24 Comments to "I am a diabetic, what can I do to help control my blood sugar because I would like to get off medication.?"

1. 

   jackocomp

   September 17, 2009

   

   Exercise is always good!

   There are a few things like exercise, eating the right types of food etc.
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2. 

   honeybunnies93

   September 17, 2009

   

   You can keep an eye on all the foods you eat that can or would contain sugar. Whether it be natural or added sugars
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3. 

   Warren C

   September 17, 2009

   

   count carbs
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4. 

   TMLeaf Fan

   September 17, 2009

   

   I would strongly recommend seeing a nutritionist who can set up a proper diet that would naturally control the diabetes allowing you to get off the medication. This was the course of action suggested to my father in law who was just diagnosed.
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5. 

   ash_m_79

   September 17, 2009

   

   Getting off medicine is not advisable. It can be dangerous. So continue your medication.
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6. 

   Earl E Morningwood

   September 17, 2009

   

   do what your dr tells you. And lose weight.
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7. 

   danuitti

   September 17, 2009

   

   Read the South Beach Diet book.

   Cut out bread, potatoes and high starches. Get more excersize.
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8. 

   wsopjimmy

   September 17, 2009

   

   Continued weight loss is a big factor. Also watching diet is a major concern. Stay away from carbs and alcohol.

   The biggest help though will be to ask your endocrinologist this same question.
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9. 

   cernad06

   September 17, 2009

   

   Avoid eating carbos and sugars. Dwell on vegies instead. Always watch your diet. I know you can make it! Good luck and god bless!
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10. 

    snagelfritz

    September 17, 2009

    

    Exercise about 30-60 minutes a day! Not have to be a weight lifter.
    Then just watch/be aware of what you eat, especially foods high in sugar and carbohydrates.
    You need some of these foods, sooooo, if you eat a Potato (like Half) do not eat Bread! This give you an example.
    IF, you have a meter, continue to monitor your Blood Sugar. In time you figure out a good exercise/diet plan that good for you.
    Justin M below me make a good point, my answer is for "Type 2"!!!
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11. 

    The Whopper

    September 17, 2009

    

    I been a dibetic for 15 yrs. diet helps but not gonna cure it.
    you need to take classes your hosptial offer courses to help you guide yourself….being dibetic you have to control everything not just your doctor. This disease is a pain in the butt……..but treatable if you mangage it right. You may go into depression and give up…alot! so you need to see a specialist and get all the infomation you can. Don’t get your Help and answers here cuz everyone and every Diabetic person is unique and have differnent ways to treat this.
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12. 

    john

    September 17, 2009

    

    I also have a relative with the same problem, he got one of those stomach operations where they reduce the size of your stomach and he didn have to worry about medication again and his sugar level went down to normal. He also has lost about 45 kilos (about 99 punds) since he got the operation (july last year) and he is still going down.

    good luck, and i hope you can find a solution.
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13. 

    Justin M

    September 18, 2009

    

    Are you type 1 or 2 diabetic? If you’re type 1 I woulnd’t recommend in any shape or form goin’ off your medication, type 1 means your body produces very little to no insulin, and without insulin your cells can’t metabolize glucose (sugar). If your type 2 consult your doctor, a nutritionist, or other healthcare professional for a proper idea for a diet and exercise regiment.
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14. 

    IanP

    September 18, 2009

    

    It depends on what kind of diabetes you have, how advanced, your age and lifestyle… among other things.

    If you are a Type 2 diabetic, i.e. a non-insulin-user, then there is a fair chance you can reduce the impact of the disease by lifestyle changes… exercise, careful diet, etc.
    If you are in the fairly early stages, this may be enough to get you off your medication, but I have to warn you that this is only a temporary reprieve… it’s not a cure, you will still be a diabetic, and diabetes tends to get worse as you get older. This means you will have to continue to monitor your blood glucose from time to time, get regular blood-work done and consult with your doctor… at some point, you’ll need medication again.

    When you say "average blood sugar", how are you calculating that? It will flucuate, of course, but the important figure is the reading you get a couple of hours after eating. If you can get that down to around 120, on a regular basis, you’re doing well

    But, not to be too gloomy, I applaud your efforts to take control of your condition, and wish you every success
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15. 

    amjakhal

    September 18, 2009

    

    Hi Michelle!
    First I need to know what kind of diabetis you have…tipe 1 or tipe 2
    second one and this is really important. ASK this question to you doctor, he will know the best for you and he can refer you to some support groups or dietician that who can teach you about
    what kind of diet is good for you!
    REMEMBER not is only in the sweets where you find sugar
    in some bread, fruits and in a lot of food that we ingest they
    transform in sugar in our body…
    so is better if you ask for a profesional help.
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16. 

    rollwave2005

    September 18, 2009

    

    Your individual history should dictate what you should do (i.e., your other medical diseases, your weight, your family history, etc).

    General Recommendations:
    Diet and exercise are key.
    Diet:
    Someone mentioned the south beach diet and counting carbs…the basis of both those ideas is the glycemic index, which is a rating of how carbohydrates are absorbed and utilized. Foods with a high glycemic index usually give you a higher load of sugar that goes away quicker, thus giving you a sugar rush (like white bread, which is the standard that all other foods are compared…white bread is like eating pure sugar). You want to eat food that releases sugar slowly over an extended period of time, thus avoiding the highs and lows which can tax your liver, pancreas and entire body.

