Speaking of Diabetes, defeating type 2 with diet, true/false?

[scottmandue]

I have been type 2 for over ten years, pretty good control with meds and regular doctor checkups (meter around 100-150 in the mornings before breakfast) Dr. tracks my AC1.

So, what about all these ads for "I GOT OFF MY TYPE 2 MEDS WITH THIS AMAZING PLAN!"

Pretty much all those "AMAZING PLANS" = a book they are trying to sell you.

As far as I can tell those books all preach low carb and/or veterinarian diet.

IMHO they are all just selling a low carb diet (and a book along with it.

Any type 2 folks out there get off their meds with diet/exercise?

Thanks!

PS, We already have cook books for dietetics... just need to get serious about cooking with them.

[pwd72s]

Still on meds...and low carbs diet. Sigh. If I ever get suicidal I'll head to the liquor store and then a bakery. So many carbs in booze, so I just don't do it. A photo of a dozen donuts makes me cry...

Oh well, I'm 72 and type 2 diabetic. Life is full of things I used to do. But I still have some fun times.

To answer your question...I've heard that people can do it with diet and exercise. However, I've never met one of these people.

Yes, with any medical problem, scammers crawl out of the woodwork. Cindy has MS. With it's remitting qualities, many "cures" have been claimed that aren't.

[flipper35]

Some people on low doses of meds do well with a very controlled diet and exercise and stay off the meds. One guy in Utah has done very well and hasn't been on meds for some time.

[McLovin]

I have a relative that did. Lost a lot of weight, and keeps off the carbs. No meds anymore.

[Craig T]

It takes some life changes, but it can be done. At 52 I had a full executive physical. My fasting glucose came in at 128...Ouch, diabetic!

Anything over 126 is considered a diagnosis of "Diabetes" (100-126 is consider pre-diabetes, <99 is normal). My cholesterol was also high at 245 (normal is less than 200). My doctor lectured me and wouldn't put me on meds until I lost 25 lbs and retested.

I got back on the mountain bike and short surf board and stopped eating french fries and Starbucks maple scones everyday. I went from 206 lbs to 180 lbs and retested. Glucose was 94 and cholesterol was 190, all normal!

I'm back up to 190lbs now, but I'm good shape still. Last month ago when he retested me, my glucose was 100. Still OK, but I fell off the french fry wagon. My weakness.

[look 171]

I need to be careful as my mother has it on her side of the family. She's per-diabetic.

Been reading up on foods for diabetics. I am a little confuse about the fruits. ARe they suppose to eat it or not? Cherry, berries, mangos are good from what I read, but watermelon and bananas are not? I know a guy who will eat a banana every morning. He's on meds and claims its ok to eat. I am cross-eyed from some of the reading on the net. I eat too much fruits so I am a bit worry. Good diet and lost some weight.

[Tobra]

Diet, exercise and habitus all play a role

[Rikao4]

know several OTR drivers that did..
it's quite common in the biz..
they simply had to..
or find another career..

you already know what you can / should eat..
cut down on same..
and increase your activity..

Rika

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by Craig T

It takes some life changes, but it can be done. At 52 I had a full executive physical. My fasting glucose came in at 128...Ouch, diabetic!

Anything over 126 is considered a diagnosis of "Diabetes" (100-126 is consider pre-diabetes, <99 is normal). My cholesterol was also high at 245 (normal is less than 200). My doctor lectured me and wouldn't put me on meds until I lost 25 lbs and retested.

I got back on the mountain bike and short surf board and stopped eating french fries and Starbucks maple scones everyday.

Wa... wa... wait... no maple scones!

But seriously... the glucose numbers are kind of nebulous... I have asked Dr. and nurses what my glucose should be (I'm a guy, give me a number and I will shoot for it) and all I get is "it depends". You above statement of <99 is the first I have heard in asking about this for over ten years (but is sounds right, when pressed I get a response of ~100).

My wife is on the getting healthy/lose weight bandwagon... I'm hoping I can steer that bandwagon onto a low carb path.

[LWJ]

Ok. Here is my speech. I hate to do it because I sound like someone who has found religion.

December last year physical. I had been on statins for 15+ years and my glucose was slowing going up. My FIL just died a nasty drawn out death from diabetes and I asked the doc what could I do?

He said: eat vegan. Fat trains cells to become insulin resistant.

I have been doing it since 12/5/15 and dropped 20 lbs. pronto. Dropped my statins and blood sugar is great as well. Not really a happy thing as I love to eat meat / fat / dairy just the same as everyone. It does seem to work well for me.

As weird as it seems, I think I could live into my 90's now. I never felt particularly healthy until I changed up my diet. My body seems so much happier.

Sorry for the commercial.

