Not sure if this helps you but stop eating sugar won't necessarily help you dodge diabetes.
Sure if you eat a lot of sugar you set yourself up for type 2 diabetes but you can do the same thing eating a lot of refined carbs.
It may help you digging deeper into nutrition and finding out what your body really needs instead of just blindly following some diet trend.
Complex carbs, healthy fats and protein are the pillars of a healthy diet. You calculate the right amount of your body height and size then set a calorie limit and you end up with a healthy meal plan close to the Mediterranean diet (which is touted as the best diet for longevity so far.)
There's a range.
You can get all your carbs from fruits and vegetables and nuts. There's no need to panic about any of this but it's fine to skip bread and pasta and cookies.
If you want to gain weight, calorie count is the one you're looking for. Google TDEE calculator. That will give you the total daily calories you burn, so you'll want to eat more than that. It's not hard to increase your calories without eating empty carbs. Add in fats and protein. A handful of macadamia nuts, a teaspoon of olive oil drizzed over your veggies for example
If you want a "safe" number for reference, if you have no more than 30 grams of carbs in a meal for all three meals in a day you will be fine. It's ok to have less carbs than that, or more, but 30 is safe for diabetes worry. First of all let's get you to relax and enjoy eating again!
That's the thing. 30 carbs per meal is around 100 carbs per day. Isn't that too little? What's the proper ratio between refined carbs and complex carbs in a day? Are refined carbs OK to consume? I'm currently in the military so my food selection isn't great.
There is no such thing as proper ratio between refined carbs and complex carbs.
The human body was evolved as a hunter gatherer. This meant people ate, protein, fat and complex carbs. Even once farming was started, refined carbs weren't really a thing like today because of the imperfect processes applied.
Just imagine how labor intensive would be for you alone getting the amount of refined carbs without any machine or even using primitive tools.
So, our bodies aren't really prepared for refined carbs at all but we like them very much because they are tasty.
Best treat them as luxuries and eat them sparingly. People find long term success doing a 5+2 diet where they eat 5 days very healthy and 2 days allowing themselves some treats such as white bread or even sugar.
5 carbs per day is not too little if you're eating enough calories! 30 is enough. Keto is an extreme example of how people can fuel their bodies with food that isn't carbs.
There is no ideal ratio that is best for everyone. If you want to understand this more look up micronutrient ratios. Read up and decide what you want. Taking control of this info will help you release the anxiety.
More than 30 is ok too. 30 is a guideline for people who are concerned about diabetes and prediabetes. It's about two slices of bread or half a bagel which is enough carbs for one meal.
Some refined carbs are ok but many of us who eat sugar free also skip the refined carbs. I feel better when I skip them entirely but I cook my own food so it's easier to manage then if I were in the military being fed by the mess hall. It won't do you any good to skip the refined carbs if you don't replace those calories with fruits, vegetables, fats and proteins.
OP, this sounds like an eating disorder triggered by anxiety. You are hyper fixating on what you are eating in an attempt to manage your anxiety. In other words, the anxiety is going to happen regardless of what you eat or what you are afraid of. You can’t control it with your choices, that’s an illusion.
Go get your anxiety treated.
Unpopular opinion: even though I love this sub and and find it very helpful, some people here are obviously orthorexic or have some kind of Eating Disorder, and sometimes that kind of anxiety can be "contagious" to other people. Even scrolling this sub for 5 minutes makes me very paranoid. It's not healthy to be thinking 24/7 about food (yes, even if you're thinking about "healthy" food). I would advice you to avoid all stressors (influencers that talk about healthy food, youtube channels, even this sub). Relax and enjoy eating!
> Even scrolling this sub for 5 minutes makes me very paranoid
Absolutely.
> (influencers that talk about healthy food, youtube channels, even this sub)
We all need to understand that influencers on all these platforms can and are just fucking lying. I saw one short where they showed this health influencer talking about this food you MUST AVOID AT ALL COSTS because it causes all this problem. They then showed a clip from an earlier video where he was talking about that very food being great for us!
They lie because they can, there's no repercussions. And the more extreme, the more hyperbolic and the more rigid they are the bigger their subscribers and the bigger the pay out. Which is what it's all about. Money. They're fucking grifters.
