Diets for managing Diabetes/Sugar levels

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Hello all,

While I have been tested and my glucose levels came back normal (91 fasting), I can't help but feel like I am diabetic, or at least in the pre stages. Whenever I eat certain foods I feel very dizzy and tired. I often have blurred vision after consuming specific things. My doctor says I do not have any issues at this time, and I am not even in the pre-diabetic category yet, but I know something is wrong. I cannot even have a slice of bread without feeling as though my heart is racing and getting very tired/dizzy to the point of passing out.

Are there any diabetes food plans that may be helpful? Any other recommendations?

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Replies

  • WholeFoods4Lyfe
    WholeFoods4Lyfe Posts: 1,518 Member
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    Have you been tested for food intolerances/allergies?
  • bemyyfriend0918
    bemyyfriend0918 Posts: 241 Member
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    It sounds more like an emotional/psychological issue to me. Many people think "carbs" really are the devil.

    I don't think carbs are the devil lol, I love carbs. I just seem to get exhausted to the point where it becomes an issue when I eat them...although, it more so seems to happen with carbs like bread/bagels than pastas...

    Could be a food intolerance. I have not been tested for any of those....
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
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    Hello all,

    While I have been tested and my glucose levels came back normal (91 fasting), I can't help but feel like I am diabetic, or at least in the pre stages. Whenever I eat certain foods I feel very dizzy and tired. I often have blurred vision after consuming specific things. My doctor says I do not have any issues at this time, and I am not even in the pre-diabetic category yet, but I know something is wrong. I cannot even have a slice of bread without feeling as though my heart is racing and getting very tired/dizzy to the point of passing out.

    Are there any diabetes food plans that may be helpful? Any other recommendations?

    What specific foods do this to you?
  • amyepdx
    amyepdx Posts: 750 Member
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    Does that happen when you eat an apple? Carbs there too
  • bemyyfriend0918
    bemyyfriend0918 Posts: 241 Member
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    Hello all,

    While I have been tested and my glucose levels came back normal (91 fasting), I can't help but feel like I am diabetic, or at least in the pre stages. Whenever I eat certain foods I feel very dizzy and tired. I often have blurred vision after consuming specific things. My doctor says I do not have any issues at this time, and I am not even in the pre-diabetic category yet, but I know something is wrong. I cannot even have a slice of bread without feeling as though my heart is racing and getting very tired/dizzy to the point of passing out.

    Are there any diabetes food plans that may be helpful? Any other recommendations?

    What specific foods do this to you?

    So here are some of the most recent times I've noticed it happened:

    1. This morning for breakfast I had some hash browns (probably 1 cup, pan fried). About 10 minutes after eating them I felt like I could pass out. I was extremely dizzy and felt really crappy.

    2. Yesterday for dinner I had some grilled chicken and macaroni salad. I was pretty tired for a while and had to lay down because it felt as though I did not have energy to stand.

    3. For lunch I had a salad with berries and chicken, I did not feel sick/tired.

    4. For breakfast I had oatmeal and a banana. I did not feel sick tired.

    5. On Sunday for dinner I had a Subway 6" with turkey, cheese, and green peppers (nothing else on it). I was out shopping and had to lay in my car for 20 minutes because I was exhausted/dizzy/sick.


    As far as apples go, I'm not sure. I haven't had one recently....they tend to hurt my teeth so I don't eat them often.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    edited July 2018
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    cathipa wrote: »

    I was going to mention this too. It's sometimes called reactive hypoglycaemia.

    It is not such an immediate reaction, as far as I know. Perhaps it could be.... I gave this. If I eat carbs, by BG starts rising and then when my insulin finally kicks in it goes overboard and drops BG down below where it started. It never actually goes too low though - it's just the rapidly falling BG that leads to feelings of hypoglycaemia. It was always worse in the late afternoon and evening.

    It can be a sign of early insulin resistance. The body is starting to need to release too much insulin to handle the carb load.

    I went very low carb to deal with rising fasting blood glucose. Once my body became less reliant on carbs for fuel, my reactive hypoglycaemia went away. No more shaking, headaches, fatigue, light headedness or hangries.

    The worst foods were the ones with the most glucose (starches, noodles, baked goods, sugar) and the least fibre.
  • fuzzieme
    fuzzieme Posts: 454 Member
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    Hello all,

    While I have been tested and my glucose levels came back normal (91 fasting), I can't help but feel like I am diabetic, or at least in the pre stages. Whenever I eat certain foods I feel very dizzy and tired. I often have blurred vision after consuming specific things. My doctor says I do not have any issues at this time, and I am not even in the pre-diabetic category yet, but I know something is wrong. I cannot even have a slice of bread without feeling as though my heart is racing and getting very tired/dizzy to the point of passing out.

    Are there any diabetes food plans that may be helpful? Any other recommendations?

    What specific foods do this to you?

    So here are some of the most recent times I've noticed it happened:

    1. This morning for breakfast I had some hash browns (probably 1 cup, pan fried). About 10 minutes after eating them I felt like I could pass out. I was extremely dizzy and felt really crappy.

    2. Yesterday for dinner I had some grilled chicken and macaroni salad. I was pretty tired for a while and had to lay down because it felt as though I did not have energy to stand.

    3. For lunch I had a salad with berries and chicken, I did not feel sick/tired.

    4. For breakfast I had oatmeal and a banana. I did not feel sick tired.

    5. On Sunday for dinner I had a Subway 6" with turkey, cheese, and green peppers (nothing else on it). I was out shopping and had to lay in my car for 20 minutes because I was exhausted/dizzy/sick.


