Carb health question

jmoney02

Member
I was told by my doctor that my glucose levels were elevated and I should cut back on carbs. I've cut down on the breads, fries, beer, etc... and have increased my intake of green vegetables and fruit.
Are the fruits sabatoging my efforts? I know they have natural sugars and realize that much of the problems come from a food's GI and GI load (still trying to figure it all out).
From a general good health standpoint, to help keep my carbs in check, should I lessen the amount of fruit I eat (usually 3-4 servings day) or focus on the other stuff or both? Thanks.
 
Article I found on carbs and cholesterol. Lower GI will have less of an effect on this. Fructose in my opinion is a middle of the road carb, I would restrict it to post workout and earlier in the day. Supplement with a greens drink if you think you are missing some of the nutrients. Whole grain items are best, beware of the companies who say whole on the product but it really isn't. Oatmeal, 12 grain bread, and brown rice are my stand bys for carbs. If you have to splurge do it early and soon after your workout. Hope this helps. Also if you are going to restricts fruits and the like you may want to add green tea extracts, antioxidants, and even a sugar substitute to help fight sugar cravings.
 
jmoney02 said:
I was told by my doctor that my glucose levels were elevated and I should cut back on carbs. I've cut down on the breads, fries, beer, etc... and have increased my intake of green vegetables and fruit.
Are the fruits sabatoging my efforts? I know they have natural sugars and realize that much of the problems come from a food's GI and GI load (still trying to figure it all out).
From a general good health standpoint, to help keep my carbs in check, should I lessen the amount of fruit I eat (usually 3-4 servings day) or focus on the other stuff or both? Thanks.
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So basically your doc is saying that you are diabetic/pre-diabetic?

Here are the main ways to achieve lower average blood glucose levels:

- consume less carbs and/or switch to lower GI carbs. The sugar found in most fruit (fructose) is lower GI than starches (bread, oats, grains, etc.). However some fruits (ie grapes) have a higher level of glucose and should be moderated.

- consume less overall calories. Even if calorie reductions come from fats and protein blood glucose will be less because the body becomes more insulin sensitive the less calories consumed.

- exercise more (but make sure not to increase calories).

FYI there are no supplements that will make anywhere near the same impact as the changes mentioned. Sorry no free lunch. :lol:
 
to help keep my carbs in check I would rec "sweet serum" from PP.
you could use that to sweeten things you normally would with sugar. or even to help out when you have a sweet tooth.

but fruit is a good thing i would not cut down on that . if your really over waight THAT is somthign you would want to work on , to lower your body fat. that would help keep you from becoming diabetic. but over eating is still bad even if your lowering carbs.
 
jmoney02 said:
I was told by my doctor that my glucose levels were elevated and I should cut back on carbs. I've cut down on the breads, fries, beer, etc... and have increased my intake of green vegetables and fruit.
Are the fruits sabatoging my efforts? I know they have natural sugars and realize that much of the problems come from a food's GI and GI load (still trying to figure it all out).
From a general good health standpoint, to help keep my carbs in check, should I lessen the amount of fruit I eat (usually 3-4 servings day) or focus on the other stuff or both? Thanks.
Click to expand...

Hey mate,

Could I ask what your fasting blood glucose level was? Did your doctor mention that it might be related to anything?

Insulin resistance (and a consequential increase in blood glucose) is most often related to a high bodyfat distribution around the organs (your typical belly fat) and overall obesity, if the doctor mentioned that your weight might be too high (he might have quoted your BMI and/or waist circumference?) then weight management should be the area to focus on as it will have the fastest effect on improving your blood glucose level.

Reducing overall processed carbohydrates in the form of fries and beer is a great start, I would not recommend reducing your fruit servings to less than 3-4 per day as there are many health benefits to keeping your fruit consumption high, and as has been previously posted, the effect on blood glucose is often smaller.
 
thanks for all the information. Yes Nitrox, he did mention pre-diabetic and yes UK, he did mention my weight and more specifically my waistline.
I've been eating less calories and less carbs. I'm losing weight and my belly may be shrinking, I just don't want my strength to suffer.
Dammit Nitrox, I want that free lunch! Thanks again all for the advice.
 
