1. < Diabetes & Endocrine System

Understanding the beginning of diabetes

Posted by dorisena @dorisena, Sep 29, 2019

Today I decided to read some more, and found an article that said if a woman's waist is 31.5 or less, her AIC is 6.2 or less, and her systolic blood pressure is 120, she probably has no worries about getting diabetes. Yes, I read the definition of metabolic syndrome and realize that my BP and waist size helped me get to diabetes, even though I had learned to eat tons of veggies to prevent any problems and solve my hypoglycemia which was basically stress related. Since I can't turn back the clock at age 84, I am now looking for a healthy way to drop ten inches off my waist which probably would end my high BP which my doctor is so concerned about. After both knee replacements and back surgery, the garden work isn't going to do the job anymore. Thirty years ago I dropped 30 pounds on Optifast, the liquid diet on a University program and gained it right back because I had constant stomach pain while I was a size 8. I didn't really want to be a size 8, just thinner and healthier. After that I lost my gall bladder and gave up coffee permanently. I haven't given up on a lifestyle of eating to keep the blood sugar at 105 or so in the morning, and I am successful at eating no sweets. If I diet again I figure I will be awake and hungry in the night as I am sometimes now with the metformin pills. I am thinking it is back to dieting again if I want a smaller waist. The rest of my body looks healthy and I have no swelling in the legs or hands. My feet are ice cold, however. After the Optifast my relatives thought I looked ill and complained and I didn't feel that wonderful, either. I am being more active and spend a little time on core muscle exercises. I told my daughter to have the undertaker split my chosen dress in the back and tuck it around me in case I don't get the ten inches off. At least I am in good humor about it all. Dorisena

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kateia | @kateia | Sep 30, 2019

Dorisena, I would not try any major "fast" weight loss programs as they are hard on you physically and like you said the weight just comes back on. How long has you BP been high? Is it well regulated by your medication? I have a vascular disorder that affects the muscle within my arteries. It is called Fibromuscular Dysplasia. One of the major symptoms is high "hard to regulate" blood pressure. The renal artery walls muscles thicken and caused the blood flow to be less therefore a higher BP. No changes in your waist size will help that. I have FMD mild to moderate in many artery beds. Staying healthy is the only thing I can do and go to the doctor if I have symptoms. I have purchased a DVD from the Grow Young fitness group that works on different parts of your body by using chair exercises. There is one specifically for your core . It is designed for senior citizens. I have not yet opened it but will do so this week and get back to you as to how difficult it is to do. As far as eating goes..have some type of protein at every meal to balance out your carbs and watch your portions. You have been doing so well for so long I really wouldn't worry too much about your waist size. Just for kicks I measured mine and to get down to what you say I'd have to loose 12 inches. I don't think that is going to happen and I'm 63! I was probably 15 years old the last time my waist size was 31.5 Work on staying healthy and feeling well. Get as much exercise that you can. My mother-in-law was in TOPS club for 40 years and it almost killed her. What she did to herself just so she could stay within her goal weight was unbelievable. At age 92 we finally took her scale away as she was still obsessing about her weight. She was really mad. That obsession leads to unneeded stress. At 94 she is in Assisted Living and getting three meals a day and no longer worries about her weight. Again, you have done so well with everything. If you BP is managed well by medication, you should be fine. I'll get back to you about the DVD. You can go to growyoungfitness to read about it. Do not get into their drink supplements. They sent samples with my videos and they taste AWFUL!! Talk to you later.

REPLY
1 reply
coloradogirl | @coloradogirl | Sep 30, 2019

Hi @dorisena. Please talk to your doctor before undertaking a weight loss program. My father-in-law (age 80) lost some weight recently and his doctor explained that they really don't recommend weight loss for people in their 80's because you are more likely to lose muscle than fat, which is problematic. I definitely understand the waist ratio concerns, every woman in my family (including me) have battled that our whole lives. Best wishes to you.

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dorisena | @dorisena | Sep 30, 2019

Thanks for the advice. I remember that an aunt lost weight for her granddaughter's big wedding event and was so mentally and physically low that she couldn't go to the wedding. Shortly after that we visited her in a nursing home and her mind was not good. Yes, I have a muscle wasting problem from the three year recovery after back surgery. I must adjust my goals and go slower now. Dorisena

REPLY
dorisena | @dorisena | Sep 30, 2019
In reply to @kateia "Dorisena, I would not try any major "fast" weight loss programs as they are hard on..." + (show)
@kateia

