I think I may have confused the issue with my post, which may have included too much info.
I believe my poor diet, stress, and illness is the cause of my current higher-than-normal blood glucose levels. I'm certain that the rampant mold found in my old apartment is the cause of my illnesses over the winter (evidenced by my son's severe allergies, visitors complaining of congestion with just a visit, and my own previous good health prior to moving into the apartment last summer.)
I'm just looking for validation and support as I jump back into FF, just in general (bucking the mainstream and all that), and that FF possibly combined with low carb will likely return my levels to normal (bucking the mainstream pre-diabetes mantra).
As I mentioned, I plan to get back into FF as a way to lose weight and improve my overall health. As a first line of defense regarding the blood glucose, I think the FF will help, and I plan to lower carbs, and use basic supplements to lower my blood glucose levels. I don't plan to do anything further unless things don't start heading in the right direction within a month or two.
I currently have no health insurance, so other than my self-purchased blood glucose testing device and strips, I don't plan to have any medical tests. As I am changing a lot getting back to FF and an exercise program, I want to keep thing simple for now. Although I appreciate the kind advice on various other topics, I was really looking for FF support
I guess I was hoping for a rah-rah or someone who can share that their blood glucose levels stabilized on FF. :)
--- In fast5@yahoogroups.com, "susieq_az1" <susannauw2010@...> wrote:
>
> Well, yes, which is why I'm quitting them and going FF/low carb. : )
>
> No, I don't currently take fish oil supplements, but that's a good suggestion. I do take coconut oil.
>
> Susie
>
> --- In fast5@yahoogroups.com, "RickS" <no3rdseat@> wrote:
> >
> > Starbucks drinks, popcorn, baked goods, and potatoes will all raise your blood glucose levels.
> >
> > Do you take fish oil supplements, BTW?
> >
> > -Rick
> >
> > --- In fast5@yahoogroups.com, "susieq_az1" <susannauw2010@> wrote:
> > >
> > > Thanks, Heather. I really don't think high iron is my problem, because I tend to be anemic. In fact, I get rejected for that reason when I try to donate blood, so I gave up.
> > >
> > > Also, I eat gluten-free, so I don't eat many processed carbs, especially cereal or fortified anything. I don't drink juice or soda pop (only an occasional soda). GF foods tend not to be fortified, and I just don't eat cereal or bread much (the biggest fortified offenders.) I tend to overdo on Starbucks drinks, homemade popcorn, homemade baked goods, and real potatoes.
> > >
> > > Good info, though.
> > >
> > > Susie
> > >
> > >
> > > --- In fast5@yahoogroups.com, Heather Twist <HeatherTwist@> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Blood sugar is a tricky one, for sure.
> > > >
> > > > One of the things I found out, via a lot of reading, is that *high iron
> > > > absorption* is one of the causes of high blood sugar. This seemingly
> > > > doesn't make sense, since high carb intake seems to be one of the culprits
> > > > in the US. But, in the US, most high carb foods also have added iron. Iron
> > > > in a meal acts very much like sugar does, except that the iron sticks
> > > > around forever, while the sugar goes away.
> > > >
> > > > Anyway, one of the things I did was to watch the iron content of a meal,
> > > > and if a meal has, say, red meat, to have an iron-blocker with the same
> > > > meal. Usually a cup or two of tea, and something with chili in it. Or an
> > > > IP6 pill. Also I started donating blood, and we switched our diet to more
> > > > fish, eggs, and poultry, less red meat. Using vinegar with meals (salad
> > > > dressing: vinegar has some odd effects on iron). Avoiding Vitamin C or
> > > > fruit or pop WITH meals (between meals is fine). In studies, even just
> > > > donating blood a couple of times helps with T2 diabetes. Anyway, it
> > > > worked. Our meals are mostly based on vegies (lots), fish/eggs/poultry,
> > > > rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes. Fruit for snacks.
