AskSN: Curious if Anyone Had Advice on Lowering Glucose and Cholesterol Levels \ stacker news ~AskSN

AskSN: Curious if Anyone Had Advice on Lowering Glucose and Cholesterol Levels

373 sats \ 28 comments \ @Cje95 30 Oct AskSN

This last week when I was back at home to address my health I did the standard blood work and while for the most part everything was in good shape there were a few issues. Over the last couple of years my glucose levels have been trending upward and now they are at the point where that combined with my family history and weight puts me pretty close to the whole prediabetic issue.

So my Doctor asked me to look at two drugs, Wegovy and Zepbound, to address this issue. I do not eat a ton of trash food and try to create/maintain a pretty healthy diet overall. Does anyone have any tricks or tips on ideas to try because these meds are ya know lifelong and I am not a huge fan of that or any experience with either of these drugs?

I wouldn't mind the weight loss and I am stressed and stress eating at the moment because of my job and the elections coming up but I really would like to avoid having to take another medication forever. I have enough of those as it!

Thanks in Advance!

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20 sats \ 4 replies \ @Malachi17 30 Oct

Cut out pure sugar as much as possible and probably also carbs as much as possible since they turn into sugar.

10 sats \ 3 replies \ @Cje95 OP 30 Oct

Carbs are by far the biggest crutch I have.... I love pasta so much lol

10 sats \ 2 replies \ @Malachi17 30 Oct

Yep, I understand. Some years ago there was a book called "wheat belly". It has to do with how carbs are processed. I think the grain has been adulterated in various ways which make the problem worse now. I will say that after awhile, you don't miss the carbs as much as if you feel better, you rather enjoy that state.

20 sats \ 0 replies \ @0371279ce5 30 Oct

Glyphosate, herbicides, and pesticides are a big problem with the wheat in the United States. Carbs, specifically, aren't the issue, although starches can be more obesity-promoting.

10 sats \ 0 replies \ @Cje95 OP 30 Oct

Yeah and I feel like I eat more pasta than I probably think so say I just cut it in half it should make a pretty significant difference. Years ago I was a big-time long-distance runner and did the carb loads and stuff so I think also making a bigger effort into getting back into running shape will help significantly. I already walk roughly 10k steps a day but getting running in would def help as well.

20 sats \ 8 replies \ @fm 30 Oct

Chesmist here, not a doctor. Dont take that unless you have no more options.. There is a long list of foods ( have to be the real food though) that lowers glucose levels in your blood. Go for the healthy diet before put any of those in your body. See the list on the interwebs and center in adding some of those in your diet before you take any more chemicals. And if the goal is to loose wheigth, taking meth would be more healthy than take semaglutide.

5 sats \ 7 replies \ @Cje95 OP 30 Oct

Thank you for the insight! Yeah I really do not want to go on them but since the numbers have been trending up the last few years now and the family history both the doc and I want to avoid diabetes if I can!

I will dive deeper into foods to eat for sure I try to avoid junk food and eating out for the most part since that is an easy thing to address. Lol the meth comment brought me a good laugh cause you are right! Hopefully, I can change my diet though, and avoid this whole issue!

120 sats \ 6 replies \ @fm 30 Oct

Some are as simple as:

Broccoli. Seafood. Pumpkin. Nuts. Okra. Flaxseed. Beans. Fermented foods.

You just have to try to fit some in your diet..

The meth, despite being kind of a joke, i believe would be less harmful in rigth amounts rather than what semaglutide is doing to intestines.. Big pharma is now finding amazing secondary effects of this new wonder drug, but most is pushing the profit agenda..

If you have no other chance, then sumaglutide it is.. But try your best before go into this life long life crippling drugs.

I heard a joke a couple days ago that would fit this example.. It was someone saying doing this is like taking Chemo just to avoid going to the barber.. It would fit in the semanglutide narrative. better to start with real foods before

21 sats \ 0 replies \ @Cje95 OP 30 Oct

OMG THAT IS GREAT!!!!! I will for sure look into those and figuring out how to add them in and see how it goes. I think one of the biggest things at least for me is the mental aspect of it but I feel like I should be good and able to pull it off!

11 sats \ 4 replies \ @Ice9 30 Oct

100% agree with @fm

Eat good food, cut back on animal products if cholesterol is an issue, get in some aerobic activity. Doesn't have to be a massive change to make a huge difference.

