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[lindaelane]

Sonomo Mike: No AD symptoms. Weight - I'm down 25 pounds down from 14 months ago. BMI under 35. Probably no toxin exposure, Probably Dr. Bredesen's "Type 1.5". My A1C was elevated the first time I tested five years ago and has stayed elevated. I tried to lower it, but not very hard at first - in mind mind then, it was pre-diabetes and while not going down, was also not going up. I changed and started really trying to lower my A1C 14 months ago, but it has not budged. Thanks for your diet advice. I have not drunk fruit juice in years. I am working on finding the amount of carbs I can handle and I know glycemic index is important. Rice and mashed potatoes recently became "treats" instead of one or the other most days...I do cauliflower versions of these from the frozen food aisle. I think what I need to do is measure my glycemic response. What kind of decent glycemic meter can I get that is not too expensive for supplies (strips)?

Sara: Thanks for your understanding - I'm going to need it. I had a dream I was sitting a table of Keto followers and trying to explain I just could not do it long term. Maybe just a will power problem, but really want a person *can* do is a function of both will power and how good they feel in the first place. As I said above, maybe a good plan is for me to measure my blood sugar after meals, finding a good meter?

Question for anyone: I don't space out my carbohydrates. My breakfast can have up to 56 carbs, then I get about 60 the rest of the day. That creates something of an insulin spike I presume - not a horrid one but spacing out carbs would see less of one. Psychologically this keeps me on a lower carb program - I seem to need my "treats". So....Must a person avoid insulin spikes created by something approaching 60 carbs in one meal? Is there a way to tell how much is too much in one meal by, for example, measuring glucose after a meal?

[mike]

Generally its best to start with what your insurance/doctor will prescribe, since the test strips can add up over time. See what foods cause your biggest blood sugar rise and stop that. It is my personal opinion that it is the glucose peaks that cause the most damage, not just the high average (A1c). every time your blood sugar spikes, the level of glucose in the brain spikes as well. Likewise when you go low after, your brain is also experiencing that. So yes, try to space out your carbs - or better yet, Instead of carb treats, could you switch to fat and/or protein treats? Egg-Bites, Macadamia Nuts, Cheese, Whisps, etc. allavailable at Costco.

[mike]

My wife and others sent me some research that suggests Metformin can prevent muscle development, and since that is exactly what I'm trying to do, I guess I will not be adding it back in. I've been taking it for the first 17 years of my diabetes, but quit 3 years ago. I just got a body composition scale, and it says I still have way too much fat and not enough muscle, even with the resistance training I've been doing...

[lindaelane]

Hi again: I was listening to YouTube and came across David Sinclair, he is at Harvard. He started talking about Metformin, among other things. Apparently, the upside for anti-aging, which would include non-brain aging, is fantastic. But he confirmed what you said. He uses metformin every other day. In theory, it would be possible to use it four days a week, getting in aerobic and resistance training on the off days. He says he still gets the benefits of the metformin. He did not qualify as to whether those were full or partial benefits. He strongly implied the exercise benefits were as good as ever with this routine.

[mike]

Hi again: I was listening to YouTube and came across David Sinclair, he is at Harvard.

Interesting, Can you send me a link? I'm still not sure I would add it back - I had too many tests results over the last 20 years showing muscle break down, and I could never figure out where it was coming from...

[lindaelane]

Sure, here is a link to the You Tube video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEz1P4i1P7s

He starts talking about metformin about 22 minutes into this 49 minute interview. I found the whole interview really interesting, but just in case you choose to skip ahead.