Hi everyone,
I started this diet a few weeks ago as I had really challenging and different levels of blood sugar during and after chemotherapy.
I stick rigidly to the recipes from the book and don’t eat breakfast. I eat a lunch about 1pm and then dinner between 6-7pm. My blood sugars are between 4.9 and 5.9 just before each of these meals, so I am very happy with that. However, despite not eating anything between 7pm and the following morning my blood sugars are above the norm in the morning. In fact in the last 5 weeks I have only had 1 reading of less than 6 in the morning. Usually, it is around 6 but this morning was 7.7!
What causes this and what can I do about it? Could it be medication? I take an acid reflux pill before I go to bed…..but that’s it.
I don’t know what to do and would love any advice

thank you!

Hi LaydeeP, it would seem you are suffering from the Dawn Phenonomen. Do a google search and read about this or look at other posts by using the Search box on this site. Because you are on very low calories and not eating in the evening your liver thinks you are starving and pumps out glycogen in the early hours. To combat this you could have a small snack just before bed. Something you have allowed for in your calories and BSD friendly like a square of cheese, a slice of ham, a piece of chicken or a small full fat plain yoghurt. See if this helps.

On the other hand you could just put up with it until it settles down on its own. I have always had the bedtime snack and kept my BG morning readings low but the snack still contributes to an overall raising of BG although much gentler than the spike in the morning. I know from experience that it does settle as I have just started doing TRE (time restricted eating) and having nothing after 8pm and before 10am having had a couple of readings of around 6, two weeks in it has settled and I am now around 5 and this morning 3.5 with no ill effects.

You dont say if you are on any meds for the blood sugar issues. If you are you can speak to your doctor about adjusting these as the diet takes effect and your BG starts to go down.

Thank you sunshine-girl that is really helpful information and I will do my research on this topic – which I had never heard of!
I’m not on any medication for blood sugar issues and am hoping not to be by following the BSD.