Dorisena, I would not try any major "fast" weight loss programs as they are hard on you physically and like you said the weight just comes back on. How long has you BP been high? Is it well regulated by your medication? I have a vascular disorder that affects the muscle within my arteries. It is called Fibromuscular Dysplasia. One of the major symptoms is high "hard to regulate" blood pressure. The renal artery walls muscles thicken and caused the blood flow to be less therefore a higher BP. No changes in your waist size will help that. I have FMD mild to moderate in many artery beds. Staying healthy is the only thing I can do and go to the doctor if I have symptoms. I have purchased a DVD from the Grow Young fitness group that works on different parts of your body by using chair exercises. There is one specifically for your core . It is designed for senior citizens. I have not yet opened it but will do so this week and get back to you as to how difficult it is to do. As far as eating goes..have some type of protein at every meal to balance out your carbs and watch your portions. You have been doing so well for so long I really wouldn't worry too much about your waist size. Just for kicks I measured mine and to get down to what you say I'd have to loose 12 inches. I don't think that is going to happen and I'm 63! I was probably 15 years old the last time my waist size was 31.5 Work on staying healthy and feeling well. Get as much exercise that you can. My mother-in-law was in TOPS club for 40 years and it almost killed her. What she did to herself just so she could stay within her goal weight was unbelievable. At age 92 we finally took her scale away as she was still obsessing about her weight. She was really mad. That obsession leads to unneeded stress. At 94 she is in Assisted Living and getting three meals a day and no longer worries about her weight. Again, you have done so well with everything. If you BP is managed well by medication, you should be fine. I'll get back to you about the DVD. You can go to growyoungfitness to read about it. Do not get into their drink supplements. They sent samples with my videos and they taste AWFUL!! Talk to you later.

Jump to this post

I remember when I first read about TOPS that it was too restrictive for hard working people, so I stayed away from it. Amway has some energy drinks that are caffeine. No thanks. I do like to drink Carnation Instant Breakfast for dinner once in a while as the nutrients are similar but it has more milk and less egg whites than Optifast. it was strange that I felt good on Optifast and wasn't hungry. I finally reasoned that the fat loss released much stored estrogen which lifted my spirits and energy. It is not recommended to do more than once in a lifetime. No sense in talking to my thin doctor, however he might send me to the nutritionist again. I have the Mayo Clinic Diet book and I can follow that however my portions are more than they recommend. I have my booking and tickets for Florida in February where I will sit in the sun and knit, and sometimes walk to the mall. The same group of nice people will be there as last year, so it is enjoyable to socialize which I don't have at home in my community in the winter. I fix my own meals and I eat a careful breakfast in the hotel, free.
My father's people were all short and fat and very happy. The women lived into their 90's. My brother and sister are gone. Bad health.
I guess we can keep working on little things and be happy we can still walk, even if it is not far at a time. My mind is excellent. Maybe I should write books and keep my fingers clean at the computer. I once had a mouse bite my bare toe while I was absorbed in typing at the computer. He didn't live long after that. Thanks for the support. Dorisena

REPLY
3 replies
kateia | @kateia | Sep 30, 2019
In reply to @dorisena "I remember when I first read about TOPS that it was too restrictive for hard working..." + (show)
@dorisena

I remember when I first read about TOPS that it was too restrictive for hard working people, so I stayed away from it. Amway has some energy drinks that are caffeine. No thanks. I do like to drink Carnation Instant Breakfast for dinner once in a while as the nutrients are similar but it has more milk and less egg whites than Optifast. it was strange that I felt good on Optifast and wasn't hungry. I finally reasoned that the fat loss released much stored estrogen which lifted my spirits and energy. It is not recommended to do more than once in a lifetime. No sense in talking to my thin doctor, however he might send me to the nutritionist again. I have the Mayo Clinic Diet book and I can follow that however my portions are more than they recommend. I have my booking and tickets for Florida in February where I will sit in the sun and knit, and sometimes walk to the mall. The same group of nice people will be there as last year, so it is enjoyable to socialize which I don't have at home in my community in the winter. I fix my own meals and I eat a careful breakfast in the hotel, free.
My father's people were all short and fat and very happy. The women lived into their 90's. My brother and sister are gone. Bad health.
I guess we can keep working on little things and be happy we can still walk, even if it is not far at a time. My mind is excellent. Maybe I should write books and keep my fingers clean at the computer. I once had a mouse bite my bare toe while I was absorbed in typing at the computer. He didn't live long after that. Thanks for the support. Dorisena

Jump to this post

TOPS club is basically the exchange program diet. It's not restrictive unless you make it that way. That's what my mother-in-law did. She lost too much weight to gain her KOPS status and had to stay within a two pound limit of her goal or she would lose the status. She would hardly eat anything for a couple of days before weigh=ins and then take a laxative the night before. Her being so obsessed with losing that status really made her unhealthy.