Omega-3s will help your body regulate blood glucose levels as well. Get some fish oil.
 
sounds more like metabolic syndrome which is characterized by having 3 of the following 5 issues, insulin resistance (you have), high waist to hip ratio (you have), high triglycerides (you most likely have), hypertension, and high cholesterol

I would HIGHLY recommend you Cut your starches, that will help all the of the issues mentioned above, AS WELL AS trying refocus the fat you eat to more olive oils, and walnut/macadamia nuts or oils.

protein will be fine at you body weight, but its important to lose that fat.

This entire concept of Metabolic syndrome (formaly known as SYNDROME X) was the reason for the creation of RECOMPADROL. if you do the things above and supplement your diet with the supplement mentioned your fasting glucose levels, triglycerides and waist to hip ratio will be reduced.
 
So here's the answer from some who suffers HYPOglycemia (I respond with an over production of isulin).

1.Drop the fruit-completely, sugar is sugar no matter where it comes from
2.Grain carbs with low GI-and only early on - switch to fibrous greens late afternoon
3.Sugar alcohols and Splenda-still get registered by the body as sugar

Carbs with low GI - oatmeal, brown rice, sweet potatoes, green veggies (broccoli, peppers, etc)
Avoid - beer, bread (including W.W.), white potatoes, enriched rice, fruits, starchy vegetables, sugars, sweeteners

If you want to: you can have a small amount of fruit or honey or something with breakfast to stimulate your pancreas. But that's it. Done for the day.
FOR ME: when I have an intake of simple carbs and my insulin is released, it releases too much and my blood sugar drops super low. Then I'm draggin. Kind of the opposite of diabetics. So simple sugars are a no no for me overall.
 
OrganicShadow said:
So here's the answer from some who suffers HYPOglycemia (I respond with an over production of isulin).

1.Drop the fruit-completely, sugar is sugar no matter where it comes from
2.Grain carbs with low GI-and only early on - switch to fibrous greens late afternoon
3.Sugar alcohols and Splenda-still get registered by the body as sugar

Carbs with low GI - oatmeal, brown rice, sweet potatoes, green veggies (broccoli, peppers, etc)
Avoid - beer, bread (including W.W.), white potatoes, enriched rice, fruits, starchy vegetables, sugars, sweeteners

If you want to: you can have a small amount of fruit or honey or something with breakfast to stimulate your pancreas. But that's it. Done for the day.
FOR ME: when I have an intake of simple carbs and my insulin is released, it releases too much and my blood sugar drops super low. Then I'm draggin. Kind of the opposite of diabetics. So simple sugars are a no no for me overall.
Click to expand...

its very hard to manage hypoglycemia, you may be better off on a low carb so your body runs off ketones, your not diabetic are you?
 
OrganicShadow said:
So here's the answer from some who suffers HYPOglycemia (I respond with an over production of isulin).

1.Drop the fruit-completely, sugar is sugar no matter where it comes from
2.Grain carbs with low GI-and only early on - switch to fibrous greens late afternoon
3.Sugar alcohols and Splenda-still get registered by the body as sugar

Carbs with low GI - oatmeal, brown rice, sweet potatoes, green veggies (broccoli, peppers, etc)
Avoid - beer, bread (including W.W.), white potatoes, enriched rice, fruits, starchy vegetables, sugars, sweeteners

If you want to: you can have a small amount of fruit or honey or something with breakfast to stimulate your pancreas. But that's it. Done for the day.
FOR ME: when I have an intake of simple carbs and my insulin is released, it releases too much and my blood sugar drops super low. Then I'm draggin. Kind of the opposite of diabetics. So simple sugars are a no no for me overall.
Click to expand...

You do realize that starchy carbs (oatmeal, brown rice, etc) are just glucose polymers which are just another form of 'sugar'? Calorie for calorie, dropping fruit in favor of starches is no improvement. In fact most fruit is lower GI than most starches.
 
