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I took the advise of those on this board to get a meter and test to see how various foods impact my blood glucose. I am considered pre diabetic and for the past 5 weeks I have changed my eating habits to eliminate most processed foods. I am also doing strength training 3 days a week and walking every day weather permitting. I am also 5' 6'' and struggling to stay above 110 lbs.
The good news (I think) is that my 1 hour after meal readings are always between 129 - 134, 2 hour readings in the 115 range and 3 hour readings in the 105 range. It really depends upon if the carbs for a particular meal were simple or complex carbs. Simple carbs drop off quickly to under 100, while a meal with complex carbs are more likely to stay in the 105 - 110 range.
If I do a pre meal test during the day it is usually in the 92 - 95 range. I assume that is because I am quite active during the day.
The trouble I am having is predicting my fasting BG first thing in the morning, based upon my BG level just before I go to bed. It is all over the place. For example, a list of BG just before going to bed and about 9 hours later, first thing in the morning before I eat.
104/75
103/84
115/92
110/100
95/93
106/101
So, my question is when you have a dinner meal about 6 - 7 pm and the bedtime readings are taken between 10:30 - 11 pm, why does there seem to be such a unpredictable fasting BG reading the next morning? I do eat mostly complex carbs for my dinner meal and I am much less active in the evening, but, I expected my fasting BG to be in a tighter range in the morning.
Some people have a spike in BG just before they wake up, it's the body's way of releasing energy for you to wake up. If you sleep less time than usual or longer than usual, that can give you a lower reading.
Also, if you're ever getting sick you may notice that your morning readings are a bit higher than usual.
It can help to make sure you eat some protein and some fat with every meal, because those take longer to digest so there is no spike in BG. All the dietary guidelines you see for diabetics specify low fat intake, but that's not really always the best way to eat.
Some people have a spike in BG just before they wake up, it's the body's way of releasing energy for you to wake up. If you sleep less time than usual or longer than usual, that can give you a lower reading.
Also, if you're ever getting sick you may notice that your morning readings are a bit higher than usual.
It can help to make sure you eat some protein and some fat with every meal, because those take longer to digest so there is no spike in BG. All the dietary guidelines you see for diabetics specify low fat intake, but that's not really always the best way to eat.
I wake up pretty much between 7:15 am - 7:30am every day (if not on my own - because the cat tells me it is time for me to feed him). So, if I wait for 30 minutes after waking up before I take my BG, would the readings be closer day to day?
I do make sure I consume protein and fat with my meals and consider a 129 - 134 high at the one hour mark to be good, based upon what I have read thus far. (i.e. no particular food spiking the reading into a much higher level).
It just seems that if my BG is down in the nineties 4 hours after a meal during the day that with an additional 9 hours of not eating between 10pm - 7:30am I would see a more consistent reading in the morning based upon BG reading the previous night. (i.e maybe a more consistent 10 point drop from a nighttime reading rather than a 2 to 29 point drop with no rhyme or reason.) Or, does the nighttime reading have no bearing on the morning reading?
FYI - I am presently consuming about 35 - 40 carbs at each main meal and 15 - 20 carbs for snacks between meals or about 180 carbs per day. Before I ditched the processed foods I estimate I was consuming 400+ carbs a day. A good 150 of which was nibbling on crackers to add calories to keep my weight up around 114 lbs.
I just notice that my readings are higher when I sleep for 8 hours than when I sleep for 5 or 10 hours (no cat to wake me up so I sleep in when it's not a school day). Also, my readings after meals seem to indicate how that particular meal affects me but the morning readings indicate how well I'm doing overall.
129-134 at the one hour mark is good.
You may notice that your lower morning readings seem to have a connection to the exercise you did the day before. But either way, anything under 100 in the mornings is good. If it's over 100, wash your hands and try again.
Upon rising my bs is always 120-150, but throughout the day with meds and diet I keep it on healthy levels. Guess my liver releases lots of sugar. Any tips. This morning it was 145 at 530 am and for dinner I had zero carbs.
Upon rising my bs is always 120-150, but throughout the day with meds and diet I keep it on healthy levels. Guess my liver releases lots of sugar. Any tips. This morning it was 145 at 530 am and for dinner I had zero carbs.
Maybe have a snack with a small amount of carbs (15g or less) and some protein just before bed?
Upon rising my bs is always 120-150, but throughout the day with meds and diet I keep it on healthy levels. Guess my liver releases lots of sugar. Any tips. This morning it was 145 at 530 am and for dinner I had zero carbs.
My readings were similar until I went on a low carb diet (~50g per day) which I've been on for 1.5 years now. Instead of waking up at the 120 to 130 readings I now wake up at around 100. This took a while to take effect. I did also start to add a second dose of the medication in the evening. I am a full diabetic, diagnosed 9 yrs ago and probably had it longer.
By the way, I will sometimes have a cheat day usually on a Sat or Sun and will wake up higher than normal the next morning. I already know my routine and how foods affect me so I don't test that much any more. On a cheat day, I don't eat a whole pizza or anything like that but will allow maybe 100g carbs for a day. I still try to avoid the "whites" but will maybe have some fruit or some tortilla chips or beans. My thought on the beans is that yes they contain a substantial amount of carbs but I can sacrifice that for some good fiber.
Upon rising my bs is always 120-150, but throughout the day with meds and diet I keep it on healthy levels. Guess my liver releases lots of sugar. Any tips. This morning it was 145 at 530 am and for dinner I had zero carbs.
Hedgehog_Mom nailed it when she suggested I look at my fasting BG morning readings and when I did strength training.
For me, if I did strength training at the gym on Monday, the following morning I have a lower fasting glucose level. The bedtime reading had nothing to do with how much lower it was the following morning.
So, if I do strength training on M/W/F, my fasting BG on T/TH/S mornings will be in the high 80's or low 90's, while on M/W/F mornings it will be in the 95 - 100 range - regardless of the reading I get just before I go to bed the night before.
My BG readings are fine throughout the day now that I have given up eating a lot of processed foods, combined with walking daily (weather permitting).
If you do decide to consider doing strength training, I recommend you work with a good personal trainer once or twice a week to insure you start off slowly and do the proper exercises for flexibility, balance and strength using proper form. I had 1/2 hour "lessons" in how to use various pieces of equipment and proper form. I would come in to practice on my own what I had learned and then the next lesson we would add one or two more pieces of equipment.
Going to the gym every other day allowed time for my sore muscles to recover. I think this rest period is when my muscles consumed more glucose - which resulted in the lower fasting BG readings the next morning.
I was very lucky to have a really good independent gym nearby with great personal trainers who take the time to understand your medical history when designing a program that will meet you specific needs.
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