yes, home blood sugar monitors are accurate. (I was skeptical too). When I first got my meter, to double-check its accuracy I tested my level just before a blood draw and recorded the result. When I got the test back, I compared it to what I had gotten on the meter. They were virtually the same.
