So, it turns out I’ve been living with type 2 diabetes for God knows how many years without even realizing it.
A few months back, I had a glucose tolerance test—you know, the one where you drink that 75-gram glucose solution at the lab and wait two hours—and my reading came back at 12. My standard fasting glucose tests have always stayed within the normal range, and honestly, they still do.
Even though I consider myself an intellectual and can usually wrap my head around medical jargon, I’m finding myself a bit lost in this whole diabetes landscape. It’s still such an unsettled, messy subject.
Once you start mixing in Type 1 versus Type 2, the insulin-dependent folks versus those who aren't, gestational diabetes, and all the other variations... it all starts to feel a bit nonsensical.
That’s really why I’m starting this thread. I wanted to create a space for those of us who are just beginning this journey, so we can swap notes and advice to help prevent things from getting worse.
I’ve always been a bit of a glutton, if I’m being honest. A half-glass or a half-plate was never enough for me. I used to demolish watermelon until my stomach was so bloated I practically had to lean halfway over the table just to breathe. Then, after waiting ten minutes for everything to settle, I’d just go back for more. Five kilograms—about eleven pounds—was a pretty standard serving for me. Not to ramble too much, but I basically ate whatever I wanted, whenever I could. I never got "overweight" per se because I was involved in high-level athletics, but I definitely carried some extra weight around my waist.
I suppose what saved me for a while was staying active around the house; when I was at the beach, I actually enjoyed smashing rocks with a sledgehammer and a chisel—the bigger the rock, the better.
Nowadays, I’m constantly checking my levels; before meals, after meals, sporadically... just whenever the thought crosses my mind.
Here is what I’ve figured out so far:
One Sunday, after relaxing and eating like I used to, my sugar hit 12. I went straight for a walk, and after about an hour or two of movement, my reading dropped to 6.
I don't eat like that anymore, and I try to make walking after meals a regular habit.
On another occasion, I went for a walk when my level was 5.5, and after an hour, it had come back at 5.7. Perfectly normal, of course, but I wanted to see how the body reacted.
The most valuable lesson I’ve learned so far is that I simply cannot overload my system with food all at once, especially sweets.
To put it visually: let’s say I eat a meal that is 1.5 servings in size. Ideally, my pancreas would release enough insulin for 1.5 servings, and everything would balance out perfectly. It’s a simple equation.
But my pancreas has grown tired from years of my overindulgence, so now it only releases enough insulin for 1.0 serving. That leftover 0.5 portion sits there without enough insulin to process it, leaving excess sugar in my bloodstream, which causes all sorts of havoc.
My body can't store that sugar in the cells efficiently, but if I jump into some physical activity immediately, that excess sugar burns off quickly and gets back to normal.
So, here is the reason I actually opened this discussion:
What should we be eating to minimize these issues and live our lives as close to our old habits as possible?
I read somewhere that fructose is actually okay for diabetics, whereas it isn't for healthy people, or something along those lines. There is clearly a lot of ground to cover here.
A few months back, I had a glucose tolerance test—you know, the one where you drink that 75-gram glucose solution at the lab and wait two hours—and my reading came back at 12. My standard fasting glucose tests have always stayed within the normal range, and honestly, they still do.
Even though I consider myself an intellectual and can usually wrap my head around medical jargon, I’m finding myself a bit lost in this whole diabetes landscape. It’s still such an unsettled, messy subject.
Once you start mixing in Type 1 versus Type 2, the insulin-dependent folks versus those who aren't, gestational diabetes, and all the other variations... it all starts to feel a bit nonsensical.
That’s really why I’m starting this thread. I wanted to create a space for those of us who are just beginning this journey, so we can swap notes and advice to help prevent things from getting worse.
I’ve always been a bit of a glutton, if I’m being honest. A half-glass or a half-plate was never enough for me. I used to demolish watermelon until my stomach was so bloated I practically had to lean halfway over the table just to breathe. Then, after waiting ten minutes for everything to settle, I’d just go back for more. Five kilograms—about eleven pounds—was a pretty standard serving for me. Not to ramble too much, but I basically ate whatever I wanted, whenever I could. I never got "overweight" per se because I was involved in high-level athletics, but I definitely carried some extra weight around my waist.
I suppose what saved me for a while was staying active around the house; when I was at the beach, I actually enjoyed smashing rocks with a sledgehammer and a chisel—the bigger the rock, the better.
Nowadays, I’m constantly checking my levels; before meals, after meals, sporadically... just whenever the thought crosses my mind.
Here is what I’ve figured out so far:
One Sunday, after relaxing and eating like I used to, my sugar hit 12. I went straight for a walk, and after about an hour or two of movement, my reading dropped to 6.
I don't eat like that anymore, and I try to make walking after meals a regular habit.
On another occasion, I went for a walk when my level was 5.5, and after an hour, it had come back at 5.7. Perfectly normal, of course, but I wanted to see how the body reacted.
The most valuable lesson I’ve learned so far is that I simply cannot overload my system with food all at once, especially sweets.
To put it visually: let’s say I eat a meal that is 1.5 servings in size. Ideally, my pancreas would release enough insulin for 1.5 servings, and everything would balance out perfectly. It’s a simple equation.
But my pancreas has grown tired from years of my overindulgence, so now it only releases enough insulin for 1.0 serving. That leftover 0.5 portion sits there without enough insulin to process it, leaving excess sugar in my bloodstream, which causes all sorts of havoc.
My body can't store that sugar in the cells efficiently, but if I jump into some physical activity immediately, that excess sugar burns off quickly and gets back to normal.
So, here is the reason I actually opened this discussion:
What should we be eating to minimize these issues and live our lives as close to our old habits as possible?
I read somewhere that fructose is actually okay for diabetics, whereas it isn't for healthy people, or something along those lines. There is clearly a lot of ground to cover here.
