Our good friend and team member Geri aka beachbag at the flog, reported a huge reduction in HbA1c over a short period of low carbing and reduced medication. HbA1c from 89 to 46 in old money, this represents an approximate HbA1c of ten, average BG around 13 mmol/L down to roughly HbA1c 6.5, average BG roughly 7.5. A massive improvement I am sure you will agree. And remember achieved with a change of diet and reduced medication. So, what does this mean in real terms and the avoidance of serious diabetic complication ? The information below is rated as a gold standard, as you can see the benefits of getting BG numbers down is massive.
For every percentage point drop in A1C blood test results (from 8.0 percent to 7.0 percent, for example), the risk of diabetic eye, nerve, and kidney disease is reduced by 40 percent. Lowering blood sugar reduces these microvascular complications in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Intensive blood sugar control in people with type 1 diabetes (average A1C of 7.4%) reduces the risk of any CVD event by 42 percent and the risk of heart attack, stroke, or death from CVD by 57 percent.
Source: DCCT/EDIC, reported in December 22, 2005, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Well done Geri thanks for the heads up, but this was 99% your doing, you took that leap of faith, as the rest of the team and many others done years ago, all we can do is keep posting the good news. Whole fresh foods, minimal sugars and starch and exercise, together with reduced or nil meds if possible.
Eddie
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Beat me to it!
ReplyDeleteJohn
A low carb diet is essential for diabetics. My child is type 1 with an HbA1c in the non diabetic range. He is the ONLY patient in his doctor's clinic to ever achieve this result, but then he is the only patient whose
ReplyDeleteMother ever changed his diet. He eats delicious food all prepared by me every meal. His body is fat adapted and he exercises strenuously without ever having a hypo. It's just so simple to achieve results like this.
I did exactly the same, went from HbA1c of 64 down to 46 in six months with LCHF, since then has gone down a bit further to 44, if I hadnt increased the protein percentage I suspect it would be lower still. i do intend to reduce protein again once I hit the muscle mass percentage I'm aiming at.
ReplyDeleteHi Thommo
ReplyDeleteIt's the same for most people as all the success stories on the forum testify. I keep looking for non low carb high fat good news, very thin on the ground I reckon.
Eddie
I have reduced carbs and my last HbA1C was 41 which I was very happy with. However, little sting in the tail, my consultant said she found it very hard to believe I managed those numbers without frequent hypo's ( which I don't ). My only concern now is my LGV license rests in her hands a bit ! Fingers crossed. Still, very happy with my control at present. Shame she wasn't !
ReplyDeleteLisa said...
ReplyDeleteA low carb diet is essential for diabetics.
Agee 100%. It there was any other way Dr Richard Bernstein would have found it.
Eddie
Hi Mo
ReplyDeleteThe big problem for the Medics is they are so used to seeing very poor control they can't get there head around people like us. They are in disbelief far too often. Hopefully they wii start seeing a lot more people with non diabetic numbers soon.
People are waking up to fact carbs especially sugars do no one any good, and good fats do no one any harm.
Eddie
Hi Mo,
ReplyDeleteyour consultant does not really understand diabetes and human physiology, if she thinks lowering your HbA1c must be due to frequent hypos. Hypos are LESS frequent when eating low carb. Her ignorance is a truly disturbing. Eat less glucose - less advanced glycation end products formed - lower HbA1c.Tell her to read books such as The Diabetes Solution by Dr Bernstein, or Wheat Belly, Grain Brain or any paleo lifestyle book. They will clearly illustrate how and why glycation of cells is directly related to carbohydrate consumption.
Good luck ,and keep on with your low carb eating.