20 sats \ 3 replies \ @fm 30 Oct

Oh.. Cholesterol is another rabbit whole.. Same as Salt.. Big Pharma Is attacking Cholesterol and Salt despite both being SUPER inportant for brain fuction.. No cholesterol way less synapses on the brain..

Seams like they love to dumb us down..

0 sats \ 2 replies \ @Cje95 OP 30 Oct

Yeah I have dysautonomia and salt is so critical but they make it seem so bad. I mean after all electrolytes are salty after all!

0 sats \ 1 reply \ @fm 30 Oct

I heard CBD is a good complement to aliviate the dysautonomia.. You can look into it if you havent tried yet

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Cje95 OP 30 Oct

Fun fact I am allergic which tbh didn't even think was possible but when you are allergic to grasses and most flowering plants even CBD got me lol

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10 sats \ 4 replies \ @0371279ce5 30 Oct

There are many different "tools" one can use to accomplish this.

Some people have tried a carnivore diet with success, but sometimes long-term adherence may cause paradoxical reactions (myself, included). Carnivore seems to work by directly inhibiting insulin response and reduction of linoleic acid (see below), but with ratio of protein:fat that's too high, metabolism can slow due to 1) lack of energy, 2) too much reliance on gluconeogenesis, and 3) high protein's direct effect on slowing metabolism because of the amount of thyroid hormone required to process it - in addition to the fact that most people are undiagnosed hypothyroid anyway if looking at classic signs as opposed to blood markers.

Lowering protein and increasing energy intake (moreso if carbs/fats are separated as to not activate the Randle Cycle) can help to speed up metabolic rate. High sugars and low protein are both known to increase FGF21 which increases metabolic rate. This is part of your "calorie out" for those that obsess over CICO.

PUFA, particularly oxidized linoleic acid, has been known for DECADES to directly cause diabetes, and yet, we promote it for its "cholesterol lowering benefits". These are especially high in all vegetable/seed oils, even olive oil (because most are spiked anyway). If you pull something off the shelf at your local grocery and it has any fat in it at all, it will be nearly guaranteed to be fat from a vegetable/seed oil. Pork and chicken fat are even worse than those oils because they contain higher percentages of linoleic acid. Sugars are not the cause of diabetes. Look at the fruitarians - although unhealthy in the long-term, they don't have diabetes. The cause is that something (PUFA, especially) is blocking your body's ability to utilize it, hence why it continues to elevate.

This is actually a very interesting and informative read with regard to the Randle Cycle (macronutrient swampland, as she calls it). You will also see an amazing diet of essentially pure carbohydrates that has been known to work very well for over 100 years. Somehow, this knowledge has been "lost".

If you fix your metabolism, you will fix your glucose issues. I would recommend not stressing about cholesterol or what your doctor may say. Ultimately, everything is your decisions, not theirs.

The links inside here also have some interesting "diets" you could try until you learn more about metabolism.

0 sats \ 3 replies \ @Cje95 OP 30 Oct

Lol I am a person on Synthroid! Thats been a while ago now and it occurred when I was rapidly gaining and losing weight suddenly even though I was going on 3-mile or longer runs every other day. Ever since my thyroid went sideways my metabolism has definitely slowed down. I remember something about spicy food or well food with spices on it helping speed up metabolism. My mom is from Chicago so her "spicy" food was not spicy at all!

This is super helpful! I've bookmarked this so that I don't lose it! Recently I have seen more and more stuff about really all the oils except for olive and how they are just brutal for our system.

10 sats \ 2 replies \ @0371279ce5 30 Oct

Synthroid does not work for 99% of people. Synthroid is T4 (inactive thyroid hormone) and if you're already hypothyroid, you won't be able to convert much, if any of that T4 to T3 (active hormone). Personally, I take dessicated thyroid (over the counter) because it contains both and usually also has some T2 and calcitonin. I've also seen people order T3 from Mexico or elsewhere once they understand how to titrate it. Rarely will a doctor prescribe T3, but it never hurts to try. In the last 7-8 years, I've only seen someone prescribed something other than Synthroid a total of 2 times. One of those patients told me she had to fight her doctor to get it prescribed because she "did her own research" and guess what... it helped when Synthroid didn't.