Right, its all glucose molecules in the form of a longer polysaccharide. Even fiber like cellulose is made strictly from glucose but we don't pay so much attention to it because the human body doesn't have an enzyme to break the alpha linkages, we can only metabolize the beta.

All I'm driving at is that fruits sugars as mono- and di- saccharides that go straight through the system and into the bloodstream. At least with more macromolecule carbohydrate sources the liver can break it down how it wants and at its own pace. Fuel the workout and daily output then switch entirely to that fiber we can't use. In theory most of the "carbs" we get from, say lettuce, just passes through the system. That's not 100% but you get the idea.
 
crazyfool405 said:
its very hard to manage hypoglycemia, you may be better off on a low carb so your body runs off ketones, your not diabetic are you?
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Not diabetic - although I do pay close attention to things because I could potentially develop it. I'm not really at that high of a risk to have my pancreas fall in that direction, though. I'm kinda mild compared to others I've seen.

Say my normal fasting glucose is 95mg/dL (which is low to begin with). After a 100g intake of glucose my blood sugar would jump to around 150-200 (that's normal). Where as a diabetic would stay there after 2 hours, and normal physiology would have it back down towards 120, mine drops to somewhere between 65-75mg/dL. A more sever case would have it down towards 40mg/dL (anything under 60 is considered a panic value).
 
OrganicShadow said:
All I'm driving at is that fruits sugars as mono- and di- saccharides that go straight through the system and into the bloodstream. At least with more macromolecule carbohydrate sources the liver can break it down how it wants and at its own pace. Fuel the workout and daily output then switch entirely to that fiber we can't use. In theory most of the "carbs" we get from, say lettuce, just passes through the system. That's not 100% but you get the idea.
Click to expand...

The thing is that fruit sugar 'fructose' and 'lactose' from milk, both simple sugars, must first be metabolized to glucose which results in the 'slower pace' that you describe. You are tarring all simple sugars with the same brush which is erroneous.
 
Before anyone reccomends supplements, I whant to say that this should pretty much fall on diet. The fact that your body is havng trouble absorbing the sugar form your blood should actually help you burn a little fat, so I wouldn't reccomen anythint that sensitizes you to insulin. Multi- fish oil. Tha's it. When your bodyfat get'slow enough, that should help you with insulin sensitivity.
 
No your wrong sorry. Insulin resistance can lead to over secretion of insulin due to bodies decreased ability to take it up. Hyperinsulinemia leads to obesity, and can lead to diabetes in the long run (due to malfunction in beta cells)

Diet and supplements to help speed the process to avoid diabetes in the long run. Do this now and avoid in future
 
crazyfool405 said:
No your wrong sorry. Insulin resistance can lead to over secretion of insulin due to bodies decreased ability to take it up. Hyperinsulinemia leads to obesity, and can lead to diabetes in the long run (due to malfunction in beta cells)

Diet and supplements to help speed the process to avoid diabetes in the long run. Do this now and avoid in future
Click to expand...

Thanks for clearing that up!
 
Recent studies have shown a better predictor is an a1c, if you are worried about DM get one next time you see your physician.
 
3.Sugar alcohols and Splenda-still get registered by the body as sugar
Click to expand...

Source/explanation? Do you mean in terms of insulin response (i'm assuming)?

The thing is that fruit sugar 'fructose' and 'lactose' from milk, both simple sugars, must first be metabolized to glucose which results in the 'slower pace' that you describe. You are tarring all simple sugars with the same brush which is erroneous.
Click to expand...

Correct. Both Galactose and Fructose are exclusively metabolized in the liver. Hepatic metabolism of fructose (which from my own reading seems to take precedent over all other liver functions until completed) is used to replenish glycogen stores and the remainder is then converted into TGL's.
 
A1C is the BEST way to tell diabetic onset due to the length of poor blood sugar levels (3 months it reads up to)

Fructose is a decent sugar but in fruite sucrose and glucose are found as well.

Its important to correct this now. Pre diabetes from 1 blood work readinis usually no cause for concern. If going by BG and not a1c then it jhas to be on 3 seperate occasions
 
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