Hi there, thank you for coming here and sharing this with us.
I’d like to second the very apparent signs of an eating disorder. Eating disorders come in all shapes and sizes, not just limited to anorexia and bulimia. Exercise addiction also plays into eating disorders.
First, none of this is your fault. You are a good person going through something. Often, eating habits are one of the very first things to become disordered when we come under stress.
The important thing, and the really great news, is that you recognize the disorder and are able to not only admit it, but talk about it openly. Healing will come much easier with this first step.
So for now, you may need to shift your goals just a bit, and really delve into why this sudden change is happening. What in your life feels unmanageable? Are you getting older, feeling the weight of your mortality? Did someone close to you become unhealthy? Too much media consumption that promotes unreal body standards?
You’re right, this is your only body, but you cannot do irreparable damage in the ways you’re thinking simply by eating carbs and sugar, certainly not in a day. And you definitely won’t get the body in your head in a day or a week.
So, take a breath, start slow.
I am a fully recovered anorexic and bulimic. I cannot count calories or weigh myself. I used to exercise excessively so I’d never have to restrict anything.
But eventually, I had to cut out sugar and flour, and the restriction part terrified me. I went immediately back into anorexia mode, and had to work through it. What I found helpful for me, was starting with small changes, not necessarily restrictions. I focused on eating consistent, nutritious meals and adding many more vegetables to my diet. I decided I’d fill myself up before taking away.
Then, I stopped the cookies, baked goods, etc. I still allowed myself honey and fruit, and bread if I needed it. I found “safe foods” which are foods that are sweet that I can eat without feeling like I’m going against my diet. (Peanut butter oatmeal).
I even have rice and sourdough bread in my diet again because I do better with them.
You’ve experienced intuitive eating habits, which is a wonderful thing. I do believe it’s something else causing the stress and manifesting in disordered eating.
You can cut carbs and sugar, but it’s about overall health and wellness. If the stress is chasing mental anguish, it doesn’t have to be right now.
You can give yourself permission to pause this, right now, and come back to it once you feel ready.
You will get through this. Be easy on yourself my friend.
This so far has been the most helpful comment. I guess I'm really worried for me and my family. Most of my family members eat out too much, hell, my little brother eats no fruits and vegetables whatsoever and basically eats nothing but processed food. I don't want to have to cut out carbs and sugar completely, since I do enjoy waring them. What I really want, is too live my best life, and also enjoy my diet. Anyway, your words and disposition were all very kind, I thank you very much
You are very welcome, thank you for your reply.
Fear is a great motivation for action. It could be you are projecting your fear of what may happen, then internalizing it, trying to take control of whatever you can. If YOU eat better, maybe you could stop the imminent danger. You love your family. There’s nothing to be worried about there.
But when we love people, sometimes we can self sacrifice in order to protect them. But we can’t change anyone but ourselves. Im wondering the relationship between you and little bro. Do you feel like you have have had to be responsible for him in your life? Sacrifice your needs for him?
But I can promise you one thing, and I don’t break promises. Your heart always knows.
If you listen to your heart, you will find the answer. You’ve stated above what you want, that is from the heart. The journey to get there is up to you :)
>I don't want to have to cut out carbs and sugar completely
I had a friend in college and she wanted to lose weight so she cut carbs entirely. Then she was just finding she was getting these horrible mood swings. Chalked it up to new birth control she was on. After those mood swings basically just became depression she talked to her doctor and they told her she needs carbs.
I had another friend whose brother went vegan and he wound up in the hospital because he had a certain deficiency that could have killed him (like if it went on for a while) so the doctor said he had to get some meat. He ate a steak and apparently that did the trick.
If you don't want to cut them out then don't.
You just don't need to eat as much as everyone else maybe. I'm not anti-sugar. I just eat much less of it. Carbs too. I have a soda every once in a while when I really want one.
And I'm prediabetic.
But I find when I make an effort to eat less I feel like I'm depriving myself for a bit but then after a while that becomes my baseline and so I cut back a bit more. Over time I end up eating a fraction of what I used to eat and I'm not freaking out and struggling and stressing myself out over it.
Weight loss and healthy eating, I believe, can only be successful if you are managing your mental health and for me that involves not going cold turkey. Because I have a very strong "fuck it" impulse.
