blood sugar

[PainterB]

I was SOOOO excited yesterday morning, Day 6, to see a fasting blood sugar reading of 81 (I've been averaging around 110). But today it's back up to 112. This is one of my the main reasons for doing Whole30, so I'd like to hear others' experience with this...did readings drop, level off eventually, keep bouncing around like yoyos, or what?

I'm still waking up at 3:30 in the morning with an awful headache, but yesterday I had gotten back to sleep before I took the reading. Today I just lay there thinking so much about the fact that not sleeping is really messing me up, that I couldn't go back to sleep.

Wondering if sleep disturbance is affecting blood sugar?

[Tom Denham]

Your blood sugar readings are not as helpful to troubleshooting what is going on with you as knowing the composition, portion-sizes, and timing of your meals for the past day or two. 

[PainterB]

Meals during the week are 8:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. small snack (about 15 dry-roasted almonds, usually)., lunch at 2 p.m., dinner at 6:30 to 7.

Sunday, I ate at about 10:00 a.m., 3:30 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. 

Have been tracking meals on "My First!" under "Introduce...." (sorry, I'd re-write them, but am at work) - portions are as suggested in the guidelines.  Really.

[cmplaza]

this is my two cents, remember if your on meds that effect the ups and downs. From what i can see it's not bad. but see your educator.

Remember that if your blood sugars drop too low they can bounce back up.

The main thing is to TRY to keep them level, but it's life and it depends what is really going on in your world.

Remember stress can be a factor to it all.

bad is like over 170. but like i said, everything in your life plays a factor.

Like getting sick or cold will raise your sugars.

 

Just my two cents, but if it still bothers you see your educator.

[ladyshanny]

Your meal composition looks pretty good to me, PainterB.  I assume that you are tracking your blood sugars because you are diabetic?  If you are not diabetic I think you could consider putting that tracking away for the 30 days and concentrate on how you're feeling.  How's your energy, your mood, your sleep, your hunger, cravings etc.

 

Considering that you are only on Day 6, I would think that there is still an amount of rebalancing your body is doing.  I am not a doctor nor, to be honest, am I familiar with taking blood sugar readings, but basically everything in your body changes during a Whole30 as it starts to balance out; urination, digestion, elimination, sleep, energy, mood, skin etc.  No real reason why we would not expect to see blood sugars doing the same as your body works to convert from sugar burner to fat adapted.

 

As always, if something bothers you, speak to your doctor, we are not medical professionals.  

[GFChris]

The need to snack can be an indication that your earlier meals are not big enough. You want to create meals that satiate you for 4- 5 hours.

 

I see your meal 1 today included coconut milk blended with strawberries. Smoothies/blended drinks are discouraged on a Whole30.  The idea is to chew your food, vs drink it, as chewing is more satiating.

If you do find yourself hungry between meals (litmus test: you could eat something bland like steamed fish and broccoli), the recommendation is to have a mini-meal of protein, veg and fat. Nuts are a fat source on a Whole30: avoid having just nuts as a snack.

 

And to echo Ladyshanny's post, if you are diabetic and on insulin, be sure to consult with your doctor about doing a Whole30. http://whole30.com/2013/09/talk-to-your-doc-part-1/

[PainterB]

Not diabetic, insulin resistant... It Starts With Food mentions how people come back into balance while doing this, including sugar imbalances. I really wasn't asking for medical advice, so much as wondering what anyone's experience had been with this.

I really appreciate that y'all take the time to answer all this stuff...

[ladyshanny]

Not diabetic, insulin resistant... It Starts With Food mentions how people come back into balance while doing this, including sugar imbalances. I really wasn't asking for medical advice, so much as wondering what anyone's experience had been with this.

I really appreciate that y'all take the time to answer all this stuff...

Absolutely you can come back to being insulin sensitive by doing the Whole30.  Maybe not all in the first 30 days but there is recovery that is possible.  I would definitely challenge you to put those testing strips away though, they are giving you readings out of context to focus on rather than getting in tune with yourself.  Go with how you`re feeling rather than how the machine says your body is reading.  