> > > >
> > > > I don't eat processed carbs much at all these days, but I have noticed some
> > > > of them have a huge amount of added iron. Esp. the "healthy" cereals, which
> > > > might have the entire recommended dose in one tiny serving. Natural iron,
> > > > like the kind in brown rice, isn't very absorbable, but the kind that is
> > > > added (ferrous sulfate usually) can be over-absorbed by some people, esp.
> > > > if it is in a meal that has meat in it.
> > > >
> > > > The thing about "carbs" is this: Most of the world is on a high-carb diet,
> > > > esp. the billions who live mainly on rice. Rice is a high-glycemic carb,
> > > > and there are also soft drinks and HFCS in those areas too. But that part
> > > > of the world does not get diabetes or obesity much, and when they do, they
> > > > associate it with "Eating American food". This is one reason I started
> > > > researching why "carbs" might be an issue in the US: it just doesn't make
> > > > sense. The main carb that causes problems is wheat, which wreaks havoc in
> > > > many ways, and iron, which is basically toxic even though we need a little
> > > > of it. The hallmarks of "the American diet" is mainly that it rotates
> > > > around wheat, white potatoes, and beef. All of which are high-iron foods,
> > > > and wheat and beef might both promote iron absorption. Soda pop and orange
> > > > juice, more common in America, also promote iron absorption. Your average
> > > > Japanese, Vietnamese, or Thai meal though, is low in iron. So is your
> > > > average French meal, since they don't add iron to bread and they don't eat
> > > > much beef.
> > > >
> > > > There is a good paper about how iron affects diabetes:
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12145144
> > > >
> > > > Emerging scientific evidence has disclosed unsuspected influences between
> > > > iron metabolism and type 2 diabetes. The relationship is
> > > > bi-directional--iron affects glucose metabolism, and glucose metabolism
> > > > impinges on several iron metabolic pathways. Oxidative stress and
> > > > inflammatory cytokines influence these relationships, amplifying and
> > > > potentiating the initiated events. The clinical impact of these
> > > > interactions depends on both the genetic predisposition and the time frame
> > > > in which this network of closely related signals acts. In recent years,
> > > > increased iron stores have been found to predict the development of type 2
> > > > diabetes while iron depletion was protective. Iron-induced damage might
> > > > also modulate the development of chronic diabetes complications. Iron
> > > > depletion has been demonstrated to be beneficial in coronary artery
> > > > responses, endothelial dysfunction, insulin secretion, insulin action, and
> > > > metabolic control in type 2 diabetes. Here, we show that iron modulates
> > > > insulin action in healthy individuals and in patients with type 2 diabetes.
> > > > The extent of this influence should be tested in large-scale clinical
> > > > trials, searching for the usefulness and cost-effectiveness of therapeutic
> > > > measures that decrease iron toxicity. The study of individual
> > > > susceptibility and of the mechanisms that influence tissue iron deposition
> > > > and damage are proposed to be valuable in anticipating and treating
> > > > diabetes complications.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Also, high blood iron levels put you at risk for infections, since the
> > > > infective bacteria tend to be iron-lovers. The way some antibiotics work is
> > > > to chelate iron, keeping it away from the bacteria. You can get a blood
> > > > test for ferritin to see what your stores are: just a plain "iron blood
> > > > test" doesn't say much, since free iron, like glucose, goes up and down.
> > > > But the things I've done to make us healthier are perfectly safe for most
> > > > anyone, and it's a pretty easy experiment.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > On Mon, May 7, 2012 at 11:07 AM, susieq_az1 <susannauw2010@> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > Hi all,
> > > > >
> > > > > I posted here some time back but have been away from IF/FF for about a
> > > > > year. The reasons are important, as they affected my overall health: I
> > > > > had pneumonia twice over the winter (the last time was March), with chronic
> > > > > congestion and asthma-type symptoms. I discovered in March that it was due
> > > > > to a severe hidden mold problem in my apartment. Needless to say, I
> > > > > haven't felt my best. In addition to being very sick for weeks at a time
> > > > > and feeling crappy the rest of the time, I was trying to keep income
> > > > > flowing in (I'm self-employed) and seek new clients, which was stressful.
