Re: borderline diabetic/was Gluten Intolerance, continued

[Guest guest]

> Heidi, i don't understand this. i'm borderline diabetic. i can

> always tell when my blood sugar is creeping up...i get a funny taste

> in my mouth (not always reliable), i get more thirsty, and the

> clincher is i have to get up at night to pee.

>

> when i can sleep 7-9 hours without having to get up to pee, many

> nights in a row, my blood sugar reflects this. it is not high.

So how do you know you are technically borderline diabetic? Is there an

actual test that tells you as much? Is being insulin resistant the same

thing? I'm suspecting as much of myself but for whatever reason would like a

medical diagnosis, even it it's from an ND. I have some mild but noticeable

things going on whenever i eat too many starches or sugars that are making

me wonder. My ND hasn't said anything but put me on a comprehensive protocol

of supplements that seem to have " cleared a lot of pathways " as he puts it

and I find i'm more sensitive in general to lots of stuff. Will a simple

blood test at the doctor give me my status?

Elaine

[Guest guest]

Hi Elaine,

you need to get yourself a glucometer so you can test your blood sugar

yourself so you can monitor it. it's like knowing you have high blood

pressure and getting a blood pressure measuring thingy so you can

monitor it.

i got mine free from my med. insurance co. Give them a call; they want

their clients, patients to be healthy so they don't have to pay out so

much in sick claims, so i guess they figure mailing out free

glucometers is a good investment.

i went to see a wapf friendly dr. in the d.c. area about other things.

he ran a battery of tests and there's this one test that tells you what

you average blood sugar has been over the past 3 months and mine was

borderline. i knew as much, because i have a glucometer and was

monitoring my blood sugar.

what i was doing, was, measuring my blood sugar for a few days, several

times a day, just to see what was going on. but i wasn't doing it

every day as the test strips are expensive.

i lowered my blood sugars with exercise, diet (low carb), taking

coconut oil, drinking LOTS of raw milk (read the True Story of Milk by

dr. ron schmid; raw milk was at one time a cure for diabetes. type II

i would guess, not type I).

disclaimer here: see your doctor. try to find, obviously, a

naturapath or whatever. dr. ron schmid is a naturopath in CT.

elaine, best to you with all this; let us know how you make out.

laura in nj

> So how do you know you are technically borderline diabetic? Is there

an

> actual test that tells you as much? Is being insulin resistant the

same

> thing? I'm suspecting as much of myself but for whatever reason would

like a

> medical diagnosis, even it it's from an ND. I have some mild but

noticeable

> things going on whenever i eat too many starches or sugars that are

making

> me wonder. My ND hasn't said anything but put me on a comprehensive

protocol

> of supplements that seem to have " cleared a lot of pathways " as he

puts it

> and I find i'm more sensitive in general to lots of stuff. Will a

simple

> blood test at the doctor give me my status?

> Elaine

[Guest guest]

My understanding is that there are three tests currently in use for

diabetes. One is the hemoglobin a-1-c (I think that's it), which is

the one that gets at your average over the last three months. Then,

there's the fasting glucose test -- tests the glucose level in your

blood after 12 hours of fasting. I don't think this is a finger stick

test -- anyway, they always do a blood draw on me for this test.

Third, there's the 2-hour-post-prandial (finger stick) test: you draw

a drop of blood and have the meter read it two hours after eating. It

tests how quickly the sugar is cleared from your blood. My NP friends

tell me this is the most accurate test of blood sugar levels.

I was taught that 80-100 is normal for the glucose tests

(post-prandial or fasting). This was 15 years ago though. I don't

know the number for the hemoglobin test. But they revise these

numbers all the time, so these days I don't know what the accepted

figure is. I don't know either that I'd trust the latest revisions,

as often -- as in the case of cholesterol -- they're being pushed by

the drug companies who want to get us all addicted to their products.

Also, I think that one reading is not really sufficient to make a

diagnosis -- you want an average over three readings. This is just to

eliminate lab glitches and imponderables (it's basic science, anyway).

Low-carb (i.e., zero starches and sugars -- i'm not sure about the

lactose in raw milk though, yes I know dr ron allows it) is definitely

the way to go if you're diabetic. The only caveat seems to be to be

careful if there's kidney disfunction involved, so often they test for

protein in the urine to figure this out.

[Guest guest]

--- In , Blank <john.blank@g...>

wrote:

> My understanding is that there are three tests currently in use for

> diabetes. One is the hemoglobin a-1-c (I think that's it),

, that is the one i had.

which is

> the one that gets at your average over the last three months. Then,

> there's the fasting glucose test -- tests the glucose level in your

> blood after 12 hours of fasting. I don't think this is a finger

stick

> test -- anyway, they always do a blood draw on me for this test.

