Several times of late I have had a gentle moan at how slowly – according to my twice weekly spot checks – my BS is reducing, so I wasn’t really looking forward to hearing the results of the latest test today. I was anticipating a debate on the lines of ‘yes, I know I haven’t reduced much, but at least I am going in the right direction, so give me more time’ sort of thing.
Last time – 6 months ago – my HbA1c was 75, so I was hoping for perhaps under 60. As a preemptive strike, I showed the nurse a print out of my results since starting to record FBG, and also pre- and post-prandial readings in late February, and she looked at them and said, ‘well that looks encouraging, let’s look at your blood results.’ She brought up the results on the screen and looked surprised – really surprised, ‘What do you say to 40?’ she asked – I nearly fell out of my chair. She told me that she had never before seen such a dramatic reduction in anybody’s HbA1c reading based just on diet and exercise in just 6 months.
I’m walking on air!
To be honest, I can’t understand why my twice weekly spot checks show a less encouraging picture – but who am I to argue with the official result?
Mike

Congratulations Mike, that is fantastic news that the HbA1c is so reduced. I am not sure, but think a 40 is totally normal isn’t it? What is the plan now? Will you continue but up the calories a bit?

To be honest, I am still in a state of shock. For 10 years or so I have been seen as borderline – but this is actually non-diabetic as I understand it, What I won’t do is revert to the life style of the 12 months or so prior to realising that I needed to do something. I do have an excuse -don’t we all? – in the summer of 2015 my disabled wife nearly died and at that stage I thought ‘what the hell – live for the day’ and gave up worrying about dieting. Chocolate biscuits, Yorkie bars, more beer and wine than usual became the norm, and I was enjoying life with Veronica restored to reasonable health. Then, months ago came the news of my blood sugar and I realised that things had to change – they did and to be honest I haven’t had too much trouble in turning my diet around, even though there are boring aspects of it. What really encouraged me was,, for example, a nice steak and mushrooms were better for me that a sandwich – I’m sure I don’t have to go on!
Mike

Oh, and I never answered your question – apologies. I intend to carry on with the diet without going overboard. Occasional bread, rice pasta, etc., instead of staple elements of my diet , and something every day. I used to pick up the paper and include a Yorkie bar, for instance – that’s a thing of the past!
Mike

Congratulations Michael, I know exactly how you are feeling. My HbA1c went from 11.4 to 8.2 then to 6.9 and now 5.4, although I am still on insulin but that is my next goal, get rid of it and still be under 6.0 Keep on keeping on…

As you say – keep on keeping on!
Mike

Congrats Mike – I know the shock you feel – we daren’t hope that something so simple as food = health works! We’ve been sold packaged goods (pun intended) for so long that getting back to basics just doesn’t seem the answer. We are living proof that it works and I hope that continuing this woe that not only do we beat diabetes that we see an overall improvement in other health issues. I’m smiling ear to ear for you 🙂

Thanks, Linda!
Mike

Mike – such great news. No wonder you were in a state of shock. I agree that a nice steak and mushrooms beats a sandwich every time.

Me too||!
Mike