Need help and support reducing cholesterol and sugar

tdfarmer

Today I had my annual doctor's appointment marking one year since I decided I had to make a life change. Found this sight a couple of weeks later. Been pretty much in maintenance since April loosing a few more pounds here and there. Last year my weight doctors scales was 182lbs this year 146, hieght 5'9". 38 years old. Last year cholesterol 230, this year 198. Last years blood sugar 122 this year 113. Wasn't down as much as I expected. Need friends who have faced the same and has suggestions and is will to review my diary and make suggestions on what to improve. Thanks.

tdfarmer

Bump

JaceyMarieS

You can add me if you'd like. i tried to take a look at your diary but it isn't public

tdfarmer

Bump

JaceyMarieS

Thanks for the add.
Do you have a blood glucose meter or are you simply relying on annual testing at the doctor to see where you are? A meter is really an invaluable tool for determining what to eat to lower and control blood glucose.

Took a look at your diary. if you're concerned with your blood glucose readings being too high, I would have to suggest lowering your carbs and replacing carbs from grains with carbs from vegetables, especially non-starchy vegetables.

Since you asked for suggestions ...

Thursday 156 carbs
breakfast - biscuit & Sunny D ... have 1/2 a biscuit with that gravy (everybody knows you HAVE to have a biscuit with sausage gravy, but you could make do with 1/2 a biscuit. Dump the Sunny D altogether...it's pure sugar. Substitute an orange and at least you've gotten some fiber for the same carb count. 1/2 an orange would probably be a better idea.
dinner was a carb feast! Sub green beans for the peas. Keep the pintos if they're a deal breaker ( I like beans, but limit to 1/4 cup) choose either mac and cheese OR corn bread. A green salad probably would have hit the spot. PLUS, you skipped lunch before packing in 109 carbs. Watermelon is a good fruit choice. Small, steady doses are a better idea for keeping blood glucose in control - you avoid large spikes and reactive hypoglycemia.

Wednesday 212 carbs
breakfast - pancakes, biscuit and syrup. Another carb overload. An omelet probably would have been a more-blood sugar friendly option. 1 biscuit with the omelet is doable, but the pancakes, especially in combination with the syrup, should probably be avoided.
lunch - veggy soup is great. Filling and 28 carbs with a lot of fiber and a good balance of protein and fat as well. YAY! Coffee cake .... not so much, especially when you already had such a carb heavy breakfast.
dinner - excellent choice with shrimp, but a spinach salad or some sauteed green beans would have been a great addition.
snack - I like protein shakes. I substitute unsweetened almond milk in mine to reduce the carbs further, but 2% is oK, especially if that syntrax has 0 carbs (gonna have to look for that!)

Tuesday 180 carbs
breakfast - You probably want to find a breakfast option other than cereal. It's hard to find a low-carb cereal period, let alone one that doesn't taste like bark. 3/4 c isn't a huge serving, so you'd be better off just going with something completely different
lunch - potato soup ...ehhh. No fiber to offset those carbs. Veggy soup would probably have been a wiser choice, especially since you seem to doing all you can to avoid veggies (veggies are your friend...they love you. Show them some love in return!)
dinner YAY spinach! YAY cauliflower! YAY shrimp and beef! Ditch that potato...it's boring and carby - cauliflower is your new potato now that i know you actually eat it ;-P

Monday - 251 carbs
breakfast - same as Tuesday
lunch - same as Tuesday
dinner - you need a veg again (and no, the tiny bit of green masquerading as broccoli doesn't cut it. Dump the crackers....or dump the mac and cheese. Add a salad. Add a protein.
snacks - too many carby snacks. Celery, carrots and hummus make a great snack. The Nature Valley bar is OK, but they're so tiny you don't get much bang for the buck.

CINDYRN33

fasting blood sugar of 113 is normal. Total cholesterol < 200 is desirable. I guess I am not sure why you feel like these need to be further reduced. Blood Sugar is fine and I guess the cholesterol is on the higher side of normal but still not bad. Consistent exercise is the best way to decrease total cholesterol.

Darlekins

Normal blood sugar range is 70-100. Readings above 100 are considered "pre-diabetic" My doctor says that pre-diabetes is like being a little bit pregnant. I had a reading of 105 and he was all over the "reduce your carbs immediately"

More importantly, td, what does your doctor say?

