Vahit from Turkey

[Vahit]

Hello,

My name is Vahit Kavi. I live in Turkey and work in the tourism industry. 3 months ago my doctor told me I am having diabetes type 2. I was surfing the net and came across this site. Hoping that you will not mind if I ask a lot of questions. I need to learn a lot.

Have a nice day.

[skb]

Hello Vahit,



Please familiarize yourself with the forum. We have many useful features, most of which you will find in the right side panels. Q&A sessions are a part of our routine. All of your questions will be answered by our members. Maybe we'll have some of our own, but that can wait. Welcome, once again. 

[Shanny]

We're delighted to have you with us, Vahit. Make yourself at home and ask all the questions you have. And here is a glossary that might help you with some of our references: ttp://www.diabetic.pub/forum//index.php?topic=21.msg229#msg229

Thank you for joining us!

[walkerwally1]

Welcome !     This is the best place to ask questions.  There are a lot of people here that have been dealing with diabetes, many for several years.  I was diagnosed type 2 in 1993.  We welcome questions from people and will draw from our experiences to give you as much information as possible. 

[bigskygal]

Welcome Vahit!!  This is the best place to learn about diabetes and how to take charge of it.  Glad you found us!!

[rocky]

Hello Vahit,

Welcome to Diabetic Pub. I can't speak for others but for me, this place has been a life saver. just yesterday, I got my lowest number ever. Ask all the questions that come to mind. Someone will surely have an answer. What better way to learn, than to ask.

[Vahit]

Thank you. I am excited to be part of this group. I will ask as I learn.
First question is, what is the normal number for a human being ? Is it age related, which is what my doctor said ?

Have a nice day.

[Shanny]

Our blood sugar levels are related to what we eat more than anything else, and age is not a factor.

A certain way-of-eating called LCHF (low-carb/high-fat) is the quickest, safest, easiest & best course to follow, and this forum is devoted to teaching it.

There are several articles permanently posted on our site which can explain other issues for you as well.

But to get you started on LCHF, I think the simplest way to head into it is to eliminate grains from your meals. This means to stop eating anything made with corn, wheat, oats, rice, barley, etc., because these are almost pure carbohydrate. Then to offset the missing carbs, start increasing your intake of natural saturated and unsaturated fats like olive oil, coconut oil, pure dairy cream & butter, natural cheeses (not processed) & eggs, along with fatty meats & fish like bacon, rib cuts, salmon, tuna, trout, etc., - all high in omega3 fatty acids. Some of us plan out our meals in ratios of 5 to 10% carbs, 15-20% protein, and all the rest (up to 85%) fats. It may sound extreme, but this is the very healthiest food plan we've ever found.

Here is a very good plan for starting out on LCHF: Prof. Grant on LCHF. And this testing method - Eat To Your Meter - is the best way to get into the right groove right away, so get yourself a meter as soon as you can, and get one which has cheap strips, because you're going to need a lot of strips getting started. Welcome aboard!

[rocky]

^^ What Shanny said is the best piece of advice that you are going to get. I think that the Articles page contains a post on Normal BG. Perhaps, what your doctor meant was that Type II diabetes strikes after a certain age which is sort of correct.

[Vahit]

Thank you for your kind words. I will read through all the recommended links and ask if I don't understand. Meanwhile can you tell me if 136 as the morning fasted number is good or bad? If bad, how bad?

[Shanny]

136 is getting close to the level where high blood sugar begins to cause damage to our bodies . . . the retinas of our eyes are particularly sensitive, as are our kidneys, blood vessels & extremities. Some say 140 is the jumping off point for damage. If your fasting is 136, it's likely that you're running higher than that after meals, so the sooner you can move on lowering it, the better. But as I said before - LCHF works quickly.

[skb]

That number on its own may look very innocuous and may not reveal much. What is more important is, what your BG is doing for the rest of the day, over a period of time. And for that, the A1c is a very important indicator. Have you got this test done ? And if so, what was the number ? That will tell us a lot more than just the morning fasting number.

[Vahit]

Thank you very much. That explains a lot. I do have an A1c test done. My number was 7.4. Slowly I will learn to use the site. It is very well developed but it may take some time to master it.

Have a nice day. 

[skb]

Hello Vahit,

If you used our site's calculators/converters (on the top in right panel) you'd know that that number (7.4) translates to an average BG of 186. An average of 186 means that you could be swinging between 110-250 during the day. Our interest lies in narrowing that range to a small number of probably 40. This means that staying within 40 points for the entire day. As mentioned in numerous places on the website & the forum, the best way to do that is to restrict carbohydrates and increase fats (alternate source for energy). This also answers some of your questions in the Fruit thread.

[Vahit]

Thank you very much. I've spent a lot of time reading all your material and other sites. I think I am going to give this a try. Please bear with me while I do some trial and error.

Have a nice day.