> Third, there's the 2-hour-post-prandial (finger stick) test: you

draw

> a drop of blood and have the meter read it two hours after eating.

It

> tests how quickly the sugar is cleared from your blood.

, this is what i would do at home with my glucometer; measure

both fasting, first thing in the morning, and after a meal, 2 h.

> I was taught that 80-100 is normal for the glucose tests

> (post-prandial or fasting). This was 15 years ago though.

i can't speak for the past but 80-120 has been the accepted normal

range for quite some time now. my sister has been a type I diabetic

for almost 20 years.

> Low-carb (i.e., zero starches and sugars -- i'm not sure about the

> lactose in raw milk though, yes I know dr ron allows it) is

definitely

> the way to go if you're diabetic.

raw milk is supposed to be a cure for type II diabetes, but you have

to consume only raw dairy for a period of time, days, weeks, months,

don't remember. the 'milk cure' is how the Mayo clinic got its start.

The only caveat seems to be to be

> careful if there's kidney disfunction involved, so often they test

for

> protein in the urine to figure this out.

i don't know about this, as i'm no expert, but dr. ron schmid says in

his book that milk is very similar in makeup to blood, and if you

undertake 'the milk cure', which is consuming only raw milk (or

yogurt or kefir or i think cream, cheese and butter but nothing

else), your blood becomes rebuilt, and also your liver and kidneys.

the book said that raw milk literally rebuilds the kidneys. i'm just

saying what the book says...

laura in nj

[Guest guest]

Re: borderline diabetic/was Gluten Intolerance, continued

> Heidi, i don't understand this. i'm borderline diabetic. i can

> always tell when my blood sugar is creeping up...i get a funny taste

> in my mouth (not always reliable), i get more thirsty, and the

> clincher is i have to get up at night to pee.

>

> when i can sleep 7-9 hours without having to get up to pee, many

> nights in a row, my blood sugar reflects this. it is not high.

So how do you know you are technically borderline diabetic? Is there an

actual test that tells you as much? Is being insulin resistant the same

thing? I'm suspecting as much of myself but for whatever reason would like a

medical diagnosis, even it it's from an ND. I have some mild but noticeable

things going on whenever i eat too many starches or sugars that are making

me wonder. My ND hasn't said anything but put me on a comprehensive protocol

of supplements that seem to have " cleared a lot of pathways " as he puts it

and I find i'm more sensitive in general to lots of stuff. Will a simple

blood test at the doctor give me my status?

Elaine

--------------------------------

Permit me to try to clarify some things. As a former diabetic, I can tell

you that there are definitely symptoms. Not everyone feels the symptoms. In

fact, the American Diabetes Association says that about 1/3 of the

population who are diabetic don't know it (presumably because they don't

feel or recognize the symptoms). But just because they can't feel symptoms

doesn't mean that the other 2/3 don't.

Symptoms are many and varied, because the sugar crosses the blood-brain

barrier and too much blood glucose clogs the brain. Since the brain is the

seat of movement, sensory input, emotions, and mental function, this

accounts for the wide range of symptoms. Not everyone feels every symptom

all the time. The symptoms can include: fatigue, emotional volatility,

mental tension or confusion, vision problems, lack of motor coordination,

fainting, inability to heal from infections (microbes thrive on sugar),

heart problems, and more. When I was at my worst blood sugar-wise, I felt

incredibly hungry all the time, fatigued, and fainted in public on several

occasions.

Another name for diabetes is hyperglycemia--too much sugar in the blood.

There are many reasons for this. One, the pancreas doesn't produce enough

insulin to drive the sugar that's in the blood into the tissues. So the

blood glucose levels remain high and the cells meanwhile are starving. A

deficiency of insulin can be the result of a pancreatic tumor, or depletion

of pancreatic hormones. The depletion can occur if too much dietary starches

and sugars are consumed for too long a time.

Another reason for diabetes can be insulin resistance. Insulin resistance

often occurs when the receptor sites on the cells can't recognize the

insulin " keys " that fit into the cell " locks " and so the glucose is not

escorted across the cell wall and the cell then lacks nourishment.

Recently fat cells were discovered to secret a hormone called leptin.

Leptin's intimate relationship with insulin can be read at the links

accessed at:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en & lr= & q=leptin+insulin+mercola

Symptoms of diabetes often are similar, and can subjectively feel similar,

to symptoms of hypoglycemia. If someone feels strange or " not quite

themselves " after a meal high in sugars and starches, then it would be wise

to pay attention to these symptoms. Many diabetics begin as undiagnosed,

unrecognized, or untreated hypoglycemics. Speaking from personal experience

as well as from what I've read, symptoms of hypoglycemia can be even more

debilitating and varied than symptoms of diabetes. Since the brain depends

on a precise amount of glucose circulating in the blood, symptoms of either

can feel wretched.

