Questions & Answers

Normal Fasting Numbers (non-diabetic) are below 5.5 mmols/100 and good numbers are below 7.0 mmols/126

(even “sugar eaters” will see numbers up in the latter range occasionally and are not considered “dangerous”)

Our numbers fluctuate but it is the high ones that usually generate the most “guessing” as to why.

So I went a dug out the factors known to cause High Fasting Numbers (these were all identified in various clinical studies and then compiled)

First are the “chronic conditions” that… read more

We tend to lump things together.

At first there was just Juvenile Diabetes or Sugar Diabetes.

Then (they) renamed them to Type 1 and Type 2.

About 20 years ago the terms Type 1.5 (which later was renamed LADA) and Type 3 (Diabetes with Diabetes Dementia - but that term is still not fully accepted yet) were added.

But is Type 2 simply Type 2?

The answer is NO. Not all Type 2's are the same and we can be "sub-grouped".

Here is the recognized "sub-types" of Type 2:

Severe insulin-deficient… read more

Do people think there is a connection between stress and depression and diabetes? If so, to what extent do you feel the connections exist? My personal feeling is that the connections between these factors may be underestimated. I feel that 50%, and perhaps somewhat more, of the reason for my diabetes, comes from levels of stress and depression. Do others feel the same way? Thank you.

Most days we will see that question posted up a number of times

There is no SIMPLE Answer

If you are Type 2 you have a Metabolic Disorder so there is no "list" that applies to all or even most of us, but that doesn't mean you don't have somewhere to start

If you are looking for a "basic list" then it's easier to say what you Shouldn't Eat

If you are looking to lower your Blood Sugar DO NOT EAT:

French Fries or any white potato, no white rice, no white pasta, no white bread, no muffins… read more

Good morning from South Jersey warriors. 24 July, 2023
The technology for non invasive blood glucose monitoring - has NOT received approval by any country in the world because of the inaccuracies.

A cgm is less accurate than a finger stick and this tecnology is significantly less accurate than a cgm. But lack of approvals and inaccuracies does not stop China from producing them.

They can be Dangerous, if a diabetic uses them for treatment decisions.

We have tried 2 separate blood glucose… read more

@A DiabetesTeam Member asked a good question about what causes our blood sugar to jump around day to day.

I posted a reply about it being driven by our hormones when talking about our Fasting/Between meal numbers. We all know that we can affect our mealtime numbers depending on what we put in our mouth.

This led me to think of another question. How much can it bounce before we see that as something of concern?

I don’t have a specific answer to that but can share how my own Fasting Numbers… read more

We have had a number of minor discussions in the gang here and we have a ton of antidotal evidence and first hand accounts claiming that particularly during the hot summer months, we, as a group, tend to experience a few more challenges keeping our blood sugar in check.

I tripped over an Ontario based study conducted a couple years back that was analyzing the cause of hospitalizations due to extreme hot and cold temperatures (we experience swings in Ontario where it's not uncommon in the Summer… read more

Today I had an opportunity to compare my current meter (Accu-Chek Guide that I have been using for about 2 years now) to a venous blood draw at the Lab.

Because I was getting some fasting tests done after a 12 hour Fast I knew that in the hour between me testing at home and letting the Vampires suck it out of my arm the difference should not be significant.

So I tested my blood like normal at 6:28 AM - first thing I do after crawling out of bed in the morning and then I had a blood draw done… read more

For those who have high fbs just remember it has nothing to do with what you ate the night before. Because usually we have a good 3 to 5 hrs between meals while awake, and our numbers are pretty decent in between meals. Also if you test your sugar level after 2 hrs of eating your last meal of the day, you will be at the highest peak at that 2 hr point and then your numbers start going down as per usual. So a meal you ate 8 to 12 hrs before you wake up, if anything should bring your numbers down… read more

Have you ever wondered?

First off, what are good or acceptable fasting numbers according to the guidelines?

A "normal" fasting number is any reading below 100/5.5 mmols.

A "good" fasting number is anything below 108/6.0 mmols and an "acceptable" number is anything below 126/7.0 mmols.

But WHY does that cap out at 126/7.0 if ANY NUMBER below 144/7.8 causes "zero damage"?

The "thinking" actually makes quite a bit of sense. Typically our Fasting Numbers will be some of the lowest numbers we… read more