    As far as apples go, I'm not sure. I haven't had one recently....they tend to hurt my teeth so I don't eat them often.

    It sounds like wheat / gluten could be a trigger for you, I was much like this a few years back and constipation, my doctor was convinced I had celiacs but I don't, but I have terrible symptoms. I used to eat oats but now those do it too
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,988 Member
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    Hello all,

    While I have been tested and my glucose levels came back normal (91 fasting), I can't help but feel like I am diabetic, or at least in the pre stages. Whenever I eat certain foods I feel very dizzy and tired. I often have blurred vision after consuming specific things. My doctor says I do not have any issues at this time, and I am not even in the pre-diabetic category yet, but I know something is wrong. I cannot even have a slice of bread without feeling as though my heart is racing and getting very tired/dizzy to the point of passing out.

    Are there any diabetes food plans that may be helpful? Any other recommendations?

    Bread made from regular wheat flour makes me sleepy, but I have no problem with bread made from sprouted grains from brands like Ekezial/Food for Life or Alvarado St Bakery. I can find one brand or the other in the frozen section of all the supermarkets near me.

    Might want to get some food allergy testing done.
  • NoExcusesFromNowOn
    NoExcusesFromNowOn Posts: 76 Member
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    The bread you mentioned, is it white bread or whole wheat 100%? How long after when you feel bad?
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,008 Member
    edited July 2018
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    fuzzieme wrote: »
    Hello all,

    While I have been tested and my glucose levels came back normal (91 fasting), I can't help but feel like I am diabetic, or at least in the pre stages. Whenever I eat certain foods I feel very dizzy and tired. I often have blurred vision after consuming specific things. My doctor says I do not have any issues at this time, and I am not even in the pre-diabetic category yet, but I know something is wrong. I cannot even have a slice of bread without feeling as though my heart is racing and getting very tired/dizzy to the point of passing out.

    Are there any diabetes food plans that may be helpful? Any other recommendations?

    What specific foods do this to you?

    So here are some of the most recent times I've noticed it happened:

    1. This morning for breakfast I had some hash browns (probably 1 cup, pan fried). About 10 minutes after eating them I felt like I could pass out. I was extremely dizzy and felt really crappy.

    2. Yesterday for dinner I had some grilled chicken and macaroni salad. I was pretty tired for a while and had to lay down because it felt as though I did not have energy to stand.

    3. For lunch I had a salad with berries and chicken, I did not feel sick/tired.

    4. For breakfast I had oatmeal and a banana. I did not feel sick tired.

    5. On Sunday for dinner I had a Subway 6" with turkey, cheese, and green peppers (nothing else on it). I was out shopping and had to lay in my car for 20 minutes because I was exhausted/dizzy/sick.


    As far as apples go, I'm not sure. I haven't had one recently....they tend to hurt my teeth so I don't eat them often.

    It sounds like wheat / gluten could be a trigger for you, I was much like this a few years back and constipation, my doctor was convinced I had celiacs but I don't, but I have terrible symptoms. I used to eat oats but now those do it too

    The data certainly doesn't lead to that conclusion. Two meals with wheat (#2, dinner with macaroni salad and #5, dinner with sandwich on sub roll). The first meal caused the problem, the second did not. It would be helpful if OP weighed in to confirm, but most people would eat a smaller amount of wheat in the macaroni (or certainly not larger) in the meal that caused the reaction than they would in the sub roll that didn't cause the reaction.

    ETA: @bemyyfriend0918 have you tried comparing the macros for the meals that triggered the incidents with those that didn't? Is it possible you were getting a higher ratio of fat in the meals that made you sick? Because that's what it looks like from the descriptions, but of course I have no idea of whether there was a salad dressing with the chicken and berries, or whether you put a lot of butter or cream on your oatmeal.
  • Bann554
    Bann554 Posts: 44 Member
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    Get a 2nd opinion from a doctor who will give you additional tests. Doctors are not perfect. Ask around to people who can refer you to one. My Dr. told me my blood tests were fine. I asked for a copy and I went ballistic. I shared it a friend of mine who was a Dr. and they gave me better advice than my Dr. I began a healthy eating regiment and improved my numbers to my satisfaction.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    I also vote for hypoglycaemia. Low blood sugar. You could be having enough high blood sugar moments to fool the A1C (an AVERAGE measurement).

    The diet for hypoglycaemia is essentially the same as for a diabetic. Eat on a routine and eat about every two hours during the day.

    Don’t ever eat carbs alone. Always have with protein.

    A diabetic meal is very healthy with a portion of protein, veggies on the side, and a portion of carbs/fats.

    Low blood sugar is dangerous. You can faint. Carry an energy/protein bar with you in case of emergency.
  • bemyyfriend0918
    bemyyfriend0918 Posts: 241 Member
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    Thanks everyone! I am going to have some more tests done. I am leaning towards some type of hypoglycemia.
  • bemyyfriend0918
    bemyyfriend0918 Posts: 241 Member
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    Also...for those asking what type of bread I had....

    It was white bread. I normally do not eat wheat breads, but I may start to see if that helps anything.
  • xxzenabxx
    xxzenabxx Posts: 935 Member
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    You might have celiacs. Get a test done for that too.
  • FL_Hiker
    FL_Hiker Posts: 919 Member
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    You may be hypoglycemic. I've had it for a while now, what really helped me was increasing my protein every day and trying not to eat too many simple sugars and carbs. Try drinking a 30g protein shake everyday for a week and see how you feel. They taste like garbage but it's so amazing not having those problems anymore!!!