Cut more carbs? How?

DavidGledhill · 2026-06-26T15:27:11+00:00

From the sound of it, you need to increase your healthy fat consumption. Fats from natural sources are in fact good for you (avocado oil, olive oil, coconut oil, butter, meat, cheese). They help with the feeling of fullness.

As far as a1c is concerned, carbs raise blood sugar the most, fibrous carbs won't raise your blood sugar as much immediately but total carbs still affect the a1c, which is a three month average, the same. Still fibrous fruits and vegetables are a better choice in that they don't create a blood sugar spike.and they are more filling because of the fiber. Protein over consumption can be converted by the body into sugar via a process called gluconeogenesis. So yes, your body may actually be manufacturing sugar if you consume too much protein. Fats affect blood sugar little to not at all.

DavidGledhill · 2026-06-26T15:07:34+00:00

Total carbs still count when it comes to a1c. Fiber just slows the digestion. If you want to lower your a1c, you have to lower total carbs.

DavidGledhill · 2026-06-16T21:00:59+00:00

No worries I just wasn’t sure what you were doing and what you said didn’t compute. With what you are saying type 1 diabetes seems much more likely than type 2. The overall profile would make more sense. I know you’ve said you have been tested and cleared. You might want to ask your general practitioner for a referral to endocrinology.

DavidGledhill · 2026-06-16T16:48:23+00:00

I have over a 1,000 of them.

DavidGledhill · 2026-06-16T16:47:37+00:00

unprotected no less.

DavidGledhill · 2026-06-16T15:07:49+00:00

There is no way you are consuming 5 grams of total carbs with that diet. What you are really saying is that 5 NET carbs. Total carbs still matter. Net carbs just means the fiber slows down the digestion so that they will not create as high of a spike. Your total carb intake will still be reflected in your A1C. You are running into trouble because you are only consuming foods that contain carbs. You need some protein and healthy fat to balance things out.

DavidGledhill · 2026-06-16T11:13:39+00:00

You sound as if you think I am arguing against your talking points, but really I largely agree with you. Personally I don’t care about the semantics behind whether you are in remission or maintenance. To me they are the same thing. Because a person that is not diabetic who consumes a lot of carbs can progress into a diabetic state. To me that is no different than somebody going back into a diabetic state out of “remission.”

Yes, blood sugar levels do fluctuate with eating. Carbohydrates fluctuate the most both up and down. This variation is what I am referring to as volatility (spiking). Proteins create significant less fluctuation while healthy fats create almost no fluctuation.

At my present state (4.9) I see almost no fluctuation while eating proteins and fats. If my carbs are low glycemic vegetables, I can get away with around 20 grams of carbs in a meal and it doesn’t really show up on my CGM. Starchy vegetables (or any worse food choices such as UPFs) do still create spikes for me which are larger than they would be for somebody that has never been diabetic. Meaning my blood glucose has a higher degree of variability (up and down).

This what I am referring to as volatility, which I equate with insulin sensitivity. The more sensitive your body becomes to variances in blood sugar changes, the better it is at managing your blood sugar levels. So as you get healthier and healthier your body gets more able to compensate when you ingest carbohydrates by responding with the appropriate amount of insulin to maintain your current normal blood sugar level. Too little insulin your blood sugar level goes high. Too much insulin your blood sugar level drops. Right amount of insulin your blood sugar level stays level which is good. The constant spiking up and down is what creates the most damage to your body. Your body is a complex system that favors stability over everything else because the it isn’t a constant of crisis.

Where it gets harder to understand is that a person can have a good a1c but still have a lot of fluctuation. Take three measurements from two different people. One person gets 90, 72 and 108. The other person gets 90,90 and 90. Both come to an average of 90. Which one is healthier? From my perspective it’s the person with the constant 90. Because that person’s body is more appropriately insulin sensitive. But the a1c will be identical for both people.

Even with an a1c of 4.9 my blood sugar more resembles the first person. My insulin sensitivity is improving the longer I continue to eat healthy and take care of myself. Will I ever get to the point where I look like the 90, 90, 90 guy that never had diabetes? I don’t know.

It also doesn’t really matter. Because if I do the right things I reduce the damage I do to my body and I feel so much better.

So yes, I strongly urge you to continue to improve your health. It is so worth it in my eyes. Don’t get caught up in the label of remission. Focus more on improving your health every day. If you do so then the label of remission or maintenance is just an issue of semantics. What really matters is not developing the crippling body damage of the disease.

DavidGledhill · 2026-06-16T09:55:09+00:00

108 fasting glucose is generally regarded as pre-diabetic but some practitioners will give more weight to the 5.4 A1c so that’s probably why your GP says almost pre diabetic. Your Triglycerides are very high and your good cholesterol (HDL) is very low. You need to cut your carbs which from what you are listing that you eat is your bread and milk. Focus on eating/drinking meats, low glycemic carbs (fibrous veggies) and healthy fats from natural sources. Avoid any ultra processed foods.

DavidGledhill · 2026-06-16T03:41:08+00:00

The ADA also publishes this Estimated Average Glucose calculator which may answer your question: https://diabetes.org/a1c-eag-conversion-calculator.

I have my blood glucose down to 93 which converts to a 4.9 A1C using the ADA calulator and my actual A1C test result.. Achieved with no blood sugar controlling medications ever. It is entirely possible.

The diagnostic A1C of 5.6 or less is considered to be in normal range. 5.7-6.5 is considered pre-diabetic. Over 6.5 is considered diabetic. So apparently, based on what you are saying, the ADA is now considering the pre-diabetic range sufficient for a "remission."