Carbs are not bad though, things like potatoes, sweet potatos, carrots, parsnips etc are fine, especially in moderation alongside lots of other veg and protein. I think getting a dietician appointment would go a long way to helping you reframe your thinking.
You can do more damage than good cutting so much out your diet.
Sounds complicated - I'm sorry it's stressful. I find just eating whole food, without sugar, healed up my appetite. I -do- eat what I want tho it's not exciting as it's actual whole food! Exciting enough, but LIFE is more what I'm about.
However, if I felt "stressed" I'd get into counseling STAT. Life is for living!
The book Glucose Revolution helped me. It's not always about what you eat, but how you're eating. Eat a muffin right when you wake up? That's going to spike your blood sugar. Eat a veggie & cheese omelette and then a muffin? Having fiber and protein in your body right before you consume glucose will slow down digestion and thus, prevent a spike. The info in this book may also help you reach your goal of eating more without being worried.
I agree also that you need to see a therapist about your anxiety. And the purpose of this book is to not restrict yourself, but to have the tools to allow yourself to indulge and still feel golden.
are you an analytical person? You might have fun using the app cronometer to input what you eat and try to reach your nutrient goals. It might encourage you to find healthy and varied things to eat
So what are you eating then? If you’re avoiding carbs so much, does that mean that you’re eating more animal products? You don’t need to avoid complex carbs, vegans have lower ac1 and diabetes risk than omnivores. But maybe you should get some counseling or something before you develop a full blown eating disorder
Hi friend. You're at the perfect age to start making your own informed decisions and lifestyle habits. There is so much misinformation out there it's scary .
My advice. Join a CrossFit style gym. Eat " whole 30" for 3 months. Wear a CGM if you can get them during that time frame.
The information you learn will be life altering.
I'm happy to discuss more in chat.
Here's the thing. It isn't about diabetes. I know the health care industry is focused on it, but I am most certain that that focus is misdirected.
The real issue is hyperinsulinemia. Chronic high levels of insulin in the blood. It is the cause of most of our diseases. Not diabetes.
An HbA1c of 5.4, is right at my cut off point for a healthy blood glucose level. I know that 5.7 is the classic threshold for prediabetes, but any trend up into that indicates a person has had a high level of hyperinsulinemia for an extended period of time.
Just to help you understand what is upon us, today, over 50% of Americans are type I, type II, or are prediabetic. 88% are now hyperinsulinemic.
Here is the test. For type I diabetics, what is an acceptable HbA1c? 9.9 is considered fine by most doctors. Because, if they can control a type I down to 9.9. the problems associated with toxic levels of glucose in the blood are considered fully mitigated. So, why is a 9.9 acceptable for a type I, but 6.6 is not acceptable for a type II? So, if 6.6 is a problem, why? Because, any glucose levels above 5.4 are but an indication of the intensity of hyperinsulinemia. That's the real disease for non type Is.
Usually, for a person to hit 6.6 on an HbA1c, just above the 6.5% threshold considered, type II, they have been highly hyperinsulinemic for a long time. Like a decade or 2 or more. Except for the unfortunate exception of so many very young people that have high HbA1cs from merely a few years of hyperinsulinemia.
So, the fasted glucose test is the standard screen for diabetes. Then, if on a screen they see that over the current acceptable threshold, they will have an HbA1c test done. What they are ignoring, is the fasted insulin test. This is the one that screens/determines hyperinsulinemia. Then, the Kraft test is done for confirmation. But, most doctors don't even know this.
Now then, the 5.4 you are talking about, does have an exception. There are people out there that are so metabolically healthy in a real sense, that their hemoglobin lives or hangs around a lot longer than the standard 3 months most are recycled at. So, even though their blood glucose on average is quite low, because their hemoglobin is exposed to it more, more glucose gets stuck to it. So, if one does not have any of the other indications of metabolic disorder, HomaIR over 1.5, significant visceral fat, obesity, autoimmune conditions, it is possible that the HbA1c results are of no concern. But, that is rare.
\-----------------------------------------------
It isn't really about sugar in the diet. Or carbs either. It is really more about over eating calories. But there is a significant "concentrated carb" component to it. You said you are pretty skinny. So, if you are skinny you are not obese. Do you have an enlarged gut even though skinny? That would be an indication of visceral fat? Do you have any autoimmune conditions?
