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In my quest to learn everything I can about reversing type 2 diabetes, I’ve come to realize you can’t ignore diabetes tests for your blood sugar. For several years after my first reversal of 2008-2009, I didn’t bother testing because of my attitude of denial. I used to say, “what is the point, I know it’s high anyways.”
Well, we know that’s a poor way of thinking and it’s really being in denial. I’m sure we’d all agree, just because we deny or ignore a situation, it doesn’t mean it isn’t happening. High blood sugars immediately come to my mind.
Let’s start with probably the most common test used, the fasting blood sugar (FBS). This test is typically administered after an 8 hour fast. It is also routinely used to diagnose prediabetes or diabetes. For the patient, it is usually our first test of the day before breakfast.
In a normal (non-diabetic) person, after this length of time, their blood sugar will be at or less than 100 mg /dl or 5.6 mmol/l. Any reading over this level obviously is indicative of a problem, as we know.
For a long time, doing a FBS test on myself first thing in the morning was the one time, I always ensured to administer. My reasoning was and still is that, it tells me how I did overall the previous day.
For example, yesterday my FBS in the morning was 133, which is not too bad all things considered. I made excellent dietary choices all day except for the evening. I went to a birthday party and had a slice of cake. Today, my FBS was 157. With only these morning tests in mind, I now have a baseline and a frame of reference that allows me to determine that the slice of cake is the most likely culprit of the higher reading.
I’ll take this scenario a step further. Hypothetically, what if my FBS on the 2nd morning was 220? And I still had that one slice of cake, which was pretty small. From experience, I know the size would not have done much damage. I now think further back on the previous day. I all of sudden recall snacking on my kid’s popcorn. Not only that, the darn popcorn had caramel. Ugh! I make a mental note to avoid the popcorn altogether the next time.
Although I feel just a little guilty, I now realize I have to be extra good today. I started off the day with a high reading but now I’m motivated and determined to bring it back down. I do just that. Tomorrow morning, my FBS is 129 and I am happy! Not only that, as long as I’m good on this new day, I can presume my glucose reading will be at least slightly better the next day after.
That type of scenario is where I believe the highest value lies with the fasting blood sugar test. It serves as a snapshot for the previous day and a motivator for today. What it doesn’t tell us is how we’re doing over time or how my pancreatic insulin release is reacting to my meals.
These two tests are essentially the same. One, the OGTT or oral glucose tolerance test is usually conducted in a doctor’s office for screening type 2 diabetes. Its administration consists of giving the patient a 75-gram dose of glucose. Glucose levels are then taken at certain intervals or at the end of the two-hour period.
You do the two-hour postprandial test, two hours after starting to eat a meal. This one is simply using your glucose meter to take a reading. As you see, both of these tests consist of waiting two hours. Why are these important?
Well, after two hours of having started a meal, a non-diabetic’s blood sugar level will return to normal, which is 100 mg/dl or 5.6 mmol/l, or under. Their glucose would have peaked somewhere around 125 mg/dl or 6.9 mmol/l. However, there is recent research that I will get into my upcoming post about the A1c test that suggests lowering the two-hour target to 120 mg/dl or 6.7 mmol/l. This makes sense. We all should know by now, that for diabetics, in terms of blood sugar lower is better.I have to admit I’ve not paid too much attention to this test day to day. My main reason for that is as I stated above, I always felt the fasting blood sugar test was the most indicative of how good or bad overall my blood sugar control is on a day to day basis. Well, I believe that still to be true but after further research, I now know type 2 diabetics have bigger fish to fry as they say.
By the way, you do know that of the three macronutrients, carbs, protein and fats; carbohydrates (except fiber) ALL break down into glucose in the blood? Right?
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