> > > > > I've now moved into a new (brand new) apartment, and am slowly starting to
> > > > > feel better.
> > > > >
> > > > > I didn't cope very well with all the stress, and developed very bad habits
> > > > > of eating way too many carbs and sugar, including liquid sugar in the form
> > > > > of coffee drinks. Of course, I gained weight, about 15 pounds.
> > > > >
> > > > > Now that I'm starting to get settled in my new place (with a pool and
> > > > > gym), I am committed to being more fit and healthy. So the first thing I
> > > > > did was to start FF. It has been a fairly easy transition so far, even
> > > > > though I've only done it for about 3 days. The first two days, I ate
> > > > > anything I wanted. Yesterday, I started focusing more on healthy (lower
> > > > > carb, protein, veggies, fruits) food and planned meals.
> > > > >
> > > > > Here's my concern/question. I also started checking my blood glucose,
> > > > > because it's motivating to me to see the levels stabilize, based on
> > > > > http://www.phlaunt.com, which I read about here. Generally, my levels
> > > > > are in the high normal range and they stabilize into the normal or low
> > > > > normal range.
> > > > >
> > > > > However, now my blood glucose levels are much higher than they've ever
> > > > > been and they stay high. Though I only have a few days, the pattern seems
> > > > > to be roughly:
> > > > >
> > > > > First thing in the morning: 140-185
> > > > > Before break fast (approx 2-3 pm): 95 (high normal) (this is lower than
> > > > > day 1, which was 107, so there is a positive trend)
> > > > > 1 hour after dinner: 165
> > > > > 2 hours after dinner: 175-180
> > > > >
> > > > > Clearly, my illnesses and foray into high carb has not been good for my
> > > > > system, as I've never experienced these levels before. It is taking at
> > > > > least 14-16 hours for my blood sugar to return to normal after dinner,
> > > > > when it should be taking 1-2 hours. From reading, it appears this
> > > > > indicates insulin resistance? This also helps explain why I'm still not
> > > > > feeling terrific even though my lung symptoms have decreased substantially.
> > > > >
> > > > > I know that I've read here that people have reported higher readings with
> > > > > FF at first, though I think my higher readings are due to the high carb
> > > > > period, as I haven't been doing FF or lower carb long enough to help. I
> > > > > remember reading that FF and low carb have helped people lower their BG
> > > > > levels, and my own limited experience supports that.
> > > > >
> > > > > My plan is to continue FF, choose high quality foods higher in protein and
> > > > > fairly low in carb (mostly meat, non-starchy veggies and some fruits) at
> > > > > two planned meals during my window. I also plan to resume taking
> > > > > probiotics to help with digestive issues I've experienced since taking the
> > > > > strong antibiotics, as well as a high quality multi-vitamin, calcium, and
> > > > > vitamin D. (I was diagnosed as D deficient a few years ago, but have
> > > > > fallen off the supplement wagon, which I know doesn't help.) Exercise
> > > > > wise, I'll start off easy at first with a few strength training sessions
> > > > > each week and walking in my new neighborhood, which has trails.
> > > > >
> > > > > I'm going to go back and read the older blood glucose posts over the next
> > > > > few days. I guess I just need a bit of encouragement to stay the course and
> > > > > not get freaked out by the "you must eat every few hours" mantra I've been
> > > > > reading while researching blood glucose issues.
> > > > >
> > > > > Any advice or encouragement is appreciated.
> > > > >
> > > > > Thanks.
> > > > >
> > > > > Susie
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > ------------------------------------
> > > > >
> > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > Heather Twist
> > > > http://eatingoffthefoodgrid.blogspot.com/
> > > >
> > >
> >
>
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