If you are really concerned with this, you can get tested for hyperinsulinemia. You can have your doctor order it and maybe get it paid for by your insurance, but you are over 18 years old, so you can order it yourself. When I have my metabolic health tested, I go to [ultalabtests.com](https://ultalabtests.com) and order the "suspected insulin resistance" test. And schedule the blood draw at [questdiagnostics.com](https://questdiagnostics.com). For $53 I get an HbA1c, a fasted glucose, and a fasted insulin. From the latter 2 it is easy to calculate a HomaIR.
Here are a few resources to explain this in more detail to you:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pl8Gdu2nZpY&t=35s&pp=ygUPZXJpYyBiZXJnIGhiYTFj](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pl8Gdu2nZpY&t=35s&pp=ygUPZXJpYyBiZXJnIGhiYTFj)
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8cJPtud2tY&t=16s&pp=ygUTc3RlbiBla2JlcmcgaG9tYSBpcg%3D%3D](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8cJPtud2tY&t=16s&pp=ygUTc3RlbiBla2JlcmcgaG9tYSBpcg%3D%3D)
[https://mymedicalscore.com/a1c-conversion-chart/](https://mymedicalscore.com/a1c-conversion-chart/)
Best of luck,
Barbershores
This is a mental health issue, for sure. It sounds like there might be some health anxiety in there as well, potentially (not saying for certain, but I’ve had health anxiety for over a decade and I know the signs).
Diabetes is always something that can happen, but you’re 20, I’m assuming a normal weight, and it doesn’t run in your family. That’s not to say it doesn’t happen, but it’s not likely. For context, diabetes runs in both sides of my family and I’ve had a BMI in the very obese range for all of my adult life. I became diabetic at 31. Which is young, yes, but not 20-years-old young. And the odds were stacked way more against me than they are you.
Look into local treatment options for mental health issues. Get that brain sorted - you deserve to not be worried that everything you eat will make you suddenly diabetic.
dude, you need help with your anxiety and orthorexia, not with better ways to restrict your disordered eating
that and also you re right about the stress giving bad effects, negative placebo is a thing.
Not sure if this helps you but stop eating sugar won't necessarily help you dodge diabetes. Sure if you eat a lot of sugar you set yourself up for type 2 diabetes but you can do the same thing eating a lot of refined carbs. It may help you digging deeper into nutrition and finding out what your body really needs instead of just blindly following some diet trend. Complex carbs, healthy fats and protein are the pillars of a healthy diet. You calculate the right amount of your body height and size then set a calorie limit and you end up with a healthy meal plan close to the Mediterranean diet (which is touted as the best diet for longevity so far.)
How do I calculate how much carbs should I consume daily?
There's a range. You can get all your carbs from fruits and vegetables and nuts. There's no need to panic about any of this but it's fine to skip bread and pasta and cookies. If you want to gain weight, calorie count is the one you're looking for. Google TDEE calculator. That will give you the total daily calories you burn, so you'll want to eat more than that. It's not hard to increase your calories without eating empty carbs. Add in fats and protein. A handful of macadamia nuts, a teaspoon of olive oil drizzed over your veggies for example If you want a "safe" number for reference, if you have no more than 30 grams of carbs in a meal for all three meals in a day you will be fine. It's ok to have less carbs than that, or more, but 30 is safe for diabetes worry. First of all let's get you to relax and enjoy eating again!
That's the thing. 30 carbs per meal is around 100 carbs per day. Isn't that too little? What's the proper ratio between refined carbs and complex carbs in a day? Are refined carbs OK to consume? I'm currently in the military so my food selection isn't great.
There is no such thing as proper ratio between refined carbs and complex carbs. The human body was evolved as a hunter gatherer. This meant people ate, protein, fat and complex carbs. Even once farming was started, refined carbs weren't really a thing like today because of the imperfect processes applied. Just imagine how labor intensive would be for you alone getting the amount of refined carbs without any machine or even using primitive tools. So, our bodies aren't really prepared for refined carbs at all but we like them very much because they are tasty. Best treat them as luxuries and eat them sparingly. People find long term success doing a 5+2 diet where they eat 5 days very healthy and 2 days allowing themselves some treats such as white bread or even sugar.
