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It is all about food intake. You need to count carbs. I personally need to keep mine around 50 a day to keep my numbers good.
Google low carb foods and stick to them. Avoid any soda, bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, alcohol, and all junk food. The new diet will suck but after a few months you will get used to it. For me it is better than being on prescription drugs.
I am WAY past pre diabetes but with just food and exercise I have got down to pre diabetes numbers.
If you can get a Continuous Glucose Moniter I highly recommend it.
I have been prediabetic for many years. I control it by maintaining my weight below a certain level. I try and reduce my carbs and this helps reduce weight also.
My A1C levels were climbing too high [I don't recall the numbers, so don't ask]. My doctor had me getting tested quarterly and began talking about what meds to put me on. I did a deep dive into studying carbs and fiber [what a freaking nightmare].
I gave up wheat, potatoes, and rice. At first, that was difficult. But after a month it seemed to be much easier.
My A1C level came down. My doctor now thinks that my previous high blood tests were just 'wild points', she does not think that any patient can truly alter their A1C through diet alone. Apparently she tells lots of patients to change their diet, but none of them will actually do it.
Now a year later it is no longer a concern [and I am still avoiding potatoes, wheat, and rice].
The biggest concern I have now is whether it is safe to reintroduce those foods into my diet. And if so, how much per day?
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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I tired to cut down on carbs and sugars, and remained "Pre" for years. Eventually at age 68 my A1C got up to 7.1 and my doctor put me on medication (Metformin). Still watching my diet I am remaining steady at 6.7 since then. I only have to see him for an A1C blood test and foot checks for neuropathy. Because I enjoy pasta and potatoes, I do still have them but only maybe once a week.
My A1C levels were climbing too high [I don't recall the numbers, so don't ask]. My doctor had me getting tested quarterly and began talking about what meds to put me on. I did a deep dive into studying carbs and fiber [what a freaking nightmare].
I gave up wheat, potatoes, and rice. At first, that was difficult. But after a month it seemed to be much easier.
My A1C level came down. My doctor now thinks that my previous high blood tests were just 'wild points', she does not think that any patient can truly alter their A1C through diet alone. Apparently she tells lots of patients to change their diet, but none of them will actually do it.
Now a year later it is no longer a concern [and I am still avoiding potatoes, wheat, and rice].
The biggest concern I have now is whether it is safe to reintroduce those foods into my diet. And if so, how much per day?
I know in my case she is 100% wrong. I was one of those that kinda changed my diet but not drastically and it only kinda helped. Because I didn't take it seriously my A1c numbers bounced around like a rubber ball. I have no idea of my first number because I was in a bad mental place because my levels were so high. My first check up 3 months later I remember being down to a 10.6 and that was a great improvement.
Now by diet alone I hit a 6.1 last week after being completely med free for a little over 2 months. I give almost all the credit to getting a CGM. When you can see in real time exactly what each type of food does to your BG level it is a wake up call or at least was for me.
I work a lot and barely have time for doctor appointments.
I also live in a region with a lack of doctors so getting an appointment in the first place can be tough.
Any comments welcome.
Try diet modification, drastically reduce carbohydrates and reduce all wheat consumption. Go for single ingredient foods, lean meats, fruits, veg, water, and probiotics. Your pre-diabetes will reverse.
My A1C levels were climbing too high [I don't recall the numbers, so don't ask]. My doctor had me getting tested quarterly and began talking about what meds to put me on. I did a deep dive into studying carbs and fiber [what a freaking nightmare].
I gave up wheat, potatoes, and rice. At first, that was difficult. But after a month it seemed to be much easier.
My A1C level came down. My doctor now thinks that my previous high blood tests were just 'wild points', she does not think that any patient can truly alter their A1C through diet alone. Apparently she tells lots of patients to change their diet, but none of them will actually do it.
Now a year later it is no longer a concern [and I am still avoiding potatoes, wheat, and rice].
The biggest concern I have now is whether it is safe to reintroduce those foods into my diet. And if so, how much per day?
Let's be kind and call your doc "inexperienced" rather than "ignorant."
To those who have been labeled as "pre-diabetic" because your BS &/or HbA1c has drifited up into borderline/mildly elevated ranges-- you ARE diabeitc. You have the genotype(s) that will allow you to develop the phenotype of diabetes (prone to complications of DM) if you don't treat it properly...
What's the proper treatment?... First, and often the only thing needed is calorie, particularly calories from carbs, restriction-- Don't get fat. (The "skinny diaboetic" is a problem to deal with, and will more often also require meds.)
Increased physical activity also helps-- your muscles don't need insulin to use sugar properly.
In regards adding carbs back in-- you have to tell us how much. Trial and error. Experiment and keep track of your BS.
Also-- don't obsess over hour to hour, day to day changes in BS. High BS causes complications over the course of decades, not minutes or hours. The HbA1c is a "three month average" and that's the best we have and good enough.
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