Just FYI, long runs cause large spikes in cortisol and catecholamines which are also known to contribute to diabetes and muscle loss (muscle contributes positively to metabolic rate). I would suggest switching to a few all-out sprints, 2-3x/week instead. Your metabolism and body composition will thank you.

Here is an interesting read on thyroid.

0 sats \ 1 reply \ @Cje95 OP 30 Oct

So Synthroid was actually the last thing we tried! We did the compounds, generics, etc. and nothing was working until Synthroid. My levels were good T3 was right where we wanted it T4 was within range as well. My complaint is that my boujee ass body of course "requires" that I take the name brand!

Synthroid was actually what led me to realize the issues people can have with generics and different manufacturers etc. I had never thought of that before but its a big deal esp as someone who is on seizure meds.

Ahh so high-intensity interval training cardio would be better? I am a weird person who loves cardio and running but willing to move into whatever will help me not take any more drugs!

Bookmarked this comment as well for that article!

10 sats \ 0 replies \ @0371279ce5 30 Oct

I'd be interested to know if they tried you on liothyronine (Cytomel/NP Thyroid) or Armour Thyroid. Blood TSH, T4, or T3 are not always a good measure of thyroid function.

Maybe this isn't your case, but many people who take Synthroid just end up feeling hot, becoming heat intolerant, and/or losing weight without a real increase in energy.

Seizures are often related to metabolism as well. It is theorized that the brain's ability to use glucose for fuel has been compromised, much like what is happening with diabetes.

Yes, occasional high-intensity running will often give many more benefits without the negatives of long-distance.

And don't forget sunlight. Super underutilized.

5 sats \ 8 replies \ @DesertDave 30 Oct

Fasting

11 sats \ 1 reply \ @fm 30 Oct

indeed a good way to teach your body to reduce glucose levels

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @DesertDave 30 Oct

It's how we equalize and reset it all. I don't know the science. I just know my experience.

11 sats \ 5 replies \ @Cje95 OP 30 Oct

So this seems kinda dumb but how does that work exactly? I mean I get no eating for X amount of time but the rest of it?

10 sats \ 4 replies \ @DesertDave 30 Oct

Maybe it is dumb. I might be dumb in fact.

In my experience, Your body heals best when it isn't digesting. Less is more. We tend to think about things in terms of science and what can I add to fix a problem. When are empty, we can begin to feel out body and make better decisions about what works for us. Doctors don't know. Neither do I. Only you know. But knowing is feeling when it comes to the body. Most of us haven't given it a chance to communicate with us directly. We instead, follow some fad diet or listen to the trends. All can be resolved with fasting and meditation. It's super simple. Too simple. I know it isn't what a doctor will say. And many will disagree.

0 sats \ 3 replies \ @Cje95 OP 30 Oct

I meant like how do you do it! I have heard of people doing fasting but I have no idea like what you do or prepare or what you do after!

10 sats \ 2 replies \ @DesertDave 30 Oct

However you feel. Intermittent fasting is easier to get into and I think it is a great habit to cultivate. Reduce your daily eating window down less and less. Maybe start with 12 hours on and off. Then reduce the eating window down to 10 hours. Then eventually you can do one meal a day if that feels right. It's important not to eat or consume drinks with calories outside that window or it throws it off.

As far as longer fasts go, Fasting for a full 24 hours might be challenging but it's a good challenging. then next time maybe you can do 48 hours. Maybe one day a week, you take off from consuming foods. I wouldn't go straight into a 7 day fast. Let your body and mind adjust. Eventually we can enjoy the feeling of being empty. But if we haven't don't it before, it's super challenging.

When we break a fast, we will find that we don't crave things the same way anymore. We will automatically make better decisions. It takes a lot of time to recalibrate and balance our systems out. And everyone is different. Only you can feel what is best for you.

I am not great at communicating the science of it all. But I feel like it's a great tool to restore health. There are a lot of great resources on YouTube.

This guy has a lot of great content that does a good job connecting the science to the more spiritual aspects of it.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsvzzDDTlXDqiakPiM9GqJw

11 sats \ 1 reply \ @Cje95 OP 30 Oct

Thank You!!!!

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @DesertDave 30 Oct

It feels good that you can take something away from my experience. Its my passion to help others heal. And it's challenging because the way I see contradicts western medicine.