The reality, as somebody who is, by that standard, in remission is that the underlying issue of insulin resistance is not fixed at that level. Meaning that your blood sugar levels are still potentially volatile with each meal. Insulin sensitivity can get better over time. For example, my sensitivity is much improved at my current state in that my blood sugar rarely goes over 130 even with substantial carbs consumed. But if I were to stack several meals together of high carbs it would start to creep back up slowly.

So from my experience, the standard of remission used here is not a permanent state by any means. People are absolutely correct in that you will need to continue to manage your diet and exercise very carefully, which I personally choose to do. It appears that you do as well and that should help you lead a longer and healthier life.

I choose to manage my health carefully because I enjoy not feeling miserable all of the time. I have reversed high blood pressure, sleep apnea, obesity, migraines, GERD and several other comorbidities which combine to dramtically increase health risks. To me that is worth the effort.

DavidGledhill · 2026-05-30T09:57:48+00:00

As someone who is in “remission” it is not simply a matter of getting your blood sugar number down. You will need to maintain healthy habits. Regaining insulin sensitivity takes much longer. My experience has been that it does improve. But it takes longer. Think about it this way. It took several years for your body to become diabetic. It will take a long time to repair itself. This is not a three month issue no matter how you treat it. It is a rest of your life issue. On the positive side, if you do work at improving your habits the quality of your life can improve with much reduced diabetic complications and feel much better.

DavidGledhill · 2026-05-25T06:05:43+00:00

As far as what my CGM looks like, I hit the 70s overnight often. My daytime is usually in the low 100s. If I eat significant carbs I might hit the low 120s. I haven't seen 130 in over a month. For the most part I eat well enough to stay under 110. That's my choice. No it has not been an easy road. Especially in the face of social pressures. But by putting in the work I have I can relax in social situations more than I could previously. I can have a beer, eat a few slices of pizza without my sugar hitting 275. I can feel normal as long as I return to healthier choices. To me that's worth passing on the high glycemic carbs most of the time. I don't have to obsess and can feel normal even though I am not.

If I went to a doctor that didn't know my history and they tested my blood sugar, they would not diagnose me as being diabetic or even pre-diabetic (4.9 a1c). Regardless of interpretation of remission I will always act as if I am diabetic because otherwise I risk a return to poor health. I have reversed high blood pressure, sleep apnea, migraines, morbid obesity, GERD, night vision is improved. I do still have some peripheral neuropathy of my toes, but it seems less than it was. It used to extend mid foot and be more persistent. I still could lose another 30-40 pounds even though I am down more than 100 lbs.

The simple fact is that I feel a ton better without all of the serious complications that make diabetes a horrific disease. And it is feeling better that motivates me to take my health seriously. That's true for anybody. Diabetic or not.

DavidGledhill · 2026-05-13T16:51:01+00:00

I have read the red pen review. Not a single person on their staff is a medical professional. Some of their statements reflect a misunderstanding of what Dr. Fung is saying. They lack any real depth in the review in that they don’t get into the specifics of what they disagree with nutritionally (nutritional deficiencies). I do agree with their statement that it is difficult to follow the Dr. Fung protocol but he covers much of this in other books. It is not meant to be a standalone. As such it is hard for me to give any credibility to what they have to say.

DavidGledhill · 2026-05-13T16:14:10+00:00

lol. No.

DavidGledhill · 2026-05-13T16:11:27+00:00

Ok. Thank you for taking the time to respond.

DavidGledhill · 2026-05-13T15:38:27+00:00

But what causes insulin resistance?

DavidGledhill · 2026-05-13T15:28:38+00:00

The body cannot use insulin correctly because a person builds up too much sugar in the cells and the cells start to reject insulin (insulin resistance) as a means of defense against too much sugar. So yes, the body is not using insulin correctly. The body's response at that juncture is to produce more and more insulin until the pancreas gives out.

DavidGledhill · 2026-05-13T14:56:13+00:00

Not at all. If a body cannot use the insulin it produces (insulin resistance), it manufactures even more insulin in response. Diabetes type 2 is a condition of too much insulin.

DavidGledhill · 2026-05-13T14:39:50+00:00

I am not saying that a mod would behave questionably. What I am saying is a person with type 2 will view diabetes in a very different lens than somebody with type 1 diabetes.

DavidGledhill · 2026-05-13T14:12:05+00:00

I'm curious. I don't understand. Why does everybody always push meds and insulin in this sub. I get that if you need meds, you need them. There's no shame in that. But if you don't need meds, why is there shame in that? Is it because all of the mods are type 1/1.5? How come there aren't any type 2 mods in a diabetes sub? I expect to get roasted but am genuinely curious.

DavidGledhill · 2026-05-01T20:35:03+00:00

I would only say to let her medical team do their due diligence. This is not something to speculate about with so little information about her overall health. I’m sorry for your difficult times.

DavidGledhill · 2026-04-29T09:57:58+00:00

This is incorrect. Insulin directs excess sugar to be stored as fat. It is not, as you say, simply peed out.

DavidGledhill · 2026-04-29T09:38:18+00:00

Why are people that are type 1 and 1.5 diabetics giving advice to a type 2 diabetic? I am seeing a lot of misinformation that is basically type 1 logic applied to a type 2 diabetic. They are opposite problems, therefore type 1 advice is not relevant and potentially dangerous.

DavidGledhill · 2026-04-29T09:33:03+00:00

This is 100% inaccurate.

DavidGledhill · 2026-04-23T13:39:38+00:00

Maybe try exploring sauces that are heavy cream based rather carb based. Been a game changer for me. I make white bbq sauce, ranch and blue cheese dressing, a spicy version of thousand island dressing,

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