In my particular case, I was diagnosed as having diabetes with reactive

hypoglycemia. This means that my blood sugar could skyrocket to 255, and

then plummet to 55 (as it did during an 8-hour glucose tolerance test). In

my case there was enough insulin being produced, but the timing of insulin

production was off. It took me 6 years of small, measured, low-carb meals

and lots of supplements, but I eventually got it under control.

My belief is that people who are committed to eating real food are in a good

position to evaluate what's going on in their body based on how they feel

when they eat. That's often a first step--and the most important one--to

becoming well or remaining healthy.

Nenah

[Guest guest]

>you need to get yourself a glucometer so you can test your blood sugar

>yourself so you can monitor it. it's like knowing you have high blood

>pressure and getting a blood pressure measuring thingy so you can

>monitor it.

>

>i got mine free from my med. insurance co. Give them a call; they want

>their clients, patients to be healthy so they don't have to pay out so

>much in sick claims, so i guess they figure mailing out free

>glucometers is a good investment.

That is really a good example of " self help " !

I did something similar: I bought a glucometer (which was really

cheap: $29 or some such, so I didin't bother with insurance). I had

classic diabetes symptoms: always thirsty, overweight, etc. I'd

been hypoglycemic for years, and my grandmother was diabetic,

so I figured I was very much at risk.

In my case, my blood sugar didn't budge. My thirst was NOT due

to blood sugar, but probably due to Sjogren's. I get thirsty

and have " must go pee " problems when I get dairy ... sugar doesn't

affect those things at all, as I proved by eating a lot of GFCF

brownies! Said brownies did not give me any issues at all,

except a mildly full stomach and a desire to eat lots of salad

and anchovies to get rid of the sugariness.

I say this to say: this is why TESTING is such a good thing!

We live at a time when you can, in fact, buy a glucometer

and do your own testing, or send a sample to a lab,

and get real solid evidence of what is going on. No

two people are alike.

However, to answer the question: the test that

is often used is " glucose tolerance " ... how you react

over a period of time AFTER you eat sugar (glucose).

A normal curve shows a little rise after eating glucose,

then it goes back to what is normal for that person.

Some folks, it goes high and stays high, which

shows diabetes. Some folks it goes high, then goes

way low, which shows hypoglycemic.

I did this years ago, in a lab, and it showed hypoglycemia.

When I do it now, I have to eat, like, a LOT of raw

cookie dough to show any rise, then it goes back to

normal quickly. When I eat a lot of sugar I feel pretty lousy,

and it's not something I do generally. But on my glucometer,

I've never ever gotten a " low " blood sugar reading, which

is surprising. When I tested my blood glucose while I was

FEELING " hypoglycemic " , I got the highest readinig ever

(120). Someone told me this was likely due to cortisol,

which gets produced to raise the blood sugar after

it drops too quickly.

Heidi Jean

[Guest guest]

> I was taught that 80-100 is normal for the glucose tests

> (post-prandial or fasting). This was 15 years ago though. I don't

> know the number for the hemoglobin test. But they revise these

> numbers all the time, so these days I don't know what the accepted

> figure is. I don't know either that I'd trust the latest revisions,

> as often -- as in the case of cholesterol -- they're being pushed by

> the drug companies who want to get us all addicted to their products.

Most docs don't worry until 120, and don't hit the panic button until

140. The folks at Life Extension Foundation are pushing keeping it

toward 80 or even a tad below...the more insulin coursing through the

blood, the more oxidative damage. Some of their non-diabetic members

even take metformin as a life-extension drug.

[Guest guest]

What is metformin?

Elaine

> Most docs don't worry until 120, and don't hit the panic button until

> 140. The folks at Life Extension Foundation are pushing keeping it

> toward 80 or even a tad below...the more insulin coursing through the

> blood, the more oxidative damage. Some of their non-diabetic members

> even take metformin as a life-extension drug.

>

[Guest guest]

> Message: 8

> Date: Mon, 30 May 2005 19:11:56 -0700

> From: Elaine <itchyink@...>

> Subject: Re: Re: borderline diabetic/was Gluten Intolerance, continued

>

> What is metformin?

A generic prescription drug for diabetes better known by it's trade

name Glucophage.

> Elaine

>> Most docs don't worry until 120, and don't hit the panic button until

>> 140. The folks at Life Extension Foundation are pushing keeping it

>> toward 80 or even a tad below...the more insulin coursing through the

>> blood, the more oxidative damage. Some of their non-diabetic members

>> even take metformin as a life-extension drug.

>>