 

(PS.  The medical advice disclaimer is pretty standard...we know you know!  )

[SpinSpin]

I am a type 1 diabetic and I have seen my blood sugars really level off with doing the whole 30, and I have my dr's approval to do it-- I told him that I was cutting out dairy, grains, beans and most fruit and he was fine with it. I have actually dropped a lot of weight in the last 8 months or so (now) hovering right around 50 pounds lost. Today, for instance, I have only had to have 20 units of my rapid insulin (taken before meals) and that is AWESOME!! 1/2 of what I was taking. 

 

something to remember--the dawn effect--it is part of what helps to wake you up. and it is when your liver dumps glucose, and that might contribute to your mornings not being the same numbers all the time. Personally, I don't do very much fruit, mostly it is a component to a salad like a handful of blueberries, a few halved green grapes or some chopped apple in a chicken salad. I am not an md, but I would think that holding back on the fruits might help you get your insulin sensitivity back. Just a thought. 

[evaq]

Sleep and rest definitely play an important role in your health and fasting sugars. I was pre-diabetic/on the verge of diabetes about 6 years ago and had all the metabolic syndrome markers (insulin resistance, high cholesterol, high blood pressure) so I made a pact with myself to do better - to take better care of myself. I made a commitment to eat better and to work out consistently. For me, the food made an impact on the scale and my overall mood/confidence but it was the combination of eating better + weight resistance that really worked. I'm not talking cross fit style intensity, just a gradual progression of resistance. Weight loss = loss of fat and muscle. Muscle gain = changing your metabolism (and building a more efficient/powerful engine).

 

And FWIW, my sister who follows more of a traditional SAD (but with some healthier choices thrown in) is diabetic but we do weights together (2-3x week), and even though she hasn't seen much change on the scale, her blood sugar has stabilized *and* gone down.

 

ps. This isn't intended as a nudge towards heavy lifting. I'm just sharing some personal history of what worked for me.

[PainterB]

Thanks to all for the very encouraging shares. I'll put away my test strips as suggested...it's probably just like getting on a scale (which has been more tempting more often than any food, oddly enough). Also, thanks to evaq for the weight workout reminder: I used to really like my weight routine, but since I've been struggling with seriously low energy levels from thyroiditis, I've not been working out. It's on my goal list, though. One step at a time...

[evaq]

I'm sending some good vibes and extra energy your way Painter B! Continue on your patient, mindful, gradual approach. It's spot-on and will really benefit you in the long run. i know it's tough, but try not to get too disheartened about what you once could do. We often chase "ghosts" of ourselves and it's never a good race. Instead, embrace what you *can* do...and don't feel like you have to go to a gym. When you're having a good energy day, carve out 15 or so minutes at home, put on some good music and then try some simple bodyweight stuff - no weights. ie. modified pushups, modified dips, modified squats, modified lunges, step ups.

 

And then keeping doing it until you feel ready for another progression. Good luck!

[MeadowLily]

I am a type 1 diabetic and I have seen my blood sugars really level off with doing the whole 30, and I have my dr's approval to do it-- I told him that I was cutting out dairy, grains, beans and most fruit and he was fine with it. I have actually dropped a lot of weight in the last 8 months or so (now) hovering right around 50 pounds lost. Today, for instance, I have only had to have 20 units of my rapid insulin (taken before meals) and that is AWESOME!! 1/2 of what I was taking. 

 

something to remember--the dawn effect--it is part of what helps to wake you up. and it is when your liver dumps glucose, and that might contribute to your mornings not being the same numbers all the time. Personally, I don't do very much fruit, mostly it is a component to a salad like a handful of blueberries, a few halved green grapes or some chopped apple in a chicken salad. I am not an md, but I would think that holding back on the fruits might help you get your insulin sensitivity back.  Just a thought. 

Good one, SpinSpin.  I don't eat much fruit either...it's only berries at a meal's end.

 

If you start your morning with fruit and snack inbetween meals, it's going to slow your progress down.  You want to wait 4-5 hours inbetween meals for blood sugars to level off.  You'll get there and it will take longer than 30 days.