    Exercise: Very important for many reasons, but the caridovascular benefit is key. This is because diabetes leads to several cardiovascular diseases (heart attacks, peripheral vascular disease, kidney disease, retinopathy, etc). By getting a good cardiovascular workout, you not only lower your sugar, but you develop collateral circulation to your organs. This means that if your coronary artery gets clogged, your heart will do better because you’ve developed other vessels that feed that area of your heart that may not have otherwise gotten blood supply (you develop those colateralls through vigorous exercise). The standard recs for a good cardiovascular workout are 20-25 minutes of target heart rate [2/3 *(220-your age)] for at least 3-5 times a week. Consult your physician before starting any exercise regimen.

    Also, please remember that blood pressure control is more important than blood sugar control. You would like your BP to be less than 140 (at least), although I would want much lower for myself. For sugar control get your hemoglobin A1C done. It is a three month measure of your blood sugar.

    Diabetes and high blood pressure are insidious diseases (e.g., high blood pressure is known as the silent killer)…it is prudent to get ahead of them before it is too late.
    References :
    Good sources: american diabetes association, ameriican heart association
17. 

    medhelp

    September 18, 2009

    

    The information in the link below will help with this problem.
    References :
    http://www.cancertutor.com/Diabetes/index.html
18. 

    donp

    September 18, 2009

    

    The best NATURAL answer to Diabetes is Bitter Melon.

    This vegetable is available in all Philipino markets. I think some Indian grocery shops also have this vegetable.

    Wash the vegetable and eat it raw – about half the vegetable per day and check your sugar level after about 4 days – you will see the difference. Of course I must warn you that the taste of it is very unpleasant. Once you know that it is good for you you will come to like it.

    I know a person who was injecting insulin daily stopped it after his wife started to crush the vegetable and made him to drink a half cup of this juice daily.

    Of course you have to have it raw. Boiling it or cooking it and eating it will have no results.

    If you get good results post it as a question in this section so that others will know the value of this vegetable.
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19. 

    miss helen

    September 18, 2009

    

    I have weight that kept climbing and finally they worked on my low thyroid, I lost a lot of weight and was off my diabetes meds with no problems. Then I started to put some of the wieght back on and had to go back on them. I am now below what my weight was a number of years ago and I’m back on the glucophage in the morning. For now that’s working. I guess as we get older we need more meds. I’m still hoping to get off the meds completely.
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20. 

    lindsey_osborne

    September 18, 2009

    

    My advice to you would be to set a goal of reducing your blood sugar level (average) instead setting the goal of getting of medication. This will happen if you lower your levels.

    Keep doing what you are doing — eating healthy, exercising, and following your medication regiment. If you are averaging around 164, you may be able to eventually result to treating your diabetes solely with diet and exercise. It will take time though if this happens, so don’t expect it to happen overnight.

    I really hope you can treat your condition without prescription meds, but remember that if you do have to take a pill everyday, its not that bad and you’re not the only one that does this on a daily basis.

    Keep up the good work!
    References :
    I am a Diabetes Health Educator and a Type 2 diabetic.
21. 

    cmvmarketing

    September 18, 2009

    

    I know something that may help you. it is based around a rare botanical called a Mangosteen. it is grown in South East Asia and has many different medicinal benefits. This Fruit has decades of scientific studies and research that have been done from medical universities from around the world, best of all it either equals or out performs a lot of over the counter and prescription drugs that are within our reach. Most importantly
    It is a Natural Alternative to Medication and has worked for thousands of not millions of people go here to
    http://www.MyAsianSecret.com view all the information and make your opinion based on what you see and hear! look at the other sources are below.
    References :
    http://www.mangosteenexperiences.com
22. 

    King Richard

    September 18, 2009

    

    What I usually do, Michelle, is I ride my bike & eat a well balanced diet. You can also take your dog out for a walk or go for walks with a few friends. Good luck & keep up the good work!
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    Type 2 Diabetic for 2+ years
23. 

    itskind2bcruel

    September 18, 2009

    

    Our bodies need foods from all of the food groups including the bread group. With that said you should eat wheat bread, wheat tortillas: nothing white with the exception of potatoes. Potatoes have a bad wrap, but it’s what you put on the potatoes that sends the calories spiraling out of control. Eat a variety of brightly colored fruits, vegies, lean meats, high fiber carbs (wheat pasta, wheat bread, potatoes, wheat tortillas and tortilla chips, oatmeal) and exercise at least 30-60 minutes 5 days a week. check your blood sugar often to find out how foods affect your blood sugar. Illnesses like colds and flus can also affect blood sugar as does stress and depression. Most diabetics cannot live without some sort of medication. if you were able to, your doctor would have noticed this in your early days of being diagnosed. however, there are some natural, chemical free sweeteners that will help control it. I use Stevia, found in health food stores, that is derived from sweet leaf. It is a sweetener that has natural fiber in the powder form. It also comes in an extract as well. Royal jelly is a honey product, has calories, but has a lot of nutrients for the value. good luck
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24. 

    jen

    September 18, 2009

    

    A low carbohydrate diet with aerobic exercise will help to accomplish both weight loss and lower blood sugar. Both weight loss and low carb diet will help to lower your blood sugar. Good Luck! Remember, water is a big help in helping you feel full.
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