Latest update on my quest. Yet more news to share!

I started some fasting as part of my diet. I had to reduce my blood glucose level meds so that I did not have really low blood glucose level. This had some interesting results. One result was my blood glucose level went up and down a lot more than usual, causing my average score to go up.

I created a new category Health and moved all my diabetes related posts there. It probably does not matter much to you, but I had posted them in the Personal Development category previously. I kind of see the two categories as related, both about improving your life.

Experience With Fasting

In my favourite book, The Diabetes Code, it says fasting was necessary to progress. I tried fasting last Friday. During that time, I did not eat from after dinner on Thursday until dinner on Friday - about 24 hours. I did not take any pills for reducing my blood glucose level on the Friday. This was the first time in many years not to take those pills. I was checking my blood glucose level every 2 hours during Friday.

So how did it go? Well, I woke up with 3.9 mmol/L - mostly because of a pill I took the night before. I had morning coffee, and during the day I cycled twice and also did a half hour on the elliptical machine for a total of about 2 hours exercise. I noticed that the cycling seemed to increase my blood glucose level. The half hour on the elliptical machine was the exception, as my blood glucose level went down after that.

I was quite nervous not taking any pills Friday morning, and if my blood glucose level had gone up above 7.0 mmol/L I was ready to take something - but it did not. So I made it a day without pills, and the adventure was a success. The chart on the right shows my readings during the day. I added the arrows and the dinner line, which was like the finish line.

Ongoing, I hope to do this kind of fast 2-3 times a week as part of my program.

Weight

I checked my weight after the weekend, and it dropped again. Since my last doctor's appointment, I am down about 5kg or about 10.5lb now. I also checked my circumference of my belly, and that is down about 3 inches. I read before that the size of your belly is an indicator of your risk of various horrible illness, so I am keeping an eye on it. Smaller is better.

I checked one of those BMI calculators and, with a score of 33.9 which puts me in the obese category. I worked out what weight I need to be in order to drop down from obese to overweight, I need to drop another 28 lbs. Based on my current rate of loss, I could be there in about 2-3 more months. I will have to celebrate then, when I hit overweight! What do you think?

My wife is on the same diet as me. She is still checking her weight behind closed locked doors, but she reports there is progress. She is enthusiastic about our program, and supportive of what we are doing, including fasting.

Shirt Size

For years, I have been buying 2XL size shirts. I see myself as a 2XL person, it was part of my identity. But recently I bought an XL shirt by mistake. My wife Pat commented that my 2XL shirts were too big for me, and my one XL shirt fit me better. I still feel like a 2XL kind of guy right now, but maybe that is coming to an end.

Switching from Glyburide to Metformin

Pat has been reading about the meds I take/took for reducing blood glucose level. I had planned to just be on glyburide, but she said the better/safer one to be on is metformin. So at the weekend I switched over. I am back on metformin.

Now when you have too much glucose in your blood and you take a pill, it does not eject the glucose out somewhere. It just pushes it somewhere other than the blood. It has not left your body.  You can burn it up in your muscles with some modest exercise, although I found with my cycling the exercise can spike my blood glucose level. I do find that using the elliptical trainer it does not seem to raise my blood glucose level. Other than fasting, those are the two non-medicinal ways I can reduce my blood glucose level.

My ultimate goal is to get off all the meds, but for now I need a little help.

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor. This is based on my own experience. Your mileage may vary. Check with your doctor before doing anything drastic based on what I wrote above.