Blood glucose tests

[kangaroota]

Hi
My fasting blood glucose levels are near the max allowable.
Any hints for lowering it prior to my next test?
Does exercise immediately prior the test raise or lower glucose levels?

[gingernut]

Being "near" shouldn't really be an issue.

If you're concerned, ask about HBA1c.

Long term, diet and exercise will help, not sure about exercise just before the test. We test after 9-12 hours fasting (water only, which lowers the sugar level.

[Blues&twos]

As I understand it, HbA1c tests indicate the quantity of glycated haemaglobin sloshing about in your bloodstream. This increases as the level of glucose in the blood increases. Once the glucose has bound to the haemaglobin, it stays bound and therefore is a good indicator of blood sugar over the previous few months.

If this is the test you're having, doing a bit of exercise before the test or cutting down on sugar for few days beforehand won't make any significant difference to the result.

I had a similar problem a while back. Stopping drinking full-fat Cola (I was a demon for drinking lots), reducing my chocolate intake and using pretend sugar in my cups of tea not only meant my blood sugar level soon returned to a normal value, but also lead to me losing a stone and a half. I feel much better for it and I no longer crave the sugar rush!

[gingernut]

I guess we have to ask, what do you wish to achieve ?

[BeechNut]

Diabetes is an insidious and dangerous disease. If your glucose level is near the max allowable, it may be just a matter of time before you cross that line. The impact of untreated diabetes is not minor. You can expect cardiovascular changes, greater risk of heart attack, progressive vision loss, kidney failure, impotence, and in extreme cases gangrene and limb loss.

You have to decide what's more important to you: passing the next medical, or a long and healthy life?

If you haven't crossed the line yet, I urge you to make lifestyle changes immediately. When I was diagnosed a couple of years ago I immediately lost 20 lbs and increased my exercise levels. I managed to put off going on medication for about a year. I hope to lose another 20 lbs this year. So far I only need metformin.

I don't know about the UK but in Canada you can fly with type II diabetes if you only require oral meds, and if cardiovascular, renal and eye function is still unaffected or within reasonable limits. When insulin-dependent, there are very strict conditions under which you can fly with either a recreational permit (class IV medical) or with a class I medical restricted to as/with co-pilot; but the criteria are very strict.

I was grounded for 3 months after my last medical and had to provide a thick packet of medical reports (blood glucose levels over the past three months, exercise electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, doctor's report, 24 blood pressure monitoring). I'm happy to say I passed due to my excellent cardio fitness (3500 km a year of cycling, 500 km of walking/hiking in the mountains), and have my medical back with a 12-month restriction (for a PPL it's normally 2 years at my age, 55).

Bottom line if you only worry about your fasting glucose level for the next medical, and then return to your normal lifestyle and diet, the disease will catch up to you sooner or later, and then it may be too late, enough damage may be done to preclude passing a medical again especially if there's cardiovascular, renal and eye damage.

[Guest 112233]

I'm one of the regular's on the computing forum: an SLF !!!!

Last thusday: I was fomally diagmosed as a Diabeties II case - My age on the profile is honest.

I will keep eveyone - informed as a help.

[BeechNut]

I'm nearly the same age as you (turn 56 in June).

I guess to shorten my earlier point: if one's goal is to simply pass the next medical without taking heed of the warning that the glucose level is giving, one may pass the next medical, but put into jeopardy the ability to pass subsequent medicals.

I was just under the limits 5 years ago. I didn't pay sufficient attention then, but now the diagnosis got my full attention and I'm taking strong measures to do something about it. Flying is one thing, but living long and dying well are important too! Untreated or inadequately controlled diabetes will lead to a very poor quality of life in one's later years.

[Fantome]

Flying is one thing, but living long and dying well are important too!


ahhh. . . .. well said . .. . . . for 'boating' read 'flying'

The Mole . .. . . "Is it that good?"

Ratty . . .. . . . "My dear Mole . . . . it is the ONLY thing . .. "

[gingernut]

On a positive note, I have seen patients turn their lives around on diagnosis.

(Usually by weight loss). Although the label of "diet controlled diabetic" will stick with them for life, but in every other sense, they are, sort of, not diabetics.

[Fantome]

It's reasonable to want to get a pass and then follow up with a change to
the long term diet/exercise habits.

You seem to be saying that the amount of water you drink during the 12 hour fast is not going to have any effect on the result?

[glendalegoon]

I AM NOT A DOCTOR

but you might want to look into the use of cinnamon

yes, the spice


it can help control blood sugar levels.

water, just drinking water can make your blood sugar go up a little bit.

good luck, stay healthy

[ExXB]

Avoid coffee, even black. It will raise your blood sugar level.

And make it a long term objective to get your HbA1c below 6.5. Your body will thank you!

[RationalKeith]

Your objective should be to get the BG level down, not game the test.

The most effective method to start with is reducing carbohydrate intake. Sugar and grains (thus flour) are big contributors, but fruit juice and some vegetables are high as well. (You do need some carbohydrates. High-fiber ones are said to be good for diabetics, I suspect that’s mostly that they slow digestion thus absorption so minimize peaks of BG.)

Excercise is good for weight and general health, especially if sedentary such as during long flights. But I doubt it helps BG much.

(Beware that people tend to mush advice together, falling into the correlation trap. For example, there’s an obvious correlation between obesity and diabetes, but the root cause is over-eating – especially carbohydrates. Consume substantial amounts of donuts and sugared drinks and you will probably become fat and develop diabetes. Exercise a lot but maintain your diet and you’ll lose weight but I doubt your BG will go down. (Another correlation is that people who start to exercise will probably make other life style changes, that’s good but many people tend to attribute improvement to one thing and ignore the other changes.)

I’ll grant that you apparently are not real high, but you should consult with a good doctor, who can help you curb the trend.

[Radgirl]

Really sensible post RK

half of us will become diabetic based on current experience, and weight and diet are central. Exercise immediately before the test won't help and may produce a transient increase

However there is some very recent research which looked at circulating lipids in sedentary 50 year old males and then got them do do light exercise. The lipids improved. Lipids are not blood sugar but are linked and there is some evidence regular exercise may actually reduce blood sugars and reverse diabetes. This is still early data but it is impressive.

So what with the effect of exercise on muscle mass, which determines mortality if you need major surgery or chemotherapy, there is now evidence to support regular exercise

[Fantome]

ones mortality is determined by many more factors than exercise and muscle mass, generally speaking, but you are no doubt spot on about
the importance of exercise and diet

about which countless books have been written and continue
to be, cashing in, to some degree, on the short term fad market

like get rich quick

mortality and the prospect for a long life are very much determined,
not only by life style, but also by genetic predisposition and by
one's state of mind.

the rat race and the unquiet mind bring closer the grim reaper's
advent

[Radgirl]

Sorry Fantome I am not talking about mortality or the risk of disease.

If you have major cancer surgery we can measure the risk of dying from the operation itself. Muscle mass is a major determinator. This evidence is evolving but the only way we know to maintain muscle mass is regular exercise

Until a couple of years ago there was really no evidence exercise was beneficial except for rehab after a heart attack. The early work from the US was not scientific. So I find myself doing a 180 on the benefits of exercise.

Sorry to go off thread