CINDYRN33

Normal blood sugar range is 70-100. Readings above 100 are considered "pre-diabetic" My doctor says that pre-diabetes is like being a little bit pregnant. I had a reading of 105 and he was all over the "reduce your carbs immediately"

More importantly, td, what does your doctor say?

UHHH no normal range is 70-115 prediabetes is 115-125. different labs will say different readings but generally less than 115 is considered "normal"

JaceyMarieS

My doctor actually says the same thing - normal is under 100(although he says the low number in the range is 65, not 70).

I wouldn't know about pre-diabetes as mine was not caught at that stage. However, at least one of my favorite diabetic bloggers agrees
http://lizzysdlounge.com/2012/05/17/pre-diabetes-a-rant/

it seems the World Health Organization has a different standard, but all others I checked agree with normal being below 100. The standards have come down through the last 2 decadesas health professionals have come to realize that pre-diabetes (or "borderline" diabetes, or "a touch of sugar") imply the presence of blood sugars high enough to cause "diabetic complications" and need to be diagnosed and treated. I checked many sources that i didn't bother listing and can't find one with a cut-off at 115.

from WedMD: Normal FPG is below 100 mg/dl. A person with prediabetes has a fasting blood glucose level between 100 and 125 mg/dl. If the blood glucose level rises to 126 mg/dl or above, a person has diabetes. Prediabetes: Blood glucose levels of 100-125 mg/dl after an overnight or eight-hour fast may indicate prediabetes. People with these results are considered to have impaired fasting glucose (IFG).

from wikipedia:
Fasting blood sugar (glucose) level of:
110 to 125 mg/dL (6.1 mM to 6.9 mM) - WHO criteria
100 to 125 mg/dL (5.6 mM to 6.9 mM) - ADA criteria

from the ADA
http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/prevention/pre-diabetes/diagnosis.html
I used the link because there's a colorful little chart indicated normal, pre-diabetic and diabetic standards for fasting plasma glucose, HbA1c and oral glucose tolerance testing. Higher than normal numbers on ANY of those tests indicates a problem.


Since you gave the range in mg/dl, I assume you're American and following ADA guidelines. It appears that Canada follows the WHO guidelines with a fasting blood glucose of 6.1 - 6.9 mmol/L indicating pre-diabetes.

TheVimFuego

Is "high" cholesterol really a problem?

Does it predict heart issues?

In, like, proper studies and that?

Is cholesterol found in the arteries because it caused the problem or because it's there trying to repair?

Just asking the questions ...

tdfarmer

My doctor would like to see it below 100. I do know they just erase toy lowered the standards. I know last year when it was 122 he told me I was either pre diabetic or 125 was considered pre diabetic. Enough for me to try to change. This time he was pleased but still wants it below 100.

tdfarmer

Believe it causes plaque buildup and eventually causes arteries to clog.

CINDYRN33

directly from wikipedia.....


Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Many factors affect a person's blood sugar level. A body's homeostatic mechanism, when operating normally, restores the blood sugar level to a narrow range of about 4.4 to 6.1 mmol/L (82 to 110 mg/dL) (as measured by a fasting blood glucose test).[8]

That is just the site I pulled up quickly I can find you many other sources that show that your blood sugar of 113 is really not of much concern. Either way diet and healthy exercise can only help both cholesterol and blood sugars. Good luck to you.

tdfarmer

Thanks! Actually I think I'm more concerned than the doctor with a history of diabetes in family and heart disease. Feel safer if I get it down.

verptwerp

I'm a diabetic who has managed to lose weight & get off the meds, but I can never take it for granted .......

When foodshopping, I read labels like crazy ........... actually I try to eat as clean & simple as possible ....... I eat a ton of fresh vegetables & fruit ........ ditched most of the sugary & high carby stuff ....... have mostly lost my sweet tooth, hallelujah ....... but if I do want pancakes, bread, pasta, potatoes, fried food, donuts or whatever, then it's planned for, and just a little bit, once in awhile.

You are doing a great job, keep on truckin' :drinker:

dmaster555

Cindyrn33, you are dead wrong if you think 113 fasting glucose is normal. Sorry to break it to you. That woman is pre diabetic.