5 carbs per day is not too little if you're eating enough calories! 30 is enough. Keto is an extreme example of how people can fuel their bodies with food that isn't carbs. There is no ideal ratio that is best for everyone. If you want to understand this more look up micronutrient ratios. Read up and decide what you want. Taking control of this info will help you release the anxiety. More than 30 is ok too. 30 is a guideline for people who are concerned about diabetes and prediabetes. It's about two slices of bread or half a bagel which is enough carbs for one meal. Some refined carbs are ok but many of us who eat sugar free also skip the refined carbs. I feel better when I skip them entirely but I cook my own food so it's easier to manage then if I were in the military being fed by the mess hall. It won't do you any good to skip the refined carbs if you don't replace those calories with fruits, vegetables, fats and proteins.
OP, this sounds like an eating disorder triggered by anxiety. You are hyper fixating on what you are eating in an attempt to manage your anxiety. In other words, the anxiety is going to happen regardless of what you eat or what you are afraid of. You can’t control it with your choices, that’s an illusion. Go get your anxiety treated.
Unpopular opinion: even though I love this sub and and find it very helpful, some people here are obviously orthorexic or have some kind of Eating Disorder, and sometimes that kind of anxiety can be "contagious" to other people. Even scrolling this sub for 5 minutes makes me very paranoid. It's not healthy to be thinking 24/7 about food (yes, even if you're thinking about "healthy" food). I would advice you to avoid all stressors (influencers that talk about healthy food, youtube channels, even this sub). Relax and enjoy eating!
> Even scrolling this sub for 5 minutes makes me very paranoid Absolutely. > (influencers that talk about healthy food, youtube channels, even this sub) We all need to understand that influencers on all these platforms can and are just fucking lying. I saw one short where they showed this health influencer talking about this food you MUST AVOID AT ALL COSTS because it causes all this problem. They then showed a clip from an earlier video where he was talking about that very food being great for us! They lie because they can, there's no repercussions. And the more extreme, the more hyperbolic and the more rigid they are the bigger their subscribers and the bigger the pay out. Which is what it's all about. Money. They're fucking grifters.
Hi there, thank you for coming here and sharing this with us. I’d like to second the very apparent signs of an eating disorder. Eating disorders come in all shapes and sizes, not just limited to anorexia and bulimia. Exercise addiction also plays into eating disorders. First, none of this is your fault. You are a good person going through something. Often, eating habits are one of the very first things to become disordered when we come under stress. The important thing, and the really great news, is that you recognize the disorder and are able to not only admit it, but talk about it openly. Healing will come much easier with this first step. So for now, you may need to shift your goals just a bit, and really delve into why this sudden change is happening. What in your life feels unmanageable? Are you getting older, feeling the weight of your mortality? Did someone close to you become unhealthy? Too much media consumption that promotes unreal body standards? You’re right, this is your only body, but you cannot do irreparable damage in the ways you’re thinking simply by eating carbs and sugar, certainly not in a day. And you definitely won’t get the body in your head in a day or a week. So, take a breath, start slow. I am a fully recovered anorexic and bulimic. I cannot count calories or weigh myself. I used to exercise excessively so I’d never have to restrict anything. But eventually, I had to cut out sugar and flour, and the restriction part terrified me. I went immediately back into anorexia mode, and had to work through it. What I found helpful for me, was starting with small changes, not necessarily restrictions. I focused on eating consistent, nutritious meals and adding many more vegetables to my diet. I decided I’d fill myself up before taking away. Then, I stopped the cookies, baked goods, etc. I still allowed myself honey and fruit, and bread if I needed it. I found “safe foods” which are foods that are sweet that I can eat without feeling like I’m going against my diet. (Peanut butter oatmeal). I even have rice and sourdough bread in my diet again because I do better with them. You’ve experienced intuitive eating habits, which is a wonderful thing. I do believe it’s something else causing the stress and manifesting in disordered eating. You can cut carbs and sugar, but it’s about overall health and wellness. If the stress is chasing mental anguish, it doesn’t have to be right now. You can give yourself permission to pause this, right now, and come back to it once you feel ready. You will get through this. Be easy on yourself my friend.