Larry

[wildthing]

Doesn't hurt to try. But as some has alluded to, it takes willpower. The pill is so much easier. Changing a diet is hard work. So just take it one step at a time. For example, two weeks, just cut down on one thing. If you don't want to cut down, replace with better options. But don't go all in. Just one thing at a time.

I have not had my blood checked lately. I should. Runs in the family.

[recycled sixtie]

Get some guidance from your doctor about how to go about an exercise program. Diet is part of it but exercise really helps. Walking, cycling use the big muscles.

As mentioned above a good exercise program and a reduced fat diet can eliminate the need for statins. The thought of limb amputation due poor circulation due diabetes should be an incentive to do something. Also the fitbit can provide an incentive to get active(eventually 10,000 steps a day).....

Yes to answer the question in some cases. I have met the occasional person who has defeated type2 diabetes by walking at least an hour day. It's your body - look after it.
Certain types of type2 may not be preventable but changing lifestyle can provide other benefits. Not a health professional.

[Craig T]

In

Originally Posted by scottmandue

Wa... wa... wait... no maple scones!

But seriously... the glucose numbers are kind of nebulous... I have asked Dr. and nurses what my glucose should be (I'm a guy, give me a number and I will shoot for it) and all I get is "it depends". You above statement of <99 is the first I have heard in asking about this for over ten years (but is sounds right, when pressed I get a response of ~100).

My wife is on the getting healthy/lose weight bandwagon... I'm hoping I can steer that bandwagon onto a low carb path.

Maple scones and french fries are like crack to me...

I was in the clinical diagnostic laboratory industry for 35 years. Normal fasting glucose results were part of my profession. A simple glucose test is just a screen, and only accurate after a 12 hour fast. A glocose can be high and followed up with a normal hemoglobin A1C. Thats probably where you come up with nebulous.

[GWN7]

I was 235 lbs. and my at rest was 11 (we use a different scale up here). Dropped 25 lbs. and changed my diet to cut out processed sugars (cutting the sugars helped drop the 25 lbs.). It took me a year after that to get down to 185 lbs. with diet. After being 5.6 to 6.2 for 6 months I quit tracking my blood sugars. No more poking fingers. So yes you can change your blood sugars by changing your lifestyle with diet. And you don't need a book.

This all changed the night I had my MI. My blood sugars that night were 25 (450) So now I take 1/2 a Metformin 2X a day to balance out the highs and lows.

[jyl]

I was 215 lb, gout attacks, kidney stones, on cholesterol and BP meds, pre diabetic too.

Started bike commuting, lost 30 lb (probably lost 40-50 lb fat and gained 10-20 lb muscle).

Gout and stones stopped. Cholesterol went to normal. Blood sugar to normal. Stopped BP meds.

Unfort, my HBP is hereditary so I eventually went back on BP meds but otherwise things remain good today

[Craig T]

Originally Posted by jyl

I was 215 lb, gout attacks, kidney stones, on cholesterol and BP meds, pre diabetic too.

Started bike commuting, lost 30 lb (probably lost 40-50 lb fat and gained 10-20 lb muscle).

Gout and stones stopped. Cholesterol went to normal. Blood sugar to normal. Stopped BP meds.

Unfort, my HBP is hereditary so I eventually went back on BP meds but otherwise things remain good today

Congrats! Amazing what losing 25 and getting in shape accomplishes. Big pharma wants us all fat and out of shape.

[LWJ]

^^^yes!

[T77911S]

when I first found out I had type2 I got motivated and lost weight, got back on the bicycle. I was still heavier than when I raced bikes, raced at 165 now 180's. went back to doc and my A1C was normal.
long story short, got lazy (also got hit by car) put weight back on.

now, got motivated again after seeing a man that just had his foot amputated and got back on a diet.
diet was less than 20 carbs a day and 900 calories. lost 20 pounds, now at 185 and not on ANY meds for diabetes. still need to lose another 25 pounds.
so yes, you can stop the meds if you stop the carbs/sugar.
it was hard. I love Chinese, pizza and burgers.
I had 5guys burger yesterday and blood sugar jumped up to 190 for a little while.
still waiting on new A1C test
time to get strict with the diet again and cut out the carbs and drop the calories and lose some more weight,

the late night munchies is what kills me.

[StevoRocket]

I'm 71 and was diagnosed in 2001. Type 2.

Taken the pills since.

In late March this year I read "the 8 week blood sugar diet" by Dr Michael Moseley - a very motivating read for type 2 diabetics - well worth the price.

Started losing weight - as I did so, I needed less medication to stay in control.

(metformin and gliclazide)

Since Early April I have lost 12 lbs . Waistline has gone from 43" to 36"

stil taking metformin and nurse changed the gliclazide to another drug "so you wont get hypos"

This caused my sugars to shoot up!

I am still eating and drinking much less than before although not sticking to a diet regime - still very gradually losing weight.