Dr Ellie’s diabetes Q&A
MY GP has told me that I have pre-diabetes – am I going to get ill?
NO, WE test for pre-diabetes so you can do something about it. Dietary, exercise and lifestyle changes can help prevent you from developing type 2 diabetes, and reverse the pre-diabetes too. It’s also really important to know that pre-diabetes is a risk factor for other conditions such as heart disease, so smoking, high blood pressure and other things that might further raise the risk of a heart attack or stroke need to be looked at.
It’s an alarm bell: you need to take control and make the changes so you don’t get ill.
I HAVE had two different tests for pre-diabetes, two months apart. The first was normal but the second indicated pre-diabetes. Which should I trust?
YOU should trust both tests. If the second one has indicated pre-diabetes, it means there is on average a higher level of blood sugar than before.
We see this if someone is heading into pre-diabetes, perhaps due to dietary or weight changes.
It could be the start of a downhill trend, so make sure you get a further test in three months. We normally check these levels quarterly for the best accuracy.
WILL missing breakfast reduce and control my blood sugar levels?
FOR some people, fasting intermittently can be a very effective way to control blood sugar levels and even reverse pre-diabetes. But it is not a guarantee. There are two methods that people report working. The first is timerestricted eating, where you fast for 16 hours and eat only during one window each day – 1pm to 8pm, for example. Alternatively people opt for intermittent fasting on two days a week, when they cut down to 800 calories. It is not for everyone and is not guaranteed to work. Try it, and if you can, have another blood sugar test two to three months later.
ARE meal-replacement shakes a suitable way of limiting my calorie intake?
SOME data has shown us that using the shakes on a very low 800-calorie-a-day diet, for up to three months, can reverse type 2 diabetes, and also pre-diabetes. But it is difficult to maintain even for a week or two, so often fails. I’d advise a low-GI diet instead, which involves opting for foods known to take longer to digest and so keep us fuller for longer.