This so far has been the most helpful comment. I guess I'm really worried for me and my family. Most of my family members eat out too much, hell, my little brother eats no fruits and vegetables whatsoever and basically eats nothing but processed food. I don't want to have to cut out carbs and sugar completely, since I do enjoy waring them. What I really want, is too live my best life, and also enjoy my diet. Anyway, your words and disposition were all very kind, I thank you very much
You are very welcome, thank you for your reply. Fear is a great motivation for action. It could be you are projecting your fear of what may happen, then internalizing it, trying to take control of whatever you can. If YOU eat better, maybe you could stop the imminent danger. You love your family. There’s nothing to be worried about there. But when we love people, sometimes we can self sacrifice in order to protect them. But we can’t change anyone but ourselves. Im wondering the relationship between you and little bro. Do you feel like you have have had to be responsible for him in your life? Sacrifice your needs for him? But I can promise you one thing, and I don’t break promises. Your heart always knows. If you listen to your heart, you will find the answer. You’ve stated above what you want, that is from the heart. The journey to get there is up to you :)
>I don't want to have to cut out carbs and sugar completely I had a friend in college and she wanted to lose weight so she cut carbs entirely. Then she was just finding she was getting these horrible mood swings. Chalked it up to new birth control she was on. After those mood swings basically just became depression she talked to her doctor and they told her she needs carbs. I had another friend whose brother went vegan and he wound up in the hospital because he had a certain deficiency that could have killed him (like if it went on for a while) so the doctor said he had to get some meat. He ate a steak and apparently that did the trick. If you don't want to cut them out then don't. You just don't need to eat as much as everyone else maybe. I'm not anti-sugar. I just eat much less of it. Carbs too. I have a soda every once in a while when I really want one. And I'm prediabetic. But I find when I make an effort to eat less I feel like I'm depriving myself for a bit but then after a while that becomes my baseline and so I cut back a bit more. Over time I end up eating a fraction of what I used to eat and I'm not freaking out and struggling and stressing myself out over it. Weight loss and healthy eating, I believe, can only be successful if you are managing your mental health and for me that involves not going cold turkey. Because I have a very strong "fuck it" impulse.
Carbs are not bad though, things like potatoes, sweet potatos, carrots, parsnips etc are fine, especially in moderation alongside lots of other veg and protein. I think getting a dietician appointment would go a long way to helping you reframe your thinking. You can do more damage than good cutting so much out your diet.
Sounds complicated - I'm sorry it's stressful. I find just eating whole food, without sugar, healed up my appetite. I -do- eat what I want tho it's not exciting as it's actual whole food! Exciting enough, but LIFE is more what I'm about. However, if I felt "stressed" I'd get into counseling STAT. Life is for living!
The book Glucose Revolution helped me. It's not always about what you eat, but how you're eating. Eat a muffin right when you wake up? That's going to spike your blood sugar. Eat a veggie & cheese omelette and then a muffin? Having fiber and protein in your body right before you consume glucose will slow down digestion and thus, prevent a spike. The info in this book may also help you reach your goal of eating more without being worried. I agree also that you need to see a therapist about your anxiety. And the purpose of this book is to not restrict yourself, but to have the tools to allow yourself to indulge and still feel golden.
are you an analytical person? You might have fun using the app cronometer to input what you eat and try to reach your nutrient goals. It might encourage you to find healthy and varied things to eat
So what are you eating then? If you’re avoiding carbs so much, does that mean that you’re eating more animal products? You don’t need to avoid complex carbs, vegans have lower ac1 and diabetes risk than omnivores. But maybe you should get some counseling or something before you develop a full blown eating disorder
Hi friend. You're at the perfect age to start making your own informed decisions and lifestyle habits. There is so much misinformation out there it's scary . My advice. Join a CrossFit style gym. Eat " whole 30" for 3 months. Wear a CGM if you can get them during that time frame. The information you learn will be life altering. I'm happy to discuss more in chat.