REPLY
kateia | @kateia | Sep 30, 2019
In reply to @dorisena "I remember when I first read about TOPS that it was too restrictive for hard working..." + (show)
@dorisena

I remember when I first read about TOPS that it was too restrictive for hard working people, so I stayed away from it. Amway has some energy drinks that are caffeine. No thanks. I do like to drink Carnation Instant Breakfast for dinner once in a while as the nutrients are similar but it has more milk and less egg whites than Optifast. it was strange that I felt good on Optifast and wasn't hungry. I finally reasoned that the fat loss released much stored estrogen which lifted my spirits and energy. It is not recommended to do more than once in a lifetime. No sense in talking to my thin doctor, however he might send me to the nutritionist again. I have the Mayo Clinic Diet book and I can follow that however my portions are more than they recommend. I have my booking and tickets for Florida in February where I will sit in the sun and knit, and sometimes walk to the mall. The same group of nice people will be there as last year, so it is enjoyable to socialize which I don't have at home in my community in the winter. I fix my own meals and I eat a careful breakfast in the hotel, free.
My father's people were all short and fat and very happy. The women lived into their 90's. My brother and sister are gone. Bad health.
I guess we can keep working on little things and be happy we can still walk, even if it is not far at a time. My mind is excellent. Maybe I should write books and keep my fingers clean at the computer. I once had a mouse bite my bare toe while I was absorbed in typing at the computer. He didn't live long after that. Thanks for the support. Dorisena

Jump to this post

Hey, I have a pet rat that I've named "Ben" in my garden shed. I haven't seen him in a couple of days so I think he's "left". I hate mice in the house!! I drink Almond Milk or Coconut Milk as dairy doesn't agree with me. I keep plugging along. Trying to walk every day and trying to get my flower beds and garden ready for winter. I'd sure love to go to Florida all winter. I'm from Iowa so winters are so very cold here!! Have a blessed day!!

REPLY
JK | @contentandwell | Sep 30, 2019
In reply to @dorisena "I remember when I first read about TOPS that it was too restrictive for hard working..." + (show)
@dorisena

I remember when I first read about TOPS that it was too restrictive for hard working people, so I stayed away from it. Amway has some energy drinks that are caffeine. No thanks. I do like to drink Carnation Instant Breakfast for dinner once in a while as the nutrients are similar but it has more milk and less egg whites than Optifast. it was strange that I felt good on Optifast and wasn't hungry. I finally reasoned that the fat loss released much stored estrogen which lifted my spirits and energy. It is not recommended to do more than once in a lifetime. No sense in talking to my thin doctor, however he might send me to the nutritionist again. I have the Mayo Clinic Diet book and I can follow that however my portions are more than they recommend. I have my booking and tickets for Florida in February where I will sit in the sun and knit, and sometimes walk to the mall. The same group of nice people will be there as last year, so it is enjoyable to socialize which I don't have at home in my community in the winter. I fix my own meals and I eat a careful breakfast in the hotel, free.
My father's people were all short and fat and very happy. The women lived into their 90's. My brother and sister are gone. Bad health.
I guess we can keep working on little things and be happy we can still walk, even if it is not far at a time. My mind is excellent. Maybe I should write books and keep my fingers clean at the computer. I once had a mouse bite my bare toe while I was absorbed in typing at the computer. He didn't live long after that. Thanks for the support. Dorisena

Jump to this post

@dorisena I am thinking that you probably live in the colder areas as we do in NH. My husband would love to get out of here in the winter but he won't until we sell this house which is once again at a standstill since I cannot accomplish much while recovering from my fracture. I don't think it will happen this winter, but maybe next? We haven't thought about which warm destination we would consider yet. The advantage of Florida or somewhere south on the Atlantic coast would be that we could have our car there, the drive would probably take a few days. Southern CA is a bit far to drive and his choice would be Hawaii but that is simply too darned expensive.
JK

REPLY
1 reply
dorisena | @dorisena | Sep 30, 2019
In reply to @contentandwell "@dorisena I am thinking that you probably live in the colder areas as we do in..." + (show)
@contentandwell

@dorisena I am thinking that you probably live in the colder areas as we do in NH. My husband would love to get out of here in the winter but he won't until we sell this house which is once again at a standstill since I cannot accomplish much while recovering from my fracture. I don't think it will happen this winter, but maybe next? We haven't thought about which warm destination we would consider yet. The advantage of Florida or somewhere south on the Atlantic coast would be that we could have our car there, the drive would probably take a few days. Southern CA is a bit far to drive and his choice would be Hawaii but that is simply too darned expensive.
JK

Jump to this post

I have always loved living in Ohio where you can have a nice garden but I try to go to Florida for a short while for my health because it is there for us and it wasn't a bad drive in my younger days. Now my daughter insists I fly. I would never want to live there full time and I can tolerate the winters pretty well here if I don't try to drive in bad weather. At this point it is important to be near friends and family and my list is diminishing. Someone dies almost every week so I have to deal with the sense of loss. I am a people person. Dorisena

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