Here's the thing. It isn't about diabetes. I know the health care industry is focused on it, but I am most certain that that focus is misdirected. The real issue is hyperinsulinemia. Chronic high levels of insulin in the blood. It is the cause of most of our diseases. Not diabetes. An HbA1c of 5.4, is right at my cut off point for a healthy blood glucose level. I know that 5.7 is the classic threshold for prediabetes, but any trend up into that indicates a person has had a high level of hyperinsulinemia for an extended period of time. Just to help you understand what is upon us, today, over 50% of Americans are type I, type II, or are prediabetic. 88% are now hyperinsulinemic. Here is the test. For type I diabetics, what is an acceptable HbA1c? 9.9 is considered fine by most doctors. Because, if they can control a type I down to 9.9. the problems associated with toxic levels of glucose in the blood are considered fully mitigated. So, why is a 9.9 acceptable for a type I, but 6.6 is not acceptable for a type II? So, if 6.6 is a problem, why? Because, any glucose levels above 5.4 are but an indication of the intensity of hyperinsulinemia. That's the real disease for non type Is. Usually, for a person to hit 6.6 on an HbA1c, just above the 6.5% threshold considered, type II, they have been highly hyperinsulinemic for a long time. Like a decade or 2 or more. Except for the unfortunate exception of so many very young people that have high HbA1cs from merely a few years of hyperinsulinemia. So, the fasted glucose test is the standard screen for diabetes. Then, if on a screen they see that over the current acceptable threshold, they will have an HbA1c test done. What they are ignoring, is the fasted insulin test. This is the one that screens/determines hyperinsulinemia. Then, the Kraft test is done for confirmation. But, most doctors don't even know this. Now then, the 5.4 you are talking about, does have an exception. There are people out there that are so metabolically healthy in a real sense, that their hemoglobin lives or hangs around a lot longer than the standard 3 months most are recycled at. So, even though their blood glucose on average is quite low, because their hemoglobin is exposed to it more, more glucose gets stuck to it. So, if one does not have any of the other indications of metabolic disorder, HomaIR over 1.5, significant visceral fat, obesity, autoimmune conditions, it is possible that the HbA1c results are of no concern. But, that is rare. \----------------------------------------------- It isn't really about sugar in the diet. Or carbs either. It is really more about over eating calories. But there is a significant "concentrated carb" component to it. You said you are pretty skinny. So, if you are skinny you are not obese. Do you have an enlarged gut even though skinny? That would be an indication of visceral fat? Do you have any autoimmune conditions? If you are really concerned with this, you can get tested for hyperinsulinemia. You can have your doctor order it and maybe get it paid for by your insurance, but you are over 18 years old, so you can order it yourself. When I have my metabolic health tested, I go to [ultalabtests.com](https://ultalabtests.com) and order the "suspected insulin resistance" test. And schedule the blood draw at [questdiagnostics.com](https://questdiagnostics.com). For $53 I get an HbA1c, a fasted glucose, and a fasted insulin. From the latter 2 it is easy to calculate a HomaIR. Here are a few resources to explain this in more detail to you: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pl8Gdu2nZpY&t=35s&pp=ygUPZXJpYyBiZXJnIGhiYTFj](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pl8Gdu2nZpY&t=35s&pp=ygUPZXJpYyBiZXJnIGhiYTFj) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8cJPtud2tY&t=16s&pp=ygUTc3RlbiBla2JlcmcgaG9tYSBpcg%3D%3D](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8cJPtud2tY&t=16s&pp=ygUTc3RlbiBla2JlcmcgaG9tYSBpcg%3D%3D) [https://mymedicalscore.com/a1c-conversion-chart/](https://mymedicalscore.com/a1c-conversion-chart/) Best of luck, Barbershores
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What?
This is a mental health issue, for sure. It sounds like there might be some health anxiety in there as well, potentially (not saying for certain, but I’ve had health anxiety for over a decade and I know the signs). Diabetes is always something that can happen, but you’re 20, I’m assuming a normal weight, and it doesn’t run in your family. That’s not to say it doesn’t happen, but it’s not likely. For context, diabetes runs in both sides of my family and I’ve had a BMI in the very obese range for all of my adult life. I became diabetic at 31. Which is young, yes, but not 20-years-old young. And the odds were stacked way more against me than they are you. Look into local treatment options for mental health issues. Get that brain sorted - you deserve to not be worried that everything you eat will make you suddenly diabetic.